The lantern’s glow cast long shadows across the room as Carter leaned back in his chair, his smirk fading slightly. “You know, Evelyn,” he said, his tone quieter now, “you’re not the only one who’s had to run.”

Evelyn glanced at him, her expression hard. “I don’t care about your sob story, Carter.”

“No?” Carter said, tilting his head. “Because it might interest your friend here.” He nodded toward Caleb.

Caleb frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Carter hesitated for a moment, as if deciding how much to say. Finally, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.

“I wasn’t always a mercenary,” Carter said. “Believe it or not, I used to believe in something too. I had a team—a group of people I trusted. We were after the same thing you’re after now—the Vault.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Caleb narrowed his eyes. “And what happened?”

Carter’s smirk returned, but it was faint, almost bitter. “We got close. Too close. And then… let’s just say the Keepers don’t like competition.”

Evelyn’s gaze sharpened. “You worked against them?”

Carter nodded. “Tried to. Didn’t go so well. My team didn’t make it, but I did. Guess I’m just lucky like that.”

The room fell silent again, the weight of Carter’s words settling over them. Caleb studied him carefully, trying to piece together the truth.

“So, what’s your angle now?” Caleb asked finally. “You want revenge?”

Carter chuckled softly. “Revenge? No. Revenge doesn’t pay the bills. But knowledge… that’s worth something. And the Vault? That’s the ultimate prize.”

Evelyn’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You’re wasting your time. The Vault doesn’t work that way.”

Carter raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t it? Or is that just what they told you?”

Evelyn didn’t respond.