The Patron: The Race Series, #6

By Joan De La Haye

Prepare for a high-stakes battle where power, betrayal, and survival intertwine in a deadly game of chess.

In the wake of Graf Heinrich Von Zimmer's father's assassination, his life and the future of his family's dynasty hang in the balance. A sinister force seeks to seize control of the chessboard of power, and Heinrich finds himself standing in their way. With the stakes higher than ever, he must navigate a treacherous landscape where every move could lead to annihilation.

"The Patron" plunges readers into the deadliest game of chess, where cunning and strategy are paramount. Heinrich is pitted against adversaries who stop at nothing to achieve their ambitions, and he must summon all his wit, intellect, and courage to outmanoeuvre them. As the board is set and the pieces move, alliances shift, and secrets unravel, pushing Heinrich to the brink of destruction.

Will Heinrich Von Zimmer rise to the challenge and outwit his opponents, or will he be swept away in a storm of political machinations and treachery? The ultimate test of his mettle awaits, and the consequences of failure are dire.

"The Patron" is a gripping and intricately plotted novella that will keep readers enthralled until the final move is made. Joan De La Haye's masterful storytelling immerses readers in a world of power struggles, moral dilemmas, and unexpected twists. Perfect for fans of suspenseful thrillers and political intrigue, "The Patron" delivers a thrilling narrative that will leave you guessing until the very end.

Join Graf Heinrich Von Zimmer on his perilous journey in "The Patron," where the fate of his family's dynasty and his own survival hangs in the balance. Prepare for a game where betrayal lurks around every corner and where the consequences of each move are irrevocable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joan De La Haye
• Release date: Jan 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386007845

Joan De La Haye

Joan De La Haye writes horror, dark fantasy and some very twisted thrillers. She invariably wakes up in the middle of the night because she's figured out yet another freaky way to mess with her already screwed-up characters. You can stalk Joan on her website: www.joandelahaye.com

Book preview

The Patron

The Race: Book 6

By

Joan De La Haye

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 by Joan De La Haye

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise).

www. joandelahaye.com

Cover art by Tallulah Lucy

1st Edition January 2019

Also by Joan De La Haye

Stand-Alone Books

Requiem in E Sharp

Fury

Oasis

Burning

The Diabolical Series

Shadows

The Veil

The Oubliette

The Eternally Cursed Chronicles

Bound by Betrayal

Short Story Collections

Sliced and Diced

Sliced and Diced 2

Sliced and Diced 3

The Race Series

The Race

Training Days

Besieged

Retribution

Consequence

Table of Contents

Title Page

Also by Joan De La Haye

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Be a Freaky Darling

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Shadows

Requiem in E Sharp

Fury

Oasis

Burning

Sliced and Diced

Sliced and Diced 2

Sliced and Diced 3

Bound by Betrayal

1

H

einrich landed with a bone-crushing thump. Once again, Abigail had thrown him across the training room, while Robert sat on a chair and chuckled. His so-called body-guard and trainer always seemed to enjoy watching the heir apparent getting his arse handed to him. Heinrich wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about having the mother of his child and life partner beating the crap out of him daily while the man responsible for protecting him got so much pleasure out of it. Not to mention the utter glee on Abigail’s face whenever she bested him in and out of the training room. Being a Runner gave her an unfair advantage. Even though he’d had the best training possible from masters of all the martial arts from the time he could walk, or the fact that he was the result of centuries of selective breeding, like all the children of members of The Organisation. She was still stronger, faster, and better in every possible way.

When she went for the swords, he got worried. Unlike Abigail, he wouldn’t be brought back to life if she skewered him. Once a Patron was dead, he stayed that way. Only Runners were allowed to be brought back unless their heads were entirely severed from their body.

Abigail may not have been a Runner anymore, but she still enjoyed some of the perks of the job as long as she was a member of his household. She was still one of the deadliest women he’d ever known. The only other woman he’d known more deadly than Abigail had been his mother. Unlike Abigail, his mother had been killed in the arena when he was a boy. Abigail, on the other hand, would never have to run in a Race again. She was an unbeaten champion and had won her freedom, much to his father’s disappointment.

Graf Erich Von Zimmer, Heinrich’s father, hadn’t been able to find a decent replacement for Abigail since her final victory. He’d picked up a new Runner at the last Race called Zelda, but she was nowhere near Abigail’s or his mother’s quality. Zelda’s previous owner hadn’t even negotiated to keep her. It was almost as though he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. His father felt that Doctor Mannheim could fix any of her issues and that Robert’s expert training would smooth over any of her rough edges. He also thought she would be more obedient than her predecessor. Heinrich, on the other hand, didn’t believe she’d win a Race anytime soon, if ever, which didn’t bode well for his father’s interests or the family’s dynasty. A Runner could make or break an empire.

Abigail waited for him to get back on his feet before she tossed a sword his way. He caught it by the hilt and prepared himself for the onslaught. He could see the bloodlust in her eyes. She always seemed to be more vicious when a Race was imminent.

Abigail’s victories and her few losses had usually been according to his father’s plans, but her final triumph had not been according to those designs. It had put the Graf at a severe disadvantage during a sensitive negotiation and in a foul temper. The only reason he hadn’t disposed of Abigail in a bloody and permanent fashion for her disobedience was that Heinrich had reminded his father that Abigail was not just any Runner. She was the mother of the future heir to the Von Zimmer dynasty. Heinrich had also informed him that Abigail had his full support and that if the Graf touched a single hair on her head, he would have to kill his own son too. His father had raged for some time but eventually saw reason, even if it did take a lot of schnapps. Henrich smiled at the memory of seeing his father that drunk. It had been a rare sight.

The next Race was in a week. It would be the first time in many years that Abigail wouldn’t be attending as a Runner but as an official Von Zimmer family member.

What are you smiling at? she asked as she struck a high guard position. The tip of her sword pointed at him.

"At you, mein Schatz,"