Chapter 234: The Broken Compass

Adam tucked the folded parchment into his pocket and turned toward the door. His voice was calm, unhurried.

"We’ll be in touch."

Croft’s pale eyes followed him. "See that you are. I don’t like waiting."

Derrick’s hand remained on his sword hilt as Adam and Isolde slipped past him, their footsteps silent on the polished floor. The door clicked shut behind them.

Kurt stepped closer to Croft’s desk, his dark eyes watchful. "Do you think they’ll succeed, Master?"

Croft reached for his glass of water, took a slow sip, then set it down. His weathered fingers traced the rim.

"The man... he’s something beyond what we’ve seen. Did you feel it? When he looked at me?"

Kurt nodded slowly. "His presence was... heavy. Like standing at the edge of a cliff."

Croft’s lips curved beneath his mustache. "Exactly."

He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers.

"If anyone can destroy the assassin guild, it’s him." A pause. "And if he fails..." He shrugged. "We’ve lost nothing. The compass is broken anyway."

Kurt’s dark eyes lingered on the door. "And the woman? The one in the hood?"

Croft’s grey eyes sharpened. "A vampire. I could smell the blood on her." He shook his head slowly. "Interesting company he keeps."

Kurt adjusted his glasses. "Should we increase security?"

Croft waved a dismissive hand. "No. If he wanted to kill us, he would have done so already. He wants the compass. That makes him predictable."

He picked up his letter again, scanning the lines as if the interruption had never occurred.

"Let him hunt the guild. We’ll see what he brings back."

Outside, Adam and Isolde slipped through the dark streets of Kaelthar, their footsteps light, their presence hidden by shadows. The Null-Sense Ward Orb pulsed faintly in Adam’s pouch, keeping their movements undetected.

Isolde’s voice was barely a whisper. "You’re really going to do it? Destroy an entire guild?"

Adam glanced at her, his crimson eyes glinting in the dim light.

"I need that compass."

"But the guild, they’re dangerous. Hundreds of assassins, trained killers. Even with your strength, taking them all on—"

"We’re not taking them all on." Adam’s voice was patient. "We’re targeting their leadership. Chop off the head, and the body dies."

Isolde’s jaw tightened. "And if they scatter? Reform under a new leader?"

Adam’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Then we hunt them down one by one until there’s no one left who remembers the old guild." He looked ahead, toward the distant glow of the inn’s windows. "But first, we need more information."

Isolde’s pale eyes narrowed. "You want to capture one of them."

Adam shrugged. "If the opportunity presents itself."

They reached the inn. Adam pushed open the door, and the warmth of the common room washed over them. The innkeeper glanced up from polishing a glass, then looked away.

Adam pushed open the door to their room, the warm glow of the oil lamps spilling into the dim hallway. Isolde slipped in behind him, pulling her hood low.

Inside, Ignis was still sprawled on the bed, a half-eaten meat clutched in her hand. Her flames flickered contentedly as she chewed, her golden eyes half-closed with satisfaction. Bits of meat and grease stained her lips and fingers.

"You’re back!" she said around a mouthful, her words muffled. "How’d it go? Did you get the thing?"

Lilith rose from the chair by the window, her silver-threaded gown pooling around her feet. She crossed the room in a few fluid steps, her crimson eyes sweeping over Adam, then Isolde, then back to Adam. Her voice was soft, but there was an edge beneath it.

"Finally. I was beginning to think something had happened." She tilted her head, her gaze sharp. "You took too long."

Adam raised a hand, palm out, a placating gesture. "Relax. Those thugs couldn’t kill me even if they tried."

Lilith’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing. Her gaze shifted to Isolde, who had retreated to the corner of the room, her back against the wall.

"Well?" Lilith’s voice was cool. "How did it go?"

Adam shook his head. "The compass is broken."

Ignis stopped chewing. Her golden eyes went wide. "Ehh? Broken?!"

Adam shot her a flat look. "Chew your food, Ignis. Don’t talk with your mouth full."

Ignis swallowed with an exaggerated gulp, then made a show of wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Better?"

Adam sighed. "Marginally."

Lilith’s crimson eyes fixed on Isolde, who had grown very still beneath her hood. The spider’s voice was velvet over steel, quiet and dangerous.

"Hee... so it was you who suggested we come here, wasn’t it? And now the artifact is broken?" She took a step closer, and Isolde pressed herself against the wall. "What exactly is the meaning of this?"

Isolde’s pale cheeks flushed beneath her hood. Her voice was tight, defensive.

