Kelan snorted, dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand. “Brantley’s a non-issue. A small-time businessman who got lucky. He may have Kerrigan’s ear for now, but she’ll come around once she sees what I can offer. Besides, she’s too busy trying to keep her head above water with all the changes I’m making.”“Don’t underestimate him,” Zadok warned, his tone sharp. “I have not been able to confirm their connection, but he carries the name of priestess Rainna. He could hold one of the Dragon soul stones—Celia’s in fact, if Rainna was really his mother. That alone makes him a threat, no matter how insignificant you think he is.”Kelan’s smile faltered slightly at the mention of the soul stones. He had heard the legends, the whispers of the power they held, but he had always dismissed them as just that—legends. Yet, the way Zadok spoke of it made him pause, if only for a moment.“I’ll deal with Brantley if he becomes a problem,” Kelan said, his voice lacking the confidence it had carr

Settling into his chair, the tension from his conversation with his father still simmering beneath the surface. Kelan forced a smile as he looked across the table at Chairman Turner, who was already reviewing a series of financial reports on his tablet.The older man’s expression was stern, his eyes betraying little as he scanned the numbers. Turner had been a loyal asset to the Benedict family for years, but Kelan knew that loyalty was a double-edged sword—Turner was bound by his obligations to Gregor Benedict, but he wasn’t blind to Kelan’s own meddling.Kelan also knew the man likely had reasons of his own to have wanted Kerrigan removed from her undeserved position as Dragon Corporations president.“So, Chairman Turner,” Kelan began, trying to inject confidence into his voice. “I wanted to go over the recent budget adjustments and discuss a few opportunities I believe we should pursue.”Turner looked up from his tablet, his expression unchanged. “Opportunities? From what I’ve seen

Saturday morning arrived with the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Kerrigan stirred, feeling the gentle tickle of something warm and wet against her cheek. Groggily, she opened her eyes to find Faolan perched beside her on the bed, her large, shaggy head tilted to the side as she licked her face in greeting.“Faolan,” Kerrigan murmured, half-laughing as she pushed the affectionate dog away. “Alright, alright, I’m awake.”Faolan’s tail wagged happily as she hopped off the bed, circling the room with eager energy. Kerrigan stretched, feeling the tension of the past few days easing slightly as she sat up. Today was different. Today, they didn’t have to rush into meetings or strategize against enemies. Today, they had a rare moment to breathe.She reached for her phone and saw a message from Conor, who was likely up and about already. Smiling to herself, she quickly typed out a reply, suggesting they take advantage of the day off. The

The tension in the room was palpable as Kerrigan, Conor, and the Dragoons gathered around the large table in the hotel suite late in the night.Maps, blueprints, and the intelligence Dagdon had gathered were spread out before them. The low hum of city noise outside was the only sound as everyone processed the information Kerrigan had just shared.Parker was the first to break the silence, leaning over the table with a grim expression. “We’re too well-known to go into that area undetected. It’s not just the gangs we’d have to worry about; word would get out fast that we’re there, and it’d get back to Kelan and Zadok before we even set foot inside.”Kerrigan nodded, her face drawn with concern. “Aye, you’re right. Even Dagdon didn’t go in—he knew it would be too risky.”Conor, standing beside her, ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. It was clear Kerrigan was too, as the lilt in her voice become more pronounced. “So what do we do?”Reilynn, who had been quietly studying the

Meanwhile, Conor and Parker moved swiftly through the darkened streets, their senses heightened by the danger surrounding them. They communicated in terse, whispered commands as they made their way toward the extraction point, where Reilynn and the remaining Duke’s men were struggling to pull back from the ambush.When they arrived, the scene was even worse than they had anticipated. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood, and the ground was littered with debris from the firefight. Three of the Duke’s men lay motionless, their blood staining the cracked pavement. The rest of the team was pinned down, barely holding their position against the onslaught of heavily armed guards.Parker motioned for Conor to cover him as he moved toward Reilynn, who was crouched behind a makeshift barricade. “We need to get out of here, now!” Parker hissed.Reilynn nodded, her face grim. “We’ve got wounded, and they’re closing in fast. We can’t hold them off much longer.”Conor grabbed a