Chapter 6 · The Charge Came First

The hound hit the alley before Mira finished reading the signature line.

Kade heard it first. Claws on stone, fast and getting faster. He shoved the stolen file back into Mira's hands and turned just as the thing rounded the corner. It was all muscle and rune-lit eyes, built to track and not stop until it got teeth on something.

Mira had her blade halfway out. "Back."

"Yeah, no shit." Kade stepped sideways anyway, putting himself between her and the hound. His hand went to the work knife at his belt. The black rune under his ribs hummed, low and hungry, like it knew what was coming.

The hound didn't bark. It just ran.

Mira moved. She was fast. Guard training, real training, the kind Kade never got close to. She went low, angled the blade to catch the hound's shoulder, and almost had it. Almost.

The thing twisted mid-leap and caught her across the chest with one paw. She went down hard, hit the wall, and the file scattered across the stones.

Kade didn't think. He just moved.

He got the knife out and slashed across the hound's flank as it turned for Mira again.