CHAPTER 10. MASTER'S SLAVE
1760 Words
Evadne
I didn’t see the Mafia again until four hours later, when the plane landed in Italy. He had dismissed me the moment he said I'd atone for my father's sins.
I still don't understand what that means. It only made it clear he had something to do with my family's death.
To my relief, I had been left alone to brood. At some point, exhaustion pulled me under, and I hadn’t even realized when I’d fallen asleep.
I only woke up when the announcer indicated that we were landing. For a moment, I was disoriented, confused by my surroundings, until Lissa walked in, gesturing for me to fasten my seatbelt.
We exited the plane together. It was still very dark, just past two in the morning, as Lissa had mentioned. The flight from Russia to Italy had only taken four hours.
Tension coiled in my chest as Lissa guided me toward a sleek black car waiting on the tarmac. I caught only a glimpse of the Mafia, walking beside the beautiful woman I had seen earlier—the one who stared at me like I was a problem she was confident she would eventually take care of. That one glance was enough to tell me Italy wouldn’t be anything close to a dream. It would be hell.
Where would they throw me? The Mafia didn’t strike me as the kind to offer luxury suites to unwanted guests. Probably a dungeon—cold, damp, crawling with filth and shadows. Or maybe a locked room with no windows, no view of the outside world. A gilded cage.
The thought made my throat tighten. I’ve always hated confined spaces. They make me feel like I can’t breathe, like the walls are closing in, waiting to crush me. I prayed that it wasn’t where I was headed.
I slid into the seat beside Lissa. We hadn’t exchanged a single word since she woke me, and she seemed perfectly content with that. In fact, she seemed to like me better when I stayed silent.
The car pulled out onto the highway, then veered off onto a more secluded road—still paved and polished, but empty, eerie. Even the air felt different here. As if the silence itself was laced with secrets.
After what felt like forever, ornate gates appeared in the distance, tall and imposing. My stomach twisted. That gate wasn't just there. It was a wall between me and freedom.
Of course, I thought bitterly. Mafias always seal themselves off from the world. Hidden kingdoms full of dirty money, clean guns, and lots of blood.
I shuddered, dread filling my body without permission.
The gate opened automatically, and we drove in. But if I thought that was it, I was sorely mistaken.
We drove for what felt like an eternity before buildings appeared. Grand, castle-like structures that left me breathless. I gasped as the estate came to life. It was lively, It was nearly 3 AM, yet the place buzzed with activity. I had expected silence from someone as cold as steel.
The cars didn’t stop where I thought they would. The Mafia’s car and a few others turned left, while the one I was in took a sharp turn to the right.
“We’re heading to your quarters. You’ll stay there until Mietitore calls for you,” Lissa said, her tone flat.
I didn’t respond. I watched as houses and a few people passed by until eventually, the car slowed. I took a deep breath, preparing for the worst.
I stepped out, expecting to see a simple house, maybe even something sinister underground. But my lips parted in awe at the sheer beauty of the place before me.
Right before us stretched an unexpectedly beautiful park, bathed in the faint glow of antique lampposts. Cable cars, sleek, glass-paneled, and silently waiting, lined the cobblestone path like jewels strung along a necklace. Trees, twisted and ancient, formed natural arches overhead, their leaves rustling faintly in the night air. It was surreal, like something out of a fairytale gone wrong.
“Come,” Lissa said, breaking me out of my trance. I nodded silently as she spoke a few words in Italian to the guards, who gave me a quick once-over before nodding and allowing us to proceed.
“I’ll be this far from the Mafia?” I asked, surprised. The thought brought a bit of relief. Maybe he wouldn’t summon me every five minutes if I was stationed this far away.
“He’s Master to you, Evadne,” Lissa snapped, emphasizing my name like it left a bad taste in her mouth. “You should watch it if you really don't want to be on the bad side of Mietitore.”
I was tempted to roll my eyes, but the memory of Dante’s words silenced me. That man hates me and I know it.
“Sorry,” I muttered, then added, “So… I’ll be staying this far from him?”
It felt weird, unnatural, referring to anyone as "Master." I’d never done it before, and I had no intention of starting now.
“Far from who?” she asked, clearly wanting me to say it. Master.
“Never mind,” I muttered, turning away.
