---Carson's POV---
The doors slammed harshly against the walls as I pushed past them, several servants jumping at the sound before they scurried out of my way. Heavy thumps sounded behind me as Mord'u followed, chuckling from deep within his chest. I glared at my right hand, whom only found it all the more amusing.

"One of these days, you'll end up gutting one of those rich bastards." Mord'u stated, his tone leaving no doubt that he was only partially joking. One of the guards raised a brow but quickly looked away when Mord'u widened his stance and looked him down. I was glad he had followed me into town though; as soon as I had ventured into the palace, I had been welcomed by Seamus and guided through his house.

The fat, greedy man was obviously trying to impress me with his wealth and position, making a show of flashing the rubies and sapphires that were encrusted into his countless rings.

I had been guided through lush gardens with enormous fountains, maids offering me the finest of foods and most expensive wines, lust and fear clerly visible in their eyes. All the while my ears were asaulted by the blabbering fat sheik as he went on and on about being an honest business man and that the thief was wrecking everything

Eventually my annoyance had gone through the roof and I had demanded to know our mission.

The sheik's ego deflated as he stuttered a few times before explaining that he didn't know who started the rumours, only that they were ruining his business. That accompanied by the theft of several highly important documents had clearly irked the annoying man into contacting me.

"I don't know what was more anoying, the fact that he was as demanding as a toddler or the pungent scent of his so called perfume." I sneered, glaring at the guards when they fumbled to open the gate to the city. Mord'u's deep chuckle rumbled through the dark hallway, bouncing off the walls and succeeding in making me relax.

The sunlight poured against the bright paints of the fresco's on the walls inside the sheik's house, a sharp contrast to the dull brown walls outside. Mord'u nodded, his eyes growing cold and calculating as he pointedly glanced back to the palace. "Its weird that there's such poverty under the commoners while the sheik himself isn't struggling at all."

I sneered, glaring at the highly decorated and high maintenance walls and lush gardens surrounding the pallace. "Wouldn't be surprised if we stumbled upon a collection of wild animals." Mord'u nodded his agreement with a disgruntled hum, dark eyes flickering over the walls before he glanced back at me.

"Let's get back to camp, figure out who is framing our client and what their motives are." I grumbled, stalking down the street. My shoulders sagged as every tense muscle slowly relaxed when I stepped further away from the corrupted city and closer to my trusted gang.

My heart slowly calmed down as I made my way through the camp, eyes scanning the surroundings and smiling as everything was perfectly in order. The tents were set up, horses settled at a make-shift stable with througs, water included.

I smiled and nodded as a few of my men walked in the camp, one of them I've sent out to spy on the city. His eyes wandered over the encampment, a frown on his face that forced me to stop.

Gale never frowned... he was the best spy in my group and could sneak into a party and mingle with the guest in such a way that nobody could recall him being there. I've only once seen him frown and that was when he almost, almost got caught.

"Gale?"

He flinched slightly, the tone of my voice meant business and he sighed deeply, dark brown eyes filled with both anoyance and worry. Giving his bottom lip one last worried bite, Gale sighed before shaking his head.

"There were plenty of rumors going around about Saemus and his schemes. They weren't from the source though but I have the feeling they're still here." I raised a brow at that, crossing my arms because Gale never made assumptions.

"And why do you think that?"

His hand moved in his pocket before retreiting with a sliver of paper stuck between his fingers. Wordlessly he handed it over, my frown deepening as I accepted and opened the small, folded note.

"You won't get the bounty you're looking for." I read aloud, small mutters of awe and shock going through my men as they gathered around. My slightly shocked gaze slid back to Gale, who was visually flustered but also... impressed.

"They slipped this in your pocket without you noticing? Damn they're good."

"Boss might be even willing to add a new member to the gang huh?

Ignoring all the brash comments, I focused on the meaning behind the note. Obviously, whoever we were after knew we were there before we had even gotten a clue to their identity.

Gale was still silently fuming, obviously annoyed with the fact that his target had managed to sneak up on him and place a note on his body without being detected. Usually it was the other way around.

My ears detected the faintest swish in the air before I froze, ears hurting from the shocked shouts and exclamations from the gang. The arrow that had flown right in between Gale and I was still shaking with a low thwump, the tip firmly imbedded in the wooden post.

