My mind worked through the implications of Kline"s task with her friend. It was a necessary step to maintain the delicate balance of power, to keep those who might interfere at bay. But it was also a message to Fennec, in a way—a demonstration of the amount of sway and power I truly held in this city and that I was willing to use it if necessary.
The larger game, the one I carefully orchestrated through the city with the precision of a tyrant, was changing. Now, with Fennec"s arrival, the rules were being rewritten. I had to adapt, to anticipate not just the moves of my adversaries, but also the whims of this infuriating woman. It was a challenge I hadn"t known I was seeking, but now that it was before me, I found myself invigorated by it.
I swiveled around to the window, looking out ove
