Far away from Dreadmoor Hollow, within the extravagant confines of the Dawncrest estate in Ashford City, Duke Cain Dawncrest was having a considerably less pleasant evening.
Everything on the exterior of his Manor looked as peaceful and orderly as one would expect from the residence of one of the kingdom's most influential Dukes.
Inside, however...
Cain Dawncrest was absolutely furious.
"Ten thousand gold!"
He sat within one of the manor's private studies, a room so extravagant that even many wealthy nobles would have considered it excessive.
Dark polished wood covered the walls; shelves filled with rare books and decorative artefacts lined one side of the chamber, while several expensive paintings depicting generations of Dawncrests hung above a roaring fireplace.
Cain leaned forward across the polished black table, his bloodshot eyes fixed upon the hooded man sitting opposite him.
"Five thousand upfront. The remaining five thousand after the job is done!"
