Four Suits (Book 1)

Day 52-4: Gripe

DAY 52-4: GRIPE

"Master!" Orian shouts, quaking like a deer caught in headlights.

Rhett stomps towards him, so fiercely the cards beneath him tremble. "This forbidden study isn't for your enjoyment you stupid wolf. Nor is it a place you should run to hide. After prolonging such a needless chase and wasting my time, I'm going to murder you!"

Squealing, Orian runs off, zigzagging through the aisles of bookshelves. "Please spare my life, Master!"

"Then get ready! This instant! You're heading to Edaps!"

"But if I go, I'll die!"

"You unsociable freak! Why do you think I brought you to my tower all those years ago? It's not so you could pass your days in hiding like a defenceless infant!"

"But people are scary!"

The creases between Leda's forehead deepen whilst observing this almost comical scene. Considering Rhett hasn't whipped out one of his trusty guns and started shooting at him yet, maybe she had the wrong idea about him being a malicious villain after all. Well, he hasn't tried riddling her with holes yet either so she should've expected he wasn't the barbarous tyrant his appearance gives off.

Nevertheless, he mentioned something about heading to Edaps. Is that correlated to why Orian has been on this wild goose chase, and why Rhett's been so infuriated?

While her brain spins to make sense of this situation, Rhett takes the moment to turn in her direction. His reaction is just as priceless as it had been when they first reunited. Fists clenched, he gapes, fumbling for words.

"You!" he shrieks. "How are you—"

He extends his palm before he can finish his sentence.

"Keys."

A grin peels back Leda's lips. He's so accustomed to it he can't even get angry.

Digging into the pocket of her dress, she retrieves them. They clank together as she plops them into his palm. "There you go, Toucan Nose. Did you miss me?"

He curses a foreign word.

"Aww, I missed you too."

His glower shifts to one more foreboding. It's enough to shake any rational individual to the bone. "Why are all my servants so useless? I have no time to pretend to be a guardian for every last human I bring into this realm."

"You're always thinking about yourself, aren't you?" Leda returns. "I'll have you know I'm angry as well. You aren't giving me any answers."

"Haven't I already told you the only answer you require henceforth is that I am your master? Servants do not ask their masters anything. They simply do as they are told. And you've disobeyed me twice now by leaving your cage without permission."

His disdain makes her scoff. "And when the hell did I agree to become your servant?"

"Is your kind incapable of remembering a simple promise? In our gamble, I wagered money while you willingly offered your body. And you lost. Therefore, your body is mine to control."

"Even if that is true—"

It is true, her mind quips. It happened.

"—we played a game of Russian roulette. I shot myself in the head and died. How am I alive before you now?"

"If you patiently waited in your cage, I would've come by to deliver a proper rundown of the situation. But due to your rambunctious behaviour, I have more on my plate to deal with." He fixes his focus on the redhead peeking out from around the corner. "Orian, take her back to the tower. And ready yourself for the journey."