“So, Darcy. Why should you be my personal assistant?” Hal tried not to pay attention to the sound of his children yelling upstairs. Ophelia had probably tried to nick something off Serilin for the fourth time that evening.

These girls need to learn they’re not children anymore. They have to be ready. And now she’s staring at me.

“Sorry, could you repeat that, please? I should write all this down.”

Darcy smiled and waited politely for Hal to find some parchment. “I am loyal to a fault, willing to learn anything, am hardworking, and personally inclined for protection work.”

“Sounds pretty standard so far. I feel I’ve heard that same sentence a thousand times before.”

Darcy’s stare widened a fraction and she gave a small shake of her head. “No…no. I’m not standard.” Darcy gave an incredulous chuckle. “I know things. About you. Well… I mean that I have experience working with your family. I’m not… um.”

“Really? I don’t recognise your face.”

“I was tasked with…um… redirecting those university kids. Your daughter Serilin’s friends?”

“I remember. You beat the shit out of them I heard. It was quite traumatic.”

“For who? Did they bother Serilin? I threatened them with all sorts of-“

“No, no. It was an effective job. I’m just saying that Berty took her own life. Three days ago, I think. Serilin is quite upset.”

“Oh.” Darcy looked closely at Hal, trying to gauge his emotions. “Am I supposed to be sad?”

“Ha! You’re not subtle are you?”

Darcy smiled, glad to be on the same page. “No, I suppose not. Is that an issue? I can learn to be more subtle if that’s what you need.”

Hal tried to contain a sneer as he watched her adjust her long, lank hair. The woman was strong, pretty, and intimidating in a way.

But she’s stupid and cruel, and I can only imagine what schemes she would dream up with me being an old man with an old, decrepit wife. In any case I can’t have her represent the council to my family. No, but she could be useful elsewhere.

“I apologise but my schedule is quite full, Darcy. I will certainly consider this meeting when making a decision.” Hal nodded to the door and watched as she left.

The man who then came in next was very tall and dark. He wore a charming smile, full of shining white teeth.

Hal smiled back reflexively.

Now he I could work with.

**********

“Ophelia you little bitch!” Serilin rifled through her personal chest. “Where is it? You fucking stole it, I know it!”

Ophelia scrunched up her nose. “I’m no thief! You probably just lost it!”

Serilin looked at Ophelia and ground her teeth. “It’s you and that bloody Dast boy. You’re two conniving little bastards if I’ve ever seen any.” She grabbed Ophelia by the shoulders and shook her. “Tell me! Where’s the doll.”

“Serilin, stop!” Ophelia pushed Serilin off her and ran out of the room. Ophelia paused outside the door and looked at Serilin. “I’ve not seen the doll for years. I promise I didn’t do anything.”

When Ophelia got to her room, she casually looked up and down the hallway for listeners and closed her door. She turned to Dast and giggled with the pure joy of mischief. “She bought it!”

Dast simply smirked and nodded his head. “Of course she did. We’re geniuses.”

He turned to Ophelia’s bed and lifted one of the several pillows lining the headrest. Under the pillow was an intricate little porcelain doll. Its face was of an innocent and genderless baby, staring into the distance with a grin. It wore a frilly red gown with yellow trimmings along the sleeves and was without crack or blemish. Its bald white head was smooth and shiny, Ophelia’s favourite feature.

“So, what should we do with it?” Ophelia said, looking slightly concerned.

“Sell it I guess. Maybe trade it for something. Candy, marbles, oh! I know just what we should trade it for!”

“What?” Ophelia giggled at Dast’s showmanship.

“Some Efir.”

Ophelia’s smile disappeared. “But that’s… serious stuff Dast. People get hurt from Efir.”

“Your uncle what’s-his-name had Efir with his coffee every morning for goodness sake. How bad can it be?”

“I don’t know… Maybe we should just get something else. I could definitely replenish my candy box. Dast?”