The ride offered little to look at in the dark. Maybe I’d have enjoyed it if it were daylight.
Soon enough, we stepped out again. I sighed as we walked from the cable station toward a large building, partially veiled by trees. It wasn’t dark exactly, but it lacked the vibrance of the central estate.
“Where is this place?” I asked, already sensing it was where I'd be staying.
“Where you’ll be living,” she replied, heading toward a young woman standing at the entrance.
She looked around my age, maybe a bit older, with waist-length dark curls.
Does the Mafia have a thing for picking pretty women?
“Lissa,” she greeted warmly, smiling.
To my shock, Lissa smiled back. A real one. Not forced. Not cold.
That was… weird.
“Moore,” Lissa returned, her face unusually relaxed. “How are you?”
This Moore lady must meant something to her.
“Pretty good.” Moore turned her gaze to me, eyes scanning my face. “Is that her?” She smiled. “She’s beautiful.”
I almost laughed. If only she knew. This face, this beauty, was the reason I was standing here. The reason I’d been stolen, branded, and sold. A curse I could never shed.
“This is Moore,” Lissa said, turning toward me. “She’s one of the women in charge of this quarter. She’s been assigned to take care of you.”
Take care of me? That was rich. Because I was the Mafia’s toy? A glorified pet?
I said nothing. Did nothing. Just stared at them. I was too tired to care.
“You must be exhausted. Come with me,” Moore said gently. “Let me show you to your room.”
I stepped forward, brushing past Lissa, but she grabbed my elbow. Her grip was firm, not quite painful, but close.
“Here, Evadne, isn’t a place where you cause trouble or throw tantrums. You should realize you’re lucky to have been bought by Mietitore. He could have killed you and dumped your sorry ass.”
I scoffed. Was that supposed to comfort me? Was I meant to feel grateful?
I licked my dry lips and met her cold gaze. Then, without a word, I yanked my arm free and raised my middle finger at her.
She didn’t flinch. She nodded, as if she’d expected that reaction, then turned and walked away, leaving me with yet another stranger.
Moore hesitated beside me, awkward silence settling between us.
“Um… do you have any luggage or personal possessions, Miss?”
I almost smiled at that.
Possession? I am the possession. The Mafia’s latest acquisition.
“No,” I replied, walking beside her as we moved through a long hallway. She opened a door that led into an impressive open space.
“Oh…” she murmured, glancing around. “Master will probably send Lissa back with some clothing.”
Master. They called him that too?
“Master,” I echoed, the word tasting like dust in my mouth.
Moore met my eyes, nodding slightly.
“Don Dante Moretti,” she clarified. “He’s the Master.”
She led me up the stairs slowly, clearly sensing how drained I was.
“Where is this place?” I asked again, my voice quieter now.
“This is the slave quarters. Moretti’s slave quarters.”
I stopped walking. The words slammed into me like a wall. Slave quarters. So that’s what this was. Lissa had made it sound like a gift. A personal suite. Why was I even shocked? What did I expect, when I had to call a monster "Master"?
“Are you okay?” Moore asked, turning to me.
No. Not even close.
I raised my head and nodded, trying not to crumble in front of her.
“What… what kind of slave?” I whispered, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.
She frowned. “Lissa didn’t tell you?”
“No,” I croaked, struggling to form the words. I wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not in front of her.
She sighed deeply. “Well… it varies,” she said, waving for me to keep walking. “Your quarters were arranged far from the others because Master made a special request.”
“Other girls?” I asked.
She looked at me, as if weighing whether to speak.
I nudged her gently, my eyes pleading. “Can I ask you a question?”
She nodded.
“What kind of slave am I?”
Her face twisted in surprise. “Wait… you weren’t told?”
Told by who? Lissa?
I shook my head. She sighed and looked straight ahead, avoiding my eyes. “Lissa should’ve told you. It’s not really my place to give the details.”
Somehow, that only made my chest tighten more.
“Moore,” I said cautiously. I didn’t know if I was even allowed to use her name, but I needed answers. “You can tell me. Please… what kind of slave am I?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure if I should say this since Lissa didn’t…”
“Please.”
She looked at me for a moment. And then she sighed again.
“You’re his,” she said gently. “Master’s slave. His personal slave.”
- Writer
