"Well damn, Isla." I adjusted my holster, gaze locked on the figure leaning against the lamppost across the street. "You actually found him."
I made a mental note to talk to Hale about raising her pay.
Even in the dim neon glow, Kade was unmistakable. He watched the late evening crowd flow by with that same arrogant smirk he'd worn a week ago, the same lazy swagger in his stance like he owned the damn street. He probably thought he did.
I should know—I'd spent every night since we chased that ghoul replaying the encounter over and over in my mind, each detail gnawing at me like an itch I couldn't scratch. Half of it was righteous anger—a man who lived outside the law, who couldn't be bothered with right and wrong, was a walking liability. The other half... was something else entirely.
Okay, Lace. Big girl panties. Let's do this.
A hover car whizzed by, then another. I exhaled slowly and stepped off the curb, approaching him from behind.
Kade was dressed down tonight—dark jeans, combat boots, and a worn leather jacket that, if I had to guess, hid his rare, expensive dragon scale armor. And then there was the massive sword strapped to his back. The Uptown streetlights carved out the sharp planes of his face, casting just enough shadow to make him look even more dangerous. And, annoyingly, even more attractive.
Around him, the street was alive with the hum of the city—the soft clink of spoons against glass as a fae couple lingered over a sundae at an outdoor café, the bubbling laughter of a group of sprites perched on a wrought-iron fence, their wings fluttering lazily. A towering ogre in a tailored coat strolled past, sipping from a sweating can of soda, his tusked mouth twisting at the taste.
Uptown had a certain charm, its storefronts well-lit and its sidewalks clean, but even here, the cracks were showing—faded awnings, flickering neon signs, the occasional shuttered shop hinting at Ebonspire's decline.
I stepped up behind Kade, keeping my movements measured and quiet. "You're late."
He didn't flinch.
Didn't even tense. Damn him.
I could be anyone. I could have a blade to his back. Hell, if I weren't a cop perhaps I'd like to hold one there, just to see how he'd react. But instead, all I got was that same reckless ease. That same irritating confidence.
"I don't make a habit of meeting clients this early—especially new ones," he purred, shifting his weight—lazily, comfortably, like he had all the time in the world—before turning. Gods, how could I forget that voice? "I had a few loose ends to tie up before—"
He stiffened, just a hint. And the flicker of surprise in his eyes? Absolutely priceless. Then his voice dropped, low and dangerous. "You?"
I smirked, slinging a hand on my hip. "Me."
Nothing quite like luring a merc with the promise of cash and glory. Isla got him here—now it was my turn to figure out how to make him stay.
His amber eyes flicked around the street, scanning for something unseen. "What is this, a set up?"
"No, I'm the client." I crossed my arms, holding my chin high.
"You're kidding me, right?"
I flushed. "What? No, I—"
"Forget it." Kade turned, already done with me.
So he wasn't glad to see me. Could you blame the guy?
I scrambled after him, dodging a shifter as he shifted mid-step—barely avoiding getting a tail in the face. "It's not a joke, Kade. I need your help!"
Kade swallowed the pavement in long strides, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Nope. Nuh-uh. I don't work for cops."
"For and with are two different things." I darted to the side, trying to cut him off.
He dodged me easily, brow arched. "And neither are going to happen unless you're ready to play rough, darling."
I swallowed. This definitely wasn't off to a great start. Good thing I had a few tricks left to pull.
"I can pay you," I blurted out. Or rather, Vanguard could. Maybe. Hopefully.
"I don't care."
"Double?" A chunk of my next paycheck, too.
"I don't care."
"Information then?" I lowered my voice so no one else could hear. "A trade. Surely there's some case file I could get for you. Some rival you have that I could—"
He paused, arched a brow. Then leaned in, voice dropping low. "Do you truly think I need help to take down my enemies?"
The proximity made my breath hitch—damn him.
"Well, uh. Well, no. But I—"
He smirked, then took off again.
"Kade, wait!" I grit my teeth, fighting to keep pace. I grabbed his sleeve, tightening my grip until he stopped.
"See that third apartment down the street?" I pointed toward a row of brick apartments. "The one with the blue door? That's where he is—an elf mage. Seriously powerful. He's gone off the deep end into some illegal magic. Dangerous, likely unstable."
A complete and total overstatement but… details, details.
"Seems you have a type." Kade's gaze flicking toward the house.
I ignored the jab. It was my latest assignment—a throwaway from the bottom of Hale's stash since I'd screwed up the ghoul chase. Odd, seeing as there were actual important cases going on right now and we were understaffed… but who was I to question his authority?
"I need your…expertise to take him down," I lied. The mage wasn't the real puzzle here. Kade was. And if dragging this case out got me closer to figuring out whose side he was really on, then I had all the time in the world.
"Expertise, eh?" Kade ran a hand through his hair—dry this time. An ashy shade of blonde, no less unruly than it had been wet.
A corner of his mouth lifted. "What kind of expertise are we talking about? 'Cause my resume's just about as long as my—"
I punched him in the arm. "Uhg, Kade. Seriously?"
"Sword." His smirk grew to a genuine smile. "I was going to say sword. Get your mind out of the gutter, sweetheart."
I crossed my arms. "I need help with magic, Kade."
He faltered for a fraction of a second, something unreadable flashing behind his eyes. "I'm human, detective. What makes you think I know any more about magic than you do?"
So he was human. A part of me was…disappointed. "Call it a hunch."
"And you want me to... what? Wave my magic wand and make the scary mage disappear?" His voice dripped sarcasm.
"Kade, please."
Please come with me. Please let me question you. Please don't let that Smart Alec attitude get in the way of me getting some answers.
He studied me for two long heartbeats, those amber eyes stripping me bare, heating my cheeks. Then turned on his heel. "No."
I groaned, chasing after him. "Look, I'm not asking you to wear a badge. You can keep your scary-dude morals, your bargain-bin honor, and whatever else you need to sleep at night."
He smirked. "You think I'm scary? That sweet."
I ignored him. "I'm just asking you—as a fellow citizen of Ebonspire—to help protect your city. Mirev is a criminal, capable of who knows what, and—"
Kade stalled.
"Wait, did you say Mirev?" His voice wasn't playful anymore. "Like Mirev the Revenant?"
I swallowed. "Uh… yeah?"
Kade's stance shifted—just a flicker, but I caught it. Damn. This merc was better connected to Ebonspire's underbelly than I'd realized.
"I'll do it," he said—too quickly.
I narrowed my eyes.
What the hell did he know about Mirev? Better question…who the hell was Mirev if not some washed-up wannabe spell-flinger?
Kade cleared his throat, then hit me with another smirk, that trademark sarcasm sliding back into place. "But only out of morbid curiosity for what's in there—and don't expect me to play nice."
I rolled my eyes and headed toward to the apartment. "Wouldn't dream of it."
The building loomed ahead—quiet, unbothered, and way too plain for a crazy mage. Kade kept pace beside me, casual on the surface… but I didn't miss the way his hand hovered just shy of his sword.
Yeah. This was definitely not going to go to plan.