Conrad Vox… I know that name. Where do I know that name from? I’ve never met him… I’d remember that… but I have definitely heard the name before.

  Damecus: “Now… in the cage.”

  Timothy crawled into the cage… he clearly hasn’t recovered from the choking that he received. Damecus picked up the keys and locked him in.

  Timothy: “Please… you can’t leave me here.”

  Damecus: “I have people to kill. I do not have time to escort you to the guardhouse. You can stay here until the knights come for you.”

  Timothy: “But what about my family? Without me they’ll have nothing.”

  Damecus started walking out of the room. He gestured for me to follow him, as he went to close the door he leaned in a spoke in a calm voice once more.

  Damecus: “Fear not for your family. Your wife may work in the gardens, the café is in need of waiting staff. The grounds are great for children. Regardless of whether you are executed or imprisoned, your family will have each other… and they will be safe.”

  With that, he closed the door and we made our way back upstairs with Greta and Mable. The two women followed us so meekly… what horrifies me the most is how much they remind me of Alexi. How much horror must they have endured to become like this? And will they ever recover from it? Alexi is still far from normal, and we’ve had him for over four years now.

  Damecus: “Sir Cleaves. It is safe to emerge now.”

  Chloe emerged from the other room looking highly irritated.

  Chloe: “What the fuck have you two been doing? I’ve been waiting up here for way too fucking long.”

  Damecus: “We rescued the girls, we got the information, you’re welcome, now I am going to kill Conrad Vox.”

  Damecus went to leave but Chloe blocked the doorway. She looks really pissed off now… her nostrils are full on flared.

  Chloe: “Are you insane? Do you have any idea what kind of man you’re dealing with?”

  Damecus: “I know exactly who he is. I met him at one of Chlamydia’s fund raisers. Awfully smug for such an insipid little man. He has money, but is not of noble birth, once he is dead, he will soon be forgotten.”

  Chloe: “And how exactly do you think somebody of his status acquired so much money?”

  Damecus gestured sarcastically at the room full of opium fiends and the poor young women that he had just rescued from the basement.

  Chloe: “Exactly! By exploiting people! By screwing people over! The prick has a criminal empire, but we’ve never been able to pin anything on him. What evidence do you have, exactly?”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Damecus: “The fat one named him.”

  Chloe: “And would he be willing to say this in court?”

  Damecus: “Doubtful… at least while Vox lives.”

  Chloe: “Damecus!”

  Damecus: “I am no fan of that weasel downstairs, but in telling us what he did, he put his family at risk. If we do not kill this man, then an innocent child will end up dead. Now move.”

  Chloe: “And what about the other one? You went down there with two of them!”

  I genuinely don’t think that I have ever seen Chloe this exasperated before. I’m not sure whether it is because she genuinely disagrees with Damecus’ approach, or because she is frustrated that being a knight forces her to be the voice of the law.

  Damecus: “The other one will not be interfering.”

  Chloe: “What did you do?”

  Damecus: “We tried it your way, it did not work. But the man is alive, as promised.”

  Chloe: “That wasn’t my way! I wanted to follow them. Any information gained when under duress is inadmissible.”

  Damecus: “In your court of law, yes. To me, no.”

  Chloe: “When under that kind of pressure, people will say anything to make it stop. How do you know he isn’t just naming the first crime lord that enters his head?”

  Damecus: “If this came from the tall one, then yes, I would question it. But the sweaty one… he is too much of a weasel to lie about this.”

  Chloe placed her head in her hand in an act of pure despair.

  Chloe: “Dwynfel, in what state are those two men in?”

  Dwynfel: “Umm…”

  Chloe: “Just say it…”

  Dwynfel: “They are both locked in the cages that we found the women in. They are both naked, as we gave their clothes to Greta and Mable. Timothy is in fine health. Andy has some facial injuries; I suspect a skull fracture… and… umm…”

  Chloe: “Just fucking say it…”

  Dwynfel: “…he’s been castrated.”

  Chloe took a deep breath and raised her head out of her hand. She just stared at Damecus… I can tell that she is conflicted. The woman that I used to go adventuring with would definitely have had Damecus’ attitude towards these men. I suspect that she still has that attitude… however, she clearly knows that she can’t openly have such opinions in her position.

  Chloe: “Is he bleeding out?”

  Dwynfel: “No… Damecus gave him a healing potion. He won’t die… but recovery isn’t imminent either.”

  Chloe: “Fuck’s sake. Listen here, you pair of absolute twats. I am going to take these poor women to the guardhouse and make sure that they are safe, then I will meet you at Vox’s residence with reinforcements. Do not go in without me! Do not do anything without me! The man has a fucking army in that house, and if that fuckwit downstairs’ family is truly at risk, then you are not to fuck this up. Do you understand?”

  I nervously nodded my head in obedience. Damecus just glared back at her.

  Damecus: “I fully understand. And do not worry, I promise that I will not… as you put it… fuck this up.”