Finally on my feet, I forced my focus away from the infuriatingly alluring male before me, his presence a distraction I could ill afford. My eyes swept over our surroundings. We were standing on a bridge, stretching no more than a mile in length. Behind me, the horizon was shrouded in dust, the landscape dull and uninviting. I squinted, catching sight of weathered wooden structures and a few horses in the distance. Ahead, the scene transformed into a rugged wilderness. Sparse evergreens clung desperately to the edges of jagged cliffs, defying the relentless wind. Their dark needles stood in stark contrast to the pale mist that hung low to the ground, weaving through the air like a ghostly veil, softening the world into an ethereal haze. Beneath the cliffs, the ocean roared—a deep, ceaseless rhythm that sent waves crashing against the rock, spraying salt into the misty air. The horizon was a blurred line, where the gray sky met the dark, churning waters, a wild, untamed beauty that held a hint of danger in its depths. The tall male figure, with his hands buried in his pockets, moved away from me, toward the mist. I watched him go, a choice pressing down on me with the weight of inevitability: follow the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere or turn and walk in the opposite direction, back into the barren unknown. Every option seemed shrouded in uncertainty, each path as indistinct as the fog that obscured the horizon. But the decision came quickly, instinctively, with no room for hesitation. Without a second thought, I found myself hurrying to catch up to him, my steps driven by a force I couldn’t name. The burden of uncertainty hung over me like a shroud, but I clung to the fragile belief that I had chosen correctly, even as doubt whispered its insidious warnings at the edges of my mind.

“Where are we going?” I panted softly as I fell into step beside him, the words a breathless exhale.

His gaze remained fixed on the ground, as if the answer to my question was carved into the cobblestones beneath our feet. “To where I sleep, and eat.”

A neutral, detached response—nothing in his tone or expression gave away more than the bare facts. The runes on his skin, from what I could see, remained dormant, silent. I didn’t question his words. I didn’t have the energy to do so. My stomach growled, a sharp reminder of my hunger, and I walked beside him in silent gratitude for his help. Whatever else he might be, he was at least a source of sustenance in this strange, bewildering place. As we walked, side by side, I searched the corners of my mind, trying to pull something—anything—out of the void that had taken hold of my memories. But all I could grasp was my name: Ace. A name with no history, no context. Just Ace. My companion interrupted my frantic thoughts by digging into the pockets of his granite-gray jacket.

He pulled out two pairs of worn graphite leather gloves, handing me a pair before sliding his own over his hands. “Put these on. They’ll cover the tattoos.”

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The gloves fit perfectly, hugging my hands just above the wrists, where the sleeves of my tunic ended. His gloves were larger, his hands rougher, the gloves almost an extension of him.

“Why are we covering the tattoos?”

He glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly, as if puzzled that I really didn’t remember anything. “We’re in Visu territory. My place is at the Visu Cliffs, in The Dread.” He nodded toward the cliffs ahead.

“What’s Visu territory? What’s The Dread?” The words tasted foreign on my tongue.

He flipped up his jacket collar, slowly buttoning it up to cover his neck. “Visu territory is the voice of this world. Here, the currency is honesty. The Dread is a neighborhood of sorts—where all the liars, manipulators, and degenerates end up. Covering the tattoos makes it harder for Sidhe to know when you’re lying. You’d be an easy target if you entered The Dread with exposed skin.”

“Oh.” The word was small, swallowed by the growing knot of fear in my throat. My hands grew clammy inside the leather gloves, reality pressing down on me like a weight. I didn’t know this man, this male Sidhe. I didn’t know where I was, or why I trusted him so easily. My heart pounded, the beat echoing in my ears. As if sensing my fear, he fastened the last button of his jacket, and another rune on his neck faded into nothingness.

He touched the spot where the ink had been, his gaze softening as it met mine. “Are you all right?”

I didn’t need to speak; the look on my face must have said it all. Fear flickered in his eyes—pain, almost, as if he didn’t want me to be afraid. His voice softened, a quiet assurance that wrapped around my frayed nerves like a warm blanket.

He placed a hand gently on my elbow. “Hey, you don’t have to worry. There are better places than Visu, and I’ll show you how to get there. As long as you’re with me, you’ll be fine. Just speak the truth, or don’t speak at all. I’ll teach you how to navigate around Sidhe in The Dread. And you can stay with me until your memories come back.”

His words were a balm, soothing the storm inside me. My heart slowed, my breath steadied, and I nodded, the tension in my shoulders easing as we continued walking.

He chuckled softly, a sound that was almost kind. “I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you anyway, so don’t worry. I’ve got you. Just stick with me until we can get you to Anahate territory.”

“Anahate territory?” I echoed as we neared a small, dimly lit cottage in the distance.

He nodded toward the cottage, “There’s my place. Anahate territory is the heart of our world. It’s easier to survive there. The currency is genuine kindness and acts of service. And no tattoos there—Sidhe don’t typically lie at all in Anahate. If they do, they end up here, in The Dread. But it’s rare. Kindness runs deep in their blood. They’re even kind to humans.”

We approached the front of the cottage, the fire outside reduced to glowing embers, casting a soft, warm light over the rough wood.

“Genuine kindness and acts of service?” I asked, trying to comprehend. “How do they know what’s genuine in Anahate?”

He shrugged, a slight smile playing on his lips. “The magic there just knows.”