Manel parked his new car in the Amoreira’s underground parking lot and made his way to the lifts. It was his first day at work at Pedro Reis & Associados as a newly minted Lawyer. He looked himself over in the lift’s mirror to assure himself that he was presentable.

He was shown to his office by the firm’s receptionist and made comfortable. Later in the day he was greeted by Dr Reis the senior partner and later on by Darkfin. Darkfin made him uneasy at first with his sharklike teeth and scaly skin but the feeling soon passed. Darkfin seemed more – human – somehow than his cousin Manfred’s deep one employees.

Two weeks later Manel was feeling frustrated. He had hoped to be able to repay his grandfather for his generosity but so far all the work he had been handed was in no way related to his grandfather’s enterprises and had nothing to do with any off Earth business. So he asked to see Dr Reis.

On the following day he was shown into the office of the senior partner. Pedro Reis stood and offered his hand. After they had shaken hands Reis smiled and asked, “So what can I do for you today Manel?”

“I just want to know why I’ve been kept from anything relating to my grandfather, I really want to help him after everything he’s done for me.”

“Don’t you feel that could be seen as a conflict of interest?” Reis smiled, “I have been impressed by you commitment so far.”

Manel looked surprised, “Conflict of interest? No, not really.”

Reis looked at him steadily. “Very well, the real reason is your brother Pedro.”

“What? What has Pedro to do with this? I know Father is Grandfather’s heir and Pedro is his but why should that affect me?”

“Not quite. Tell me do you like Pedro, do you trust him?” asked Reis.

“Well, ah, yes. Um.”

Reis smiled. He opened one of his desk’s drawers and extracted a bulging folder. “None of this is to leave the office. They’re all copies so it doesn’t matter if you decide to destroy them. This is everything your grandfather has on Pedro and it’s the reason he isn’t the heir to Luso Enterprises. Go away and think about your grandfather and then study the contents.”

= = O = =

A few weeks earlier in Foraville, the capital city of the Empire of Light, Bractorvis watched with eager anticipation as the detachment of Nalvius’ forces he had been guiding confronted his father and his entourage as they were fleeing the capital.

Bractorvis didn’t know how his father had managed to evade the bounty hunters he had hired to kill his father and younger brother but he had received word of his escape after he had seen the centurion butcher his elder brother Strateros on the steps of the Senatorial Palace.

General, no, Tyrant Nalvius had agreed to recognise him as head of the Shrike clan and as the families senator as soon as the old goat and his uptight elder brother were confirmed dead. For a full quarter of the families wealth and lands, Bractorvis wasn’t thrilled at the price, but as he currently owned none of it he was easily able to bear it.

Bractorvis hovered by the window of what had been the bedroom of the dead boys lying in their own blood on their bed. He grinned in anticipation as the two squads of Nalvius’ veteran legionaries debouched from a side road and blocked the passage of his father’s convoy. He licked his lips with glee as he noted that his father’s house guards were wavering. Then he sneered in contempt as his fat useless brother Akanteri swung aboard his horse and moved up behind the scared household guards.

Bractorvis froze in shock as the legionaries were engulfed by a fierce firestorm killing most and leaving the rest easy prey for his father’s guards. It was only by the way his brother slumped on his horse that suggested he was the source of the devastating magical attack. He watched frozen as his father’s people moved past the dead legionaries. Bractorvis noticed with a renewed sneer that a skinny young groom, her neck bare and uncollared, took his brother’s horses’ reins and led the slumping figure behind one of the litters.

* * *

Bractorvis was in a foul mood. He had just come from what was now the Tyrant’s Palace on Russet Hill. He was now Senator pro tem of the Shrike clan. Nalvius had promised him that his other older brother Toravald the Reckless would soon be dead. Just as soon as Nalvius managed to regain control of the army of Astricar; currently under the ambitious General Morcalus.

He noted absently that his two bodyguard cum cronies were still following him silently. He’d been to visit his new home but found it badly damaged and thoroughly ransacked. Feeling frustrated and hard done by he headed for the house on Regent’s Way.

‘Finally, something is actually going my way. Well,’ he grinned, ‘at least that sanctimonious ass of a brother of mine is dead, though his cursed pregnant wife got away. How she managed when she can barely waddle... Well hopefully she’ll miscarry from the stress, and the news. Looks like od Yount survived so things might be looking up.’

Icepick, Yount’s favorite half-orc intimidator, opened the door. Unsurprisingly considering the day he was fully armed. Icepick grunted and waved them in and pointed to the study.

* * *

Bractorvis eyed the splendid looking blond haired man drinking his wine. The man seemed totally at ease and his manners were seemly and polished. His diction and accent were excellent. Yount had picked well. Bractorvis was sure this would work.

“You come well recommended. Yount suggested you take the part of lieutenant Orostas of clan Fennec. The good lieutenant died in the late battle and the rest of his immediate and extended family perished in the purges.” Bractorvis smiled politely, his eyes cold. “This would allow you to claim to be the sole surviving heir to clan Fennec. That should allow you to get into Midgard. I’m sure Nalvius would release some of the clan Fennec properties to you. That would be beyond what I’m paying. I want is Senator Krateros, Lukanna and any babe she might have dead.”

The blond man weighed the purse in his hand and smiled coldly. He stood and bowed elegantly as between equals, “Allow me to introduce myself senator. I’m Orostas, clan Fennec.” He straightened, touched a finger to his forehead and added. “Pray consider them dead for they soon will be. What about Akanteri?”

Bractorvis sighed, “I can’t afford the price any competent professional would ask for the death od a dark magister. I’ve denounced him to the Mages Guild. I hope that will suffice.”

Orostas nodded politely, “Well I must rush, I have a few things to pack then I have to make my way to the Midgard world gate.”

‘And I have to go see if the Mages Guild has offered a bounty on Akanteri.’

= = O = =

Prince Sarnollo and Princess Deerassa scurried up the stairs of the wizards tower followed by a breathless long suffering kitchen maid carrying a sizable basket containing the requested picnic. The twins didn’t bother to knock but simply barged into the former royal mage Gustravios’ study.

Gustravios looked up when the door to his study opened and he looked at thr two children that burst in unannounced. They passed his wards so he had to know them, surely he knew them.

The girl squealed with joy. “Hi Gussy we’re going on a picnic with you ’member?”

Prince Sarnollo watched Gussy’s familiar, a red skinned girl imp with black horns and a big belly and breasts fly down from her little house and sit on Gussie’s shoulder like usual.

“Master it is Princess Deerassa, you call her Dee, and her twin brother Prince Sarnollo, you call him Sar. We don’t know the kitchen maid but she is a kitchen maid here at the palace and she’s carrying the picnic,” said Auyhfassuiop or Fassy in a low whisper into the mage’s ear.

Gussy’s eyes lit up and he smiled. “That’s nice Dee. So where are we going this time?”

Dee grinned engagingly as she seemed to vibrate in place. “We thought we’d go and see the delegation return. There’ll be lots of guards.”

Fassy grinned scenting mischief. The royal brats shouldn’t be in danger there and she loved mischief being an imp. Now if she could get Gussy to drag along the poor maid. So Fassy went to work and helped the princes to persuade Gussy to commit a folly he would not have done even three months earlier.