Asi’s eyebrows rose at my silence. Her gray Tabaxi fur glistened underneath the candlelit chandelier that hung above us.

“Do you understand the job, Phina?” she inquired, using a sharp claw to daintily itch under her pointed ear. The task was simple on the surface - to snatch an artifact from the grasp of a noble. Yet, despite the familiarity of the type of assignment, a seed of doubt casted a shadow over my unwavering loyalty, for the first time in the twenty years I have worked for The Buyer.

The noble in question was renowned for his charitable acts, his name synonymous with goodwill throughout the city. The idea of plundering from someone who had done so much good sat like a stone in my stomach. Maybe he was secretly evil?

“Yes, I understand.”

Obviously, voicing my doubts to Asi was out of the question. The Buyer's power was immense, their influence stretching far and wide. To question their orders or refuse a mission was to invite problems.

Asi’s gaze bore into mine, sharp and probing. "Is there something you're not telling me, Phina?" she asked, her words laced with accusation.

My heart pounded in my chest, but I forced a tight smile, my voice steady despite my unrest. "No, Asi. Everything's under control," I replied, hoping she couldn't see through my mask.

It wouldn’t be unheard of for a man of great notoriety to let the esteem go to his head. Maybe The Buyer knows of this happening to the noble and wants to avoid calamity?

"Wait, Asi," I began after a slight pause, my tone tentative, "do you... do you have any idea why The Buyer needs this artifact?"

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

I realized at that moment, I had never questioned The Buyer’s motives, even though that is what got me into heaps of trouble many years ago. The Buyer just seemed so genuine, so caring…

Asi's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a subtle shift in her demeanor. "Why do you ask, Phina?" she countered, her voice carefully neutral.

I hesitated, acutely aware of the suspicion in her eyes. "I was…just wondering," I replied, my words faltering.

Asi regarded me for a moment longer, her stare burned my skin. "The Buyer's reasons are their own," she said calmly, "We're not in the habit of questioning their judgment."

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Of course, Asi," I murmured, though the unease gnawing at me refused to be ignored. I rubbed a ruffle of my smooth dress between my fingers.

Asi's expression softened slightly, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. "I understand your curiosity, Phina," she said gently, her words a thinly veiled warning. "But some questions are best left unasked."

I nodded, forcing a tight smile to hide the turmoil roiling within me. "You're right, Asi," I replied, my voice steadier than I felt.

Asi returned my nod, though the wariness in her face lingered.

“What do you need me to procure?” She asked.

“A horse for travel,” I said softly. “I will determine what else I need when I get there.”

“Understood. I will have a horse from the stables delivered in the morning. Goodnight, Phina.”

“Goodnight, Asi.”

Before she disappeared into her sleeping quarters, she turned back to me, half of her body lost in the shadows.

"The Buyer has done nothing but take care of you, give you a home. They have given you no reason to doubt, correct?"

"I owe my life to The Buyer," I responded softly.

"As you should. Goodnight."