Seven figures. That’s what the South Korean mafia boss had paid for his own son’s head. As if that boy with his video game references and awkward smiles could have fooled me for a moment. I’d known what he was the second he walked through my door with that laughable resume. But I’d played along, let him cook our meals and serve our tea. Let him think he was clever while I plotted the best possible time to end him.
And now the money had finally been wired to my offshore account, ready to finance acquisitions that would make those self-righteous supernatural kingdoms tremble.
I rolled up the map with a satisfied smile. There were certain items, specialized ingredients that I couldn’t procure locally without raising suspicions. The bones of a sky wyrm that had died in flight. The crystallized tears of a banshee. The preserved heart of a child born on the winter solstice during a lunar eclipse. Rare, potent, and traceable unless purchased from vendors who asked no questions and kept no records.
I snorted aloud at the absurdity of my situation. Arabesque Harrow, one of the most powerful Dark witches of the century, forced to hide her operations in a backwater farm in Michigan. But it had served its purpose remarkably well. Jonathan Bell had been so easy to manipulate. A widowed earth witch with far too much naivety and a vulnerable daughter, both isolated from the supernatural community. The perfect prey. And his homestead? Remote enough to avoid prying eyes while I recovered from thatmisfortunateBuenos Aires incident.
More importantly, it had provided me with two powerful witches to siphon. Jonathan’s earth magic had taken years to drain. And Serafina, that mousy little lunar witch with more power than she knewwhat to do with, had been an unexpected treasure trove. Every ounce of magic I’d stolen from her had strengthened my reserves exponentially.
And now, with over a hundred acres of land, I had the ideal space to house my growing army of rogues, outcasts, and mercenaries. The farmland had transformed into a military encampment, hidden behind glamours and wards that would fool even the most discerning magical eye.
I glanced at the clock on the wall, then reached for the small brass bell on my desk and rang it once. The sound echoed through the house and into the surrounding grounds, amplified by a simple enchantment. Foster wouldn’t be able to ignore it, no matter where he was, no matter what, orwho,he was doing.
Ten minutes. That’s how long it took him to appear at my threshold. Ten minutes of deliberate delay that he knew I’d notice. A small rebellion, a subtle reminder that he wasn’t completely under my thumb. I allowed him these little defiances. They kept him from larger ones.
“You rang?” His massive frame filled the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, face blank.
He was a magnificent specimen. Broad-shouldered, tall, with muscles that rippled beneath dark skin. That thick black hair waving wildly around his face added a touch of softness to an otherwise hard demeanor. No wonder Eluned had been so fascinated by him. My daughter always did have an eye for beautiful, dangerous things.
Too bad his wolf was silent. It would have been more challenging, perhaps, but worth the effort. Still, even without his wolf, Foster served my purposes well enough.
“I have a delivery for you to make.” I picked up a padded envelope from my desk.
“Another gift for your stepdaughter?” He didn’t move to take it.
“She’s hardly that anymore, is she? Now that she’s married off to those dhampir brothers.” I waved the envelope. “Just a little reminder of home.”
“Like the others?”
I smiled, remembering the collection of “gifts” I’d sent to Serafina over the past weeks. Small, seemingly innocuous momentos. Psychological warfare at its finest.
“Some reached her. Some didn’t.” I fixed him with a pointed stare. “Like that goat horn I spent considerable time and magic on. Strange how it never made it to her door.”
“Must have gotten lost in transit.” A muscle in his jaw ticked.
“Must have gotten burned in the fire pit,” I countered. “Don’t think I don’t know when you interfere, Foster. I may allow it occasionally, but don’t mistake that for ignorance.”
“The horn would have taken her hands off.” He shrugged, unapologetic. “Seemed excessive.”
“That was thepoint.” I stood, walking around my desk to stand closer to him. He didn’t back away, but I noticed the slight tension in his shoulders. Good. He should never be too comfortable around me. “Pain is an excellent teacher.”
“She’s no longer your student.” He finally reached for the envelope. “Or your prisoner. You said that yourself.”
“No one escapes me completely.” I let my fingers brush against his as he took the package. “This is the last of the items from her parents’ possessions, unfortunately. I’ll have to get more creative with my reminders.”
“Why bother? She’s gone. You won.”
“Won?” I laughed, a sound without warmth. “Those Cimmerian brothers killed my daughters. My weapons. My assets.”
“Your daughters were stupid to go there alone.” The bluntness of his statement should have angered me, but the truth of it was undeniable.
“Yes, Eluned and Amabel were foolish. Impulsive. But they were stillmine. I spent years training them. And now they’re gone.”
Foster’s expression shifted slightly. Was thatdisgust? How fascinating.
“You still have a daughter,” he reminded me. “Although I doubt you see her as anything but another asset.”
“The baby has potential. Serafina thinks she’s safe with those parents King Julian arranged for her. And perhaps she isfor now.” I turned back to my desk, trailing my fingers along the polished wood. “But once she begins to speak properly, her magic will start to manifest. That beautiful lunar power, just like her half-sister’s. And then I’ll need her back.”
