The Vault was a warzone by the time I returned. The corridors were in full-blown chaos—vendors screamed at each other over toppled stalls, gangs and guards clashed in the narrow corridors, and the air was thick with the stench of smoke and blood. I moved through the disarray as quickly as I could, weaving between
broken carts and shattered windows. Every face I saw was painted with fear, desperation, or rage, all symptoms of Aspen's crumbling rule.
I had sealed the deal with Stag. His men were coming, but there was no guarantee they'd get here before everything in the Vault burned to the ground. The streets had been dangerous before, but this… this was different. This was the fallout of power slipping from someone's grasp, the chaos that comes when an empire falls apart.
As I pushed my way toward the central hub, I could hear gunfire—sharp bursts echoing down the corridors. Aspen's men were fighting tooth and nail, and Oliver's guards were barely holding on. The Vault was fracturing, splitting down the middle as loyalties shifted and people scrambled for survival.
I needed to find Oliver.
My pulse raced as I ducked behind a crumbling stall, catching my breath. Everything was happening too fast. Aspen was losing control, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She had too many men, too many secrets. Even with Stag's forces coming to reinforce us, this was far from over.
I pressed forward, the sounds of combat growing louder. When I finally caught sight of Oliver, my heart skipped a beat. He was in the thick of it—directing his men, his face hardened with focus and fury. Even with everything crumbling around him, there was something steady about him, something that made my heart steady too. He was still fighting, still holding it together.
I sprinted toward him, dodging a stray punch from a vendor who had gotten too heated in the brawl around us.
I yelled above the chaos, "I got Stag's men. They're on their way, but we need to hold out until they get here," I panted, my words coming out in a rush.
Oliver's eyes flickered with something—hope, maybe, or determination—but there was no time to dwell on it. "Aspen's still got control of the central hub. If we can push her out, the rest of the Vault will fall in line."
I nodded, adrenaline surging through me. There was no time for second-guessing. No time for hesitation. Aspen was making her final play, and if we didn't act now, we might not get another chance.
Together, we pushed through the crowd, making our way toward the heart of the Vault. Aspen's most loyal guards had barricaded themselves inside, but I could feel it—the desperation in the air, the way the tension vibrated through the walls. Aspen was cornered, and she knew it.
As we reached the central area, the fighting intensified. Stag's men hadn't arrived yet, and Aspen's guards were dug in, defending the narrow passageways with everything they had. Gunfire erupted from every corner, and the air was thick with smoke and debris.
Oliver's men pushed forward, but for every inch we gained, Aspen's men pushed back harder. The tide of battle shifted with every breath, and I could see it in Oliver's face—the frustration, the strain of trying to hold everything together as it threatened to fall apart.
"We need more men!" one of Oliver's guards shouted, ducking behind a pillar as bullets ricocheted off the walls.
"They're coming!" I shouted back, but even I wasn't sure if they'd make it in time. The battle was already hanging by a thread.
And then, through the smoke and chaos, I saw her.
Aspen.
She stood at the far end of the corridor, her back straight, her expression cold and calculating as she watched us. Behind her, a few of her most loyal guards flanked her, their hands resting on their weapons, but Aspen herself remained still, almost too calm.
"Oliver," she said, her voice cool, smooth. "I was wondering when you'd finally make your move."
Oliver's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. "This is over, Aspen. Call off your men, or we'll finish this here and now."
Aspen smiled, a slow, venomous smile that made my blood run cold. "Oh, Oliver. It's far from over. In fact, I'd say it's just beginning."
She waved her hand, and instantly, half a dozen of her guards stepped forward, their guns aimed directly at us. The tension in the room spiked, the air thick with the threat of violence.
Oliver's men moved in closer, their weapons drawn, but we were outnumbered. Even with Stag's men on the way, it was clear Aspen had been preparing for this for a long time.
"Drop your weapons," Aspen said, her smile widening. "Or I'll have my men start picking you off one by one."
For a moment, no one moved. The room was deathly still, the only sound the faint crackle of gunfire outside the walls.
And then, from behind us, doors slammed open.
Stag's men flooded into the room, their weapons drawn, their presence added to the tense, focused atmosphere. Aspen's guards tensed, their eyes moved between us and the newcomers, clearly unsure of what to do.
Aspen's smile faltered slightly, her gaze aimed toward Stag's men. I could see the wheels turning in her mind, calculating her next move.
"Well," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "I didn't think you'd go that far, Lux. Bringing in street rats like Stag's crew? Desperate."
Oliver stepped forward. "You've lost control, and you know it."
Her eyes darkened, the cold amusement draining from her expression. "You think you've won because you brought in a few thugs? You don't understand. I still have power here. And I still have time to turn this around."
Oliver moved beside me, his voice low and dangerous. "You're outnumbered, Aspen. This is over."
But Aspen's smirk returned, her eyes glittering with a dangerous edge. "Is it?"
The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with anticipation as Aspen's men faced off against Stag's crew and Oliver's guards. But something shifted when Stag's men stormed in. It wasn't just the numbers—it was the look on the faces of Aspen's soldiers. Uncertainty.
Oliver noticed it too.
