Bread trail

Freya was having a great morning. Her sleep was perfect. The food tasted great. All her plans, perfectly planned in secret, had been yielding the same result one after the other.

Her week was full of positive news. It was the closing phase, after all. The waning moon was in the sky the night before.

That night she spent in the arms of two beautiful young men.

Everything was going perfectly. She did not accept doubts or mistakes in her plans.

As her title symbolized, the "Silver Fox" was a greedy, cunning creature, but she knew how to live life.

And to live it was necessary to allow the death of her conscience. To let rationality dominate. Not to lose herself in desires, but to dominate them, just as she did with her clan.

That was why she had many servants.

To serve as her eyes and ears.

"Miss."

That was why she had people like her butler who had just entered. To serve as his hands.

'He didn't knock... Shit...'

A hand should always precede its owner with grace and agility.

If he was here... trouble would follow.

"Vicent... This time I'll let you in without knocking. I might even commend you for your boldness..."

"Mistress..."

"Vicent!" Freya raised her voice. A touch of melancholy spreading through her. "Tell me you messed up this time and go back. Take the world's troubles with you."

Their gazes met. His didn't shake, but her hand did. The one on the doorknob.

'Shit!' Freya felt like she should curse again.

Her butler didn't make mistakes.

"My lady. We have a problem, three guests, actually."

The beautiful woman was already standing up.

Adjusting her robe and tightening the tie at her waist, her newly awakened appearance became natural and elegant.

Almost like a quiet lady who had been taken out of bed too soon.

"I should have stayed away from that damn office...", like a good butler, Vincent followed her, closing his ears to the murmurs.

"Be quick."

"Nero and Alice. I don't recognize the third one." Freya took a moment to process the damage of the situation. She sighed and looked him in the eyes. "That's all," she couldn't hide the hatred in her tone. "I've notified the information network. They asked for ten minutes."

Knowing that anger was not for him, Vincent could not contain his sneer. He could almost hear his mistress' thoughts.

"In ten minutes I will serve their heads to my guests," there was no need. Alone in the hallway, she could not contain herself.

"I had hoped he would visit me someday, but... Hell. I didn't think it would be my last day."

Vincent swallowed hard. A haze of clarity and indulgence surrounded his mistress.

Almost as if she was already willing to accept what was to come.

"At least at night. Without the huntress by her side."

This time too, like a good butler, he would forget her murmurs.

...

..

.

As always, Nero's finger drummed fluidly on the table.

His emotions had been level since the moment he saw the first drop of blood that day.

The red seemed to calm his anger, and when the door opened he only saw an old acquaintance. Perhaps with a slightly more intense and glazed look, Nero hoped that Freya was not involved in this.

With the door opened by Vincent, Freya had the entire view of the room.

On the other side, flanked by two women with an imposing aura, Nero was sitting. His gaze frozen on hers left little room for greetings.

The two predators stared at each other. Intuition and instincts connected.

If there was a God that connected everyone, she saw it in those eyes. A child with a black scale, deciding the weight of everything she had built. Everything she was. All her pride, vanity and lust weighed down.

Nero's heart was on fire. He could have sent her down to hell, but he chose balance.

His face lifted, the shadows disappeared and a cordial smile grew on his lips.

Freya contemplated all of that for a moment.

'In the end, it worked out, somehow we now have a bond with both of them. Now I need to make it positive.'

Her greed was endless. A sincere smile blossomed pink. Apologies, mystery, charm and dignity.

Perhaps fear of seeing his world end there, but still a fair greeting.

With one blink and another, Nero made up his mind. As he imagined, there was no guilt.

A small part of him felt bad about it. Perhaps the part that wanted to create a bonfire with the bones of whoever touched what was his.

That wish didn't last long, but in that tiny moment. On the other side, Freya's imaginary scales cracked.

'Damn, he's angry... Those useless people. So much money spent on them and I don't know what's going on.'

"Freya..."

"Nero... It's always a pleasure to see you."

Nero nodded, he wasn't in the mood for formalities.

"You seem taken aback by my visit..." he pointed to the beautiful robe. If it were really a visit, perhaps he would enjoy the sight of the beautiful curves. But with his mind intact, surrounded by beautiful women and problems, all he could think about was getting rid of some of them, maybe all of them. "Forgive the inconvenience, but..."

He stopped in his tracks. When he saw a group of servants waiting at the door, Nero finally realized why he was there.

It wasn't to share breakfast.

Freya followed his gaze to the door. Vincent looked as worried as she did and was holding back the maids.

She raised her hand to dismiss them, but at that moment the chair moved.

Not flying toward her, as her worst fears dictated.

He simply sat up straight.

What they saw was a predator awakening, stretching every tendon, even those he wasn't using. All for a purpose.

Freya expected his expression to become stern, but instead, a cloud disappeared.

Even the two at his side had become queens and not pawns. An instinctive fear grew in the fox's heart.

"Come to think of it, I'm hungry," Nero looked at Vincent, and for some reason, the butler knew. The beautiful women moved. The table was full before his mistress took a chair. Nero was direct. "Leave aside the guard and formalities, Freya, I know you well enough, that's exactly why we're 'just' talking."

Like a scolded child, Freya sat down next to him. Close enough to smell her perfume and be overwhelmed by the gaze of the pair standing there.

A reaper and a... maid. Maybe to clean up the mess the first one made.

"Alright. Let's talk. I prefer it that way too, I have no idea why I received this visit."

"Your subordinates made a mistake."