Page 19 of Queen of Vengeance

“They refused, Sir. I don’t think they could afford it. I told them I’d be coming for their heads the next time I came around,” she quickly defended herself.

Diesel stroked his scruffy chin in thought. “The Nadir family… They have a young daughter, don’t they? About Jax’s age?”

“Yes, she’s a scrappy one too. She had no problem jumping into the fight, even though she could barely transform.” Striker found this hilarious, but Diesel didn’t laugh.

“Leave the Nadir family to me. I will take care of it.” Diesel was happy he finished his conversation with Striker as Jax and Zane entered the dilapidated abode. “There you are, Nephew. I’d like to talk to you about last night.”

Jax’s demeanor stiffened as his shoulders rose to protect his neck. “I don’t know what Striker told you, but we lingered there longer than needed. We had already gotten what we wanted from them. There was no reason for that job to take us to almost Solare rise.”

Diesel raised his hand to stop Jax from talking. He had little to no patience for the know-it-all sass of being a teenager. “Striker’s job is to make the people fear us, and it’s your job to keep Striker safe. That is all. If you abandon your post, all I have built threatens to crumble. Do you want our family to fall back into the pits of poverty once more? Imagine how much your mother will struggle. Could you live with yourself if you allowed that to happen?”

Jax grimaced but ducked his head in compliance.

“I didn’t think so.” Diesel growled in the base of his chest. He thought he had won the argument and turned his back to the young boys, but Jax wasn’t satisfied.

Jax barely spoke loud enough for Diesel to hear. He balled up his fist tightly, and his claws grew out, jabbing into his palms. “Once I become a famous potionist, we won’t have to keep this up.”

Diesel turned slowly to face Jax. He couldn’t believe the audacity of this kid. After everything he had done for him, he was going to forsake him for what? To be thrown in jail for being a poor man seeking a better life?

“You can’t really be that stupid, can you? What do you think will happen to you if you try to achieve wealth and power?”

“Others have achieved it before me. I can do it, too.” Jax stood fervently for what he believed in.

“Don’t believe everything you see, dear Nephew. Things are not as they seem. Most of those who have risen through the ranks from the depths of poverty end up at Ryklira, imprisoned for the rest of their days.” He walked down to the lower level to be closer to Jax and could intimidate him better.

“I don’t believe you. We are potionists, not thugs.” Jax faced his uncle without a hint of hesitation. It was pretty brave for a boy his age.

“We’re not thugs.” Diesel shot Jax a violent smile that would scare the soul out of the toughest warrior. “We’re entrepreneurs.”

“Yeah, right. Well, whatever you call it, I don’t want to be that for the rest of my life.” Jax winced as he tried to keep his composure.

“When you need money again, don’t run to me,” Diesel practically sang as he turned his back on Jax and Zane, sauntering into darkness.

“Too much like your father, Nephew. All this ambition, but not enough talent to back it up.”

7

JAX

Jax returned home fuming and angry about his interaction with Diesel and his second-place finish in the potion-making competition. He knew he only won because he received help from Lea.

“She must feel so high and mighty that she helped me. Potion-making has always been such a breeze to her. I would think she was rubbing my nose in it if she weren’t so head over heels in love with me.”

Jax felt a glint of guilt thinking so poorly of Lea after she sacrificed her spot in the competition just for him and Zane to enter.

A pebble knocked against the glass of his bedroom window pulled him from his thoughts. He quickly made his way over to the window and opened it.

His girlfriend, Chika, was crouched just beneath the window seal in an attempt to surprise him.

“What are you doing?” His voice was more aggressive than he meant it.

Chika stood up suddenly, her face quickly filled with worry. “Why are you so upset? You placed, which is more than what most of the students did.”

Chika pouted her delicate lips as her piercing blue eyes focused on him like he was Lunaire. Even with her making her face, she still looked so regal. Was it any wonder why Jax was dating her?

She was immaculate, from her silky white hair to her beautiful tan skin.

I didn’t know a boy on campus who wouldn’t kill to be with her.

---