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I looked at him over my shoulder, but his eyes were fixed on Ian Smith. A murderous rage in them. How did he get here so fast? He stood almost like a dark subconscious behind my back, urging me to make the kill.

I turned to Ian Smith again. “Are you really not going to tell me?”

“No, no, no,” he wailed, already half-lost to this world.

“Okay,” I said calmly.

His eyes glimmered with relief, but that was soon gone when I drew my blade.

“N…no,” he choked. “N…no. Please.”

“But you didn’t extend the same courtesy toward my mother,” I said, walking toward him. He cowered back, hitting the wall. “I’ll make it quick,” I whispered.

His eyes rounded. The scream didn’t even have the chance to escape his throat when my blade made a clean cut through both of his carotids in a single swipe.

I stood there, watching the drops of blood drip down to the floor and collect like a pool of crimson lake.

The more I watched it, the less I cared about putting Heath Glen to his grave or finding out what happened to my family.

I was tired.

THE WHITE HAND

They cried for the boy’s life, but why waste tears? Everyone was meant to die. His life wasn’t even that useful, but they should be glad that he died young rather than live this worthless life.

Everything about living was pathetic.

It was dark. Too dark. But my white hand will cleanse it. Only if that bastard Arkane didn’t fucking sniff out every trap I laid, I would’ve done the job by now.

I would’ve completed the mission. Become the master.

Victor Stormhold was a fool.

The son he bred on discipline and duty surpassed him in every possible way. He should be ashamed to be his father. In the end, all he created was a dangerous monster.

One that was now hungry to haunt me.

Only he didn’t know I was born a monster.

He tricked me.

Me.

I had big things planned. The best things. I was going to save this city from its darkness, the lies, the pain…. It was my mission and mine alone.

I was going to cleanse this city.

Make it new, brand new.

The world needed me.

This city needed me.

But now it was all going to slip away.

Arkane was a beast, a monster. A formidable one at that. I considered him a worthy opponent; I was even going to let him live in his favorite cell in the tower for the rest of his life.

But no, he has a death wish.