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Rules of Justice (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 8)

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by Sarah Noffke




  Rules of Justice

  Exceptional S. Beaufont™ Book 8

  Sarah Noffke

  Michael Anderle

  This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright © 2020 LMBPN Publishing

  Cover by Mihaela Voicu http://www.mihaelavoicu.com/

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  A Michael Anderle Production

  LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact support@lmbpn.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  LMBPN Publishing

  PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

  Las Vegas, NV 89109

  First US Edition, August 2020

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-64971-130-4

  Print ISBN: 978-1-64971-131-1

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  Chapter 86

  Chapter 87

  Chapter 88

  Chapter 89

  Chapter 90

  Chapter 91

  Chapter 92

  Chapter 93

  Chapter 94

  Chapter 95

  Chapter 96

  Chapter 97

  Chapter 98

  Chapter 99

  Chapter 100

  Chapter 101

  Chapter 102

  Chapter 103

  Chapter 104

  Chapter 105

  Chapter 106

  Chapter 107

  Chapter 108

  Chapter 109

  Chapter 110

  Chapter 111

  Chapter 112

  Chapter 113

  Chapter 114

  Chapter 115

  Chapter 116

  Chapter 117

  Chapter 118

  Chapter 119

  Chapter 120

  Chapter 121

  Chapter 122

  Chapter 123

  Chapter 124

  Chapter 125

  Chapter 126

  Chapter 127

  Chapter 128

  Chapter 129

  Chapter 130

  Chapter 131

  Chapter 132

  Chapter 133

  Chapter 134

  Chapter 135

  Chapter 136

  Chapter 137

  Chapter 138

  Chapter 139

  Chapter 140

  Chapter 141

  Chapter 142

  Chapter 143

  Chapter 144

  Chapter 145

  Chapter 146

  Chapter 147

  Sarah’s Author Notes

  Michael’s Author Notes

  Acknowledgments

  Books By Sarah Noffke

  Check out Sarah Noffke’s YA Sci-fi Fantasy Series

  Books By Michael Anderle

  Connect with The Authors

  The Rules of Justice Team

  Thanks to the JIT Readers

  Angel LaVey

  Dave Hicks

  Deb Mader

  Diane L. Smith

  Dorothy Lloyd

  Heidi Bauer

  Jackey Hankard-Brodie

  Kerry Mortimer

  Paul Westman

  Peter Manis

  Veronica Stephan-Miller

  If we’ve missed anyone, please let us know!

  Editor

  The Skyhunter Editing Team

  For my first reader, Juergen.

  — Sarah

  To Family, Friends and

  Those Who Love

  to Read.

  May We All Enjoy Grace

  to Live the Life We Are

  Called.

  — Michael

  Chapter One

  The target skipped and sang down the cobbled road known as Roya Lane like an idiot rather than the grown man he was. King Rudolfus Sweetwater was notorious for being brainless, but watching him from the shadows, Nevin Gooseman saw firsthand how much of an imbecile he was.

  Abducting him shouldn’t be hard. Once Nevin had him in custody, then the dimwit would lead them to the Great Library, according to Lorenzo Rosario, a Councilor for the House of Fourteen. Lorenzo was a longtime resource who often gave Nevin the inside scoop on private matters.

  Currently, the Great Library was closed, but someone like King Rudolfus could gain entry. Nevin needed that if he was going to find a spell to remove the shield on the evil dragons. Then his military forces could take the beasts down, once and for all.

  No good came from allowing such awful creatures to prowl the Earth. The Dragon Elite was entirely too powerful. The mortal world didn’t need to be governed by a magical organization. Even as a magician, Nevin knew that. The magical world was policed by the House of Fourteen. The mortal one should be governed by its own—with the exception of Nevin, who could oversee matters from public office.

  Until Nevin could remove the shield from the evil dragons, he’d have to rely on other methods for discredi
ting the Dragon Elite. Several things were already in the works and would be such a blow to their reputation, Nevin was certain there would be no recovery for the dragonriders. Once the world saw how dangerous and lethal dragons were to mortals, they’d be begging him to get rid of the new population. His military forces were prepared to do just that.

  Currently, the goons he’d hired to grab King Rudolfus were hiding on the other side of the Crying Cat Bakery, waiting for the fae to cross their path. He was so much in his own world, this wasn’t going to be hard. If Nevin hadn’t preferred not to get his hands dirty, he could have just done it himself, but he wasn’t the muscle. He was always the brains, the instigator.

  King Rudolfus was almost to the narrow alleyway that ran along the shabby bakery run by two looney women. Nevin didn’t understand how such establishments were able to survive with their strange, eccentric style and disregard for orderly practices.

  It was rumored the bakers used illegal magical ingredients and indulged in other questionable activities. However, because they were associated with the Dragon Elite and people like King Rudolf, they got away with their crimes, which angered Nevin to no end. Once he had time, he’d go after the bakery. Things in his jurisdiction were run his way, and everything was under his authority.

  When the fae crossed the stretch of darkness by the alleyway, a pair of strong hands reached out and grabbed him. One covered King Rudolf’s mouth, and another went around his chest, restraining his arms.

  There would be no fighting the giant Nevin had hired. He was so much bigger and stronger than the puny fae.

  Still, King Rudolfus put up a fight, and a muffled scream echoed in the deserted alleyway as he kicked and tried to resist. The giant picked King Rudolfus up and held him against his chest, squeezing him so tightly that Nevin spied his face flush red.

