I slipped, squeezed, and otherwise forced my way through the barricade of persons who blocked me. Along the way, I caught a glimpse of a white suit jacket whisking by. The person wearing it was a tall woman with a muscular build more typical of a male bodybuilder. In contrast to her admittedly impressive physique, her face was arrestingly feminine aside from her left eye, which she had covered with a white eyepatch.

 

Well, I thought, that confirms Vincent’s involvement.

 

She wouldn’t be there if he wasn’t involved. She was Hilda Alvis, the de facto leader of The Damatessa.

 

I canvassed the cadre of white-clad bodyguards for a similarly dressed blonde man. On Hilda’s right, I recognized Odessa Stark, a chocolate-skinned lady with cornrow braids and silver owl feather earrings. On Hilda’s left was Elle, a lady of Zimavatan descent like me. She wore her long red hair in a short ponytail.

 

Unfamiliar, brutish men covered the remaining positions in the back.

 

Intriguing… I thought as I factored those men in. If Narcissa was bolstering her forces with Sharpe Security operatives, The Damatessa weren’t all present. If they weren’t all present, Vincent wasn’t present. If Vincent wasn’t present, he couldn’t inflict his patented headaches.

 

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,” Narcissa boomed as she marched along, “THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! FOR TO-DAY WILL BE A MONUMENTAL DAY WHICH WILL GO DOWN IN HIS-TORY!”

 

Narcissa’s appearance was as theatrical as her voice. Her wavy, cornflower blue-dyed hair swung in the breeze while her gaudy metallic-gold mini-dress shimmered as she strutted.

 

“TO-DAY IS THE DAY IN WHICH I – the MAGNIFICENT MADAME RRRRICHMOND – shall do the unthinkable, the unheard-of, the inconceivable. TO-DAY I SHALL CONQUER THE GRANDMASTER OF THEFT! In my EXPERT calculations, her chances of succeeding today against my brilliant plan are ZILCH! NADA! NOTHING! My plan is FOOLPROOF! I – the MARVELOUS MADAME RRRRICHMOND – repeat: FOOLPROOF!!!”

 

“I doubt that!” I called out.

 

Heads swung around to me. Those before me parted as I sauntered through. Some drew their phones out to record.

 

“WHO SAID THAT?!” Narcissa shrieked. “WHO DARES SAY THAT TO ME?!”

 

I covered my mouth and muffled a laugh. While I did my utmost not to underestimate Narcissa, she proved difficult to view as anything but a farce. Showtime, I thought as I held my head high and marched forward.

 

My presence sliced through those who remained before me. I positioned myself in front of Narcissa. Those closest in the crowd backed up, providing me space.

 

“That would be I!” I said. “Though, to be precise, it’s less that I dare and more that I don’t care.”

 

She burst forward, shoved past Elle and Leonor, and clinched my suit jacket with her claw-like nails. “WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!?”

 

Spittle slapped against my face, and the overpowering stench of a plum perfume breached my nose. I all but gagged.

 

I cannot control others if I cannot control myself, I thought. Still, my eyes sharpened into a glare. My hands tightened into fists.

 

My mind wandered to how I could escape her grasp. It wouldn’t have been difficult. One strike – an open palm clap to the ears or a jab to the eyes – was all it would take to break free.

 

Narcissa can't afford a fight, I noted. If she attacked, the camera would capture her assaulting me, an heiress, her social equal, if not better. She couldn’t afford those repercussions.

 

I unclenched my hands, met her sea-blue glare head-on, and summoned as smug a grin as I could manage.

 

“I’m Cassidy Cain, the heiress to the Cain fortune. I could give you a rundown of who I am, but I imagine Vincent could do it better. You should call him. Also, tell him I say hello.”

 

She folded like a pair of twos against a royal flush. Her grip loosened with a light tremble.

 

“Lucky for you, I – the ASTUTE MADAME RRRRICHMOND – don’t have the time for pathetic lots like you.” She whirled about, turning her back to me, and made her bid to flee.

 

I grounded my teeth together and contemplated allowing her to leave, having already tired of her “Madame Richmond” gimmick. But, alas, I had far more to accomplish.

