“Too far!” Rhyers intervened. Coming from the lower parlor to step before Savage. Clearly furious.
But Savage’s eyes were locked on Bast who’d clearly deflated at the words. His hand gripping the railing next to him, shook slightly.
Drawing Savage’s keen eye.
He could see the fury written over the green-eyed tracker who looked ready to do battle in Sebastian’s defense.
I needed to see. Savage stomped down the slight pang rising through him.
How does this news really effect him? Savage was watching Sebastian carefully.
Bast looked unsteady. Color drained from his tanned skin, and he looked prepared to vomit. “It was my fault.”
The words were barely audible, but Savage heard them. “What did you do?”
“My magic bound her when our daughter needed her.”
“Sounded like there would’ve been too many for her to take on anyway.”
“There were!” Rhyers spat. Angry at Savage as he turned to lead Bast t
*****"Have a man come at me with a dagger and I shall have a dagger. Have him attack me with a sword and I shall pierce him with a sword. Have him shackle me and I'll crush his throat with those shackles.I'm an exceptional killer. I'll kill my enemy with whatever gifts he brings me..."-Savage Jack has told many an assassin.*****"Don't make me call my men to remove you." She warned.From the corner of her eye, Dimurah caught the barmaid, Belline, filling his drink. Thinking Dimurah wasn't looking."You know better than to threaten me...You're going to regret ever saying that." His blue gaze slitted."I will summon them!""Why?" He twisted to give the four of them a bored glance. "Do you wish me to kill them? Remember," He lifted a finger, tsking again. "exactly how much you missed the last ones.""There's too many. Even for you." She said acidly."I don't know how many that is. So you most certainly don't..." He took a heavy dram from his newly filled tankard. Dismissing her.Belli
I was raised in the dungeons of Grier, feeding on rats to survive. A bastard prince, condemned to starve in the dank filth.When that didn't work then King Ocnomad, the man who was my alleged father, paid an assassin to take me down to the NetherRunnel and drown me in the river.But I'd survived this long, and I wasn't one so easily dispatched.And conveniently that day a Demon Master and his troupe came through. His Warlord, Chavias, spotted me for something not altogether good but not altogether evil and groomed me for war.But the Warlord didn't favor the demon master and freed me from my sort of slavery.From that point, my life became about slow vengeance against the demon trying to take over the country like a dark cloud.Now, I'm the ruler of the Blue Lark Assassin's Guild, the King of Assassins.They know me.They fear me.And they're the most Seditious men on the continent.I often go down to the docks. Spotting ships to raid to gain more commerce or buying goods from the merc
Harridan Hamlet, Dread CountryChavias was making the long trek to Dread Country. Evening was drawing close. As customary the demon had sent Chavias to raid Harridan Hamlet on the edge of Dread Country. Knowing by now they'd have a healthy stockpile.Chavias caught the scent of a dead deer in an alleyway behind some booths. The slightly rotted stink of it immediately drew the attention of the demonic dogs, Targue and the demonic rodents, nonis, with him.Chavias walked faster to the storehouse.Just as he reached it, a voice from a nearby rooftop, stopped him outside the swinging doors. "There's nothing in there."Thadeus, Chavias' crow, shrieked in objection. Turning his head to look at Savage Jaxson, the bird shifted restless feet."I thought not. He'll be displeased." Chavias rotated to spot Savage Jaxson crouched on the peak of the bakery roof. Next to the storehouse."Is he ever pleased?""No." Chavias grunted."Are the Firoque starving?" Savage rose and thoughtfully walked to the
Blue Lark Guild, Dread HideoutRedbayne, one of Savage's more honorable assassins, had asked Savage for a very particular item. Poison.Savage had been waiting for his return to the Blue Lark to deliver the toxic bit when he'd spotted the large redheaded barbarian across the Undermarket courtyard."RedBayne!"Redbayne's head shot up to assess the blonde man. Though he liked the place, there were times of year when it was so dense with killers it was hard to move within the courtyard. Redbayne wished for nothing more than to find the nearest tavern and find a friendly barmaid.Savage lifted a vial of murky gray liquid above the heads of others milling the courtyard.Redbayne straightened happily. Pushing through the meandering assassins with all the grace of a battering ram. Lumbering shoulders forcing them apart.Other men cursed or spat threats but when they turned to confront him and glimpsed the sheer size of him, their voices faded to silence. They ducked their heads and returned t
