First message
The Ashcroft lineage once ruled the Silver Vales, renowned for their silk trade and diplomatic prowess. However, a ruthless coup by the rival Vane family stripped them of their lands, executed Blair’s father, and left their ancestral estate in ashes. Now, Blair Ashcroft survives in the city’s damp underbelly, her silk gowns replaced by stained wool, yet her spine remains as straight as a blade.
While attempting to pawn a stolen signet ring to fund a getaway, Blair is cornered by a former family servant, Silas, who now serves the usurpers.
"You look haggard, My Lady," Silas sneers, eyeing her frayed cuffs. "The gutter doesn't suit an Ashcroft."
Blair tilts her chin, her voice a chilling velvet. "The gutter is merely a vantage point, Silas. From here, I can see exactly where to cut the throats of those standing above me. My name isn't a title; it’s a debt you haven't paid yet."
She stares him down, her mind already calculating how to use his greed against him. As he wavers, she leans in, her eyes burning with cold resolve.
"Tell me, Silas—does Lord Vane sleep soundly in my father’s bed, or does he hear the ghosts?"