《Elf-Made Man》 Chapter 1: Tom Moving in the dark, Tom struggled to breathe evenly as he shuffled along the forest road. He held the pain at bay from sheer stubbornness, one hand carefully pressed against his deepest stab wound. Just a little longer, he hoped. The night was moonless; he could barely see. For the time being, he stuck to the center of the road, where the dirt was most even and firm. Hopefully, he would be less likely to trip and fall that way. They probably didn''t go far¡­ This isn''t where I expected to end up two days ago. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The Lucky Sprite had been busy on Eightnight. Light and shadow flickered over the wooden beams as candles and patrons moved around. The air smelled of booze but didn''t yet reek of it; the night was young. Tom sat at the bar and shoved a lock of black hair out of his face. Time to cut it again, he mused. He listened to bits and pieces of the various conversations as his blue eyes tracked all over the room. ¡°That stubborn rock wouldn''t shift no matter what I tried¡­¡± ¡°Bet you ten copper he''s late again¡­¡± ¡°So I said, ¡®why don''t you come over here and say that!¡¯ and he tried to pretend he didn''t know I was talking to him. Damned coward¡­¡± ¡°Eight silver! Can you believe that? No way was I going to pay eight for that¡­¡± ¡°Eh, I''m glad Greg left, even if it leaves us a man short. Better nobody than someone you can''t trust to watch your back on the road¡­¡± Tom turned his head to look at the last speaker. Four men sat around one of the smaller tables. The man he had overheard had a shock of hair that was so blond it was almost white. The tanned face under it made an odd contrast. ¡°I know what that''s like,¡± Tom called out from his stool. ¡°You''re good to be cautious. May I join you for a moment?¡± ¡°Who might you be?¡± ¡°Tom Walker.¡± He left his stool and strolled over. He caught the eye of a barmaid, swept his hand over the table and pointed at himself. She nodded. The men seated didn''t miss it either. ¡°We can make room for a man who buys us a round,¡± a scrawny man with a florid complexion declared, to general agreement. ¡°Julio.¡± ¡°Hi, Julio.¡± ¡°That''s Vlad, Bob, and I''m Nictal.¡± The bearded man pointed out who was who. ¡°What brings you to our table, Tom?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Tom paused to snag a free stool and was back in an instant. ¡°I''m a traveler, I can guard, and I''m at loose ends. When I overheard you talking about being a man short, I thought I would say hello and ask questions.¡± ¡°We don''t do the hiring, Tom,¡± Bob warned him. ¡°We work for Kurt.¡± ¡°Who''s Kurt?¡± ¡°That is Kurt,¡± Vlad declared, gesturing with his mug. Tom looked over, and saw a giant of a man with black hair and beard just starting to be touched with white in places. He was eating dinner. Tom was impressed; not many men were bigger than him, but he was downright small compared to this fellow. ¡°I see. What do you all do for Kurt?¡± ¡°We''re mercenaries. Traveling guards, lately.¡± ¡°Where from?¡± ¡°All over. We just escorted a caravan from Southby. We''re headed out again tomorrow, for Rivermarch.¡± ¡°Huh. Is Kurt a good boss?¡± ¡°Boss trains us hard in the evenings. Not everyone is fit for it. And he''s quick to fire people he doesn''t like. But we get paid and we sharpen our skills.¡± ¡°Yeah? How long have you guys lasted?¡± ¡°Five years.¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Two, in a couple of months.¡± The answers all came at once, and Tom quickly attached the numbers to the men in his head. ¡°So you guys are quality fighters, and you''ve been together a while. What''s the pay?¡± ¡°Two and a half silvers per day, plus meals.¡± Tom grinned, thinking about his appetite. ¡°This is sounding better and better. I had meant to stay in Middleton another week or so, but I think I''ll go talk to the boss, instead. Excuse me, gentlemen.¡± He stood. ¡°Good luck, Tom. Thanks for the drinks.¡± ¡°Thanks. Hopefully, I''ll see you later.¡± Carrying his mug, Tom navigated between the other patrons. He was big enough that he could have just bulled through and made everyone else get out of his path, but that wasn''t his way. He approached Kurt''s table. The man''s dark eyes flicked briefly over him. Tom stopped at the empty chair opposite and looked a question at the other man. The smallest of grunts and nods were all the invitation he got. Kurt kept eating as Tom sat and regarded the load on the man''s plate. He eats even more than I do.Tom gave him a few moments to see if he would speak first, then resisted the urge to clear his throat, masking it by taking a sip from his mug. The taste wasn''t awful, was about all he could say for it. He took a quiet breath. ¡°I hear that you''re hiring guards to travel. I''m looking for work.¡± Kurt swallowed, and looked Tom up and down. ¡°Maybe. You look young. You have experience?¡± ¡°Some. I''ve done a lot of different jobs.¡± Kurt gestured with a chicken leg at the short sword at Tom''s side. ¡°You know how to use that?¡± Tom had expected the question. ¡°I''m no genius with it, but I generally get the pointy end where it belongs.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Kurt took a swallow from his own mug. ¡°You ever kill a man?¡± Tom felt his mouth pucker. ¡°Twice. I can''t say I care for it, but sometimes it needs doing.¡± That appeared to be the right answer, from Kurt''s expression. Good. ¡°Have you been a guard before?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°I was a town guard at Peter''s Crossing for a few months. I''ve escorted a carriage between towns, and been a personal bodyguard for a while. I didn''t care much for standing around near nobles, though I can do it if I have to.¡± ¡°Town guard, eh? Can you stop a fight without steel?¡± ¡°Usually.¡± ¡°You hunt?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°I''m fair at it.¡± ¡°You cook?¡± ¡°Only if you''re desperate.¡± Kurt snorted, then sized him up again, dipping his fingers in a water bowl and wiping his greasy fingers on a rag. ¡°You think you''re strong?¡± Tom considered how to answer, then shrugged and said, ¡°Once in a while, I lose a bar bet. Not too often, though.¡± Kurt finished cleaning his hands and pushed his plate to one side. ¡°Let''s see.¡± He thumped his elbow on the table and offered his hand. Tom set his mug well to the side and did likewise. Should I let him win easily, or do my best to beat him? Tom braced for the beginning as he tried to guess what would get him hired. Maybe I¡ªOOF! Tom was glad he had braced, as his hand was being forced down slowly but steadily. Worried about making a poor impression, Tom dug deep and managed to bring a halt, but couldn''t make any progress. He didn''t lose ground for a while, but eventually his hand was slowly forced back until his knuckles hit the table. Tom did his best to hide his reaction and wait for the verdict, retrieving his arm and flexing his hand a few times. Kurt calmly looked at his own hand for a moment. ¡°Been a while since anyone managed to hold me off for a bit. What''s your name, boy?¡± ¡°Tom Walker. Thanks for not busting it,¡± Tom answered. ¡°You can''t stand your watch if you can''t hold your sword.¡± Kurt nodded. ¡°I think you''ll do. The pay is two and a half silver per day, meals, and a bonus for combat. The caravan is leaving in the morning. Will you be ready?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Kurt scowled. ¡°Don''t call me ¡®sir.¡¯ Be at the north gate at sunup.¡± ¡°I''ll be there. Thank you¡­Kurt.¡± ¡°I can still hear the ¡®sir¡¯.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Shuffling forward, Tom hitched his breath as his foot almost caught on a rock, and he had to stop for a few moments until the pain steadied. He peered up at the sliver of night sky visible above the road. He could see Copper near zenith, and a fair number of stars. Platinum must have set long since. Twisting his neck that way hurt, and his head was already pounding, so he lowered his gaze and stared into the forest instead. If they are traveling all night, I''ll never catch up¡­but what else can I do? He forced himself to start moving again. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The merchants were not quite ready at sunup Oneday morning. Tom wasn''t surprised. The delay gave him a chance to meet the other guards. He carefully committed the names to memory and kept his ears open, knowing he had a lot to learn at the start. ¡°So the theater wagon and the spice wagon are gone, and we got one new one?¡± Bob asked. ¡°That makes six wagons now.¡± ¡°Yup. Easier to guard six than seven. What''s the new one, though?¡± ¡°Looks like another one where we don''t want to ask,¡± Vlad observed. ¡°What''s that?¡± Tom asked. Vlad explained. ¡°Well, the new wagon is taking the lead, apparently. In second place, we''ve got a grain wagon, right? That''s the Parsons. Jeff Parson is in charge of the whole caravan. He seems a decent fellow. I don''t know why he''s not in front again.¡± Vlad seemed to think about it for a moment and then dismiss it with a wave of his hand. ¡°All right¡­¡± Tom encouraged him to go on. Vlad pointed at the third wagon. ¡°And that there''s Mr. Whistler''s fabric wagon. He''s nice, but watch out if he asks you to gamble. Likewise, all the way in the back, we''ve got the two married Smiths with a load of ironwork to deliver to Rivermarch. Those three wagons are friendly enough. You want to stay away from the other three, though.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, the fourth wagon here is carrying booze.¡± Tom nodded in understanding. ¡°And that''s why they''ve got three big guys of their own guarding it.¡± ¡°Right. They don''t trust us not to steal a nip or two.¡± Vlad turned and pointed. ¡°The fifth one, I have no idea what''s in it, and neither does anybody else. Mr. Sashen is traveling by himself and he sleeps with his cargo. Won''t say hardly a word to anyone, and whatever it is, it''s all sealed up in crates. He''s been with us for four stops and hasn''t even told us his destination. I guess he''ll let us know when we''re not going in his direction any more.¡± ¡°And the new guys?¡± Tom tilted his head at the lead wagon without making it obvious. ¡°Those three are a real piece of work. Their cargo is wrapped up tight too. They smell like trouble.¡± Tom took a surreptitious look. There were three men: one lean, one stout, and the leader, a man with a shock of red hair who looked like a fighter. Tom got one look at his face and started immediately thinking about how he would drop the man if it became necessary. Vlad has the right of it, I think. ¡°Yeah, I''m not curious enough to poke the bear,¡± Tom assured his fellows. ¡°Smart man. How old are you, anyway, Tom?¡± Tom saw no reason to lie. ¡°Eighteen. I left home four years ago.¡± ¡°Where''s home?¡± ¡°Flax Hill. It''s pretty far.¡± ¡°Never heard of it.¡± ¡°Yeah, neither has anybody else.¡± Kurt came over to his men with a sour look on his face. Hangover? I doubt it, Tom mused. More likely talking to the new merchants ticked him off for some reason. Oh, I bet they were the reason for the delay. ¡°All right, they''re finally ready. Bob, you and me in the front. Then Michael and Vlad, then Nictal and Pete. Julio, you''ve got Tom here and rearguard duty.¡± Thick fingers pointed out the rough spacing he wanted. ¡°Understood.¡± Everyone acknowledged the order. Makes sense. He doesn''t know if I''m any good yet, so I get the easiest watch while they figure out I know how to lace my boots without a helper. Just as well; if there are any special tricks to working under Kurt, I''d rather start off slow and easy while I learn. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The day went smoothly and quickly. Julio bragged about women he had bedded, and others that he had tried to bed. Tom had no anecdotes of his own to share, a fact that Julio pounced on. ¡°Four years on the road, and you''re still a virgin? Incredible! You''re not that ugly.¡± ¡°I didn''t say I was a virgin!¡± ¡°But you didn''t deny it, either,¡± Julio pointed out with cunning. Tom scowled and stared at his side of the road, and Julio laughed. ¡°When we get to Rivermarch, I''ll help you find a lady to improve your education.¡± ¡°Don''t need the help.¡± Tom did his best to shut that down right away. ¡°What, you scared?¡± ¡°No, I''m just not in a hurry. There was this guy I knew, back when I was first on the road, and he lay with every woman he could. Then he ended up with the red pains and had to borrow money for the healer, and it all went downhill for him from there. He''s probably going to be paying it back for the rest of his life.¡± ¡°There''s ways to be careful, you know. Healers can check them in advance. Some cities actually have a healer visit every house of ladies every month.¡± Tom narrowed his eyes. ¡°Demon shit. That would cost a fortune.¡± Julio kept up an earnest expression for a few more seconds before he grinned. ¡°All right, so you weren''t born last summer. Good to know.¡± He stopped talking for a few moments as something caught his eye. Then he scoffed. ¡°Just a rabbit. Where was I?¡± ¡°You were telling me about Kurt.¡± ¡°No, I wasn''t, nice try, virgin.¡± Tom carefully repressed a sigh. The more I react, the longer they will tease. Act bored until it goes away. ¡°If that''s an invitation, I''m not interested in that side of the barn.¡± Julio laughed. ¡°Neither am I. I like the ladies. And speaking of, there was this one girl from the east¡­¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã As Firstday faded into Firstnight, the caravan made camp at a well-used rest stop. Tom pitched in without being asked. He still had to prove himself to the group, after all. But he didn''t get much done before Kurt called him. Tom nodded, finished dropping off the firewood, and headed over. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Time for training,¡± Kurt announced. ¡°Michael and Vlad, you''re on watch for now. Tom, you''re with me. The rest of you, pair up and practice your drills.¡± For the next half hour, Kurt put Tom through his paces. Tom demonstrated his usual sword drill, and his new boss had criticisms of every single stance and move. A lot of his instruction boiled down to using greater care and focus on each motion, to make each action more precise. ¡°You''ve got plenty of power, but you''re too sloppy. You know the saying ¡®repetition makes perfection¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That''s wrong. Repetition does not make perfection. Repetition makes habit. Perfect repetition makes perfection. You need to pay more attention to each and every move. You should be doing less, but doing it better. Just focus on those first four moves for now. You want to get in the habit of doing things right, so that they''ll go right when you don''t have time to think about it.¡± Kurt made him repeat the first four moves, and corrected him again and again. Tom started to feel frustrated, so Kurt made him slow down, and then slow down again, until Tom could make the first two moves roughly up to Kurt''s standards. ¡°Practice it slow. Get it perfect when it is slow. Then speed up little by little, but don''t settle for sloppy. Don''t go faster until you can get it perfect at the speed you''re already at.¡± Mrs. Parson called them to dinner, and Kurt stepped back and nodded. Tom forced himself back to calmness as he returned the wooden practice sword. ¡°Thank you¡­you''re a good teacher.¡± ¡°A young man with patience? Make offerings to the gods.¡± It was a hint of humor that blunted Tom''s internal tension and frustration. ¡°We''ll see how you improve in the first season.¡± Tom washed his hands, even though the stream was close to freezing. He warmed them at the fire for a minute while everyone started eating, then grabbed his own dinner. It was a tasty stew and there was some fresh bread with it, since it was their first day on the road. Tom ate quickly, then took his second full helping and sat back down, listening and watching the others. He didn''t miss it when Kurt looked at Julio, and Julio gave a small nod. I guess I pass for today. Then one of the men from the first wagon took a lot of the stew, shoved it into a pail rather than a bowl, and stalked off. Well, that''s downright unfriendly. Too good to eat with us even? Or mad that I took a second helping? Tom did his best to put it out of his mind. The conversation proceeded in fits and starts. Mr. Sashen ate quietly and then excused himself. The Smiths and the Parsons chatted, since they weren''t in easy talking distance of each other during the day. Mr. Whistler approached Tom, and gestured at the log Tom was using for a seat. ¡°Good evening, young man. May I?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Good evening, sir.¡± The bald merchant settled himself with a groan. ¡°Philip Whistler, trader and tailor.¡± ¡°Tom Walker, traveler and guard.¡± ¡°Do you play cards, Tom?¡± Tom hesitated. ¡°I''m afraid not.¡± ¡°I''d be happy to teach you the rules of a game or two.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Whistler, but I''m not rich enough to gamble.¡± ¡°Well¡­for fun, then?¡± Tom tried to think of how to get out of this. ¡°I''m sorry, but I don''t really have a head for it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Whistler''s voice had an odd tone to it, like he was surprised and suspicious. ¡°You seem plenty sharp to me.¡± Uh-oh. This guy is smart. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± The tailor eyed him another moment, then sighed. ¡°Ah, well. One week to go.¡± ¡°To Rivermarch?¡± ¡°Yes. That''s where my shop is. More importantly, that''s where my dear wife is waiting for me.¡± ¡°How long have you been on the road?¡± ¡°Seven weeks. It''s hard being away from her. She is the light of my life.¡± ¡°Do you have to do this a lot?¡± ¡°Once a year, or twice if it goes poorly. Eventually, I''ll have to give it up and let other merchants rob me blind, but I''m not there yet.¡± With a bit more effort, Tom managed to avoid getting roped into a game with Mr. Whistler without revealing why he was refusing. He chatted with the friendlier merchants and the other guards until the caravaners turned in for the night. Kurt paired him with Julio again for first watch. Julio had been talkative all day, but he fell silent when keeping watch, to let the others sleep. When Tom turned in at the change of the watch, he felt good about his choice to join this group. He''d worked with all sorts of people, and this team was clearly among the better ones. He closed his eyes with satisfaction. I''ll learn a lot from Kurt. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã As he shuffled onward, Tom felt blood on his fingers when he touched the bandage on his side. That''s not good. He needed a physicker or a healer, but he would worry about it if he lived through the night. There was a noise, and Tom froze. Something was coming towards him from the left. He made a snap decision. Moving as quickly as he could, which was not very at all, he managed to reach a tree trunk at the side of the road in time to hide, after a fashion. His vision swam a bit, or at least it felt that way. It was hard to tell in the dark. A lone man came stumbling through the underbrush. He was muttering to himself as he broke clear into the roadway. Tom tried to make it out. ¡°No¡­no¡­no¡­get away¡­got to get away¡­¡± He had to be one of the bandits. The rest must be close. I was right. Instead of turning north or south along the road, though, the man crossed and plunged right back into the woods again, headed east. Weird behavior. The other bandits must have spooked him. Or he just cracked when he realized he''d killed a man. Some people had extra trouble dealing with it; Tom had seen it before. He took stock of himself. There was no way he could catch someone moving that quickly. Reluctantly, he kept still and waited, looking and listening. No one else followed the first man. Then the pain flared up and he had to take a minute to cope. His mind fogged up, and Tom simply focused on making it through each second to the next one, until he could sort of think again. I don''t know if I can do this. Tom held his breath, then let it out carefully, trying to ride the pain. I have to do it. Once he could breathe without risking a scream, he trod softly along the edge of the road, ready to move behind a trunk if needed. After another minute, he found the small path the wagons must have used. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Twoday passed in much the same fashion as Oneday. Instead of farms and clear fields, they entered the Great Oak Forest by midmorning. They planned to follow Forest Road north for nearly a week before emerging at the far end a day or so from Rivermarch. Keeping guard in the forest was harder, of course; out in the open you could see an enemy coming for miles, and fewer predators wandered on the plains and fields. Now the mercenaries had to be alert for bears, wolves, and bandits, among other hazards. Kurt started sending Michael farther ahead to scout; the man reported back every half hour or so. But nothing of note happened. Tom got spooked by a deer at one point, and the others ridiculed him for it; he took it with good humor. The rest of the day was boring. Boring was good. Before dinner, Tom practiced the new sword drills Kurt had taught him, and tried to remember all the details. Kurt was quick to correct him. Sometimes the big man was surprisingly gentle when adjusting a pose that was almost right; other times the wooden sword cracked down firmly if he was too far out of position. Kurt gave first watch to Michael and Vlad. Tom and Julio would take the next shift. Tom turned in with the others, expecting to be woken in a few hours. He felt pretty good about the day, and managed to fall asleep almost instantly. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ¡°FIGHT!¡± Tom was startled awake. He opened his eyes in time to see a knife flashing downward at him. He blocked instinctively, taking a big cut on his left arm instead of a stab in his heart. The man bending over him looked terrified but determined. Tom grabbed for the hand holding the knife but missed. He scrambled, trying to get his feet under him, and had to block again with the same arm. He seized his sword, scabbard and all, and swung it hard into his attacker, then bared the blade as he rose into a crouch. Kurt was still shouting the alarm, trying to wake the others. A noise behind Tom warned him to roll to the side, but it wasn''t enough; he got stabbed in the side. The pain didn''t register at first, but suddenly it was hard to breathe. No. I''m not going down without even taking one of them with me! A desperate swing caught the second man in the neck with the tip of his blade, slashing just deep enough for a mortal blow. Again he struggled to get to his feet, but wasn''t given the chance. A third attacker cracked his skull with a club, and Tom lost consciousness. