Even Death Grew Tired of Killing Me-Chapter 52 - 47

[Third POV – Madison]

Madison sat quietly at her desk, facing the tall window that looked out over Solcarth. Night had begun to settle over the capital, lanterns blooming one after another along the streets, steady and distant. She had not changed out of her day clothes. A simple black and white layered outfit, a black suspender dress worn over a white collared blouse. Clean, restrained, deliberate. Everything about it was intentional.

She knew he was coming.

Or rather, she corrected herself, they were coming.

That was not what she wanted.

Her fingers rested lightly against the edge of the desk as she released a slow breath. She had never wanted Theo to depend on her this much, especially not consciously. Small nudges were one thing. Quiet course corrections that never felt like interference. This was different. This time, Theo would come to her because he had no other path left.

She sighed softly, irritation and resignation threading together in a way she did not like.

A presence shifted behind her.

"You could have taken Astrae out on the first day," a voice remarked casually, almost conversational. "Destroyed whatever was growing down there and ended it quietly. The prefect would have been easier to deal with too if it was you. Then they could have started their journey properly."

Madison did not turn around.

"That’s not how it works," she replied, her voice calm but firm. "The more I help him directly, the more attention I attract from things he should not be noticed by yet."

A faint scoff came from behind her.

"And now?" the voice pressed. "You cannot just close the door on him."

Madison leaned back slightly in her chair, eyes still on the window. "Just a nudge on the right direction, again," she murmured.

A low chuckle followed. "You already pushed two major things into motion."

She finally looked up, turning just enough for the dim light to catch her eyes. There was no softness there, but no cruelty either. Only certainty.

"I will play my part today," Madison said evenly. "The ally he can rely on."

Silence lingered for a moment.

Then Madison spoke again, even though she already knew the answer. "And you," she added quietly. "Why are you hiding from him? I think he already knows you are here in Aetherfall. That is why he crossed."

Another pause.

"Maybe," the voice replied, amusement slipping through. "But he does not know I have been found. I enjoy misleading him sometimes."

Madison let out a faint breath that could have been a laugh. "He is the one who enjoys playing tricks."

"That is exactly why it is more satisfying when I do it to him," the voice answered, half amused.

Madison’s fingers curled slightly against the desk. "He will sense you here though, once he stepped inside the manor."

"Not if you interfere."

She closed her eyes briefly, annoyance flickering across her composed face. "I am not interested to join in your games."

"Just keep him from noticing for a while," the voice said, lighter now, but no less serious underneath. "It would not be good if he realizes I’m... I’m here already. Not for Theo atleast. He would force him. You know how very impatient he is sometimes."

Madison remained still.

Her eyes stayed closed for several seconds. Then she inhaled deeply and released the breath in a quiet sigh. When she opened her eyes again, the decision had already been made.

"...Fine," she murmured.

She rose from her chair with unhurried grace, smoothing her dress as she stood.

"Go hide," Madison said calmly.

