"They are to be blacklisted. From this store, from this mall, and from every Bolton-affiliated establishment in Haven. If I see their names on a guest list, that venue loses our patronage." Elizabeth said to Sterling, referring to Sara, Tristan, and Mirabel.Tristan looked as if he were about to faint.A blacklist from the Boltons and Smiths was a social death sentence."Alistair..." Sara whispered, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes, pleading for him to say something—anything—to stop the nightmare unfolding.Alistair, who had been watching the scene with the detached curiosity of someone watching an ant farm, finally spoke."Elizabeth, that's enough," he said. His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly cut through the tension. "I didn't come here for a drama. I came for a suit."Elizabeth immediately bowed her head, her fiery demeanor vanishing as she turned back into the respectful disciple. "I apologize, Master. I let my temper get the better of me."“It's alright. Come on, let's

Noticing this, Elizabeth asked. “Is everything okay, Master Reid?”“No.” Alistair calmly said as he slowly brought the car to a stop. The road they followed was usually busy yet tonight, it was quite empty.Not only that but there was a foul aura in the air. That was enough to let Alistair know that something was wrong. “Stay in the car.” Alistair calmly said as he opened the door and stepped out of the car. Elizabeth felt a bit tense but since Alistair was with her, she didn't worry too much.Alistair walked to the front of the car and then remarked. “Are you going to keep hiding or are you going to show yourselves?”Silence and then, they emerged from their hiding spots. These were nothing like the people that attacked him back at the Smith's residence. They were bonafide assassins, radiating a bloody aura which was something that only those who had killed a lot could manifest.There was a lot of blood on their hands.But that wasn't the only thing.Alistair caught a whiff of

“A demonic cultivator like you with so much blood on his hands dares to ask for mercy?” Alistair's expression darkened. “Don't make me laugh.” In the SUV, Elizabeth had a feeling something bad was about to happen so she immediately closed her eyes and buried her head between her legs.Yet even then, she had a horrifying agonizing scream not too long after that sent chills down her spine. A few minutes later, Alistair returned and got into the driver's seat. “You're back,” Elizabeth muttered as she glanced at him. “My apologies for taking so long.” Alistair calmly said. “It's alright, you had things to do,” Elizabeth said.Then, she asked. “Who were those people?” “Not sure yet. Before I could interrogate their leader, he died. Someone must have placed a seal that prevents him from revealing what he knows.” Alistair said with a deep frown.What this meant was that whatever was happening in Haven was quite the rabbit hole. He could ignore it and continue his plans to leave but th

"Security won't stop the people who did this, Elizabeth," Alistair replied, his voice a low hum. "But it will provide a quiet place to work."The memory of the assassin leader's death played back in his mind—the way the man's eyes had turned into pools of black ink before his soul was forcibly extinguished from within.A Soul-Lock Seal.It was a high-level demonic technique, one that required the caster to be at least at the Core Formation stage or higher.If such a person were in Haven, the "Great Ritual" Elizabeth’s attackers mentioned was far more advanced than he had initially feared.As they pulled into the driveway of the beach house, the scenery shifted dramatically.The house was a sprawling, modern masterpiece of glass and white stone, perched precariously on a cliff overlooking the churning Atlantic."It's beautiful," Elizabeth whispered as she cut the engine.Alistair stepped out, his eyes immediately scanning the perimeter.He didn't look at the architecture; instead, he s

Sara didn't hesitate.As Titus lunged at her, she pivoted and delivered a brutal kick directly into his groin.Titus collapsed like a folding chair, a choked, wet gasp escaping his throat as he hit the floor.He curled into a pathetic ball, his face turning a deep shade of violet as he struggled to find air.“You’re pathetic,” Sara coldly said.She didn't look back as she swung the mahogany door open, nearly colliding with Alistair.He was standing in the hallway, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, wearing an inquisitive expression.“What are you doing here?” Sara snapped, her chest heaving.Alistair’s gaze drifted past her shoulder to the man writhing on the floor of the suite. “I came to meet you for the counselor's appointment. I thought we were going together.”He paused, his voice dropping an octave. “Is everything okay?”“We’re leaving. Now,” Sara ordered, brushing past him and ignoring the heat rising in her face.“You’re not going anywhere!” Titus’s voice cracked into a h