Story of Kings

Chapter 1

Moving the last crate into place, Kane stood back to inspect his work, sweat drenching his white cotton shirt and only kept from his eyes by the bandana sashed around his crown. Quickly double counting the crates, checking to ensure they were stacked properly, the tall man only nodded to himself finding a job well done. He had started at first light and the job was supposed to have taken him two days or two men a single day, but Kane had gotten the job done alone by noon via a combination of intense work ethic, a lack of breaks, and his obscene strength. Filled out as he was, no one would doubt a man who loomed over almost everyone else would have the strength to do it so Kane didn't mind pushing himself a little to save on time.

Walking to the front end of the warehouse, Kane made his way to the main offices where he could expect to find his employer, and his pay. Sensing the tense mood within, he rasped softly on the door and patiently waited over interrupting whatever was going on. He didn't mind the wait, taking the small reprieve to cool down. He doubted it would do anything for the odor of sweat that must have permeated his being but he doubted his employer would mind. The man would be used to hard labor, after all.

Suddenly the office door flew open with his employer for the day, Allen Parker, almost racing past, flushed in the face with the beginning of a snarl pursed on his lips. The man didn't even notice Kane as he strode out and onto the street from the front entrance while straightening out the wrinkles in his tailored silk doublet, Kane only watching him go with a brow raised before peering into the office. A woman was there, also watching him go with a scowl on her face. She was a beautiful woman, if not a little exposed. Her corset exemplified her womanly form in conjunction with her fashionable dress. Kane did what he could to ignore the scent of the two of them.

Sensing his attention, the woman's gaze swapped to him. She inclined her head. "You must be Kane, my husband mentioned hiring some temporary hands in the warehouse. You need something?"

"My pay," Kane said simply. Upon seeing her dubious look, Kane expanded his statement. "I finished the job your husband gave to me, and I am to be paid upon completion."

"Should've taken a man two days to do it alone," she said with a furrowed brow, but after a quick perusal of Kane, she took a more hungry expression. In that moment Kane was reminded that his sweat drenched shirt disclosed all details, from his well defined and muscular form and including a jagged scar that ran from the base of his neck on his left side, over his heart and down to the start of his ribcage. "Guess I can see how you got it done in one, though. Zuan knows with his angels you'd be crazy to lie. Come on in and I'll get you sorted out."

Kane nodded and followed her into the small space. It was just large enough for a single person to walk on either side of the desk that dominated the space with the back wall being devoted to shelving that was no doubt reserved for the records for the warehouse. While these people were undoubtedly well off, they certainly had to make due with the space available. In a compact city like Volissa, open space was pure waste.

"So, Kane was it?" The woman asked, drawing the man's attention back in. Kane nodded in answer but said nothing, earning him a smirk. "And do you come with a last name?"

"Just Kane will suffice," Kane said.

"A vagabond, then?" She said with a sultry smile as she appraised him again.

"I have a home in the city," Kane said. "I'm afraid I haven't caught your own name." He mentioned with the same, flat tone that was his norm but the woman gave him another sultry look at his inquiry.

"Kamrie," she said. "Kamrie Parker." She was blatantly staring at him and Kane had to resist an audible groan, he was beginning to understand what the Parker's had been fighting about.