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The issue opens at House Dracus where Kalkin is greeting Lord Kax, who is there visiting. Kalkin asks if the food is not to Kax’s liking, and Kax assures him it’s fine – but the wine is magnificent – having come from House Margrav – his House. Kalkin responds, “Only the best for House Dracus… my house…” Then proceeds to pressure Kax about their meeting.
Kax explains that it’s been a year since House Dracus gained the untaxed route in the southlands, through Liam, and that while House Dracus has profited greatly from this, other Houses and merchants suffer, and the situation is becoming an impossible one. Kalkin asks if it’s a threat, and Kax assures him that it’s not – he’s merely asking for a break for House Margrav. At that moment a woman approaches and refills Kax’s mug and Kalkin calls for a toast, as he considers the idea – but Kax suddenly begins to choke and gasp as he realizes he’s been poisoned – and believes that Kalkin is behind it – but Kalkin looks just as surprised. He calls for the healers, but Kax’s men believe it’s a ploy – despite Kalkin’s shouting that he’s not responsible – and calls for the guards to seal all the doors and detain the servants – and the woman who had refilled Kax’s mug is seen fleeing down one of the hallways.
Nightwind catches up to the woman who then tries to attack Nightwind; but Nightwind is able to block it. The woman decides then to take her own life with poison and it’s discovered she’s from House Rhylym and Arvinae – the Arvinae being servants of Lord Severus who are assassins who specialize in venom and poisons as their methods of killing. Nightwind and several other Amita K’un discover the statue the assassin had been found at – moves and reveals the under-city – the subterranean network of workers moving about. Kalkin arrives and the Amita K’un warn him that the hostility that’s been building up against House Dracus is going to escalate now, because it will appear that either Kalkin assassinated Lord Kax, or at the very least, is incapable of protecting people.
Master Sun and Nightwind take the body of the assassin, and Master Sun explains they will take the body to Lord Namora – because Lord Severus is just a pawn in Lord Namora’s larger game. The assassin is then thrown into the gates of Lord Namora’s palace a few short days later. Those who conspired against Kalkin and House Dracus meet again, and Namora boasts about how he’d warned them all a year ago that this would happen – and if Kax, who was the most neutral of all the Lords, was seen as a threat – then clearly all the rest of them are as well – and that Kax was just a “message” being sent. They agree to take the oath – that they will all align with Namora but wonder what shall be done next – but that’s when Namora reveals Mara. Mara explains that he knows the ways beneath the city, and that with him, they can all exact their revenge on House Dracus and assure they’re not killed like Kax was. After the Lords leave, Severus approaches Namora about how Mara almost gave away how the assassin got to Kax, by revealing his knowledge of the ways beneath the city. Namora assures him to not be concerned, once Kalkin is taken care of, and Mara takes the throne; Mara himself will not be long on the throne of House Dracus.
We see that Kalkin held a special council to explain how he’d not been responsible for the death of Lord Kax, but none of the other merchant Lords seem to believe him. On the rooftops, The First approaches Nightwind and explains that tonight, during the Night of the Masques event, the Amita K’un will strike Lord Namora to get their revenge. She touches his face, and explains how fitting that is – they they hide everything behind their masks – including their feelings, indicating that perhaps she has an emotional attachment to the First that runs deeper than just being Amita K’un together.
Kalkin tells the Amita K’un that they can not fail; that they will split their attacks to force the Bloodguard to be split. When Kalkin returns to the throne room, his father, looking far more weathered than he ever has simply mutters, “Mara is here… I can feel it…” And Kalkin knows, that perhaps it was none other than his brother who told the assassin who killed Kax, how to move through the underground system.
Meanwhile, underground – the Amita K’un make their way through and see one of their own near the second entrance, named Heka. However, Heka has been slain by a garrote – and then the Amita K’un are ambushed by Doom Knights who serve Lord Ardak’s House Vharday, whose favored weapon and means of murder is the garrote. The Amita K’un realize this is a large set up – and that the Merchant Lords are working together – and quickly try to get back to the house – however, now find their path blocked by Shadowmen, who serve Lord Oberlon – and the men are bestial in nature, influenced by Change Lupus – better known as “the werewolf weed.”
The issue concludes with several of the Amita K’un telling Nightwind to go warn Kalkin – so she and a few others race off while the rest fight off the Shadowmen – but they don’t get far, as Nightwind comes right up to none other than the man she’d thought slain by Baal’s soldiers – Ashikaga, and with him is none other than the banished son, Mara.
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