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TWO CARRIAGES LEFT the City Square at the same time and headed in opposite directions. They traveled for a few minutes before changing direction. The vehicles angled towards one of the vacant buildings several blocks from the square. They pulled to a stop at almost the same time. Two men entered the building, wearing cloaks with the hoods up to hide their faces. They waited for the skeletons to drive away before speaking.
“Are we alone?” Guild Master Reed asked. He couldn’t hear or smell anyone nearby, but he knew his companion’s senses were even sharper than his were.
“We’re alone,” Guild Master Latour confirmed. They spoke in bare whispers that wouldn’t carry further than the door. The master vampire looked slender standing next to the huge werebear. This wasn’t the first time they’d met in secrecy and it wouldn’t be the last. The Shifter Guild Master had approached the Vampire Guild Master after Efrem Prager had mysteriously vanished on Halloween a few months ago. They’d talked around the idea of forming a partnership, but they didn’t fully trust each other yet.
“Did you hear that another member of the Magic Guild was murdered in their guildhall tonight?” the werebear asked.
“Everyone has heard about it by now,” Guild Master Latour said sourly. “News travels fast in Nox.”
“Too many citizens have either vanished, or have been murdered,” Guild Master Reed said. It wasn’t easy for him to keep his deep, rumbling voice down, but they couldn’t afford to be seen together. They could be branded as traitors and it would be their turn to be executed by the Guardian of Nox. “We both know our leaders are responsible,” he went on. “They eliminate anyone who speaks against them, or who they perceive to be a threat.”
The master vampire nodded in reluctant agreement. “Their assassins are responsible for many disappearances and outright murders, while they use Xiara Evora to publicly hunt down and execute others. We’ve both lost too many masters and alphas. Our Districts will soon be overrun by masterless fledglings and rogue shifters.”
“We have to find a way to end this madness,” Guild Master Reed said. “If we had more power, we could take control of our people before they turn rogue.”
“How do you propose we gain more power?” the vampire asked sardonically. “Should we become allies with a strong magic user and get him to forge us into a triumvirate?”
The Shifter Guild Master’s eyes flashed in alarm when his ally’s voice rose slightly and he made a shushing motion. They both listened for any sounds that anyone was nearby, then relaxed when they heard nothing suspicious. The only noise was the stealthy footsteps of a rat that was hiding in the walls. “We would need someone with exceptional magical strength,” the werebear said. “While we’re both strong for our kind, we can’t hope to match Lord Kreaton and Lord Graham. We need someone who can boost our power exponentially.”
“Are we seriously going to consider this?” Guild Master Latour asked incredulously.
“If we don’t step in and take control of Nox, the entire city will soon become a ruin,” his colleague pointed out.
“Do you have an ally in mind?” the master vampire enquired. “I hope you’re not thinking about approaching Onvier,” he added with his upper lip lifted. A hint of fang reflected his distaste at the idea.
Guild Master Reed shook his head. “Onvier is too ambitious and he treats his guildmembers horribly. His only concern is seeking more power and I’m not inclined to fulfil his wishes.”
“Agreed,” the Vampire Guild Master said with a nod. “Who should we approach to be our third, then?”
“I’ve made you a copy of a list of potential allies,” the shifter said and drew a sheet of paper out of his pocket. He handed it over to the leech. The candidates were all prominent and powerful members of the Magic Guild. “We should watch these potentials for a while and decide which one we should approach first,” he suggested.
“Most of these magic users are Onvier’s cronies,” his companion pointed out.
“Yes, but are they his allies by choice, or were they forced to become his sycophants?”
Guild Master Latour cocked his head to the side, then pocketed the note. “You’ve heard the rumors that something fishy is going on in the Magic Guild?”
The werebear nodded. “There are whispers that Onvier has systematically been meeting with the strongest members of his guild. Anyone who has spoken ill of him has suddenly become his supporters. It’s highly suspicious.”
While Guild Master Latour could use his vampiric charisma to coerce others to do his bidding, he couldn’t use any other types of magic. Neither of them knew what was going on in the other guild. They suspected Onvier was using his position to force his guildmembers to follow his orders. “I will watch the people on your list closely during our meetings with the Immortal Triumvirate,” the master vampire decided. “Let’s hope it won’t be too late when we choose our third and forge a triumvirate of our own.”
An ominous sense of doom had been rising in the City of Night ever since Halloween. They’d had a short reprieve when Crowmon and his priests and priestesses had been drained of their magic to pay the Energy Tax, but their relief hadn’t lasted long.
Lightning flashed and they winced at the bright light that shone through a nearby window. The storm was in full force and it didn’t look like it would be letting up anytime soon.
“We’d best be leaving,” Guild Master Reed suggested. It would be dawn in a couple of hours. He had a long journey to get to his mansion in the Shifter District. A large hailstone smashed through the window, making them both jump a little. Rain poured through the hole and a puddle began to form on the floor among the broken shards of glass.
“I guess a French maid won’t be coming here to clean up the mess tomorrow night,” Guild Master Latour said sardonically. He knew he was one of the few lucky citizens to still have a French maid. She only spent a couple of hours cleaning his mansion each night, but she kept his home in excellent condition.
The shifter was thinking the same thing. Neither man realized they shared the same Night Cursed French maid. They hadn’t asked her what her name was. They assumed she was a typical cursed servant whose memory was wiped clean each night. The pair parted ways, both becoming drenched as they waited for carriages to arrive to ferry them to their Districts.
