THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

David\'s aura also retracted, the protective shield around Seraphina dissolving into nothingness. He exhaled quietly, his posture relaxing slightly as the immediate danger passed. The Earl leaned back in his chair, his blue eyes still fixed on David, though now they held a trace of amusement.

"You\'ve grown stronger, son," the Earl remarked, his tone almost appreciative. "I\'ll give you that."

David nodded slightly, acknowledging the backhanded compliment. "I have," he replied, his voice calm and even. "And I intend to grow even stronger."

The Earl\'s gaze flicked to Seraphina once more, his expression unreadable. "You\'ve chosen an interesting... Companion," he commented, his tone now more measured. "But remember, David, power is a dangerous thing. It can turn on you when you least expect it."

David\'s eyes darkened slightly at the warning, but he said nothing, simply nodding in acknowledgement. The Earl\'s lips curled into a faint smile, though it didn\'t reach his eyes.

"Now, what is it you came here for, David?" the Earl asked, leaning forward slightly, his attention fully on his visitor.

David straightened, his expression becoming serious once more. "I have business to discuss," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But first, I need to know that Seraphina will be safe here."

The Earl raised an eyebrow, his gaze flickering to Seraphina once more. After a moment, he nodded slowly. "Very well," he agreed, his tone neutral. "She will be safe under my roof, as long as she does not give me reason to reconsider."

David inclined his head in thanks, his gaze briefly meeting Seraphina\'s before returning to the Earl. "Thank you, my lord," he said, his tone formal.

The Earl waved a hand dismissively, as if brushing off the gratitude. "Now, let\'s hear what you have to say," he said, leaning back in his chair once more, his eyes narrowing slightly as he prepared to listen.

David swept the room with an air of anticipation, his gaze locked on the Earl with a blend of excitement and defiance. "May I introduce to you, Seraphina," he announced, his voice rich with purpose.

The Earl, a figure of austere authority, barely flicked a glance in Seraphina\'s direction before dismissing her presence with a curt wave. "I have no need of a witch\'s name," he declared, his tone clipped and impatient. But then, a flicker of realization crossed his face, halting him mid-sentence. "Wait," he said, as a memory stirred within him. "Is this the companion you mentioned? The one we need to wait for before you set your plans into motion?" His eyes, sharp with curiosity, sought confirmation from David.

"Exactly," David responded smoothly, a confident smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He gently clasped Seraphina\'s hand in his, his touch both reassuring and possessive. "Then do you intend to keep me waiting longer? Out with it," the Earl commanded, his voice carrying an edge of impatience.

David\'s grin widened as he guided Seraphina to a seat, settling beside her with an air of calculated ease. As he took his place, he began to outline his scheme, opening with an enigmatic phrase. "Have you heard of the laws of attraction?"

Both Seraphina and the Earl exchanged puzzled glances, their curiosity piqued by the cryptic introduction. David continued, his tone explanatory yet enigmatic. "Simply put, think of an object with a greater force, pulling compatible elements towards it."

As David delved deeper into his plan, it became clear that his ideas were as intricate as they were audacious. Seraphina, who had always recognized David\'s cleverness, found herself shivering with a new realization. He was no mere schemer; he was a predator of the highest order, a realization that chilled her to the bone. The Earl, on the other hand, was visibly impressed. He had expected to root out traitors with brute force, but David\'s revelations had shattered his preconceived notions. The Earl\'s mind reeled, grappling with the implications of David\'s strategy.

In the midst of this revelation, the Earl couldn\'t help but draw comparisons. Was this the emergence of a second blood whale? No, he quickly corrected himself. David\'s older brother, the notorious blood whale, was not only a monster but also the embodiment of ruthless strategy. Yet as he watched David in action, a new respect began to take shape. This was not the naive son he had once dismissed; David had proven himself a formidable and cunning player in the game of power.

***

In a dimly lit room deep within the estate, the air was thick with unease, the shadows seeming to close in on the group of men huddled together. Fear clung to them like a shroud, each man lost in his own thoughts, dreading the return of their elusive ally. The silence was almost unbearable, broken only by the shuffling of feet and the occasional nervous cough.

One of the men, Josh, finally broke the silence, his voice a harsh whisper filled with regret. "Of all the unholy things in this world, why did I foolishly accept this job?" His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his anxiety.

"What do you mean, Josh?" another man, Sean, asked, his attempt at calm betrayed by the tremor in his voice. He was trying, and failing, to keep his own nerves in check.

"Are you an idiot, Sean?" Josh snapped, his panic spilling over. "Graeth\'s dead, you hear me? That bastard is dead!" His voice rose slightly, the fear in his tone impossible to ignore.

"Shut your pipe, Josh, before someone hears you," another man interjected, his voice tense with a mixture of anger and fear. He glanced nervously at the door, half expecting someone to burst in at any moment.

"He\'s right, Josh," Sean said, siding with the third man, though his own fear was evident. "We should all stay calm and wait for orders."

"Does your brain function as that of a pest?" Josh shot back, his heart pounding in his chest as thoughts of his girlfriend flashed through his mind. He longed to be in her arms, to escape the mess his greed had dragged him into. If only he hadn\'t let the lure of easy money cloud his judgment, he could be with her right now, safe and far from this nightmare. But instead, he was here, trembling in the dark, praying for survival.

"Stop being a nuisance, it\'s only been seven days," the third man protested, his frustration with Josh\'s panic bubbling to the surface.

"Seven days since the failed attempt on the De Gor son," Josh countered, his voice trembling as he voiced the thought that had been gnawing at all of them. The room fell into a tense silence, each man grappling with the gravity of their situation. Josh was right; they were in serious trouble if they were caught.

Nearly a month ago, they had been recruited for an assassination attempt, a task that should have been straightforward but had spiralled into disaster. The first attempt had failed miserably, and when Graeth had gone missing on the second try, things had only gotten worse. The Fingers, the shadowy organization that had hired them, had cut off all communication, leaving them stranded and vulnerable. Seven days had passed since their last contact, and the silence was deafening.

As the tension in the room reached a breaking point, the door creaked open, causing the three men to jump, their hands instinctively reaching for weapons. But as soon as they saw who had entered, they relaxed, though only slightly.

"What took you so long, Nivan?" Sean demanded, unable to keep the frustration out of his voice. "We\'ve been waiting here, losing our minds."

"She\'s here," Nivan replied, his tone calm but filled with an underlying urgency.

Josh, still on edge, frowned in confusion. "Have you gone mad? Who\'s here?"

Nivan met Josh\'s gaze, a flicker of something like hope in his eyes as he spoke the name that none of them had expected to hear. "Lady Seraphina."

The room fell silent again, but this time it was a silence of stunned disbelief. Seraphina\'s name carried weight, a mixture of fear and reverence. She was a figure of legend, whispered about in dark corners and feared by those who knew of her power. If she was involved, then their situation had just become even more complicated—and perhaps, more dangerous but having a finger on their side was a beacon of salvation from the beast known as the De Gors.

****

A/N: hey yah, so my birthday is coming up, and to appreciate you guys I decided to change my schedule to 2 chapters a week.. hope you enjoy, happy reading.