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“Everybody knew this day would come,” Gun said matter-of-factly.
“Because he was an assassin?” I asked.
Gun looked at me. “Because he was an asshole.”
“The universe isn’t always that fair,” I pointed out. I knew plenty of jackasses who lived long, healthy lives.
“If Charles had planned better, we wouldn’t be inundated by assassins right now,” Camryn whispered.
“You can hardly blame the mage for not knowing the exact date of his death,” Gun replied. “No psychic isthatgood.”
“He could’ve named his successor in his will,” she shot back. “Save the rest of us a huge headache.” She looked at me. “The twenty guild spots are highly coveted in the assassin community because of the perks.”
“Better weapons?” I asked, only half joking.
“The sanctuary of Fairhaven. Sullivan’s oversight.” Camryn shook a box of Nerds before cracking it open. “I know it may not seem like it, but we’re an elite group. Capped at twenty members.”
“If it’s so elite, I’m surprised the membership is transferable,” I said.
Gun shrugged. “It’s still subject to a vote, but succession is your best bet. Charles refused to name his successor, probably because he liked the ass-kissing that accompanied hope.”
“It’s usually a family member,” Camryn chimed in. “But Charles was the end of his line.”
A line that, according to Diamond, had started with La Fortuna’s inception centuries ago.
And now his spot was vacant.
I stood behind a row of supernatural mountains, unable to glimpse the core group of mourners. Given the number of attendees, I could see the guild’s power and influence ran far, wide, and very deep. According to Camryn’s chatter, everyone who was anyone would be here. I watched them jockey for position in the hopes of brushing elbows with an influential guild member; someone who might be able to put in a good word for them.
Kane seemed to stand apart from the rest. It was possible they were too in awe of him to venture closer.
Or too fearful.
Our eyes met, and he offered a flirtatious wink; I tore my gaze away. I’d allowed dents in my walls, and I wasn’t talking about the ones at the Castle. I had to reinforce them, preferably after The Corporation crisis had passed. A prince of hell could come in handy; I couldn’t afford to alienate one of my only potential allies in town, at least not before the current crisis was over.
The longer I stood, the more the sight of so many killers in one place had me on edge. No wonder they forbade weapons. The tension would be unbearable.
“I bet his tarot cards are amazing antiques,” Camryn whispered. “Seems a shame to bury them with him.”
“Why do you have to bury them?” I asked.
“Because nobody else can use them anyway. A mage needs to forge a connection to a card in order to activate it, which is harder than it sounds.”
“Sounds like a lot of work when you can use a gun.”
Gunther snorted. “The cards are an art form. Guns are for primates.”
Camryn gasped. “Vaughn’s here.”
I followed her gaze past the silhouettes until I landed on a square jaw. He looked vaguely familiar.
“Was he at the meeting?”
Gun nodded. “I’m surprised he was willing to leave the roulette table long enough to attend.”
Camryn kept her focus on the square jaw. “You’re too hard on him.”
“He isn’t hard enough on himself. I’m merely picking up the slack.”
