Cage and Elizabeth hurried back to Crimson Town. The streets had been empty for the last couple of days since the attack. Fear of the assassins lurking in the corners kept most people indoors, except for mercenaries and gang members.

  “Seems like a ghost town,” Cage said as they ran through the streets.

  “Always has been. Just easier to see it now,” Elizabeth responded, trying to catch her breath.

  “Can’t say you’re wrong. We have to make it to Town Hall. I’m sure everyone is there right now, especially since Radahn isn’t around. I wouldn’t be surprised if they think he’s dead or something,” Cage said as he approached Elizabeth. He grabbed her arms and helped her as she struggled.

  “I should know better than to run like that when I’m pregnant.” Elizabeth let out a big sigh as she held her back and used Cage’s arm to prop herself up.

  “We’re close by. Just a few more steps, baby,” Cage said as they walked the rest of the way to Town Hall.

  As they approached, Cage noticed two men at the entrance to Town Hall, stopping people from going inside.

  “We need food and water!” some of the townsfolk screamed. Their cries were answered with silence by the two men.

  “Aren’t those Viper’s men? What are they doing?!” Elizabeth exclaimed, her face frowning as she held her belly. She clenched her fist as they approached the door.

  “What are you two idiots doing? Town Hall is a safe place for everyone. Viper doesn’t hold any power over this section of Crimson Town!” she screamed at them, spitting as her words carried anger. Her face turned red, her fist clenching harder to the point that her nails carved into her skin and started bleeding.

  “RESPOND TO ME BEFORE MY HUSBAND THROWS BOTH OF YOU THROUGH THAT DOOR!” she screamed as Cage stood next to her. He said nothing. He knew to stay silent.

  “What’s with the commotion?” a female voice called from behind the doors.

  “It sounds like a cheap prostitute who thinks highly of herself is trying to get some attention,” the voice said again.

  “Open.” The voice carried a seductive and secure tone. The doors opened, revealing a familiar sight to Cage and Elizabeth.

  “Viper,” Elizabeth whispered.

  “Cage,” Viper said as she looked him up and down, her hands traveling across her body as she did. She laughed and turned her head toward Elizabeth. “And the bloodsucker that decided to stick to my man.”

  Elizabeth approached her and raised her hand, but the two men stepped in between.

  “Pfft,” Viper let out a slight laugh. “Always so eager.”

  She approached Cage. “And what brings you here?” she said as she circled both of them.

  “Stop acting stupid, Viper. You know this isn’t your territory. Why are you not letting the people in?” Cage responded as he approached Elizabeth. He pushed one of the men who had grabbed Elizabeth’s hand. The man fell down with one single push.

  “Fuck,” Viper responded as she saw what had happened, shivering as if her body had just experienced an orgasm. “God, I fucking miss you.”

  She looked back.

  “Fuck off, witch,” Elizabeth said.

  “He gave me a baby in fewer years being with me than the time spent with you. Know your place,” she said as she looked back, smiling.

  “Mmphm,” Viper responded.

  “Radahn isn’t here. He hasn’t been here for almost four days. He’s dead for all I care. That leaves his territory free for the taking.” She walked past Elizabeth and Cage, shaking her hips and walking slowly as if teasing them. She took a cigarette out and lit it.

  “See, that’s where you’re wrong. Radahn is still around, and we were sent here by him and the king to deliver a message to everyone,” Cage responded as he grabbed Elizabeth and opened the doors. The other guard stood still.

  “And why would I care?” Viper said.

  “Because all of Crimson Town and Ashenveil are soon to be a battlefield, one that the king foresaw will be lost. Any person who stays behind will be either killed or taken hostage by the king’s enemy,” Cage responded as he turned around. The anger on his face was evident.

  “Angry, I see. But there’s something else. You… you seem legitimately worried. That’s not normal…” Viper took a puff of smoke from her cigarette and threw it on the ground.

  “Alright, come. I’ll hear you out, just because I know you.” She waved her finger and winked at Cage.

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  “Please stop. My wife and the mother of my child is here, and I will not tolerate you disrespecting her anymore,” he said.

  “Ugh,” Viper responded. “You used to be fun.”

  She stomped on the cigarette on the ground. She started to walk toward Town Hall, touching the animal skins around the hall as she slowly struts.