"You think they're still loyal to you?" Oliver's voice cut through the tension, his eyes locked on Aspen. "They're loyal to power. You can't give them that anymore, but I can. You've bled this place dry, Aspen. Made promises you couldn't keep, deals that kept you on top and left them scrambling for scraps."
Aspen's eyes narrowed, her smirk faltering. I saw the moment of doubt flicker in her gaze, the recognition that her hold on to the Vault was slipping through her fingers.
Oliver stepped forward, speaking directly to the men still standing at Aspen's side. "You've worked for her long enough to know she's only out for herself. But I can offer you better. Whatever obligations she made to you, I'll meet them. Hell, I'll double them. You stay here, you keep your place in the Vault. You help me, and I'll make sure you're taken care of."
For a heartbeat, there was only silence.
And then, one of Aspen's guards lowered his weapon.
Aspen's eyes shot to the man, fury blazing across her face. "You think he'll keep his word? You're fools if you believe him!" Her voice cracked with desperation, and I could hear the fear beneath the anger.
Another guard hesitated, glancing between Aspen and Oliver. Slowly, his hand shifted from the trigger of his gun, lowering it to his side. The cracks in her control were widening, spreading like wildfire through the ranks of her men.
One by one, they began to lower their weapons, uncertainty giving way to the promises Oliver laid out. I could see it in their faces—the exhaustion, the doubt. Aspen had pushed them too hard, asked too much, and now they were finally seeing a way out.
Aspen's gaze shot back to Oliver, her face twisting with rage. "You think this is over? You think they'll follow you just because you offer them more money?"
"I think they'll follow me because I don't lie to them," Oliver shot back, his voice calm but deadly serious. "You've burned too many bridges, Aspen. It's over."
She stood there, frozen for a moment, her mind racing, trying to calculate her next move. But I could see it—the realization settling over her like a shadow. She had lost.
But for me, this wasn't enough. Not after what she did to Farrah.
My heart pounded in my chest, anger rising up inside me like a storm I couldn't control. "Kill her," I said, my voice low but firm, stepping closer to Oliver. "She doesn't deserve to walk away from this. Not after what she's done."
Oliver turned to me, his eyes softening for a brief moment, but there was a hardness there too, something I hadn't seen before. "Lux—"
"She can't just walk away."
Aspen's gaze lingered between us, a twisted grin forming on her face despite the situation. "Listen to your girl, Oliver. Maybe she's not as soft as you thought."
I stepped closer, my fists clenched at my sides. I wanted to see her pay for everything she had done. Every lie, every betrayal, every drop of blood she had spilled.
But Oliver shook his head, his voice quiet but firm. "No, Lux."
"She'll come back," I said, my voice cracking with desperation. "If you let her live, she'll find a way to take this all down again. She'll be back."
"Possibly" His voice was steady, but there was something deeper there. Pain. Regret. "But killing her now doesn't change what she's done. It doesn't bring Farrah back."
He looked at me, his gaze unwavering, and for a moment, the walls he kept so carefully constructed seemed to crack. "I've always kept my word, Lux. Even when everything around us was falling apart. Even in the midst of betrayal." His jaw tightened, and his voice dropped, quieter but no less firm. "I promised Aspen I'd protect her, no matter what. If I let that promise slide, if I break my word for her, then my word means nothing to anyone— including you."
His words were like a knife to my chest. I wanted to scream that Aspen didn't deserve his promise, not after what she'd done, but I couldn't ignore the truth in what he was saying. Oliver's promises weren't just words; they were the foundation of his power, his influence. If he betrayed one, every deal he'd ever made, every trust he'd ever built, would crumble.
"You think I don't want to hurt her?" he continued, his voice sharp with restraint. "I do. Every part of me does. But if I can't hold to the promises I've made—even the ones that burn me—then I'm no better than the people I fight to keep in line."
I stared at him, my heart racing. Every part of me screamed for revenge, for justice. But Oliver… he was different. He saw the bigger picture, the long game.
He turned back to Aspen, his voice cold. "Take what's left of your men and go. You've still got connections outside the Vault. Use them. Start somewhere new. You've got enough power and resources to survive."
Aspen's smile faded, replaced with a bitter scowl. "You think I'll just walk away? You're delusional."
Oliver stepped forward, his voice dropping lower, more dangerous. "You don't have a choice. Because if you stay here, my men—and Stag's—will finish what we've started. And believe me, there'll be no coming back from that."
Aspen's eyes burned with fury, her chest heaving as she struggled to keep her composure. She looked around the room, taking in the faces of her men—most of whom had already abandoned her.
For a moment, I thought she'd fight. I thought she'd push back, dig her heels in and force a bloody showdown. But then, slowly, reluctantly, she stepped back.
Aspen's jaw clenched, her hands curling into fists at her sides. But she didn't argue. Instead, she turned on her heel, signaling to the few men who remained loyal to her. Together, they started toward the door, disappearing into the chaos beyond.
I stood there, my heart still pounding, my blood still boiling with the need for revenge. It didn't feel like enough. It didn't feel like justice. Oliver turned to me, his expression unreadable. "It's over," he said softly. But it didn't feel like it. Not to me.