Alistair couldn’t hide his grimace upon seeing Felix seated at the head of the table bitching about the lackluster quality of the wine. The leader of the Baronblades, heir to the incredible Bancroft fortune, wore the same turquoise suit as Alistair, yet he had a flower on his lapel, one pinned and accented by a red ribbon.

His dining room looked more like a taxidermy museum than it did a place where people should gather to eat. There were stuffed creatures on display, from animals Alistair recognized like a badger and a Runestone Onikuma, to stranger, potentially summonable creatures, like a blue-furred kitsune with three eyes and a hairless canine beast with a second jaw on its tail.

It was a lot to take in, and there was little time to do it as Felix spoke: “My two favorite battledeck mages.” He motioned to a seat across from Goran, his gesture accompanied by a glittery flash from the numerous diamond rings he wore. “Sit, please.”

Much to Alistair’s surprise, Goran wore a turquoise suit as well, one that was a size too small. The big man wiped sweat from his brow, Goran clearly uncomfortable in the stuffy clothing. His eyes locked onto Alistair. “Hello,” he said in his gravelly voice.

“Hi.”

“As you can see,” Felix motioned a waiter holding a bottle of wine away, “our company is limited tonight. It seems like the people closest to me keep dying. I wonder why.” Felix locked eyes with Alistair. “Kang was supposed to be here, but he’ll be in later with several other assassins. I suspect he purposefully wanted to avoid dinner with us. Like his pitiful foster brother, Ghost, Kang remains an untamed half-bred little-dicked hollowed-out idiot not capable of understanding social clues.”

Ghost: On second thought. Do you see Felix’s fork? If you grab it with your right hand, I may be able to stab it into his neck.

As if Felix could hear Ghost, he placed his hand on Alistair’s right hand. “It’s so very nice to see you,” he told Alistair with a squeeze.

Ghost: Don’t tense up. He loves to watch people squirm.

Alistair: How am I not supposed to tense up when the fucker is squeezing my hand?

“Are you going to hold hands with him, or are we going to have dinner?” Kanda asked.

Felix gave her a wicked look as he pulled his hand away. “I’m just happy to see Alistair, and I’m happy to have good company for dinner. As long as Goran doesn’t say much—you big dumb oaf—this should be an enlightening conversation. Without Kang, we don’t have to walk on eggshells. He’s always so moody, especially since we murdered that little bitch Ghost.” Felix laughed. “Do you remember that, Goran? Such a delightful time. You popped his eyes in like you did that one professor back in Solaria? What was his name? Salamander? It doesn’t matter now. And tlk about a single move set, but Ghost deserved it. The poor fool, crying at the end!”

Ghost: I was not crying. I couldn’t cry. They did something to paralyze me.

Alistair: It’s like he’s trying to get under your skin or something.

A message appeared from Kanda.

Kanda: Do not let him get to Ghost. I’m sure Ghost is itching to do something.

Alistair: He’s already threatened to stab Felix with a fork.

Kanda: The assassin living in your head remains hyper violent.

Alistair: I can’t imagine Ghost any other way.

Felix grabbed the fork in question and tapped it against an empty wine glass. “I suppose we should begin our meal. But before we do, I want to see all of your powers.” He locked eyes with Alistair yet again. “Show me.”

“He can’t do that,” Kanda said. “Alistair and I are forbidden to use our powers outside of a combat situation.”

“We could make it a combat situation. Yes, perhaps that would be something. Bring them out,” he called to one of the Baronblades. The man grunted a response and started to leave.

“Do not bring anyone out,” Kanda told the man, who hesitated for a split second before continuing to the door.

“Stop,” Felix told him. He refocused on Kanda. “This better be good. You better have a good reason for disrupting my wishes.”

“Please, Uncle, Alistair and I have had a long day in the forest and we would like to just have a meal and relax.”

Felix peered just past Kanda. “Would you, now? And not give your dear Uncle Felix and Aunt Goran a little entertainment?”

“She said it’s not necessary,” Goran told Felix.

“And I say that it is. You would do best to remember your place at this table lest I turn you into a stuffed giant. Yes, like the badger I have there.” Felix pointed to one of his stuffed animals. “Only uglier, and larger.”

Goran grumbled something under his breath.

“What was that?” Felix asked.

“Nothing,” the large man said. “That was my stomach.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“I’m hungry as well, but the food will come when it’s ready. Unless you want it raw.” Felix titled his head as he looked at Goran. “I’d love to see you eat some raw meat. You did it before.”

“Don’t you have something better to do than to mock us?” Kanda asked Felix with disgust.

“Well, you and your little boyfriend here won’t show me your powers. Although, I’m already aware of what you can do. You showed me over the summer. You didn’t seem to care if it was forbidden to show me then.”

Kanda glared at him. “You threatened to kill the help.”

“I did. Are you sure?” Felix stroked his chin. “I don’t recall doing that, but it does sound like something I would do. They are all gone now anyway. You know I have to dispose of those who attend our summer retreats. Their families are paid. That’s all that really matters in this world anyway, getting paid.” He snapped his fingers and a waitress came with wine. She poured up a glass for him. Felix gestured for her to lean closer to her and the woman did. Felix lightly slapped her cheek and then cupped her chin. “Be a dear and pour wine for everyone.”

Alistair: Why don’t we just do something now? I’m sick of seeing him humiliate people. We have summons. I could toss Ziggy at him.

Ghost: I’m with you, really. But we have to be strategic. Look around you.

