Darkness Girl: Trickster God

Chapter Nine: Bright Young Things

The atrium of the Hotel Lior was lit by the type of soft golden glow only present in places whose prices are beyond astronomical. It was close to midnight, and hotel guests in evening suits and glittering gowns glided across the marble floor like chess pieces, under a chandelier slightly smaller than a skyscraper. Kessler's heavy black boots made dull taps as she wove between them like a lion through a field of tulips. Two receptionists, standing behind a dark mahogany desk at the back of the atrium, caught sight of her and exchanged worried looks as she passed them. A concierge in a purple velvet jacket noticed and moved smoothly to intercept her. 

'May I assist you?' he asked, taking in her black combat fatigues and the flak jacket under her heavy coat with obvious distaste. His voice could have greased an axle. 

Kessler help up a playing card with the Unity circle and slashes printed on one side. 

'She thought it was cute to slip this into my pocket.' 

The concierge nodded. 'Miss Seline told us we should expect you, Miss Kessler. Allow me to conduct you to the dining room.' 

She followed him across the atrium and through a set of heavy wooden double doors that opened without a sound. They led to a room filled with well spaced out tables covered in crisp white tablecloths. She felt herself sink slightly into the thick cream coloured carpet. On a raised stage towards the centre of the room, a man in a black suit and tails played light music on a grand piano that was worth more than most people's houses. 

Seline was sitting at a table against the wall, looking at the reflection of the dining room in one of the long darkened windows that ran from floor to ceiling. Kessler noticed she'd changed into a black cocktail dress and adjusted her hair into a more elaborate style. She could have been any one of the over-dressed bright young things who floated around the hotel. There was a carafe of red wine in front of her and a half finished glass. 

'I need to talk to you privately,' said Kessler. 

Seline looked her up and down with an amused expression. 

'I'd say you've rather missed the boat on the subtlety front,' she said. 'Why don't you sit down? This tempranillo is rather good actually.' 

As Kessler abruptly sank into the chair opposite her, a waiter silently placed another glass on the table and filled it from the carafe. Seline picked up her own glass and regarded Kessler over the rim. 

'I must confess, I didn't expect to see you so soon. Are you here to cast my offer back in my teeth with a sarcastic quip and an admonition to "go to hell"?' 

'No.' 

Seline gave a musical laugh. It was the kind of laugh that made you feel like the two of you were the only ones in the world who'd truly got the joke. Kessler wondered if she'd been trained to do it. 

'You're colder than I thought,' said Seline. 'I felt you'd have at least some attachment to your little dog.' 

'When something is no longer useful, I discard it. There's been a change in her recently. It's subtle, but it's there. She's weaker.' 

'How do you know?' 

'She let that other infiltrator live.' 

'Trevellian? I think you underestimate him. He may not be a silencer, but he's a formidable fighter all the same.' 

Kessler shook her head. 'His skills were nothing compared to hers. She held herself back.' 

Seline rested her chin on one slender hand and swirled the wine in her glass with the other. 

'I'm intrigued as to why you're telling me this,' she said. 'You know my position. If Regan has lost her usefulness, then it's all the more reason to kill her now and settle the matter,' a mocking smile crept across her face. 'You're not looking for my permission to do that are you?' 

Kessler gripped the side of her chair with one hand and glared at Seline. 

'I wouldn't push it. It's already taking all of my willpower not to put a sword through your smug little face.' 

Seline rolled her eyes. 'This is why I detest silencers. Such unbridled aggression rapidly becomes tiresome. I don't wish to labour the point, but why are you here?' 

'Because I know something you don't, infiltrator. If we kill Regan outright, her craft dies with her.' 

Kessler felt a mild satisfaction as Seline raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. 

'We haven't seen any indication that Regan has a craft.' 

'Yes, you have. You just didn't realise what you were seeing.' 

'And so things become more and more interesting,' Seline smiled. 

'I'm willing to accept your offer. I think Unity has what I need, even if you are a bit too self-satisfied for your own good.' 

'And you want us to extract Regan's mysterious craft in exchange,' Seline wove a hand through the air to indicate she was already ahead of Kessler. 'I presume you wish to appropriate it for yourself?' 

'Perhaps. I like to keep my options open though, especially when I'm dealing with people as slippery as you.' 

Seline sat back in her chair and thoughtfully took a sip of wine. 

'It will be hard to extract a craft from someone like Regan,' she said, half to herself. 'The process requires some degree of cooperation from the victim.' 

'I'm surprised it ever works at all.' 

'You're mixing up cooperation with willing cooperation, my dear. I told you the process was unpleasant. We have ways of ensuring people's cooperation, but even so, Regan may be difficult to break.' 

'It'll be worth it.' 

'Really? Now you have me truly intrigued,' Seline leaned in until Kessler could smell the light flowery scent of her perfume. 'What is this craft that you're so keen to see removed?'