Reason

2

The tactic, apparently, was to drown the woman in potatoes.

Helena watched in silence as the table wallowed in honey-filled words. Every time the government official tried to rise from her chair, she was bound back down with a torrent of smooth-flowing phrases from Andrei, a casual help yourself or I insist.

There was no strain in his voice. His natural charisma amplified the words, and his silvertongue's power constantly simmered at the surface.

"I need to speak to you, Andrei," the official said, pushing aside the mountain of potatoes that sat on her plate. "In private."

"Would you like some peas? Of course you would," Andrei said.

"Yes, of course-wait, what, no, I'm sorry, I don't want any peas-"

Helena stifled a smile as Andrei dumped the rest of the bowl on top of the mashed potatoes. "I'm sure you'll enjoy them," Andrei said.

"I know I will, thanks," the woman said, nodding. "Wait, no, I don't..." She shook his words out of her head, lifting her plate and scraping its contents onto Helena's. "I need to talk to you, Andrei, stop with the voice."

Helena stared down at her own plate, resisting the urge to slam the newly acquired potatoes on the official's head.

"But, Miss..." Andrei said, searching for a nametag.

"Costea."

"Miss Costea, you were so giving with your own words when you talked to Helena over here." Andrei held up his hands. "I'd just assumed that you'd want me to return the favor."

She glared at him. "You are too powerful for your own good."

"Or maybe you're just too weak," he said with a laugh.

"I'm not-"

"Yes, very interesting. I think you need some more carrots," Andrei said, already scooping them onto her plate.

"Thank you," she said, eyes going vacant again before she slammed her head into the table and stood up. "You shall listen to me and find my words pleasing," she said in a hiss of warning words.

"You don't-"

"No, you shall listen to me and find my words pleasing," Ms. Costea said, "You will come with me to a private room, and we will discuss what I came here to say away from these voiceless people. Now."

"Are you sure you don't want some more mashed potatoes? I insist. " Andrei said innocently.

+++++

Helena never expected anyone to ask the murderer next door to save the world. She especially didn't expect him to say yes.

"Yeah, it was weird," Andrei said, leaning back against the sofa.

Ms. Costea had gone a few hours earlier, fuming as she'd stormed out of the house, leaving behind a phone number.

She hadn't been happy that the 'private room' Andrei had chosen just happened to be the bathroom.

"What did she want?" Helena asked, taking a sip of tea as she sat next to him.

"Not more potatoes, unfortunately," Andrei said, laughing. "Man, she wasn't that strong. She just believed everything I said until I just stopped using my silver tongue and talked normally."

Helena shrugged. "We aren't all powerful." I'm not.

"Hey, don't be hard on yourself. You can use that one word, right?"

Sighing, Helena sank back into the seat cushion. "Yes."

"I mean, even if it's just a phrase, being able to use some of your silvertongue is better than none." He nudged her with his shoulder. "And your 'fall asleep' helped me plenty of the times."

With the nightmares.

She couldn't count the number of times he'd screamed into the night and she crept through the silent halls of a house drenched in silence, opening his door and pushing the honey-soaked words through her lips.

Fall asleep.

Because that was her word. Fall.

It was no wonder he looked down on her, with his words drenched in sweetness and persuasion. He could use any of them. She only had one.

"Why did they ask you?" she asked, forcing the thoughts from her mind.

"Honestly?" he said, crossing his legs. "I don't know. Probably because they have dirt on me, and I live close. To Voc, I mean."

"Voc?" she asked.

"There's some guy named Voc. A monster, she said. Lives over in Transylvania."

"A monster?" Helena said. "Is that what she said?"

Andrei shook his head. "No, well I mean, yes, but it was the way she said it, like..."

Helena sat forward. "What?"

"She said it was...a voice they needed silenced. A monster. A revolutionary. So they want me to head over there and, I guess...tell him to shut up."

"Didn't you hear her warning phrase?" Helena said. "She-she's just persuading you."

Her words hold no promise of veracity. Don't put trust in words fresh from a liar's mouth. Poisoned apples always shine pretty in the light. That doesn't mean you should eat them.

"Nah, it's okay, I'll do it. They said only a descendant of Mina could do it, and Dad's busy." Andrei stretched his arms. "Just a few well-placed words and it's over. I...I won't kill anyone."

"What did she offer you?"

Andrei shut his eyes, squeezed them closed. "She said...the government...well, I'll go off record. I'll be wiped clean. The..."

The murder would disappear.

Helena let out a breath "So you're getting rid of the political opponent," she said, "This dangerous voice. So you can go free."

The chains of guilt are not so loose.