Deal with the Devil

6 - Raziel

POV: Raziel Burton

Her cheeks flare up when she says this. My hardest task? Who does this simple girl think she is? I cannot help but grin. I might have gotten her into the corner I tried to get her, I wanted to see she can stick up for herself, but now she might overestimate herself a little.

I set down my tea cup and look into her eyes, still not being able to tell which color it is because of the bad lighting in this house. "Fine," I tell her. I have loads of hard tasks. I will give her one she can dig her teeth in, but I am not giving her my hardest one just yet. She will have to prove herself to me, first. "Follow me to the drawing room," I say as I stand up. She does as told.

We sit down at the desk. "I hope you remember your rules," I state, not repeating them. She wanted to prove herself to me, right?

"Yes," she says, not repeating them like I expected her to do.

"Good," I tell her. I grab a map and a little book with blank pages, I spread the map out in front of her. "This is where we are right now," I say as I draw a circle around the mansion on the map. I trace a line through the woods, to another house, and draw another circle around it. "And this is where I need you to be in-" I check the grand clock, "One and a half hours." I look at her.

"That's not hard at all, I want you to give me your hardest task, was I not clear?"

"Was I done talking?"

She swallows. "If you are testing me, just tell me so."

"I am testing you, Evelynn from Mirestone."

Her cheeks flush again. Then she nods. "Good," she says, but her eyes do not meet her words.

"It's a big, secured house. In the middle of it, is sort of an assembly room. A couple of men are having some sort of congress. I need you to listen to it. It could take hours, and it could take days. I need you to write a summary of what they are talking about. Write down the most important things, but also the least important things. I want to know it all, understand?" Some things they talk about might be of great interest to me, while she might think nothing of it at all. That's why I need her to write it all down.

She says nothing, like she expects me to keep talking. When she realizes I won't, she says: "There must be a catch."

I'm frustrated with myself that a smile appears for a short second, then act like it was never there. "You cannot be seen. This is no place for girls from Mirestone."

"You said the assembly room is in the house?" She asks surprised.

"Yes. Any problems?"

She wants to say something, then swallows her words. Good. I might like her after all.

I push the little notebook and two pens towards her, fold the map and hand it to her. "The road to the house, too, will not be easy. The house is made to be hidden away; it's not easily visible for morta- people. Use the map, don't wander off-road."

Her eyes are wide.

"Any questions?"

"Is there-"

"Wrong. I thought you said you remembered the rules. It's better if you don't lie to me, Mirestone girl." I grin a little. It's amusing when people walk this easily into my traps. "I will give you two flares. Only light them when it's a life or death situation. I will look out for them, but when you are about to flare, think to yourself; is it worth telling everyone else in these woods that you are there, too? You never know wha- who is walking near you. Understood?"

She nods.

"I asked; do you understand me?"

"And I nodded that I did, Sir."

"Fine."

It was a hard task. But absolutely not the hardest. I needed her to show me that she got this, first. It was tricky. If she was seen, they might know I am aware of their meetings and assemblies. But I need to know what they are discussing when the sun is out. Why else would they only meet with the sun up?

"Clifton has the flares for you. Now hurry. They meet in-" I check the clock again. "An hour and twenty minutes." I wave my hand to the door.

I know I was not friendly. But she needs to understand that we are not friends, but she my employee. I am paying her to do this, there is no need for nice words and pats on the shoulder. She had wanted to prove herself, this was her way to do so.

I know, too, that this is tricky for whole different reasons. I have no idea what these men are talking about. She might hear things she has never heard before; only aroun campfire's, when people are trying to scare each other. She might stumble into a complete different world, and I would not have prepared her. I just hope she will not be seen. Or heard. Or noticed, in any way.

I hope she will keep true to her word when she returns.

When she is about to close the door behind her, she looks back at me. "Sir," she says, quietly but a little frustrated.

"Yes?" I ask, waiting for whatever it is she has to say.