"I only knew it existed! I didn’t know it was damaged! How was I supposed to—"

Lilith raised her hand, and Isolde’s words died in her throat. The vampire’s eyes darted to Adam, wide with something that looked alarmingly like fear.

Adam stepped between them, raising both hands in a calming gesture.

"Lilith. Stop." His voice was firm but gentle. "The compass is broken, but we can fix it." He glanced at Isolde. "There’s a blacksmith in the lower district. A specialist in artifact restoration."

Isolde nodded quickly, seizing the opportunity to defend herself. "My suggestion wasn’t entirely useless. We know where the compass is now. And we know it can be fixed."

Lilith’s eyes narrowed further. Her voice was silk over steel.

"If it were that simple, don’t you think Croft would have repaired it himself?" She stepped closer, her presence pressing against Isolde like a physical weight. "Why would a greedy merchant keep a broken artifact instead of fixing it and selling it for a fortune?"

Isolde’s throat bobbed. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Perhaps... the cost of repair is too high. Or the blacksmith is difficult to work with." She swallowed. "Or maybe Croft doesn’t trust anyone enough to let the compass out of his sight."

Adam’s jaw tightened. He ran a hand through his hair, thinking.

"She has a point, Lilith. Croft kept the compass because it’s still valuable, even broken. And if he sent it out for repairs, there’s a risk it might never come back." He looked at Isolde. "But Lilith is also right. We need to find out why the compass hasn’t been fixed."

Lilith’s crimson eyes narrowed, her fingers tapping thoughtfully against her arm. "What are the merchant’s terms for giving you the compass?"

Adam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He wants us to destroy the assassin guild that’s been causing problems in Kaelthar."

Ignis’s flames flared with sudden excitement. She bounced on the bed, scattering crumbs everywhere. "Ooh! A guild! That sounds fun!"

Lilith shot her a look, then turned back to Adam. Her voice was cool, measured.

"I see. So a merchant who can’t handle the guild himself wants to use us as his weapon." She tilted her head, her crimson eyes sharp. "We don’t know how strong this guild truly is. But if a merchant with Croft’s influence and resources can’t destroy them himself, that means the guild is dangerous."

Adam nodded slowly. "That’s what I figured."

Lilith’s gaze swept the room, then returned to him. "Where is the compass now?"

Adam’s jaw tightened slightly. "Still with Croft. In his vault."

Lilith’s expression flickered between disbelief and irritation. Her voice sharpened.

"He’s making you destroy an entire guild... and he keeps the compass? You don’t even get to hold onto it while you do his dirty work?"

Adam opened his mouth, then closed it.

Lilith stepped closer, her presence pressing against him like a gentle but insistent tide.

"Adam, think. You should have demanded the compass as collateral. Or at least taken something of equal value to ensure he honors the deal." Her voice dropped, softer but more intense. "What happens when we destroy the guild and Croft decides our agreement never existed? He’s a merchant. He deals in lies and fine print."

Adam’s brow furrowed. "He seemed... honest."

Lilith let out a soft, incredulous laugh. "Honest?" She shook her head slowly. "You’re too trusting, Adam."

Adam’s expression shifted, uncertainty flickering across his features.

"...You’re right. I didn’t think about that."

Lilith sighed, a long, slow exhale that carried the weight of exasperated affection.

"I should have come with you." She glanced at Isolde, who was still pressed against the wall, her pale cheeks flushed. "No offense, vampire. But you’re not... experienced in negotiation."

Isolde’s eye twitched. "I wasn’t there to negotiate. I was there to provide information."

Adam’s shoulders sagged slightly. His voice, when it came, was quieter than before.

"I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was just... frustrated. The compass is broken, and I need it for Alice. I didn’t want to leave empty-handed."

Lilith’s expression softened, just a fraction. Her hand found his arm, her fingers curling around his sleeve.

"I know, Adam. It’s understandable. You’ve been under a lot of pressure." She glanced at Ignis, then back at him. "But next time, let me come with you. Two heads are better than one. Especially when the other head belongs to a spider."

Adam’s lips twitched into a faint, grateful smile.

"Yeah."

Ignis, still sprawled on the bed, sat up abruptly, her flames flaring with indignation.

"Hey! What about me? I could have come too! I’m great at intimidating people!"

Lilith’s eyebrows rose. "You’re great at burning things, Ignis. Intimidation requires... finesse."

Ignis puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms. "I have finesse!"

"No, you’re not."