“So, how did it go with Alexandra?” Noah leaned against the wall from Moxie as she polished off the last of the surviving hot dogs.

Moxie waited to finish chewing and swallow before answering him. “About as expected. I think our read on her was pretty accurate. She’s uncomfortable but wants to be better and do better. I don’t think we’ll have any trouble with her. Did everything work out on your side?”

Noah cleared his throat. “You might have a chat with Emily coming up in the near future, but yes. She, Todd, and Isabel have all been brought up to speed on what we know. Their Runes are good.”

“A talk?” Moxie’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that mean?”

“I’m sure she’ll tell you when you speak. It wasn’t too much. Just bringing her up to speed a bit.” Noah suddenly found Moxie’s window fascinating and directed the entirety of his attention toward it.

Moxie stood and walked up to Noah so they were nose-to-nose. She prodded him in the stomach. “What did you say?”

“I just encouraged her to have a chat with you,” Noah said. Moxie prodded him again and he let out a yelp. “Stop that!”

“You look way too shifty. Tell me exactly what you said.”

“Say, Lee, are you still hungry?” Noah ducked to the side, dodging out of the way before Moxie could grab him. “I’m suddenly realizing I want food again.”

“Yeah!” Lee ran over to the door and pulled it open. “Let’s go!”

Noah darted out – only to have a very familiar yanking sensation grab onto his waist. For an instant, he thought he’d somehow triggered Sunder and his soul was getting pulled somewhere – but that would have been his neck instead of his waist.

It wasn’t Sunder. It was a vine. Another vine shot out, whipping around Noah’s ankles and snapping them together. He let out a curse as Moxie yanked him back over to her.

“Lee, help!”

“I think I’ll just go get food on my own,” Lee said. “Have fun, though!”

She closed the door.

Moxie’s eyes glittered dangerously as she reeled Noah in like a caught fish. “Spill, or I’ll make you.”

Noah arched an eyebrow, but it was hard to look very intimidating from the ground. “Try me.”

***

“Was that number four?” Jalen scratched the underside of his chin. “I lost count.”

“It was the seventh assassin, Magus Jalen.” The assistant tried to slide a stack of papers onto Jalen’s desk while he was distracted. Jalen sent out a pulse of magic, destroying them before they could make their landing.

“Seven? Wow. That’s a lot.” Jalen picked at a bit of dirt that had gotten stuck under a fingernail, sticking his tongue out in concentration. “How many more did I send?”

“That was all of them, Magus Jalen.”

“Really? That was fast. Weren’t there a few Rank 3s among the other failed idiots?”

“Yes, Magus. They also died.”

“And nobody noticed? Arbitage isn’t sending complaints?”

“Not yet, Magus. But… if I may be so presumptuous, this is a poor idea. Arbitage is neutral ground. If it comes out that we’re sending assassins after one of their teachers, even if he’s part of our family, it will go very poorly for us.”

“You may not,” Jalen said. He got the piece of dirt he was digging at and flicked it away. “And I don’t care. Arbitage is going to demand recompense in the form of pay. What’s the point of having the bulging coffers of this family if we don’t use them for what’s important? They won’t care that much about all the corpses I’m leaving around.”This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“What if the person you’re sending assassins after gets killed, Magus? That would be what I’m more concerned about.”

“Oh, I highly doubt it. He wouldn’t have managed to gather my attention if he died that easily. I’m not actually sending anyone of relevance after him.” Jalen paused, then tilted his head to the side. “I’m not, am I? I forgot.”

“Every member of the Linwick family is greatly valued and–”

“Oh, can it.” Jalen rolled his eyes. “I forgot your name.”

“It’s–”

“That wasn’t an invitation to remind me.” Jalen cut the assistant off. “I just don’t care. You can tell me if you live to a few hundred years old, but I highly doubt it. The pressure coming off your Runes is middling.”

The assistant swallowed and averted his gaze. Jalen resisted the urge to let out a weary sigh. He settled for destroying another stack of papers.

