“Wagon come. Attack?”

The slow thought of my Shield Slammers woke me from a shallow sleep. I opened my eyes and shook my head to clear it. I’d spent the night dozing on a balcony on the fourth floor that overlooked the entrance to the farm. I scooped up my arbalest and sent a thought to the Shield Slammers. It took a moment for the two homunculi to receive the order and stomp toward the stable. I didn’t want anything on the farm to look out of place when the essence arrived. I stood up, stretched, and gazed down the wide road that stretched out the entrance of my farm. A covered wagon surrounded by an armed contingent of soldiers caught my eye.

I retreated into the manor.

The hallway floors were clear of glass. I’d spent some of the night clearing out the debris from Rikard’s attack on my uncle’s old belongings. The Slammers had fed the corpse into the incinerator and left no sign that the man had even been here. The only thing I hadn’t managed to fix was the front door, but I’d get to it after I had the Essence I needed. ‘Many hands make time for merriment,’ as Jamin had used to say. A few worker homunculi would make it far easier to keep the farm well-maintained, and I resolved to create them once the farm was properly secured.

Alexia didn’t answer when I softly knocked on her door, so I left her to sleep. I left the arbalest just inside the front door and slipped out into the gardens. The armed escort was still far off in the distance, and the well-maintained gardens kept me safe from prying eyes. I hunkered down behind a hedge of trileaf and kept my eyes on the approaching cart. I couldn’t be sure that this wasn’t a trap. If Longhorn was as dangerous as everyone said, it would be stupid not to take precautions against a sudden surprise attack. The Slammers were still close to hand and I knew I could retreat to the house if the shipment turned out to be a trap.

The covered wagon drew closer and I took the opportunity to size up the visitors to my farm. Sunlight reflected off their steel helmets and spears. Each of the soldiers wore steel-reinforced leather armor and carried a round shield over their back. Essence was a valuable commodity, and I’d never seen a single shipment without an armed guard. I swept my eyes to the driver. He was a toad-like man with rich clothes and rings that sparkled in the morning light. A woman rode beside the cart on a well-bred horse. It was impossible not to notice the way her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders or the silver circlet around her brow that marked her as a mage.

I frowned. Magic-users didn’t usually involve themselves with trivial matters like the delivery of Replicator Essence. But it wasn’t unheard of, either. Roarwind’s roads weren’t always the safest places. The Kingdom occasionally sent a magician out to oversee the mining of Essence and its transport. Jamin had always complained about the secrecy of the Essence mines and how closely the Commission guarded the secret of their locations. I shrugged off the thought and gritted my teeth when the merchant shouted to the soldiers.

“Pick up your feet, you lazy grubs!” he snickered. “Not long to go, now!”

The merchant’s name was Kilcoy. He’d been Jamin’s supplier of Essence for years and my uncle often joked of the fact that the fat man would sell his own mother for a seat at a banquet table. The thought reminded me of Rikard and his mercenary tendencies. If Longhorn wanted to catch me unawares, then Kilcoy was the man to send. I could still remember the sting of Kilcoy’s backhand after I’d taken too long unloading one of his shipments. Jamin had told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t to lay a hand on the man, despite his insolence.

“They might all be thieves and robbers,” Jamin had said, “but we need them to keep our business alive. Sometimes you need to sacrifice your feelings for a greater end.”

I made my way through the gardens and kept my head down. The best way to approach someone like Kilcoy was to catch him off-guard. Even something as simple as appearing from the garden would put him on the back foot and give me an opportunity to wheedle information out of the man. He had an ego the size of the Baron’s castle, and if he thought that he was dealing with a simple farmhand, I knew he’d be more likely to boast and give me an idea of his intentions. Even if Longhorn hadn’t sent Kilcoy, I was willing to bet that the merchant would tell me about the current state of Roarwind.

I needed the Essence. It was in my interest to make this collection run as smoothly as possible.

“Hey, Kilcoy!” I called.

The merchant flinched as I strode out of the cover of the garden to his left. The soldiers raised their spears and levelled them at me. I held up my hands in a placating gesture. The mage beside the merchant stared at me in surprise with a hypnotic blue gaze. Our eyes met and she tilted her head curiously. A tendril of blonde hair slipped free and fell over an eye.

She brushed it aside and offered me a dry half-smile.

