CHAPTER HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX

  The man moved through the dark alleyways, pain filling every inch of his body as he stumbled along. His movements were slow and unsteady, like that of a wounded animal searching for shelter from the storm. He muttered curses under his breath, his mind consumed with the memory of the brutal betrayal he had suffered at the hands of his own brother.

  It had started out as a simple disagreement, a petty argument over territory that had quickly spiraled out of control. The man's brother had always been jealous of his power and influence, the man supposed, and now he saw an opportunity to strike. In a fit of rage, he had attacked his own flesh and blood, beating him mercilessly until he lay lifeless on the ground.