never break the chain

Minrathous, 1970-something. Detective Neve Gallus stands on her third immaculate crime scene in two weeks, and while she doubts it will be the last, she wonders why it matters. Even a rookie MCPD beat cop knows better than to put effort into a Crow killing.

Why, then, do these murders have the department up in arms? Something smells fishy, and for once, it's not Hal's stand back in Dock Town.

Wealthy heiress Sophie Damas stews. The Crows that are cleaning house in Minrathous have taken out members of the Threads crime syndicate - her crime syndicate. While they were of... questionable allegiance, courtesy of a cult calling themselves the Venatori, getting high-ranking members murdered on her watch threatens her already shaky position as the Threads' new leader. And that simply will not stand.

She's getting to the bottom of this, no matter who she has to get over, under, or through.

A few miles outside of Minrathous, Lucanis and Illario Dellamorte make a hasty retreat back to Antiva. Circumstances prevent them from getting there through their usual channels - instead, the men find themselves in a dusty truck on an even dustier road, where Lucanis has to manage not only his cousin's worsening mood, but the dark voice of the Demon of Vyrantium, whispering in the back of his mind.

At this point? He'll take his chances with the demon.

And somewhere, an iron grip on a beaten and busted guitar case, Emeris 'Rook' Laidir puts out her thumb to hitch another ride. She's not yet sure where she's going, but anywhere is better than... whatever that was. Rivain first. Then... who knows? Maybe Par Vollen is lovely this time of year.

The one thing she does know, is that the two Antivan city-slickers pulling up in the old, yellow Chevy, are never going to know what hit them.