Lili walked down the long corridor, her heels clicking against the polished floors like a slow, deliberate countdown. Each time her eyes met those of the patrolling men dressed in black, she straightened her posture, raised her chin, and pressed her lips into a firm line. Every measured step was an act of defiance, of control. The guards acknowledged her with brief nods—subtle gestures, but enough to remind her that, despite her failure, she still commanded a sliver of respect. Yet, respect only went so far.
By the time she reached the heavy double doors leading to Torin’s office, a deep ache had settled into her body, pain radiating from her still-healing wounds. It clawed at her spine, whispered along her ribs, coiling around her like a vice. But she forced herself to embrace it. Pain was temporary. The consequences of failure, however, were not.
The two guards flanking the doors didn’t hesitate. As soon as she stopped in front of them, they reached for the handles and pulled the doors open.
She stepped inside.
Torin was already seated behind his desk, waiting. His presence was a force in itself—controlled, looming, suffocating in its intensity. The moment their gazes locked, Lili knew this conversation would not be one of patience or understanding. And behind him, like a specter of judgment, stood his son, Fosin.
Lili had seen that look in his eyes before—cold, displeased, and calculating. He was already unhappy with her, already weighing the cost of her mistakes against whatever usefulness she still held. He had warned her what failure would mean. Now, she would find out just how steep that price would be.
But it wasn’t only them.
Her sharp gaze flickered to another figure seated at the table—the man from the van. The same man who had injected something into their prisoner before everything had spiraled out of control. Lili hadn’t expected to see him here. Matters like these weren’t discussed in front of outsiders unless they held some significance. And if Torin had allowed him to remain in this room, it meant one thing: he was more important than she had first assumed.
But that didn’t matter. Lili knew better than to let her thoughts show. Instead, she stepped forward, stopping before the desk, and inclined her head in a respectful bow.
Torin didn’t waste time. “Sit.”
She obeyed without hesitation, lowering herself into the chair opposite him. The man from the van sat beside her, but she paid him no mind.
The air in the room was thick with tension, an unspoken weight pressing down on her as Torin leaned forward, his sharp gaze cutting into her.
“What happened back there?” His voice was even, but there was no mistaking the warning beneath it.
Lili met his gaze head-on. “Sir, we captured one of the attackers. We took her to the van, and drove out. I questioned her during the transport, but something… unexpected happened.” She chose her words carefully, her voice steady.
“Unexpected?” Torin’s tone turned razor-sharp. “Are you referring to the fact that an injured prisoner managed to throw you out of a moving vehicle—to my son’s car window?” His voice rose, the edge of his fury finally breaking through.
Lili didn’t flinch. “It wasn’t her strength,” she countered immediately. “She was too weak to move.”
Torin’s eyes narrowed, but before he could speak, the man beside her interjected.
“Boss, with all due respect,” the man said, his voice measured, “I don’t know much about the Gifted, but that wasn’t normal. It was as if something took over her—forced her body to move. Her neck twisted unnaturally. And—”
He stopped mid-sentence as Lili shot him a sharp look.
She turned back to Torin. “I will fix this.” Her voice was firm, unwavering. “If you allow me to continue questioning her, I can break through.”
A scoff cut through the air. “She’s dead.” Lili’s breath caught. Her gaze snapped to Fosin, disbelief flickering across her face. “She died the moment she threw you out,” he added, his tone cold.
For a moment, the room seemed to shrink around her. Lili inhaled deeply, forcing the shock away. She couldn’t afford to falter now. This wasn’t over. She refused to let it be over.
“I have another lead,” she pressed, her voice even. “I found a necklace among the first ruins. My contact is already investigating it. It will lead us in the right direction.” She looked between Torin and Fosin, meeting their skepticism head-on. “I won’t fail you. I will finish this. You have my word.”
Torin leaned back in his chair, watching her with an expression that revealed nothing. Then, slowly, he exhaled, unimpressed.
“When?” he asked, voice laced with quiet menace. “Then another facility is blown up?”
“No.” Lili shook her head. “I won’t let it come to that.”
A bitter smile curled at Fosin’s lips. “You said this Gifted worked alone,” he reminded her, his tone sharp, his dissatisfaction clear. “Maybe your skills aren’t as infallible as you pretend them to be.”
The words stung more than they should have. Lili had spent years proving herself—building a reputation that left no room for doubt. For Fosin, of all people, to be the first to question her skills—it was worse than any punishment Torin could deliver.
Her jaw tightened. “If she had allies, I wouldn’t have found her alone,” she stated with conviction. “You know how the Gifted operate. They masquerade as heroes—pretending to be protectors, saviors.” She let the words hang in the air before continuing, voice low, sharp. “But tell me, do heroes abandon their own to bleed out in enemy’s territory?”
Silence.
