The Silent Deal (The Card Game #1)

Epilogue - Ancient Medium

EPILOGUE

ANCIENT MEDIUM

The Leopard stood in a long, black fur coat in an empty black ballroom, his thin lips pressed together so tight that they were white. Rage coursed through him, starting from his hand that clenched around a flier and spreading inward, inward toward the deepest parts of his being. He’d lost a valuable secret—one he’d worked his entire life to build. He’d lost names, too, for his records of the Cards ended with the Silent Deal. And above all, he’d lost time, that invaluable resource. His experiments had been damaged. His timetable was hindered. It was unacceptable—all of it—and those losses would have to be repaid with an ancient medium.

The Leopard’s sunken eyes watched as Lieutenant Vyrhus strode briskly through the ballroom’s entrance. The long, oily hair of his second-in-command fell on a black cape and was almost as red as the thin scar that ran across the man’s pale neck. The four guards flanking him drew up a meter behind where the Lieutenant stopped. The Leopard knew the members of the Thieves’ World were fearful of coming too close to him, as they should be. That fear was good. It was necessary.

“Master,” began Vyrhus, speaking in a low voice, “these are the men you requested. These two were there in the chase. The others witnessed Ulfrik’s fall from afar.”

The Leopard looked to the first two men, who flinched under his glare. “Describe the intruders.”

“They were but youths—master,” blurted out a tall guard. “Two boys, two girls.”

“Their faces?”

“They were masked, my lord.”

The second, heavy-set guard stepped forward. “P-Please, master, I saw one boy had fair hair, the other, dark.”

“Which boy fell?” the Leopard asked the other guards, the veins in his neck bulging.

“The b-blond boy, master. He threw a b-bomb at the ice. Dimovna was blasted into the way of Ulfrik’s fall. She was crushed, but the boy fell through the ice.”

“What of the Silent Deal?”

“We b-believe it was with that boy, m-master. He seemed to be their … leader.”

“Maksimov,” the Leopard murmured to himself as his fist squeezed the life out of the flier in his hand. “Is there any way the boy could have survived?”

The four guards shook their heads.

“Have you told a soul what you witnessed?”

Again, they shook no.

The Leopard paused for a time and thought deeper than any other man would on the problem. Maksim having a son was troubling. It brought up new questions, new doubts. Some force was working against him, rebelliousness afoot.

“Vyrhus,” the Leopard murmured, “you shall take charge of the school. Tell Pluma I want the students literate but subdued. They must ready for the trials of the apprenticeship. And widen the selection pool to dilute Card affiliation. I care not if they’re street urchins or lowlifes. Fetch me Gypsies, even. They, at least, will have no prior allegiance.”

The lieutenant bowed and then turned to leave. The guards made to follow him, but the Leopard pointed a long finger at the ground, commanding them to stay as if they were no more than dogs. The four men obeyed, but in their flickering eyes and short breaths, their uneasiness was transparent.

“Oh, Vyrhus, lock the doors on your way out,” said the Leopard softly.

The oak doors of the ballroom swung shut with a loud boom. Then sounded the metallic ring as the marked man drew a dagger from its iron scabbard. The card game had started with a silent deal, but the next trick was his to take.

---The End---

Now that we've reached the not-so-bitter end, I wanted to thank you for reading Viktor and Romulus' story! It's been great to hear back from readers, and I hope to hear from you as well. Please feel free to message me on any number of the social media sites I hang around. I do hope you enjoyed The Silent Deal. The Magic Trick (The Card Game, Book 2) is available on Amazon, but maybe I'll post some sample chapters on here to get people into the tale's continuation. I would sincerely appreciate your support!

Thanks again,

-Levi Stack