The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne could not help but think it probably would not be that easy.

This kind of thing, straight out of a fantasy novel, had her utterly gobsmacked.

Telekinesis? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale.

But her shock didn’t last long. Vivienne was the type to believe that the world was full of wonders beyond the grasp of her imagination.

“So that’s how it is. Quite fascinating,” she mused.

As they spoke, their takeout arrived. Thus, the two of them chatted away while chowing down.

Vivienne crunched on a piece of crispy duck skin, saying, “I’ve heard that these ancient warrior lineages are usually hidden from the world. So why did the Martinez family decide to go public? And what about the Boyd family? Why were they kicked out of this secret society?”

Gnawing on a duck drumstick, Maddox replied, “A big part of why the Boyd family got the boot was their restlessness. They were too greedy, trying to use the power and prestige of the ancient warrior lineage to monopolize the market and control the economy. They even harassed the Martinez family, attempting to snatch away their arms-dealing rights. After their scheme was exposed, they decided to exile them and neutralize their special techniques so they could not pass them on and cause more trouble.

As for why our family and the Martinez family decided to go public…” Maddox belched, “Well, that’s a long story. You might’ve heard about that one family that crossed the lineage and then vanished overnight?”

Vivienne nodded. “I’ve heard rumors. How did they manage to offend the ancient warrior lineage? Does it have anything to do with the Perez or the Martinez families?”

“We’re all quite peaceable,” Maddox said, taking a swig of cola. “The family that got wiped out was also part of the lineage but more on the fringes. Their surname was Sheldon.”

Vivienne’s grip tightened.

Sheldon!

There was only one Sheldon that she knew of – Finnian!

whose real name was Ulysses

known that Finnian was part

“The Sheldon family’s forte was more mystical

Vivienne was certain Finnian was the last

knew the extent of Finnian’s

passed all of his skills on to her, even though she had not yet gained the

of them. He and the young Sheldon heir were close friends back in the day, though it’s

were the Sheldons hunted down when the Boyds were

the Sheldons were struck by divine retribution; others claim they miscalculated something crucial, leading to their demise. But

within the lineage. Not outright hostility, but the

picked up a duck foot and chewed thoughtfully. “Our family went public

were a whirlwind. “Why did he choose to go public? Was it because of the

must’ve weighed on him. He’s always valued loyalty, and the disappearance of his close friend could not have been easy to accept. The others in the lineage did not understand. My grandfather did not object, either.

inquired,

“What’s the difference between living in the open and staying hidden? Aren’t we all still serving the same purpose, still holding onto the title of the ancient warrior lineage? Why do all

eyes as he leaned in and said, “Vivienne, do you know why the gods

expression pensive, but she quickly grasped the meaning behind Maddox’s

like the deities enshrined within a cathedral to the common folk—revered

precisely why mentioning the ancient warrior lineage inspired

would inevitably lead to their assimilation by other prominent families,

immense power and wealth, they would not command

who would not revel

some from the ancient warrior

of privilege had convinced them of their superior

could obliterate an entire family without a second

from the other families when