The person who just fucked up my entire plan.
Chapter 19
CALISTA
There’s a dossier waiting for me the next morning.
I flip through it soundly, noting the mug shots and forlorn expressions of men who unknowingly put themselves on the Dragon’s shit list.
“See that they do not return to their beds tonight.”
My eyes dart to the woman sitting across from me, the woman who holds the keys to Wolf Hollow. I’ve always wondered whether the town’s board members would laugh or cry knowing their revered leader drinks her morning coffee with a fuzzy bathrobe on.
“Who are they?”
“Don’t know and don’t care.” She sighs before taking another sip, “One of my suppliers filed a complaint and I promised them a quick solution.”
I cast my eyes down, tallying up the number of kills on this sheet. It’s well into the double digits and that’s before you take into account any friends lingering in the vicinity.
“Will that be a problem?”
The harsh tone draws my attention back to the woman across the table. All sharp angles and long dark hair, my mother is one of the few people in Wolf Hollow who falls beyond the realm of beauty. Her lips are a bit too thin, her nose a bit too long and the cruel cut of her face leaves Maleficent Drache with a striking appearance instead of an attractive one.
She’s an unpleasant looking woman but I can’t help but admire the features that speak to her character rather than her complexion.
“No.” Straightening my shoulders, I lock eyes with the guardian who taught me everything I know, “I’ll see that it is done.”
“Good.” She sits back in her chair, regarding me carefully, “Once that business matter is settled, I need you to renegotiate with the White family. This next batch of drugs is going to be worth a pretty penny and I don’t want them taking more than their usual share.”
“Already done. I discussed the terms with Evelyn White last night.”
“And?”
I smile, “Not a single price increase in sight. She agreed to make the compromise for an old friend.”
A glimmer of pride shines through her dark eyes.
It’s a look I used to live for, a spark of recognition that used to put some life back into my soul. Achieving the impossible fueled me for years until even the Dragon’s approval couldn’t withstand the weight of my demons.
“Well done, Calista.”
Her fingernail taps the table. Long and curved, the talon is painted a striking shade of emerald, an exact match for my eyes.
Sometimes I flatter myself by saying it was an inspired choice. Other times I acknowledge the woman I will always be trapped under.
The claws that will never be fully released from my throat.
“Have you heard about the new thief in town?”
She watches my expression carefully, the same watchful eyes that ensured I became the person she designed.
“Christopher Deville.” Tilting my head, I purse my lips thoughtfully, “I heard he’s been making quite the fool of himself already. Something about emptying a casket?”
“It would seem he’s on the hunt for anything that sparkles.”
“In a town like this, I’m surprised he found anything at all.”
The joke falls flat on the kitchen counter, the distance between us not enough to dissuade the displeasure stretching across my mother’s face.
