"Everything is in place, Brother," Stella Ashford said, her voice dropping into a register of sharp, jagged malice that matched the cold light in her eyes. She stood by the window of the luxury suite, watching the morning fog lift off the Riverbend skyline. She didn't look like a concerned sister; she looked like a predator scenting blood. "You need to focus on the seminar first. We need to make sure those internal injuries don't leave any permanent scars or lingering defects. Once Grand Master Whitfield has cleared you, then we deal with Serena."
She turned back to her brother, her silk dress rustling in the quiet room. "Don't worry. That entire pathetic family isn't going anywhere. They’re trapped in the city like rats in a maze. We own the exits, Simon. We own the air they breathe."
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