Chapter 139

• "Yeah, but she's my Mistress to ridicule, not yours." Despite the banter, Conrad beamed at him as if he were looking at a long lost son. He walked over to his desk and got a sealed scroll from a side drawer. "You know, I was grooming you for greatness. In a few years to a decade, once we'd turned you the right way, I was going to give you this and step quietly into the shadows to enjoy retirement." He let out a heavy sigh. "So much for pleasant dreams. Ever since Ashley brought you in, you've learned how to play the political and the military games. You know when to openly fight, you know when to hide in the shadows, and most importantly you know when a rival or a threat needs to be taken care of."
• "Yeah, well getting your ass smeared all over the floor of a cathedral will have that effect."
• "Indeed," Conrad said, walking back over to him and handing him the scroll. "That's why I think that you're the best one to have this."