Esmeralda smoothed her dress as she looked at herself in the full-sized mirror. She’d spent a small fortune on the outfit. It looked fabulous—just not on her.
Esmeralda was an Arzan woman of average height. She had light-blue skin and thin blue-green hair. She didn’t have the curves of womanhood yet and felt she would never have them. Her figure made the gorgeous black dress hang off her like a burlap sack.
Esmeralda would be lying if she said she wasn’t self-conscious, but she did her best to bury it. Blending in had its advantages in her line of work, after all.
Suddenly, a knock on her door pulled her away from her thoughts.
Esmeralda wasn’t expecting any visitors, so she warily approached the door to her flat. Before opening the peephole, she unfastened the sheath with a long dagger she affixed to the wall beside the door.
When Esmeralda finally opened the peephole, she saw the familiar bronze-colored scales of her friend, Paya.
She flung open the door, pulling Paya into a tight embrace.
“I know you were fiddling with that dagger you keep by the door,” Paya said with a chuckle, returning the embrace.
Esmeralda laughed at the comment. She held on to a hug for a moment before reluctantly letting go. Esmeralda looked closer at her friend and noticed Paya was in a light-blue puffy, frilly dress that looked out of place on the Grang.
“I don’t get to wear dresses very often,” Paya said. She must have noticed Esmeralda staring at her dress.
“It is very lovely,” Esmeralda commented before adding, “come in.”
Esmeralda ushered Paya inside, closing the door behind them. She turned to see her friend glide across the room with the grace of a dancer, each step revealing the curves of her body. Watching Paya, Esmeralda realized she’d judged too quickly. The dress wasn’t out of place on her—the Grang just defied the expectations of her race. Esmeralda should have known better; after all, Paya had never acted any differently than any other young woman.
“Paya, I am so happy to see you, but why are you here?” Esmeralda asked.
Paya turned around with another chuckle.
“You sure know how to welcome a guest,” Paya teased, resting her hands on her hips.
“I’d extinguish one of the suns to have you nearby, but we both just started assignments, and transfers don’t come easy,” Esmeralda said, her voice softening.
“Just so, but I hear there might be one for you,” Paya said.
Esmeralda felt her jaw swing open, and before she could say anything, Paya continued.
“Besides, do you think I would miss a party the Vestigare threw for my sister?”
Esmeralda smiled before asking, “What did you mean you heard there might be a transfer for me?”
“I don’t want to get your hopes up, but you are definitely on track to be promoted and to inherit more duties. All it takes is some accomplishments and a senior agent to see your potential,” Paya answered.
Esmeralda smiled as genuinely as she could at the news, but her mind raced at how this might affect her work for Balrik.
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That evening, Esmeralda and Paya arrived at a sprawling villa just outside of Xandelfi, owned by the Lordship. From what Esmeralda had heard, the Lordship only came here when he wanted to “rough it,” which struck her as absurd because his quaint villa was the size of a small hamlet.
From what Esmeralda had heard, the Lordship only came here when he wanted to “rough it,” though calling it that seemed absurd given his quaint villa was nearly as large as a hamlet and offered every luxury one could desire.
As they neared the gate, a Xandran guard clad in the Lordship’s colors emerged from the guardhouse and stepped forward, blocking their path.
“Names, please.”
“This is Agent Paya,” Esmeralda said, gesturing to her friend, “and I am Agent Esmeralda.”
A Nawahl agent, dressed in standard-issue leathers, followed the Xandran guard.
“Pardon us, agents,” the Nawahl said, looking over a long parchment.
“Ah, here you are. May I have your agent numbers, please?”
“Six-zero-zero-three,” Paya said.
The Nawahl nodded as he checked the parchment.
“Four-one-seven-zero,” Esmeralda said.
The Nawahl smiled.
“Welcome, agents, and congratulations, Agent Esmeralda,” the Nawahl said, signaling for the Xandran to open the gates.
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The Xandran guard hurried off, and moments later, the gates glided open with a quiet groan.
“Enjoy your evening, agents,” the Nawahl said, making a leg as they walked past him.
Paya let out a soft whistle as they entered the villa’s garden, their eyes drawn to marble statues of Xandran deities, scattered throughout a lush expanse of greenery.
They didn’t get to dally for long because out of the villa came Agent Giovanni to greet them. Giovanni's breath came in short, labored puffs, his plump cheeks flushed a deep red.
“Agent Esmeralda, I wanted to thank you before the festivities began,” Giovanni said, smiling like a child receiving the last piece of cake.
“You were instrumental in any success I had, agent. It is I that should be thanking you,” Esmeralda replied.
“You’re far too kind, Agent Esmeralda, but it is because of your actions that so many powerful individuals have gathered tonight. Speaking of which, we shouldn’t keep them waiting for the guest of honor, shall we?”
Giovanni gestured toward the villa, and Esmeralda nodded for her response. The Ramon agent led them to a large hall decorated with fine paintings and more sculptures, and from the ceiling hung a large chandelier that sparkled with various gemstones. Esmeralda heard the Lordship loved his chandeliers.
Esmeralda finally tore her gaze from the artwork, only to be struck by how packed the hall was—agents and prominent figures crowded every corner, filling the space with a low hum of conversation.