Alistair glanced around as Felix continued to cup the woman’s chin and counted several Baronblades standing guard. For her part, the waitress never trembled, even if she was forced to stand in her awkward position, half kneeling toward the powerful man.

Alistair: What about the guards? We can handle them.

Ghost: Perhaps. But they really are the best that he has, and they know how to deal with battledeck mages. Don’t turn, but there is one behind both you and Kanda. Can’t you tell?

Alistair: I didn’t see anyone.

Ghost: Most marks don’t see the light before it pierces their hearts. They are like moths in that way.

Alistair was about to reply to yet another one of Ghost’s increasingly terrible one-liners when Kanda picked up her wine class. “Leave her be,” she told her uncle.

To make a point, Kanda dropped the wineglass and it shattered.

Felix released the waitress. “Those are made of crystal.”

“Are they?” Kanda grabbed Alistair’s wine glass and tossed it over her shoulder.

It never shattered. Behind her, one of the Baronblades managed to catch it.

Ghost: See? They are fast. Faster than you, which is why we need to work on our body more.

“You listen to me,” Felix told Kanda. “You—”

“—No, you listen to me.” She blinked a couple of times and the tears started. “I’m sick of the way you treat people who are close to you! You make us wear these ridiculous clothes. You are mean to Goran. You are a bully, Uncle. A monster. An utter piece of shit. Everyone hates you. The things you have forced all of us to do, everyone hates you!” She slammed a fist against the table and screamed this time, her scream peppered by a wave of emotion. “Everyone hates you!”

“Is that so?” Felix leaned back in his chair. He took a sip from his wine, swished it around in his mouth, shrugged, and swallowed it. “From where I’m seated, it seems like everyone likes me. I’m surrounded by family and friends, we’re all playing nice—”

“Fuck you!” Kanda bellowed.

“Or at least we were.”

“I can’t take it anymore.” She pushed away from the table. The Baronblade behind her stepped up and Kanda blew the woman back with a burst of mana. The others all moved into action to protect Felix, five in total. They guarded him, hands on the hilts of their swords.

Kanda ripped the turquoise hair ties out and tossed them to the ground. “I hate you!” She stormed off and slammed the door behind her. Much to his surprise, Alistair immediately received a message from her.

Kanda: That should do it. Wait for Goran to leave, and then excuse yourself. Tell Ghost to be ready to kill Goran once I’ve drawn him out.

Alistair forwarded the message along. He glanced across the table to the giant of a man, his face red, eyes flaring with hatred. Goran looked like he was seconds away from pushing himself back. He finally did so, and pointed a beefy finger at Felix. “You need to watch yourself.”

“Watch myself?”

“I said watch yourself!”

“Why would I do that when I have the Baronblades to watch myself for me?” Felix laughed. “Sit your bitch ass down. What? Really? Really? Oh, this is ripe. You want a shot at the throne, big boy? Take it. I’ll deal with you myself if I have to. You know I can.”

Goran tensed up. “You… can’t—”

“I can’t speak to you this way? I am you mouth-breathing lackwit. What’s it going to be?” Felix took another casual sip from his glass of wine. “Either sit down, take your shot, or leave. I don’t care,” the rich man said from behind the protection of Baronblades. Others had since entered into the room, all prepared to engage Goran.

Goran glared at him. “This isn’t over.”

He turned to the exit. Along his way out, Goran stopped in front of the stuffed badger and hocked a loogie at it, which drew ire from Felix.

“You cretin! You absolute imbecile!” Felix finished his glass of wine. You don’t need to do that. Ugh. What a bother.”

Alistair pressed away from the table. “I should go to.”

Felix waved him away. “Go, and deal with my niece, will you? I need her to be back to obedience by tomorrow’s demonstration. Do this for me, and I will reward you.” He steadied his hawkish gaze on Alistair. “I like you. You’re levelheaded. You’re the future of an organization like this. If I didn’t already have so much going on, I’d take you under my wing. Away,” he told the Baronblades around him. “Give me some breathing room.”

Alistair gulped as his guards stepped away. “I should go—”

“No, stay just another moment.” Felix leaned forward, both elbows on the table. “The man I mentioned earlier, this assassin named Ghost, he was the worst of the worst. A pussy. An obsequious mooncalf. And a terrible assassin if we’re being honest, moody, held grudges, dressed like he was born in a slum, a terrible forward thinker. I won’t get into it, but he was stupid for not going along with our mission. Ghost was too loyal to some forgotten code. But there’s a lesson in this, one I feel I should part to you.”

Alistair waited for Ghost to chime in, but the assassin never did.

Felix’s scowl deepened. “And that lesson is simple: pay attention to where things are going if you want to maintain control. Loyalty to some maxim, to some ideal, is the easiest way in our world to die an early death. It was nice killing Ghost, you know. It was nice seeing the shock in his eyes. I hope you can experience something like that one day. I hope you can experience the joy in murdering someone you once called a friend. It makes you feel powerful. Nod if you understand.”

Alistair nodded, barely able to hide the disgust on his face as Felix pressed back in his chair.

“So I say to you, and I mean this whole-heartedly: kill your friend, whomever they may be. Make new ones, and let them know what you are capable of. Gain an advantage. You want power? You want to be like me? Don’t be afraid to burn everything down. Now, go. And make sure Kanda behaves herself tomorrow. In the spirit of what I just said, I would remind you to remind her that she is more replaceable than she thinks.” Felix glanced around him at the Baronblades. “And for the love of fuck, someone bring me another bottle of wine.”