The streets of Halthor were a maze of secrets, each winding alley and hidden doorway concealing its own stories of betrayal, violence, and desperate survival. By the time Nyra turned thirteen, she had learned to navigate this labyrinth with the ease of a seasoned thief. But even as she grew more adept at slipping through the shadows, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was meant for something more.
The morning light filtered through the cracks in the ceiling, casting thin, golden lines across the small room that Nyra and Saris called home. Nyra sat on the rough floor, repairing a worn-out pair of boots with a needle and thread. Her eyes were half-closed, her movements precise and practiced.
Saris leaned against the doorframe, watching her with an inscrutable expression. The old thief had grown more haggard in recent years, her hair now streaked with gray, her eyes sunken with worry. The city was changing—more guards, stricter laws, less room for the likes of them to slip through unnoticed.
"Listen, girl," Saris began, her voice rough like gravel. "I've been hearing things. The guard's cracking down harder than ever. New captain in charge, some bastard by the name of Idris. Ruthless, they say."
Nyra looked up, raising an eyebrow. "So?"
"So," Saris snapped, "you need to be careful. You're getting too bold, taking too many risks. I didn't raise you just to see you swing from a noose."
Nyra sighed and set the boots aside. "I'm fine. I know what I'm doing."
"Do you?" Saris crossed the room in a few quick strides, her fingers digging into Nyra's shoulder. "You think you're invincible because you're quick and clever. But the streets don't care how clever you are, and Idris—" She paused, her eyes narrowing. "He won't care, either. If you keep pushing your luck, you'll end up dead, or worse."
Nyra shook off Saris's grip and stood, her eyes flashing. "I'm not afraid of him."
"You should be," Saris muttered, but her voice held something other than anger—fear, maybe, or resignation. "You should be afraid of this whole damned city. Because it'll chew you up and spit you out, no matter how tough you think you are."
Nyra stared at her, the familiar frustration bubbling up inside her chest. Saris was always like this, always so willing to bow her head, to survive rather than fight. It grated on Nyra's nerves like sandpaper. She knew the risks, but she also knew that hiding wouldn't save them forever.
"Then maybe I need to be more than just a thief," Nyra said quietly, her gaze drifting to the window, to the faint sound of steel clashing in the distance where the guards trained.
Saris followed her gaze, her lips thinning into a grim line. "Don't be stupid, girl. You're not one of them. You'll never be."
Nyra said nothing, but the defiance in her eyes was answer enough.