CHAPTER I: The Girl Beneath the Ashes
ISOLDE
“Run, Sol!”
The coin purse Rowan threw cut cleanly through the air. I caught it without thinking.
I didn’t hesitate. The moment it landed in my hand, I broke away from him, sprinting in the opposite direction to split the guards chasing us.
If they had to choose, better they chased me.
Behind me, I could already hear boots pounding against stone.
“Move!” I shouted, shoving through the people clogging the narrow street.
Chaos followed.
Someone stumbled into a fruit cart. A merchant cursed. A woman shrieked as bodies shoved past one another. But I didn’t stop. I slipped between wagons, vaulted over a crate blocking the alley, and darted through twisting backstreets that smelled of smoke, sweat, and damp stone.
I couldn’t let them catch me.
My lungs burned as I pushed myself harder, certain I could already feel the guards gaining on me.
Then, suddenly—the city opened up.
The market square stretched wide before me like the beating heart of Posantis.
Noise crashed over me all at once.
Merchants shouting over one another. Coins clinking into rough hands. Smoke rising from roasting meat. The sharp scent of spices tangled with sweat, horse dung, and the salt-heavy air drifting in from somewhere far beyond the city walls.
Color hung everywhere—bright fabrics swaying above crowded stalls, lanterns flickering between them like trapped stars.
What a perfect place to hide.
Without slowing down, I lowered my head and slipped into the crowd.
I blended in fast, weaving between shoppers until I spotted a narrow alley tucked between two crumbling buildings, dim enough to disappear into.
I ducked inside. Only then did I let myself breathe.
I leaned against the cold stone wall, chest heaving, hands trembling as I pulled out the coin purse.
The moment I opened it, my breath caught.
“Damn…” I whispered.
Gold.
Far more gold than I expected. Even in the weak light spilling into the alley, the coins gleamed.
For once, we can eat something decent.
“Don’t forget to split that.”
I spun around.
Rowan stepped out of the shadows at the far end of the alley like he’d been standing there the entire time, watching me panic for fun.
I immediately shut the purse and clutched it to my chest.
“What a shame,” I said with exaggerated disappointment. “I thought they’d finally caught you.”
He smirked. “As if.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself. Before I could stop myself, I crossed the distance between us and threw my arms around him.
“I’m glad you made it,” I muttered quietly.
His arms tightened around me almost instantly, holding on for a second longer than usual.
“That’s not happening,” he said. “We’re getting out of here, remember?”
I pulled back just enough to look at him. “Honestly? I can’t wait.”
The grin on my face came too easily.
For years, Rowan and I had planned to leave Posantis behind. Like me, he had no family. We both learned young that survival wasn’t optional here. If you didn’t fight for scraps, you starved. At some point, without ever really saying it aloud, we became each other’s family. The only family we had.
“Come on,” Rowan said after a moment. “Before the guards decide to finish their job.”
I nodded.
༺𓆩༒︎𓆪༻
By the time we made it back, I was practically drowning myself in water.
“That tastes incredible,” I said between bites, gripping an oversized roasted chicken leg like I hadn’t eaten in days. Which, honestly, wasn’t far from the truth.
Across from me, Rowan watched with quiet amusement.
“Slow down,” he said, laughing under his breath. “The food isn’t running away.”
Easy for him to say. Good meals didn’t happen often. Most days, we were lucky if we ate twice. And tonight, it felt like a feast.
The dim lantern near us cast enough light for me to make out Rowan’s face.
We sat inside what most people would call a ruin—an abandoned house tucked deep in Hollow District, far from crowds and authorities.
To us, it was home.
The roof leaked when it rained. The walls were cracked. The floor groaned if you stepped too hard. Small, cold, filthy, yet ours.
“You done?” I asked when I noticed he’d stopped eating.
He shrugged and pushed the plate toward me. “You can have it.”
I didn’t even pretend to refuse.
“Only a little more,” Rowan said after a while, his voice quieter now. “Just a little more gold and we’ll finally leave Posantis.”
That made me pause.
He reached for the small wooden box where we kept every coin we managed to save. “I found someone who can get us to Velmora.”
I looked up.
Something in his voice felt different tonight.
It was certain and hopeful. And honestly, I couldn’t blame him.
There was nothing left for us here.
In Posantis, poor people stayed poor while the rich somehow found ways to become richer.
“Just a little longer, Sol,” he said softly. “Then we’re gone.”
Before I could answer, a sound outside made both of us freeze.
A rustling footsteps.
I shoved my food aside as Rowan and I stood at the same time.
“Cash?” Rowan said the moment the figure stepped into view.
Like us, Cash made a living picking pockets and surviving however he could.
“There you are,” Cash said, stepping closer.
“What are you doing here?” I asked immediately.
“There’s a job tomorrow,” he said. “And I need the two of you.”
My stomach tightened. “What kind of job?”
Cash glanced around before lowering his voice. “A shipment’s arriving in Posantis tomorrow. Gold from Notres.”
I frowned. “And?”
“And we’re stealing it.”
Rowan crossed his arms. “You know that sounds impossible,” he said. “A shipment like that won’t travel without guards.”
“Exactly why I need you,” Cash replied. “You two are good at this.”
I exchanged a look with Rowan.
Cash leaned forward slightly. “Think about how much gold we’ll walk away with if this works.”
My throat tightened. Enough gold. Enough for us to leave this place.
Rowan looked at me. “This could be our chance, Sol.”
“Or our funeral,” I muttered.
Cash scoffed. “It’s dangerous if you’re stupid. Just follow the plan. You’re not stealing the shipment—we are. You’re only moving the cargo.” He pointed between us. “That part? You two are good at.”
Rowan didn’t hesitate long. “Fine,” he said. “Where do we meet?”
“East Wing of the Market Square. Early morning.” Cash straightened. “Once we secure the shipment, you move it back here to Hollow District.”
“We’ll be there,” Rowan answered.
“Rowan.”
He looked at me. “Last one,” he said quietly. “After this, we leave.”
Cash gave us one last nod. “Tomorrow, then.”
And just like that, he disappeared into the night.
The silence afterward felt heavier somehow.
I shifted uneasily. “What if something goes wrong?” I asked. “If we get caught, prison would be the best-case scenario.” The words came out quieter than I intended. “What if trying to leave ends up ruining everything?”
“It won’t.” Rowan cut me off immediately. His voice was steady and still certain. “I made a promise,” he said. “We’re leaving this place.”
His eyes met mine. “You and me.”
And somehow—despite the fear clawing at my stomach—I believed him. “Hopefully,” I whispered.
