In one of the of the alcoves, David found a desk with a single sheet of ancient paper set out as if on display.“The way is closed. The brothers passed through, the way I will guard. The caves could not sustain us, so they made the ultimate sacrifice, to guard from within the forest of night. May the new fortress stand the test of time.”Damn. This ancient order must have abandoned this cave and opted to live within the fae lands, establishing a foothold there. If they could survive there, they would slowly become like the fae, bound by the same laws, but also subject to the harshest conditions.David quickly looked through the rest of the alcoves for anything useful. In one, he found a shelf with a thick well-preserved tome. He tucked it into his pack and then grabbed a few boards that made up what was left of a bed.He hurried back to the women and found Nyx hovering over Hailey.“You didn’t kill them?” he asked in s

David stood in the shower for a long time, letting the water cleanse him of the blood and dirt from the cave. His torso and back were covered in dark purple and blue bruises and small lacerations. His shoulder and collarbone ached with movement but he grit his teeth and suppressed the pain.There was a sturdy bar on the wall for handicap accessibility and heWhen he got out, there was a thin robe waiting for him on the door and he simply sat on the bed, mind racing though possibilities.The huntsmen were an elite team of soldiers that had worked with him for several years, most holding the rank of Second Lieutenant or above. They were each highly skilled in the ways of war in all environments but what made them truly unique was their knowledge of the fae.While there was little known about the fae in general, the Huntsmen had access to all the stored knowledge in the imperial archives about the fae and were the team responsible for hunting down any that m

That evening, David Tyr stepped into the banquet hall a new man. His light brown hair had been washed, cut, and combed to the side with just a touch of styling gel to give the front a bit of a swoosh. His beard was trimmed close with sharp lines defining his cheeks.Mr. Brooks had done a wonderful job turning a cheap off the rack tan suit into something that could pass for a 1000 dret outfit by slimming the waistline, taking in the arms to define his toned biceps, and adjusting the shoulders for a better fit.With a week to work, David knew this master could have him ready to appear before the emperor again, but given the time restraint, he had still accomplished a small miracle.“Invitation?” asked the doorman as he glanced up from his list.David wordlessly handed over the small card Steven had given him and was admitted without fuss. With little expectation as to what the night would hold, David made his way over to the buffet.After

A soft knock on his door startled David. He glanced around for a second and then pulled the curtain to hide the unconscious man, and then closed the bathroom door. It wouldn’t do for someone to find him with a soon to be dead man in his room.He opened the door to find Nathaniel.“Sir, no offense, but you look like shit. I have seen you fight icemen with your bare hands and come out in better shape.”“It was an Aranea, Nathaniel. A bloody big Aranea.”Nathaniel grunted, “Shall we talk inside?”“Fine, but Nyx will be here soon.”Nathaniel eyed him as he pushed into the room, “You, ah, sure you are up for such activities in your condition?”David slapped him on the back of the head, “Get your mind out of the gutter. I am not bringing Nyx to a shitty motel like this just for a tumble in the sheets. How are the Huntsmen?”“Assembled. Eight are on al

Giordani’s was one of the nicer restaurants in town. Situated on a rise that let it look out over the ocean, there was a light breeze blowing across the covered balcony where they were seated.While they were waiting for their food, David asked, “Tell me, Miss Harlow, what is it that you do for the family?”“Oh, well… not as much as I would like. But I have been responsible for getting us new clients and marketing our services for the last five years.”“Has that been difficult?”“A bit. We don’t have the investment capital needed to take on some of the larger projects and not many companies want to give us the chance by investing in a new factory with us.”“I see. So, sell me on this idea.”“Sell you?” Sarah asked, “Is this a date or work?”“Depends. It seemed from that Steven fellow, your cousin, that this was a work dinner. I