Chapter Three
Slowly, Vara turned around. “Me?” she repeated. “The master wants to see me?”
Leo nodded.
“Me specifically? Like, he asked for me?”
“Yes, and we all know how he doesn't like to wait."
The blood drained from her face. “Oh shit.”
“Run along, Vara.”
“Yeah…” She felt like she was in a daze. Yes, she had been thinking about talking to the master just a few minutes ago, but being personally summoned meant you’d been on the master’s mind. It was like being the gazelle the lion fancied for dinner; the chances of survival were the same.
Not good.
She wandered down the corridor, thinking about why the master wanted to see her. Was this it? Thirteen years of serving the master and he had tired of her? Oh, hell. No one could walk out of the Black Dragons. Not unless your ‘better life’ was taking a dirt nap.
If he’d just given her one big chance at something more… Sure, taking the business to other countries was a challenge, but there was nothing else Vara would love to tackle. But that chance had been given to Rick, Sven, and Kieran. Who had, of course, messed it up.
The door appeared right in front of her. Had the corridor really been that short before? Or had time sped up because something unpleasant was waiting for her? Suddenly her numbered days were eager to disappear. Traitors.
Ah, hell. She needed to get a grip. God, she was acting like such a whiny, weak bitch. Just get it over with, she thought. You’re invaluable to the master, so he ain’t gonna cap your ass right now. She would just leave the mansion later tonight and make a go at living independently. Which was somehow a scarier thought than the master shoving a gun barrel between her eyes.
She cleared her throat, and mind, before she lifted her hand to knock on the door.
“Come in, Vara.”
Her gaze shot around the door, walls, and ceiling, looking for a CCTV camera or something that would ease her pounding heart. How did he know-
“Vara, please do not waste my time.”
Right. Never mind. She would look later. First she had to go and get executed.
She pushed open the door.
Now most people would think that the evil genius’ digs would be dark walls, black chairs, and the odd skull or two. The master broke the mould with his bright and cheery room. Hell, he even had the odd country-scene painting framed on a wall. The potted plant he kept next to his tidy desk seemed as happy as an alcoholic behind a bar. With the amount of watering it received, Vara wasn’t surprised. The sunlight pouring in from the huge window on the master’s right, which took up most of the wall, no doubt helped, too.
Vara dragged her gaze across the room, searching for Sven, or Rick, or Kieran. Had they sneaked in somehow before Vara had arrived outside the master’s door? If they had, not only did they have a lot to discuss, but they were absolutely fabulous at playing hide-and-seek. They weren’t by the bookshelf on either side of the door. Nor did they stand by the window. Or on the sofa facing the master’s desk. The master’s office was laid out like a psychiatrist’s room. Which was ironic, considering the amount of mind games the master played. All Black Dragon members needed an appointment at some stage after he was through with them.
“They are not here.”
Vara stared right at master’s pleasant face, all brown eyes and crow’s-feet. Sure, he looked like any other middle-aged man, but in all the thirteen years Vara had known him, he hadn’t aged a day. Some anti-aging cream he had.
“Come and sit, Vara.” He waved a hand at the cream-coloured sofa in front of him, before putting down the papers he held in his hands.
Very cautiously, Vara stepped forwards, towards his desk. The leaves of the potted plant nodded at her, disturbed the faint gust of wind she brought with her advance. “I’ll stand, thanks, master.”
“No, I insist you sit. Tragic news has reached me concerning the party send out to Africa.” His brown eyes were as hard as the sun-baked soil of that continent as they stared at her. Sit, they said, or I will make you sit.
Vara glanced behind her, checking the position of the sofa, before she sunk down on the soft leather. Then she looked expectantly at the master, waiting for him to go on.
“Before I continue, may I say that I am most shocked at how you view our relationship, Vara.” He drew out her name with a wolfish smile, making shivers dance down her spine. “I have known you since you were six. Why do you enter my room with such dread?”
Vara couldn’t answer. Her mouth opened and closed uselessly. How could she explain without offending him?
“I know I do not suffer fools gladly. But my dearest Vara, you are no fool. Except perhaps in thinking I could easily do away with you.”
“I’m sorry … master,” she offered, eyebrows knotting together in confusion.
“You are also a fool for thinking you could leave so easily and not be found by me. Have you not gone on enough missions searching for such members?” He smiled. “You would not last out there, anyway, dear Vara. The Black Dragons are in your bones, in your blood. You can never escape unscathed.”
Vara stared at him, open-mouthed. How the hell did he know what she’d been thinking?
“Besides, what would you do with yourself? Open a teashop? I don’t think so, not with so much blood on your hands. It would stain the cakes.”
“Master – I – I…”
“Relax, dear child. Your rebellious wonderings haven’t offended me. Although they do amuse me. Now, you feel undervalued. You feel I have not offered you a chance to prove your worth. Let me remedy that. A situation has arisen; a betrayal. I trust you, Vara. Am I right to do so?” He nailed her with his darkening eyes.
“Y-yes, master.” She slammed a fist over her chest. “With all my heart, I serve you.”
