I ground my teeth. “Do we know where he’s operating?”
“Last I heard,” Jareth said lazily, “he was skulking around the Ashen borders. I’d be happy to bring him in. Alive, if that’s your thing. Though dead’s a lot less complicated.”
“He’s too valuable to kill without an interrogation,” I said coldly. “Assign shadow-binders to his capture. If he resists…” My voice dropped, heavy with menace. “You have my permission to end him.”
Jareth’s grin widened, and he gave a mock salute. “Consider it done. Though I was hoping for something more exciting than babysitting a traitor.”
I ignored the quip, turning my attention back to the others. “Next.”
Selene Aiello, a necromancer with an unsettling calm demeanor, stepped forward. Her dark eyes glinted with quiet intelligence as she spoke. “The Ashen faction has aligned with Lord Altair Coppola. They’re attempting to monopolize the enchanted weapons market.”
The room tensed again, and I felt a flash of unease from the bond. I shoved it aside, focusing on Selene’s report.
“They’re cutting deals with key suppliers and securing exclusive access to some of the most powerful weapons we’ve seen in years. If they succeed, it could put them in a dangerously strong position.”
My enforcers exchanged uneasy glances, their whispered debates growing louder. Some argued for immediate interference—an assassination to send a message, or a sabotage of their supply lines. Others suggested striking a deal with Altair to secure our own foothold in the market.
I raised a hand to silence them. “We won’t interfere. Not yet.”
Selene frowned slightly, but she nodded. “And Altair?”
I exhaled slowly, my thoughts spinning. Altair had made it clear that his allegiance was as fragile as a spider’s web. Hell, the man had gotten me to agree to a marriage. We’d made a blood bond, so I wasn’t concerned about Altair’s allegiances. Even if he wanted to fucking betray me, he couldn’t.
“I have a plan in the works with Altair,” I said. “Soon enough the enchanted weapons market will fall under my jurisdiction. Until then, we won’t rock the boat. Monitor their movements and keep me informed.”
Nodding, Selene stepped back into the circle.
I scanned the faces of my enforcers. They were the best in The Below—lethal, loyal, and terrifyingly efficient—but even they weren’t immune to the unease spreading through thefactions. The Ashen’s growing influence, the rogue sorcerer, the coalition… It was all part of a larger game that I needed to win at any cost.
“Anything else?” I asked, my tone sharp.
Kazamir stepped forward. The man was cold, calculating, and utterly ruthless. Dressed in his usual black, his imposing figure seemed to draw the shadows to him, his icy gray eyes scanning the room.
“Sir,” he began in a low, gravelly voice, a hint of satisfaction coloring his tone. “We intercepted an informant near the estate’s outer perimeter. He tried to escape using cloaking magic but failed. My team captured him after a brief skirmish. He’s bound with enchanted chains in the chamber next door.”
A glimmer of irritation rippled through me. I felt Vivian’s discomfort somewhere in the back of my mind, her frustration amplifying my own. I shoved the sensation aside, focusing on Kazimir’s words.
“Is he talking?” I asked.
Kazimir’s lips twisted. “Not yet. But he’s terrified, already showing signs of cracking. He won’t last long.”
A hint of amusement came through the bond—Vivian’s reaction to my irritation, no doubt—but I ignored it. “Good. Keep him alive. Barely.”
Kazimir nodded once.
Nyx tapped her enchanted slate with delicate fingers, the runes on its surface shifting as she spoke. “Might I suggest psychological measures before we resort to physical ones? Illusions, perhaps. Fear is a powerful motivator, and breaking his mind could make him more pliable before Kazimir begins extracting information physically.”
Kazimir smirked. “I like the way you think.”
Selene cut in. “I can bind his spirit temporarily, compelling him to answer truthfully without killing him—yet.”
I let their suggestions simmer, already formulating a plan in my mind. “I’ll attend the interrogation personally. Kazimir, lead the way.”
Kazimir inclined his head, and I followed him to the chamber next door. The muffled sounds of the captive’s ragged breathing filtered through the heavy door.
When Kazimir pushed it open, the sight that greeted me brought me a lot of satisfaction.
The prisoner was bound to a chair in the center of the room, his wrists and ankles shackled with enchanted chains that glowed faintly. His clothes were torn and bloody, his face pale with fear. He flinched as we entered, his eyes darting between us like a cornered animal.
