“Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get in?” the woman shrieked into the man’s ear. He flinched at the high-pitched sound but immediately jerked his head around to see to whom the woman was speaking.

Rezkin continued to lounge, casually swirling the amber liquid in his glass. Once the man and woman were straightened out, he said, “Which question should I address first?”

“What?” came the startled reply. “I mean, get out of here! Guards!” she shouted.

The man finally shook himself from his surprise and pulled an overly long dagger from his pants. The dagger looked far too long to have fit comfortably in its hiding place, and Rezkin wondered how the man had accomplished such a feat. He tossed the thought aside for another time and said, “I do not believe your guards will hear you since the room is surrounded by a sound-proofing ward. Although, you should know that since it is your room.”

The woman huffed and took a step to turn toward the door. She stopped abruptly when a small dagger whisked past her shoulder and lodged in the doorframe. “You may, of course, continue to seek assistance, but you will not live long enough to accomplish the task if you do,” Rezkin stated calmly.

Turning back with a pale face, the woman repeated one of her earlier questions. “Who are you?”

Rezkin smirked and said, “I think you know the answer to that one.”

The man’s fist clenched tighter around his dagger, and he said, “The Raven.”

The intruder inclined his head and replied, “That is what they call me. I am pleased that my reputation precedes me. It makes this so much easier.”

“You want my guild,” the woman stated in challenge.

“Your guild is already mine,” Rezkin replied. “You just have not accepted it, yet.”

“What makes you think I’ll give it up so easily?” she countered, her face sour and her lips pursed.

“Oh, I know you will not. In fact, I know you intend to betray me when you think I have let down my guard.” The woman sucked in a quick breath, and the man groaned. Rezkin grinned knowing the only part of his face they could see was his mouth. “You should learn not to voice your intentions so loudly, especially when you intend to betray someone.”

The man looked a bit ill. His face was ashen, and he gulped repeatedly. The woman’s face burned with a pink flush that might have been attractive under different circumstances.

She shrugged and said, “What do you expect? It is my duty as guildmaster to look out for the interests of the guild.”

“Are you so certain it is in the guild’s best interests to defy me?” Rezkin asked, contempt thick and heavy in his voice.