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It was unclear how long he was out, but eventually an urgent need to pee prodded him slowly back to awareness. He almost wet himself from pain and apathy, but faintly realized that if he fell asleep again, he might never wake. So he forced himself to embrace the pain and use it to finish waking up. He could see nothing when he opened his eyes, and worried that he was blind, until the stars overhead swam slowly into sharp focus. As soon as he tried to move, he wanted to throw up. Forewarned, he started moving very, very slowly, and managed to roll up to his hands and knees without losing his supper. He looked around. Everything was very dark, but his eyes adapted to the starlight eventually, with the horror around him appearing in slow stages. The wagons were gone. The campfire was completely out. And there were a lot of bodies. Demon shit. He could barely see anything. His pack and weapons were gone. Are there other survivors? I need light! He fumbled with his clothing and relieved himself with difficulty right where he was, since he wasn''t sure he could do otherwise. Then he slowly crawled over to the closest body. It was that of a stranger. Tom could feel the neck was cut. This is the one I killed. A quick search didn''t turn up anything useful like a striker or a rock light. He tried to remember where everyone had been sleeping, and started to crawl again. His head spun and he vomited, which caused blinding agony in his side. He stayed on all fours, trembling, favoring his injured arm a bit, even though it at least seemed to be working. I should not be moving around. I also should not be stabbed and bleeding to death, but here I am. It felt like forever, but he crawled over the dirt to one body, then another, then stumbled across a fallen lantern that might still work a little, since not quite all the oil had spilled. More searching yielded a striker. It took far more concentration than he liked, but after nearly a dozen tries he managed a light. His eyes adjusted and he looked at the closest body. Julio. Tom crawled to him, and checked him for life, then closed his eyes. This was a living man, who wanted to bed women and have fun and live to old age. He seemed like a good guy. Gods curse those bandit bastards. He went from body to body, reading the tale of the battle from the signs left. Michael and Vlad both had crossbow bolts in them: Michael to his neck and Vlad to his face. They must have managed to take out both guards at once. The sound woke Kurt, though. Kurt''s corpse was surrounded by dead bodies of attackers. Tom counted six. Damn. Pretty impressive for starting from bed. He also had two crossbow bolts in him, as well as a lot of other wounds. ¡°I''m sorry, sir,¡± Tom whispered. ¡°I only got one of them. Thank you for giving us a chance. Thank you for my life.¡± What is left of it. Tom kept going with his grisly search. No one else was alive. At least the two women''s clothing wasn''t torn; that was a mercy. All the weapons had been taken, along with coin purses and the wagons. He stopped when he found Mr. Whistler. ¡°Sorry about this, sir.¡± He managed a pathetic bandage out of the man''s clothing for his side, and a better one for his left arm. Then he had to stop and just breathe for a while. Six days to Rivermarch. Two days back to Middleton. Cut off a day for finding someone living outside of town to help. Even so, Tom realized that he probably wasn''t going to make it back out of the forest. His only hope would be to lie in the road and hope a passing messenger didn''t think he was bait. It''s not fair. I want to live. The guys wanted to live¡­Mr. Whistler wanted to get home to his wife. Grief threatened to overwhelm him, but anger helped him to push it down. If I''m dying, what do I want to do with my last minutes or hours? Put that way, the answer was obvious. I want to kill the bastards who did this. Tom grimaced. I''m not even sure I can stand up, though. I might be able to take one guy in my condition. I need surprise. Well, they left me for dead, so that might help. They think they''re all alone out here. I need to figure out which way they went. Think, Tom. Where would they go? Back to Middleton? No, too suspicious. People would remember the caravan leaving. One of the villages? Maybe, if they basically run their own village nearby. Instead of selling the goods they might use them¡ªdrink, eat, and make clothing. Some things would be valuable, but not to them, though. They would want to sell those, not just sit on merchandise worth some gold. Plus, if they are too close to Middleton, there''s still a chance someone will figure it out. The smart move would be to keep going to Rivermarch, and sell some of the stuff there. It''s supposed to be a big city. Easier to disappear. But are these bandits smart or stupid? Tom thought about the well-executed attack. Kurt was sharp. His guys were experienced. And yet the bandits took us down, with a bunch of casualties, but still. Whoever is running that gang is smart. Tom nodded in his thoughts. They''ll head north to Rivermarch. He was starting to have some more difficulty breathing. I''d better get to the road, at least, before I die. My body will warn travelers. The lantern sputtered; it was probably going to go out soon. Tom took another look around while he could. From one of the merchants, he took a water skin and emptied it into his throat. It helped a bit, so he scrounged another. He also got a final count: twelve merchants, seven guards, and fifteen bandits lay dead in the rest stop. Carrion eaters would be coming. They took the weapons. Did they miss any? Tom looked over at Kurt''s huge body. No way am I rolling him over in my condition. Which means the bandits wouldn''t have bothered, either. Kurt would have a backup weapon, but probably didn''t draw it. He died with his sword in his hand. Tom crawled over to his employer. It took some doing, but he reached underneath and found a dagger in the small of the big man''s back. The lantern sputtered and went out, leaving him in blackness again. Water, bandages, dagger. Now to find out whether I can even stand. Tom decided to crawl out to the edge of the road first, in case he died while trying to stand up. The short path from the rest area felt like miles, but he managed it, eventually. He braced against an oak and prepared for the pain, then slowly rose to his feet, still leaning against the tree. The pain actually lessened a bit. Weird. Experimentally, Tom leaned very slightly one way and almost blacked out, clutching the oak in a death grip to keep from falling. Don''t vomit. Don''t vomit or you''ll die. Carefully, gradually, he straightened, then leaned a tiny bit in the other direction, and the pain receded some, enough that he could breathe. He stayed that way for a couple of minutes, just relishing the ability to take in air. It''s miraculous, breathing. It''s wonderful. You just don''t appreciate it until you almost lose it. Tom resolved not to take breathing for granted in the future, though it was unlikely he had one. After a few tiny, cautious practice steps, Tom let go of the tree and stood on his own. Carefully, he figured out a shuffling walk that didn''t make him feel worse, and started slowly north up the dark forest road, in pursuit of an unknown number of bandits an unknown distance away, with nothing but a dagger and a couple of bleeding wounds. I might be about to die, but gods witness me, I will die trying. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Now that he had found the bandits, Tom kept his distance, watching and listening. They didn''t keep much of a guard; most of them were celebrating and drinking some of the booze. He could hear arguments a couple of times, but couldn''t make out the words. One voice was sharper and louder than the others, and held a tone of command. He crawled forward when the bickering got loud enough to cover for him, and stopped when he could see the tops of the wagons and could hear what they were saying. Then he settled down to wait and watch. A wave of exhaustion hit him as soon as he stopped moving. Don''t fall asleep, he warned himself. If he fell asleep here and now that would probably be the end for him, even if he wasn''t discovered. He had a long wait ahead. He couldn''t afford to move too soon. He couldn''t afford to sleep either. Tom tried to memorize the different voices and get a count. He didn''t dare raise his head and risk getting spotted. The partying lasted a long while, and some of the men were getting drunk. Good. The more of them pass out from the booze, the farther I''ll get with revenge. There actually didn''t seem to be many bandits left, which was satisfying. There had to be at least six, to have driven all the wagons here in one trip. At least five left, Tom amended, thinking about the soul-wounded man fleeing earlier. At least some of the arguments he heard were about going to look for him. There were a few angry outbursts, and whenever one of them got too loud the leader''s voice cut through it like a knife. He''s the smart one. Tom got a bit of luck; the leader climbed up onto one of the wagons where Tom could just see him. In the firelight he could make out the man''s features; his brown hair was an unruly mess, his mustache was worse, and he was dressed all in black. The boss bandit looked down at everyone and shouted orders and answered questions. At least four. No more than eight, Tom estimated. ¡°If they don''t come back, we won''t even be able to drive all the wagons,¡± one man complained. Only four or five!? He said ¡®they¡¯, so if more than one bandit disappeared after they got here, there are only four left! Maybe I can do this. Tom''s head began to pound worse from excitement so he forced himself to calm down. There was still a good chance he would die before getting revenge, but all he could do was be smart and wait for opportunity. He wondered how much time had passed. He couldn''t bring himself to look too far upward at the stars, but at the top of his vision he noticed Copper starting to drop below the trees. It''s been a couple of hours, at least. It felt like an eternity. Tom wondered if he had died and this was his afterlife: pain and lying in wait. He realized that was odd and couldn''t even squeeze his eyes shut or shake his head to clear it. Finally, finally, after what felt like hours more, all the voices fell silent and turned to snoring. The bandit leader walked into the woods for a minute to do his necessary, then resumed his watch. Tom was lucky again; the spot the bandit had chosen was not far from where Tom lay in wait. When the man was looking elsewhere, Tom slowly, slowly crawled closer. He picked the best place he could, and behind the trunk of a huge oak tree, climbed back to his feet, then leaned against the trunk, facing away from the camp, and waited. And waited. And waited. Don''t look, he warned himself. This is your best move, what you''re already doing. As minute after minute passed, Tom felt more and more tempted, but was firm with himself. If I peek and he spots me, it''s all for nothing. He fiddled with his bandages. He waited¡­ Tom jerked awake, and his soul scrambled to catch up. The noise of footsteps on fallen leaves had woken him, and he was grateful for the rough bark that had helped to stop him from sliding down the trunk. He barely had time to grip Kurt''s dagger tightly before the bandit walked past him, not six feet away. Tom lunged, grabbing the man''s shoulder for support even as he cut his throat. They fell to the ground together, and Tom watched the shock and fear as the bandit futilely groped at his neck, like anyone else desperate for anything to give him even a second more of precious life. Tom saw the realization in his eyes as the man recognized him, and the expression of despair was satisfying as the bandit finally went still. Tom''s eyes closed and he felt his soul starting to come loose, but forced the feeling back. Not yet. Almost done. Tom rolled to his hands and knees and retched again, which was nearly the end of him. Not yet, he insisted, refusing to give in. Not yet. As he gathered himself, he looked over the bandit leader, took the man''s dagger as a spare, and pulled off a belt pouch containing sundries including a rock light. Maybe I can blind one if I need to. Tom crawled into the camp and found three men snoring. One by one, he cut their throats, and watched their eyes as they died. By the last one, he was feeling a bit sickened. The man looked like a simple farmer who had turned desperate. This will give me nightmares, he belatedly realized. Then he snorted mentally. I doubt I will ever dream again, unless the temple masters are right and there is more life after this one. He listened carefully to the woods. There are a couple more out there somewhere, but they might not be coming back. Tom knew his life was close to spent. There would be no more chasing, no more revenge. He was done. Then he heard something. Not a forest sound¡ªfootsteps on wood. And then the sound of someone doing their necessary in a bucket. Tom''s vision started to go dark around the edges and he fought to concentrate. Someone''s sleeping in one of the wagons. I should have thought of that. Maybe¡­I can get one more. Tom rallied the last of his strength, and crawled over to the lead wagon. He had to use a wheel for support, but got to his feet. Climbing up onto the seat was impossible, so he shifted around to the back. The back flap had been left untied by the bandits. He lifted one corner, and tried to peer inside, but all was blackness after the light of the campfire had done its work on his eyes. He felt iron bars. A cage? Then he caught sight of a pair of amber eyes reflecting the faint firelight. An animal? Curious, Tom fumbled the rock light out of the pouch and squeezed it twice to light it, closing his eyes against the initial flash of light. When he opened them again, he stared in shock. The cage was full of elven slaves. Tom had only seen elves a couple of times in his travels, and never up close. Most of these ones were asleep. The exception was a striking woman with amber eyes and straight black hair, who was staring back at him, shaking another elf awake while she did so. Tom stared. ¡°Those bastards¡­¡± he muttered. His vision swam a bit. Not my problem. I''m dying. He took a deep breath with difficulty. Wait. Tom had a worrisome thought. Everybody else is dead. The elves are trapped. If no one finds them, they''ll starve to death. They were far enough from the road to be out of sight to casual view. It was a real danger. But I don''t have it in me to go search for the key. Who would even have it? Probably the leader, back in the woods. I''ll never make it all the way back there and back here. Unless¡­ Gods, please do these elves a favor. Please let it be in here. Tom dug into the bandit''s pouch by feel, and his fingers closed on an irregular piece of iron. He pulled it out and immediately pushed his hand through the bars, offering the key to the woman. It only took a moment for her to get over her shock and dart forward to take it. Good. Tom felt himself smile, a real smile, the last thing he expected in his final moments. He shuffled aside to get out of the way, and sank down to the ground. Thank you, gods, for saving them. He remembered the woman''s look of shock and hope, and it warmed him in his core. Thank you for letting me feel something at the end¡­besides¡­hate¡­ Finally at peace, Tom Walker let the darkness come. Chapter 2: Diavla She stared at the key in her hand, and the flap that had dropped back down when the human moved away. He had left the rock light shining on the floor of the cage. Behind her, Varga moved. ¡°What in the¡ª?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Diavla hissed. ¡°We might have to sneak out.¡± Who knew who or what else was out there? She hurried over to the lock on the cage, the key clutched in a death grip. Don''t drop it, don''t drop it, for the love of all the spirits, don''t drop it¡­ She put the key in the lock and tried to turn it. It wouldn''t budge. ¡°Let me,¡± Arven told her, moving up beside her. She waited until he had a firm grip on the key before letting go. Arven grunted a few moments, scowling. ¡°Is it backwards?¡± Diavla wondered. Arven looked at her, then twisted the key in the other direction and they all heard the clank of iron as the door unlocked. Arven pushed the cage door open against the flap''s resistance, the heavy fabric lifting awkwardly out of the way. He jumped down at once, then leveraged the door wide open. ¡°Out, out, out!¡± he whispered, looking around. Diavla was next out of the cage, her bare feet landing on beautiful, beautiful earth for the first time since they were abducted three months back. She moved out of the way and spun around, taking in everything quickly. Fear spiked as she spotted three humans in bedrolls, but then realized that the bandits had been killed where they slept. She kept turning, and found the human who had given her the key slumped down against one wheel of the wagon. There didn''t seem to be anyone else around at all. It only took her a moment to put the story together. If there''s no one else here, and we''re not on the road, we might have died of thirst or starved to death before anyone found us. He was surprised to see us, realized the danger, and gave us the key with a smile. ¡°He saved our lives,¡± she murmured. ¡°Deliberately.¡± ¡°Quick! Spread out, grab weapons, and find the tokens!¡± Arven urged. Orvan, then Brallik, climbed down out of the wagon, and Orvan helped Sheema, unceremoniously grabbing the short woman by the waist and legs and lowering her to the ground. Varga darted out next and immediately ran around, searching. Young Rillik followed, eyes moving constantly. Finally, Kervan climbed down and Arven let the cage door slam shut again. ¡°What do you think happened?¡± Kervan asked. ¡°The human is alone. I think he crept in and killed the bandits who killed the slavers. He must be a survivor from the caravan,¡± Diavla surmised, getting her first look at the other five wagons. ¡°Probably a guard.¡± ¡°Yeah, I doubt a merchant could have done all this,¡± Kervan agreed, staring at the scene. ¡°There are only three bodies here. And I don''t see the leader. Does anybody see the leader?¡± he called to the others. ¡°Found him!¡± Arven called. He was a short distance into the trees. ¡°Does he still have the tokens?¡± After a pause, Arven said, ¡°I don''t think so. I''m not being blocked from touching anything.¡± ¡°If the leader doesn''t have them¡­¡± Diavla stepped over and crouched down next to the human. As she suspected, there was a pouch in his hand still, the same one she had seen him pull the key out of. When she went to touch it, her reach stopped, a handspan away. The control magic was creepy, so she pulled her hand back quickly. ¡°The human has the tokens.¡± ¡°Then he''s our new master. Found the tokens!¡± Kervan called. Arven nodded and came back into the clearing. Wordlessly, he accepted a dagger from Varga, who then ran off again. ¡°Did you see his face?¡± Diavla asked, looking at the young man on the ground. ¡°He didn''t even know we were here.¡± ¡°Well, he''s dead now,¡± Rillik gloated. ¡°Out of the way!¡± Sheema pushed past and crouched next to the human. For a moment she examined him, then let out a noisy breath. ¡°He''s not dead, but he will be soon, at this rate.¡± ¡°Sheema, you aren''t thinking of Healing him, are you?¡± The boy looked offended. He had lost both his parents in the raid on their village, and had far more hate in him now than was healthy. ¡°Have you forgotten that the collars will kill us if nobody has the tokens for too long?¡± Kervan reminded Rillik. ¡°Diavla, shall I try to Heal him?¡± Sheema asked. ¡°Do it,¡± Diavla told her, noticing that everyone seemed to be accepting that she was in charge. That''s what I get for stepping up sometimes during the trip when Orvan didn''t. ¡°Can you even Heal a human?¡± Brallik asked skeptically. ¡°I don''t know,¡± Sheema snapped. ¡°Shut up and let me find out!¡± Will the spirits of this land listen to her? Diavla wondered. Out of habit, she took a cleansing breath when Sheema did, remembering long ago temple lessons. For a minute, Sheema just closed her eyes, presumably questing out with her spiritual sense. A metallic clattering noise distracted Diavla, who turned to see Varga next to a messy pile that had just fallen out of another wagon. ¡°Found the weapons!¡± she called cheerfully. Arven, Brallik and Rillik hurried over to her. Kervan kept watch over Sheema, and Orvan moved over to the campfire and started searching. ¡°Oh, spirits, hear my plea,¡± Sheema chanted softly. She pulled the knotted rag¡ªcalling it a bandage would be an insult to bandages¡ªaway from the wound and laid her hands directly on it. ¡°She''ll need water,¡± Diavla declared, then stepped out into the middle of the camp. ¡°Did anyone find water, or a bucket?¡± ¡°Closest water''s a stream ten minutes that way,¡± Varga called, pointing. ¡°This isn''t a good camping spot.¡± Orvan brought Diavla a bucket before she could start griping. I''m not water blind, Varga. That''s what I need the bucket for. She kept the complaint to herself, however. There were more important things to deal with at the moment. Diavla looked at the older elf beside her with concern. You should be the one in charge, but¡­ ¡°Thank you, Orvan. Would you bring water from the stream for Sheema to clean up with?¡± He nodded and took the bucket back, still without speaking. ¡°Arven? Could you watch over Orvan?¡± Arven looked up, holding a short sword and a dagger, and nodded. Diavla turned to Kervan next. ¡°Would you stay on guard for Sheema? I need to search for something she can use for bandages.¡± ¡°Certainly. Bring me another dagger from that pile first. Let me know what you find in the wagons.¡± Diavla nodded and did so. She mentally counted off the wagons''s contents. The cage¡­ grain¡­fabric! Perfect! Diavla moved on, for the moment. The reek from the next wagon alerted her. Alcohol. Good to know¡­ She shone the rock light into the fifth wagon and frowned. What in the world and sky¡­? Eight black crates sat in the back of the wagon with spaces in between. There was non-Elvish writing on the outside of each. One of the crates looked damaged, freshly so. Diavla poked at it for a moment, then shrugged and moved on. The last wagon had all sorts of ironwork, decently made as far as she could tell. She doubled back to the fabric wagon, pulled out a bolt of something white and thin, and used a dagger to cut off a large piece. Struggling a bit, she hefted the entire bolt and moved it to the edge of the wagon, then decided to let one of the men carry it over. At least, we''ll have something slightly better than these cursed sacks to wear. Just the thought of getting a proper bath made her almost ready to jump in that distant stream Varga mentioned, freezing temperatures or no. Suddenly, Diavla was flooded with emotion. She started crying with relief that they were out of that cage. Yes, their situation was still dire, but even this was so much better it felt as if her heart would burst. She let herself feel the feelings for a minute, then reined them in and sniffed, blinking. Work to do. More crying later, she promised herself. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The elves spread out, looking through personal effects and supplies. Varga found some kind of sweet berry jelly that they reserved for Sheema''s needs, and Orvan improvised a meal for them from other items. They had all been hungry for a long time, since their captors had never given them quite enough food. Arven declared himself to be on watch so that everyone else could eat in peace, and stood atop a wagon seat, looking around at the alien forest, chewing on something like jerky he''d found. Sheema finally finished working on the human as much as she could, and fell asleep. Diavla found her a blanket. For the next hour, the elves looted materials: food, clothing, more blankets. They also dragged the bodies of the dead humans from the campfire and left them in a pile a short distance away. When Sheema finally stirred, she devoured a lot of the jelly with the strange human-made bread. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. They gathered around the fire to discuss the situation. Since Orvan was still being quiet, Diavla got things started. ¡°Well, Arven says the woods are dark and mostly silent, so there aren''t any humans nearby. It''s been two days since we were in a city, judging by the sounds. It''s been two months; we could be almost anywhere in Durathin by now. It''s good fortune that we''re in a forest, even if many of the animals and plants are foreign to us. We should be able to hide in these woods while we get our bearings.¡± ¡°We have food for several days at least, if we can trust everything that the humans eat,¡± Kervan added. ¡°We''ve collected the coins and they come to about twelve gold pieces all together. We have daggers and swords for everyone, but no bows. Arven and I will start making spears for those that prefer them. As for clothing, we''ve got some looted from packs, and fabric to use to make more. For shelter, we''ve got the wagons so far, and should be able to build something better once we find a good spot. ¡°How long do you think we have before we are reported missing?¡± Brallik asked. ¡°Also, what kingdom is this? I''m pretty sure we''re not in the Empire any more, at least, but there are a lot of different human countries, aren''t there? How are elves treated here? Will the humans hunt us on sight?¡± ¡°I''m hoping this human here can help us with some of that, once he wakes up.¡± ¡°We don''t have a common language,¡± Brallik protested. ¡°We''ll use him to learn the human tongue, and we''ll be able to pantomime some things.¡± ¡°Also, what are we going to do with the human, anyway?¡± ¡°Well, he''s our master, so we can''t kill him. The most we could do is let him die, and that''s a bad idea. We would have to find another human to come here and pick up the tokens, within a week. Better the demon we know.¡± Kervan answered. ¡°Besides, like Diavla said, we need to interrogate him. We need information, badly. So I would advise against leaving him unconscious longer than necessary.¡± Diavla had felt obligated to bring up the option, but she was squeamish about the thought of letting the man who saved them die, so she was grateful for Kervan''s support. ¡°We''ll see what he has to say. Sheema, when do you think he will wake up?¡± ¡°Not before morning at the earliest. The longer he sleeps, the better for him.¡± ¡°All right. Obviously, we need to keep watches at night. Who feels up for it?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Arven said at once. Orvan raised a hand, but didn''t speak. There was a pause, then Kervan sighed and raised his hand. ¡°I''ll take the third watch.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Diavla told the men. ¡°The rest of you, find what blankets and clothing you can to get comfortable for the rest of the night. Don''t worry about it if you have trouble sleeping. I''m pretty sure we''re either staying put or getting a late start tomorrow. Talking to the human is going to take hours at least. But get what rest you can. There''s no telling how far we''ll have to travel tomorrow for safety. Varga, can you figure out how to take care of these animals? I don''t even know what they''re called.¡± Diavla gestured vaguely at the draft animals that pulled the wagons. ¡°Sure enough. I''ve already made friends with some of them. I''ll bring them more water and deal with feeding them in the morning.¡± ¡°I suggest that each of us make sure we have a pack and fill it with useful items, just in case we need to run from hunters. Orvan?¡± The older elf looked at her. ¡°Do you think you could figure out a breakfast for us in the morning?¡± Orvan sighed and nodded. ¡°Thank you. If we don''t have to run, we can spend tomorrow getting clean, making clothes, and talking with the human. Does this sound like a plan to everyone?¡± ¡°Should we tie him up?¡± Brallik asked. ¡°Maybe he doesn''t know he''s our master.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Sheema said with a yawn. ¡°He''s not going anywhere tomorrow if he wants to live out the week. Just don''t leave weapons in easy reach of him and we''ll be fine.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I''ll keep watch on the road, get some idea of how busy it is,¡± Arven declared. ¡°Good idea, thank you. If I''m forgetting something else important, let me know. But for the moment, I''m exhausted and I''m going to try to sleep.¡± Diavla felt overwhelmed, but she did her best to project confidence. The survivors from Kilder Vald needed to stick together. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The next morning, Diavla awoke with a start, shivering and stiff. When she remembered where she was, she almost wept again with gratitude. Sky overhead. Soft earth beneath me. Freedom to move. I''ll never take them for granted again, she promised herself. The sun had not quite risen yet. Unfamiliar bird calls filled the air in a mild cacophony. The other two women were still asleep, huddled up to her for warmth. She lifted her head slowly. She could see Kervan perched on a wagon seat, slowly turning his head to scan the area. When he saw her awake, he nodded in greeting. She saw that Orvan was also up, tending the fire. As Diavla sat up, Varga grumbled and rolled away, then woke as the chill of the ground hit her. With a sleepy scowl, she pulled her makeshift clothing tighter around her. After a moment, and a sigh that very obviously said that she''d rather be sleeping, Varga got up and dragged herself over towards the animals, stepping easily around or over the others with her long legs. Sheema didn''t wake, which wasn''t surprising. Healing was exhausting for both the Healer and the patient. Diavla tucked the warm blankets around the smaller elf, then stood. Nothing much had changed in the night, which was good. She walked into the woods to answer nature and then checked on the human. He was still asleep. With the blood washed off, he looked like he might actually be a bit handsome once the swelling on his face went down. He was young, and since he was human that meant that he was really young. Diavla reminded herself that while humans did not live as long as elves, they developed faster. His age was probably analogous to hers, near enough. Her eyes tracked down along his body. He had black hair like her own and was very well-built, big and almost obscenely muscular by elven standards. Their biggest mistake was not making sure this one was dead. She stared at him, remembering his face from the night before. What stuck in her mind was how relieved and happy he looked when he found the key. He actually cared, about people he hadn''t even met yet. Elves, even. Although, the humans around here might not even be at war with us. I''m pretty sure Brallik is right and we left the Empire when we crossed the mountains. Then again, they allow elves as slaves in this land, so we can''t hold out too much hope for fair treatment. Shaking her head, she picked up a bucket and walked to the stream for water, one hand on her dagger, wary for threats in the strange forest. Some creatures were the same on both continents, some were similar here and at home, and some were unique to one place. Varga would likely have a wonderful time befriending the local animals, if she managed to avoid getting eaten for being too friendly with the wrong predator. The walk back took much longer, because Diavla had overestimated how much she could carry, and decided to be stubborn about it. I haven''t gotten to be active in months, of course I''m weak, she reminded herself. Eventually, she made it back to the camp, having only spilled a little along the way. Kervan had found tailoring supplies in the fabric wagon, and was already cutting cloth for simple garments. Orvan started some of the water boiling, experimenting with the grains, trying to figure out how to make a porridge. Arven had managed to loot clothing that came close to fitting him, including some leather armor, and was packing up a few bits of dried food to take. Diavla felt a touch awkward with Arven. He was a great guy, but he had some feelings for her which she did not reciprocate. Varga also wanted her, but her friend was easygoing enough to take no for an answer and not give it another thought. Being stuck in the same cage with them both for a couple of months had probably burned out a lot of feelings, she hoped. Romance had been the last thing on anyone''s mind, with no privacy and knowing that they might be separated at any time, sold to different buyers. She walked closer to Orvan and warmed herself by the fire. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Diavla prodded him. ¡°What do you suppose happened to the other two we saw last night, the ones whose bodies aren''t in that pile?¡± Orvan stirred the pot, frowning thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe that was what the argument we heard was about, and the shouting. They were looking for their missing companions.¡± ¡°The two wandered away, or fled. Maybe they found something valuable and lightweight, like jewels, and ran off so that they wouldn''t have to share.¡± Orvan shrugged. ¡°Ask the others. Oh, and someone should burn the bodies if we''re not leaving this spot today.¡± Once he said that, Diavla could almost see him lose interest and withdraw into himself again. She was glad to have seen even that much life in him. The elder had acted dead inside ever since his beloved wife perished in the raid on Kilder Vald. Diavla keenly felt the loss of many herself, but her family lived in the city. She walked over to Kervan and shared her thoughts about the missing humans. He nodded, even while he stayed bent over his sewing. ¡°Arven and I talked about that after you went to sleep. That''s one of the things we were watching for. Either our human was carefully picking them off one by one and their bodies are scattered through the forest, or they ran off and haven''t come back overnight, which means they likely are still on the road headed somewhere else.¡± ¡°Another thing to ask him when he wakes. Will you help me learn his language?¡± ¡°Certainly. The two of us are probably best suited for it,¡± Kervan said matter-of-factly. ¡°Good, thanks.¡± Over by the fire, Orvan made a noise of disgust, then dumped the contents of the pot out and started over. Sheema woke, and after a couple of minutes went over to the human and inspected his body. Diavla drifted over to watch. So did Rillik, Brallik and Varga. Sheema looked at them and declared, ¡°I''ll be busy for a little while. He needs a lot more Healing. Diavla, would you cut me more of this fabric?¡± Diavla fetched the cloth from Kervan, and left the Healer to her work, as always a little bit jealous of her abilities. Maybe I should have tried harder at the Temple, she thought, not for the first time. But the spirits choose who to listen to, and Healing spirits apparently never cared much for me. By the time Orvan had what he considered an acceptable breakfast ready, Sheema had changed the human''s bandages and Healed him until she was completely exhausted. Varga had scrounged up a total of four buckets, but no soap, which was disappointing but not surprising. Kervan cut towels out of a different fabric, and the elves spent a while getting as clean as they could manage down at the stream. Everyone felt worlds better for that, at least once they had warmed up at the fire and their teeth had stopped chattering. They tried on the found clothing, even the most patient of them unwilling at this point to get back into the dirty, shapeless sacks they had been forced to wear in the cage. Fresh clean pieces of linen gave them rudimentary undergarments. Impressively buxom, Sheema had long since learned the art of wrapping her breasts without crushing them. Diavla didn''t have to go to such elaborate lengths, but it was nice to have support again. Varga had nothing much to worry about in that area, so a single cloth band suited her fine. They couldn''t find any pants that would fit over Sheema''s hips, so she made do with a simple skirt Kervan fashioned for her. A gigantic shirt kept her a bit warmer. Likewise, they all made themselves closer to presentable, though footwear was still lacking. Breakfast was odd, but tasty. Everyone savored it and said nothing until they finished it all. ¡°Orvan, despite everything, you remain a genius of a cook,¡± Diavla praised him, to the general agreement of the group. ¡°Thank Brallik. He tasted all the different foods to make sure I wasn''t going to poison everyone,¡± Orvan delivered in a perfectly deadpan voice. Brallik stared. ¡°What?¡± Varga burst out laughing. ¡°Our hero,¡± she snorted, loving his expression. ¡°You''re joking, right, Orvan? ¡­That was a joke, right, Orvan?¡± What made it funnier was that Brallik was known as a glutton back home. The middle-aged elf had lost a lot of weight in the cage and it wasn''t flattering to his appearance. Hopefully, exercise would help. Even Diavla felt a smile on her face for a moment, then it began to ache. Ow. My smiling muscles haven''t been used in ages. She absently rubbed the sides of her jaw. After breakfast, she recruited Brallik and Orvan to burn the bodies of the humans. Varga pitched in, being fairly strong herself. Then Brallik was assigned to tend the second fire, since he wasn''t doing much else unless prodded. By late morning, Arven had returned. ¡°Only one person rode by, looked like a messenger on an all-white zenayu.¡± ¡°They have white ones?¡± Varga asked curiously. ¡°Apparently.¡± ¡°Headed north or south?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°South.¡± ¡°So, news of our departure from the last city isn''t outpacing us yet,¡± Kervan commented, independently matching Diavla''s thoughts. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Sheema, kneeling next to the human and waving at her for attention. ¡°Diavla! He''s coming around.¡± Chapter 3: Hello He woke up. Wait, I should be dead, shouldn''t I? He lay still with his eyes closed for a moment, taking inventory of his aches and pains. They were not quite as bad as he remembered. I''m alive. I don''t know how, but I''m alive. He could feel bandages, too¡ªreal ones. He heard voices nearby but couldn''t make out the words. When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was surrounded by elves. For a moment, all he could do was stare dumbly. Elves? What? Oh. Right. I found elves in a cage. He tried to take in his surroundings. They were in the woods, and one of the wagons was right next to him. The sky was clear and it was somewhere near midday. The memories of the night before came back to him. Demon shit. Everybody''s dead. Everybody but¡­these elves. Good gods, what are the elves doing? What are they going to do? Belatedly, he realized that the reason he couldn''t figure out what they were saying was that they were talking in Elvish. His lack of comprehension wasn''t only because of his pounding headache and exhaustion. He looked around at the elves as best he could, viewing some of them upside down from his position. He counted eight of them: four men, three women and a boy. They were still wearing the slave collars. However, they had changed out of the rags they had been wearing. Their new clothes didn''t fit very well and had obviously been looted. Well, good for them. The clothes don''t do the dead any good, after all. This was the first time he had ever seen an elf up close. Huh, their ears really are pointed. They swept up and back a bit but stayed close to the head, rather than sticking out sideways like in some drawings he had seen. The elves varied a lot in appearance. The oldest, judging by the white hair, was a man of average build. Next to him was a thin blond male probably a few years older than Tom. Make that a few decades, he corrected himself. His eyes were red, and Tom was alarmed for a moment before he realized that that was just his natural eye color. The next man was taller and wore leather armor that had bloodstains on it. His hair was sandy brown and his eyes were yellow. The fourth man looked markedly wan, as if he had been starving for a while. His hair was dark brown and Tom couldn''t see his eye color. His gaze kept on darting from person to person. The boy had black hair and orange eyes. He looked like a ten-year-old human, and the hate in his eyes was understandable. Wasn''t me, kid. Not that he expected the boy to care. The three women were standing together near his feet, so he could at least see them mostly right side up. One was tall and fit, with red hair and green eyes. Another was of average height, with straight black hair and the amber eyes Tom remembered seeing in the dark of the cage. The last woman was short, beautiful, and very busty. She had violet eyes and clear, pale skin, and her black hair hung in ringlets framing her face. Good gods, if she looks this good fresh from a cage¡­ The beauty crouched next to him and offered a water skin, holding it to his lips. He started to reach for it, but she grunted in wordless warning. Tom heeded her wishes and gratefully drank what little she poured into his mouth. I''m exhausted, and weak. He did his best to clear his throat. ¡°Hello,¡± he managed. ¡°He-lo,¡± the woman with amber eyes replied. Everyone else fell silent, watching. Right, starting from nothing. They don''t speak Western. He tapped his breast with one finger. ¡°Tom.¡± She pointed at him. ¡°Tom.¡± Then she pointed at herself and said her name. Tom didn''t quite get it. ¡°Dee-avala?¡± ¡°Di-av-la,¡± she sounded out. ¡°Diavla,¡± he tried, and she nodded. ¡°Hello, Diavla.¡± ¡°Hello, Tom.¡± ¡°Kervan,¡± the thin blond man said. ¡°Hello, Kervan.¡± ¡°Hello, Tom.¡± What should I say first? Tom touched his bandaged arm, then his chest, then held his open hand out, smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Diavla answered back. ¡°Um¡­¡± She doesn''t know what it means. Diavla reached into a pouch and pulled out the key he had given her, showing it to him. ¡°Tom. Thank you.¡± Oh, she did understand. He smiled, and she smiled back. Tom blinked. Wow. When she smiles, her face completely changes. It''s like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. Somehow, he hadn''t seen how pretty she was until she smiled. Then he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Focus, Tom. He opened them again. My head is killing me. What should I say? He took a breath, then gently almost-touched his temple, his left arm, and his side. ¡°Pain.¡± He closed his eyes again and put his hand to his temple again. ¡°Sorry. Pain. Um¡­words. You need words.¡± He took a breath carefully. ¡°Human.¡± He tapped his chest, then ran his finger around the curve of his ear. ¡°Human.¡± Then he pointed at Diavla. ¡°Elf.¡± He ran his finger over an imaginary point on his ear. Diavla pointed at him. ¡°Tom. Human.¡± Then at herself. ¡°Diavla. Elf.¡± Then at Kervan. ¡°Kervan. Elf.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tom deliberately smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Diavla nodded back. She looked around, and picked up the water skin, pointed at it. ¡°Beloo?¡± ¡°Beloo. Water.¡± ¡°Otter?¡± ¡°W¡­water.¡± ¡°¡­water.¡± ¡°Good. Yes.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Beloo. Water.¡± Kervan recited, ¡°Hello, thankoo, Tom, human, elf, water. Yes. Good.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Tom was impressed. A long game of pantomime followed, with Tom teaching them a handful of words like talk, sleep, go, drink, eat, give, get, food. Diavla and Kervan both recited them back, and Tom asked for the Elvish equivalents and did his best to learn them, too. Diavla looked surprised when he first asked, but didn''t object. Kervan asked for numbers, so they went over counting for a bit, and just kept adding words and practicing them. It took a minute to get ¡°I¡± and ¡°you¡± sorted out. ¡°Hello. I am Tom. I am a human. Bada. Tom fez. Onala fez.¡± ¡°Zedda,¡± Kervan answered with a nod. ¡°Good.¡± Gesture, gesture, gesture. Tom understood Diavla more easily than he did Kervan. Tom asked for water a couple more times. He found out that the short cute elf was named Sheema. ¡°Thank you, Sheema. Gozalo, Sheema.¡± After a bit, Diavla got serious and started asking real questions. She pointed in many different directions, asking, ¡°Human?¡± each time. She wants to know which way humans are. Understandable. They learned to translate tree, forest, road, town, day, and then Tom tried to answer. He didn''t actually know much of the geography, but he described the road, and got across that there were few humans in the forest, for days in any direction, and Middleton and Rivermarch were two days and five days away along the road. Then everything got a bit blurry and he closed his eyes for a moment. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã When he opened his eyes again, the sun was somewhat lower in the sky. I fell asleep. Passed out, I guess. He felt a warm weight on his good arm, and turned his head. Sheema was asleep, her head on his chest and her curves pressing gently against his good side. Wow, she is spectacular. Tom got an eyeful of her bountiful cleavage, then made himself look away. A strange place to take a nap¡­ Wait a minute. Tom realized that his headache was appreciably less than before, and his gut felt less weird. Kind and gentle gods¡­Sheema is a healer! Healers were fairly rare; a big town like Middleton would only have a few. A bigger city like Rivermarch might have a handful. A healer. Wow. No wonder I survived. Tom understood that healing magic was draining for both the patient and the healer, and Sheema wore herself out helping with his injuries, to the point of falling asleep on him. His exhaustion also made more sense now. She''s giving a lot, to heal me. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Kind and gentle gods, thank you. Tom could hardly believe his luck. I¡­might actually live, if Sheema keeps helping me. Tom wanted to laugh from relief, but held back. I need to make sure to stay on her good side. His survival was still miraculous, and Tom would certainly make an offering at the next temple he visited. Right. No more staring at her, no matter how pretty she is. I can''t risk angering her. I might still die without her help. Tom turned his head and saw the tall redheaded woman standing nearby and smirking at him. Tom lifted his hands gently in surrender and defense. It''s not what it looks like. Inwardly, he thought, Gods, I''m the funny fool in a play. Tom glanced down at Sheema again. I probably shouldn''t wake her, she needs to rest up if she''s going to keep healing me. When he looked up again, Diavla was there, wearing an expression of annoyance. Uh-oh. Varga and Diavla chatted quietly; Tom didn''t know any of the words, but Varga was clearly joking at his expense, and Diavla was less amused. Fortunately, Sheema woke just then and jerked herself up off of him. Tom''s eye caught the lovely bounce but he quickly forced his gaze elsewhere. Tom went back to learning Elvish and teaching Western. For some reason, the elves got very stressed when he tried to talk about coins, but after a minute, relaxed and brought a copper piece, a silver piece, and a gold. He also got them to bring him a stick and some small rocks. Very carefully, Sheema let him roll over onto his good side. He smoothed the dirt in front of him, and started laying out rocks by feel. He taught them the words merchant, guard, bandit, wagon, gold. Then he did his best to tell the story of the caravan attack. He had an important request to make, and it took quite a while to get it across, but finally Kervan seemed to get what he was driving at. ¡°Elf go.