Even in the dim glow of the training chamber, Kai couldn't shake the memory of the girl the assassin with silver eyes.
Her name echoed in his mind: Aria.
He wondered why she had spared him. Why, after aiming a blade at his throat, she vanished instead of finishing the job.
That night, his dreams were invaded by whispers.
A voice soft but sharp called out to him, weaving through shadows like a secret melody.
"Find me," it said.
"Before they do."
Kai woke with a start, sweat soaking his shirt.
Was it a dream or a message?
The next day, the city felt different. Every stranger's glance, every passing shadow, seemed loaded with hidden meaning.
Then, as he walked home through a deserted street, a soft voice called from the darkness.
"Kai."
He froze. There she was.
Aria stepped from the shadows, eyes glinting with the same silver light.
"Why are you following me?" Kai demanded, heart pounding.
Her smile was cold but genuine. "Because you're the key. And I'm the lock."
Before he could respond, sirens wailed nearby.
"We don't have much time," she whispered.
Kai had no choice. He followed her deeper into the city's underbelly, into secrets darker than he ever imagined.