While Jayk took care of the cleanup, Dantes walked behind the meeting chamber and into his private chambers. The halls were simple, with a thick crimson rug in the center, and art along the walls that he’d favored, lots of windows for light, and plants growing both in those windows and inside them. He kept it elegant and simple, with a little help from his aunt and her girls. He moved past his bedroom, he didn’t like to sleep until the club closed for the night, and moved toward the study where he could hear Vera talking.

He pushed open the door. The study was sparse, he didn’t do a lot of reading so it was mostly supplies to write letters with, a small balcony that had a pigeon coop within it, and a fine desk and chair.

Vera was standing in the middle of it, talking to the large brown bat that hung from the corner.

“Jacopo, I swear I’ll get the broom and knock you down.”

“You haven’t held a broom in years, Auntie,” said Dantes as he approached them.

“Well, Jacopo is uniquely motivating.”

“What’s the problem?”

Jacopo shifted into a broad tall man wearing a simple shirt and pants. He was more than a head taller than Dantes, and handsome. That bothered Dantes, but just a little. Like Dantes, whatever blessing he’d received from the god of thieves that let him keep what he was wearing and holding as a man when he shifted forms affected Jacopo as well.

“I don’t see why I need to learn how to eat with these utensils. Hands, and teeth are all that’s needed.”

“It’s a basic thing you’ll need to know. You don’t have to do it perfectly, it’s not too difficult to come up with excuses for that kind of thing, but if you want to pass as a ‘two-leg’, as you call us then this is necessary,” said Vera. She looked at Dantes, “He’s really been doing very well, but this particular lesson has been a struggle for him.”

“Jacopo, there may be a time when you need to operate independently as a human for some time without me. There are ways people can cut us off from each other. Both Godfrey and Mercedes were able to do that, and I know that whatever stone the Underprison is made of seems to have a strong impact on my ability to connect to things as well.”

“I understand this,” said Jacopo with a grimace. “I can see the reasoning in your head as if it is my own, but this form is uncomfortable for me. It is not as seamless as it is when you change forms. It feels as if I’m…driving a stolen boat?”

Dantes nodded, he’d felt Jacopo pull that metaphor from his mind. He had no idea how Jacopo had gained his ability, aside from what he’d described to him after they killed Mondego, but given the vision he’d had of a man in a blue cloak unlocking it, the ability probably was stolen in some way. He wanted to talk to the other druids about it, but he’d missed the last conclave, unwilling to leave his fledgling operation without him for too long.“Let’s call it a day then,” said Dantes, holding out his hand.

Jacopo changed into his usual self, and scurried up Dantes’s arm, taking his place on his shoulder.

He hugged Vera. “Thank you for your patience, Auntie.

She hugged him back. “It’s no problem. I have to teach more than a handful of the girls the exact same things. He’s actually picking things up much more quickly than they usually do.”

“He’s smart. He was probably smarter before we started working together though.”

“That’s likely.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Dantes fixed his coat a bit, and straightened his collar. “I’m going to have one last discussion with Jayk before the club shuts down for the night. Have whatever girls had slow nights sent to me.”

She shook her head. “I wish things had worked out between you and Zilly.”

“It did. We’re excellent acquaintances and co-workers. “

“You could’ve just not slept with other women.”

“She knew who I was when we started things. Besides, I think you mostly liked the match because you liked the idea of me being with her while you’re with Vampa. We’d be like family.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, you’re just going to have to deal with me making you fabulously wealthy, taking care of any enemies you have, and treating Zilly with respect and nothing else.”

“And teaching a rat to behave like a man.”

“Yes, not too bad of a deal.”

She sighed. “I forgot to mention, Alessa asked me to tell you that next week she’ll need to take a leave of absence.”

“How long?”

“Two months, possibly more. She has some personal things to take care of.”

“Hmmm, okay. She’s welcome back when she’s done, but she’s not getting paid while she’s gone. I’m not that friendly. I’ll trust you to find a good substitute.”

She smirked as if disagreeing with part of his statement, but nodded. “I have some people in mind already. I’ll have any girls who need some extra coin sent up.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

He held the door open for her, and walked her back to the club, parting from her to go to his private booth in the upstairs portion, and watch as the last few customers decided to leave as the sun rose. He sipped a bit more wine.

Jayk eventually came back just as the last customer stumbled out and the staff began to clean everything.

“The Kings have been laid to rest,” he said, a cup of wine in his own hand which he took a generous sip of.

“Couldn’t have happened to a better group of people.”

“I can think of one.”

Dantes nodded, encouraging him to continue. These final meetings had become a regular fixture of their days, and it was often when a few of the larger problems they were facing were discussed, since the day to day issues had all ended along with the day itself.

“We’re in the black with all of the Fingers. We managed to honor all of the deals Mondego had with them, along with interest. I had Vera confirm the numbers, Jayson double checked that the list of people was correct, and then corroborated all of that with you and your,” he eyed Jacopo, “sources.”

“And?”

“And the messages we’ve sent all indicate that four of the five of them agree that things have been paid satisfactorily, except for Niklas.

Dantes nodded. Niklas was the littlest of the Fingers, he ran the Gatemen who handled the majority of the overland smuggling into the city. Dantes anticipated that his own operations would likely eclipse Niklas’s in time, just as Mondego’s had been on the path to do.

“He’s demanding more?”

Jayk nodded. “I think it’s because his own shipments are having trouble. That sickness that’s been hitting the nearby towns and villages, it has thrown a lot of overland trade into chaos.”

“He’s trying to use the additional money from us to cover his own losses.”

“That’s my guess.”

Dantes took another long sip. He had other reasons to have a problem with Niklas, but fucking with his money meant he had to make moves or the rest of Rendhold would think that they could do the same He was firming up his strength in Midtown, but it was still a fragile time. He didn’t want to make the same mistakes Mondego had, though so far he had managed not to piss off any druids enough to be attacked, so that was one easy mark in his favor.

“Set a meeting with him for tomorrow evening. I’ll speak to him myself.”

Jayk nodded.

“After that, get yourself a whore on me and get some sleep.”

Jayk nodded. He knew at this point that arguing against it would be pointless. Besides, Dantes was right that he needed some rest. He downed his wine and walked away.

Dantes watched the club for a bit longer, savoring his wine as well as his satisfaction. He felt good. With the weight of his revenge no longer pressing down on him he’d felt light as air for the last several months. His advantages made his takeover much easier than he’d expected. He had eyes on every corner, in the walls, and in the sky. He could detect betrayals long before they happened, and sense weaknesses in his foes before they themselves even knew what was happening. Sure, there were still enemies to defeat, but now his ambitions felt like wings at his back rather than shackles pulling him forward. The lifeforce in Rendhold that he’d been cultivating, was growing larger and more active. It was still vulnerable, just as he was, but he could feel it growing. Feel himself strengthening alongside it. His marks stayed full with almost no effort, and the energy that seemed to flow into him, never stopped.

He set down his wine glass, and started walking back toward his chambers. He’d need to work off some of that energy before he went to sleep.