As she recalled it, it had been around the time that the first round of Hero Camps had come to a close. New up-and-comers were shining in the public eye, and there had been some manner of terrible incident at one of the American camps. It didn’t really concern her, but she pitied the young people who had been subjected to such violence before truly proving themselves. Those thoughts had quickly diminished, though, as she’d been in the ever wonderful company of her beloved granddaughter.

The Americans had cut a deal months before, a foolish one in her opinion, but one she had urged her contacts to accept. After all, Lian Chunhua was hardly a patriot. She seemed all eager to jump at the opportunity to run into the arms of their competitors, the traitor. So when the chance came up to exchange that woman for her estranged granddaughter from the branch that had fled her grasp, she took it.

Qilin was such a good girl - polite, well mannered, and remarkably powerful. Her gifts had brought fresh life to the family, and her presence alone was a good luck charm. Song Hui Lan had been overjoyed when the little flower had come to visit for a while. She hadn’t been bothered by the girl’s excuse that ‘fortune had brought her there.’ On the contrary, it let her know that their reunion was fated.

That day the sweet girl had been called away by those Pandora Committee people to investigate something or other in South America. Disappointing, yes, but the lonely walk on the private beach had allowed for a meeting of another kind. Fortune truly did work in mysterious ways.

Hui Lan looked in the mirror and smiled at herself. She would have personally paid more for the youth contract that her son had acquired for her, and even more for the ability contract. She had gone to extra lengths to make sure the boy found one of the contracts that did not have stipulations. There were still a few left in circulation, and she refused to be bound by even the smallest rule set by a madwoman. So what if she put a little money in Ishtar’s pocket? She was young again and powerful.

The incense rose around her, and she drew the red across her lips as she sensed a presence enter her space. She turned her head and saw her son kneeling on the ground through the screen. “Yes, boy?”

“Your… friend is here.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly bound her hair up with a jade pin, turning to sit with all the regality she could muster. Her deep green robes coiled around her body as she tugged it in just the right places. She tilted her chin up and looked down on her son. “Well? What are you waiting for? Send him in!”

The boy hesitated. She hated hesitation. “Mother, I don’t trust-”

“You don’t need to think, you do not need to understand, you just need to accomplish what I set before you. Do you understand that, at least?”

He nodded and rose, walking from the room without another word. She flicked a fan open and held it in front of her face. If only you were half as brilliant as your brother’s daughter. Were both of my sons useless? One incompetent, one a coward.

The door opened again, and she saw his eyes through the screen. Smoldering gold burning in the dark. He reeked of power and mana; it churned around him in a strange way that she couldn’t quite grasp. It was not the natural flow, but rather something he was bending to his will. So mysterious, so delightful, so handsome.

“Mimir, you came.”

Mimir was in a suit, his thick beard straightened and cleaned for the occasion. His usual mess of hair slicked back and combed. It was a good look, but he seemed uncomfortable in it. She didn’t mind; his shifting posture made her chuckle. He slipped his hands into his pockets and did not kneel when he reached the spot for an audience. “Jade-”

“Hui Lan, Mimir. No need to be so distant,” she purred.

His expression didn’t change but he did clear his throat a little. “You took my suggestion and ran with it,” he said. “I’m happy you understood my meaning, ma’am. But your man on the field moved too fast during the trial.”

“Yes, I’m aware,” she said dismissively. “You wished for something more delicate to undermine that woman’s connection with the Committee.”

“I need her in France in the near future,” Mimir said.

“That can be arranged, of course. Ahead of the election period, I assume?” she asked with amusement. He narrowed his eyes but nodded. “You’ve been following me.”

“Of course. I keep an eye on those I like, and I like you Mimir.”

“Did you have one of your men hand off a message to my plant in Dharan?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“What did it say?”

Her lips curled up into a smile. “To reach out to my granddaughter with fresh instructions from her doting grandmother. I do adore that girl, and I want to see her succeed. She’s spent far too much time alongside that woman. I don’t understand why she accepted the job to begin with.”

Mimir frowned, he looked puzzled. “I can’t explain that either, not without laying eyes on her.”

“I can make that arrangement, but don’t make me jealous, Mimir.”

He cocked an eyebrow and smiled. Oh, it was stunning. “I wouldn’t dare, Hui Lan. You said it yourself the day we met, we have been fated to know one another.”

She brought her fan up again and laughed. “Charmer.”

“I try,” he grunted.

“You know,” she said, flicking her fan closed. “If you really wanted to do away with ASTA’s connection to the Pandora Committee, you could just have Mint assassinated. She’s a normal human as far as I know. Barely anything worth fretting about. Do away with her and my company will swoop in and take ASTA’s place. I profit, you get what you want, and we arrange for someone to take over. I like Ma, but he can be a bit soft-hearted at times. I’ll replace him when the time’s right.”

Mimir didn’t speak for several moments. He just stared at her with those burning eyes that made her feel so exposed. The only man on this planet who could make her feel that way. When he spoke, the words were cold and hard. No amusement and no allowance for argument or contradiction. “Killing Carla Mint would bring ruin to you, your family, and China. A hellstorm unlike any you can possibly comprehend will befall you. The ruin will be swift and terrible and there will be no chance for appeal. This isn’t a threat, Hui Lan. This is a warning. Don’t touch that girl if you know what’s good for you. There are sleeping beasts you do not cross.”

She held his gaze, frowning a little before slowly nodding. “I see. I will not touch her, but we should make arrangements to have her vacate her position.”

He nodded. “If you can manage it. Focus on ASTA’s position in the world for now.”

He started to turn, but she pulled the screen aside. “Mimir, you aren’t leaving like that, are you?”

He stopped and looked back at her before reaching up to his tie. “Of course not.”

—

Mimir stepped out of the chamber and shook off the oily feeling that was coating his entire body. He needed a shower. He took a deep breath and turned to walk down the elaborately decorated hallway. I’m going to have to kill that woman soon, I think. She’ll become a liability if she gets too excited. I suspect obsession runs in her blood given what I’m hearing about Qilin. He rubbed his chin. I can’t let Chernovna put a leash on that woman; it would spell the end of everything. There must be a way to kill a fortune manipulator.

He sighed and kept walking, straightening his collar and tie as he passed one of the guards, who gave him a hard look before coughing once and covering his mouth.

“It’s cancer,” he said grimly and kept walking.

“H-huh?”

He stepped out onto the street, tugging the tie out of his hair and scratching out the irritating mess holding his beard in place. My hair is getting long. I let it go after Vegas. Addison’s been managing it for me, but... maybe it’s time for more than a trim, he thought and headed towards a spot to use his return mark when his phone rang. He brought it to his ear. “Major?”

“We’re in position, but you should hear this. There’s talk at the Dharan event that Rift is alive somehow. His ability would destroy us,” she said. “We need to look into it.”

Mimir scowled and turned into an alley, reaching for his collar and tugging it down. The mark on his neck began to glow, the spellwork connecting to the anchor point back at headquarters. With a flicker, he was looking out at the Mediterranean Sea and smelled fresh Italian air. He let his mind work through the possibilities, knowledge he had, and details he’d learned, coming together to form a fresh picture.

Rift’s body disappeared during the cleanup. I figured it was Otis, but I wasn’t certain as to why. The only person who could accomplish something like this…

“Craftsman. He and Otis have made contact. Up the schedule with the New York team and…” He closed his eyes, sighing. “Get my team ready for Operation Burned Maiden.”

She sighed as well. “On it.”