¡± He pointed at the spot Tom had marked as the camp the caravan had made in the evening. ¡°Elf get, banditch, merchuh, guards. Elf go,¡± and he pointed at their current location. ¡°Elf give Tom. Elf get clothes. Elf get armor. Tom get¡­¡± and Kervan vaguely gestured for small things. ¡°Yes. Please.¡± Explaining that word took a moment. Then the elves had a discussion, and three of the men left, including Kervan. Worn out, Tom took another nap. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã When he woke again, it was early evening and Tom''s stomach was rumbling loudly. He asked for food, and Sheema said no. He asked for a little food. Sheema and Diavla talked back and forth a bit, then Diavla said, ¡°You get water food.¡± Sheema held her fingers close together for emphasis. They went over parts of the body, and Sheema showed more interest in learning Western for a bit. Diavla kept reciting words over and over, determined to learn as quickly as possible. Finally, they got to the important words kill, slave and collar. ¡°Humans see elves. Humans kill elves?¡± Diavla asked. Tom didn''t have a good answer for her. He explained that he had only ever seen a couple of elves in the distance in his travels, and didn''t know the law. ¡°Humans see elves no collar, humans kill elves?¡± Again Tom protested his ignorance. ¡°Humans see elves and collar, humans kill elves?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tom was glad he could finally answer something. He went over take, ask, steal, then tried to explain that someone killing the elves would be like stealing from the elves'' master. The elves'' expressions grew more hostile, and Tom tried to convey that he wasn''t a slaver. I suppose they consider me guilty because I was guarding the caravan transporting slaves. Honestly, they kind of have a point. Huh. I wonder if that''s what got Kurt so angry just as we were leaving town? Maybe he didn''t want to be guarding slavers, but Mr. Parson had already made the agreement for them to join the caravan. He had missed things while his thoughts wandered, and they had to repeat some words. He tried to apologize, but getting that straight with their vocabulary would take a while and he couldn''t think well enough with his headache. The elves tried to focus on the most important questions, apparently understanding that Tom was going to keep falling asleep on them and had limited stamina for thinking. They asked him if there were any more bandit bodies than the four already burning, and he said no. He warned them that he had seen one man leaving, headed east. He told them that one or more was missing. They nodded to show that they knew, and pointed out the number of wagons. Tom noticed a few changes. Some of the elves now had simple wooden spears for weapons. It seemed that some of them had actually gone back to the campsite and collected things. They had more armor than before, more clothing, and eventually, Kervan brought over three pouches. ¡°Banditch, merchah, guard,¡± he recited, pointing out which was which, then left them with Tom. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom didn''t have the strength to go through the personal effects right then. Rest up, heal up, then do things, he told himself, his eyes heavy. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã When he woke, it was dark. He felt much better. Sheema must have healed me again. The elves were having a lively discussion. Tom listened but couldn''t make out any of the words. Eventually, Kervan noticed that he was awake and came over to sit beside him. ¡°Hello, Tom.¡± The elf had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. Something in his manner said scholar to Tom''s soul. Maybe that was why he and Diavla were the ones learning Western most intensively. ¡°Hello, Kervan. What are you talking about? Um, what say?¡± ¡°We say¡­ we do¡­ day.¡± The elf was good at making a few words cover a lot of ground. Tom furrowed his brow a moment, then took a guess. He pointed over his shoulder, at his lap, and then ahead and up, reciting, ¡°yesterday, today, tomorrow. Yesterday, I am hurt. Today, I wake up. Tomorrow, I¡­eat. You say what you do tomorrow?¡± Kervan looked upward, tapping his finger in the air as if reciting the words back in his head. He had a look of intense concentration, then nodded. ¡°Yes, Tom. Yesterday, we are slaves. Today, we stay, tomorrow, we go. What we go, we say. Brallik say one, Varga say two, Rillik¡­you see?¡± ¡°Argue,¡± Tom supplied. ¡°Um¡­yes! No! Yes! No!¡± He gestured with his hands as if they were arguing with each other. ¡°They argue, where you go tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes. Good good, Tom.¡± ¡°Good good, say very good.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Kervan has a sharp ear. Heh. ¡°Yes. Um¡­ Arven is tall,¡± Tom gestured about his forehead, ¡°but I am very tall.¡± ¡°Brallik is¡­?¡± Gesture. ¡°Big.¡± ¡°Brallik is big. You is very big.¡± ¡°I am. You are.¡± Kervan snorted. ¡°Am is are is is. You know I say,¡± he dismissed the detail with annoyance. ¡°What you know I say.¡± ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°You know what I mean.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Fire is very hot.¡± Gestures. ¡°Fire is very hot.¡± ¡°Sheema is very¡­¡± Tom stopped with his mouth open, then closed it, thinking better of finishing that sentence. The two men shared a look. Kervan lowered his voice. ¡°Yes. Sheema is very,¡± he agreed with mock seriousness. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom let the Elvish argument flow around him, trying to pick out a word here and there and mostly failing. Meanwhile, he thought about his own future. What do I do next? If they want to leave me here tomorrow, I might be in good enough shape to make it back to Middleton in a few days, less if I can catch a ride. It sounds like they don''t want to stay put, and I don''t blame them one bit. I wonder if they would let me go with them? What''s going to happen to these elves, if they are left to their own devices? They''ll probably camp and hunt in the woods. The nights are starting to get colder. Do they even have winter where they come from? Do they know how cold it''s going to get? How long will they last before some other humans stumble across them? And what happens when they do? Will the elves kill anyone who sees them, to protect their secret? Rillik certainly looks like he wants to go human hunting. They''ll end up being hunted down and either killed or put back in chains eventually, unless they come up with a plan to get out of human lands and back across the Elven Ocean. But we''re hundreds of miles from the coast. They must have been traveling in that cage for months, come to think of it. How horrible. I don''t want them back in a cage. I don''t like slavery, period, but these people probably aren''t even criminals, they''re just enemy civilians, which as far as the Eastern Empire is concerned makes them fair game for enslavement. Which is just wrong. So, I should help the elves. I owe them my life, after all. How could I¡­? Tom had an arresting thought. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Tom?¡± Tom looked at the elf. ¡°Kervan, I argue?¡± Kervan raised an eyebrow and looked at him a moment, then muttered something to himself. Tom guessed it was something like, ¡°well, this ought to be interesting.¡± Then the elf turned to the group, raised his voice, and got their attention for him. ¡°Kervan, I say human, you say elf?¡± ¡°Yes. I translate.¡± ¡°Thank you, Kervan.¡± Tom cleared his throat as all eight elves stared at him expectantly. How to say this with our bare handful of words and some gestures¡­? He took a deep breath and plunged in, with frequent pauses so that Kervan could keep up. ¡°One. Thank you. Thank you very much. ¡°Two. I thank you, I give.¡± Gesture, gesture. ¡°I help. Help. Um¡­you are good, I am good. You are not good, I am not good. I want, you good.¡± He probably wasn''t being too clear, but couldn''t think of how to say it better. Gesture. ¡°Three. You¡­go¡­elf land. Very far.¡± Gesture. ¡°Very, very far.¡± Gesture, gesture. ¡°Humans¡­ocean¡­elves.¡± Gestures. ¡°You on boat. Boat go far, boat go elf land.¡± Gesture, gesture, gesture. ¡°So¡­you get boat.¡± He had their complete and undivided attention now. Diavla in particular was squinting a little, and looked as if she were waiting for a reason to smile. Tom was doing his best to give her one. ¡°You give gold, you get boat. You go home. Um, you go elf land. ¡°So¡­you want gold.¡± Tom pointed at the wagons. ¡°You give wagons, you get gold.¡± Kervan''s eyes widened and he rocked backwards, looking thoughtfully at the whole caravan. ¡°You give gold, you get boat, you go home.¡± ¡°We get wagons. We go to Rivermarch. In Rivermarch, we give wagons, get gold.¡± More than one elf started to interrupt but Diavla shouted them down so that Tom could keep speaking. She looked more wary now, but was giving him a chance. Tom took a deep breath and continued. ¡°We go near Rivermarch.¡± Gesture. ¡°You stay in forest,¡± gesture, ¡°I take one wagon. I go to Rivermarch. I give wagon, I get gold. I come back, I give you gold. I take wagon, I get gold, I give you gold. I take six wagons, one by one¡­¡± Gestures. Rillik shook his head violently, and yelled. Kervan translated, ¡°He say, No! You give elves, and you get gold!¡± Tom raised his hands helplessly. ¡°You say. You say, we do. Um¡­You stay in forest. I give one wagon. I get gold. I go to wagon. You hide.¡± Gestures. ¡°I put gold in one wagon. I take another wagon, do it again. And again. When I go, you get gold, you hide. Again, again.¡± Brallik rattled off something in Elvish, and stopped so Kervan could translate. ¡°Brallik say, you take wagon, you give wagon, you get gold, you get guard, you go, you get elves.¡± Given the way Kervan pointed, ¡®you go¡¯ meant ¡®you come here, back to us.¡¯ Tom shrugged, then winced at the pain from the motion. ¡°You say, we do. I thank you, I give. I help.¡± ¡°You get gold!¡± Tom felt tired of the accusations, and just plain tired. ¡°Yes. Some.¡± Gestures. ¡°You get gold, you get gold, you get gold, I get gold.¡± Kervan spoke up. ¡°Tom. We get¡­nine gold. I get one gold, Diavla get one gold, Rillik get one gold, (something) elf get one gold, you get one gold?¡± ¡°Yes. Exactly. Yes.¡± When the elves started murmuring in reaction, Tom''s eyes closed, and he forced them open again. ¡°I sleep. You talk. You argue. You say. Tomorrow, we do. Yes, do, thank you. No, no do, thank you.¡± Tom''s eyes closed again and Sheema yelled at the others a little. The conversation switched to purely Elvish again. Tom let his eyes stay closed this time, too tired to do anything else. His last thought was, I hope they keep an eye on Rillik so he doesn''t kill me in my sleep. Chapter 4: Common Interests Everyone was reacting differently. Rillik wanted to kill every human on the whole continent. Brallik did nothing but complain. As always, Orvan was quietly sinking in his grief. Diavla sympathized but she needed to set such things aside for the time being. The world continued whether one was ready or not. She looked at Tom, who had fallen back asleep in moments, then at everyone else. ¡°If he''s serious about letting us choose the plan, then we need to choose it. What do people think?¡± ¡°We can either hide in the forest, or work with Tom,¡± Arven noted. ¡°Or both; we might split up,¡± Kervan pointed out. Diavla was filled with dread. Splitting up is a terrible idea. How do I convince them of this? ¡°We could drive the wagons for him until we get to the middle of the forest. That''s two days'' travel. It''s totally to our benefit to be deeper in, farther from humans,¡± Brallik suggested. ¡°And then what about the tokens? Do we just ask him to put them away and touch them once a week as a favor?¡± Kervan asked sarcastically. ¡°Or, can we get him to take the cursed collars off?¡± ¡°If he''s sincere, he''ll do it as soon as we ask,¡± Diavla mused. ¡°But if he realizes that he has control over us through the collars, then what? That''s a lot of temptation,¡± Sheema pointed out. You are a lot of temptation, the most of all of us, Diavla thought. I don''t blame you for being worried. Aloud, she said, ¡°that''s assuming he doesn''t already know.¡± ¡°Do we tell him?¡± Varga looked at everyone. ¡°Sooner or later he''ll ask about the collars, I expect.¡± ¡°I''m surprised he hasn''t already.¡± ¡°Well, we''ve been learning each other''s languages, he''s got a head injury, and he''s exhausted from Healing. I expect it either slipped his mind, or he''s not bringing it up because he already knows.¡± ¡°But if he knows, he must know that we know, so why dance around it?¡± Diavla shook her head. ¡°No, I think he just hasn''t thought about it yet.¡± She couldn''t decide whether trusting the human was a good move or not, but couldn''t see a way around it. ¡°I don''t think we have a choice. We have to tell him if we''re going to ask him to take the collars off. He''s going to figure it out eventually. If we don''t ask, we''re just waiting for him to think of it and hoping that he''s willing. Better to be straightforward about it, I expect.¡± ¡°Do you really think he would let us go?¡± Brallik demanded. ¡°I don''t know. What do people think of him?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°I think he''s in way over his head.¡± Arven stared at the human for a moment. ¡°He''s young, and perhaps foolish. But he''s trying. He wasn''t asking us to decide because he''s indecisive; he really likes his idea. He''s trying to give us the freedom to choose.¡± ¡°Or the illusion of it.¡± Kervan shook his head. ¡°The proof will come when we say we want to do something he doesn''t want us to do.¡± ¡°True enough. What do you think, Diavla?¡± She considered. ¡°He''s learning Elvish. He didn''t have to do that.¡± She tapped a finger against her lips as she thought, an old habit. ¡°He gave us the key when he thought he was dying. When the outcome would not affect him, he chose to be kind.¡± ¡°He''s trying not to leer at me,¡± Sheema put in. ¡°He looks, but then he turns away. It looks like politeness. I don''t think he would be polite if he was thinking of us as his property.¡± Brallik snorted. ¡°Give it a couple of days. Once the reality sinks in he will start to feel tempted.¡± Diavla glared at him and he belatedly seemed to realize that what he was saying was likely to upset the Healer. Sheema didn''t show much reaction beyond a faint grimace, though. ¡°Well, I''ll try to stay out of his sight except when Healing him. Diavla? Would you take over changing his bandages?¡± ¡°Certainly. I may not be a Healer but I can at least dress a wound.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°What do people think of Tom''s plan?¡± Varga asked. ¡°I kind of like the idea. It''s risky, but could be really good for us if he can be trusted.¡± ¡°The wagons are worth a fortune, even without considering our sale value. Perhaps he will be happy with the rest of the gold and be willing to free us.¡± ¡°Yeah, but then what? We''re in the middle of the human continent! I don''t even know how many countries we would have to sneak through to get to the sea, and then how do we get a boat without a pile of gold like Tom suggests?¡± ¡°The most unbelievable part is him thinking he''s going to share the gold with us and only take a ninth part. He''ll be rethinking that almost immediately,¡± Brallik predicted. ¡°So it won''t be our pile of gold, it will be his.¡± ¡°Unless he''s a human of his word. It might be that he regrets the offer but still holds up his end of the deal.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°We just don''t know enough about him yet.¡± Kervan cleared his throat. ¡°I like Brallik''s plan. We drive the wagons for Tom for the first couple of days towards this Rivermarch he mentioned. We watch him, and based on that we guess whether he will take off the collars. Then we''ll find out whether all our arguing here is pointless or not. If he knows how the collars work and threatens to kill us if we don''t obey him, I can''t see how we have any other option that doesn''t get us all killed immediately.¡± ¡°We''re still completely in his power,¡± Sheema agreed. ¡°It''s just a matter of whether he realizes it, and what he does when he figures it out.¡± ¡°I say we go with Brallik and Kervan''s idea. Let''s work with Tom until we reach the center of the forest and then decide what to do next. How does that sound?¡± Diavla asked the group. She looked around and saw agreement or at least acceptance from everyone. ¡°Then it''s decided. For the next two days, we travel with Tom.¡± There was quiet except for the crackling of the fire. Then Varga slapped her thighs. ¡°Well! Now that that''s done with, I for one am going to drink a toast to our freedom, however long it lasts. I think there''s a tapped keg over there with a crush on me and I refuse to break its heart. Who''s up for trying human ale?¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The ale wasn''t too bad, and freedom, even fleeting freedom, was a wonderful spice. Everyone tried a mug, but Arven immediately put his down. Diavla was glad he was going to keep a clear head. Varga drank until she obviously started to feel good. Kervan drank in moderation. Brallik stopped Orvan from drinking much because it made him even more maudlin. Brallik even chose to sit with him apart from the others and talk quietly, which Diavla appreciated. She felt more at peace than she had in ages. Her mind started to drift back to nights she cried quietly in the cage, but she resolutely pushed those thoughts down. Nothing good comes from that. Don''t let yesterday ruin today. Varga wandered over to the draft animals and started making silly noises at them, which got funnier after Diavla drank more ale. Finally, the incredible day caught up to Diavla, and she blearily asked Arven to keep watch before lying down to sleep. For a few moments, she stared up at the sky. At least the stars are the same as back home. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla woke at dawn, again to the sound of strange bird calls. She found that she had a sniffle and a headache, her body stiff and cold. I didn''t use enough blankets. Annoying, but not debilitating. No one was curled up with her this time. Diavla frowned, then winced at a twinge of pain from the action. She struggled to sit up, looked around, and did a quick count of everyone. Kervan was on watch. She saw the sleeping forms of Brallik, Rillik, Arven, Orvan, Sheema, Varga¡­ She sat up straighter and stared. Varga, you must jest. Tom was lying on his back, and Varga was lying pressed up next to him, an arm draped over his chest. Both were still asleep and snoring. Mercifully, both were still clothed. Diavla pointed at them, raised her eyebrows and looked at Kervan, who shrugged. She stood and walked over to him so that he could speak without waking everyone immediately. ¡°They were like that when Orvan woke me,¡± he murmured. ¡°I fell asleep before Varga did.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. For some reason, Diavla wanted to yell at Kervan, even though that made no sense. She stifled the impulse and walked over to the pair. Varga, curse you, this is ridiculously thoughtless even for you! What did you do to him? With him? Is he going to be mad? We can''t afford that! It''s dangerous! Diavla prodded Varga with her foot. She might have used a bit more force than necessary. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect to what she intended: Varga simply kept snoring, but Tom stirred. The human opened his eyes. He looked up at her, blinking slowly, then down at Varga sleeping with him. The look of alarm on his face would have amused her quite a bit if she weren''t so upset. He immediately started shaking his head in denial and lifted his free hand away from the fool elf cuddling him. Don''t get mad at Tom, she told herself. This is all Varga''s fault. Besides, it would be idiotically stupid to alienate Tom right now. She waved a hand placatingly at Tom to signal that she wasn''t mad at him. She kicked Varga again. Tom winced and held up a hand in a plea for her to stop. Diavla stepped back and her hands flew to her mouth. ¡°Sorry!¡± Tom nodded in understanding. Clumsy! I''m being a fool. Why am I being stupid? She crouched down and carefully pried Varga''s arm off of Tom. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said in his own language, then repeated himself in Elvish. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I''ll get Sheema,¡± she told him and stood. ¡°Varga, get up.¡± Varga made incoherent noises of protest, then finally opened her eyes to a squint. It took a few seconds for her to process the situation. Then she smirked. ¡°Good morning, stud,¡± she told Tom. Diavla hissed air through her nose, and Varga laughed. ¡°You''re so easy, Dee.¡± Tom clearly didn''t understand, so Diavla clamped down on her reaction, managing not to grit her teeth at Varga. ¡°If you''re awake, how about you see to the animals so we can get going?¡± Then she walked quickly over to the Healer, who was already starting to stir. ¡°Good morning, Sheema.¡± The short elf''s violet eyes opened and she looked around wildly for a moment. ¡°We''re still alive? And not in the cage?¡± ¡°So far.¡± ¡°It''s hard to believe it isn''t a fever dream,¡± Sheema said thickly, wiping her eyes. ¡°Saa, Sheema. You''ve been pushing yourself pretty hard for a whole day. What can I do to help?¡± Sheema drew breath and gave an enormous sigh. ¡°He''s mostly out of danger now. I want to see to his head injury some more. It''s been bothering me but I didn''t dare let up on the gut wound, you know how easily those can kill. Plus I don''t know how stupid or stubborn he''s going to be and if he is likely to re-injure himself.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Thanks for asking, but I can''t think of anything unless you find more sweets.¡± They made their way over to the human. Diavla removed his bandages, then Sheema summoned the nearby Healing spirits. Tom cooperated by holding still and watching in fascination at the Healing process. Sheema pushed herself until she was almost ready to fall over, and Diavla reached out to steady her. ¡°I''m fine. Thanks.¡± Sheema stood. ¡°Thank you, Sheema. Thank you,¡± Tom told her in both languages. He nodded his head respectfully. Sheema nodded back and walked over to her bedroll. Diavla could see the relief from pain on Tom''s face as she carefully put fresh bandages on his gut and his arm. While she worked, she couldn''t help but feel the hard muscles under her fingers. He must be very strong. Not a lazy guard, this one. ¡°Thank you, Diavla,¡± he murmured. Diavla nodded. ¡°You''re welcome.¡± When Tom stared at her, she explained, ¡°You say ¡®thank you¡¯, I say ¡®you''re welcome¡¯.¡± ¡°Ah. You''re welcome You''re¡­wel¡­come.¡± ¡°You''re welcome,¡± Diavla repeated the human version. They shared a small smile. She finished with the bandages, then felt along his skin a moment for other injuries they might have missed. His skin was cool to the touch, and marked by several large scars. He must have interesting stories to tell about each of those. Tom cleared his throat. She glanced at his face, which was turning a bit red. Her gaze swept down his body until she saw the bulge in his pants. Ah, he has an ¡°early riser.