*****"Have a man come at me with a dagger and I shall have a dagger. Have him attack me with a sword and I shall pierce him with a sword. Have him shackle me and I'll crush his throat with those shackles.I'm an exceptional killer. I'll kill my enemy with whatever gifts he brings me..."-Savage Jack has told many an assassin.*****Blue Lark's Guild, Dread Hideout“He’s here.” Markus tossed open the door of Dimurah’s hut to announce. Rain still running rivulets down his forehead.“Goddamnit all to hell!” The beautiful redhead looked like an angel but spoke like a sailor.Possibly a trait gleaned from her associates in the guild.She swept up her dirtied green cloak. And smeared fresh mud from the basin near the door, across her face as she headed out the door.“Where are you going, Mum?” Markus, one of her bodyguards asked.“To try to keep him from killing anyone.”“How so, Mum?” He fondled the hilt of the sword on his hip.“To distract him.”“Though you do distract him mightily well,
His look was shrewd. Blue eyes cutting her, starting with her toes and dragging up her length to the pulled down hood. “Remember, I’m the one that knows what’s you keep so carefully guarded beneath that oversized green cloak.”Giving her his back he strode around to the otherside and leaned on a stool to resume his drink.“Don’t make me call my men to remove you.” She warned.From the corner of her eye, Dimurah caught the barmaid, Belline, filling his drink. Thinking Dimurah wasn’t looking.“You know better than to threaten me…You’re going to regret ever saying that.” His blue gaze slitted.“I will summon them!”“Why?” He twisted to give the four of them a bored glance. “Do you wish me to kill them? Remember,” He lifted a finger, tsking again. “exactly how much you missed the last ones.”“There’s too many. Even for you.” She said acidly.“I don’t know how many that is. So you most certainly don’t...” He took a heavy dram from his newly filled tankard. Dismissing her.Belline, the barm
A few assassins in the crowd made awed sounds at the sight of her. Having never realized what she kept hidden under that hood.She expostulated in enraged profanity.He chuckled. Lazily jerking the dagger upward, to remove it from her throat. He released her and she hastily stepped from the warmth of his arms to turn a glowering gaze on him.“Barmaid! Bird leg!” He slapped the counter with a wolfish smile.Belline curtsied like he was some manner of king and backed from him to fetch the food.“This is my alehouse!”“You barter here. You own shares. But you don’t own the guild.” He corrected, taking another drink. Ignoring her ranting next to him. “Calm down, Murah.” He said from the corner of his mouth. “You still have all that mud hiding your face. They can’t see you.”She gave him a withering look. “Give me back my blade!”He still held it folded between his palm and mug. He set his drink down and expertly rotated it in his hand to stab it into the surface of the bar. The handle swu
“Why! Why’d he do it?” The girl’s gaze landed on the dead man in the middle of Winter Haven floor. She gasped in horror.Dimurah was staring at him, fists clench and jaw jutting.His unflinching gaze was levelled on her as he enunciated the words. “Because you’re mine. Everyone knows it. And no one interferes in my business or they die.”The crowd hushed. No one moved to intercede. And it’d be a long time until someone does again.“I’ll never be yours!” She screamed. But her eyes were fearful.***He laughed uproariously. Tossing back his head in a show of boldness as he nearly reached the door with her before him. “He brought me a blade. What did he expect?” He looked around the room. Nodding arrogantly. “What’s my policy, men?”They began to chant. “Have a man come at me with a dagger and I shall have a dagger. Have him attack me with a sword and I shall pierce him with a sword. Have him shackle me and I’ll crush his throat with those shackles.I’m an exceptional killer. I’ll kill m