Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

MALEVOLENT 13: Illukanya

“This was my favourite tea room growing up.” Delilah tried to ignore the fact that the one she had been to with Dante was only a few streets away. That, of course, was before they stole the Fire Opal.

She sat cross-legged on plush cushions with Kaya and Nell as they delicately sipped tea from clay cups stained a deep, shiny ochre with years of use. Golden light filtered in through the gaps in the lattice walls, and if she closed her eyes, lost herself in the quiet chatter of the customers, she could almost believe she was a normal girl out to tea with her friends.

It would not do. Not when compared to the soaring heights of her ambitions.

"I take it you didn't risk everything to get out into the city just to fail to convince a dressmaker," Nell said.

"So what if she did?" Kaya asked. "I think it's great."

This was why Kaya would never make anything of herself - too brash.

She had too much flair where Nell had too little, if any at all.

"I'm going to use every single moment of freedom I have to my advantage," Delilah told them.

"So we're here for a reason?"

"And here I was, thinking we were going to actually relax and enjoy some tea for the first time," Kaya groaned.

There was a commotion coming from the kitchen. Delilah lowered her head to her cup, but from under her lashes she watched a man in black robes stalk in like he owned the place. Gold flashed on his wrists before he disappeared into the kitchen. The owner, a squat, broad man with four wobbling chins, hurried after him. Raised voices should have made heads turn, but if anything the other patrons seemed to look even more disinterested.

“What is going on?” Nell murmured.

“The Illukanya are visiting,” Delilah replied.

“Who are they?”

“Oh, I forgot, you two aren’t natives. They're the resident crime lords of the city."

"You know they exist? How?"

"I may have been stuck in the palace most of my life, but I'm not deaf or blind."

"Do other royals know about them?"

"Oh, yes. They're quite famous."

"So why does no one do anything about them?"

"They have their hands in a lot of pockets, fingers in lots of pies..." Kaya snickered at the expression, but Delilah went on. "If they were taken down, the underlying gangs would be in all-out war to rule. Better order than chaos even if it's corrupt, and better the enemy you know than the ones you don't. My -" She stopped herself before she could say my uncle. "I have reason to believe a few unsavoury characters of the palace have done deals and bribes with them too. So it works in everyone's favour to leave them alone - or at least let them believe they are being left alone."

"You brought us here for a reason," Nell said. "Why is the Illukanya here now?"

Just then, a particularly loud shout rose above a smashing plate. "Where's the money, Po? Where is it?"

"I don't - I don't have it right now!"

"What's the holdup? You said you'd have it for us a month ago!"

"Tax collectors in return for protection," Delilah said.

She waited until a group of black-clothed figures moved outside, and the door out of the back of the kitchen slammed open, then she held out a hand to Nell.