Nina’s lips curl.

  “Hell no. The girl dies. Boss’s order.”

  Shion’s fingers clamp around Nina’s gun barrel.

  Hot steel bites into her palm.

  She yanks.

  The pistol tears free and hits dirt with a dull clang. Her fist follows — fast, brutal.

  Nina ducks. Her shoulder slams into Shion’s stomach wound.

  White detonates behind Shion’s eyes.

  They crash down. Dust floods her mouth. Grit grinds between her teeth.

  “Patience, run!”

  Footsteps hammer away.

  Nina’s fist drives straight into the stitched wound.

  Something gives.

  Shion’s breath vanishes. A dry, animal sound claws out of her throat as heat spills down her abdomen.

  The air snaps.

  Nina is gone.

  Then she’s in front of Patience.

  Her hand locks around the girl’s throat.

  Patience’s heels kick uselessly against empty air. Nails rake skin. Nina squeezes.

  A wet choke.

  A thin line of blood slips from Patience’s nose.

  Her hands flutter.

  Weaken.

  Drop.

  Shion moves before thought.

  She tackles Nina from behind.

  The grip breaks.

  Patience collapses, sucking air like she’s drowning on land.

  They slam into the dirt again.

  Shion mounts and drives her fists down — once, twice — knuckles splitting against Nina’s cheekbone.

  Nina’s elbow spears into Shion’s throat.

  Cartilage pops.

  Shion stumbles back, coughing, copper flooding her tongue.

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  Patience scrambles into the alley.

  Her breaths tear in and out of her lungs.

  Crack.

  Nina appears and backhands her.

  The sound is sharp.

  Final.

  Patience spins and drops. The world tilts sideways and goes dim.

  Nina steps forward.

  A ripple splits the dark behind her.

  Shion is there.

  Her hand tangles in Nina’s hair and yanks hard enough to wrench her neck sideways.

  Nina snarls — not just anger.

  Betrayal.

  A thin blade flashes.

  It slices upward.

  Black strands drift down.

  Shion’s punch whistles past Nina’s ear.

  Nina weaves.

  Shion’s knee rockets up.

  Nina shifts back a fraction. The strike cuts air.

  Nina’s kick snaps high.

  Shion blocks.

  Impact shudders up her spine. Her forearms go numb.

  She closes distance anyway.

  Drives Nina’s head into brick.

  Once.

  The crack is wet.

  Twice.

  Brick dust rains.

  Three times.

  Blood runs into Nina’s eyes.

  Nina grabs Shion’s arm and twists.

  The knife drives forward.

  Straight toward the reopened wound.

  Shion catches her wrist.

  Their bodies lock.

  Muscles strain. Blood slicks their grip. The blade trembles an inch from torn flesh.

  Shion’s vision pulses.

  If she lets go, Patience dies.

  “Damn it, Shion…” Nina hisses. “Still this strong?”

  Nina snaps her forehead forward.

  Bone smashes bone.

  Light fractures.

  Shion reels back, ears ringing.

  Nina advances, knife flashing silver in broken light.

  Shion’s hand dives for her holster.

  She clears the pistol—

  Nina’s palm smashes the slide.

  The gun spins away into shadow.

  Shion lunges, fingers digging into Nina’s throat.

  She slams her into the wall.

  Brick cracks.

  Nina’s boots drive into Shion’s chest.

  Air blasts from Shion’s lungs.

  She flies back, hits hard, rolls through pain, comes up with her second pistol already rising—

  Snap.

  Nina’s fist clips the barrel.

  The weapon tears from Shion’s grip and skids across the alley.

  The clatter echoes.

  Shion doesn’t reach for it.

  Her hand tightens into a fist instead.

  They square off.

  Breathing ragged.

  Blood dripping.

  Neither backing down.

  A shadow drops from above.

  He lands between them without sound.

  Stillness spreads outward from him.

  Nina’s face drains.

  “Senior K.B?”

  She steps back.

  “Oh no you don’t.”

  K.B moves once.

  His hands strike like twin hammers.

  He grabs both women by the throat and slams their heads together.

  Thud.

  Darkness surges.

  They hit the ground.

  K.B looks down at them, eyes cold.

  “What’s going on here?”

  Silence.

  “This is a disgrace. Fighting in the street is strictly prohibited for Mercury. Unless ordered.”

  Nina forces herself up. “Senior K.B, sir.” She points toward Patience. “That’s the girl.”

  K.B turns to Shion.

  “You failed your mission… for a girl?”

  Shion tastes blood.

  “My apologies, sir…”

  “Sorry won’t cut it. Speak.”

  “I was close. King Pin’s fortress. An enemy intervened.”

  K.B’s stare hardens.

  “You took a knife for the girl. Nina. Didn’t she?”

  Nina nods once.

  “I recommended you both for that mission.”

  A pause.

  “I am personally disappointed.”

  Shion opens her mouth—

  A finger snaps toward her face.

  “Not. A word.”

  “Sir,” Nina starts, “I was ordered—”

  “No. Be quiet. Not another word from you either.”

  K.B turns to Patience.

  “Young lady. Stand.”

  Patience sways but forces herself upright.

  Shion instinctively steps forward—

  Snap.

  K.B appears behind her and strikes the base of her neck.

  Shion drops.

  “Let her stand on her own.”

  Patience steadies. Her throat burns. Her eyes never leave Shion.

  “What is she to you?” K.B asks.

  “We met,” Patience says hoarsely. “She came for Silas. I came for my sister.”

  “Shion cannot help you. Leave.”

  Patience swallows.

  “I want to join Black Mercury.”

  Nina stiffens. “What—!”

  A look from K.B silences her.

  “And why are you fit?”

  “I can make them lower their guard.”

  A short laugh escapes him.

  “You’re coming with us. The Master will decide.”

  “But sir—”

  “I warned you.”

  His voice drops.

  “Shion protected her. That sin is hers now.”

  He turns and walks.

  Shion rises slowly, neck throbbing.

  Patience follows.

  Behind them—

  Snap.

  Nina dissolves into shadow.

  Patience watches her go.

  Her jaw sets.

  She doesn’t look away.