This is the problem with this damn family. Back when it was still interesting, it wouldn’t have mattered who I was. An insult like that would have been met by a challenge. This… wretch in front of me would have sought to prove his strength, and I would have given him advice on how to fix the garbage he’s got floating around in his soul so he’d make it at least one Rank higher.

But now – these cowards just stare and grovel. No annoyance. No confidence. His Runes could have been perfect and he still would have bowed and scraped instead of denying my words. If there is only blind faith, how am I supposed to trust any of these idiots to do their jobs properly? They’ll just tell me what they think I want to hear while the family burns down in the background.

Jalen lost his internal battle and let out a sigh. “Just go away.”

“Would you like me to send a crew to try to find out what happened to the assassins?”

“No. I’ll deal with this myself.”

The assistant’s eyes bulged. “If you kill someone on Arbitage grounds, it could be disastrous. Magus Jalen, please reconsider. The Linwick family cannot bear the anger of every other family for violating the neutral ground so violently.”

“I’ll violate what I please.” Jalen paused, then grimaced. “That came out wrong. You don’t mind, do you?”

“No, Magus Jalen. Not at all.”

Sniveling wretch. Of course you don’t.

“Good. Leave. I have… important things to ponder.”

The assistant bowed and scuttled out of Jalen’s room, closing the door behind him gently, as if to avoid scaring him. Jalen massaged the bridge of his nose between two fingers and muttered a curse under his breath.

“Absolutely pathetic. I’d wonder if the other families have fallen this far as well, but I don’t actually care enough to find out.” Jalen walked over to his window and looked out it, watching the sun as it tracked through the sky.

Jalen wasn’t sure how long he stood there. But, when he blinked, the evening was upon him. The old family head stepped away from the window, peeling his eyes from the sky. Every passing day felt more and more like the same thing.

It makes me wonder why I do this. There’s so little left for me in this empire. I should just be done with it. And yet… these little blips of interest manage to keep me here. Perhaps I just don’t want to move on.

Regardless, I suppose I should stop flinging corpses at Vermil. He should have gotten the message by now. The chances of him agreeing to meet me in the Linwick Estate are likely zero. At least, I hope they are.

If he did, I’d kill him on the spot for being such a coward. I’m the one seeking him out, so he has the advantage. If he isn’t a pushover, he’ll send a demand that I come meet him instead.

A snort of laughter escaped Jalen before he could stop it. He shook his head, smiling to himself.

What a splendid change of pace that would be. I need to stop getting my hopes up, or I’m going to leave the boy as a bloody splatter on the dirt when he fails to live up to my expectations.

“Assistant!”

The door opened and Jalen’s assistant poked his head back in. Jalen was pretty sure the man had literally been waiting outside the door to get called on, like a dog whose master didn’t care all that much for it.

“Yes, Magus Jalen?”

“I’ve decided to wage war on the Torrin family. Would you go deliver the head of the nearest child to them so they know what’s coming?”

The assistant’s face paled. He opened his mouth, and Jalen called on the faintest traces of his Runes. The amount of energy that leaked out wouldn’t have done much more than slightly increase the pressure bearing down on a Rank 2, but it was enough of a threat for the man to nod hurriedly.

“I will do as you ask, Magus Jalen.” The assistant turned, making to leave.

Why do I even bother? Idiot didn’t even ask why. The smallest threat to his safety and he’s willing to plunge the empire into a war to save his own hide.

“Stop!”

The assistant turned back to Jalen. “Yes, Magus?”

“I changed my mind. Go… I don’t know. Do whatever it is you normally do. Just stop standing outside my door like some addled buffoon.”

“Yes, Magus Jalen.” Relief filled the assistant’s words as he hurried away, closing the door. Jalen listened to the man’s footsteps as they pattered down the hall.

Idiot. I hope you do something fun soon, Magus Vermil. There are grave consequences for drawing my attention and then failing to hold it.