During a gala at the Royal Palace, Kaelen was on duty—not in a suit, but in the tactical shimmer of a cloaking suit, perched on a rafter. His mission was to neutralize an assassin targeting the High Minister. Below, he saw Elara. She was there as a guest of the design firm, looking radiant in a dress the color of a stormy sea.

He dropped from the ceiling, shattering a crystal chandelier. For three seconds, the "Ghost" was visible—a blur of lethal precision. He intercepted the strike inches from Elara’s shoulder, his eyes meeting hers through the slit of his mask. The assassin was down, but the secret was hemorrhaging.