Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

1 minute before Lucas killed Roan...

Baltos leaned against the window, his gaze fixed on Roan below, who was barking orders at the waiters like he owned the place. The sight of him strutting around in his expensive suit, acting as if he was untouchable, made Baltos's blood boil.

Zarina stood beside her brother, her expression hard and determined. She had been the one to hire the Shadow Reapers Mercenaries, a bold move considering the group's recent emergence in the market.

But she needed someone ruthless and untraceable, and the Shadow Reapers had a growing reputation for getting the job done—quietly and efficiently.

"…I hope it'll go well," Zarina said, her voice tinged with a mix of hope and anxiety. She hated the idea of needing help from mercenaries, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Baltos glanced at his sister, his brows furrowed in concern. "I'm sure it will. Even if they're new, they know how to handle their work. Roan won't see it coming."

Zarina nodded, but her fingers tapped nervously against the window frame.

"That's true, but… I think we provided too little compensation. What if they do things half-heartedly?" she worried aloud, her voice dropping to a whisper.

The thought of failure gnawed at her. She knew how dangerous Roan was and that a botched assassination attempt could make things worse.

Baltos placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "They agreed to the terms, didn't they? If they had an issue with the pay, they wouldn't have taken the job in the first place."

Zarina remained silent, her eyes still on Roan, who was now laughing and drinking with his associates. She had to believe that the Shadow Reapers would fulfill their end of the deal.

Roan's presence was a stain on everything her family stood for, and she wouldn't allow him to ruin the legacy of their godfather.

"If they don't deliver, I'll make sure they regret it," Baltos added, his tone darkening.

Zarina took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She knew her brother was right, but the uncertainty still lingered. She glanced at her watch. 8:29 P.M.

The time was almost up. All they could do now was wait and see if the mercenaries would prove themselves worthy of their reputation—or if Roan would continue to poison everything he touched.

"Let's just hope this ends tonight," Zarina said quietly, her eyes narrowing as she watched Roan raise his glass, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen.

Baltos nodded. "It will. One way or another."

They stood there in tense silence, their hopes pinned on the shadows that lurked beyond the mansion's walls.

"Also, don't worry that much. They are new and that's why we sent Mara to see their performance in this didn't we?"

Baltos add after moment of silence.

True, the did send Mara along to keep an eye on things, a safeguard to ensure the job was done right. Mara's presence was a silent threat, a reminder to the mercenaries that their performance was being evaluated.

The Shadow Reapers might be new, but they were not foolish enough to botch a contract under the watchful eyes of someone like Mara.

Zarina nodded at Baltos's reassurance, but her unease didn't fully fade. She looked back at Roan, feeling a mix of anger and anticipation.

This was more than just business for her—it was personal. Roan had made their lives a living hell, bullying their family, and tarnishing their godfather's legacy with every underhanded deal.

Tonight was about reclaiming their power and setting things right.

"Still, it's a big gamble," Zarina murmured, her gaze flickering between the clock and the window. "Mara's just there to observe, not intervene."

Baltos gave a slight shrug. "She doesn't need to intervene. She's there to make sure they follow through. .Besides, once Roan's out of the picture, we can deal with any loose ends." He smirked, his eyes cold and calculating. "This is just the beginning."

Zarina clenched her jaw, knowing her brother's ruthless streak was as sharp as ever.

She wanted to feel confident, to trust that everything would go according to plan, but there was always that nagging doubt—the what-ifs that lingered in the back of her mind.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it: a flicker of movement near the window, almost imperceptible, but enough to catch her attention.

The barrier shimmered slightly, like a ripple in a pond. Zarina stiffened, her breath catching in her throat. Something was happening.

Baltos noticed it too, his expression shifting to one of focused intensity. "It's starting," he said quietly, his grip tightening on the window ledge.

They watched as Roan continued to entertain his guests, completely oblivious. The faintest of distortions appeared on the glass, a subtle crack in the mana barrier that only those with keen eyes could spot.

And then, it happened.

Roan staggered, clutching his chest as the arrow struck true.

The laughter died in his throat, replaced by a gurgled gasp. Baltos and Zarina watched in stunned silence as Roan fell, the life draining from his eyes before he even hit the ground.

It was done. Roan was dead.

Zarina exhaled shakily, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. Baltos let out a low whistle, impressed despite himself. "Damn. They really pulled it off."

Zarina glanced at her brother, her expression still guarded but tinged with a hint of relief. "Yeah… they did."

For the first time in a long while, she allowed herself a small, satisfied smile.

Roan was gone, and with him, the weight that had hung over their family. It wasn't over—not by a long shot—but it was a start.

As chaos erupted in the garden below, Zarina and Baltos turned away from the window, disappearing back into the shadows of the mansion.

The night had gone exactly as planned, and now it was their turn to make the most of the new power vacuum.

"Let's get out of here," Baltos said, his voice steady and resolute. "We've got work to do."

Zarina nodded, casting one last glance at Roan's lifeless form. "Yeah. Let's finish this."

Together, they slipped away, leaving the echoes of the past behind them as they stepped into a future they were determined to control.