Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
“Not me.” Nessa shrugged.
“She didn’t leave because she sobered up to the horrors of the Guild.” An edge crept into Sebastian’s voice. “She left because she realized she was not immune from the horror, and she didn’t want to be subjected to it.”
“They didn’t used to be so filthy,” Tilda ground out. “It’s Momar. He’s infiltrated the Guild, and he’s rotting it from the inside-out. He’s gutting it of its valuable mages and tearing down the rest. No one is safe.”
Nessa took a deep breath. “Once an egocentric mage, always an egocentric mage. Stay while the getting is good and get out when it turns.”
Sebastian’s eyes were hard and haunted as he stood in front of Tilda. “I have followed the actions of the Guild for a long time and trust me. It has always been rotten. Now it just has someone smarter and more cunning at the helm. But you are correct in one thing—no one is safe, least of all you.”
He meandered out of the way and Nessa took his place, like a well-oiled machine.
“But why, pray tell, did you bring your flunkies with you?” She snapped, making Tilda jump. “Wait, I have a guess. You needed them to get you out, right?”
Tilda narrowed her eyes at Nessa. Her fingers twitched. She was itching to blast Nessa with a spell.
“The answer is yes,” Broken Sue said, his arms crossed over his chest.
“I’m sure the whole room could read that,” Aurora murmured.
“Why’d they go with you, though?” Nessa scratched her chin. “Why would they risk their lives and livelihoods for you?”
“They’re low in the hierarchy.” Sebastian was standing behind Tilda now. “They already knew they didn’t have any protection, were probably treated badly on the regular, and that Momar wouldn’t want them. I’m sure they saw the writing on the wall. If Momar took over, they’d be expendable, and expendable in the Guild is not pleasant. A candied word or two from Tilda and voila. Time for a prison break.”
“Also yes,” Broken Sue said after a beat.
Nessa nodded in thought. “And they didn’t turn her in and collect the rewards because they’d be killed for helping her escape. If she gets caught and they’re with her, they’ll be killed for the same reason. Any way you slice it, their lives are forfeit. Might as well live in this nowhere town with a bunch of animals than go back to the hell that was their life.”
Drex tensed. Broken Sue tightened his arms over his chest and Aurora caught my eye, nodding subtly. Nessa was right. These people had been walking all over Drex’s good intentions. Telling the truth, my ass.
“Well, here we are,” Nessa said cheerfully, smiling down at Tilda. “You’re just as rotten as the Guild. Thank you for reaffirming my world view.”
“The question is, what do we do with her?” Sebastian asked.
Drex’s whole body screamed uncomfortable. He’d given his word, and even though Tilda had taken advantage of that, and honor meant nothing to her or her people, he’d built his pack based on his principles. To go back on that word, even when it was justified, would make him no better than the enemies he fought to protect his pack against. He was not equipped to handle the messy reality of dealing with the Guild.
“She doesn’t deserve our leniency,” I said, taking control, “but she can be useful. This is what I propose—Tilda, are you listening? You’d better be, because there are worse things than a broken body. I have the power to break your mind. I’d rather not, but you helped drag me into this war, and so I will battle you the way mages dictate I battle.” I paused to let that sink in. “I propose that Tilda answers every question Nessa, Sebastian, and Niamh can dream up. Easy way or hard way, there is a lot of knowledge in that noodle, Tilda, and we need it. We will take down the Guild and Momar with it, which will help you. It would behoove you to be open with them.”
“Behoove. Nice word choice.” Nessa gave me a thumbs up.
“Once they are satisfied,” I continued, “Elliot Graves and the Captain will stage a murder. They’ll send out footage of your extravagant death and taunt the Guild with it. Fred will then create a new alias for you, we’ll give you seed money and ship you to a place where you can disappear. You can get a job with Janes and live in peace. Or whatever you want to do. Your cohorts will be shipped to other locations. None of you will know where the other is, and if any of you find each other or try to go back to the Guild or even fart in our direction, I will allow Niamh, Tristan, and Edgar to make a shrine out of you after your very real death. Does that sound good to everyone?”