Greta stands frozen in place until the last of the dinner guests have moved on to the dining room. The figure enters the room, no words are said, none are needed. Her life is at risk for the first time in centuries.
The figure is her master, she hasn’t seen or heard from him in 400 years, when he dispatched her to El’Hat with the mission to pervert and ruin the once happy and prosperous city. He, like Greta, hasn’t aged a day since they last spoke. He’s taller than average, his curly, reddish-orange hair frames his face along with his tightly cropped facial hair. His eyes are blue green. Prominent cheek bones and large brow give him a brutish look. He wears the same clothes as always. Worn denim pants and jacket, with a yellow shirt underneath.
The figure slowly walks around Greta inspecting her like she’s an object for sale. She can feel his gaze, it’s filthy, having his gaze pass over you is like being painted in grime. After two passes he seemed satisfied and stopped behind her.
“You’ve done well for yourself.”
Greta almost speaks, that statement could be a dig that she is too cozy in this life, or it could be a compliment. Whatever the meaning, it was not a question. She holds her tongue.
“And you’re more patient than the young witch I trained.”
That was a compliment, should she respond or remain silent. This is exactly what she does to the degenerates of this city, she knows the rules as well as anyone. Saying nothing, she slowly turns as if just noticing his presence and faces her old master.
He smiles. Greta doesn’t know if that’s a good or bad signal. She gambles again and produces a thin smile of her own.
“Confident too,” he looks her in the eyes and continues.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“I have a new task for you. Your work here is finished. You are to be out of the city before morning,” still looking her in the eyes. He leaves that last sentence hanging in the air, wanting to observe the micro expressions as they flash across her face.
He picks up four of them in this order, surprise, confusion, anger, then disappointment. That last expression isn’t micro.
“This is no punishment; you’ve done exceptional work here. But now something more important is about to happen and I can’t be everywhere. I need you back in the field fulfilling your calling.”
Disappointment aside, everything is an opportunity. “I have promises to fulfill and an estate to put in order. It will take more than week to do so.”
“The only unfulfilled promise you have is the one you made tonight to the Judges daughter. I’ve been watching you for more than a month and know exactly where you stand.”
“Yes, I need to arrange an accident for him and then take care of my home.”
“When I heard you agree to Emma’s terms, I took the liberty of killing the judge for you. He had a heart attack by the way. As for Lady Mirra’s home, we’ll let probate take care of that. Lady Louis Mirra of Island Del Sun dies tonight.”
She agreed to the girl’s request mere minutes ago, her master has many agents and capabilities beyond what she can fathom. If anyone could induce a heart attack to a random person in an unknown location it would be him. She needs information if she’s going to regain any control over her situation.
“How am I to be of service wandering aimlessly through the countryside?”
“You’d figure it out on your own, but I don’t want to waste any time,” he pauses unironically wasting time, “It’s the children. They are laughing, you’re not observing it here in the capital because you’ve kept the population afraid of each other and obsessed with personal pleasures. El’Hat has more unwed mothers, more homeless, more random violence than any city in the Cenoka’s. We need that spread to the countryside. You see, that’s where the children laugh, they are being born free and unburdened. If that keeps up, we could witness the return. My master doesn’t want that to happen yet.”
Greta is stunned by the amount he shared, if she’s done well, becomes more patient, and confident; her master has done the opposite. There was no hint of fear in his voice, but mentioning his master is something he has never done before and would not happen if he were not afraid of something.
Greta cocks her head to the side, “We will need a body, a woman’s body. A favor of equal weight, I’ll go have a word with Emma.”