Master's Mind (The Dagger of Dragon Rose Book 1)

You can run, but you can’t hide - Assassin’s Creed

She breathed in the aroma of the food cooking in the Tavern’s kitchen. For several months now she had eaten nothing but the food provided at the medical clinic. This was to be her first meal since leaving the stifling confines of the clinic, and she meant to enjoy it.

The serving wench took her order and bustled off to help another customer. She did not envy the job that the woman had. She had been a serving wench in the past. It was often grueling and usually thankless work. With as much as she hated her current profession, she did not wish to return to waiting tables, and dodging the groping hands.

She didn’t have to wait very long for her meal. She was pleased to see the mound of mutton surrounded by thick mashed potatoes. This sure beat the fare that Hope had fed her.

She very carefully cut a chunk out of the meat. She purposefully placed the bite in her mouth and chewed slowly.

Oh... this is good. She thought to herself.

She was so intent on her meal that she almost didn’t see the man that had taken the seat on the other side of her table.

He was a handsome man with deeply tanned skin. He had black hair and dark eyes. He was dressed in expensive clothing. There was something frightening about his manner, a sort of sadistic cruelty that simmered just beneath the service.

“I am looking for the Nightshade.” He whispered.

The words shocked her. She had only been out of the clinic for a few hours, and nobody knew she was here. Nobody had known she was going to be here.

She quickly regained her composure. “I am she.”

The dark man nodded. “I have needs of your unique services.”

Nightshade silently nodded.

“I need you to track down a young elf. You will need to eliminate him and his human companion.”

“Do you have any idea where I might start looking?” She asked.

“You will probably find them near the ruins of Avaleht.” He answered.

She considered the request. Avaleht was the old capital of the elf kingdom. It had been destroyed by dragons twelve years previous. She had been there during the attack, and it had nearly cost her life. In many ways she wished that it had.

Drawing her thoughts away from the past, she considered the man.

“My normal fee for two plus tracking is...” She stopped as he dropped a heavy pouch on the table in front of her.

“I believe this should cover your fee, and any other expenses that you may incur.” He said.

She hefted the bag. It had to contain at least three times the amount of gold that she was about to ask for.

“You have a deal.” She said.

Just then the serving wench came over to see how she was doing. In the split second that Nightshade looked at the woman approaching, the man disappeared.

“Oh, wonderful.” She said bitterly. “A Mage, just what I need.”

She had done jobs for magic users before. They were generally petty and vindictive if things did not go as planned. She hoped that accepting this job wasn’t a mistake.

“How is everything?” the woman asked.

“It is wonderful.” Nightshade answered, tossing a hand full of gold coins on the table. “I would prefer to be left alone for the remainder of my stay.

The woman greedily snatched the coins off the table. She curtsied quickly, and disappeared into the crowded tavern.

“I’ll find this young elf.” She said. “After I finish my meal.”

With that she settled down to enjoy the long anticipated feast.