  “Don’t kill him,” Nevin muttered into his earpiece, knowing the giant could hear him.

  The barbarian nodded at once and let up on King Rudolf. The giant backed into the darkness of the alleyway where an illegal portal had been created that emptied straight into Nevin’s secret headquarters. It was there he’d have the fae interrogated and find out how to get into the Great Library, and anything else of use the king might know. Nevin wasn’t holding out much hope there would be a lot of useful information. It was unlikely King Rudolfus knew much of anything, but if he got them into the Great Library, that would be enough.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, Nevin strode casually for the alleyway, intent on following the giant through the portal. He ducked into the dark passage just as the door to the Crying Cat Bakery swung open. A woman with short hair and a ruthless expression poked her head out.

  “Rudolf?” she barked, looking back and forth as Nevin watched from the shadows, his back cemented against the brick wall. “Where is that damn man? Always late.”

  She shook her head and pursed her lips. “I could have sworn I heard that crazy-ass man singing.”

  “I told you that you were losing your mind and hearing things again,” another woman called from inside.

  “No, I believe I heard you plain and clear when you said you robbed the sundry shop the other day,” the first woman said, still looking to the cobbled street like King Rudolfus Sweetwater was hiding somewhere and about to jump out and yell “Boo!”

  “See, that’s what I’m saying,” the woman inside the bakery argued. “You’re not hearing things right. I said that I wear a robe on Sunday.”

  “Really? Then why did I find a whole box of beef jerky and cigarettes in your sock drawer?”

  “Because you’re a snooper,” the woman answered. “Stay out of my stuff, or I’ll start lacing your food with hallucinogens.”

  “Again?” the woman in the doorway asked, quite seriously. “I’m not sure I mind that so much. The year you did that was really memorable. I made lots of friends and backpacked all over the world.”

  A laugh echoed from the bakery. “You never even left our basement.”

  The woman gave the alleyway one last look before abandoning her search. “Let me help you cut that dough. Remember it needs to be really dark in here. Let’s turn off all the lights. The faster you do it, the better.”

  Nevin shook his head at the absurdity of the two women as the door to the bakery shut. He really couldn’t understand how businesses like that were allowed to remain open. They wouldn’t be much longer. First, he had to plan the demise of the Dragon Elite. That was already going as planned with King Rudolfus in his custody.

  Smiling with satisfaction, Nevin Gooseman stepped through the portal to his secret headquarters, excited to start the next phase of his plan.

  Chapter Two

  Ainsley cleared her throat and shook her head. “No, let’s try this again.” She stuck her hands on her hips, giving Trin Currante a stern expression.

  Looking up at the tall cathedral style ceilings in the dining room of the Castle in the Gullington, Ainsley sang, “The rafters look quite nice today, Castle.”

  The cyborg, who was also the newly appointed housekeeper for the Castle, let out a long breath that was marked by electronic noises. Her training hadn’t been going as expected…well, as she’d expected. “The rafters look nice,” she said.

  The shapeshifter, who had traded her usual brown burlap dress for a yellow silk gown that hung off her shoulders, sighed. Ainsley didn’t look much like a housekeeper anymore. With the return of her memory, she’d taken on her former role as a diplomat for the Elfin Council. They were amazed to have her back and were waiting for her to be cured so she could leave the Gullington safely.

  “No, you’ve got to really mean it, or the Castle will know your heart isn’t in it,” Ainsley scolded.

  Trin, who looked like her usual self in all black clothes and covered in bits of metal, wires, and gears, grunted with frustration. “I just don’t get it. I figured as a housekeeper for the Castle that I’d sweep and mop and whatnot.”

  Ainsley laughed a high-pitched sound that made both Sophia and Wilder flinch. “Oh, you thought wrong. This isn’t like a normal castle, and it requires a lot more work than if it were. You might dust a bit here and there, and you’ll cook from time to time. If you’re doing the job right, then the Castle takes care of most of the work for you. Your job is mostly to make it feel good. It’s about caring for its soul.”

  Trin shot Sophia a look that said, “What in the hell have you gotten me into?”

  She slid down in her seat at the dining table, avoiding the cyborg’s gaze.

  “I still don’t understand.” Trin returned her attention to Ainsley. “The Castle is Quiet, the groundskeeper, right? Why can’t I just say nice things to him?”

  Evan laughed from his place at the table next to Wilder. “I tried doing that mate, and it only makes the grumpy gnome madder than hell. He’s a very strange little guy. Total masochist from everything I can tell.”

  Ainsley shook her head, ignoring the dragonrider. “Quiet is the Gullington, but the Castle is a very specific part of him. It’s like you doing crunches to strengthen your arms. It just doesn’t work. So, if you want to do the job right, you focus on the Castle. Focusing on Quiet is the wrong approach.”

  “That was a good analogy,” Wilder complimented, narrowing his gaze at the phone that Sophia had gotten for him. Watching the two-hundred-year-old dragonrider learn how to use modern technology was even more fun than watching Evan. Although the devices were intuitive, for the ancient, out-of-date riders, it was taking a lot of getting used to.

  “I don’t have to do crunches to maintain my six-pack abs,” Evan boasted.

  “Must be nice,” Trin muttered, looking overwhelmed.

  “Yeah, but for all his learning, he can’t fix stupid,” Ainsley teased, trotting off for the kitchen.

 

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