The Tower of the Damned[First Draft]

Chapter 2: False Promises

"It is done. No one was all that upset. I am starting to think I did everyone a favor by killing him."

"That remains to be seen." Tara stretched her arms, entirely covered with long gloves that reached almost to her shoulder. Only a small piece of deeply scarred skin was visible when she reached for the top part of a big book, covering more than half of the table. She took a pen and noted down something in the middle of the left page. "We appreciated the rather skinny donation by that guy's mistress. Still, it is money and it is..." She looked up at the room and raised her voice. "More than some of our members brought lately. Get off your asses you useless bunch of..."

"Love?" Ash placed his hand on her cheek, sliding it slightly across her chin and turning her face towards him. "Everyone is doing the best they can. All the urgent business had been taken care of days ago." However, despite his gentle tone, his eyes threw daggers at everyone present. Several men at the bar stood up as if slashed with a whip and left the tavern through the same tunnel Celeste used.

In the meanwhile, she poured the wine from the pitcher into a cup and took a few sips. "Any other jobs for me?"

"Finally taking an interest?" Tara closed the book with a loud thud. She stood up showing she wasn't wearing much and found her way across the room toward the bar.

"She is in a bad mood today?" Celeste was looking after her.

"When isn't she in a bad mood?" Ash leaned forwards. "I just came back from a mission."

"A difficult one?"

"No, all went according to plan, however, I was then up until recently dealing with some other shit Johny made. I keep telling Couver that nothing will ever be of him, he'll vanish out there one day, but neither of them wants to hear it."

"You call always deal with him yourself if you think he'll spill secrets... It might not be possible to kill him, but I am certain he can learn."

"Johny won't tell, but he will get himself killed by those light chasers." Ash rubbed his eyes.

Celeste examined his dark vest and leather guards around his wrists. "Something else is going on... a job worthy of you, Master?"

"I don't know, young student," Ash smirked for a brief moment before continuing. "There are rumors, stories around the city..." he looked left and right as if someone might be whispering. "Of Shadows stalking the royalty. Of unnatural creatures that appear as demons climbing the roofs of the districts closest to the palace."

"And?"

"You haven't been doing that, have you?"

"No, not really my favorite pastime or in the range of my shape changes."

"It is as I feared."

"What is?"

"Well... our land is at war with Taier and it isn't impossible that their spies... are... planning to strike at our crown."

"You think they'd go that far?" she asked and then after sizing his expression added. "Now, would it really be that bad? I am curious who'd be chosen next."

"It isn't important what I think, but what the Queen Mother thinks."

"What are you saying? She summoned you?"

"Indeed. That made Tara even more irritable." Ash looked over to his lover coming back with a new pitcher of wine.

"We did our best to remain hidden." Tara slammed the pitcher on the table and pouted her faintly rose-red lips before sliding back down to her seat. "We don't even have a name for Alune's sake! How do they know?"