Vera's Story(To Love and To Lie)

Chapter Sixteen

Vera woke up feeling like she hadn't slept enough, resenting having to not only work hard to rescue Damon, but also dream restlessly of him.

At least after she had 'gone to sleep' in her dream, she hadn't had any more dreams, sleeping peacefully for the rest of the night.

"You look terrible." Derek said as soon as he saw her. Mira was standing next to him, wringing her hands.

"Mira? What's wrong?" Vera asked immediately upon seeing the anxious look and the girl's face.

"Well..." Mira trailed off, looking at Derek.

"The master wants to see you." Derek answered shortly, back to seriousness.

"Oh. Why?" *And why was this so concerning? I know he's kind of a sketchy person, but he didn't seem like a bad person based on how they talked about him.

"We don't know, he just told us to bring you to him." Mira said, still looking anxious.

"I have plenty of time before I have to go anywhere. Tom's already left, right?" Vera asked, tugging on the coat of her costume and checking her hair, which was loose, as the odd pinned updo that Tom had put her hair in the previous day had come loose overnight. Her hair had to be done in very tight braids if she wanted it to stay in overnight.

"Yes, he was up and out very early. So you'll come with us?" Derek asked.

"I don't see why I shouldn't,"

Derek and Mira each grabbed one of her arms, Derek on her left and Mira on her right, not like they were guards taking her somewhere, more like they were hiding behind her and frightened for their lives as they led her through the inn.

"Uh guys? Is there anything I should know before meeting your master?" Vera asked, feeling a bit apprehensive at their terrified looks.

"You'll be fine," Mira said after a moment, reassuring Vera even though she was actually shaking. Vera could feel her trembling just by Mira's light touch on her arm.

"Yeah, you don't really have to be scared. So long as you don't sign any contracts." Derek added, his voice shaking.

Before Vera could say anything else, they had arrived in a small, dark corner room that had no windows and was lit only by a single lantern, which was hanging over a desk. The desk was covered in stacks of papers, books, and what looked to be used tissues.

Shortly after Vera, Mira, and Derek had entered the room, almost before Vera could register that there was no one in sight, a man who didn't look old enough to have a business like this inn popped up from behind the desk, reading a few sheets of loose paper that had writing and some odd sketches on it. He wasn't holding the papers very carefully and they were wrinkled. In his other hand he gripped a pencil like it was a knife, and he looked quite angry. As the man walked out from behind the desk, walking as he stared at the papers, Vera could see that he was wearing a green bathrobe that trailed to the ground in a bit of a puddle behind him, Vera couldn't even see his feet because the bathrobe was so well folded and thick.

Vera watched in confusion as the man very nearly walked directly into the wall before stopping himself, looking away from the papers and then backing up.

As he turned, he saw Vera, Mira, and Derek.

"Oh!" he said enthusiastically, smiling widely. "You're here!" Seeming to forget whatever he was upset about, he set the papers and pencil down carefully on his desk. "I'm sorry, I would ask you to sit down, but I seem to have misplaced my guest chairs, so I'm afraid you'll have to stand, Madam Allie."

"That's fine," Vera said, confused. *Why are they so scared of this man? He looks harmless. I guess I haven't seen much of him yet...* "You wanted to speak with me?"