¡± He has nothing to be embarrassed about. She sat up and politely looked away. Tom very slowly rolled over, got onto his hands and knees, and crawled carefully into the woods to answer nature. She surreptitiously watched his behind move. Nothing at all. She took a breath and shook her head to clear it. Diavla kept an eye out for his return while she checked on the rest of the camp. When she saw the damage to the cage, memory came back of a few of them vandalizing it. She stared at it, pursed her lips and nodded to herself. The wagon might be useful. Let''s get rid of that horrible thing. It was a bit of a project, but they took the time to pry the iron cage off of the wagon bed using tools from the ironwork wagon, and then they all carried it farther into the woods to make sure it wasn''t easily visible from the road. There was no sense in alerting random humans that there were escaped slaves around, and traveling with the empty cage would raise questions. Tom returned to his bedroll. He looked like he really wanted to help but wisely stayed put. Yes, this would have been a good time for those great big muscles. Tom got broth for breakfast and Orvan prepared some sort of soft-boiled grain meal for everyone else. It was bland but nourishing. Once everyone had cleaned up after breakfast and washed as best they could, it was time to pack up and go. Since the weather was good, they decided to lay Tom in the back of the now empty wagon, with Sheema riding beside him. Diavla would drive that wagon. Then Kervan would follow with the grain, Brallik and Rillik with the fabric, Orvan with the booze, Arven with the black cases, and finally, Varga with the ironwork. There was a tense moment when they realized that Tom had dropped the pouch with the slave tokens on the ground where he had first fallen. He had to be the one to pick it up; none of them could touch it. They paused, trying to figure out what to say to the human. Diavla postponed the decision by improvising. ¡°Arven, Varga, pick him up in the blanket, and move him so that the pouch is in easy reach. Set him down as if you''re just resting for a second, and ask him to pick up the pouch while you''re there. Everybody else stay back so there''s no one for him to ask to do it for him.¡± The maneuver worked. Tom grabbed the pouch without complaint and they laid him in the wagon they had occupied for so long. Crisis averted, they took a few moments to get comfortable with the draft animals, Varga explaining her impressions and suggestions to the others. Everyone wore a cloak with a hood that they could pull on quickly, to try to pass as humans if they encountered anyone on the road. Finally, Diavla called out to the others, and began to drive the wagon carefully down the narrow path from the clearing back to the road. There was a deep rut in one place and behind them the fabric wagon lurched badly before the animal pulled it past. After checking with Tom a moment, she turned left and aimed them north, towards the human city of Rivermarch. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The road had very few travelers on it, and the forest was clearly untamed and mostly uninhabited. Why do humans bother with invading us when they have all this unused land on their own continent? Diavla wondered. Some people just can''t enjoy a thing unless they''ve deprived someone else of it. Sick. As they traveled, Diavla and Tom each worked on learning the other''s language. It was made much more awkward by Diavla''s need to steer the wagon. Sheema paid attention at first but clearly didn''t have a knack for it, and was content to watch the forest going by or nap much of the time. They covered words for parts of the body and such while the Healer was listening, then moved on to things like colors and periods of time once she lost interest. Tom apparently was very concerned to make sure that Diavla knew about the seasons and that it was going to get very cold in this region eventually. She did her best to reassure him. ¡°Just because we didn''t ever get snow in Kilder Vald doesn''t mean I don''t know what snow is. Both continents are large,¡± she told him in exasperation, knowing he wouldn''t understand. ¡°We do get snow in the south.¡± Explaining that turned into a lesson on compass directions and names for pieces of land. It was mentally exhausting. Learning one word was usually easy. Learning hundreds of words in one day gave Diavla a headache. Of course, Tom had had his own headache to start with; she respected his stubborn willpower. There wasn''t actually any need for him to learn Elvish, and it would be a long time before they had to worry about Tom understanding anything they didn''t actively help him with. They didn''t stop for a midday meal. Tom indicated that there would be a good place to camp if they traveled until evening. That made sense, at least. They only encountered three humans all day. Each encounter was brief: a single rider on a zenayu. The animals looked strange because they had no stripes, and came in several colors. Tom called them horses. The riders going past them in the same direction didn''t stop, and were soon long gone. The one headed south paused and asked Tom a few questions. Diavla kept her head down and watched the human out of the corner of her hood. ¡°Hello?¡± the rider called. ¡°Hello!¡± Tom shouted from the back of the wagon. The rider turned their animal to pace the caravan and Tom beckoned the other human closer. That put the rider mostly behind her, which was nerve-wracking but at least kept the man from seeing her face any longer than necessary. Tom might have done that on purpose. After that, Diavla couldn''t catch any more words except bandits, but did her best to remember the sounds for later. She got more and more nervous as the rider kept asking questions. What are they saying? I can''t make out any of the words. What is he asking? What is Tom telling him? Tom sounded tired but friendly, and answered calmly. She wasn''t picking up any feeling of tension or misdirection from either human. By the tone, the rider was asking if they needed help, and Tom was declining. Finally, they said some sort of parting words and the rider turned around and got moving again. Diavla furtively watched him go, and the horse-man didn''t spare the others more than a quick glance before riding off. A minute passed. Finally, Diavla couldn''t contain herself any longer. ¡°Tom? What did you say?¡± Tom was quiet a moment. A quick look showed him thinking, but it looked like the usual struggling with language rather than plotting or planning a lie. Finally, he answered in Elvish. ¡°He ask south, bandits. I say. I ask north, bandits. He say no. He help, I say no. We are¡­ good.¡± ¡°Did he see us? Um, he see elf?¡± ¡°No. He see, he say. He no see.¡± Diavla felt some of the tension leave her. ¡°He see, what you do? What you say?¡± Tom hesitated, then said, ¡°I see he say, he do, then I say, I do.¡± After a pause, he added. ¡°I no think good. Elves good here? Bad here? Slave elves good? Slave elves bad?¡± ¡°Slave elves good. We are here.¡± ¡°True. Yes.¡± Tom nodded. He had a habit of saying some things in human first, then translating. ¡°But you (something). Um¡­ I no see you.¡± He gestured something blocking, meaning the cover on the cage. That''s a fair point. If slavery is illegal in this country, they might have been trying to sneak us through to whatever our final destination was going to be. Seems very risky, though. If we had known to start shouting for help while in a city, they could have had real problems. Still, it might have just been the urge to secrecy, avoiding individuals who don''t like slavery, or people who hate elves so bad they would kill us on sight. Or maybe they didn''t want anyone to see Sheema, as she would be too tempting a target. I have to admit, showing her off in a cage would be asking for trouble. Any noble who got wind of her might show up and force the slavers to sell her at the price the noble chose. Diavla looked back to continue the conversation, but Sheema had two fingers to her lips for quiet. Tom had fallen asleep again. Diavla sighed and nodded. Learning to speak human language was hard, but driving the wagon down the road without conversation was boring. Well, boring definitely beats some of the alternatives. Chapter 5: Collars He slept for a long time. He had vague memories of trying to wake up, and Sheema saying, ¡°sleep, Tom, sleep,¡± and then nothing but dreams. He dreamt of Diavla''s eyes and Varga''s smile and Sheema''s body. There were also nightmares about Rillik killing him, about the massacre, and about guards taking the elves away in chains. But those seemed to lose much of their power when he heard Sheema''s voice whispering to him. It simultaneously felt like just a moment had passed and ages had passed. Tom didn''t have the words for it, except to say that his soul was scrambled, which he sometimes thought was his natural state anyway. Even though he often felt that he was cleverer than those around him, the world was big and often confusing, and the important details were always blurry. When he woke, it was sunset, and the elves were making camp. He felt a lot less pain than before, though his arm still hurt and itched about as much as expected from his wounds. He wondered whether he could sit up on his own now, but was reluctant to try in case he broke something that Sheema had just fixed. He really, really didn''t want to get on her bad side. ¡°Good (something), Tom,¡± Varga greeted him. He turned his head and she gave an odd little wave. ¡°(Something) sleep good?¡± ¡°Good evening, Varga,¡± Tom said, parroting the word. At least he hoped that that was what he was saying. ¡°Yes, I sleep good.¡± Varga looked startled, as if she hadn''t expected him to understand her, much less answer in Elvish. He winked at her. ¡°You''re cute,¡± he told her, knowing that she wouldn''t understand. ¡°What you say?¡± ¡°I no say you,¡± Tom teased. ¡°What you (something) me?¡± Tom just grinned. As he expected, she took it in fun and smiled back, with her green eyes narrowed. Even without a common language, it was obvious that she was a playful soul. The tall elf turned and shouted something to the others. Arven and Kervan came over and warned him with gestures, then got ready to lift the blanket he lay on. Then Kervan hesitated. ¡°Tom? You get? Please?¡± He pointed. Tom looked down at his side and spotted the pouch he had looted from the lead bandit. He grabbed it without trouble, and the men carried him right to the edge of the woods and set him down. ¡°Thank you,¡± he told them with feeling, and promptly crawled into the bushes for a minute to do his necessary, then returned. Sheema was making little noises of criticism without words. Stay still, she clearly gestured, and the men carried him over to where Brallik was building a fire. Orvan held out some spices to Tom and asked questions, but Tom didn''t really understand what he wanted to know, and he didn''t know much about cooking anyway. ¡°Sorry,¡± he told the old elf. ¡°I no know.¡± Orvan sighed and went back to his cooking. He rejected his first creation as not good enough, even though it smelled fine to Tom. While they were waiting, a lot of the elves did some stretches, like a training routine. The women were distracting, so Tom deliberately focused on Arven and took note of his moves. He mostly managed not to stare at the women that way, though he couldn''t help stealing a couple of glances when Diavla bent over, her looted pants stretching tight against her lovely well-shaped behind. Tom felt his face heat and looked away into the trees, trying not to imagine what it would feel like in his hands. They''re all attractive: Varga, Diavla and Sheema. I don''t know if sex works differently with elves though. I know we can''t breed, and maybe there are big reasons for that. Tom discarded that idea when he remembered that one of the main reasons for keeping slaves in peacetime was for sex. So it must work somehow. He looked at the physique of all the elves, trying to identify the differences from humans. The ears were obvious, and the eyes were every color of the rainbow and more. They were all shorter than average humans except maybe Arven and Varga. Every elf except for Brallik was thin; Tom wondered whether that was a racial trait or just that they hadn''t been given enough food while they were prisoners. Arven was stronger than he looked, and so was Varga. He was surprised to see how much she could comfortably lift when she brought more firewood. Her arms were lean and muscular, but not that muscular. Their muscles might work better than ours. I wonder what an elven blacksmith would look like? Orvan called them to dinner when his second attempt measured up to his standards. The elf ended up making a sort of porridge, which Sheema allowed Tom to have in small portions. He ended up propped up against a tree a short ways from the fire. ¡°Saa, Kervan, ask Tom (something something),¡± Varga called as they sat around the fire. ¡°He (something) good (something) tell (something.)¡± Tom was pleased to have caught that much, and probably couldn''t do it again. Kervan cleared his throat and Tom watched him. With some gestures he taught Tom three new Elvish words. Once he was confident, he translated, ¡°?¡®here¡¯, ¡®there¡¯, ¡®where¡¯.¡± Kervan repeated those back, then took a breath. ¡°Tom.¡± He paused, thinking. He pointed over his shoulder. ¡°Yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes. Yesterday.¡± ¡°Good. Tom, yesterday yesterday yesterday¡­¡± he gestured for Tom to imagine continuing that. ¡°Where you are?¡± Tom blinked. ¡°Oh! Where am I from?¡± He chewed his lip a moment. How do I want to do this? I''ll pretend I''m in a play. I''m telling a story, after all. I should try to do it in Elvish, otherwise I''ll use too many words they don''t know. Tom cleared his throat. ¡°I¡­yesterday am¡­¡± He cradled his good arm and rocked it, making baby cries. ¡°Waaah! Waaah!¡± Varga laughed. Kervan offered a word, but Diavla contradicted him. They made the gestures they had agreed on for a thing, and for doing, and Tom figured out the words baby and born from that. Kervan supplied was, and Tom tried again. ¡°I was born on Flax Hill. Um¡­flax¡­hill.¡± Tom made gestures. He was confident that huhm meant ¡®hill¡¯ but was less sure about flax. Close enough. ¡°Flax Hill is big? Small?¡± Diavla asked in Western. ¡°Very small. Very small. Uhh¡­¡± Tom got hung up on a number and thought about how to teach just the number he needed without interrupting the story for a whole lesson. He started lifting his fingers one by one very quickly, and recited in Western, ¡°123456789 ten¡­¡± He switched back to one finger and continued raising fingers quickly, ¡°ten ten ten ten ten, ten ten ten ten ten.¡± ¡°Hundred.¡± Tom pointed at Kervan. ¡°That,¡± he agreed, too tired to learn the word, and Varga laughed again. ¡°Hundred,¡± he explained. ¡°Ten ten is hundred.¡± ¡°Two¡­hundred ¡­humans are in Flax Hill.¡± A flurry of gestures and pointing got him mother and father, using Varga and Arven as his victims. Varga made some sort of joke about her and Arven that Tom couldn''t follow. ¡°Tom¡­father¡­farmer.¡± More gestures got it across and another word gained. ¡°Boy,¡± he said next, pointing at Rillik, who scowled at him. Making a show of looking around, he pointed at Varga, and then mimed smushing her down to half her height. ¡°Girl,¡± Brallik called out. ¡°Boy and girl.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Tom started again for practice. ¡°I was born¡­Flax Hill. Tom father is John Farmer. Tom mother is Ann Farmer. John and Ann¡­baby¡­John and Ann¡­¡± Varga shouted out a word, and most of them burst out laughing while Diavla and Kervan frantically waved their hands at Tom in denial, Kervan trying to hide a grin. Tom looked at Varga suspiciously, who made a vulgar gesture with her hips while grinning unrepentantly. Tom sighed at Varga, smiling. Then he shook his fist at her, saying, ¡°Vargaaaa¡­¡± in a warning tone. Every elf immediately lost their smile. Tom frowned, then froze, belatedly understanding. A couple of seconds of silence followed. Make them understand. Now, he demanded of himself. ¡°No,¡± he told them firmly. He looked at his fist and shook it once. ¡°Tom no do. No today, no tomorrow, no.¡± He went to pray to the sky but winced at pain in his left arm, so only raised his right as if to hug the stars. Looking up, he shouted, ¡°Tom say! Tom say no do!¡± He hit his chest with his right palm, held the pose a moment, then dropped his arm and looked at the elves. ¡°You see? You see, please? I am sorry.¡± He saw belief in Varga''s face, and Orvan''s, and Diavla''s. A few moments later, Arven and Kervan nodded. Brallik and Rillik looked angry and unconvinced. Sheema scowled at him, but then spoke in halting, angry Western. ¡°Tom! You arm no ¡­go!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± he told her contritely. She nodded, and her face grew less hostile. There was quiet for a few moments. Then Varga stood up, obviously trying to lighten the mood. She jutted her chin at Tom, and said something combative in Elvish. Then she mimed pulling off her collar and throwing it away, and then pointed as if to say, ¡°You. Me. Here. Fight.¡± She raised both fists and waved them threateningly at him, hopping in place, a smile on her lips. ¡°Oh, yeah? Yes?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Tom called. ¡°If no collar, no collar, then one. Boom!¡± He held up one finger, then mimed throwing his fist. ¡°No collar,¡± he said again, to be very sure everyone understood. ¡°Ha!¡± Varga gestured at his prone body. ¡°Rillik (something something). Rillik go boom you now! I (something).¡± ¡°You do now? You go here now. No collar¡­¡± Tom mimed reaching up as if to pull it off of her. All the other elves froze again. The blood drained from Varga''s face. After a moment, she walked closer. ¡°Yes?¡± Hesitantly, she stumbled over the next words. ¡°N-now? P-please?¡± Tom stared at her in shock for a few moments. Then he blinked. ¡°Wait. You''ve been waiting for me? You¡­¡± He stopped short. Could it be that they can''t take the collars off themselves? Magic or something? Is that why they''re still wearing them? Tom looked around at the elves, and saw the tension, fear and hope on their faces. They need my help to get the collars off. Why didn''t they ask¡­? Tom drew a deep breath through his nose. They were scared I would say no. Tom actually felt insulted, even though he knew their fear was perfectly sensible. ¡°YES! Of course!¡± After a beat he translated, ¡°Yes yes! Now!¡± He scowled. How could they even think that of me, that I might have said no!? Tom turned and looked at Kervan. ¡°Kervan, go¡­¡± he pointed at the ironwork wagon, ¡°get¡­¡± he mimed a cutting tool. Oddly, Kervan just stared at him. The elves all looked at each other in silence a moment. Then Diavla took a breath and made some sort of declaration in Elvish, addressing the group. She turned to Tom. ¡°No Tom. No cut¡­¡± she mimed cutting. ¡°Key.¡± Everyone else was absolutely silent. Tom wondered what he was missing. It was very important, whatever it was. ¡°Where key?¡± ¡°You have.¡± Tom blinked. I don''t have anything that could be keys, unless¡­ Quickly he looked around, and saw the bandit leader''s pouch beside him. He opened it and shook out some coins, the only things still left in it. On a second look, the coins were the wrong color and felt a bit off-weight. Tom shifted position carefully, Sheema helping him. ¡°Diavla, here,¡± he called quietly. Diavla hurried over and crouched next to him. He held out the pouch to her, but she flinched away. ¡°No, Tom. You do.¡± ¡°You do,¡± he asked. ¡°Please?¡± Diavla shook her head violently. ¡°I no do. You do. You.¡± Tom tried not to scowl again. This is going to be awkward. ¡°Fine. Yes. I do. What I do?¡± ¡°Get key.¡± Diavla pointed at her throat. ¡°Key go here.¡± Tom grimaced. He picked up one of the fake coins. Diavla sank to her knees, offering him her throat nervously. He reached out and touched her neck; her skin felt cold, and she had goosebumps. She''s scared. ¡°I help. I help,¡± he almost whispered, trying to reassure her. Her breath caught. Tom slid his fingers along her throat until he reached the collar, then carefully started feeling along it one-handed until he found a circular dent. I guess it goes in there. Gently he pressed the key into the depression, and nothing happened. Tom frowned, pulled it back, turned it over, and tried again. Still nothing. He started rotating the coin in place, little by little. ¡°What I no do?¡± he demanded, frustrated. ¡°Tom,¡± Kervan said quietly. He had crouched down nearby. ¡°Yes, Diavla key.¡± Tom squeezed his eyes shut a moment in annoyance. Of course they had to be individual keys, it couldn''t be something simple¡­this is going to take a while. He opened his eyes, put the wrong key into the pouch, and picked up the next one. Kervan was watching closely. ¡°Tom. Is no Diavla key.¡± ¡°Then which one is it? Show me!¡± Tom gestured vaguely. ¡°I no do.¡± For the love of the gods¡­ Tom stabbed his finger down on another coin. ¡°Diavla?¡± ¡°No. Tom, key say.¡± That doesn''t help me, Tom growled mentally. He stabbed at a different one. ¡°Diavla?¡± ¡°No. Tom, Diavla collar say, Diavla key say.¡± Kervan sounded annoyed as well. Tom felt frustration and did his best to stifle it. He think''s I''m just illiterate, and expects me to match the symbols. He stuck his finger on the next one. ¡°¡­Diavla?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tom took a deep breath, trying to keep hold of his temper. ¡°Diavla?¡± Kervan paused. ¡°Yes? ¡­Yes.¡± Tom picked it up, rubbed it a moment to make sure it didn''t have dirt on it, and pressed it against the slave collar around Diavla''s neck. With a loud click, the collar opened. Diavla gasped and yanked the collar off of her, flinging it away. For just a moment, she stared into his eyes with blazing intensity. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then she scrabbled in the dirt, picking up another key. She stood up and shouted. ¡°(Something) me (something) collars!¡± Most of the elves gathered around her, but Varga knelt in front of Tom. Kervan was still crouched beside him, and leaned over to peer at Varga''s collar for a moment. They had to go another round of guessing before Tom put his finger on the correct one, and then he reached up and unlocked Varga''s collar. Varga threw the collar hard over her shoulder the moment she could. Then she leaned closer and Tom couldn''t see her expression any more. She grabbed his head with both hands and pulled him into a firm kiss. Tom was stunned. The kiss wasn''t sexy but it was clearly passionate. She¡­she''s kissing me¡­ Tom''s soul wasn''t keeping up. Varga pulled back after a moment, not letting go of him, and cried, ¡°Thank you, Tom! Thank you, thank you, thank you!¡± and she pulled him into another kiss. She tastes salty. Is this what all elves taste like, or¡­? ¡°VARGA!¡± Diavla yelled. She sounded angry with the other woman. ¡°Help (something something) collars (something)!