By the time they left the frost-covered storage hall, Kiro's visor was fogged from his own breath. Ara didn't speak for several streets, moving fast through the back alleys.
Finally, she stopped in front of a narrow door between two shuttered shops. She knocked twice, paused, then knocked three more times in a strange rhythm.
The door opened just enough to reveal a single dark eye. "Password?"
Ara's answer was simple: "The crow flies at night."
The eye disappeared, and the door swung open.
Inside, the air was warm and smelled faintly of parchment and ink. Shelves lined with scrolls and glass jars curved along the walls. Behind a cluttered desk sat a wiry man in a long brown coat, spectacles perched on the tip of his nose.
"Kiro," Ara said, "meet the Whisper Broker."
The man smiled thinly. "So this is the one who dances with minds."
Kiro froze. "What did you just call me?"
The Whisper Broker gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk. "Sit. Both of you."
Ara dropped into a chair immediately. Kiro hesitated, scanning the room. He could feel faint threads everywhere — dozens of them — not from minds, but from something else.
The Broker seemed to notice. "Don't bother trying to pull here. The wards will tangle you before you reach me."
Ara leaned forward. "We had an encounter with a Cryomancer. He knew Kiro's name. Knew what he can do."
The Broker's eyebrow twitched. "Unfortunate. That means your little gift isn't as hidden as you thought."
Kiro crossed his arms. "So you already knew about it."
"I make it my business to know about rare talents," the Broker said. "Especially ones the kingdoms would kill to control."
Kiro's voice sharpened. "Then tell me what it is. I've been guessing since it showed up."
The Broker steepled his fingers. "You're a Mindbinder. Not just a reader — a controller. And that, Kiro, hasn't been seen in over a century."
The words hung in the air. Ara looked between them, her grip tightening on the hilt of her blade.
Kiro forced a laugh. "Great. And here I thought I was just some helmet-wearing nobody."
The Broker ignored the sarcasm. "A true Mindbinder can bend not only the will of individuals, but entire groups — make them see what you want, remember what you choose, even fight for causes they don't understand."
Kiro's gut twisted. "And you think I'm just going to… what? Practice on whoever you point me at?"
The Broker's smile was slow and knowing. "I think you'll need protection. And I provide that — in exchange for… favors."
"Sounds like blackmail," Kiro said.
"Call it mutual survival," the Broker replied smoothly.
Ara leaned back in her chair. "We didn't come here to make deals. We came for information. So give it — and let us walk out."
The Broker's gaze slid to her, then back to Kiro. "Very well. The Cryomancer works for Nior's Black Division. They don't answer to the Academy or the king. They answer only to the Shadow Regent."
Kiro frowned. "Never heard of them."
"You will," the Broker said. "They hunt artifacts, forbidden talents, and anomalies. You're all three."
Kiro felt a chill that had nothing to do with frost. "So what now? Keep running until they get bored?"
"They won't," the Broker said flatly. "But if you train… properly… you might make them regret coming after you."
Ara stood, clearly done with the conversation. "We'll handle our own training."
The Broker's eyes glittered. "Your choice. But every choice has a cost, Mindbinder."
Outside, the night air was sharp and full of distant bells. Kiro kept pace with Ara.
"You trust him?" he asked.
"No," Ara said. "But he's right about one thing — you need control. And soon."
Kiro exhaled slowly. "Then I guess we start tomorrow."