The fear itself was worse than the thing I feared, came Ryuu’s voice into her thoughts. She clung to those words and wrapped them around herself like armor—maybe fear would come sometimes, but she would face it when it did.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and she turned to see Tannis. She still had bandages wrapped around her stomach and she walked gingerly, but she would recover quickly enough.

“Ryuu got some of Kohl and Bautix’s money transferred to a new account for us,” she began slowly, wondering how Tannis would react. “It’s a lot. More than we need. I want to give some of it away.”

“To who?” Tannis asked, brushing a loose strand of blue hair behind her ear.

Aina shrugged. “To an orphanage, I was thinking. When I was a kid, there were only a couple around, and they were too full to take me. Maybe they could use the money to expand and take in more people.”

“That’s a good idea,” Tannis said. “And we won’t have to worry about the other bosses. I went to one of the other tradehouses this morning, told them how you fought Kohl and he ran, and now he’s cozying up to Bautix. Maybe Bautix used to grant Kohl certain protections in the city, but Kohl never extended those to the other tradehouses, so they’re not particularly happy with him for turning on us all. The boss I spoke to said there are a few Jackals left, but they’re hiding now. I assume Bautix and Kohl are with them, and that they’re all working together, but I need more information to be sure.”

“We’ll get to work tonight,” Aina said. “We need to spread the word as much as we can and recruit a few more people. Show that we’re strong without him. We need to look as united as possible or someone else will come to take over the Dom.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Tannis said in a cutting voice.

“We won’t,” Aina agreed. “I still want to stop Bautix and whatever new plans he might come up with, now that he’s got the Jackals working for him. But I’m going to find and kill Kohl too.”

She would hunt him down not only because of what he did to her, but for her parents, for Ryuu and his brother, and for anyone else he’d hurt. She couldn’t rid herself of the blood staining her past, but she could stop Kohl from gaining power and influence again.

No matter what happened next, she was grateful Tannis was on her side—no one else knew their business as well as the two of them, and no one else knew Kohl better either. They’d be a good team in whatever was to come. A bit of hope bloomed in her heart as she shook Tannis’s hand—like a door was opening, rife with possibilities inside. Like she might be able to trust people again.

“By the way,” she asked slowly, “if we’re going to work together as equals, you should know I sell rough diamonds on the side.”