  Elizabeth looked at Cage and kissed him.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  They both walked behind Viper as she passed through the entrance to Town Hall. In the center was a chair covered in the finest animal skins that could be found.

  Viper took a seat. She grabbed a glass and looked at one of her associates. The young man grabbed a bottle of wine and poured it into Viper’s glass, filling it to the top.

  “Now get out,” she said as she slowly brought the glass to her lips. She took a sip of the wine. A small drip slowly fell on her lips. Her tongue stuck out as she looked at Cage.

  “So theatrical,” said Elizabeth.

  “Very,” said Cage as both smiled at each other and laughed, as if acknowledging that her tricks were nothing but that, just tricks.

  “Cut the crap,” said Elizabeth. “Everyone here is in danger. We don’t have time for your childish games,” Elizabeth exclaimed as she took a seat, holding her stomach as Cage pulled the chair out for her.

  “Thank you, love,” she said as she smiled at Cage.

  “What’s with the chair? Bit much, isn’t it? It hasn’t even been two weeks since Radahn went missing, and you think yourself the owner of Crimson Town, when in reality you’re nothing but a succubus that somehow pulled the right strings,” said Elizabeth as she pushed her chair closer to the table.

  “Elizabeth, please. We aren’t here to make enemies,” Cage said as he took a seat next to her.

  “Good one. You almost made me feel something,” said Viper as she took another sip. “I guess you’d recognize what pulling strings looks like, traitor.”

  She looked at Elizabeth.

  “Traitor?” Elizabeth responded.

  “Oh, cut the fucking bullshit,” Viper responded as she smacked her drink on the table. “You left us. You left the association. You left your post. You left your sisters. You wanted a better life. You even took my man. So yes, you fucking traitor. What do you want? Speak before I have both of you executed.”

  Viper’s eyes watered, but her expression of anger never broke. Her face was visibly in anguish.

  “It’s been fifteen years. I moved on. I wanted a better life, and so did Cage. Move on, Viper. Stop lingering,” Elizabeth said as she relaxed her body on the seat, leaning back.

  “We grew up together. You should understand why I made the decisions I made,” Elizabeth said as she moved her chair.

  “I don’t understand. I’m not a quitter. I don’t give up, especially not on those I care for,” Viper said as she grabbed her drink again.

  “Why can’t you forgive me for that? It’s been such a long time, and you knew I always loved Cage. You just wanted to mess with me!” Elizabeth smacked her hands on the table as her tears flowed down.

  “My own sister, my own fucking sister, fucking the man I told her I loved just because you hated the idea of me leaving. Just because I didn’t want to continue giving my body to a random stranger every night, feeling the emptiness of the night as everyone rejoiced with their drinks while I sat in my room engulfed in my cries, in my sorrow. You know the exact pain I went through!”

  She dug her hands into the wood, her fingers scraping the finish off the table.

  “Because I was never enough of a sister for you to love. Because you left me,” said Viper as she turned her face to the side.

  “Now look at you, happy, with your man, your career, your safe home, and look at me.” Viper took another sip. Her empty glass dripped the last drop of wine as she searched for more.

  “AGH!” she screamed as she threw the bottle to the ground. “Bullshit! Why the fuck do you decide to come back now? I had it all!”

  Viper started to cry.

  “Did you?” said Cage as he looked at Viper and Elizabeth. “I think both of you are missing something, and we will all be missing something if we don’t come to an agreement.”

  Cage held Elizabeth and wiped her tears.

  An outburst and rush of air was felt in the room as the doors opened back up.

  “My lady, a large congregation of troops has been spotted on the horizon!” the young man Viper had dispatched earlier yelled as he opened the door. “There seems to be a huge amount of phoenix smoke coming from their direction too. They will be here in less than eight hours according to our scouts.”

  Elizabeth looked at Cage and at Viper. She cleared her throat and wiped her tears.

  “That must be them,” she said.

  “Yes. I guess they’ve arrived sooner than we expected,” Cage responded as he looked at the young man. He leaned back from Elizabeth and sat back down.

  “Listen, Viper. We aren’t here to play games. This is serious. Everyone that hasn’t evacuated is at risk of dying. That includes you,” he said as he grabbed a piece of paper.

