“I’m curious—where is Sherlyn?” Azeya asked the girl.

  “Seems like this Sherlyn is quite valuable,” the girl replied. “How much are you willing to pay?”

  “Somnari girl, right? That’s what the higher classes call you,” Azeya said, slowly approaching her. “I’ve got another Somnari in here, so I’ll let you go this time—but I need the girl.”

  “Girl to girl, why—” she started.

  Azeya closed the distance and looked her straight in the eye. “Girl to girl, if you don’t start talking, I’ll take back my offer,” she stated.

  “But, but…” the girl stammered. Azeya didn’t give her a chance to continue. With no warning, she slapped the girl into reality, grabbed her by the neck, and drove her head down into a rising knee—the impact fracturing her nose.

  “See, that was just the nose,” Azeya said, grabbing the girl by the hair. “Now talk.”

  “Ordelith,” the girl forced out, her words thick with blood streaming from her nose.

  “By the way, what’s your Somnari girl name?” Azeya asked, stepping back and giving her space.

  “My name is Neyra,” she replied.

  “That’s so. Please, kindly follow me,” Azeya said, leading the way.

  Ryke turned around, clutching his wounded hand. “I need to get a healer. I know where Sherlyn is.”

  “No, you won’t. I’ll handle this one,” Azeya cut him off. “Something else came up.”

  Furious to know why he couldn’t go for Sherlyn, Ryke changed direction and followed Azeya instead.

  The group entered the mansion, heading straight for the sitting room where they waited for Leon.

  “A Somnari girl, please,” Leon said with a smile as he entered. “Nice to meet you—I’m Leon, and I’ve heard you want me.” He glanced at Toney. “Can I talk to them later? Just a favor.”

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  Toney nodded, motioning for the group to follow a maid who led them out.

  “Can I know why I can’t go for Sherlyn?” Ryke asked, flexing his now-healed hand.

  “Something else came up. The man who killed Sherlyn’s sister—he’s in town,” Leon replied.

  “That’s not as important as Sherlyn,” Ryke countered.

  “Azeya will handle it,” Leon insisted. “You focus on finishing your job.”

  “Ryke, long time,” a man said. He was taller than Ryke but possessed an utterly average look—the kind of face you could cross paths with a dozen times and never remember.

  “Orren, long time,” Ryke replied, eyeing him. “You’re getting white. What’s up with that?”

  “I was in Myrrvale. It’s easy to go from brown to whitish on that side,” Orren replied simply.

  Ryke rolled his right arm in a circle, testing if it was back in form.

  “Considering Sherlyn is out of reach, I can just start off then,” Ryke grumbled.

  “Stop whining, you’ll meet her later. Go with Karl; he might be helpful,” Leon said. Azeya stood by, silently observing.

  “I’ve got to admit, I’m surprised you remembered me,” Orren said as he started off with Ryke.

  “I’ve got a good memory, I guess,” Ryke replied.

  Azeya watched them leave. “He’s grown that attached to her.”

  “It’s important,” Leon replied, his gaze distant. “A man with nothing to lose is too dangerous.”

  “Jack’s words?” Azeya asked.

  “Yes. I still can’t believe I killed the man who dragged the dragons into hiding.”

  “Him and his master, a—”

  “Also Toney and a witch,” Leon finished with a nod.

  Leon descended through the mansion and entered the underground room. He pushed the door open, grumbling, “Lots of stairs… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to them.”

  Toney, sitting on a chair, looked up. “Azeya isn’t with you?”

  “No, she’s preparing for Ordelith,” Leon replied, shifting his focus. “Do they know each other?”

  “Neyra and Veryn seem to have seen each other, but the brothers are on their own,” Toney reported.

  Leon moved closer to Veryn. “I wanted to make this offer to only you, but I’ve changed my mind,” he began, addressing the room. “To all of you—I’d like to have you as my servants. Good deal, right?”

  “I don’t—” Neyra started, but Leon smoothly cut her off.

  “I can kill you, or I can leave you on a condition: you work for me,” he said, voice steady and almost soft.

  Leon had already unchained them when he entered. Neyra raised her hand toward her face. “I can easily remove my mask and go out with your head,” she said.

  A smile spread across Leon’s face. “Try that. We’ll see if the others still won’t join me.”

  Leon turned to the young man. “Kytheri boy—your name again.”

  “Veryn, sir.”

  “No, no ‘sir.’ Just Leon. I’d like you to go with Toney to Zurehn. The rest will be explained later.” Leon gestured toward the exit, leading them up the stairs. “And please—if you try to betray me, I’ll hunt your generation. After all, if the tree is bad, it’s most likely to bear bad fruit.”

  “So she’s in Veilwood Forest,” Leon said.

  “Yeah, but with her fighting ability, I can say it’s just time before the guild master gets her a job,” Toney replied. “And there’s a boy and girl with her.”

  “That tracks with what Ryke said,” Leon mused. “But the other girl?”

  “All I know is that she’s got a bounty on her—and she’s maybe ten or so,” Toney said.

  “Ten with a bounty? Must be her abilities,” Leon observed.

  “I’ll have to talk to Valen, so I can’t follow right now. Toney, keep me updated.”

  “I will. But the King—you making your move?” Toney asked.

  “Little by little. It’s just a matter of time before Osthera loses its identity,” Leon replied confidently.

  “Okay then, let me start off with the boy.”

  “Thinking about it, get your Somnari friend. I’ll be with the brothers.”

  “Yeah, you paying for them,” Toney said, raising an eyebrow.

  “Wait, you think I’m poor? I’ve got a house in Zurehn—they can stay there. Ryke and Sherlyn might join later.”

  Toney smiled and shook Leon’s hand in farewell. Leon turned and went back inside the mansion while Toney, Neyra, and Veryn set off in a carriage for Zurehn.