by Will Molinar
Someone grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up. Jerrod was too stunned to fight back. “Sir! Are you alright?”
It was Marko, and the strong arms of his lead tough got Jerrod to a sitting position. Blood trickled down the side of his head as he sat up, and he put his hand there to stop his brains from spilling out.
“Yeah, fine,” he said and looked at Marko. The stocky man squatted down in the street and stared toward the alley.
“That guy that cut you ran off, sir. We sent some boys after them, but I don’t know. The man might get away, he was pretty fast.”
Jerrod let himself be helped up by Marko. This man was strong and loyal. Not like Zandor, traitorous swine. Jerrod was glad this happened. They had almost taken him down. Almost. That was on Zandor. Now that all their cards were on the table, Jerrod could go all in. It was better that way. No more skulking about. No more holding back.
Jerrod’s smile was grim as he made eye contact with Marko. “We got some more work to do, kid.”
“Yes sir!”
* * * * *
The desk was clean and organized. Several quills lay on the right, lined up ready for use. The inkpot was full. Papers, both used and empty, lay in two separate stacks. They’d given him a room in city hall, his own room, and Muldor doubted he would ever return to his old office near the docks.
There was no returning to what was past.
The Guild Master stood by the window and looked out at the street. He could almost see the shipping yards from his angle. The tallest mast of one of the new galleons, a warship being prepared for battle, poked out. The faint clack of hammers on nail and the dim shouting of working men echoed back.
They were almost finished. Soon, Sea Haven would have a worthy naval force that could challenge any comers, Janisberg or otherwise. Everyone on the council had agreed. It was time to put the past behind him and see this preparation through to the end.
The king might become involved. Cassius doubted it since the king’s own cousin Damour was now an integral part of the council. There was no need for a regent, for they had what they needed to manipulate the crown. That’s what Cassius told him, anyway. Muldor had no argument against the claim.
Whatever the cost, it was worth it to protect the men and women, the common workers and merchants who sold their goods at market, from the predications of the rest of the world. Now city and guild were one. There was no reason to fight it any longer. Whatever happened in the future, all of them would succeed or fail together. Their fates were intertwined.
The last words of Raul Parker came to him at that moment. “The city would burn,” he had said.
Months ago, Muldor would have scoffed at the idea. There were good people here, people worth saving, people worth fighting for.
As he watched the sun fade in the distance, heard the work continuing in the shipping yards, Muldor wasn’t sure he believed that anymore. Maybe they did deserve to burn, right down to the final bit of ash and to be blown away into the sea. This city was dirty and corrupt. The people were too, a product of their environment, sure, but apathetic to the point of absurdity. He wondered how long they could stand up against the tide that was coming.
-END
Begin book four, Rogues Gallery, now!
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Other Books by Will Molinar
* * * MURDER HAVEN SERIES* * *
Den of Thieves
Gallows Pole
Death’s Reckoning
Rogues Gallery
Lair of Killers
About The Author
Will Molinar was born in Indiana. After graduating from Indiana University in 1999 with a B.A. in English, Will moved to Los Angeles to write screenplays. During this time, he wrote and published seven Gothic Fantasy novels. He also met his wife and after they married, moved to New York City to pursue other goals, including recording a voice over demo and having their first child. The Murder Haven series combines his love for both the macabre and criminal genres.
Will served in the United States Army Reserve as a combat engineer and medic. He has also competed in natural bodybuilding contests and has worked as a personal trainer since 2003.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Three