¡± Varga broke the kiss and yelled something back, then turned back to Tom, still too close for him to see, and shifted her hands to his shoulders. ¡°Thank you! Diavla (something something) you,¡± she told him quietly. Then she reached down, grabbed a key and bounded to her feet. Tom decided that he didn''t want to think about that kiss right then, and determinedly focused on what he could see before him. In about a minute, the last collar came off and the clearing was full of joyful shouts in Elvish. Tom was glad for the elves, but upset that they had thought he might not take the collars off when they asked. He knew it didn''t make sense; they barely knew him, and plenty of men would have told themselves that being the elves'' master was the best thing for them. The existence of those horrible collars was reminder enough how nasty some people could be. He struggled with his pride, eventually succeeding for the most part. They had no way of knowing that I wasn''t a slaver, or greedy, or¡­ He took a steadying breath. Let it go, Tom. They''re free now, and that''s what''s important. He sighed. Free, but fugitives. They still need my help if they''re ever going to get home. I don''t even know what the laws are, but I guess I''m their lifeline. He watched with a smile as Varga jumped up and down with glee, and thought hard about the situation. If we''re going to work together, I should take charge. I know the language, I know humans, and I know the area. I''ve led groups before, I can do it fine. But being given orders is the last thing these people need right now. To be fair, if I were them I''d probably still be worried about betrayal in Rivermarch or something. Or me acting like their Master even though I''m not. Tom grimaced. Actually, I might be their Master, depending on what the laws say, and I might have to act like it. We''re probably going to need to do a lot of lying to get through however many countries it takes to reach the coast. And a lot of that won''t be fun for the elves. Tom took a deep breath, noting with gratitude that he could, thanks to Sheema''s healing. They need me. I don''t envy them their position. They''re going to be doubting me every step of the way, especially when I have to act superior to them, all high and mighty like the nobles I used to guard. I''ll need to prove myself to them over and over until they see that I mean them no harm. Well, then, that''s what I''ll do. Thoughts sorted, Tom allowed himself to relax and smile. I did a good deed here, and I should enjoy it instead of brooding. His gaze wandered from elf to elf as he tried to get more familiar with their personalities. If my guess is right, we''re going to be together for a long time. I should do my best to get along with everyone. For the moment, Tom just sat back and watched the elves be happy. Chapter 6: Fournight A few minutes earlier¡­ When Tom beckoned to her, Diavla knelt in front of him, barely daring to hope. He reached out to her, staring into her eyes as he touched her jaw, then firmly and slowly slid his fingers down her throat and neck. Diavla''s breath caught and she felt her skin grow bumps at the feel of his hand. He touched her slave collar, and then slid his fingers along it, stroking her skin as if cutting her throat. His grip tightened, and working one-handed, he slid the token into its lock. He squinted at her, fidgeting with the collar while she waited. After a few moments, he snorted in annoyance. ¡°What I no do?¡± he demanded in Elvish. Kervan cleared his throat and explained, ¡°Tom, yes ¡­Diavla key.¡± Tom released her and started quizzing Kervan on the tokens. Why doesn''t he just read them? Kervan was obviously getting increasingly frustrated with the human''s obtuseness and also with struggling against the control magic. Diavla was puzzled as well. Is he having second thoughts? Why is he taking so long? Please don''t taunt us with this, Tom¡­please be sincere¡­ ¡°Yes¡­? Yes,¡± Kervan finally managed as Tom pointed at the correct token. Again, Tom touched her cheek, then slid his hand down to the collar around her neck. Diavla''s heart raced as he gripped it tightly, holding her in place. There was a click. Diavla could feel the moment the binding magic fell away from her. She gasped from the shock and yanked the collar off of her. She stared into the human''s blue eyes and gave him the most heartfelt ¡°thank you¡± of her life. He smiled at her, looking relieved that it was done. Now that she could touch them, Diavla reached down and grabbed a token, then set out to free the others, calling, ¡°Show me your collars!¡± As she ran back and forth, she saw Varga kneeling in front of Tom as Kervan struggled against the magic to communicate which token was the correct one. Diavla freed Brallik and Arven before Tom managed to unlock Varga''s collar. Diavla actually had to dodge as her friend threw her collar over her shoulder. Then she saw Varga grab Tom and kiss him fiercely. Diavla''s breath caught. Spirits, Varga! What are you doing? ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you,¡± Varga shouted at Tom, then pulled him in for another kiss. Diavla had had enough. ¡°VARGA! Help me get the collars off the others!¡± Diavla was infuriated with her hollow-head of a friend. ¡°Hunting!¡± Varga called back over her shoulder. She said something quietly to the human, then jumped up, a token in her hand that she squinted to read. Diavla turned and peered at Orvan''s collar next, then hurried back to Tom and the tokens. ¡°Now you help?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Within another minute, everyone had been freed. They were all shouting, just because they could, celebrating. There was joy and there were tears. Diavla''s thoughts turned back to the glimpse she had gotten of Tom''s stunned expression. She frowned. It''s just surprise, isn''t it? He shouldn''t be shocked by a thank you kiss, unless¡­no, that''s ridiculous. Diavla felt a huge flare of irritation with Varga, anyway. She looked at everyone. Sheema burst into tears, and Arven held her and rocked her in his arms while she cried. Brallik kept saying, ¡°thank the spirits!¡± over and over while massaging his neck. Rillik jumped up, hand on the hilt of his dagger, but Orvan seized him by the shoulder and shoved him back down, talking quietly and urgently in the boy''s ear. Kervan was last, and instead of throwing it aside like everyone else, he kept a death grip on the collar in his hand. He marched over to a pack, picked it up, and proceeded to collect all the slave collars from where they had landed, shoving them into the pack with vicious force. When he finished, he lifted the bag as if to throw it into the fire, but then just stood there for a minute. Eventually, he dropped it to the ground instead and collapsed beside it, looking wrung out. Everyone sat down and rubbed their necks gingerly. Sheema kept crying for a long while. Varga took over caring for her so that Arven could have some space. Diavla went and held Sheema''s hand for a couple of minutes as well, then had to step away and deal with her own emotions. Her thoughts kept returning to the moment Tom was tracing a line down her neck with his fingertips. She relived the memory over and over. An intense tangle of emotions came with it: fear, hope, confusion, revulsion, concern¡­ ¡­and arousal. Diavla would rather die than admit it to anyone else, especially given their circumstances, but a part of her wanted to put the collar back on and have Tom touch her like that again. She felt ashamed, and angry with herself. She was confused and didn''t know what to feel. Somehow, the knowledge of what Tom could have done to her stirred her in ways she hadn''t expected. It''s not Tom that is wonderful, she told herself. It could have been anyone. Tom''s behavior is nothing special. Just basic elven decency. And yet, how many people actually lived up to basic decency, when the moment came upon them? So¡­ maybe he is special. She felt even more confusion as another thought came up. He did the right thing, but not in a very gentlemanly way. There was no need to touch me like that. He could have asked. I''m glad he didn''t¡­but he should have. And why did he draw it out so long? He was struggling to do it for some reason. Temptation? Was he actually reconsidering? Or¡­? Wait. The way Tom''s hand had moved and the way he had looked at her reminded her of something. It took a moment to tease the memory out, but then she realized what it was. He was moving his hands as if he were blind. But he obviously isn''t blind. Diavla didn''t know what to make of it. Free to do whatever she wanted for the first time in months, she marched over to Tom and asked him directly. ¡°Tom? You no see?¡± Tom stared at her for a long moment, then grimaced and nodded reluctantly. He picked up the empty pouch and held it at arm''s length. ¡°I see.¡± He moved the pouch closer to his eyes. ¡°I no see.¡± He looked¡­angry and embarrassed. After a moment, he started another pantomime. He pretended to write on his palm with an imaginary pen. ¡°I no do. Write. I do not write.¡± Then he pretended to open a book. ¡°I no do. Read. I do not read.¡± He stared into her eyes, looking defensive. ¡°I no write. I no read. I no see. No, I no good.¡± He tapped his temple a few times. Diavla got it. He''s saying, ¡®I can''t read and write because I''m farsighted, not because I''m stupid.¡¯ And he''s embarrassed that he isn''t literate. He''s afraid I will think he is an idiot. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Tom, you are smart. You¡­¡± she tapped her own temple, ¡°good. You are very good. I see. I¡­¡± Diavla snapped her fingers deliberately. ¡°I understand.¡± They took a minute to get smart, stupid, think, know and understand down in both languages. Then Diavla tried again. ¡°Tom, I understand. I understand why you no say you no see. I know you are smart. You speak Elvish very good now. Already.¡± ¡°Already. Already.¡± Tom paused, clearly trying not to sulk. ¡°Thank you, Diavla,¡± he grumbled. I like the sound of his voice, Diavla thought absently. It''s deep and solid, without sounding like rocks grinding. Tom looked over the group, smiling because all the elves were so happy to be truly freed. After a few moments, his face grew sad. ¡°Tom?¡± She tapped her temple and tried to look questioning. ¡°You think?¡± Tom managed a weak smile for her. ¡°I think, now you go forest, you say I no go forest. You go, I no go.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Diavla held out her hands like a scale. ¡°Yes. No.¡± She put one hand higher than the other, then swapped. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Maybe. Maybe.¡± Diavla put the new word to use. ¡°Maybe we go now, you no go. Maybe elves and wagon and you go one day. Maybe we go Rivermarch. Elves argue¡­¡± She had forgotten. ¡°Ugh. Tom, how do you say tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Ugh, I am getting a headache. Um¡­I head pain.¡± ¡°Headache. Yes. Me too. Um¡­and me. I have a headache too.¡± They smiled at each other, then fell into comfortable silence for a minute. Eventually, Diavla''s feelings built up, and her throat got tight until she spoke. ¡°Thank you. Tom. Um¡­you do good. You¡­hell?¡± ¡°Help,¡± Tom corrected. ¡°You are big help. Big, big help. Very good. Thank you.¡± Tom grinned. ¡°I (something) Varga say thank you.¡± He touched two fingers to his lips and eyed her meaningfully. Uh-oh. Diavla opened her mouth, worrying about what to say, and Tom''s face fell. He held up a hand and shook his head. ¡°Sorry. We are good. I no touch.¡± The gesture made the word clear. ¡°Um, I no do no good.¡± It was across species, but Diavla thought she got the hint. He''s like Varga. Interested, but content with hearing a no, I think. He doesn''t seem too upset, either. Or¡­maybe I''m completely wrong. Maybe he just thought it was funny that she kissed him and was teasing, and I didn''t get the joke. ¡°Thank you, Tom. You are a good man. You are good¡­¡± Diavla didn''t remember learning the words ¡®man¡¯ and ¡®woman¡¯ yet. She remembered the example from earlier, though. ¡°You are good father.¡± Tom''s eyes got wide in shock for a moment. Diavla felt rising horror as she realized her mistake, and Tom burst out laughing when he saw her expression. He pointed back and forth between them. ¡°Sorry, human and elf. No baby.¡± Then he cracked up again. ¡°Ugh! You and Varga!¡± Diavla punched him in the chest, trying not to laugh herself. Ow. ¡°Sorry, Tom and Varga no baby (something)!¡± Tom could barely get the words out from laughing. Diavla gave in and laughed herself, but punched him again. Ow. Tom is very¡­hard. ¡°Diavla!¡± Sheema shouted. ¡°Stop making him laugh! He could hurt his gut again! Tom! No laughing.¡± She got up and came over. Tom and Diavla met each other''s gaze and then looked away from each other to keep from laughing harder. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Sheema checked Tom over and gave him another round of Healing, after which Tom was exhausted again. The human promptly fell asleep despite the excitement of everyone in the camp. Sheema sighed, looking worn out. ¡°Tomorrow, he will be much better. I think his gut is fine now. Next time, I''ll finally fix his arm. It might scar because I left it so long.¡± Diavla looked at the Healer with concern. ¡°Sheema, why are you pushing yourself so hard with him?¡± Sheema took a breath, and her answer was quiet. ¡°Because when the group splits up, I won''t be around to Heal Tom any more.¡± Diavla made a small noise of surprise, and the other elf lifted violet eyes to meet her gaze. ¡°I''m not going with him. I can''t go to a human city and swim right back into the shark''s mouth like that. I''m scared, Dee.¡± Diavla frowned, but nodded. She could understand that. As much as Diavla worried, Sheema would have it worse, being such a beauty¡ªand a Healer besides, if they failed to keep that secret. She would be sought after and fought over, no matter what she or Tom said. Some human noble would demand to buy her, or simply seize her. ¡°I was hoping that we wouldn''t split up, but I think I know how you feel. Honestly, I''ll face the same issues, but it probably won''t be as bad for me.¡± ¡°Thanks for understanding, Dee. I can tell you want to go with him.¡± Diavla nodded again. ¡°I don''t want to just hide in the woods waiting to be recaptured. Working with Tom seems like a way forward.¡± ¡°I wonder if he understands how much he gave up by freeing us from the collars?¡± Sheema mused. ¡°After all, we could kill him in his sleep now, if we wanted.¡± ¡°Don''t say that where Rillik can hear you.¡± ¡°Saa. We''d better keep an eye on him, just in case.¡± ¡°Understood. I''ll stay with Tom,¡± Diavla decided. ¡°I''m sure Varga will be happy to sleep snuggled up to him, if last night is any indication.¡± ¡°Do you think she wants to trade sexual favors to ensure his cooperation?¡± Diavla wondered. ¡°It''s risky.¡± ¡°No, I think she just wants to know how human men compare to elven. You know Varga''s not the best at forethought.¡± Diavla paused. ¡°How are you feeling, now?¡± ¡°Much better. I was keeping a lot sealed up while I had the collar on. Sometimes I think Varga is lucky. I just know she''ll bounce back like twillwood. She''ll get totally sloshed tonight and wake up tomorrow feeling sheepish for about ten seconds.¡± Sheema yawned. ¡°I would kill for some sweet cake right now, but failing that, I''m going to get some more sleep.¡± ¡°Get your rest. And Sheema¡­thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For Healing Tom.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It''s what I do.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Arven sat next to Diavla just before she wanted to lie down to sleep. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°Hi. What passes?¡± ¡°Do you really think working with Tom is our best option?¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I don''t know for sure. But I get a good feeling about him. Even if we just wait for him to come out of the city once, after he asks questions about elves and slaves, the information he can give us will be invaluable no matter what we do. Unfortunately, I don''t see how we''re ever going to get off this continent without human help, and I don''t think we''re likely to find better than Tom by sheer dumb luck.¡± Arven watched the fire for a few moments. ¡°I don''t know if he''s stupid or generous.¡± ¡°He''s not stupid. He''s farsighted.¡± Arven looked at her. ¡°What?¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°He can''t read because he can''t see the runes. He''s also embarrassed about it, because he thinks it makes him look stupid. And you see how clever he is at pantomime, and how quickly he''s picking up Elvish. Tom might look like a hulking brute, but there''s a good brain behind those big blue eyes.¡± ¡°That''s why he was so clumsy getting the collars off? I thought he was having doubts.¡± ¡°No, he was doing his best.¡± Arven chewed on that for a moment. ¡°But is he kind? And if he is now, will he stay kind when power corrupts him?¡± ¡°I wish I knew.¡± Arven sighed. ¡°I don''t like that you and I will be separated.¡± ¡°You''re going with them?¡± He nodded. ¡°Someone has to keep them alive out here. Brallik is not a good woodsman, Rillik is still a kid, and Sheema''s about half as strong as Rillik on a good day. If I''m not along with them, a single bush cat might do them all in. I''d like Varga along as well so that the weight is not all on me, but she hasn''t made up her mind. That would leave Kervan, Orvan, and Tom with you.¡± He looked at her. ¡°I don''t suppose I could convince you to come with us?¡± ¡°I''m almost tempted, so as to keep us all together if possible. If we split up, it''s virtually certain that at least some of us will never make it home.¡± ¡°Dee, some of us don''t think there''s a realistic possibility of any of us getting home, ever. I know you want to be optimistic, but we''re trapped on the human continent, far from shore.¡± ¡°Which is why a friendly human, with gold, is our best shot.¡± Arven bowed his head, conceding the point. ¡°I guess in a week or so, you''ll know how it''s going to go. I just¡­I hate that I won''t be there to defend you.¡± Diavla rested a hand on his arm for a moment. ¡°Thank you, Arven. I know you care. I feel responsible for everyone, though.¡± ¡°Thanks for taking the tiller when Orvan didn''t. I know being bossy is not easy for you.¡± ¡°No, it surely is not. But it is necessary.¡± After a few more words, Arven wandered off and Diavla took a look around. Everyone was dealing with the situation in their own way. Sighing, she lay her bedroll between Tom and the fire, trying to stay warm against the chill. Clouds were starting to block some of the stars. I hope it doesn''t rain. Maybe we should sleep inside the wagons¡­ But after the exhausting day they had all had, Diavla fell asleep before completing the thought. Chapter 7: What is 鈥楾rust鈥? On Fiveday, Tom woke up gasping from the latest of several nightmares. All through his restless sleep, he had watched people die: his new friends, Kurt, and Mr. Whistler, over and over. Sometimes he saw the faces of the bandits he killed, the terror in their eyes as their lives faded. This last one had been different; he had dreamt that Rillik had put a slave collar on him while he slept and the elves were torturing him until Rillik got impatient and killed him. Heart pounding, he felt his neck, reassuring himself that he wasn''t wearing a collar. We really should destroy those nasty things. He tried to get his breathing under control. Feeling eyes on him, he turned his head and saw Diavla lying beside him, a couple of feet between them, and watching him somberly with those amber eyes of hers. ¡°Good day, Tom.¡± Diavla tapped her temple. ¡°You sleep. You see bad things?¡± ¡°Nightmare. I had a nightmare.¡± He glanced around to see that the sun was barely rising, so her saying ¡®good day¡¯ didn''t mean that he had slept until midday. He cleared his throat. ¡°You sleep?¡± She sighed and waggled one hand. ¡°I have three nightmare.¡± She wrapped her arms tightly around herself. ¡°Brrr.¡± ¡°Cold. You feel cold.¡± He learned the Elvish words hot, warm, cool and cold. ¡°You feel cold, Tom?¡± ¡°Eh. Not really. I''m used to it.¡± Diavla didn''t follow the words but caught his tone and nodded. Still waking up, Tom let his gaze wander the length of her body appreciatively. The blankets were unable to hide her gentle hourglass curves completely. Diavla was thin¡ªa bit too thin for Tom''s tastes, actually. He suspected that was lack of food, however. Her face already looked better than it had even a day earlier. He wondered how she would fill out once she had had enough to eat for a while. Waking up more fully, he realized what he was doing and belatedly jerked his eyes back up to her face, to find that Diavla was looking over his body as well. Her gaze jumped up to meet his and she looked a bit embarrassed. Then she shrugged. ¡°I want you body, Tom.¡± His eyes widened and then hers did, too. ¡°No, no, no! I say bad! Um¡­want but no get¡­um¡­want see¡­no! No I say very bad! Um¡­what is word?¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°What is ¡®like¡¯?¡± Tom took a deep breath and stared at nothing for a moment. ¡°Um¡­Food.¡± He mimed eating and making happy noises. ¡°I like this food.¡± He pointed at his imaginary meal, then at a different one, and pretended to eat from a different bowl. ¡°Blech. I do not like this food. It is good food, not bad. I no like. Maybe you like. Do you understand?¡± Diavla frowned in thought. ¡°Maybe. Um¡­I like¡­apple. I no like¡­pepper. I like sun¡­¡± She gestured. ¡°Sunrise.¡± ¡°Yes. I like¡­how do you say hair?¡± The word was obvious from her tugging at her own. ¡°Hair,¡± he told her. ¡°Varga hair is red. I like red hair.¡± ¡°Red. Kervan''s hair is blond.¡± ¡°Blond. Blond. Orvan hair is gray.¡± ¡°Gray. Gray. Varga''s eyes are green. Like leaves on trees.¡± ¡°Green. Green. I like trees.¡± Different kind of ¡®like¡¯, Tom thought, but decided to save the subtlety for later. ¡°Tom, you eyes are blue.¡± They practiced the colors some more in both languages. ¡°You hair is black, me hair is black, me eye are amber, you eye are blue.¡± Diavla smiled. ¡°I like you blue eye.¡± She looked upwards and pointed at the sky. ¡°No blue now,¡± she observed. They went over clouds, rain, and wind. It did look to Tom as if it might rain, but not soon. Sheema came over. ¡°Hello, Tom.¡± ¡°Hello, Sheema. Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± Sheema examined him with her eyes closed for a couple of minutes, then reported, ¡°You gut is good. You head is good. I heal you arm now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sheema. I eat today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tom sighed in relief. ¡°Thank you. I am ravenous.¡± His stomach growled, making his meaning clear. Diavla removed his bandages, then Sheema did her healing. As usual, he felt tired and drained after. He lay back for a minute while Sheema staggered away and Diavla bandaged his arm back up. This must have been ten golds'' worth of healing she has given me in the past couple of days, Tom thought. I am so lucky. She is worth an absolute fortune if anyone finds out and gets their hands on her. I''d better help make sure that doesn''t happen. Tom went to the stream to wash up as best he could, doing his best to keep his bandaged arm dry. He inspected the skin over his old gut wound. Aside from looking a bit pink, there was no scar or sign he had ever been stabbed there. Amazing. Usually magic healers just did the minimum and moved on, so that they could help more people. They had limited power so it only made sense. Tom felt thoroughly spoiled and was very grateful. I''d have died for sure without this incredible stroke of luck. Breakfast was simple but tasted absolutely wonderful to Tom, who held himself to one portion, for the moment. This time he was able to help a little, working one-handed, as the elves broke camp and loaded the wagons. He noticed Sheema keeping an eye on him and didn''t push himself. I''ll have to ease back into my exercises, I suppose. He was in for a tough couple of weeks to get back into fighting shape. This time, when they headed out, Tom was able to sit on the wagon seat beside Diavla. It turned out that he was better with the reins than she was, and she gladly gave the job over to him. The new arrangement made it much easier for them to converse on the road and continue their language lessons. During the morning, riders passed them in both directions, carrying news between nobles and cities and such. The elves kept their hoods up and their heads down each time it happened. They didn''t encounter wagons headed south, and any headed north were probably days behind and would not be catching up to them. It meant that they had a lot of privacy. ¡°Diavla, where are you all from?