Chapter 79: Silver Claw

Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Silver Claw

"A debt of gratitude is a burden, which only souls of fire know how to bear." — Marquis de Sade

The rain fell in cold, relentless sheets across the outer merchant slums.

It turned the muddy alleys into slick channels of gray sludge, washing blood and filth toward the drains that lined the streets.

It was the kind of miserable night where the high nobles locked their heavy oak doors, drank spiced wine beside roaring hearths, and pretended the rot at the edges of the capital did not exist.

Riven did not have that luxury.

He crouched on the rain slicked rooftop of a dilapidated warehouse, watching the building below.

According to his new crown commissioned bounty board, the capital’s underworld was still purging its lingering infections.

Tonight’s target was not a corrupt elven captain.

Not a political sycophant.

Not some arrogant noble hiding behind a family crest.

It was a human trafficking ring.

The group had been smuggling illegal contraband and enslaved captives through the capital before sending them toward the northern badlands where slavery was common.

Riven’s expression hardened.

That was enough.

He adjusted the collar of his dark coat as rain rolled down his pale face.

His mask was gone now.

For the first time in years, nothing concealed his features.

Beside him, Nyx rested against the roof like a living patch of darkness.

Her violet eyes glowed faintly as she stared through the rotting wooden slats below.

She was tracking the heat signatures inside.

Riven glanced toward her.

"Clear the perimeter."

Nyx’s ears twitched.

Then she moved.

Her small body dissolved into shadow and slipped through a cracked upper window like smoke.

Riven waited.

Five seconds.

Ten.

A faint pulse traveled through his bond with Nyx.

Clear.

Riven stepped off the roof.

Darkness swallowed him.

Shadow leap carried him through the shadows, his body dissolving into a brief smear of darkness before reforming inside the warehouse.

The smell hit him immediately.

Unwashed bodies.

Stale blood.

Wet wood.

Fear.

Riven’s eyes narrowed.

Two guards stood outside a set of iron barred cells.

Neither noticed him.

Riven drew Garreth’s blade.

The weapon made no sound.

The first guard barely had time to turn.

The pommel struck the side of his skull.

He collapsed.

The second reached for his sword.

Riven stepped inside his guard and struck him across the temple.

He dropped beside his companion.

three seconds.

That was all it took.

Riven approached the cell.

The lock was reinforced.

He placed two fingers against it.

Shadow mana seeped through the metal.

The locking mechanism warped.

With a quiet click, the door opened.

Riven stepped inside.

Fifteen people were huddled together in the darkness.

Men.

Women.

Children.

All of them were bruised, filthy, and painfully thin.

Their eyes widened when they saw him.

Several immediately pressed themselves against the back wall.

Riven stopped.

For a fraction of a second, the warehouse disappeared.

The smell of rust and rain vanished.

He was somewhere else.

A smaller room.

Iron collars.

Cold stone.

The sound of chains.

The mines.

His own childhood.

Riven’s fingers tightened around his sword.

He had been one of them.

A broken commodity traded between people who saw him as nothing more than a number.

The memory lasted less than a second.

But it was enough.

His eyes hardened.

"It’s over."

His voice was quiet.

Yet every person in the cell heard it.

Riven raised his blade.

The sword flashed once.

Several sets of shackles fell apart.

"You’re free."

He pointed toward the exit.

"Move."

The captives hesitated.

Then one woman stumbled toward the doorway.

Another followed.

Soon the entire group was moving.

Nyx appeared outside the warehouse, guiding them toward the street where the royal recovery team would eventually find them.

Riven remained behind.

He searched the cell one more time.

Someone was still there.

A girl sat frozen in the corner.

She looked around his age.

Soft animal ears were flattened against her head.

Long red hair fell around her face, vibrant even beneath the dirt and grime covering her skin.

A long tail was wrapped tightly around her legs.

Her amber eyes stared at Riven.

They were sharp.

Proud.

But underneath that pride was exhaustion.

Riven lowered his sword.

"Can you walk?"

The girl did not answer.

Riven slowly extended a gloved hand.

"It’s safe."

Her eyes moved to his hand.

Then back to his face.

Something changed.

She suddenly lunged forward.

Riven barely had time to react before she wrapped both arms around his waist and buried her face against his coat.

He froze.

His hand remained suspended in the air.

Physical affection was not something Riven was accustomed to.

People usually reached for him when they wanted something.

Or when they wanted to kill him.

This was different.

The girl’s arms tightened around him.

She was trembling.

Riven slowly lowered his hand.

After a moment of hesitation, he awkwardly patted her back.

"It’s alright."

His voice softened.

"You’re safe now."

The girl’s trembling gradually stopped.

After several seconds, she finally pulled away.

Her amber eyes remained fixed on him.

