King Of Darkness

Chapter 3

"Haven't you heard a word I said? The Guild can be in danger. Everything we built, everything we fought for, fighting for, can be snatched from us. Are you not concerned? Don't you want to contribute for your fellow members safety?"

"Oh, stuff it. I said I won't go to the vampire kingdom. Not that I won't help"

"Willow.."

"I don't do vampires. Nor that kingdom. You know that. Hell, I bet the whole Guild know that. I stayed away from them for a reason. I don't want anything to do with them. Then why are you pitting me against those... those monsters?"

"You should be honoured you are selected for this job"

"Oh, I'm just stoked, trust me. But I'll pass"

"Don't forget that I'm your boss"

"Yet you ask to spy on the ones who sign your paycheck. It's fine as long as the Guild benefits or nothing blemishes it's reputation. This must have irked Azrian too. That's why she quit. Wait a minute... you just said, she is where you want her to be"

Wheels turned inside Willow's brain as she scrutinised the rare blush on the Guild head's cheeks.

"The werewolf king is not a rogue. That's it. You knew. You knew that he is being framed"

"We thought as such. A were-rogue no matter how smart he is can't hide his scent or his hunger for long"

"Yet I bet, you said nothing about your suspicions to Azrian. You want her to go to that kingdom at any cost. Just like you are ordering me to go to the vampire kingdom. I must give it to you, you know how to play with us without our knowledge. Genius. The master stroke is the dirty mind games. Unfortunately, it backfired with me. I would not step foot on that kingdom even if the whole world is burning. If you really want my help, you can assign me another kingdom."

"No. The other kingdoms have been assigned to others"

Willow narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything. She carefully tucked that information to the back of her mind.

"There is no harm in assigning two people to a kingdom. I will go with the assigned one. But not the vampire kingdom"

"You need to put your grudge behind you willow. It's not healthy"

"I said stuff it. You asked me here to discuss the rogue issue. Not to indulge in my personal affairs"

"Your personal affairs are effecting your thinking process and your job. You are not thinking this properly"

"Neither I want to"

"Willow, please listen to me. Whatever happened in your past, it was a long time ago. Couldn't you-"

Willow turned and walked to the door without a glance at the woman seated in that chair as if the hell hounds are behind her.

"I think we are done here," willow said over her shoulder.

Just as she was about to touch the handle, the Guild head whispered, "I know who was behind your parents attack"

Every molecule in her body stilled. Her brain fizzled, unable to process the statement.

After a few long tense seconds or is that minutes? Willow slowly turned to face the woman who just shattered her world with a few words.

Outwardly, Willow is calm, almost numb, but inside... inside her body has gone into shutdown, shielding her heart from the pain she sure knew would follow.

She thought nothing could hurt her. She is stronger now, but no. Once again fate has landed a blow that she can't run away from.

"Bullshit. If you have known you would have gloated before or used it against me. You are saying this now just to make me do this 'job'. Don't bother. I'm not that stupid," Willow glared at the woman as she said this.