00:00The fire in the hearth hissed and popped, casting flickering shadows across the sitting room walls.
00:07Every crackle felt louder than it should have in the tense silence that clung to the room like a thick,
00:13impenetrable fog.
00:16Melanie stood near the window, her arms folded so tightly it looked as though she were holding herself together.
00:23She shifted her weight from foot to foot, pacing a few steps before stopping again, stealing another glance at Alessandra,
00:31who hadn't looked up once.
00:34Her daughter sat perfectly still, staring into her untouched teacup.
00:40The ticking of the clock on the mantle was maddening.
00:43Each second that passed seemed to drag the silence out further.
00:48Finally, Melanie cleared her throat.
00:51It's already dusk.
00:55Alessandra didn't look up.
00:58Then it's probably best you go.
01:02Melanie's breath caught.
01:04No, I'll wait, she said quickly.
01:08I won't leave until Edgar returns.
01:11Alessandra finally raised her eyes, her expression unreadable.
01:16You'll be waiting a while.
01:18Well, he won't be home tonight.
01:21Maybe not even tomorrow.
01:23If he finds Lady Harcourt, he'll go straight to the palace.
01:28Melanie opened her mouth, then closed it again.
01:31Her fingers twisted at the edge of her shawl before she moved toward the mantle, her eyes landing on a
01:37framed sketch of Elijah.
01:39He looks like you, she said, voice strained, trying too hard to sound warm.
01:48Alessandra didn't respond.
01:51Melanie turned back, the firelight catching the nervous glint in her eye.
01:57You know, if you'd just talk to me.
02:01I already said.
02:04Alessandra cut in.
02:06It's probably best you go.
02:10Melanie took in a shaky, deep breath.
02:14I will, but before I do, I need to say something first.
02:19As Alessandra looked up, her expression was unreadable.
02:24I'm sorry.
02:27Melanie continued, her voice barely above a whisper.
02:55Alessandra raised her hand, halting her mother in the middle of her speech.
03:00Not tonight, she said gently, not rejecting the apology, but not accepting it either.
03:09Please, just not right now.
03:13Melanie blinked, startled.
03:15I just thought.
03:17I know, and I understand.
03:21When all of this with the red light district is over, Alessandra said.
03:28Her voice firm, but not unkind.
03:32When things are calm and no one's life is hanging in the balance, then we'll talk.
03:40I promise you.
03:43Melanie's face tightened with regret, but she gave a small nod.
03:47She understood why it wasn't the right moment.
03:50And as much as she wanted to make everything right, this moment wasn't about her.
03:56And for the first time ever, she was able to see that.
04:01Alessandra looked back at the fire, her fingers tracing the rim of the teacup.
04:06Right now, I just need to keep my family safe.
04:11One thing at a time.
04:15Across Lockwood, Tobias stood in front of a massive, grand fireplace.
04:21The fire inside the hearth was weak.
04:24He watched as its embers flickered low, barely clinging to life.
04:29He stared at them in silence, lost in thought, until the door behind him burst open.
04:36A sudden gust of wind swept through the room.
04:41The flame shuddered once, then vanished, snuffed out without ceremony.
04:47Smoke curled upward in a slow, final spiral.
04:52Tobias didn't move.
04:54He simply watched the smoke rise and disappear.
04:59Edgar and Alistair stepped inside the room.
05:02Their boots were mud-streaked from the wreckage they had left behind.
05:07Edgar's coat was torn at the sleeve.
05:10His jaw clenched as he walked with purpose.
05:12He held a large, soot-smudged ledger in his hand.
05:17Slowly, Tobias looked over his shoulder.
05:21What happened?
05:24Edgar held out the ledger.
05:26The Keeper is no more.
05:30Tobias blinked.
05:32What do you mean?
05:34You know her better as the disgraced noblewoman Lady Harcourt.
05:39Edgar explained.
05:41We killed her outside of the district.
05:44Tobias didn't speak at first, just studied the men before him, noting the exhaustion in their eyes.
05:52All along, the woman they were looking for was right under their noses.
05:59The king's eyes flicked down toward the ledger.
06:03He finally took it from Edgar, opening it up.
06:07What's this?
06:08A list of every deal she ever made.
06:12Edgar replied.
06:14Smugglers.
06:15Traders.
06:16Spies.
06:17Noblemen.
06:19Names, dates, numbers.
06:21Everything.
06:23Alistair walked over to the sideboard, pouring a drink with a shaking hand.
06:29Some of the most powerful men in your court were doing business with her.
06:34That book will unravel half the nobility if you let it.
06:40Tobias's brow furrowed as he flipped through a few of the pages from the ledger.
06:44His shoulders tensed more with each name he read.
06:49This...
06:50This changes everything.
06:52We know who they all are.
06:55Edgar nodded.
06:57We do.
06:58But we're not done.
07:01Tobias looked up.
07:03Go on.
07:05Edgar paced once, the flickering light of the hearth dancing across his grim expression.
07:11We created a power vacuum.
07:14The Keeper kept them in line with fear and loyalty.
07:19Now that she's gone, the red light district has turned on itself.
07:25There's infighting.
07:27Alistair muttered, sinking into a chair.
07:30Whole factions are burning each other's businesses.
07:34Brothels collapsing.
07:35Guilds splitting.
07:37Smugglers demanding leadership.
07:38We tried to pull them apart, but there are too many.
07:42They're ripping it apart from the inside.
07:46Tobias stared into the fire, his jaw working.
07:50Is the guard handling it?
07:53They're doing what they can, Edgar said.
07:57But they're outnumbered.
07:59And this isn't a battle that can be won with swords alone.
08:02They'll hold the borders for now, but not for long.
08:07We need to shut it down completely.
08:11Silence fell over the room, broken only by the quiet scrape of the ledger closing beneath Tobias' hand.
08:19Years, he muttered.
08:22Years of this festering beneath our feet.
08:25And it took fire and blood to bring it into the open.
08:30Alistair raised his glass slightly.
08:33And still, half your nobles will claim they never knew a thing.
08:38Edgar's voice was low but certain.
08:41We find every name in that book.
08:45And we expose them.
08:47We clean this rot out by the roots, Tobias.
08:51No more shadows.
08:53No more deals.
08:54If we don't finish this now, someone else will rise to take her place.
09:00Tobias looked between the men.
09:03Then, we finish it.
09:05He gripped the ledger, then reached for the signal bell on his desk.
09:10Bring in the commanders, he told the nearest guard.
09:14And summon my advisors.
09:16Tonight, we end the Red Light District for good.
