AidenThe estate still smelled new. As it should, I did just buy the damn thing. I am well aware that my position as a Duke's son allows me some flexibility in where I spend my time and money. With all of the craziness going on that seemed to be specifically targeting the Dominion of Vera, I wouldn't exactly call the purchase frivolous.Still, I'm glad I opted for one of the more sizable plots on the outside of Eastridge rather than one of the more grand villas or estates in Caelvaris. It's almost the definition of an east-west divide, and I much prefer the hustle and bustle of the Eastern District and Eastridge to the haughty perceived superiority of Caelvaris and the annoying frivolity and exclusivity of the Western Cliffs.Rich people sure could be annoying sometimes, and I say that knowing fully well that I am one of those rich people.The house itself was a little more secluded, set in one of the heavily wooded areas north of the city that kind of bled over into the preserve. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where the property line actually goes. All I know is that I've got my own private road, and it sits on the upper end of a budget on this side, where most of the population that isn't rich or well-connected lives. I much prefer it that way.I stood in the study with one hand resting against the desk, the woods beyond my property stretching past the glass in ordered lines of natural barrier.I wasn't exactly enjoying the view at this particular point. The news had already caught my attention.Death and Destruction on the Western Cliffs: who attacked one of the most exclusive estates on the Western Cliffs?The worded descriptions were bad. The imaging from the projections was even worse.Response teams moved through what remained of the estate, their formations holding even as the structure around them failed to offer anything useful in return. The damage told a story of violence and (...)