Everything about the mage oozed effortless sensuality and power. Her high riding boots, rich cloak lined with fur, and the golden etching in her saddle only added to that image. I offered her a subtle smirk in return, and turned my attention to the fat bastard on the cart beside her.

“You here with Jamin’s Essence shipment?” I drawled.

Kilcoy’s shoulders tightened as he craned his neck over to look at me. “Do I know you?”

“Jamin’s nephew,” I replied with a shrug. “You hit me once.”

“Ah, yes. Where is the cunning old snake?”

“Out,” I said shortly. “Did you bring the goods or not?”

Kilcoy waved a hand over the covered goods behind him. “Certainly did. Where do you want it?”

I pointed to the shack. “Just outside that.”

“Take it away, boyos,” the merchant said.

The soldiers muttered curses and uncovered the back of the wagon. The gorgeous mage dismounted in a fluid motion. The cloak slipped away from her breast and I took a sharp breath at her low-cut corset of black leather. Her breasts curved impressively out and stretched the ties of her garment to breaking-point. She offered me another half-smile as I approached the wagon and glanced over the cargo. The soldiers lined up and began the process of shifting the sealed crates of Replicator Essence towards the shack. Kilcoy’s ferret-like eyes flitted from me to his cargo and he chuckled to himself.

“Did Jamin mention how long he’s out on business?” the merchant asked.

I shook my head. “He didn’t tell me when he’d be back.”

“Shame, I’d have liked to talk to him.” Kilcoy shifted in his seat and his eyes came to rest on the shattered remains of the front door. “Was he expecting trouble?”

“We had someone who said he was with Longhorn here yesterday,” I explained to him. I made sure to keep my drawl casual and uninterested. “You know anything about that?”

Kilcoy blanched at my words. “You sure he said Longhorn? Longhorn Martyn?”

“Yeah. He didn’t find what he was looking for.”

The merchant chewed his wide lip for a moment. “And you didn’t think to ask what he wanted? What his name was, why he was here?”

“He knocked me out,” I lied easily. “Smashed up half the house and fucked off.”

“Strange.” Kilcoy glanced at the mage beside him. “Well, I don’t know what a Shadow Lord from the Underrealm would want from your uncle, or this farm. There’s nothing here of interest to him, surely?”

“Just a companion farm,” I shrugged. “What’s the Underrealm? Thought that was a myth or something. Wouldn’t the King make it his business to stamp it out if it existed?”

“There’s a lot the King doesn’t know,” the merchant said as he tapped his nose. “And I’ll be willing to bet that your dear uncle knows something about the Underrealm and its demons, my boy, if Longhorn sent someone to examine your lovely manor.”

I stared at him and played up the thick incomprehension. “He does?”

“Oh, there’s plenty of us who know about it,” Kilcoy sniggered. “But don’t let it worry you, my boy. Us businessmen keep our secrets to ourselves. Your uncle and I have always had a good working relationship with a lot of little perks. I’m sure Jamin will explain it to you when it’s time.”

I nodded and turned to watch the soldiers unload the Essence. The plot thickened with every word that Kilcoy told me. Everything about the man screamed ‘suspicious’. The way the merchant looked over the farm appreciatively, the little glances he threw at the mage, and his cunning smirk every time he laid his eyes on me was a dead giveaway. The merchant waved over the mage and they had a rapid conversation in harsh whispers. That was all the proof I needed.

Kilcoy hadn’t come here with good intentions.

But neither had I. The discovery of Alexia, Rikard’s attack, and the recipe for military-grade homunculi in my pocket were easy proof of that. I’d have my own small army the moment I could get away from Kilcoy and his band of mercenaries. It was all very illegal, of course, but I didn’t have much of a choice. The Commissioners were almost a week’s journey to the south, and there was nothing to worry about in the north except a mountain range and caves full of ravenous monsters.

I had this under control. I just had to keep playing dumb, and not a soul would know about Alexia, the illegal recipes, or the missing Rikard.

I glanced over my shoulder. The young mage continued to watch me with interest. The slant of her eyebrows and almost-amused smile on her face told me that she knew more than she was letting on. I slid my eyes off her with feigned disinterest just as Kilcoy cleared his throat.

“Did Jamin talk to you about Longhorn Martyn at all?” the merchant asked. “Did he mention a business partnership, or anything like it?”

“Not at all,” I said. “Why would he join up with a fairytale demon?”

