I walked through the palace halls. My boots made a heavy sound on the polished floor. I didn't care about the gold statues or the fancy rugs. I just wanted to get this over with. The guards looked at me like I was a piece of dirt stuck to their expensive shoes. I just stared back until they looked away.
I reached the large doors of the inner study. I didn't wait for an invite. I pushed them open.
The Governor was sitting behind a massive desk. He looked old. Older than he did a month ago. His face was pale, and his fingers were shaking as he held a pen. He looked up when I walked in. His eyes were bloodshot.
"Hello, Governor," I said. I sat down in the chair across from him without being asked. I leaned back and crossed my legs.
"Chaiyo," he said. His voice was thin. He didn't sound like a powerful man. He sounded like someone drowning. "You took your time."
"I was busy," I replied. I watched his face. He had a small twitch under his left eye. He was terrified. Not of me, but of whatever was happening to his bank accounts and his reputation. "Your messenger said something about a Black Pit. And double pay."
The Governor leaned forward. He gripped the edge of the desk so hard his knuckles turned white. "The Pit is... it's leaking. Things are coming out. Things that shouldn't exist. My men won't go down there. They say it's cursed."
I felt a surge of dark amusement. "Everything is cursed when you're a coward. What's the catch?"
"There is an artifact," he whispered. He looked toward the door to make sure it was closed. "A stone. It's the heart of that place. Bring it to me, and your debts are gone. Your past is gone. And the gold... it will be more than you can spend in three lifetimes."
I watched him. He was lying about something. Probably about how dangerous it actually was. But I didn't care. I needed the coin, and I was bored of the surface.
"I want half now," I said.
He flinched. "Half? I can't—"
"Half now," I repeated. I leaned in close. I could see the sweat on his forehead. "Or you can go down there yourself and see what's 'leaking'."
He hesitated, then reached into a drawer. He pulled out a heavy leather pouch and tossed it on the desk. It landed with a satisfying thud.
"Don't fail me, Chaiyo," the Governor said. His voice was shaking. "If you don't bring it back, none of us are safe."
"I'm not doing it to save you," I said. I grabbed the bag and stood up. "I'm doing it because I like the work."
I walked out without a goodbye. As I passed the hallway, I saw a shadow moving behind a curtain. I knew who it was, but I didn't stop. I had a job to do.
I headed down to the armorers in the lower city. The air was thick with the sound of hammers hitting iron. I found a man named Kiet. He was a small man with missing fingers and a permanent scowl. He was the best at what he did.
"I need something for the deep dark, Kiet," I said, tossing a gold coin onto his anvil.
Kiet picked up the coin and bit it. He nodded. "The Black Pit? You're a fool, Chaiyo. But you're a rich fool today."
He went to the back and brought out a belt of small, glass vials. They didn't look like much, but they were filled with a liquid that glowed a dull, angry orange.
"Fire pots," Kiet grunted. "Break one, and whatever it touches stays burned. Don't drop them."
I strapped the belt around my waist. I felt the weight of the gold in my pocket and the fire on my hip. I was ready as I'd ever be. I didn't need a plan. Plans usually fall apart the moment you see the first set of teeth in the dark.
I walked toward the edge of the city, where the ground dropped off into a jagged ravine. That was the entrance. A hole in the world that swallowed light.
As I reached the edge, I saw a figure waiting for me. It wasn't the messenger. It was a woman, but not Malai. It was a girl I recognized from the tavern—one of the street urchins who ran errands for Sopa. Her name was Aranya.
"Sopa says don't die," Aranya said, handing me a small, wrapped bundle of dried meat. "She says if you die, she has to find a new person to annoy her."
I took the food and shoved it into my pack. "Tell Sopa I'll be back for that drink. And tell her to keep the tab open."
I looked down into the Pit. It looked like a throat. Dark, wet, and hungry. I didn't feel brave. I just felt a cold sort of focus. I stepped over the edge and started the climb down.
The silence hit me first. Then the cold. I moved slowly, my boots searching for grip on the slick rock. I didn't look up. Up was for people with homes. Down was for me.