The air was cold and heavy as Alec stepped out of the Veil's grip and into the familiar dampness of Farrenbridge. The glow of the Shattered Fragment in his pocket had dimmed, but its weight felt more oppressive than ever. Behind him, Caius and Sigrid emerged, both scanning their surroundings with practiced precision. The Veil had spat them out near an abandoned railway station, its crumbling infrastructure swallowed by fog and overgrown vines.
"You need to get your bearings quickly," Caius said, his tone clipped. "The Bureau will have noticed your crossing back. They'll come looking."
Alec turned to him, the questions that had been building since the Gatekeeper's ominous warning spilling out in a rush. "Why didn't you tell me the Bureau might turn on us? You knew this would happen."
Caius regarded him with a calm that only stoked Alec's frustration. "Not all within the Bureau share my views. Some see the Fragment as too dangerous to exist, let alone be carried by someone like you."
"Someone like me?" Alec shot back.
Sigrid stepped between them, her sharp gaze darting around the foggy surroundings. "Enough. This isn't the time to argue. If Caius is right, we don't have long before they find us."
Before anyone could respond, a faint clatter of gears filled the air—a sound Alec recognized too well. It was the unmistakable hum of Bureau automata, mechanical constructs powered by Veil energy and programmed to detect disruptions. Caius stiffened, his hand moving instinctively toward his satchel.
"They're close," Caius said. "We need to move. Now."
---
The three made their way through the maze of backstreets, the industrial decay of Farrenbridge offering temporary cover. Alec's thoughts raced, the weight of recent events crashing down on him. The Gatekeeper's cryptic words, the Heralds' relentless pursuit, and now the Twilight Bureau turning against them. It felt as if every step forward only deepened the web of danger and uncertainty.
Sigrid led the way, her movements precise and deliberate. She had worked with the Bureau long enough to know their methods, and her familiarity with the city's layout gave them a slight advantage.
As they rounded a corner, Caius stopped abruptly and motioned for them to follow his gaze. Ahead, two Bureau operatives stood near an alleyway, their gray uniforms blending into the fog. Between them clanked a six-legged automaton, its bronze plating gleaming faintly under the gaslights. Tubes of faintly glowing green liquid ran along its sides, its clockwork mechanisms hissing softly as it scanned the area with a swiveling, glassy eye.
"They're tracking residual energy from the Veil," Caius whispered. "It's faint, but enough to lead them to us."
Alec gritted his teeth. "What's the plan?"
Caius considered for a moment before handing Alec a small, cylindrical device. "A disabler. It'll stall the automaton for a few minutes. You'll need to get close enough to attach it."
Alec stared at the device, the reality of their situation sinking in. "And what about them?" he asked, nodding toward the operatives.
Caius's expression hardened. "Leave them to me."
Sigrid smirked faintly, already drawing her sidearm. "No. Leave them to me."
Before Alec could protest, Sigrid slipped into the shadows, her movements unnervingly quiet. Alec took a deep breath, gripping the disabler tightly as he edged closer to the automaton. The operatives were speaking in hushed tones, their attention focused on the machine's readings.
Alec's heart pounded as he crept closer, the disabler feeling like a lead weight in his hand. When he was within arm's reach of the automaton, he pressed the device against its side. A sharp hiss filled the air, followed by a jolt that caused the machine to shudder and go still, its lights dimming.
The sound alerted the operatives. One turned, raising a sidearm, but Sigrid was already upon him. With swift precision, she disarmed the operative and brought him to his knees. The second moved to react but was met with the butt of her pistol, sending him crumpling to the ground.
"Efficient," Alec muttered as Sigrid joined them.
"Necessary," she replied. "We don't have the luxury of mistakes."
---
They reached the relative safety of an old clock tower on the edge of the city. Inside, the air was thick with dust, the remnants of long-abandoned machinery looming like specters in the dim light. Alec leaned against a rusted console, catching his breath.
"How long before the Bureau tracks us again?" he asked.
"Not long," Caius admitted. "The disabler only bought us time."
Alec rubbed his temples, the pressure in his head building as the Fragment's presence made itself known again. "Why are they after me now? The Bureau wanted me to find the Fragment."
"They wanted you to find it," Caius said, "but they never intended for you to keep it. There are those within the Bureau who see the Fragment as a threat to their control. Your connection to it makes you unpredictable—and dangerous."
Alec let out a bitter laugh. "Dangerous. Right. I've barely kept myself alive, let alone anyone else."
Sigrid leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "They're scared of you. That's what this is about. They've never liked variables, and you? You're the biggest one they've ever seen."
Caius's gaze softened slightly. "The fact that you're still alive says more than you realize. The Veil doesn't choose lightly."
Alec frowned. "Choose? You think this is fate?"
"Not fate," Caius said, "but necessity. The Veil is unraveling, Alec, and the Convergence draws closer with every passing moment. The Fragment is a piece of that puzzle, and so are you."
Before Alec could respond, a faint knock echoed through the chamber. All three froze, their hands instinctively going to their weapons. Caius moved silently toward the door, gesturing for Alec and Sigrid to stay back.
The door creaked open, revealing a courier in a plain coat. The man looked hurried, sweat gleaming on his brow. "Message for Caius," he said, holding out a sealed letter.
Caius took the letter, his face unreadable as he opened it. His eyes scanned the contents, and a muscle in his jaw tightened. "It's from the Covenant. They're willing to meet."
Alec raised an eyebrow. "The Covenant of Shattered Mirrors?"
Caius nodded. "They may hold the knowledge we need about the remaining Fragments—if they can be trusted."
Alec sighed. "Let me guess. That's another risk we have to take?"
Sigrid pushed off the wall, her voice steady. "If it gets us ahead of the Heralds, it's worth it."
Caius's expression hardened. "It's the only path forward."