“Very well.” Vara dropped her hand. “The matter concerns Rick, Sven, and Kieran. All are late returning for a reason. Rick and Sven are dead.”
It shouldn’t have come as such a surprise, Vara had guessed as much a minute ago, but to have it confirmed… Hell, she’d seen them not so long ago. All three of them had been bursting with pride that the master had placed so much faith in them… Hang on; there was a third member of the party. “What about Kieran?” she asked, hating her shaky voice.
“Ah, no tears shall be shed for him. You see, all three were sent out to find something valuable. Something unbelievably valuable. I had confirmation from Rick that they had succeeded in obtaining this object, but when the pick-up arrived, they discovered Rick and Sven, dead, and Kieran nowhere to be found. Nor was the object.”
“What are you saying? That Kieran cut Rick and Sven’s throats and ran off with the treasure?” Her heart pounded, and she hoped to hell the master was just playing with her.
“Rick and Sven were shot in the back.”
Vara tried to get to her feet, but her legs trembled too much. “That’s impossible. That’s … impossible. Hell, Kieran might’ve gotten a bit fed up with Rick, but he and Sven acted like proper brothers. He wouldn’t… He couldn’t…”
“He did.”
“Oh, Christ.” Vara lifted a hand to her mouth, feeling bile rise in her throat. “No… No. That can’t be right. Why would he…?” Kieran had been a complete pain in the ass, but Vara thought she’d had him figured out. He wouldn’t have turned against them like that. Especially not Sven. Hell, they’d been so close Vara had begun to think they were gay or something.
She looked up at the master, her eyes glistening. Horror crept over her as comprehension dawned. “That’s not why you wanted to see me, was it? There’s more.”
“Ah, you see? Not at all foolish. As sharp as a butcher’s knife, you are, dear Vara.”
She made no reply.
“You are appreciated, and it is not me, but you who holds you back from your full potential. You cannot work with others, Vara. You keep to yourself and do not share your thoughts. That can be dangerous, especially when in risky situations. Do you expect everyone to guess what you are thinking?”
“No, master.”
“I did not require an answer,” he said coldly.
Vara bowed her head, waiting for him to continue. She didn’t dare say another word.
“You will lead an expedition to find Kieran. Return him to me. I will deal with the traitor. Is that clear?”
Her heart felt leaden. “Yes, master.”
To her alarm, the master got to his feet and made his way around the desk. Now there was nothing between him and her. Yet Vara was in luck, the master’s expression was soft, almost caring, as he knelt in front of her.
“Vara,” he said softly. “Kieran will tell you things. Things that aren’t true. You must not let him deceive you, do you understand? He is poisonous.”
She shut her eyes, wanting so much to obey the master, but unable to shake the creeping sensation of doubt. She prided herself on being a good judge of character, but she’d been so wrong about Kieran. So wrong.
The master’s hand soothed down her short hair, flattening the parts that stuck out. Vara trembled in his grip, caught between terror and longing. He could snap her neck now, without a second’s warning. But she held still because she wanted him to think she was strong. She wanted him to be proud of her.
“Vara… Don’t let Kieran get inside your head and fill it with lies. He will try to, and if he succeeds I will have no choice but to…”
Vara’s eyes opened.
“I will have no choice but to take care of you too. Do you understand, Vara?”
“Y-yes … master.”
He smiled and lowered his hand. “Good. Very … good. And that valuable object… Very well, I suppose you must know. It was a stone, Vara.”
Her mind whirled. A stone? Kieran was meant to have killed two of his companions for a stone? That couldn’t have happened. Kieran was more into the fighting side of the Black Dragons, rather than the goods they received. It just didn’t seem right that he’d crossed Sven and Rick because of a stone.
“One of a collection of extremely precious jewels. You see, Vara, these stones were created many centuries ago. What they did was they linked together a series of similar worlds. They were used as a form of communication between different leaders, so the worlds could help each other. These stones are precious, because they enable people to jump from world to world.”
“You’re insane,” Vara whispered, staring into his sparkling eyes. Her heart felt crushed, like he’d ripped it from her chest and stomped it into the ground. “Or you’ve just been taking the piss. I don’t believe… How can you…” Vara jerked to her feet, and the master rose too. “Is this just a joke!”
“No, Vara. It is not a joke at all. Sit down, I-”
“No! No, I will not sit down! Thirteen years and this is how you treat me! How can you … you … you … bastard!”
“Vara, if you please-”
“Do you think you can just jerk me around like some … some brainless …brainless, little-”
“I should’ve explained after doing this,” the master muttered.
“What?”
Quick as a cobra, he reached out and grabbed her right wrist, exposing the tattoo of a coiled, black dragon. A gang tattoo, Vara had thought. But that wasn’t right. Gang tattoos didn’t glow around the edges when the master placed his hand against it. Gang tattoos didn’t hurt like the fiery pits of hell and send red light shooting up her arm. They didn’t make her head snap back and cause froth to come out of her mouth. And they sure as hell didn’t make her pass out as though her mind had descended into a bath of sulphuric acid.