Everyone quickly ducked for cover as I crouched, yanking the arrow from the post while scanning the surroundings. There weren't many places to hide but when I spotted no horse speeding away, I frowned slightly.

"Spread out, look for signs and be on your guard. Report back in five." I commanded while standing up, slowly uncurling my fist to take a closer look to the arrow.

It was sleek, dark with an owl feather at the end. So that's how it flew almost silently; the owl feather's natural build muted most of the sound anyways. As my fingers brushed over the weapon, I hummed and tugged at the rope that obviously didn't belong.

My respect for my unknown adversary grew as a note dropped in my palm before I dropped the arrow. Taking one last look at my surroundings, I unroled the note and focused my eyes on the elegant writing.

"Learn to know the hand that feeds you. Saemus isn't what he seems." I muttered before glancing at the city, a deep frown on my face as I passed the note to the others.

Mord'u stepped up beside me, his tall and muscular frame tensed as his eyes flitted over the horizon, as if waiting for the bite of an arrow. "What do you think boss?"

I scratched at my beard before sighing deeply. "Could be a trap."

"Could also be the truth." Mord'u added with a nod before leaning against one of the posts with a calm expression. "Its your call boss, but from what we've seemn from Saemus, something fishy is going on here and I don't like it one bit."

My mind agreed at that as I nodded before humming thoughtfully. "If it were an assassin hired to take us down, he would've went for the heart or head. Could've easily gotten me."

My body twitched at that, the reminder of the pain of an arrow slowly imbedding in skin sent goosebumps over my skin. Luckily it didn't happen again but it was best if we were on our guard.

Sounds of feet on the sand announced the returned men to camp, one of them holding out yet another note with a rather impressed expression. "Boss, I don't feel like killing this one at all. They would make a great addition to the group."

With a low growl I snatched the note from his fingers and glared at the same, elegant writing from our illusive prey.

"Saemus' wealth doesn't come from just the emrald trade. The Souq at the Northern walls, full moon tonight. Be stealthy and follow the lanterns."

I glared at the note before ordering my men to gather up and stand watch. The rest of the band was going to split up and check the souq out. But why would a market reveal Saemus' true nature to us?

---Nadir's POV---

My eyes gleamed in the darkness, a smile twisting my features as I spotted the mercenary band sneaking through the shadows. Finally a gang that used their brains and not just their braws.

Fingers brushed over cold stone as I slowly crept behind one of the Sheik's guards, a knife quickly slid over his bared throat and made him fall in eternal darkness. Guilt wasn't present as I left the man to die, no.

I was just Karma's tool to give these men their just reward.

Jumping down the ledge, I clung to my fingertips and scaled down the wall, landing quietly on the lush grass of the inner courtyard. Saemus was bound to come outside soon, already I could hear muffled cries and the ringing of chains.

My wrists ached from the ghost pain as I slowly rubbed on the scars, knowing all to well the feeling of shackles around your throat, wrists and ankles. A door opened and I watched silently as Saemos' righthand got out.

A cruel man under the name of Javier, chains in his hands as a cool smirk curled his lips in a sneer. He yanked at the chains, causing several people to stumble and fall, crying out as they felt the painful lash of a whip over their backs.

Eyes scanning the crowd, they slowly landed on the leader of the mercenary band, Carson, as he was hidden in the shadows. I couldn't see much from the man and I decided to ignore him as a loud, joyfull greeting sounded and announced the arival of my first master.

Saemus walked forwards with a wide grin, assessing Javier's catch of the month with a wide grin before they shook hands and money passed between their hands. My eyes switched between Saemus and Javier, hatred blooming in my chest for both of them.

When Javier turned, the dim light that trickled out from the opened doors caught a peculiar scar on his face that froze the breath in my lungs.

It was a scar that my father had given the leader of the slavers the day he took me. Javier, Saemus' right hand man and the provider of his unusual supply of goods, was the reason why I ended up as a slave in the first place.

I watched Saemus nod and get inside, his guards corraling the unwilling slaves into the home of their first master, where they would be trained and sold in the next week. As Javier knotted the bag of jewels to his belt, I glared.

The leftover slaves who didn't make it to be picked by Saemus were forced down the hole that led to the mines. I glared as men, women and children were forced underground and were told to mine for emralds in exchange for water, food and suplies before they were closed in.

As my hatered grew, so did my passion to make the first move. I've planned this over the years and now it was time to set everything into motion.

Starting with a certain slaver.