¡± Diavla asked for clarification, and then with a lot of pauses for vocabulary, she explained. ¡°We are from Kilder Vald. Kilder Vald is small small town¡­near?¡± She gestured and Tom nodded. ¡°Near sea. We get fish, we hunt. Empire fight us, take us, kill us. Kilder Vald get fire. Maybe Empire ship go bad, go bad here? They no want go Kilder Vald, they want go big town, but they go us. We fight. I get big big headache. Sheema heal me but hide? Hide heal?¡± Diavla lifted the hair away from her forehead, and Tom could see a fresh scar on her temple. He whistled softly. That was a lot more than a headache. She probably almost died from that. Good thing Sheema can heal from the inside and leave the skin looking like the wound is still bad. ¡°I am¡­¡± Tom struggled for Elvish words. ¡°I think very good you get heal.¡± He put his hand on her knee for a moment. Then they went over words for feelings a bit. Tom enjoyed getting reactions from Diavla as he made exaggerated faces and overacted. She had a strange habit of smiling for a while, then wincing and rubbing her cheek. They spent a lot of time reminding each other of words they had learned and forgotten. Their pidgin kept improving. Tom marveled at how much you could convey with only a few words, so long as you were willing to sound like a child or an idiot in order to get your point across. Do, see, give, get, ask, go, fight, eat, drink, sleep combined with gestures were enough to describe a lot of actions. At Diavla''s urging, Tom started telling her about himself in Western, stopping to translate or pantomime as needed. ¡°I was born in Flax Hill, a very small town. My father and mother have seven children¡ªprobably more now. I am the oldest.¡± ¡°Tom, stay. I maybe no get words. You say seven? Boys, girls? Seven? One father, one mother?¡± ¡°Yes. Maybe eight, nine, ten now.¡± Diavla''s eyes were wide and she seemed to be taking a moment to absorb that. Tom frowned, puzzled. ¡°Diavla, elves no big family? No big number boys and girls?¡± The elf shook her head vigorously, and Tom was distracted by the way her black hair swayed with the motion. Diavla took a few minutes to explain. If he understood her right, elves liked children very much, but baby elves were born much less often. I guess if you live a long time, you can afford to space them out, but this seems like something else. Apparently, large families were very rare among the elves. There was more to it, but Tom was having trouble following, so after a bit they dropped the subject and he returned to his story. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°My father is a farmer. I was sick. I¡­¡± Tom struggled to get it across. ¡°I no breathe good. I no strong. Four years ago, bad harvest. No food. I am no good. I no do good. So, I go. One day food, ten copper, and one dagger. I go. I walk and walk and walk. So I am Tom Walker.¡± Diavla made a little noise of understanding and her eyes flickered as she clearly thought about a few things quickly, making sense of something that had confused her before. ¡°It was¡­bad. Then it was small bad. Then it was good. I go far, I breathe good. I get strong. I work. I do things. I cut trees. I guard. I help farm. I carry. I make house. I make swords, small day. I walk and walk.¡± Tom did lots of pantomime of working as he talked. Diavla gave him a sympathetic look and murmured something. He paused. ¡°What?¡± Diavla made as if to answer, then paused. Obviously, she had a word in mind that she lacked in Western. ¡°Now, Tom and I and Varga and elves. Tom was, no and.¡± She frowned and tried again. ¡°Um¡­Tom was one.¡± ¡°Oh. Alone. Yes, I was alone a lot of the time, but I also met a lot of people, uh, humans.¡± ¡°You talk humans. Then you go. They no go. You go alone.¡± Diavla took a breath. ¡°You feel alone and sad?¡± Tom paused for a few moments, unsure what to say. Then he shrugged. ¡°I guess¡­I was lonely, sometimes. Um¡­I was lonely, I was not lonely, I was lonely.¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°I am sad you are lonely. I am happy you are no lonely now.¡± Tom sighed. ¡°Sometimes, I go, they no go. Sometimes¡­they die, I no die.¡± He thought again about Julio and Vlad and Kurt and the rest, his mood turning gloomy. He hadn''t known Julio long, but the man probably had had a lot of stories of women he had bedded or tried to. Diavla rested a hand on his arm and spoke with firm cheerfulness. ¡°Tom, what you like?¡± He snorted. ¡°Women,¡± he blurted out absently, still half thinking about Julio. She gave him a blank look. He felt a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat, then explained. ¡°You and Varga and Sheema. Woman. Women.¡± He held up one and then three fingers. Diavla''s eyebrows went up. ¡°You and women¡­sleep? Um, bed, happy?¡± Tom opened his mouth and nothing came out for a moment. Tom, you idiot. He sighed and admitted, ¡°Sex. No. I no have sex.¡± Not as if it matters, and they won''t be telling anyone anyway. ¡°Yesterday yesterday, you and woman have sex, one? Two? Big?¡± ¡°No.¡± The elf tilted her head at him. ¡°You no want have sex?¡± ¡°No, no, no. I want women very much. I no have women.¡± Diavla said some sort of question in Elvish, sounding surprised. Tom shook his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tom, you are big. You are strong. You eyes are blue. You are good. You are smart. Human woman no like?¡± For a long moment, they looked at each other. She thinks all that about me? Diavla blinked a couple of times and her face got a bit pink. Tom returned his eyes to the road. ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered. He cleared his throat. ¡°Women want. I say no.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Yesterday yesterday you like woman, woman is bad? You have¡­lonely? Headache?¡± ¡°Heartache.¡± He tapped his chest. Gods, she picks up on the smallest hints.¡° Yes. I am sad. I am mad. Women are bad.¡± Immediately, he corrected himself. ¡°I know no, but I¡­feel yes. I am sorry.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°Tom,¡± she said in a serious tone. She held out one hand, palm up. ¡°Women are bad.¡± She held out the other hand. ¡°Women are good.¡± She moved one hand. ¡°Women are¡­eh.¡± She made an unimpressed noise. ¡°No very good, no very bad?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Some women. Um¡­some, all, none.¡± Tom gestured until she nodded and gave him the equivalents in Elvish. ¡°Some women are good, Tom. Some women are bad. Some women are no very good, no very bad. And¡­some¡­you are good, she is good, you are no happy, she is no happy. Some¡­you are happy, she is no happy. She go. You are sad. Some.¡± ¡°Sometimes. Like some days.¡± ¡°Sometimes. Sometimes. Sometimes, you are good, woman is good, you and woman is no good.¡± Tom nodded jerkily. ¡°I know, I know. I just¡­¡± ¡°You are scary. No. You are scared.¡± She switched to Elvish for the last. Tom bristled, and Diavla backed off. He could see the calculation in her eyes as she lied, ¡°I say bad. I am sorry. Nevahmine.¡± Tom huffed for a few moments, then gave up. ¡°All right, yes, I am scared.¡± He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. ¡°You''re a bad liar.¡± She tilted her head at him. ¡°You¡­say thing. Thing no. You no do good.¡± ¡°I no do big. I do big, I am good liar.¡± Tom snorted in amusement. You weren''t trying very hard, you mean. He made himself frown. ¡°I am mad at you.¡± ¡°You''re a bad liar, Tom.¡± Tom burst out laughing. Even Diavla stifled a laugh, the first laugh he had heard from her. Tom felt inordinately pleased with that. He smirked at her. ¡°I no do big¡­ ¡®I didn''t try very hard.¡¯ If I need to, I am a good liar, too.¡± ¡°What is ¡®need to¡¯?¡± ¡°Um¡­want, and no is bad. I want food. I no eat day, day, day, I need food.¡± ¡°Ah. In Elvish, want and need. Thank you.¡± The conversation lapsed for a minute. Diavla pulled her cloak tighter against the cold breeze. Clouds were moving, but not too quickly; Tom resolved to keep a closer eye on the weather. He was starting to think he had escaped, but then she circled back to her questioning. ¡°Tom. You no¡­have sex, go? Um, town, see women one night. Then you go town, town?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°I no trust women.¡± ¡°What is ¡®trust¡¯?¡± Tom heaved a great sigh. ¡°That is a big question.¡± He took a few moments to think of an explanation. ¡°You say, and I know you no lie. I trust you. You say you do a thing, I know you will do the thing.¡± ¡°Saa. Yesterday yesterday, you trust woman, woman say bad, do bad.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± There was a pause as Diavla formed her next question. ¡°You¡­give gold, get woman one night?¡± Tom shook his head again. ¡°I no like. Um¡­if woman no like me, I no like sex. And, I no want sick.¡± He had made a friend a couple of years back, and it turned out later that the poor man was suffering from a sickness in his crotch and couldn''t afford a healer. His misery and his warnings had made an impression on Tom. He never wanted to end up like that. ¡°Hm.¡± Diavla fell silent for a minute. Tom thought that conversation was over, until she said, ¡°You want sex. You no very want sex.¡± ¡°I very much want sex! I just¡­it''s not worth it.¡± He sighed. ¡°Um¡­sex is small good, big bad. No. Sex is big good, sex is very big bad.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°You think no good now,¡± she told him in a critical tone. Tom chewed that a moment. ¡°I no understand.¡± ¡°You say¡­ but is no. You no lie, but you say is no.¡± ¡°Wrong. You say, I am wrong,¡± Tom supplied. ¡°You are wrong. You are wrong.¡± Tom thought with wry amusement. I''m gonna regret teaching her that one, aren''t I? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It wasn''t easy to have a conversation with anyone on the other wagons while they were moving. The day felt both long and short. The language lessons felt endless and both Tom and Diavla had soul fatigue by the time they stopped for the night. Emotionally and in terms of planning, they were hanging in a sort of limbo. They desperately needed basic information about elves, slavery, and the law in the kingdom. They also needed to figure out how much gold they were going to get for the cargo. And of course, Diavla didn''t fully trust Tom yet, which he totally understood. I wouldn''t trust me either; we''ve only known each other for a few days. Sure, I took off their collars, but that was basic human decency. I have only the vaguest idea what slaves cost, but I know that they think I am tempted by whatever pile of gold I could get by betraying and selling them off. I could be set for life, probably. I totally understand them not believing that I''m going to pass that up. It''s offensive, but fair. But, man¡­I have to be able to face myself every day. No amount of gold is worth that level of guilt and shame. Not everybody is like me, I know, but¡­that''s just how I am. That evening around the fire, Tom brought up the cargo. It took a while to explain that he wanted to give some of it to its rightful owners. The Parsons didn''t have children, just hired hands, and as far as Tom knew there was no one to give the grain back to. Likewise, the Smiths had been just starting out and didn''t have a family yet. It was possible that they had relatives back in¡­what was it, Southby? Tom couldn''t remember. He hoped the pieces of paper in the wagons had writing that would explain a lot. The booze Tom had no problem with selling and keeping the proceeds. A big business would not be ended by losing one wagonload. The drivers had been hard men and unfriendly; that probably influenced Tom''s decision. The fabric wagon, though¡­Tom felt strongly about that one. Mr. Whistler had been a good man, from all Tom could tell, and he had a wife at their destination. Tom felt guilty for not managing to save the merchant, and wanted to deliver the wagon to the widow without charging her anything. He would definitely sell the grain and the booze, and definitely intended to give Mrs. Whistler her late husband''s wagon at no charge. How to handle the ironwork would depend on what the papers said. That just left the black cases. Those made Tom nervous. He had no idea what was in them. Curiosity made him want to peek, but caution won out. He would take the papers Mr. Sashen had carried and get someone in the city to read them to him. They might be worth a fortune, they might be junk, or they might be something very dangerous or illegal. Tom didn''t even know what city Mr. Sashen had intended for a destination. He asked the elves what they thought. The elves had a long discussion about it, and didn''t come to any real conclusions. Some of them wanted to break one of the cases open to see what was inside. Others argued against it. In the end they decided not to poke the bear, at least for the moment. Then they explained their intentions to Tom. In the morning, Brallik, Rillik, Sheema, Varga and Arven were going to leave them and head off to live in the deepest part of Great Oak Forest. That left Tom, Diavla, Kervan and Orvan to drive the wagons, leaving them short. They would have to leave two wagons behind. Obviously, the empty slave wagon would be one of them, and for the other, Tom decided to leave the black cases. He wanted to hide that wagon though, in case it was dangerous. Tom suggested that those leaving take all the supplies they could carry, including most of the food. After all, his group would be in or near a city in less than a week. Tom asked them what they would need, in case he was able to come back and managed to find them again. It seemed unlikely, but Arven immediately asked for a bow. The other elves came up with a list including soap, rope, and various other sundries to help them survive in the wilds. Since they would have to leave all the ale with the group going to Rivermarch, Varga took it upon herself to enjoy the alcohol as thoroughly as possible that night. It was unclear when she would get another chance, after all. Tom sat back and watched, for the most part. Sheema put in another round of healing, working on his arm, and pronounced him healthy. With Diavla translating, she told him to resume normal exercise but to listen for any pain. She even apologized that she could do nothing more with the head injury and Tom would simply have to live with his current level of intelligence. Tom grinned, pleased that she could joke with him. Although, after tonight, she doesn''t expect ever to see me again, so she probably feels safer around me. Tom volunteered to take first watch, and Arven offered to take the second. So Tom simply sat up on the seat of the fabric wagon and guarded the elves while they had their last night together. He watched as Sheema went to Diavla, Kervan and Orvan, checking them for any illness or injury. Good gods, she is a busty beauty, he mused. Tom was appreciating the view while it lasted, but tried to restrict himself to short peeks when she wasn''t looking. Arven and Diavla had a long conversation, at the end of which they hugged and Diavla kissed Arven on the cheek. Arven looked awkward as she walked away. I guess those two have history. There was a lot of Elvish singing, and they tried to teach Tom the words to a couple, but the main result was Varga falling over laughing hysterically at his mistakes. Tom thought that was a fine outcome. Varga''s laughter and good cheer were infectious. Tom even got over his reluctance and sang ¡°Beyond the Mountains,¡± which he had learned in a tavern a while back. The elves listened politely, and by the second verse some of them were joining in¡ªnot with the words they obviously didn''t know, but with vocal accompaniment. Brallik turned out to have a surprisingly deep voice and mostly sang the same two bass notes over and over, slowly like a drumbeat. Varga and Diavla actually harmonized with each other and him with their little trills. All of it meshed together, and Tom sang his best for them. We''re better when we cooperate. I''ll miss the others when they are gone, and worry about them. But for right now, it is enough to enjoy what we can make when we work together. Chapter 8: Separate Ways It was their last night together. The elves had been separated from the rest of their village when the slave ship came for them, then divided again when they were sold off in groups at auction. Now they were going to split apart even further, this time by choice and circumstances. Diavla made sure to spend time with each of the elves who were going to leave the caravan to hide in the woods. With some, there wasn''t much to say. With others, no amount of time would be enough. Finally, Diavla curled up with Varga in one of the wagons, talking quietly in the dark. Varga was fairly drunk. ¡°You''re a great friend, Dee. A great friend.¡± ¡°Thanks, so are you.¡± ¡°I am your friend.¡± ¡°And I am yours.¡± ¡°I am your admirer.¡± ¡°And I am yours.¡± ¡°I want your body.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°I know, I know. You''re awesome. You''re a great friend, Dee.¡± ¡°Thanks, so are you.¡± ¡°I wanna kiss you. Can I kiss you?¡± Diavla thought it over. ¡°Just kissing. Don''t get your hopes up.¡± ¡°I don'' wanna leave w''out kissing you, is all. I don''¡­I don''t wanna leave w''out kissing you.¡± ¡°I said ¡®yes¡¯.¡± ¡°I really want¡­what?¡± Diavla shook with silent laughter for a moment. ¡°Don''t make me change my mind. Kiss me before I come to my senses.¡± ¡°Oh, Dee¡­¡± Feeling in the dark, their lips met in a chaste kiss. Diavla held her friend as the kiss lengthened and slowly grew more heated. Diavla did her best, and was surprised that she found it pleasant. She fended off the rest of her friend''s drunken advances with good humor, and held her until she fell asleep. This will be goodbye, my friend. At least I could give you that. I hope I see you again someday. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The next morning was the tenth of Dunvar, what Tom called Sixday. Diavla woke with a mild hangover. Warily, she cracked one eyelid to find that she was still curled up with Varga in the wagon. Diavla pulled her shirt on, moving slowly so as not to aggravate the throbbing in her head. She tucked the blanket over her friend to give her a few more minutes of warmth, then braced herself as she stepped out onto the wagon seat, her eyes slitted against the mild morning light. ¡°Ah.¡± Tom walked over the moment he saw her. ¡°Good morning.¡± He kept his voice quiet, which Diavla appreciated, and she climbed down to him. Then she realized that he was offering her a cup of cold water and a piece of bread. Oh, you wonderful man. Diavla took them gratefully. ¡°You sleep good?¡± Tom asked politely. Diavla thought back. She hadn''t had any nightmares. Her soul was a bit preoccupied with other things, it seemed. ¡°Yes, actually. I did sleep well¡­saa, I sleep good,¡± she repeated in simpler Elvish. After she finished her snack, she got more and retreated back to the wagon, looking at her friend fondly while she slept. It was a little longer before Varga stirred. Diavla passed her the water and bread as she got dressed. ¡°Thank you,¡± Varga said tenderly. ¡°You''re wonderful.¡± ¡°That''s pretty much how I reacted when Tom brought the same for me.¡± ¡°Tom brought you water and bread?¡± ¡°And he kept his voice down.¡± ¡°A gentleman. You should add him to your clan.¡± ¡°I''m not sure my mother could handle having a human in the family,¡± Diavla observed. ¡°And without kids, I''m not sure she would see the point.¡± She thought briefly of her parents, safe in Aldovarin Tree Hold. They must have gotten word of the destruction of Kilder Vald by now. I wonder if the Matriarch sent anyone to look for me? Saa, Mama, I would tell you of my turn of luck if I could. Varga finished dressing and drank more of her water. Her voice was quiet and rough. ¡°Dee¡­thank you for last night.¡± Diavla put on a smile for her friend. ¡°I wish I could give you more, but it''s just not my nature, Varga.¡± ¡°Your tastes run more towards Tom, don''t they?¡± Diavla opened her mouth and no words came out. ¡°Thought so. I''ve seen how you look at him. It makes sense. I''d ride him.¡± ¡°Varga!¡± ¡°I would! You''ll have to tell me how he is someday.¡± Diavla saddened. ¡°Someday,¡± she said quietly. Then she caught herself. ¡°I mean¡­¡± she trailed off, shaking her head, and gave up when she saw Varga''s grin. She sighed. ¡°Be careful out there, kanashim.¡± Varga''s face fell. ¡°I''m really going to miss you, Dee.¡± ¡°Same, Varga. Same.¡± They shared a hug, then exited the wagon. ¡°Thank the weather spirits it''s cloudy,¡± Varga groaned when they were out in the daylight. ¡°Good morning, Varga,¡± Tom called. ¡°Food now.¡± Varga nodded to him, then spoke to Diavla. ¡°He really is learning Elvish fast, isn''t he? I still can''t get more than half a dozen words of Human.¡± ¡°Apparently, the name of Tom''s language translates as ¡®Western.¡¯ Humans have several languages, like we used to in the oldest stories.¡± ¡°Huh. Wait, does that mean we''re all the way on the western side of Durathin?!¡± ¡°Probably not all the way, but yes, I''m afraid so.¡± They joined the others by the fire and got food. Orvan had pulled out all the stops with breakfast, sending off the other group with a feast in their bellies and tasty leftovers for the road. After they had eaten, Tom assisted with sorting gear and with the human-made fasteners on the packs. Diavla could see him making a real effort to be as helpful and supportive as possible. He also gave Arven a coin pouch with half of the money they had looted. ¡°I know you (something something) humans, (something) you talk to humans, gold (something) help,¡± he said in Western. Arven weighed it in his hand thoughtfully, then poured about half of the coins out and gave them back. He looked at Diavla. ¡°Tell him that since you''re going to the city, your group is more likely to need gold than we will.¡± Diavla translated, and after a pause, Tom nodded and accepted the handful of coins. As the moment of departure approached, Varga looked downright anguished. ¡°Dee, I hate to leave you.¡± ¡°It''s all right, I understand.¡± ¡°I''m only going because they need me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I really would like to go with you.¡± Diavla tilted her head and eyed her friend. ¡°Varga, this isn''t like you.¡± ¡°What? Can''t I worry about my friends? My kanashim?¡± ¡°Of course, but you''re usually a lot more decisive about things.¡± Varga stood very still for a long, long moment. Finally she said quietly, ¡°I''ll be right back.¡± She turned and looked around, then headed towards Arven. The elf in question was discussing something with Tom at the far end of the clearing. It was odd that they weren''t using her or Kervan to translate. Are they talking about security, or¡­? Then she saw Tom hit his own chest with one fist, and he bowed to Arven, nodding. Tom looked serious, and Arven looked¡­ mollified. Oh, spirits, I think I know what that was. ¡°You better take good care of Diavla or I''ll hunt you down and kill you,¡± or something along those lines. And Tom just took it in stride and promised. He doesn''t look angry at all; he looks¡­impressed with Arven, maybe? Respectful, anyway. I''m glad. That could have gone badly, but Tom doesn''t seem the sort to get in a claw match, despite his size. Once Tom walked away, Varga stepped up and had a discussion with Arven. Diavla watched out of the corner of her eye while she helped Sheema figure out how much she could reasonably carry all day long. After a few minutes, Varga gave Arven a tight hug and kissed him lightly. Then she turned and skipped back over to Diavla. ¡°I''m coming with you guys!