Esmeralda woke with a start.

Her bed was a tangled mess from her tossing and turning. Her bedclothes clung to her damp skin, and each breath was laborious because the feeling of terror still rested heavily in her chest.

Instinctively reaching for her nightstand, she grabbed the bottle of Arzan spirits she kept there for moments like this. Her hands shook so much she had trouble uncorking the bottle, nearly dropping it twice. Once she finally worked the cork free, she tipped the bottle up and took a long drink. The amber liquid burned in her chest, but her shaking stopped immediately.

The familiar burn grounded her, pulling her away from the lingering shadows of her nightmare. As her breathing slowed, Esmeralda took in her surroundings—the dim light filtering through the heavy curtains, the soft rustle of the morning breeze outside. The oppressive weight of the dream began to lift, replaced by the cool, solid reality of her private apartment in Xandelfi.

She exhaled deeply, forcing the remnants of the nightmare to retreat further into the recesses of her mind. Pushing back the covers, Esmeralda stood and walked across the room. She pulled the curtains open, allowing the soft glow of dawn to flood in. The eldest of the twin suns was just peeking over the horizon, casting long, golden rays over the city.

Esmeralda took another long drink from the bottle, savoring the warmth that spread through her stomach. This warmth contrasted sharply with the cold determination she needed to fuel her survival—a quality her biological father lacked.

She pushed the thoughts of her worthless father from her mind. Unlike him, who lacked the strength and will to protect his family or survive, Esmeralda was determined to push through whatever obstacles the gods placed in her way.

Living in a private residence near the Higher Grounds was a rare luxury for an agent fresh from basic training. This comfort was made possible not only by the Vestigare stipend, but also by the generous funds from Balrik. Today marked the beginning of her effort to repay Balrik for the support and love he had given her. She was resolved to succeed or die trying.

With a final glance at the horizon, Esmeralda set the bottle down and began to prepare for the day ahead.

She got dressed in navy trousers and a white blouse. After Esmeralda was satisfied with her clothes, she had a small plate of fruit for breakfast. The combination of her recurring nightmares and the liquor made it difficult for her to eat anything substantial in the morning. Luckily, today, it seemed like she would hold everything down. Esmeralda was thankful for that small blessing as she did her daily routine of stretches. Once Esmeralda felt limber, she checked the list Balrik gave her and headed to the field office.

Esmeralda entered the field office to find two agents, a Ramon agent and a Nawahl agent, in the middle of a discussion.

“Can you believe the Vestigare declined to help Rame again against the Wildland bandits, Agent Suri?” the Ramon agent asked.

“Agent Giovanni, I understand your frustration, but you know as well as I do the Vestigare does not get involved in wars,” Agent Suri replied.

“Rame is not at war with the Wildlands bandits, but they threaten the Five Kingdoms. The Vestigare also catches criminals, and Silz the Five Thousand Ducat Bandit is indeed a criminal of the highest order,” Agent Giovanni retorted.

“Again, the Vestigare do not chase outlaws unless they are citizens of Five Kingdoms or if their crimes take place in a Five Kingdoms city. These are rules we learned as recruits,” Agent Suri said.

Giovanni’s face turned beet-red, and the veins in his temples bulged. Esmeralda was impressed that despite his obvious anger, his voice remained steady.

“These crimes often happen within the borders of Rame. Why should it matter if they happen in a city or not?”

Agent Suri shrugged and opened his mouth to answer but stopped as he noticed Esmeralda across the room.

“Agent Esmeralda, was it?” Agent Suri said, smoothing his travel-worn shirt as he approached her.

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Suri was about half a hand shorter than Esmeralda, making him an average height for a Nawahl. He had black hair tied in a long ponytail and a pale, ghostly complexion. Giovanni was taller than Esmeralda, making him tall for a Ramon. He had an olive complexion with sandy-brown hair and wore cropped shorts in the legionnaire fashion.

“Just so,” Esmeralda replied before asking. “And you are?”

She knew the answer to her question but figured it would be impolite to admit to eavesdropping on their conversation.

“I am Agent Suri,” Agent Suri started before gesturing to the Ramon agent. “And this is Agent Giovanni.”

