Hamp Street was eerily quiet from the entrance. The alleys seemed ghostly, as though specters might emerge at any moment. The once-bustling street, teeming with nighttime revelers, was now abandoned, left to silence and shadows.

The Baroness of Halo must be far more ruthless than she appears.

Susan scowled. That vile woman had her claws in her daughter, practically sealing off any chance of a suitable marriage. Everything about her grated on Susan’s nerves.

At last, she stopped in front of a tavern—the only building on Hamp Street with its lights still on.

Creak.

As she pushed the door open, every man inside turned to look at her. They were all burly, each holding a mug of alcohol in their oversized hands.

“…”