 

“Make some,” I said as I tidied my suit jacket and readjusted my tie. “What I say is out of concern for your safety.”

 

She continued to trot away. I had to hook her back in swiftly.

 

 “Your scheme leaves much to be desired, Narcissa.”

 

She halted. She had to. It was the only way for her to guard her precious ego – or I suppose I should say lack thereof.

 

“THAT’S MADAME RICHMOND, LITTLE GIRL!” she screeched as she wheeled back around.

 

“Have you researched what we know The Grandmaster’s done—"

 

“Obviously! I know all about stuff.” She leaned in closer, and her blue eyes glimmered. “And do you know what makes me different from all the others?”

 

“Do tell—”

 

“MY PLANS, AND I AM FFFFOOOOLLLLPRRRROOOOOFFFFF!”

 

I winced and covered my ears. Narcissa’s voice was the equivalent of hearing a knife scraping glass.

 

“The Grandmaster’s accomplishments lend credence far louder than you ever have or will,” I said, pushing on as I removed my hands from my ears. You’d be wise to heed my warning and retreat.”

 

Narcissa cackled while dropping her head and holding her sides. “Wait, wait, I get it, I get it! You’re trying to help the Grandmaster, AREN’T YOU?! Or, or, maybe you ARE THE GRANDMASTER!!!”

 

Some in the crowd laughed. Some murmured. I remained a fortress, my head held high.

 

“Come now, Narci—”

 

“MADAME RICHMOND!”

 

“—ssa,” I said. “Let’s assess the situation. Why would I step forth if I, being the Grandmaster, can effortlessly slip in without drawing any unwarranted attention? Or, if I were dead set on confronting you, why wouldn’t I assume a guise?”

 

“Uh, w-well… If…if you aren’t the Grandmaster… Yeah! If you aren’t The Grandmaster, why are you trying to warn me?!”

 

“I possess an inquisitive nature. Said nature compelled me to ask if you’re certain about this undertaking. Are you?”

 

“Am I…!? No, I’m not positive at all; THAT’S WHY I PUT ALL THIS TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS!”

 

I bit back the smirk which threatened to creep on my face. “Well then, since you’re already gambling, why not ante up? I’m willing to wager a million crown on the outcome of this encounter.”

 

Her eyes popped. “O-one m-m-million crowns…?”

 

“One million crowns. If this is foolproof, consider this free money.”

 

A bead of sweat formed on her forehead.

 

Child’s play, I thought. She had fallen prey to cognitive dissonance.

 

Cognitive dissonance is one of the many social engineering techniques I acquired during my studies. As the name implies, the technique starts with cognitions – our beliefs, attitudes, and values. People act in a manner that is consistent with these. When they fail to, it creates a state of discomfort or dissonance. The single remedy to this discomfort is to adjust our behavior and attitudes. People typically do this through actions such as denial or rationalization. Narcissa, however, had neither option. I transformed her greatest asset into a liability by confronting her in public.

 

“O-of course…” she said. “OF COURSE I AM! NAME YOUR CONDITIONS!”

 

“If you manage to retain The Maker’s Tear and capture The Grandmaster of Theft, I’ll deliver the sum to you in person and issue a public apology. If you fail to accomplish both tasks, you must donate a million crowns to Cain International’s medical research branch. The payout must be delivered in person to me at my family’s manor, and it must be placed directly into my hands. The loser pays this coming Ferridi at noon, no sooner or later. Do you agree?”

 

I held out a hand.

 

Narcissa eyed it before snatching me and giving me a lackluster squeeze.

 

“GET MY MONEY READY FOR I – THE REMARKABLE MADAME RICHMOND – SHALL MOP THE FLOOR WITH THE GRANDMASTER OF THEFT!!!”

 

“We’ll see. I’ll concede this scheme foolproof if even you can triumph.”

 

She scowled, raised her free hand before my face, and displayed her middle finger before tearing away in a huff.

 

All in all, the spectacle served me well. A tad more melodramatic than anticipated, but I left believing that the finishing touches were all which remained.