On the other side of Durres, the underground bosses were gloating over their new businesses and discussing how to divide up Liam’s legitimate business as well. “If that bastard is not going to use the funds we provided to pay off lord Butcher, he will be dead by morning!” one said. “Indeed! He is lucky we were generous enough to pay what little we did. We should have just taken those businesses. But now we can lay claim to Dreadnought Investment Group as well! I hear he has started a nice new construction site with ties to the medical group. That should be worth a decent penny!” said another. “Yes, but will we be able to keep these or will the Lord butcher claim them himself on top of what we paid Liam? Can we resist the lord Butcher if he comes at us?” a third cut in nervously. “Surely the Lord butcher has enough to deal with, and would leave us this slice?” said the first. “Besides, Liam will be dead, and this vengeance saded” Just then a ru

Later that evening –  Celeana’s room. Knock knock knock “Enter!” In walked the family spymaster. “Ah, have you news?” asked Celeana coldly. “are the bitches dead or otherwise no longer in the picture?” “My lady there was an issue.” “Issue? How hard can it be for a group of thugs to kidnap, rape, and dispose of a couple of girls, dammit!” Celeana vented. “My lady, it seems that these particular women may have more protection than we were originally aware. And there are other… developments. It seems the lord Butcher and his brother, one known as Maahes, were both hired to mess with Roisin and hinder her work efforts.” “Really? Well, that is fine. Double the pay to get the job done permanently.” “My lady, Roisin, her cousin, and the woman named Alexa were successfully captured. However… it seems that their protection detail arrived within a matter of minutes. It was… very one-sided.” “How so?” Asked Ce

Lord Connor Devos, son to lord Governor Devos, sat in his office, deep in the keep of the Ashain capital city of Kaibain. He picked up his phone and dialed his spymaster. “Yes my lord” came the stoke voice of the shadow master. “I need an update on Celeana. What the HELL has she been doing?” demanded Connor Devos. “Sir? Forgive me sir, but did you not approve this mission to find the lost son-in-law?” “I approved her to look for him, yes! Sign the divorce and be done!” stated Connor. “My Lord, forgive me, but it seems your daughter has taken a different meaning from your words. She is here looking for her husband, but not to break the contract. I believe it is her intention to consummate it and bring him back to Ashai.” “What the hell has gotten into that girl! The peerage is already mocking us because of such a son-in-law! Does she seek to shake the whole family?” asked Conner. “I do not know for sure sir, but I think she is s

Andrew and Anika awoke to golden sunshine streaming through the window. “looks like a new dawn. Perhaps Durres will be a quieter place now that the butcher and his brother are gone from it.” Said Anika. “so long as you are around, I doubt it will be quiet.” Snarked Andrew. Anika punched his shoulder. “Ouch! Take it out on Alexa at the training ground!” Andrew pleaded, rubbing his shoulder. “O, that actually does sound like a fun day. Do I get to beat up on those wolf pack guys for their failure?” Anika asked enthusiastically. “You cannot permanently maim them, but otherwise, yes. They are due to be tested by something they have not faced.” Replied Andrew, contemplating various scenarios he could put them through. “well, come on. We are burning daylight!” Anika said excitedly, jumping up to dress in her fighting gear. “Actually, I have a new suit for you.” Said Andrew, remembering the suit that he had made for her that m

Suddenly, the array shifted and Anika was caught off guard as the 30 men became two spears of 15, moving to circle her. She smiled in pleasure at the challenge. Andrew, for his part, was beaming from ear to ear watching Alexa sneak in behind Anika. For once, it was someone else that was the object of the she-wolf’s attention. Alexa used the distraction of the two arrowheads to disappear from Anika’s view and move in for a strike. Just as Anika was about to send another dizzying array of strikes against the right-most knot of men, a shadow came across her shoulder and she spun only fast enough to turn her face into the downward fall of Alexa’s fist as she crashed down from the top of her leap. CRACK! The sound of that fist landing started everyone around. Anika for her part reeled away in startled pain. It had been years since anyone had landed a blow like that on her in the training arena. Anika realized with a bit of chagrin that she actually had blood dripp