“Well, if Longhorn sent a man here, it would suggest that Jamin owed him something,” Kilcoy pointed out. “Old Martyn won’t stop coming until he gets what he wants. Wouldn’t surprise me if Jamin left on a ‘trip’ for that very reason.” The merchant snickered to himself. “Hells, the only way to get out of something like that would be to kill Longhorn himself. I’d say your uncle left you a tall order, wouldn’t you?”

I frowned. “I’m just a farmhand, Kilcoy. I look after the gardens and the cooking.”

Kilcoy waved airily. “Of course, forgive me. Just thinking out loud.”

I left him behind and joined the soldiers at the shack. Half of the required delivery stood high around the left side of the Replicator building in untidy piles. The door to the shack creaked a little as I bumped it open with my shoulder and closed it behind me. Surprise rippled through me as I saw Alexia’s lithe figure appear from behind the companion machine.

The elf saw me and pressed a finger to her lips instantly.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded in an undertone. “You can’t be out in the open. Not with Longhorn and gods-knows who else looking for you. I thought you were asleep!”

“I’m here to warn you,” she whispered. “I was in the garden, and I heard the corpulent man talk to the one who smells of magic.”

I stared at her. “You can hear whispers all the way from the garden?”

Alexia nodded. “The merchant intends to invite himself to dinner and slit your throat when you least expect it. He’s here to take over the farm.”

“I wish I could say I was surprised,” I said darkly. “What did the witch say?”

“She didn’t like it,” Alexia said. “Said something about it being ‘messy’.”

“At least not all of them want to kill me,” I muttered.

“Call in the Slammers,” Alexia said. “I’ll bring you your crossbow, and we can deal with them like we did with Rikard.”

I shook my head. “There’s too many. Even with your powers, it’s too much of a risk. I’ll keep playing along with them for now. Kilcoy basically admitted to being in with Longhorn. The bastard thinks that he can just come here and take the farm. I’ll let him believe that.”

“And what about the witch? And the soldiers?” Alexia pressed.

“Mercenaries and criminals,” I said dismissively. “They’re here for the coin, nothing else. If you heard right, then they’ll all get a piece of the spoils and they’re just here for a show of power. Hell, the kingdom would probably pay us to put them out of their misery. They’re all just as corrupt as Rikard.”

“So how are you going to deal with them?”

“I’ll invite them to dinner myself,” I said with a fierce smile. “Here, take the recipe for the ‘Draught for Unwelcome Guests’. I need you to leave the list of ingredients in the kitchen. We’ll get them comfortable and then make them disappear without a trace.”

Alexia took the slip of parchment from my hand with a nod.

I glanced back at the door. “How did you even get in here?”

“I’m quiet,” she winked.

“You sure as hells weren’t last night,” I chuckled.

“Well, aside from that,,” Alexia said defensively.

She kissed me lightly and slipped behind the Replicator again. I plastered the slightly confused look on my face again and left the shack. The soldiers joked with each other as they tossed the crates along the line. A quick count of the crates told me that the Essence delivery was almost complete. The blond mage approached me with a firm stride and gestured at the gardens. She looked as bored as I was pretending to be.

“It’s a lovely garden,” she told me.

Her voice was as silky and sweet as honey.

I shrugged. “I suppose.”

“May I get a closer look?” the witch asked me.

“Go right ahead.” I walked past her and closed in on the covered wagon.

The soldiers unloaded a small cask of beer from the back of the cart, their work complete. They sneered at me as I stared at it for a moment. If I’d had some more time to plan and a way to anticipate their movements, it would have been child’s play to poison them and eliminate Kilcoy’s muscle. I shrugged off the thought and waved them towards the shade of the gardens. The loose knot of soldiers marched past and swapped stories. One of them paused in front of me and stared straight into my eyes.

I kept my gaze as dull and bored as possible.

“You got any of those whore-munculi?” the soldier asked.

“Haven’t gotten any made,” I told him. “Don’t have the licence.”

“Leave the sheep-fucker alone,” another soldier told the first.

“He doesn’t know his ass from his elbow,” a third cackled.

Kilcoy’s hired muscle left me alone and retreated to a long bench near the garden. Each of them had mediocre gear at best, but it was functional. I could turn their collective fingers into a hundred and twenty Shield Slammers with enough Essence. A wall of dumb muscle that would discourage even the most aggressive mercenaries from invading my farm.

But that came later. First, I needed to deal with Kilcoy.

