Kieran, kael twin brother, had taken the shot from Lira during the chase. Now shirtless, he sat as Keal treated his wound which had healed slightly after some period of time.
A low, pained wail escaped him, his voice carrying a strange mix of childishness and innocence.
Kieran's POV
"And now, gentlemen, my new act. An act that has never been seen before."
Torin, our father voice filled the circus stage, the voice of a born showman.
We were father's two hands. One seen, other unseen. He always said every man carries a secret. I was his. The ace in his deck.
But that night, father held another secret. One even I didn't know.
"You're my secret," father once whispered, his hand warm on my head. "The key to the trick. No one must know. Always stay invisible."
So I did. I hid in the cramped box, knees drawn tight, breath shallow. No one saw me. No one heard me. I wasn't afraid, until I peeked through the crack and saw you. The thought of losing you terrified me. The thought of who would let me walk on your back again? Who would laugh when I told you he missed a step?
Father's voice steadied me, soft and proud: "Nothing escapes you. That's why I hide you. You're my angel. If anyone saw you, they'd steal you away from me."
From outside came Kael's voice, edged with jealousy. "Still carrying him? He's a big boy now. You spoil him too much."
"I-i am father's angel," I declared, puffing my chest. "Angels d-don't touch the g-ground."
"Angel? You pistachio. I'll eat you up," Kael shot back, laughter hiding under the bite.
I wrinkled my nose. "I s-smell the stink of j-jealousy."
We raced for the rope ladder, each grabbing a side. My small hands clung tight, hauling myself up. The sticks swayed with our weight. I reached the platform first, grinning as father 's praise met my ears. "Well done."
Kael was a step behind,until the rope broken.
"Ahhhhh!" His shout made my hand shot out and caught his wrist almost automatically. The weight tore at my arms, burned my palms, but I held on.
"S-say thank you," I told him, breathless but smiling.
Instead, Kael stuck out his tongue. "Waaah!"
"You're the one waah!" I barked back, scowling to hide my fear.
My grip began to slide. Sweat.Panic.
Father's voiced with raw and panic: "Don't let go, kieran! Never let go of Kael's hand. Never! Never leave his side."
I clenched my grip tighter, those words hammering in my head. Do not let go. Never leave his side.
But Kael, stubborn even then, wriggled in my grasp, daring me to release him.
I held on harder. I couldn't let go.
------
Father was gone. But the nobel's still stood. It would always stand. Nothing could destroy them. They have wealth,power, influence, but mostly are greedy and corrupt.
That day we both knew what we would do. We would takedown them.
"They did not like our act," Kael said, flat and cold.
We would show them. Again and again. We would not stop until one of two things happened: we would die, or the vault would fall.
I remember the certainty like a flame. My voice came out small, the way it did then.
"W-We are two," I said. "O-one seen. One unseen."
Father called me his angel. Angels remember. Angels do not forget. That was my gift. That was my revenge. They would learn what a reward could do.
Later, in the chase, we became the trick. Nobody saw how we moved. Nobody saw the switch.
They chased Kael. They chased the clown. The guards watched the shadows. They followed one shape, one shadow, and remained a breath behind.
We had practiced timing perfectly. We had rehearsed moves until our bodies answered without thought. When the main gate split, when alarms screamed and shouts rose, we switched places in a breath.
One moment he was center stage. The next, I was slipping along the wall, weaving through shadows they didn't watch, vanishing into the maze of alleys behind the estate. When they aimed above, they found an empty sleeve. When they sealed the inner courtyard, they found footprints that disappeared too quickly. They filed reports, debated over soul sensing residues, called names, made guesses. They never fit the pieces together.
We moved like one trick played twice. He drew eyes; I took the path they did not expect. He made noise; I kept silence. The moonlight and the estate walls hid our steps.
The nobel's thought itself untouchable because of wealth, power, and corrupt influence. They did not know how to fear a reckoning.
Kieran's POV Ends
Kieran, his wound long since bandaged by Keal, stood at the stove, stirring the pot. The aroma of cooking filled the small kitchen.
Keal leaned over, drawn by the scent. He lifted a piece of meat with his fingers, sniffing it before tasting. "What do you put in this? It smells incredible," he said, eyes curious.
Kieran turned to him, a small, innocent smile on his face. "It is my s-secret recipe," he said simply, almost shyly.
They ate together in quiet comfort, the clatter of dishes the only sound. When they finished, they cleaned up and went to bed. Kieran reached over to turn off the light, and they both settled under the covers. Sleep came easily, wrapping them in calm after the day's chaos.
-------
Next day
Inside the council chamber, heavy silence dilled the room. Around the wide table sat nobles and senior officers of the city guard, their faces unmoved and unsmiling. Across from them stood Inspector Lira Voss and Jain Holt.
One of the nobles leaned forward, fingers steepled, his voice calm but final.
"Inspector Voss, the council regrets to inform you that your services are no longer required in the Skyhaven Vault case. Both the nobility and the department have lost confidence in your leadership. From this moment, your access and authority are revoked. You will surrender all case files, investigative materials, and authority token."
To be continued...