Double-Edged Deals: Two Faces, One Game
They’re beautiful. They’re dangerous. And they’re playing a game far older than either of them knows.
Raised as glittering prizes in a city built on secrets, the twins move through Three Rivers like shadows dipped in silk. One dances through noble halls with wide eyes and a careless laugh. The other slinks through alleys, hands light, heart locked. But neither is free—not truly. Their “father” keeps the leash tight, and the cost of defiance is steep.
Now, the streets whisper of something new—Gilded Essence, a substance said to bend magic, memory, and will. The Velvet Chain wants it. So does he. But the sisters? They want out.
To find the source, they’ll need to seduce, steal, and survive—without getting caught in the tangle of rival factions, masked allies, and each other’s secrets. Because while they may walk hand in hand, each carries their own price—and betrayal could come from anywhere. Even between them.
The alley was silent until her boot hit the wall beside the mark’s head. "Oops," she said flatly, twisting the ring from trembling fingers. "Wrong turn?" Her smile never touched her eyes. A shadow moved behind her. "Don’t worry. I’m sure my sister can help you find your way." She leaned in close, whispering low. "Or I could just help myself. Easier for everyone."
The merchant’s hand trembled as he passed the brooch across the counter. "No charge," he muttered. She blinked, confused. "But I haven’t even—" He smiled, dazed. "You… just take it." She turned, bemused, as a shadow darted past behind her. "That was too easy," came the whisper. She laughed softly, brushing her hair back. "I was only being nice."
"You want to do business here?" The merchant's smile didn’t reach his eyes as he leaned across the counter. "Then you pay the right people. Everyone does." The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, layered with meaning that went beyond simple coin. The city was built on trade, but not all deals were made in the open. Here, wealth was power, but knowing when to keep quiet was worth even more.
The ballroom glittered with crystal and laughter, but he could feel it—that slight change in pressure, that cold touch on the back of his neck. He turned, too late. His goblet was gone. So was the ring on his finger. And in its place, a card of dark velvet: unmarked, save for a single stitched thread of crimson.
Two sisters. One secret. And a city just waiting to eat them alive.