“Well met, Agent Suri,” Esmeralda nodded toward the Nawahl agent before turning her attention to the Ramon agent. “Agent Giovanni.”

Giovanni’s eyes flicked over her, curiosity mixed with suspicion. “You’re the new agent who just got assigned here, right? Rumor has it you’re living in a private residence. Quite the feat for a rookie salary.”

“If you must know, I am living off my inheritance until I can secure a few promotions,” Esmeralda answered.

“Lucky you,” Giovanni said with a half-smile. As soon as he realized how his statement sounded, he dropped his voice and added. “I don’t mean it was lucky to lose your family. That is just—well, unfortunate. Please take no offense.”

“None was taken, Agent Giovanni. I have been blessed that my father provides from beyond.”

The three of them stood in awkward silence before Agent Suri asked.

“So how are you liking Xandelfi, Agent Esmeralda?”

“It is everything they say it is,” Esmeralda responded neutrally, evoking a round of laughs from the other two agents.

“Indeed. No matter what you hear about Xandelfi, good or bad, it is true,” Giovanni added, still chuckling.

“Actually, I could use your help,” Esmeralda said, her tone casual but deliberate as she laid the bait. “I’ve got a lead on a smuggling operation that could enrich our careers.”

“Smuggling? That sounds like something for Agent Giovanni,” Suri started, raising his hands, palms out.

“I am on my way out of this gods’ forsaken pit, and finally, my transfer has been approved, so I will leave you two to figure it out.”

Agent Suri walked towards the staircase, and before he could go upstairs, Agent Giovanni said. “Remember, you promised to give me your assets before you left.”

“If they have no more use for me, maybe,” Suri said over his shoulder as he ascended the steps and disappeared from view.

“You were saying, Agent Esmeralda?” Agent Giovanni asked, gesturing to a small, round table with four chairs. Esmeralda took a seat, and Giovanni sat across from her.

“Yes, I got a tip and want to hunt down somebody,” Esmeralda explained.

“A tip? Already? From who?” Giovanni asked, scratching his chin in thought.

“If you are willing to exchange contacts, I suppose I could introduce you to my source,” Esmeralda said.

“I only want to make sure you are not getting tricked,” Giovanni replied, leaning back in his seat as if she had struck him.

“Thank you for your concern, Agent Giovanni, but I am quite confident in the validity of my sources,” Esmeralda retorted.

Agent Giovanni snorted in reply, gesturing for Esmeralda to continue.

Esmeralda paused, weighing her words carefully. “There’s an Arzan smuggler, Marlowe Aerofinch. If we can hunt him down, it would be a significant victory for the both of us.”

“Marlowe Aerofinch? I don’t know the name offhand. Are you sure he is even worth our time?”

“Trust me, Agent Giovanni. Once we collar him, we will have the attention of the upper brass.”

“For a rookie, you seem to have a lot of faith in your intel and abilities,” Giovanni said with a chuckle. The Ramon ran his hand through his hair and spoke again.

“You said he was a smuggler. What does he smuggle?”

Esmeralda mentally smiled. He finally took the bait, and all she had to do was reel him in.

“The most despicable cargo there is, slaves.”

Giovanni let out a soft whistle. Esmeralda doubted that the Ramon felt sorry for the enslaved but was thinking about the impact busting a slave trader in Xandelfi would have on his career.

“Use your contacts in the city to find him, and I will do the legwork of investigating him, and we both get credit for the arrest. How does that sound?”

Giovanni did not take long before nodding his head in agreement.

“Marlowe Aerofinch? Give me a day or two, and I will have his whereabouts if he exists,” Giovanni said, standing to take his leave.

“Excellent. I look forward to working with you, Agent Giovanni,” Esmeralda added, following the Ramon agent’s lead and standing. Esmeralda extended her hand, and they clasped forearms, sealing their pact.

Agent Giovanni politely excused himself from the table. Esmeralda eyed Giovanni as he headed up the stairs. Their relationship could be fruitful—if he didn’t become a liability. She couldn’t help but feel that their partnership had a high possibility of ending in blood.