The Perfect Servant

Chapter 20

AN: Hullo! *waves* Sorry for the wait, school has been a mess and a half, and this chapter wasn't exactly easy to write, but I managed to finish it! It's a very...emotion driven chapter. You'll find out soon enough why. As always, I hope you enjoy, and please, please, please, let me know what you think in the comments. I love feedback. <3

 "Isolde?" Balon asked, eyebrows furrowed as he stared down at the chess board. Since we couldn't train our normal way with the Chancellor here, we'd taken to using our normal training time to play chess and discuss anything I might have learned about our visitors.

I watched the board just as closely as he did, frowning in disappointment when he took my rook.

"The Chancellor is a pawn, I knew it not long after I met him. By spending time with Warren, I found out the Chancellor spends quite a bit of time with the Queen," I explained, moving my bishop and taking one of his pawns. He followed up by capturing my bishop with his queen. I scowled, clenching my fist at my side in annoyance. I scanned the board, checking my options carefully.

"Why would the Chancellor work for Isolde?" He asked. I had a feeling Balon already had a few guesses of his own, but telling me his suspicions wasn't the game; I had to find it out.

"Fear. Greed. Lust. Ambition. Plenty of reasons, I just have to find out which one." I answered, giving a small shrug. I moved my knight, taking one of his bishop's.

"Knock Lust off of that list," Balon said flatly, moving his queen. "Isolde is only into women, it's common knowledge." I took one of his knights, glancing up at him. "How are you getting this information?" He asked, sounding almost cautious.

"Arrogant men are easy to fool," I answered slyly. Balon's fingers paused, resting over the top of his bishop. His dark eyes stared into mine, cold and calculating.

"I can smell the simpering brat's touch on you," Balon frowned deeply. "Seduction is a powerful tool, but also a commonly used one. It's an easily discovered ruse." His voice was chiding, and it made my skin prickle.

I sniffed. "I'm not seducing him; I'm letting him think he's seducing me. There's a difference,"

"Is there?" He asked condescendingly. I fought back the nasty glare that threatened to break through on my face.

"Do you think he's caught on then?" I asked lowly. Balon gave a small hum, and then shook his head.

"No. You're lucky he's a fairly young vampire though, he hasn't learned the tricks of the trade." We resumed playing, and Balon struck hard and fast by taking my bishop and setting my king into check.

I frowned, and moved my king. "I'll be more careful from now on," I murmured.

...

It was easy to ignore the plight of others when you didn't know them, when they were just strangers faces, when you could pretend they weren't real. It was much harder when you knew them; when you'd seen them smile or laugh, or be kind to you.

I'd seen Compton's former Slave, Maddie, only twice since she'd been here; when I'd escorted the Chancellor to his chambers, and just now, watching Diana lead the bruised girl into a side room. She had blood streaming from her neck, staining her already ratty and old clothes maroon. There was a fresh bruise on her cheekbone, and her shoulder was displaced.

I knew without asking that this was my fault. I could see it in her eyes when I first saw her arrive that she knew it too. There had only been the two of us bringing in the drinks. It was me, not Maddie, who took a detour, but no one would believe her. No one would dare assume it was the King's slave.