Dast was shaking his head the way he did when he was not going to give up. “Efir is the greatest candy on the Mother’s earth. And anyway, people say the stuff is running out since shipments of it stopped coming, so this'll be a one time thing..” Dast held up the doll and stared at it appraisingly. “This is just valuable enough to get us a few shards.”

“Dast I don’t want to just get Efir! Think of all the cool things we could-“

Dast ignored her as he carefully packed the doll into his satchel. “I’ll be back in an hour or two.” Just as he left the room he paused and turned to Ophelia. “Don’t worry. It’ll be fun. I promise.”

Ophelia sat and stared at the doorway. She was staring until long after he had left.

**********

“A doll?” The scruffy man Dast had seen earlier in the day handed the doll back to him with a shake of the head. “Piss all I can do with that mate. You’ve no coin?”

“This thing is worth a lot though! Just look at its little dress.” Dast made the doll dance as he showed it off. “Eh? I’m sure some rich fellow with a daughter would pay a pretty penny. Especially if you said it was, um, special or something.”

They were standing beside a well-lit tavern, in the dead of night. It was moonless, with nary a star in the sky. Dast wanted to finally be done haggling, but that prospect was becoming more out of reach the more he tried.

“No.”

“Alright. Just for one shard. Half a shard.”

“Half a shard costs as much as three did yesterday. The market's gone mad mate, people are hoarding.”

“Any less would be… it would be robbery!”

The scruffy man crossed his arms and blinked at Dast slowly.

“Fine. I’m gone.” Dast stuffed the doll back into his satchel and strutted into the dark. He traversed the alleys and hidden walkways of the city with confidence. Although he had not been in Cliff Harbour for long, he felt like a local.

A hand shot out from a dark corner of the alley and grabbed Darst by the ankle.

“Please, help me.” A faceless voice croaked. The hand was sharp and grimy, and painfully thin.

“Piss off.” Dast kicked the hand and jogged into the street. At least there was some light there, and it was approaching the nice part of town. A solid brick house stood staunchly by the side of the street. An uncovered well sat in the open space between the alley and corner of the building.

Dast saw a pretty woman walking toward him. She was pale and had beautiful hair the colour of… Dast couldn’t put his finger to it exactly, but it was fair. He smiled at her as they passed.

“Hello, madam. Would you like to buy a doll? It is of exquisite make.” Dast put on his most charming demeanour. “You look like a… a nice…” Dast paled.

The woman was staring at him with wide eyes, and was standing very still. Dast saw that she was not pretty at all. She attempted a smile, but it was too quivering, and her eyes did not change in the slightest. “I saw you today. At Lord Hal’s house. You’re his daughter’s friend, aren’t you?”

Dast nodded. He could not seem to speak.

“When I was walking out I heard a commotion about a doll. Isn’t that strange?” The woman took a shifty step to the side, forcing Dast to have his back to the well.

“I want no trouble madam. I was just-“

“No, no. It’s fine. I would just like to see it. You were selling it to me, weren’t you? I would like to see it.” She stepped toward him.

“Here.” Dast handed her the satchel. “Can I go please?”

The woman looked through the satchel and nodded to herself. She looked back to Dast. “Stay very still.”

Dast tensed.

She reached out her hand and gave him a hard shove.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. His eyes widened in primal fear. The fear of a terrible reality, best not thought of, coming to fruition. He waved his arms in a silly looking circular motion and made an O shape with his mouth. The lip of the well swept his legs upward, forcing the rest of him down. His head cracked on the brick and then he slipped into the void. It was a clean operation.

“Quit satisfying.” Darcy sighed. “I think Hal will be pleased. Yes. Tomorrow will be my day!” She shouldered the satchel neatly and walked on.

Once she was a minute gone, a pitiful figure walked from the shadowy mouth of the alley. It looked into the well, hearing nothing. “Poor boy.” It ran its painfully thin hands across the wet patch where Dast had hit his head. “Must be cold down there. Cunt.” It laughed.

The Oakhart family crest had been plucked from its ragged coat, leaving a faded patch in the middle.