"Thank you."

Her voice was quiet.

Riven crouched slightly so they were closer to eye level.

"What’s your name?"

"Kalia."

She hesitated before continuing.

"Kalia of the Silver Claw Tribe."

Riven’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Silver Claw?"

"My father is the chieftain."

She looked down at the floor.

"They took me while I was traveling with one of our hunting groups."

Her fingers curled into the fabric of her clothes.

"I thought..."

She stopped.

Riven waited.

"I thought I would never see my home again."

"You will."

Kalia looked up.

Riven stood.

"Come on."

Her ears lifted slightly.

"Where?"

"Home."

For the first time that night, Kalia smiled.

It was small.

But genuine.

She immediately reached for his sleeve.

Riven looked down at her hand.

He said nothing.

He simply allowed her to hold on.

Two days later, the high vaulted throne room of the elven palace hummed with unusual energy.

Queen Aeloria sat upon her obsidian throne, an amused smile playing across her lips as she examined the diplomatic report Riven had placed before her.

Beside the throne stood Lyra.

Her silver blonde hair was neatly braided, and her posture was perfectly regal.

At least, she looked composed.

Until Kalia stepped forward.

The beastgirl had been cleaned, given fresh clothes, and provided with proper travel equipment.

Her vibrant red hair now fell freely over her shoulders.

Her amber eyes were bright.

And she refused to stand more than a foot away from Riven.

Whenever someone approached too quickly, she moved closer to him.

Whenever a court official spoke too loudly, her ears twitched and she instinctively reached for his sleeve.

Lyra noticed every single time.

Her violet eyes narrowed.

Queen Aeloria noticed too.

Unlike her daughter, she looked delighted.

"So," Aeloria said, resting her chin against one hand.

"You complete a standard counter insurgency bounty and return with the lost daughter of an influential eastern beast tribe."

Her smile widened.

"You truly are a magnet for chaos, Riven."

Riven stood calmly before the throne.

"She just happened to be there."

He gestured toward Kalia.

"Returning her will establish a diplomatic bridge with the eastern tribes."

Aeloria raised an eyebrow.

"A very strategic mind."

She glanced toward Kalia.

"Very well. I will dispatch a royal envoy and a diplomatic carriage to escort her home."

Kalia’s ears immediately perked up.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Aeloria smiled.

"We will also open formal trade negotiations with the Silver Claw chieftain."

Kalia’s face lit up.

She immediately turned toward Riven.

"You’re amazing."

Riven blinked.

"You just saved me, and now you’re talking to queens like it means nothing."

She stepped closer.

"Can you come with me?"

Riven looked at her.

"To the eastern valleys?"

Kalia nodded.

"Just to help me get home"

Her hand tightened around his sleeve.

"I want you there."

Before Riven could answer, a sharp metallic sound echoed through the throne room.

Clink.

Everyone looked toward Lyra.

Her hand rested against her goblet she had just slammed down.

Her knuckles were white.

Her violet eyes were fixed on Kalia.

The temperature around her seemed to drop.

Even the surrounding mana reacted to the sudden spike in her emotions.

Kalia tilted her head.

Her ears flicked backward.

Lyra smiled.

It was a perfectly polite smile.

Far too polite.

"The royal guard is more than capable of escorting tribal nobility back to her homeland."

Her voice was calm.

Almost sweet.

"Riven has capital duties to attend to."

She glanced at Riven.

"Here."

Then back at Kalia.

"With us."

Kalia blinked.

"But he saved my life."

She moved closer to Riven.

"And my people reward those who save us."

Her tail curled slightly behind her.

"Especially someone as important as him."

Lyra’s eye twitched.

"I see."

Riven remained completely still between them.

He had fought monsters.

Assassins.

Syndicate enforcers.

Veteran knights.

He had survived the badlands.

None of it had prepared him for this.

Kalia continued holding his sleeve.

Lyra continued staring at her.

Queen Aeloria watched the entire exchange from her throne.

Her shoulders shook slightly.

She covered her mouth with one hand.

She was trying very hard not to laugh.

Riven glanced toward the Queen.

Aeloria immediately straightened.

"Do not look at me."

Riven narrowed his eyes.

"You’re enjoying this."

"Immensely."

Kalia looked between them.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Lyra’s expression softened instantly.

"No."

Her smile returned.

"You did nothing wrong."

There was something dangerous beneath those words.

Kalia’s ears twitched.

Riven sighed.

He looked toward the ceiling.

Dodging blades had been easier.

Much easier.

He had two years before Estar Academy.

Two years of monsters.

Two years of missions.

Two years of political problems.

And apparently, two years of this.

Queen Aeloria leaned back against her throne, finally allowing herself to smile.

The next two years were going to be very interesting.