“I guess it is true that agents never turn down free food and drink,” Paya whispered as if she also was surprised by the number of agents in attendance.
“There she is,” a familiar voice Esmeralda couldn’t put a face to said behind her.
Esmeralda turned and found herself face to face with the source of the familiar voice—Agent Wali, his usual warm smile already in place. The kindly Arzan agent was accompanied by Agent Rowlin and tall, older Grang with brilliant green scales that reminded Esmeralda of fresh moss.
“Could we have a word before the festivities begin?” Agent Wali asked.
Esmeralda nodded to her two companions, and they left without a word.
“You already know Agent Rowlin, and this is Agent Aon,” Agent Wali said, gesturing to Agent Rowlin and the Grang.
Esmeralda stopped herself from gaping at Agent Aon. Balrik used to tell her stories of Aon, describing him as a relentless thorn in his side, a man obsessed with single-minded pursuit. Balrik also used Agent Aon to get Esmeralda to study or do chores. She never thought she would encounter her childhood boogie man at a Vestigare function.
“Well met, Agent Aon. It is an honor to have a chance to speak with a legendary agent such as yourself,” Esmeralda said before her pause became awkward.
Agent Aon let out a low chuckle, his dark, beady eyes fixed on her, an unreadable expression crossing his face before he spoke.
“I am afraid my career will be remembered as the fool who chased legendary shadows, but your manners are impeccable.”
“Your actions have made you a valuable agent in a short time. You have impressed Agent Rowlin, and Agent Aon is in need of a capable assistant, so we have decided to promote you to a full field agent and assign you to Agent Aon starting immediately,” Agent Wali added, smiling like a proud uncle.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to debrief my assistant before this crowd takes all of her attention,” Agent Aon added, wasting no time establishing his position in their new relationship.
“Of course, Agent Aon. I shall speak to both of you later,” Agent Wali said before he and Agent Rowlin took their leave.
Agent Aon waited until the two senior agents were of earshot before speaking.
“Great. If you didn’t know, I’ve been hunting a rogue agent named Balrik for most of my career. I’ve chased him so long that the younger agents think he’s a myth. I’ve faced doubt, ridicule—but I never stopped. I’ve been close before, but now, Agent Esmeralda, I’m closer than ever. This time, I’m two steps ahead. I know his plans, and with your help, we’ll finally catch him.”
Esmeralda’s head spun. She couldn’t find the words, so she simply nodded.
Aon continued, laying out Balrik’s scheme in chilling detail. It was audacious, ambitious—exactly the kind of masterstroke she had come to expect from her father.
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Agent Aon gave Esmeralda fifteen days of leave. She didn’t realize how much she needed the distraction from her life and spent the days relaxing in the only way she knew—losing herself in drink. Days blurred together, each one starting and ending in a haze until she barely remembered the number. By the time she stumbled into her flat, the days had blurred so completely, she no longer knew which one it was.
“Still celebrating, are we?” came a voice from the shadows—one she immediately recognized as her father’s.
Esmeralda spun, her mind racing, wondering if the alcohol had finally driven her mad. But no, there he stood—Balrik, in the flesh.
Esmeralda collapsed to her knees, sobs breaking free. Balrik remained still, arms crossed, head tilted, watching her with a detached curiosity.
“I’m sorry… I failed,” Esmeralda choked between sobs.
“What happened?” Balrik asked.
“I couldn’t kill Sebastian Blanko. He escaped.”
Balrik chuckled, the sound low and dismissive.
“Well, you stopped his operations. Him being alive is but a minor nuisance. What interests me now are the rewards for your valor.”
Esmeralda felt a wave of relief wash over her, grateful that Balrik wasn’t angry. Still, the shift in the conversation left her confused.
“Tell me what happened at the event the Vestigare threw for you.”
Esmeralda was never sure how much Balrik truly knew, but she had long learned it was exactly how he preferred it.
“I’ve been promoted,” Esmeralda began, her voice faltering as she braced for his reaction to what she had to say next.
“I’ve been reassigned… to Agent Aon,” she hesitated, her voice barely more than a whisper. “And the target is you.”
Balrik’s gaze bored into her, cold and calculating as he mulled over what she had just told him. The silence stretched, pressing down on Esmeralda until she shifted under its weight, her mind scrambling for a way to break it. However, before she could speak, Balrik laughed, melting the tension as if it had never existed.
“Brilliant! I couldn’t have planned this better myself,” Balrik said between laughs. “You’ll keep him chasing his own tail while I carry out my plan. I’ll show you how to reach me later. For now, just keep him satisfied with your excellent work performance.”
“When you say plan, do you mean your plan to steal a dragon egg?” Esmeralda asked, her words wiping away any trace of Balrik’s good humor.
His eyes darkened, and his tone turned sharp. “How did you know about that?”
“I learned about it from Agent Aon. He claims to have a mole in your ranks,” Esmeralda explained.
Balrik’s good mood returned in an instant.
“How many have I eliminated now? Five? Six?” he asked rhetorically, a grin forming.
“They call me insane, yet here is Agent Aon, using the same tactics over and over again, expecting different results. Isn’t that the very definition of insanity?” Balrik chuckled, shaking his head.
“If there is a mole, I’ll find them. I always do.”
With those words, Balrik vanished, leaving only the echo of his footsteps and the sharp sound of the door closing behind him.