The Shadow Kingdom

Chapter 21 - The Enemy Of My Enemy

Another week goes by, and the Sirens continue to tolerate me. I've never cared to fit in with the in-crowd, and today, that hasn't changed. Isabella is the only one who bothers to be nice to me. I will never surpass or even match any of them at fighting skill; they've all been training for more years than I've been alive. But I do have my own strengths. When I'm not getting my ass kicked by Diana or using her brother for stress relief, I study.

The Consortium has a vast archive on the history of the Shadow Kingdom. All the information is superficial, the kind of thing one would find on Wikipedia, but it's better than nothing. I want to know everything I can about my foe.

House Ashcroft has thirty minor houses sworn to it. A particularly significant one is House Keller, which controls Switzerland. They run a thriving business in the supernatural banking industry. The entire Shadow Kingdom relies on them for money laundering, including House Ashcroft itself. Out of all the minor houses, House Keller is by far the wealthiest. And if they didn't have to pay protection money to their masters in London, they could be the richest in the world.

As Adrian said, everything in the Shadow Kingdom is motivated by the desire for power and wealth. The Kellers would be more interested in the latter. Given the numerous financial troubles plaguing House Ashcroft at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if they've borrowed a large sum of money from House Keller or are planning to. If House Keller were convinced that House Ashcroft would default on their debts, and a new queen emerges who is willing to lower their taxes, they would have no reason not to support her. And I have always been more republican than democrat.

"What are you reading?" I snap my laptop shut as Vanessa's voice interrupts my thoughts. "Something you don't want me to see?"

"What do you want Vanessa?" My undisguised sneer solidifies the antagonism between us.

She sits down on another sofa inside the great room. "You have no talent for combat. During the operation in New York City, you were nothing but dead weight, and the only reason you're even here right now is because you're Adrian Shang's latest mistress." Why do I even listen to this? I rise to leave in annoyance. "But you also have a mind for warfare and politics. You know when you are strong and when you are weak, when to advance and when to retreat. This is a valuable asset."

"I'm sorry, was that supposed to be a compliment?" I reply snidely.

Vanessa leans forward and stares pensively at the floor. "Twenty years ago, I was married. My husband's name was Isaac. I loved him just as much as you love Adrian." My vexation of Vanessa deadens as the story continues. "I was pregnant with our first child. We were living in Seattle at the time. Isaac and I both worked for Praesidium; we protected House Shang's businesses in the region. One day, House Ashcroft decided to move in. They knew we had over three hundred men in the city, so they brought in their big guns."

"Nathaniel." I whisper. She nods.

"Isaac and I were protecting a large amount of cash in our safe house, waiting to bring it to Shanghai. The Ashcrofts found the house. When I came home, I found Isaac dead on the ground and Nathaniel waiting for me. He wanted me to tell him where the money was hidden, and I told him I'd die before that ever happened.

"He stabbed me in the abdomen. I pretended to be dead, so he teleported out of the house, disappointed. I managed to call an ambulance, and after I got to the hospital they stabilized me long enough for Adrian to show up." Vanessa holds her stomach mournfully. "My baby died, protecting me from Nathaniel's attack."

"Augustus didn't bring this to the Consortium?"

"The Consortium is a sham. The major houses have been in a cold war for the last hundred years. The Ashcrofts attack us; we attack them back. You remember what happened in the Hudson River."

"I will never forget." My tone is unwaveringly grave.

"Since that day, I declared my own war against House Ashcroft and Nathaniel specifically." I understand what Isabella said now. Vanessa lost everything at the hands of my false family, much more than I did. "I know what you've been doing lately. You've been learning about them, trying to find a weakness that we can exploit. I want to know what you've found."

Adrian wasn't lying. The Ashcrofts are what unite us all in this house. "I have a plan. I want to meet with Verina Keller, matriarch of House Keller. If I can convince them that House Ashcroft is in danger of financial collapse, they might be willing to help us."

"Help us how?" Vanessa sounds very interested.

"In exchange for House Shang's protection and a discount on Adrian's blood, they would call in any of House Ashcroft's debts and refuse to lend any more money. House Ashcroft would be close to bankruptcy, and it's possible that they would surrender. Even cold wars have a winner and a loser."

Vanessa sits back and evaluates my plan. "You think Augustus is going to go for this?"

"It's worth a try."