Bran Ravenfield had been sitting in that chair for, at least, two hours—after the first hour and a half, he stopped checking his clock.

Even with the authorities lacking their usual strength and reverence, there were very few people who could treat the Commander with such amount of disrespect.

And even fewer he was willing to wait for in a cold guest room.

A knock on the door followed by a quiet and passive voice was what took to bring his senses back to full alert.

“The Boss will meet you now.”

Commander Ravenfield stood up and fixed his uniform, his cap tucked under his arm. He was guided through the halls by at least five different servants, the personnel changing as they made turns and crossed rooms.

This place is a freaking maze…

When he finally stood outside that door, his heart raced a few beats before the servant opened the door and closed behind him right after he stepped inside.

“I thought you would’ve left by now, Mr. Ravenfield. If the Commander can waste more than three hours doing absolutely nothing, people will certainly talk.”

Three hours…?

Bran clenched his fists, straightening his posture as the man sitting in the chair across from him did not bother to raise his gaze.

The man before him was one of the most important people not only in the city but in the entire kingdom.

The boss of one of the biggest crime organizations—one of the families that had funded and created the underground city from scratch, Echidna.

Bran Ravenfield did not know his name, and there was no need to. Because Echidna’s Boss knew his.

“You were the one that called for me—I thought you would’ve been notified about my arrival.”

“I did. But then I forgot about it.”

The Commander opened his mouth, the words dying in a choke before they could ever be heard. He blinked a few times, letting the shock and humiliation melt away into nothing.

“Why did you call for me?”

After almost ten seconds in silence, Bran spoke again, the awkwardness in the room suffocating him.

“If this is about Jackal running away, this is not only on us. Your sources—” The Commander almost bit his tongue when the Boss’s eyes pierced his own, his gaze chilling cold and deadly. “T-the sources given to us were not as reliable as promised. The Jackal had external aid.”

The man lowered his gaze again, going back to write on the parchment. “So I’ve heard.”

“If you wanted to discuss about the…museum case…just know there is nothing the authorities can do. The royal family took custody of all StarWing race’s prizes and locked them in their vaults. No one from our side has access to them anymore.”

Once again the silence stretched between them, its lack of words and sounds so stifling it was maddening.

Before the Commander could open his mouth again, however, the man across the room broke the silence himself.

“The reason I called for you, Mr. Ravenfield, is simple. I wished to repay the small favor I owned.”

Bran frowned, not being able to hide the confusion in his voice.

“Small favor?”

“Echidna deals with the unsavory shadows of our world, yet we know the true value of fairness. Of being just. You helped us with our endeavor, and although it did not bear the fruit we hoped for, you fulfilled your roles accordingly.

“But…didn’t you pay the favor already?”

Even though that operation was a complete failure…

“Before, that was us finding a common ground. Echidna is not petty when it comes to paying back what was given to us. Your side had more to lose, therefore it demands proper compensation from ours.”

Not once did the Boss look in his direction as he spoke, nor did he stop scribbling.

Bran tightened the grip on his cap. Something told him he could lose a hand if he were to refuse the man’s proposal, no matter what it was.

“Then…how do you wish to repay us?”

“I thought it was already clear, Mr. Ravenfield. This is me returning the favor. This talk, right now. I’m giving you the opportunity of meeting with me and asking whatever you want to ask, and say whatever you want to say.”

Bran had to blink at least five times to process the man’s words, unsure how he should feel.

Humiliated. Relieved. Outraged. Grateful.

By the time he responded, he was still unsure which emotion dwelled stronger within him.

“Of course, pardon me for my obliviousness.”

At first, the Commander had no idea what he could ask Echidna’s boss, his heart beginning to fill with despair.

But not even four seconds later, it came to him.

“With Echidna’s resources, I assume you would be able to track down Jackal.”

“Yes, we could do that.”

Bran’s eyes lit up, the smile already forming on his lips.

“How much would—”

“This is, however, not something Echidna will do.”

Bran’s shoulder deflated.

“M-may I know the reason? If it’s because we failed to capture him before—”

“The world may see us as a crime organization, Mr. Ravenfield, but we are more than that. We are a family. And it just so happens the former ringleader Jackal has some unsevered ties with us.”

“B-but, you were the ones who—!” Bran raised his voice without intending to, taking one step forward.

Even then, the Boss replied with the same impressed, cold, and calm voice he had been using from the very beginning.

“And yet you were the ones who failed to capture him, which pulls Jackal back to Echidna’s domain. We will deal with him when and how we see fit—he’s no longer a concern to you, ravens.”

Bran clenched his fists and pursed his lips.

He opened his mouth—

“Was this all you wished to ask me, Mr. Ravenfield?”

And closed it again, the blood rushing through his veins.

He loosened his hands, taking one step back.

“I heard rumors of a new auction being held soon.”

“I will tell our secretary to send you a list with the dates and locations.”

Commander Bran Ravenfield clenched his jaw.

“I appreciate it.”

“Please close your door on your way out, Mr. Ravenfield. Do reach out to us if the white ravens need anything else from Echidna.” The Boss raised his gaze very briefly then, the faintest smile touching his pale, thin lips. “We love doing business with you, after all.”

A shiver ran down Bran’s spine, and even after he left the room and exited the mansion, he could still feel it.

Like a nasty centipede crawling up and down his back, down to the last bone and nerve, forcing the words to keep echoing in his mind without ever ceasing.

Forcing Bran to recall that man’s gaze and all the unspoken promises it held within.

For like its Boss had said, Echidna was never petty in paying back what was given to them; be it something bitter or sweet.

And it was Commander Bran’s task to make sure the white ravens would always provide only the sweetest of treats to that monster.