She pressed forward. “No. They don’t. That means they aren’t a true group. At best, they exchange information on potential targets, but their cooperation ends there. They’re cautious. That’s why I’m the only one who can track them down and end them.”
The weight of her words lingered.
Torin’s gaze bore into her, searching, weighing, deciding. Lili held her ground, keeping her expression neutral even as the seconds dragged on, tension coiling tight around her ribs.
Finally, Torin exhaled. He turned his head slightly, his attention shifting to the man seated beside Lili. “You will accompany her on this mission.”
A sharp, ice-cold chill ran through Lili’s veins. Her fingers twitched, but she kept them still.
She always worked alone. That was the deal. That was how she operated. The idea of Torin assigning someone to oversee her was worse than punishment—it was a warning.
And nothing in the world enraged her more than the realization that one mistake had been enough to strip her of the trust she had fought so hard to earn.
“Get acquainted and finish the job,” Torin continued, his tone final. Then his gaze settled on Lili once more. “Dismissed.”
She stood first.
Bowing her head slightly, she held his gaze, fire burning behind her black eyes, a silent challenge in the few seconds she allowed herself before turning away.
The moment she stepped through the doors, she let them shut behind her with a sharp click. Only then did she turn, her eyes immediately locking onto the man Torin had just shackled her to.
He wasn’t much older than her—twenty-five at most. Tall, lean, sharp-featured, with dark brown hair that curled just slightly at the ends. The kind of face that would blend in anywhere, unremarkable until you noticed the way he carried himself. Relaxed. Too relaxed. Like none of this was serious to him. Like he wasn’t about to make her life significantly more complicated.
He smiled as soon as she faced him, casual and amused, as if he could already feel her annoyance bleeding through. Then he raised a hand toward her.
“Goran.”
Lili’s eyes flickered to the offered hand. She didn’t take it.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly, looking him up and down, unimpressed. “I don’t need a babysitter,” she said coolly, watching his smile widen at the sharpness in her tone.
“Oh, don’t worry.” His voice was smooth, laced with amusement. “I’m sure you’ll make this miserable for me.”
Lili’s lips curled into a mockingly sweet smile. “Let’s see how long you survive.” And with that, she turned on her heel. “Meet me outside in an hour.”
She didn’t wait for his response, didn’t glance back, didn’t slow her pace. If Torin thought this was enough to rein her in, he was sorely mistaken.
***
By the time Lili stepped out of the mansion, she had already swapped the restrictive clothing for something more practical—black, loose-fitting blouse tucked into slim pants, and knee-high leather boots that barely made a sound against the stone steps. Her long red hair, usually free, was now secured into a high ponytail, keeping it out of her face.
Goran was already there, waiting. His arms crossed, his sharp brown eyes quietly tracking every movement she made. She could feel the weight of his stare, the way he assessed her like a puzzle he had yet to solve.
“You know,” he mused, tilting his head slightly, “for someone who got thrown out of a moving van and smashed into a car, you look like nothing happened.”
A fleeting smile ghosted across her lips.
“Maybe nothing did.” Her tone was smooth, indifferent, as if the entire ordeal was nothing more than an inconvenience.
Then she stepped off the last stair.
At that exact moment, a black luxury car pulled up in front of them. One of Torin’s men stepped out, barely sparing her a glance before giving a respectful nod. “Your car, miss.”
With that, he stepped aside and walked away, leaving them with the vehicle.
Lili turned to Goran, her expression unreadable. “You’re driving.”
His brows lifted in surprise. “Seriously?” He scoffed. “I’m not your chauffeur.”
She didn’t bother answering. She was already sliding into the passenger seat, adjusting her position with the ease of someone who expected to be obeyed. Goran let out a short breath, shaking his head slightly before moving around the car and getting in behind the wheel.
As soon as he settled in, he gave her a pointed look. “I was assigned to assist you, not act as your personal driver.”
Lili didn’t even glance up from her phone.
“I don’t recall Torin specifying your role.” She tapped the screen, inputting their destination. “Did you?”
Goran exhaled through his nose, recognizing the game she was playing but choosing not to argue—yet. Instead, his attention flickered to the GPS screen as she finalized the route. Goran’s brows furrowed as he turned to her, clearly confused.
“…You mind telling me why we’re going to a beauty studio instead of, I don’t know, tracking down your so-called lead?”
Lili simply leaned back into her seat, crossing one leg over the other.
“We are.” And that was all she gave him.
***
The sharp knock on the office door barely made Dotina glance up from her screen.
“I told you, I’m busy,” she called out, her tone impatient.
The door creaked open anyway.
Dotina tensed, her fingers freezing over the keyboard as she recognized the woman stepping inside. Lili. She wasn’t wearing a mask.
Dotina’s stomach twisted. That alone was unusual—Lili never showed up here like this. But what truly made her blood run cold was that she wasn’t alone. A man walked in beside her.
