Chapter 10 · The Black Market Charges Interest

Echo's office smelled like burnt coffee and old metal. I stood in the doorway, sand still in my hair from the lockdown escape, and she didn't even look up from her tablet.

"Close the door, Ruin."

I did. The lock clicked behind me, magnetic, the kind you can't force from the inside. My pulse kicked up.

She set the tablet down. Her nails were painted matte black, chipped on the left thumb. "You cost me three favors getting you out of that sector. Steelhook's people were ten seconds from putting a tracker in your skull."

"I didn't ask you to—"

"You ran straight into a surveillance zone." She leaned back in her chair, eyes flat. "You think I pull people out of lockdown for charity?"

I stayed quiet. The room was small, lined with servers that hummed low and constant. One wall was covered in screens showing camera feeds from all over Ironspire—markets, checkpoints, the arena district. I spotted sector seven in the top right corner, still crawling with patrol lights.

"Sit," Echo said.

I didn't move. "I need information."

"Everyone needs information. That's why I'm rich." She tapped the desk twice, fast.