Keeper

I slide the bag across the table. The hooded figure peers inside before quickly drawing her hand away, as if she touched something hot. “Where the hell did you find this?”

“Exactly where you told Waylon it would be,” I say. I keep my tone calm, unlike her panicked demeanor.

“That’s impossible,” her eyes widen underneath the hood. She looks like a spooked bird, about to take flight at any sudden movement.

“Impossible? Why?” I ask, lightly tapping my fingers on the table. “Oh, is it because this was supposed to be a suicide mission? No one comes out of the Land of Spirits, so I suppose those tears _should_ have been impossible to retrieve.” The words are mocking as they leave my mouth, even as I ask, “So why exactly did you send Waylon there, knowing he wouldn’t survive?”

“Is that was this is about?” she hisses through her teeth. “He had every chance to say “no”. He died because of his own actions, you can’t blame me for that.”

“Mm, but I can, Indira,” I smile as she jerks back at the sound her name, her _original_ name, something I have no business knowing. “And I will, because I know he isn’t your first victim. You use your little gift of persuasion for some terrible things, don’t you?”

“How-“ she pauses, trying to hide the tremor in her voice. “_Who are you?_”

I laugh. This woman. Her questions. This abandoned warehouse. The crystallized spirit tears in the bag. It’s all below me, so I laugh.

“I am a Keeper,” I say.

Her eyes widen at my answer. She likely wasn’t expecting an Order Keeper to take an interest in her, especially with her gift being so weak and diluted. It must’ve taken her days to persuade Waylon, or any of them, to walk into their death sentences. And she’s right, I normally wouldn’t waste my time on such lowly beings, if anything I was disgusted. But orders are orders I suppose.

“I won’t-I won’t ever do it again,” Indira stuttered.

I gave her the most sincere smile I could muster, “I trust that you won’t, I really do. But some powerful people don’t believe that people can change so, unfortunately for both of us, my hands are about to get really bloody.