And the presence behind her faded, leaving the room silent once more.

~~~

[1st POV - Theo]

Kyren and I threaded our way through the streets toward Madison’s place, moving with the steady flow of people who clearly had no intention of sleeping anytime soon. It was past midnight, but the district was still alive. Lanterns burned bright, wagons rolled in and out of loading bays, voices carried from open storefronts, and the smell of metal, spice, and fresh ink from shipping seals mixed strangely well in the air. This part of Solcarth never really rested. It simply shifted gears.

Kyren walked beside me with his hands tucked behind his head, relaxed to the point of looking careless, while I stayed alert out of habit. I spotted Silas and Nadia near the main loading area, both of them moving with practiced efficiency as they coordinated incoming crates and outgoing orders. They looked good. Not just healthy, but settled. The kind of people who had found their place and fit into it naturally. Owen had been the same way when I last saw him, like Aetherfall had smoothed something sharp out of them.

Without thinking too hard about it, I borrowed Kyren’s Observer skill. Just a quick look, I told myself. Curiosity more than anything. I wanted to know how far they had come.

Before I could even focus enough to read anything, both Silas and Nadia turned around at the same time.

Their expressions shifted instantly, alert and guarded, the kind of look people wore when they were ready to fight first and ask questions later. Then recognition hit, and the tension melted away like it had never been there.

I closed the status windows immediately, not even getting a glimpse of their numbers.

Kyren let out a quiet laugh beside me, a soft little "heh" that made it clear he knew exactly what had just happened.

Silas raised an eyebrow at me, then smiled. "You always sneak up like that, or is tonight special?"

"Yeah," Nadia added, folding her arms loosely. "It’s late. You doing okay?"

"I’m fine," I replied, then gestured to Kyren. "This is my brother. Kyren."

Kyren dropped his hands from behind his head and gave them an easy grin. "Nice to finally meet you."

Silas and Nadia both greeted him warmly, introductions flowing naturally, almost too naturally. There was no awkward pause, no polite distance. It felt like they were picking up a conversation that had already started somewhere else. I noticed it, but I did not comment. There were a lot of things about Madison’s people that made more sense if you stopped asking why.

I cleared my throat lightly. "I was hoping to see Madison. If she’s available."

Nadia tilted her head slightly, curiosity flickering across her face. "Can I ask why?"

I nodded. "My assistant hasn’t come back since I left for our world. I was called by Realm Union to fetch Kyrene since he’s still need a guardian. I heard she was last seen entering the palace.

I-I need help getting inside, or at least getting answers." I hesitated, then added honestly, "I know Madison has... connections. Owen mentioned it before. I really don’t want to drag any of you into this, but I don’t have many options left right now."

Silas looked mildly offended. "You think we’d be upset if you didn’t ask us for help?"

Nadia smiled at that, already turning away. "I’ll check if Madison’s not busy."

I raised a hand instinctively. "If she’s resting, please don’t wake her."

Nadia waved the concern away without even looking back. "She rarely sleeps when there’s a shipment this big. Trust me, she’s up."

Silas motioned toward the entrance. "Come on, don’t stand out here. Let’s get you inside."

He spoke briefly with someone near the door, then led us through the gates and into the manor. As we stepped inside, I felt the tension in my shoulders ease just a little.

For the first time that day, it felt like I might not be facing this alone.

___

We did not wait long.

The door to the private receiving area opened without a sound, and Madison walked in as if the hour meant nothing. It was well past midnight, yet she looked composed, untouched by fatigue. Her hair was neat, her posture relaxed but precise, and her expression was calm in that way that made it hard to tell what she was thinking, or if she was thinking about anything at all.

I stood up out of instinct. "I’m sorry for disturbing you this late," I began, the words coming out more awkward than I wanted. "I didn’t expect—"

She lifted a hand, palm angled slightly toward me. The gesture was small, but it stopped me immediately. "It’s fine," she replied, her voice even. "Please, sit."

I did, feeling faintly embarrassed, and she took the seat across from us with the same quiet control, folding her hands loosely on the table.

Her eyes shifted to Kyren, assessing but not unfriendly. "And this is?"

"This is my brother," I answered. "Kyren."

"I see," she said, giving a short nod.

Kyren leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and flashed her a grin that was a little too wide to be polite. His eyes narrowed slightly, catching the light in a way that made me uneasy, though I could not say why. "Nice to meet you," he greeted, voice light and cheerful.

Madison acknowledged him with a brief nod, then reached into her sleeve. She placed a small envelope on the table between us, sealed with a mark I recognized immediately as hers.

"Take this," she said. "Nadia told me what’s going on. I can’t get directly involved, especially when the palace is concerned, but this will give you access to people who can help."

I picked up the envelope, turning it over once. It did not look like much, but I knew better by now.

She continued without pause. "Give it to Prince Valeyn or Prince Aurelion, whichever one you can reach first. Once they see it, they’ll listen. Avoid the princess for now."

Kyren tilted his head. "But we can’t even get inside the palace."

I shot him a warning look. "Kyren."

Madison smiled faintly, like she found the interruption mildly amusing. "That won’t be an issue," she said. "I’ll have Silas walk you to the palace gates. He’s known there. That should be enough to get you inside and request an audience."

She glanced at me. "Will you go now, or wait until morning?"

I hesitated. My first instinct was to go immediately. Every second Astrae was missing felt wrong. But barging into the palace in the middle of the night, dragging princes out of their chambers, would only make things harder. Kyren and I had barely rested since arriving in Solcarth.

"We’ll go during the day," I decided. "Would Silas be alright with that?"

"He will," Madison replied. "Any time is fine. He just won’t stay beyond getting you inside and arranging the meeting."

"That’s more than enough," I said quickly. "I already owe you far more than I should."

She studied me for a moment, then shifted her gaze to Kyren. "Will the two of you manage?"

Kyren answered before I could. "We’ll be fine. The two of us is enough."

I let out a quiet sigh. "Kyren..."

Madison’s expression softened slightly. "At least he’s confident."

"I suppose so," I murmured. "We shouldn’t take up any more of your time. We’ll head out."

Kyren and I stood. Madison looked up at us and said, "Good luck."

We were almost at the door when Kyren suddenly spoke again. "Have you seen him already?"

I froze and turned toward him. "Who are you talking about?"

Madison looked genuinely confused now, her eyes flicking between us.

Kyren exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Never mind. Forget I said that." He glanced at me and added lightly, "My head’s getting a bit messy. I should lie down."

I hesitated, then turned back to Madison. "Sorry about that."

She nodded once, expression returning to its calm neutrality.

We left with the sealed letter in my hand, the quiet weight of it pressing down on me as the night swallowed us again.