“I cannot be befuddled,” Rin muttered. That actually was one of her protections, though with a very different meaning. Nonetheless, enunciating the words made her feel better. It wasn’t the protection of which she spoke, but herself. The self within the shell but protected by it even when she needed no protection.
Sometimes she resented this. The protections didn’t allow her to show her strength. They were like an overly valiant knight who never let the princess be anything more than a damsel in distress.
When she set down the crown, Rin noticed the purple pillow for the first time. Was the color intentional? Surely Karkov remembered that there was no such pomp in their time. Purple had not become a regal color until thousands of years later and in another part of the world. Rin idly bent over to examine the pillow more closely.
That’s when she noticed a small, folded piece of paper on the floor nearby. It must have been tucked into the crown and fallen off when she lifted it. This struck her as sloppy work. If Karkov wanted to leave her a love note, he at least could have secured it properly.
As Rin gently opened the slip of paper, she was struck by how farcical the whole affair was. She had little patience for theatrics, but he cherished them. She would have to indulge him, at least for now.
A moment later she dropped the piece of paper, her hand trembling in anger. The note read “Our first date.” The handwriting was an almost illegible scrawl, but she recognized it as Daryl’s. Small flecks of blood stained the page. Almost apoplectic with rage, Rin pondered the message.
Did Karkov want to lure her to the apartment where Daryl first confronted her? She wouldn’t put it past him, but he probably wouldn’t bother to send her halfway across the globe. And how would he even know about that, let alone where it was? Maybe he had tortured it out of Daryl. It still seemed implausible, unless he specifically knew what to ask. Rin realized he probably meant something closer and more provocative.
Their “first date” had to be where she first met Daryl. The spot was not far from the Palace. Rin closed her eyes and tried to remember the details. It was near the main entrance to the city, but she could not recall exactly where. If it had changed as much as everything else, she doubted she would even recognize the checkpoint. Assuming it still was there at all.
Karkov wouldn’t have bothered with a puzzle she couldn’t solve. Or maybe he just thought she could solve it. Given that she almost had missed the note, Rin’s confidence in his judgment was waning. Regardless, she had little reason to remain in the city and may as well try to locate the checkpoint on the way out.
Even if the cabin itself was gone, another clue probably awaited her nearby. Karkov clearly sought to draw her out, and he’d find a way to ensure she ended up where he wanted. Or at least where he thought he wanted. Rin intended to clarify the distinction for him. He soon would learn that letting her find him was definitely not what he wanted. And the more tedious this little exercise, the more harrowing his lesson would be.
Or was this some sort of trap? She doubted Karkov was foolish enough to imagine he could entomb her a second time — unless he truly was ignorant of what she had become. That seemed unlikely given how well-connected the man was. Maybe he actually had become delusional over the years. Either way, she’d find out shortly.
Playing his game was annoying enough, but what irked Rin most was that her bus must have passed within mere yards of the guardhouse on the way in. While she took his bait and sauntered around the Palace, Karkov may have been busy gouging out Daryl’s eyes, skinning him, or heaven knew what else. The man could be quite creative when he wanted to. It was one of the things she had admired during their royal days together.
With a sigh, Rin picked up the tiara. If he wanted a queen, he would get a queen. Not the queen she was or the queen she could have been if not betrayed, but the queen she should have been. The one who would not have been betrayed. The type of queen on the wrong side of fairy tales.
When Rin emerged from the State Room, the crown rested atop her head in striking contrast with her casual attire. She was disappointed with her reception. She had hoped for an opportunity to let loose and express herself. Instead, everyone stood back with bowed heads. Nobody dared make eye contact or even look up.
Either they sensed their danger or they had been forewarned by Karkov. That seemed uncharacteristically humane of him, and if they had been forewarned why were they still around? She felt a touch of compassion for these hapless fools, caught between Karkov and herself and unsure which to fear more. She decided to spare them. He would not expect that, though she doubted he would care.
Most likely, he would kill them himself afterward. Fortunately for these people, he would not have an afterward. At least not one in which he could harm anyone. She wondered whether they would be pleased to know of his perdition. Perhaps she would give them his body to gloat over and defile.
Rin passed in silence through the Palace and the courtyard beyond. The limousine was nowhere to be seen. Rin smiled. At least that driver had a lick of sense. She very much felt like tearing some meat apart. But she would not sully her crown, even if only a replica. Karkov would have his queen, untainted by human blood. His was all she required.
The streets were deserted all the way to the checkpoint, and Rin couldn’t help but be impressed by the grand gesture. Karkov sure knew how to throw a party. Was he protecting his people or just flaunting his power? The thought was laughable. It didn’t matter how many monkeys he commanded, she needed none. Her power was personal, not built on a tenuous foundation of obedience.
As the city receded into the distance, the absence of people felt less unnatural and Rin began to relax. It would have been nice to commit a little massacre or even just have a good fuck, but nice and necessary were quite different. Rin’s mind slowly cleared, and her anger subsided. She decided to take her time and enjoy the stroll.
There was no point to worrying about Daryl. Karkov had had ample time to do whatever he wanted with the boy, and a few extra minutes would make no difference. The whole purpose of the operation was to ensnare the man and place Rin within striking distance. Daryl’s survival always had been doubtful, and he knew this. If his death bought Karkov’s, then it would not have been in vain.
In fact, Rin could not understand why she had been so upset about the note. Despite the patent failure of almost every aspect of her operation, she nonetheless would succeed thanks to Karkov’s arrogance.
Assuming this was what Karkov meant by the note. Otherwise, she just would be wasting her time. But that would have happened anyway, even if he simply disappeared. There seemed little benefit in expending such effort just to annoy her, but with Karkov she could not be sure. Even if he truly was fool enough to let her find him, it still was possible she had misconstrued his message. For all Rin knew, the note could refer to something else altogether.
The detour to the guardhouse was so inconspicuous from the road that Rin walked a quarter mile past it before realizing her mistake. The surrounding grass had grown quite high, and the abandoned old road was covered in weeds and cracks.
A light in the cabin confirmed her hope, though she hesitated a moment before entering. It had taken a long time to get to this point, and she didn’t want to be hasty. What if there was nobody inside? Or just Daryl’s mutilated body? Rin took a deep breath, steeled herself for disappointment, and opened the door.
There could be little doubt who was sitting in the chair, but Rin almost didn’t recognize him. This wasn’t because Karkov had a protection like hers — he didn’t — or because her recollection of the man had been tarnished by time. He actually looked different than anything she had envisioned. He was modern, like some random yuppie in New York. A gorgeous random yuppie.
Rin realized the absurdity of her expectation. She somehow had been unable to imagine Karkov changing. Had she stayed the same? Had any of the Proteges? Just because he was timeless didn’t mean time had no effect. Was he supposed to dress like he had in the old days? Knowing him, he’d probably be able to pull it off. The thought of Karkov strutting around a modern city in his ancient clothes almost made her laugh.
Rin quickly suppressed her mirth. That was not the impression she wished to make. Among other things, such frivolity would be disrespectful to the condemned. Even Karkov was entitled to a little dignity before she robbed him of it forever. Forever. The word seemed so strange, so permanent. It never had before. A flood of unwanted emotions filled Rin, and only with great effort did she vanquish them.
The man looked up and tipped his Panama hat.
“Rin, I presume?”
"A gorgeous random yuppie." ? A Panama hat? Now I'm befuddled. If Rin doesn't end this guy, I'm going to very disappointed in her. : D