Dotina’s gaze flickered to him, locking onto his face. For a moment, she hesitated, a strange flicker of recognition surfacing in her mind. Had she seen him before? She wasn’t sure. She studied him longer, searching for an answer, but when nothing came, she abandoned the thought and turned her focus back to Lili.
Dotina crossed her arms. “I wasn’t expecting your visit.”
Lili’s expression was unreadable. “I promise we won’t take much of your time.”
“Did something happen?” Dotina asked, her voice controlled, though the tension was clear.
She let her eyes travel between Lili and the man, watching their body language. Lili was calm, but her eyes were sharp, focused. The man—he was different. His posture was stiff, wary, like he didn’t trust anyone in the room.
Dotina forced herself to keep a neutral expression. Did Lili know? Had she figured it out? If she had, she wouldn’t have come here with someone else. The man shifted slightly, the movement subtle but deliberate. He was studying her too.
Lili exhaled softly and got straight to the point. “Did you find anything about the necklace?”
Dotina hesitated. “Yes and no…”
Goran let out a quiet sigh, his expression bordering on exasperated. “Here we go,” he muttered, low enough that only someone paying close attention would hear.
Lili’s patience thinned. “This is a serious matter, Dotina. Tell me what you know.”
Dotina swallowed, weighing her options. She rubbed the back of her neck, choosing her words carefully. “There are jewelers who create these necklaces for Gifted families. They use them to mark their children, in case they ever get lost.”
Goran’s brows lifted slightly. “Because of their parents’ work?”
Dotina nodded. “Yes. But at this point, it’s more of a tradition.”
Lili’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not telling me something.”
Dotina swallowed hard. Lili knew her too well.
She cleared her throat, feigning nonchalance. “I couldn’t identify the child the necklace belonged to. That’s what’s worrying me.”
She forced herself to hold Lili’s gaze. Lili studied her, unreadable.
Then, finally, she spoke. “If you can’t find out… don’t worry, Dotina. You’re the best at this. I can’t and won’t doubt your skills.”
Goran made a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and an incredulous laugh.
Dotina exhaled slowly, trying not to let her relief show. “Yes… you’re probably right,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “I’ll call you immediately if anything changes.”
Lili gave a small nod but didn’t move to leave. “Actually, I came to ask about something else.”
Dotina’s stomach clenched.
“Your requests are never simple,” she muttered.
Lili let out a short, humorless laugh. “Can’t argue with that.”
Goran’s expression darkened. He wasn’t even trying to hide his irritation anymore. The way they spoke, the familiarity—it was getting under his skin.
Lili tilted her head slightly. “Have you heard the name Joyce?”
Dotina’s reaction was instant. Her breath hitched. Lili caught it.
“So, you know the girl,” she said, her tone sharpening.
Dotina forced a weak chuckle, trying to regain control. “Can’t stop thinking about what that young one did, actually.”
Goran scoffed. “Sure you do.” He studied her reaction, then pressed further. “Joyce is dead.”
Dotina stiffened. “Poor girl…” she murmured, though the words felt hollow even to her own ears.
She knew she should have stopped Joyce from doing something reckless. But it was too late now.
Goran’s tone didn’t waver. “If you could tell us anything useful about her, it would be appreciated.”
Lili turned to him sharply, eyes flashing. Goran shrugging slightly.
Dotina exhaled, keeping her voice level. “I’ll ask around. In the meantime, I want to ask for a favor.”
Goran tensed instantly. “A favor?” His eyes darkened, and his jaw clenched.
Lili remained silent, watching Dotina with a look that made it clear—she wasn’t going to let anything slide.
Dotina opened the drawer with a quiet, controlled movement, though her fingers trembled ever so slightly. Inside, a thick envelope lay among the scattered documents. She hesitated for only a second before pulling it out and extending it toward Lili.
Lili took it without hesitation, her fingers brushing against Dotina’s for the briefest moment. She didn’t break eye contact as she did, her gaze sharp, searching.
“Don’t be gentle, please,” Dotina murmured, her voice quieter now, almost resigned.
Lili gave a single nod—no words, no questions. Then, without another glance, she turned on her heel and walked out.
Goran didn’t move immediately. He lingered for a beat longer, watching Dotina with an unreadable expression. Suspicion flickered in his eyes, but whatever thoughts ran through his mind, he kept them to himself. Eventually, he followed Lili out, his steps slow, reluctant. The moment the door clicked shut, Dotina let out a shaky breath.
Her hands, now trembling openly, reached for the drawer again. This time, she pulled out a crumpled cigarette pack. She fumbled with it for a moment before managing to slide one out. The lighter sparked, the small flame trembling just like her hands, and she took a long drag, holding the smoke in her lungs before exhaling heavily.
She stared at the empty space where Lili had stood just moments ago.
“Sorry, Lili,” she thought bitterly, smoke curling around her fingers. “Some things need to stay hidden…”
Leave a Reply