Duty and Deceit

Chapter 5

The pungent smell of sweat and piss pervaded the underground pit of Zalfa. Bodies pressed together, creating a bubble of warmth, whistling and cheering at those that fight in the rings, shouting bets and waving money at the brutish men and women fighting in the centre, moonlight radiating their bodies as they thrashed each other.

Drums rhythmically played over their noise, in tune with the excitement. Gents and ladies laced around the crowd in skimpy dresses, offering drinks and services to any with big pockets.

Tareek, who worked in the inferno every night found himself dabbing sweat away as he led the way through the raging crowd, "Awfully humid tonight, don't you think?" He squeaked over the noise.

Roxas nodded, stifling a wince when the crowd roared again, nearly pushing him in the opposite direction as he squeezed between the bodies, the collected heat in this place making his mask itchy.

He'd donned the face of Zamir Assaf, brunet hair, freckled skin and green eyes. A contractor working for the abyss.

He would've preferred to hold this meeting somewhere inconspicuous, but the woman he was about to meet was hard to catch. She never accepted visitors, only selected personnel were allowed to write letters to her. She never left her office, practically living there. But, she showed her face at the inferno every month to see if her establishment was running as it should and to collect her share of the money.

Iaya was an aged woman with her hair covered in a net, the large mass of them bundled into a bun. Her cheeks were sunken, wrinkles lining her skin and painted lips. Even with her age, she sat upright, her gaze stern and unforgiving. A thick gold choker wrapped around her neck cuffs heavy on her slender wrists. Rings shone brightly on her fingers- all embellished with rubies and sapphires that gleamed under the torchlight. Roxas despised the sight of her.

There were many reasons why Roxas had always avoided working with Iaya, one of the main ones being he was never able to use his Karma on her without detection. Her mental walls were too strong for him to assert his influence over without her knowing something was amiss. He'd rather not let her know the existence of Zecenite.

She was speaking to a disgruntled man when her eyes landed on him, recognition flashing through them. Roxas hared the sight of her. She waved the man away as Roxas approached her.

"Zamir, to what do I owe this pleasant visit!" Her voice was all gravel, gesturing to the chair opposite to her. Servants flew to them immediately, pouring them glasses, which Roxas ignored, before placing plates of dates and dessert in front of them. "I thought you'd died; since you hadn't responded to my invitations or letters for the past three years. Nice of you to remember me when you require information," she sipped from her glass, crossing one leg over the other, "I do hope you remember the rules."

It wasn't the first time Zamir had sought out Iaya. She had plants in most of the major noble houses- not only in Rehyt but in other countries as well, wherever she did her business. She was a major threat, one he planned on getting rid of soon.

"Of course," Roxas smiled, his lensed eyes making his eyes glitter in the night. "I'm looking for a man named Imad Amargil. He used to be an industrialist, his father provided Rehyt with weapons of war. I'm sure you've heard of him."

The thin line of her brow raised in surprise, "He's been gone for a long while now, I didn't know people were still looking for him."

Roxas shrugged, "Client privacy."

She took another sip, "Last I saw him, he'd come banging on my door, asking for money."

That was news to him. The Amargil family were among the better half of the city. Both his father's industry and the monthly pensions made by the emperor as thanks for his mother's time in the war ensured them a modest life. Money had never been that big of an issue that they had to beg someone for it.