25. The Queen's blade
Adrian walked into Shirleen's room and sat down on the chair close to the slow burning furnace. His eyes drifted to the woman sleeping on the bed his mind lost in what he had found out that night. Angela's secret would not help Shirleen at all and as the heir to the Dragon family he had a duty to keep the secret from everyone else. The only thing he was sure of that night was if he kept the secret Shirleen would remain safe and alive. Shirleen turned on the bed and slowly opened her eyes aware that there was someone in the room with her. She did not panic already aware that only one person in her world would enter her room without permission. Her eyes drifted to Adrian who sat close to the burning furnace. He looked troubled and anxious. "A penny for your thoughts," she said softly sliding of the bed and joining him on the chaise. He pulled her close to him enclosing her in his warm arms. She noticed every time he held her in his arms his hand would always rest close to where he could feel her pulse.
He breathed in deeply as his body relaxed and all the tension within his body drifted away. "I am the heir to the Dragon family," he said softly and waited for her to understand what he had just said. "Each family has an heir to lead it after the original leader dies or retires. I believe you already know the history of the five families and how they came to be." She nodded softly remembering her unique education throughout the years. The elite, a secret society group made up of twenty members used their families' prestige and money to control the country which they thought was failing the people. They realised that they couldn't control crime like they could the government so they chose five families who would control crime in the country. They gave the five families rules and dominion of a thriving crime economy to control to their specification but on the condition, they would have to answer to the elite. "What you don't know is that all the leaders are supposed to present the name of their heirs as they grow older and the risk for their lives increase. The heirs are meant to interact and learn the rules as they grow up," Adrian said and turned her to look into his eyes. "But this time the Phoenix family led by Angela has delayed presenting its heir."
"Why?" she asked him.
"Because she has no children of her own and also because I believe she will be presenting you as her heir. That is why she brought you back to the country." She jerked forward but he held her tightly. "Listen to me before you react. Being the heir to the Phoenix family will be beneficial to you. Obviously, Angela has ulterior motive, but you can use her too. Being the heir will give you power enough to be able to oppose Angela. Your life will no longer be hers to take." Adrian looked deep into her eyes, "Just like she has been using you, you can use her. The title of heir will be your shield against her. Think about it darlin'."
"Will I really be able to get as much power as her?" she asked curiously.
"Yes, you would but it won't come easy," he said. "The reason why Angela has been so comfortable in keeping you around was because no one knows of your existence. She knew she could get rid of you at any time and no one would be the wiser. But I have found a solution."
"What?" she asked curiously.
"In the criminal world most of the heirs to crime families are male descendants and very rarely do the females inherit a crime empire. Females are battered to create alliances and peace." She looked up at him with a sour look, "How progressive," she said sarcastically, and he laughed.
"What can I say the criminal world is still lost in the eighteenth century and don't really care for the word equality. So, someone came up with the idea of the Queen's blade."
Shirleen's eyes widened remembering one of her many lectures, "One of my lessons was about that," she said. The Queen's blade was a tournament held every six years around the world whereby interested crime families would enlist their daughters to join. The enlisted daughters would make way around the world fighting any contestants they came across. The last three contesters would meet at a specific predetermined arena where they would fight, and the winner would fight the reigning queen. If she won, she would be crowned queen of the crime world but if she lost the reigning queen would remain queen until the next queen's blade. It was all about bringing honour to your family and gaining power above all other crime families in the world. The queen would not only gain a simple crown but would gain an army of well-trained assassins and villains at her command. She would have at her disposal information that could destroy countries and international political economy, information that could destroy corporations and political leaders worldwide. She basically had power over crime families worldwide. After her reign comes to an end, she is sworn to secrecy keeping what she has learned even from her own family and if she breaks her vow of secrecy her whole family is wiped out. "Only female descendants of crime families are allowed to participate," he said.
"I want you to enter the queen's blade," he said softly. "Darlin' unlike the four families' heirs you are not known. The rest of us have already made a name for ourselves as the most ruthless bastards this side of Africa. Angela made her name for herself too as the first female to be heir since the elite begun this. If you become queen, you will be feared, and you will gain power above even Angela's."
"Are you sure?" she asked looking deep into his eyes.
"Trust me darlin'," he whispered looking at her with all the love he felt for her. She must have seen something in his eyes because she nodded a smile forming on her lips.
"Will Angela agree?" she asked.
"I will convince her," he said. He leaned closer and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. He didn't want to think of the consequences of his idea. The queen's blade was no simple tournament. Many have died during the tournament due to the brutally of the battles but somehow, he knew she needed the brutality. She needed to have a place to release all that anger and hatred she stored inside her or they would consume her at some point. She also needed the notoriety when she became heir to the phoenix family. He just hoped he had not misjudged her skills. He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt his shirt sliding down his shoulders and arms and he pulled away from her lips to look into her eyes and confirm what he had been hoping. She looked back at him with pure desire and passion and he knew their relationship had come to a point where there was no turning back. He reached for her nightgown and pulled it over her head. He noticed the tattoo adorning her back and for just a few seconds traced it. He forgot all about it when she kissed his neck and he stood carrying her in his arms. He walked to the bed and gently placed her on it. "I have waited so long for this," he whispered against her lips. Their clothes found their way to the floor and passion overtook their senses for the night.