Ian

  I was consulting with my headache when the phone rang. It took me two full groans and a grunt to pick myself out of my sagging office chair, grab the phone, and answer.

  “Spector.” The voice – so soft, and yet without a hint of kindness – went down my spine like a trickle of cold water, leaving steel clarity in its wake.

  “Lachlan! Hi, how are you doing?” Perky made me sound like a fool, but I needed a moment to let my pounding heart settle.

  “Quite well, thank you,” he answered smoothly, the courtesy perfectly measured. “What can you tell me?”

  How to play this? Gavin Othmar had been dead right when I spoke to him. The incursion of Nosa Costra mafiosi into Rindburg was bad news, and if it had anything to do with this case then I was better off cutting my losses. But Lachlan’s voice, his heels, the cruel promise of his fingers in the fishnet gloves he sometimes wore… And his money, of course.

  If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Taking my time over the words, I said, “A… friend… pointed out that dragon racing is mafia business if it’s anything. Nosa Costra types. They’ve been seen around Rindburg lately.”

  Lachlan held his tongue for a moment. “Would Castelloro work with them?”

  “I dunno,” I shrugged. “Used to be proper bad blood between our gangs and the mafia. That was a long time ago.”

  “I need to know if there’s a connection there, Spector. Find out what Nosa Costra are doing.”

  I took a deep breath. “That’s dangerous work, those southern guys don’t fuck around.”

  “You want hazard pay?” Ike’s tone made clear he wasn’t going to tolerate me being coy about it. “You’ll have it. I’m happy with your work so far, Spector. Keep me that way.”

  Hopefully the phone line went dead before Lachlan could hear the disgusting whimper I let out as he finished.

  Thursday: DNN2 - supplement (808 words)

  Friday: Phoebe - supplement (519 words) and DNN2 - supplement (287 words)

  Saturday: Petunia/Brynna - major update (1675 words)

  Sunday: Qualifying (3093 words) and DNN2 - supplement (285 words)

  articles from a sports website covering dragon racing, if you want a broader perspective on the lore, the world and the sport.

  Eighth race: Buildup starts 13th August, race day 18th August

  Ninth race: Buildup starts 19th August, race day 25th August

  Tenth race: Buildup starts 26th August, race day 1st September

  Mid-season break: 4th-8th September

  Eleventh race: Buildup starts 9th September, race day 15th September

  Twelfth race: Buildup starts 16th September, race day 22nd September

  Thirteenth race: Buildup starts 23rd September, race day 6th October

  Fourteenth race: Buildup starts 7th October, race day 13th October

  Fifteenth race: Buildup starts 14th October, race day 20th October

  Sixteenth race: Buildup starts 23rd October, race day 27th October

  Seventeenth race: Buildup starts 30th October, race day 10th November

  Final race: Buildup starts 11th November, race day tbd (likely 1st week in December)