Keith's POV
The flat-screen on the office wall was tuned to the news, the sound low but the message clear.
A government official, his face a mask of strained diplomacy, was formally announcing the clause to the public. The secrecy laws still stood, but now there was a single, narrow exception: registered racers for the Serpent's Kiss. It was a leash, thinly disguised as a privilege.
"About time," Kieran commented from the sofa, a hint of his usual chaotic optimism in his voice. Kayden, as expected, was silent, his focus on the screen unwavering.
What was relevant was the efficiency of the outcome. The clause was now public. The first step was complete.
My thoughts, however, were not on the official. They were on the contract signed and returned to my desk within less than a day of being offered. The three women. Eleanor, Mira, and Roxy. I had anticipated hesitation. It was the logical response to a suicide mission. Their immediate agreement was an anomaly.
