The Million-Dollar Heart

The Abernathy family's voices clashed like cymbals in a brass band gone rogue. Each member took turns stepping forward, yet not a single one was willing to really throw down. Vivienne's patience wore thin with the cacophony. With a slight raise of her hand, Matthew seized the opportunity during the family's chaotic shift in positions to charge forward. He grabbed one of them by the collar and hauled him over, his voice booming, "Keep it up, and I'll send this guy to meet his maker!"

"You... you can't!"

Nimue had thought they were cops here to crack the case. She didn't expect them to play so dirty, and Matthew's sudden burst of action left her speechless and stunned.

The remaining two, a pair of young bucks, froze in their tracks. Emrys, barely daring to breathe, stretched out a shaking finger toward Vivienne. "What in the world do you want?" Vivienne's eyes sparkled with scorn. "We're here to overturn the Littleton case."

"That's impossible!" Nimue shot back, her voice like a whip crack, "The Littletons, those harbingers of disaster, they got what they deserved! To even think of overturning the case, you're dreaming!" Percival interjected, "We're not asking for your permission."

"Wha-what?" Emrys gulped, his eyes meeting Vivienne's hawk-like fierce gaze, and he felt a chill run down his spine. He had a sinking feeling. Could they have found out his son wasn't dead? Vivienne's impatience flickered across her face as she casually cleaned her ear. "You have two choices: come with us back to Rivenwood and recant your testimony, or we take you by force. Whether you get hurt in the process isn't my concern. Think about it."

"How could the Littleton's remedies be anything but poison?" Nimue, despite the shiver Vivienne's icy gaze sent down her spine, stood her ground defiantly. "My son is dead because of them, and now you expect me to lie for a murderer? How much did the Littletons pay you to sell your soul and do such vile deeds?"

Vivienne let out a cold laugh. "Seems like you're not willing to come quietly."

Percival flicked his wrist, tapping his watch twice.

sprang from the shadows, and a pack of young guns

voice filled with disdain,

widened in disbelief as Emrys' presence swelled with defiance. "What kind of family sends their own to rot away in this backwater?" Vivienne didn't say a word. At the moment Emrys made his

ancient warrior lineage? Who sent you?" Emrys gasped after just one exchange with Vivienne, overwhelmed by the torrent of inner strength she possessed. At twenty, he wasn't even half as skilled as this

snorted. "You're not worthy of that

ruthless, every strike aimed at Emrys' vital

not trained in ancient martial arts, was no slouch in a

by years of rural living, stood no chance against their

attack, shouted,

"Damn it!"

he flew back like a leaf in

small vial from her pocket and handed it to Matthew. "Make them take this. Call

I won't reverse my testimony!" Nimue's shrill voice pierced the air, annoying Matthew to

called the Gut-Melter. Without the antidote every day, your insides will start to

go pale, Vivienne chuckled. "So save your energy,

here and keep

to leave Nimue behind.

The Abernathy estate.

Victoria and Harrison struck a deal,

the main hall, where they saw Gavin with two black ebony

as if the heavens had burst, and the boxes looked as though they had been unearthed from the mud, their yellow and black stains dripping onto

them — their shape, their aura — seemed