Where Stars Cease to Be

Previously

…As Anya was led away by a silent, impassive guard, the sterile opulence of Valerius’s chamber felt more suffocating than the grimy alleys of the undercity. He had offered her a gilded cage, a place where she could search for answers, but only under his watchful eye. He believed he was in control, that he could manipulate her into revealing the secrets he sought. But he underestimated the tenacity of a detective who had stared into the abyss of unsolved crimes for too long. He thought he was playing a game, but Anya had just realized the stakes were far higher than she'd initially imagined. And Elara Vance's murder wasn't just a key to her escape; it was a weapon waiting to be wielded.