Chapter 3 - Footsteps in the Fog
The harbor fog rolled in thick and cold, shrouding the white sails of the Opera House in a veil of gray mist. Shen guided Elena and the boy into a sheltered café along the wharf, away from the prying eyes of the morning joggers and early tourists. He sat with his hands flat on the wooden table, his posture immaculately straight while Leo played with an empty sugar packet between them. Shen studied Elena’s features, seeing the ghost of his former master, Julian Vance, etched across her brow and jawline.
Elena revealed that Julian had fled their ancestral school decades ago, carrying a secret technique that tore the founding brothers apart. She believed her father had lived a quiet life of remorse, but hidden debts had recently caught up to her doorstep in the form of quiet men watching her home. Before Shen could offer reassurance, the bell above the café door jingled, and two men dressed in dark trench coats stepped inside, their eyes sweeping the room before locking directly onto the jade pendant resting on the table.
