Rule #1: If you get caught, make sure the other guy suffers more than you.
Rule #2: The shadows are your only friends.
Rule #3: Always, always run faster than your enemies.
The slums of New Olympus were full of rats.
Some were hungry street kids like me, trying to survive.
The rest were rich bastards who came down here to use us, laugh at us, or act like they were better than us.
I hated all of them.
That's why I had no regrets robbing one.
The old man had me dangling over the edge of his balcony, and yeah, I was not loving the situation.
His grip on my collar was tight—knuckles bone-white, arms shaking with rage. For someone his age, he was stupidly strong. Like a pissed-off raccoon in silk robes.
"Filthy little rat," he spat, his wrinkled face twisted in disgust. "You think you can steal from me?"
To be fair—I already had.
The bag of gold tucked inside my coat and the half-eaten meat bun in my hand said so. Totally worth it.
Unfortunately, I'd underestimated him. The old man was way faster than I expected, grabbing me before I could slip away.
And now, one wrong move, and I'd be a stain on the street.
"Any last words, thief?" he growled.
I grinned, taking a loud bite of my stolen meat bun. "Yeah—seasoning could use some work."
His eye twitched. "You—"
Then I felt it.
A shift in the air.
The shadows along the alley walls stretched, slithering toward the old man's feet. Slow, creeping, curling.
I swallowed hard.
They weren't just shadows.
They were mine.
They moved before I even thought about it. Like they were excited. Like they'd been waiting for this.
They wrapped around his ankles like ink in water, winding up his legs, slipping beneath his sleeves—
His grip on me tightened—then wavered.
His face twisted.
His fingers twitched, trying to hold on.
The shadows didn't care.
They started prying his grip open—one finger at a time.
His panic kicked in.
"No… no, no, NO—"
The last of his fingers slipped.
I dropped.
The second my feet hit the ground, I took off running.
Above me, the old man stumbled backward, grabbing his wrist like he could still feel it. His face was pale. Shaken. He had no idea what had just happened.
The shadows melted away like they'd never been there.
I looked up at him from the alley, grinning.
His face twisted with rage.
"THIEF!" he roared. "SOMEONE CATCH HIM!"
I chuckled. Too late.
I ran.
The second I bolted, they moved.
I wasn't sure if this was bad luck or if the gods just had a personal grudge against me, but of all people, these two had to be here.
To my left—Orion Aetos, heir of Zeus. Tall, broad-shouldered, glowing golden eyes filled with judgment.
To my right—Selene Ithaca, daughter of Athena. Blonde curls, sharp gaze, and a smirk that made it clear she had already predicted every dumb decision I was about to make.
I was so screwed.
I took a sharp turn down an alley.
Lightning exploded past my head.
I yelped, diving sideways as the blast shattered a brick wall.
I barely had time to recover before Selene's whip lashed out.
I twisted mid-step—her golden rope snapped inches from my ankle.
I scrambled forward, heart pounding. They were fast—way faster than anyone I'd ever run from.
But I was smaller. Quicker.
And the slums? They were mine.
I vaulted over a crate, ducked under a food stall, shot through a narrow gap between two buildings.
Orion growled behind me. "Seriously? He's like a damn rat!"
Selene sounded way too calm. "Then let's smoke him out."
I knew what was coming.
The air crackled.
Electricity **hummed behind me—**BOOM!
The ground shook as lightning obliterated the exit ahead.
I skidded to a stop.
Trapped.
Fine.
I'd just disappear.
I turned a corner and—in a blink—I was gone.
I didn't run. I didn't jump.
I just let go.
The shadows swallowed me whole.
The world around me turned cold, silent, still.
I had melted into the darkness.
And the Holy Knights had no idea where I was.
I could hear them, though.
Orion: "What the hell? Where'd he go?"
Selene: "…Impressive."
I grinned.
I wasn't a fighter.
I wasn't strong.
But I knew how to hide.
I let the shadows carry me, slipping beneath the city streets, racing through the darkness faster than my feet ever could.
I emerged on the far side of the slums.
I took a breath, steadying my heartbeat.
I was free.
At least…
That's what I thought.
I barely took three steps before I stopped.
Selene stood at the end of the road.
Arms crossed. Smirking.
"You really thought you could trick me?"
I froze.
I had just traveled through solid darkness.
She had predicted exactly where I'd come out.
My stomach dropped.
I forced a casual smile. "You gotta admit, that was a pretty cool trick."
She raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. But predictable."
"Predictable?" I laughed nervously. "I just melted into literal darkness. That's gotta be at least—what—an eight out of ten?"
Selene tilted her head. "Five. Maybe."
"Wow. Harsh."
"Get moving, street rat," she said, stepping closer.
I needed one last trick.
I met her gaze, grinning. "Alright. But before you take me in, can I just say something?"
She didn't stop me.
I leaned forward, lowering my voice.
"You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful, intelligent, stunning girl in the Academy—"
Her whip snapped around my wrist.
I flinched.
She leaned in slightly. "That might've worked on Orion."
"Really?"
Orion snorted. "No, it wouldn't have."
Selene yanked the rope.
I stumbled forward with a sigh. "Yeah, didn't think so."
For the first time since the chase started, I noticed something off.
The shadows weren't moving.
They just sat there, still, quiet—watching.
Not me.
Something else.
I didn't like that.
Not one bit.