  “Sign this and provide us with your support. The king has made me duke of New Crimson Town. He promised a clean slate for every criminal that helps in the war. This could be a turning point for all of us, not just for you, but for those that work for you. You said you care for your family, right? Then show us that you do.”

  Cage tossed the paper to Viper. She grabbed it as it slid on the table.

  “And what am I to win from helping you?” She opened the paper and started to read.

  “Just because you were a good fuck doesn’t mean I owe you shit, and even less so to you, so call me ‘sister,’” she said as her eyes scanned the document. She folded it and tossed it back to Cage.

  “A new start, a chance at living, and doing something for others for once,” Cage said as he grabbed the document.

  “Pfft. I’ve been doing something for others. That’s all I’ve done my whole life. What did that give me? A sister that left me, parents that abandoned me, a leader that beat me and offered me as a trade to his enemies. Don’t give me that shit.”

  She looked at Cage. Her eyes lowered as her demeanor changed. Her eyelids relaxed as she grabbed another cigarette.

  “I want half of Crimson Town,” she said as she smiled, lighting her cigarette.

  She took a puff and inhaled as her smile got wider. She stood up from her chair and walked slowly toward Cage and Elizabeth, her strut getting sassier, her excitement visibly showing in her clothing, especially around her chest.

  She leaned in front of Elizabeth and whispered to her,

  “I want your kid and my future kid to marry.”

  She crawled on the table, slowly turning her body around. She lay with her face up and laughed.

  Elizabeth stood up and smacked her face.

  “How dare you? Don’t include my family into this!” Elizabeth said as her face broke down.

  “Oh dear sister, your family has been included into this.”

  Viper lay down and grabbed another cigarette. She moved the cigarette around her fingers.

  “I want my own city, my own man, my own king, my own citizens, my own family, and you will agree, or else I walk.”

  She took another inhale from her cigarette.

  “I walk, and let every single soul in this godforsaken place taint the walls even redder. And it’ll be on your conscience, and your conscience alone. And don’t try any psychological shit with me. I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens to them if I can’t get what’s rightfully mine.”

  She turned her head around.

  The area of her face where Elizabeth hit her slowly turned red, but her smile got bigger and bigger.

  She lit her cigarette with the light from one of the candles on the table. She brought the cigarette to her lips and smiled as she looked at Cage.

  “So we don’t really have a lot of time to make decisions, do we now? What is it going to be?”

  She blew Cage a kiss filled with smoke.

  “You…” Cage's face swelling up, his eyes turning red, his breathing getting faster. He clenched his fist and brought his arm back.

  With one sudden sweep, he brought it down next to Viper’s head.

  His fist broke through the first layers of the wood and passed through the rest as he looked at her, then at Elizabeth, who was shocked. Her face was in dismay as tears rolled down.

  “Elizabeth, my dear,” he said as he brought his fist back. His hand was covered in blood, with wood sticking into the surface of his skin. He grabbed her and held her head close to him.

  “It’s okay, my love,” he said as he tried to slow his breathing.

  “Oh, what’s the matter? Are you okay, sister?” Viper said as she turned around and lay face down.

  “You shut your mouth,” said Cage as his teeth clenched, his tears rolling down his face and falling onto Elizabeth’s.

  “We agree, but with one condition,” said Elizabeth as she snapped back into herself, clearing her face and holding her belly. “The children will decide if they want to marry. It will be arranged, but if either of them decides they don’t want to, neither you nor I will stop it.”

  Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked at Cage.

  “I’m okay, baby. I promise,” she said as she held Cage’s hands.

  “That’s it?” Viper said as she stood back up. “Sounds like a plan. Now allow me to write the extras to the contract, and I’ll be more than happy to sign.”

  Viper grabbed the paper and a feather pen that was near Cage. Both Cage and Elizabeth held each other as she kept adding to the agreement.

  “And that’s that,” she said as she signed the paper.

  Cage looked down and questioned himself.

  “What have we done?”

  Viper raised her arm and opened her hand.

  “Shake on it,” she said.

  Cage looked at Elizabeth as if asking for confirmation of what they were about to do.

  Elizabeth leaned into his shoulder and whispered, “Trust me.”

  As if all the noise in his head had gone away, his demeanor changed back.

  He extended his hand and shook Viper’s hand with his bloody one.

  “Deal,” he said as he held Elizabeth’s head with his other hand.