“I’d like to discuss payment,” the merchant called to me. “I think I’m owed another fee.”

I glared at him. “You’ve already been paid in full.”

“Yes, but--” Kilcoy froze mid-sentence.

Black veins appeared under his skin and jutted out from his face. The merchant’s weak blue eyes rolled back into his head until only the white showed. Every ounce of blubber on the man’s body began to shake. I stared at him in astonishment and considered calling out the Slammers. What the hell was going on?

“Kilcoy?” I tried carefully.

“Jamin.” An otherworldly voice grated through Kilcoy’s vocal cords.

“Jamin’s not here,” I said carefully. “You’re not Kilcoy, are you?”

The voice barked a gravelly laugh. “You’re perceptive. Who are you?”

I dropped the farmhand half-wit act in the blink of an eye. “I’m the new owner of the farm.”

“So Jamin’s left, then.” Kilcoy’s body shuddered violently and blood spurted from the merchant’s ears. “I am Longhorn Martyn, and I want what is owed to me. A single, sentient blood mage.”

I tried not to shudder at the voice. Kilcoy hadn’t been joking. Longhorn was some kind of demon, and he’d obviously found a way to possess my uncle’s Essence supplier. I kept my tone clear and confident. Even with this sudden change, I had a plan. I needed to meet with Longhorn and find a way to eliminate him as a threat to the farm.

“I have the homunculus you requested,” I answered. “But sending Rikard was a mistake. He wouldn’t listen to reason and started damaging valuable property.”

The voice of Longhorn snorted. “Rikard’s a fool. Where is he?”

I didn’t see a point in lying. “I incinerated him after he threatened to kill me. You’re a businessman, Longhorn, and so am I. This needs to be handled properly.”

Kilcoy’s body trembled again and black sludge leaked through his lips. Longhorn laughed through his human vessel. “I’m glad you see it the same way, boy.”

“We’ll set up a meet and I’ll bring you the blood mage. Personally.” I paused. “I don’t trust your people to do it properly, not after Rikard. Do you?”

“You’ve done me a favour, disposing of that blundering half-wit,” Longhorn said. “So I’ll allow you your terms. We will meet in person. You will bring me the blood mage. And my business with Jamin will be complete. Do we have an agreement?”

Relief washed over me. “We do.”

“Good. I’ll have my people contact me when they see you in Roarwind.” Kilcoy’s voice gurgled as blood cascaded out of the merchant’s nose. “Ride Rikard’s horse. They’ll know how to see you, and you’ll be given instructions on how we proceed.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” I nodded.

“You put old Jamin to shame with your steel, boy,” the voice of Longhorn rasped. “I’m impressed. Don’t make me wait. I am not a patient creature by nature.”

Thoughts swirled through my head. I had a meeting with Longhorn, but he was setting up the specifics and the location. I didn’t expect the Shadow Lord to honor his terms. If it was that easy, then my uncle would’ve stayed on the farm. Jamin had left me in a world of shit by giving away the farm, but he knew that I was up the challenge.

Kilcoy’s body lurched and I dodged a gout of vomit, blood, and a black fluid I didn’t recognize. The flaccid flesh of the merchant wobbled around his skeleton in crazy ripples. It was obvious that Longhorn didn’t like loose ends.

Good. Neither did I.

I had no idea how to kill a Shadow Lord, but I’d find a way.

Kilcoy pitched off the head of the wagon. The draught horses shied away from him as the body of the merchant hit the ground. The black veins receded, but it was clear that whatever Longhorn had done to the bastard had killed him. I stared at the corpse for a long moment and battled fear and excitement as they flooded through my bloodstream.

Ten more fingers to add to my collection.

But I couldn’t take them just yet. I had other priorities.

The soldiers behind me were too busy with their merriment. I could see the witch on the other side of the manor’s gardens. She examined a row of elderblyn flowers with an appreciative eye. My eyes jumped to the huge stack of Essence still left in the cart behind Kilcoy’s corpse.

I had enough fuel for the Replicator for a small army of homunculi.

Kilcoy had met his end and I hadn’t even needed to lay a hand on him.

And I had a meeting with Longhorn.

Now all I needed to do was find a way to deal with the soldiers and the mysterious blonde mage. Thirteen armed and dangerous individuals who were all prepared to kill me just to get their hands on the farm or my Replicator.

It was time for a new plan.