Earlier that day:

"Where is she, madam?" he asked dangerously to the woman who ran his property.

"I 'aven't seen her in months, I swears it, master," said the older woman, her eyes big and round. The cosmetics that were caked on her face made her appear older than she really was. It was a shame, she had been a beauty once. Nine years ago when he first met her, she had shown him into a world of vice. He blamed her for his carnal cravings.

"I suggest you find her. She had better be alive. I don't care so much about the bastard, but she must live."

"I've 'ad me best guards lookin' fer her!" said the woman.

"They aren't good enough!" he shouted and pounced on her, slamming her to the floor and smacking the plank right beside her head. "If you don't find her, I'll do to you what I did to the others... now do you want that, Camille?"

"N-no, m-master," she stuttered and nearly pissed herself, knowing he meant what he said. She knew exactly what happened to the missing courtesans... she had made the arrangements for some of the nosier girls to... disappear. She knew that Magnus Carrington IV was responsible for the disappearances of at least three young women in the last three months time.

"Find her, you old hag!" he yelled and jarred her, pulling her roughly to her feet. He knew he was cruel, for she loved him and would do anything for him. But he didn't love her, he hated her. It was her fault. All her fault.

The woman took off with a stumble, sobbing in fear and hurt for the words that had cut deep. He'd called her an old hag... he had never called her names before...