Page 29

“You’ve got quite the fighter there,” said a gravelly voice behind me.

I took a second to compose myself before turning around with an arrogant grin on my face.

It was Franklin Bryson, the de facto head of the Bryson empire.

My first instinct was to run from the powerful man.

I had, after all, ‘defiled’ his brother’s fiancé three years ago.

But having the most sought after female fighter must’ve made that water under the bridge because he was laying the charm on thick.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Lady Seraph staring at us and tried to act relaxed.

If she thought Bryson was getting Zephyr, she’d try to take her away from the old man.

And even though I was inclined to help her, I couldn’t appear too eager or she’d smell that something was up.

So I kept my attention on Franklin as I talked up Zephyr, letting him know that we were open to discussing a sponsorship for the tournament and how proud we’d be to wear the Bryson blue.

“Come to my table downstairs,” Franklin said, giving me a clap on the shoulder, “we can talk more.”

“I’ll try but I have a feeling your colleagues will also want a word with me.”

The man didn’t even bother looking behind him at the salivating men and women waiting for a chance to get some of my attention. He just smirked, stuck his cigar into his mouth and lit it.

“Cute,” he finally said, “but you and I both know you’ll want the best for this tournament, and that’s me.”

I leaned in.

“That’s true, but what kind of businessman would I be if I didn’t at least let them grease my palm a little?”

Franklin chuckled, the sound like a cheese grater over gravel.

“You’re mercenary aren’t you? I like it, I could use a man like you in my operation.”

“I’m intrigued. Perhaps after this we could talk more about that?”

“Perhaps. If things work out in the right direction.”

Once he walked away, I was inundated with requests from representatives from the other syndicates. Some were as subtle as a hammer when they inquired as to Zephyr’s sexual attractions. Those were the ones I had to restrain myself from beating into a pulp.

Others at least tried to be suave when inquiring if I’d decided on Bryson as her sponsor, and whether or not Zephyr had ever been one of Zelena’s concubines.

The room had nearly cleared out and I had a headache taking root at the base of my neck. The whole time, no one from Krynn approached me and I was almost disappointed when the Lady herself signaled for me come over to her.

She was short, with a jaggedly cut bob of black hair that had a red sheen on it.

Her incredibly thin, pale body was clothed in a clingy red dress cut down to her navel in the front and to just above her ass in the back.

A slit up the side stopped at her hip showing off shapely legs that ended in six inch ruby red heels.

She would’ve been enticing if not for the shark like coldness in her dark eyes.

“You’re an interesting grifter,” she said without getting up from her seat. “You’re also the most courageous male I’ve ever met, coming here after pissing off Bryson and failing in the job I’d assigned you all those years ago.”

My body tensed at the mention of the assassination I had failed to perform for her.

Lady Seraph had wanted her niece killed after the kid had escaped her clutches, but I couldn’t bring myself to murder a child.

So I’d told her that Prina had gone to ground, that she was a ghost. I had been lucky to escape with my life, and I had never understood why Lady Seraph had allowed that.

Perhaps there was a long game at play that I wasn’t aware of, and considering what we were trying to do here, that unsettled me more than anything.

But I put that aside and played the part of someone beneath the Lady’s exalted status. When Lady Seraph lazily extended her hand to me, I brushed my lips over her thin knuckles then tilted my head at the seat next to her. She waved her permission at me before lighting a thin, dark brown cigarette.

“You going to tell me you’re just a businessman now?” she asked, with a grin.

“No. I am absolutely more than meets the eye. How else would I have gotten this far in this part of the galaxy?”

She arched one thin eyebrow.

“Honesty?”

“I’m glad I could shock you. I have a feeling it doesn’t happen often.”

“No…it doesn’t.”

The longer she looked into my eyes the more my skin crawled but I’d had practice in dealing with people like Lady Seraph, and I knew when to look away and when to hold. If I looked away before she did, I would forfeit the sliver of respect I’d gained by telling her the truth…sort of.

She looked down first, brushing off an invisible speck of something from her lap. But I didn’t mistake it for weakness. On the contrary, it was the passing of a test. Perhaps the most important one. I was respectful of her, but not afraid.

“I want your fighter to wear Krynn red.”

Everyone else had sweet talked, they’d offered me luxuries from rare jewels, nights with courtesans, one even claimed he would give me his moon getaway for the chance to just rub Zephyr’s feet.

Everyone, that is, except this lethal woman in front of me. She didn’t ask, didn’t try to sweeten the pot, didn’t coax or seduce.

She just let the statement sit between us, molding the air between us with its implied threat.

This was the moment that could make or break this entire operation. Should I hem and haw, try to negotiate just to show that I wasn’t a push over? Should I give in now and let her know that she’d been my first choice?

Both had their risks. She could become angry that I was trying wring something out of her. Or, she could become suspicious that I was giving in too quickly. After all, I literally had the entire syndicate eating out of my hand to sponsor Zephyr.

I decided to split the difference.

“My fighter has made an enemy tonight,” I said slowly.

Lady Seraph nodded.

“I would need to be assured that whoever sponsored her could take care of that for me.”

A slow smile spread across her angular face.

“Are you asking me to eliminate your competition?”

“Of course not,” I said with mock surprise.

Lady Seraph let out a throaty laugh.

“But accidents do happen,” I continued, “even to people so strong.”

“Unfortunately, they do indeed.”

A cold sensation wound through me as her glittering gaze locked on mine. Had I just miscalculated, or revealed something I wasn’t aware of?

“You should go down to the tables,” she said, standing smoothly and accepting a huge black fur coat from a guard I hadn’t noticed. “Make sure you enjoy yourself, take your time. You’ve earned it.”

I stood as well and kissed her hand again.

“Good night, Lady Krynn.”

Her lips twisted in a grin that didn’t reach her eyes, and a chill wormed it’s way down my spine. It was only a few seconds, but in that look I felt as if she could see all my secrets laid out in neat order.

And I hoped I was I wrong.