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.

shadows, and a pack of young guns

tall, his voice filled with disdain, "You

"What kind of family sends their own to rot away in this backwater?" Vivienne didn't say a word. At the

sent you?" Emrys gasped after just one exchange with Vivienne, overwhelmed by the torrent of inner strength she possessed.

snorted. "You're not worthy of that

became even more ruthless, every strike aimed at

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

years of rural living, stood no chance against their

the attack, shouted, "Now,

"Damn it!"

flew back like a leaf in

to Matthew. "Make them

shrill voice pierced the air,

ground. "This little pill is called the Gut-Melter. Without the antidote every day, your insides will start to rot, eaten away bit by bit until nothing's left but

Vivienne chuckled. "So save your energy,

here

to leave Nimue behind. "Mr.

The Abernathy estate.

struck

they saw Gavin with two black ebony boxes laid before

the rain poured down as if the heavens had burst, and the boxes looked as though

about them — their shape, their aura