Page 162 of Elven Shadow

Her secret admirer from beyond Shade’s physical walls could have just sent the letter. But for an old-worlder, what fun would that have been?

The letter’s handwriting was neat and tidy. No frills, no wordy language, and the letter itself got right to the point.

‘Greetings, Roth-Da’al.

It would seem your organization has fallen into more capable hands than those of your predecessor. Already, I have every faith you will exceed his capabilities and all our expectations.

As an offering of welcome and congratulations with open arms, consider this my invitation to you as a valuable new figure upon the greater field of play. Please do accept my open invitation to the Old Joliet Prison when it is most convenient for you and your no doubt harrowingly busy schedule.

I believe a meeting of great minds in person, as well a discussion of how we can work together for the greater benefit of magicals in the Windy City, will prove fruitful for all parties involved. I humbly await your upcoming visit.

Forever Bound,

Kordus Harkennr’

Rebecca had known from the first few words of this “Welcome to the Club” note that the author was full of shit. This was nothing more than one giant game to her secret admirer, made that much more apparent by the mystery surrounding the package. The stone figurine only supported her theory.

She’d been amused by the whole thing until she got to the very last line to read both the salutation and the author’s name signed just below it.

As soon as she did, her blood ran cold in her veins, and she fought against the debilitatingly strong urge to squeeze that letter in her fist and make it burst into flames just so she wouldn’t have to look at thatname anymore.

The name she absolutely recognized, in a place she never would have imagined to see it.

A name she had hoped never to see or hear again in her life.

The name belonging to someone who had been searching for her far longer than she cared to admit.

Kordus Harkennr.

How the hell had hefoundher?

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The whole world felt like it had frozen in time. Like it was closing in around her, sucking all the air out of her lungs, squeezing tighter and tighter until Rebecca either gave in to the pressure or ceased to exist.

Harkennr was here. In Chicago. And he’d sent this gift toher.

The last time she’d had any dealings with this piece of shit, he’d been on his own, independent of associations with or allegiances to any larger organization or old-world conglomerate, despite the reputation he’d built for himself through his particular brand of cruelty and perseverance.

Thiswas the asshole who’d sent her a congratulatory taunt that now felt more like a warning and a challenge.

Her heartbeat pounded in her chest, erasing all other sound from her awareness until it was just Rebecca, her galloping pulse, Harkennr’s name mocking her from a piece of paper, as if that name itself could also laugh in her face.

No…

This couldn’t be happening.

It couldn’t be real.

First, she’d found evidence of the Azyyt Ra’al in Chicago, and now Harkennr. The only thing that could have made this unexpected nightmare any worse were if Harkennr had made himself a scion of the Azyyt Ra’al and now workedwiththem.

Againsther.

The odds of that were astronomically small. Then again, she would have said the same thing about finding signs of either of her old enemies right here in the very same city where she’d tried so hardnotto make a name for herself.

She’d failed miserably in that regard. Obviously.

Would she fail to see the rest of the complex threads weaving through the bigger picture too?

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