The Broken Halo

The reinforced door closed behind them with a heavy click.

The room beyond it was smaller than Simon expected. A long black table occupied most of the space, surrounded by six high-backed chairs. A recording crystal rested on a metal stand at the centre, while pale red formation lines crawled across the walls and ceiling like thin veins.

Only one demon was waiting for them.

The guard commander sat at the far end of the table with both hands resting before him. He had dark brown skin, a broad face, and several short bone ridges running from his forehead to the back of his shaved head. Velmora’s guard insignia was engraved across the chest of his dark armour.

And the demonic pressure hidden beneath his armour belonged to that of a Superior Greater Demon.

His expression did not change when Sonya entered, but the muscles around his jaw tightened slightly, almost like he was restraining himself.

His gaze moved over her slowly before settling on Simon.

”Why is he here?”

His voice was deep and controlled. However, there was enough coldness beneath it to show that the question was not directed at Simon.

”I allowed him to come,” Korran replied.

He closed the door before walking toward the table.

”He was present during our discussions yesterday, and he is connected to the first-raid agreement. His presence will not affect the statement.”

The guard commander’s eyes remained on Simon for another moment.

He clearly disliked the answer, but he chose not to argue with one of Black Horn’s Vice Commanders.

Simon and Sonya sat opposite him. Korran took the chair between both sides, close enough to interfere if the conversation turned unpleasant.

The recording crystal released a soft hum.

A pale light appeared within it.

The commander lowered his gaze toward the metal sheet in front of him.

”State your name.”

”Sonya.”

He lifted his eyes.

”Your full name.”

”That is my full name, but you can call me Honourable Sonya if you like. No, wait. In fact, call me Honourable Sonya,” She said with a grin.

A faint twitch appeared beside the commander’s left eye, but he chose to calm down. He inhaled slowly through his nose.

”Race?”

”Kragh.”

The commander paused for a moment and took a good look at Sonya. Though he already knew that she was a Kragh, her confirming it was a different matter entirely.

He had some questions, but he decided to leave them aside for now and continue with her statement.

”Rank?”

”Supreme Archfiend.”

”Reason for entering the abandoned bathhouse?”

”A thief stole my spatial ring.”

”And did you pursue him alone?”

Sonya leaned back slightly into her chair.

”I did not know I needed to bring an audience.”

The commander’s fingers clenched into a fist and the veins on his temple became slightly more noticeable.

Simon almost sighed.

The questioning had barely begun but Sonya was already getting under the skin of the commander.

”Describe what happened after you entered.”

Sonya began recounting the events beneath the bathhouse.

She explained how she followed the thief, discovered the hidden rebels, and was attacked after refusing to surrender. She mentioned the two Supreme Archfiends, the Half-Step Greater Demon who led them, and the formations hidden beneath the building.

Her account was accurate.

Yet the careless ease with which she spoke made the commander’s expression darken with every passing moment.

She described killing the rebels and destroying their formations as if she were listing obstacles that had inconvenienced her.

When she finished, the commander remained silent for several breaths. His eyes lowered toward the recording crystal, then returned to her face.

”You discovered more than twenty Black Banner rebels beneath a populated street.”

His voice had become quieter.

”And instead of retreating or alerting the city guards, you chose to fight all of them.”

Sonya tilted her head slightly.

”What should I have done? They attacked me first.”

”You had several opportunities to retreat.”

Sonya’s shoulders lifted into a small shrug.

”Yes. But I also had several opportunities to kill them too.”

The commander’s stare hardened.

”Fourteen civilians died.”

The air inside the room seemed to grow heavier.

”Thirty-seven were injured. Six surrounding buildings suffered major damage, and three may still need to be demolished.”

His thumb pressed against the edge of the metal sheet, and the metal bent slightly beneath it.

Sonya tilted her head.

”The rebels planted the explosives. Not me.”

The commander’s eyes flashed with a cold light.

”And your answer was to bring the building into the middle of the street?”

”What should I have done?”

A faint trace of amusement entered Sonya’s voice and eyes.

”Held it above my head until everyone finished eating breakfast and packed their belongings?”

The commander’s eyes narrowed.

A pulse of demonic energy rolled away from his body.

The table groaned.

Simon’s expression changed slightly. His body remained relaxed, but his attention sharpened as the commander’s killing intent began slipping through the cracks in his control.

He was about to speak.

Then he saw Sonya’s right hand.

It rested beside her chair, hidden from the commander by the table. Her thumb brushed across the middle joint of her folded index finger once.

Then stopped.

It was an old Shadowgrave signal used during paired missions.

Trust me. Stay silent.

Simon’s gaze rose to her face.

Her posture was loose, and her expression remained playful. However, the fingers of her other hand had stopped tapping against the chair.

She was no longer behaving carelessly.

She was measuring every reaction and she was currently acting like an assassin of the Shadowgrave Clan.

Simon slowly leaned back.

Though he was not sure what Sonya’s plan was and he also did not trust her completely, he decided to let her do what she wanted.

Sonya was not stupid.

He knew this.

So, he became curious as to what she was going to do from this point on and how she was going to get the information from the commander or Korran or maybe even both.

’Hopefully, you’re able to surprise me, Sonya.’