Page 12 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
The click of the door as it closed sent a shiver down my spine.
No. This was no time to be afraid. I had to be confident.
If anyone had an extensive list of the most eligible young bachelors in this empire, it would be Illusion. This was the quickest and easiest way to find a husband and get out of the future betrothal with Kalon.
Even if Ezradidn’tcome out today, I’d make sure he saw me, even if I had to keep coming back.
The Ezra in the book was a powerful mage with links to the magic tower, and some of his business dealings were shady. That was the whole reason the bandits were after him in the first place—the magic stones he created and traded on the black market were just toeing the line of the magic laws.
Which was why he kept his identity as The Duke of Alansia’s son and heir hidden.
The Duke of Alansia was the only noble in the empire with more outright power than Marquess Vermillion, so the fact that his heir engaged in questionable magic stone trading and ran an elite information guild was something Ezra wanted kept under wraps at all costs.
It was also what I was going to use to blackmail him into helping me.
I had no intention of following the original Alicia’s path in life, but if a little villainy helped me get what I wanted, then I wasn’t against dipping my toes into it.
More importantly, I needed to use that information to get him on my side and turn him into an ally of mine before Lillia and Torin could sink their claws into his guild.
The door on the other side of the room clicked, and I turned to face the gentleman who’d come to speak with me.
He was handsome.
Of course, he was. I was living in a romance fantasy novel.Everyonehere was handsome.
His dirty blonde hair was slicked back from his face, revealing a scar that stretched down across his right eye and cheek. His deep blue eyes regarded my hooded self with unabashed curiosity, and he had the menacing aura of someone who could kill you in a heartbeat.
He was Jinx, Ezra’s right-hand man, and quietly known as the deadliest assassin in the empire.
“I hear you’re looking for the master, my lady.”
“I’m not here for tea,” I quipped. “Is it true he isn’t here?”
“He’s not, I’m afraid. He’s out on other business.” He held out his hand. “Jinx at your service.”
I offered him my hand, and he brushed a faint kiss over my fingers. “Do you have a way to contact your master?”
“Yes.”
“Would you mind doing so?”
“I can’t contact him without your name, my lady.” Jinx’s lips twitched upwards into a wry smirk.
“You had my name the moment I stepped out of my carriage,” I said firmly, yanking down my hood. “Do not play me for a fool.”
I was a lawyer in my past life, you moron.
“Ah, Lady Alicia Vermillion, there’s no need to be so hostile.” His eyes twinkled. “The master really isn’t here, or of course he’d be handling your request himself.”
“When will he be back?”
Jinx shrugged. “Whenever he’s done.”
“And when will that be?”
“Whenever he’s done.”
“Is this how you treat all your prospective clients?”