¡± she announced. ¡°You are?¡± Sheema wailed in dismay. ¡°Sorry, Sheema. I want to go with them to Rivermarch.¡± ¡°Arven''s all right with that?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°He wasn''t happy, but he said it was one of the most important decisions of my life and that I should go with what I really wanted.¡± Varga paused. ¡°Thanks for prodding me to figure that out, Dee.¡± Diavla smiled as her friend hurried away. Now departure was delayed again as the four still leaving repacked a bit. It was unfortunate that they couldn''t take the spare ox, but Arven didn''t want to try to manage the strange animal in the deep woods. Varga said her goodbyes to each of the departing elves, spending the most time huddled with Sheema. Sheema still looked disappointed, but gave Varga a big hug in the end as they wished each other luck. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Tom was pleased to hear that Varga was coming along, of course, but mostly managed to keep his reaction muted. Diavla watched him go over to Sheema and thank her repeatedly for saving his life. He didn''t try to hug her or kiss her or anything, not even on the hand. He might find her attractive, but he can keep his distance when appropriate. Finally, the moment came, and Arven, Brallik, Rillik and Sheema said their last goodbyes and walked deeper into the woods. Diavla kept watching as they got farther in, until they went over a small rise and disappeared from view. She sighed. Be safe, all of you. When she turned, Tom was looking at her. He gave her a small smile and a polite nod. ¡°We¡­five¡­go. I wait¡­you are good.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tom.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Each of them had to drive a different wagon, even after leaving the empty one behind by the side of the road. Diavla ended up with the black cases. Varga managed to convince the sixth draft animal to come along with them so that they wouldn''t have to abandon it. There was no one to spare, so it would be a long, quiet day. Conversation was not simple between rolling wagons. Tom took the lead with the fabric wagon, then Diavla with the cases, Kervan with the grain, Orvan with the booze, and bringing up the rear Varga with the ironwork and the extra animal. Diavla passed the time reciting words in Western. She was doing her best to remember everything she had learned. Tom appeared to be doing the same, as she occasionally saw him talking to himself. It didn''t take much mental effort to keep the wagon going, so she had a lot of time to look at Tom from the back. He really is very well-built. I would have thought that so much muscle would be grotesque, but he makes it look appealing. Those big broad shoulders and thick arms¡­ Diavla shook her head. He should be beating women off with a stick. Or rather, he shouldn''t be, but he probably is. Lost love does a lot of harm to people. Her soul kept wandering. I hope I''m right about him. It''s clear he didn''t understand how the collars work. If he had, setting us free would be a lot more impressive. Still, the way Tom looked downright offended that we would even think he wouldn''t free us¡­I suspect he would have done it even if he had known how much power he had over us. Or, he''s a skilled trickster and you''re walking into a trap, Diavla worried. She had plenty of time to second-guess and third-guess herself. Maybe he''s as good a man as he appears, but will give in to temptation later. If he had known that he could order Sheema to lie with him, he might well have done it. I''d like to think he wouldn''t. ¡­is Tom a good man, or not? Everything depends on that. All I can do is try to get to know him over the next few days. Maybe I¡ª Diavla''s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden big lurch, and a loud cracking sound. Her wagon started to tilt back and right. ¡°Whoa! Whoa!¡± As she tried to keep her balance, she heard a thump from behind her. Somewhat chaotically, everyone stopped their wagons to check on the problem. As soon as it was clear that the wagon wasn''t going to move or shift any farther, Diavla turned and climbed into the back to check on the cargo. One of the black crates, the damaged one, had slid downslope and hit the side of the wagon bed. She wondered if they would have to shift it back in order to right the wagon, and reached out to give it an experimental tug. It wouldn''t budge. She pulled a bit harder. The next thing she knew, she had fallen down. Her head spun for a moment. That was astoundingly clumsy of you, Diavla, she told herself. How embarrassing. ¡°Diavla? You are good?¡± Tom called. He''s getting good at Elvish, Diavla thought absently. She got up and moved to the front of the wagon and climbed back out onto the seat. Tom was looking at her. ¡°I am good,¡± she reassured him, then winced slightly as she moved her arm. ¡°Diavla? What happened?¡± Varga asked. Tom moved around to check the side of the wagon. ¡°The wagon made a big bump, and when I went to check on the cargo I slipped and fell and hit my elbow.¡± ¡°Nice going, injuring yourself just hours after separating from the Healer.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Wagon is no good,¡± Tom called. ¡°I do. (Something) wagon is good.¡± ¡°You busted a wheel,¡± Kervan reported. ¡°Tom doesn''t look too worried, though.¡± ¡°Good. Let him deal with it, and give him help if he asks, please. I''ve got a headache.¡± ¡°Dee? You all right?¡± ¡°Aside from stupidity, I''m fine. Just need a rest.¡± ¡°Did you hit your head?¡± ¡°No¡­I don''t think so, anyway.¡± Her memory of falling down was proving elusive. Diavla closed her eyes and pressed the heels of her hands to her forehead. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± She did her best to ignore everything going on around her. Kervan translated for Tom and after a while they asked her to get down from the wagon. Varga hovered near her, concern on her face. ¡°I''m fine, Varga. Relax.¡± Diavla frowned at the redhead. ¡°I hope you didn''t imprint on me like a baby bird last night.¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± Varga insisted innocently. ¡°Just¡­don''t get your hopes up, please. I thought we were saying goodbye forever.¡± ¡°I know. Not expecting.¡± Diavla had her doubts. ¡°I don''t want to mess up our friendship.¡± ¡°You won''t.¡± Varga tried to keep a calm expression for a few moments more, before confiding, ¡°All right, you know I''ve wanted to kiss you like that for a very long time. But I won''t mess things up. You mean too much to me.¡± That''s what I''m afraid of, Diavla thought with concern, but simply nodded. Varga stopped watching her and went to observe the men working to fix the wagon. Diavla watched her go with a small frown of worry. The situation would be much simpler if she just found Varga as arousing as she did men, but she couldn''t change her nature. I really wish that I were a lot more¡­zaddich. The Elvish word meant both attractive and lustful, and fit her longing best. Diavla winced as another wave of mild pain pulsed in her head, then faded away. When it didn''t recur for a minute she sighed in relief, then walked around to see how the repairs were going. Tom stood at the right rear corner of the wagon, while Kervan and Orvan were holding the right rear wheel, or rather its replacement. Apparently, someone in the caravan had packed a spare. There was a moment of confusion as apparently humans counted up to warn of something. Elves counted down, which obviously made more sense. Once they had that sorted out, Kervan counted down, and Tom lifted the end of wagon, his muscles bulging. That''s¡­a nice view. Prying her gaze away from Tom, she noticed Varga on the other side, grinning. Meeting her gaze, Varga wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, then went back to unashamedly ogling the human. Oh, Varga¡­ Diavla had to admit, though, that this display was of a quality one didn''t see every day. Tom was clearly exerting effort, but he also showed no signs of needing to stop yet, patiently waiting while the other men did something to fix the wheel. He shifted a bit and his muscles flexed. Diavla felt her mouth go dry. That is a very nice view¡­ She gathered her wits as Orvan shouted and Tom carefully lowered the end of the wagon. He moved over and crouched down, inspecting the work. After poking and prodding, he nodded his approval, gathered the tools and stood up, stretching. He seemed to be testing out his body to make sure there wasn''t any pain. They got their wagon train back into good order, and after watching the wheel work for a few moments, Tom got back onto his wagon and they resumed their travel. The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and Diavla got her fill of watching Tom from behind. There weren''t even any messengers passing by. For all they could see, Tom could be the only human in tens of miles. As the sun was setting, they made camp. Diavla collected firewood; Varga tended the animals; Orvan cooked dinner; Kervan counted cargo and made tiny notes in Elvish on a piece of paper. Tom tended the fire at times and patrolled the surroundings so the elves could all eat together in peace. Dinner was fairly good, but not up to Orvan''s usual standards. He grumbled about being unfamiliar with the ingredients, but everyone assured him that the food was still tasty and thanked him for his work. ¡°Tom? Do you cook?¡± Diavla asked him when he next swung by. It took a bit of pantomime to get her meaning across. Tom shook his head vehemently. ¡°I cook, food¡­¡± He fumbled for the word, then tugged at a lock of his hair. ¡°Black.¡± ¡°Black.¡± ¡°Black, yes. I cook, food is black. No good.¡± ¡°You are good, Tom. You fix wagon, you guard, you help.¡± Diavla grinned and patted him reassuringly on the arm; her hand lingered a moment as she felt his bicep. Tom glanced at her, a question on his face. Diavla tried not to blush, and covered by poking and prodding his arm more deliberately. ¡°Sheema did good work. Do you have any pain?¡± ¡°No pain. Thank you.¡± He flexed his arm carefully to show. Diavla noticed Varga watching with a hint of surprise on her face. What? Shut up, she thought at her friend. I''m allowed to enjoy myself. Although, I shouldn''t be groping Tom without permission. He''s just so¡­ Diavla sighed, unable to find words for her thought. After dinner, they had a discussion in Elvish about the different scenarios that might unfold when Tom got to Rivermarch. They simply didn''t know enough, which was frustrating. It would be two more days before they reached a human town on the outskirts of the city and the forest, and then one more day to the city itself. ¡°Tom, which wagon will you take first?¡± It took a minute to figure out how to translate that, but Tom got the idea. ¡°Wagon.¡± He pointed at the fabric wagon. ¡°I give Mrs. Whistler wagon, no gold. (Something) I give gold. Two gold,¡± he added after a moment. Because some portion of the looted coins had belonged to the fabric merchant who died. Tom is being very considerate. Diavla paused. He probably is feeling guilty for surviving when his job was to protect the merchants. I should watch for how he reacts to that later. I can guess what some of his nightmares are about. Varga started getting a little loud, since she was drinking the human ale again. Her latest excuse was that the wagonload was going to be sold soon so she should drink up while she could. Personally, I would prefer wine, she thought as she accepted a mug and a certain amount of flirting from Varga. As it got later, Diavla found she was drinking a bit more than she normally would, but decided that that was all right. I have been in a cage for a long time, I deserve a chance to let loose. So she indulged. Varga had no inhibitions in that respect, and soon she was losing other inhibitions as well. She started flirting with Tom, and Diavla got annoyed at that. Fortunately, Tom was missing a lot of the important words but from his wary expression he had gotten a vague idea. Diavla was glad that Tom wasn''t eagerly going with Varga, but Varga had enough drunken persistence that Tom was getting stressed and Diavla was getting very irritated. I really want to get her off of him. ¡°Hey!¡± she called. Varga turned away from Tom, and Diavla grabbed her head and kissed her. After a moment of shock, Varga responded eagerly. Diavla broke the kiss long enough to say, ¡°If you have to play, come play with me.¡± It was hard to tell in the firelight whether Tom was getting red in the face, but he was certainly staring intently at the two women next to him. ¡°Dee¡­are you just gonna tease me again?¡± ¡°What if I am?¡± ¡°I''m not sayin'' no!¡± Diavla beckoned and stood up. Varga gave Tom a little speech full of promises for the future that he probably didn''t get a word of, thankfully. The redhead leaned on him heavily to get up, and ran her hands over his shoulder and chest for a moment. Diavla cleared her throat to recover Varga''s attention, and walked over to pick up a bedroll and climbed into the wagon with the black crates, since it had the most room and an enclosed space. She checked to make sure Varga was following. All three of the men were watching with varying expressions. Orvan seemed faintly amused but tired. Kervan looked as if he was struggling to contain his own wishes and frustrated that both of the women were ignoring all the men. Sorry, Kervan, I just don''t want you that way. I don''t know why. Maybe we can find you a human woman to bed somewhere. Tom looked stunned; not much was showing on his face beyond that. See, Tom? See what you''re missing out on? You should give women another chance. Her thoughts got derailed by Varga grabbing her for another kiss. Diavla broke it long enough to say, ¡°let''s get in the wagon, we have an audience.¡± Varga grinned and looked about to call out something, so she added, ¡°if you embarrass me, I won''t be in the mood.¡± ¡°Silence is sacred,¡± Varga recited quickly and earnestly, and they climbed up into the wagon and pulled the back flap closed. ¡°Take¡­take it slow,¡± Diavla asked, feeling a little nervous as they curled up together sitting up against one of the crates. ¡°Dee¡­we''re friends. Relax. Now shut up and make with the kissing me.¡± They both lay down on the bedroll and started making out. Varga showed some sense and took her time, and Diavla found the kissing pleasant enough. Diavla was not growing as excited as Varga, but to her surprise, she was actually getting into it a little. Her thoughts drifted to Tom, and wondered what he was doing. Maybe now that Sheema''s gone, I actually have a chance. Thinking about Tom stoked her fire, but she did her best to focus on Varga. It''s terrible to think about someone else while doing this, she chided herself. She ran her hands over Varga''s back. Then again, I''m not sure Varga would care; she''s more interested in results, so to speak. So Diavla paid attention to kissing Varga thoroughly and well. Finally, Varga sagged and let her head fall back. ¡°Oh, Dee, I''ve¡­¡± Abruptly she turned and rolled to face away from Diavla, making an odd little noise and murmuring something to herself. The redhead wiped her eyes, then turned back with a little sniffle. ¡°Um¡­never mind. That was wonderful, Dee.¡± Varga had lured her into a couple of kisses long ago, but things had never progressed beyond that. Diavla hadn''t wanted it. Now¡­she was starting to see the appeal. As she dropped off to sleep, Diavla''s thoughts drifted to Tom again, and wondered whether he would be a good kisser. Nobody should keep themselves from this kind of pleasure, she thought fuzzily, and her eyes slowly closed for the night. Chapter 9: Lone Wolf Tom really didn''t know what to think. He''d heard of women who liked women instead of men. But he hadn''t expected it of Varga or Diavla. He''d gotten the impression that they had been looking at him sometimes and enjoying it, but he must have been mistaken. If Varga didn''t like men, then her flirting with him didn''t make any sense. All Tom could think of was that she was having fun with him. She certainly seemed like someone who would joke and tease, and with the lack of common language she might not even be meaning anything cruel by it. If she''s just joking around, she''s really good at it. Anyway, what am I even thinking about? It''s not as if I could lay a hand on either of them given the situation. I''m the only human around who they know will help them. If I asked for sex they would feel pressured to give it to me to keep me happy with them. And if Varga and Diavla don''t even like it with men¡­yuck. They''re off limits, and I guess I was reading Diavla wrong, too. So, more joy to them. Tom tried to imprint those thoughts firmly in his head. It does make me wonder about Sheema, but of the three of them, she seemed the least interested in me. More''s the pity. For a moment, Tom tried to imagine what might have happened if he had been a worse person. With those collars on, they would have to obey me out of fear of me killing them. I don''t know how the magic works, but I never tried giving any of them an order. I wonder if they were compelled to obey any commands I gave. Tom imagined ordering the women to lie with him¡­and was repulsed by the unhappiness he expected. If they wanted him to do that to them, that would be a whole different story, but what woman would want that? He rubbed his face with one hand and went back to keeping watch. In a few more hours, he would wake Orvan so that he could get at least a little sleep. I''ve slept most of the past three days, and needed it, but my soul is getting bored. I can go short on rest for a few days until I can sleep in an inn. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The morning of Sevenday was cloudy and cold. Tom slowly realized that he had been prodded more than once and been unable to wake up. This time he was alert enough to decide that he had gotten enough rest to get by, and forced his eyes open. Kervan was crouched next to his bedroll. ¡°Tom? You no sleep? Food?¡± Tom groaned, squeezed his eyes shut, yawned prodigiously, and nodded. ¡°I''m up, I''m up. Good morning, Kervan.¡± ¡°Good morning, Tom. Orvan give food, small now.¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Tom supplied. ¡°The food will be ready soon. Um, food¡­¡± Tom had to stop for another yawn. ¡°Gimme a minute, it''s too early to speak Elvish.¡± ¡°I no know words but I understand, I think.¡± Kervan patted his shoulder and stood. Tom sat up reluctantly and looked around. He couldn''t see the sun, but judging by the daylight it was still not too long after sunrise. I need to splash some cold water on my face. Actually, I could really use another bath, now that all the bandages are off. Diavla''s head peeked out past the flap on the wagon she and Varga had used, then ducked back in the moment she saw him looking. A few seconds later, she climbed out the other end and walked into the woods. Tom walked in a different direction to do his necessary, then took a change of clothing from his pack, went to the small stream, and plunged one hand in. Brr. There wasn''t anything for it, though; at this point, it was more important to be clean than warm. He undressed, setting his clothes to one side, and started scrubbing his arms. The water in the stream wasn''t deep enough for a real bath, but he did his best. He was nearly finished when he heard someone approaching. ¡°I''ll be done in a minute,¡± he called, trusting his meaning would come across in his tone. ¡°Good morning, Tom,¡± Diavla greeted him. He turned around, and the amber-eyed elf was approaching through the trees. Tom hurried to put on his clean under wrap out of politeness and potential for embarrassment. He felt his heart start pounding even though there wasn''t really a reason for it. She''s not interested, he reminded himself. Briefly, he wondered whether elves had different customs around men and women. It would be a long while yet before they had enough language in common to ask about that, so Tom set the thought aside. He focused on drying himself off the rest of the way instead of scrambling into the rest of his clothes. Diavla caught sight of him and showed no sign of embarrassment. She looked him up and down casually and smiled, then gazed at the stream with a bit of apprehension. ¡°Water is cold?¡± ¡°Very cold,¡± Tom agreed. Diavla grimaced and nodded. She walked over to the rock where he had put his clothing, and started to strip. Tom stared for just a second and then jerked his gaze away from her. He walked over to grab his clothes, which necessarily put him right next to her as she undressed. Don''t look, he told himself. Don''t look. He looked. Diavla took off her shirt and unwound her upper wrap, facing sideways to him. Her skin was mostly unblemished, and pale from lack of sunlight. She was almost painfully thin and Tom could see the outline of some of her ribs. Somebody bring her table a feast, he couldn''t help but think. Despite that, she still had a womanly shape and Tom could see the side of one breast when she lifted her hair. He forced himself to look away after a heartbeat or two, but that was too long; she caught him looking. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he told her, turning away and getting back to drying himself off. ¡°(Something something) sorry? Saa¡­¡± Diavla switched to Western. ¡°What sorry?¡± ¡°I do bad. I see. I am sorry.¡± There was a pause. ¡°Saa! Human!¡± It sounded as if she had figured something out as she slipped into Elvish for a moment. Tom could hear her moving and glanced her way. She had turned to face him. She had one arm up to cover her breasts and still was wearing her pants for the moment. Her pale skin looked positively ethereal to him in the shadowless light of the forest and his breath caught. By the gods, she is beautiful. It was a different beauty from Sheema''s. Tom knew how smart Diavla was, and quick, and that made her appearance sexier to him. That made no sense, obviously, because he couldn''t actually see how smart she was, except¡­he sort of could. In her eyes. Something in her expression revealed her intelligence. For a few moments, he actually forgot she was half-naked, staring into those lively pools of amber. She was smiling because she had figured something out. ¡°Tom? Humans¡­man see all woman¡­ uh¡­ man see one woman, all¡­no clothes. Man think all sex?¡± Her expression looked innocent and curious. Tom was having a difficult time focusing on the conversation. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°Uh, sometimes, yes.¡± ¡°Human man and woman hide body, clothes? Man no think all sex?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­that''s the idea¡­I mean, yes.¡± ¡°Saa¡­Oh.¡± She glanced down at herself. ¡°I do bad?¡± Tom''s gaze tracked down her body and flicked back up to her face. His soul was frozen, torn between the truth and custom. After a moment, she snorted. ¡°I see yes.¡± But she was smiling as she said it. Then her face fell. She closed her eyes a moment, shook her head, and turned her back to him. ¡°I am sorry, Tom. You are good man. You say you no touch. I trust you. I no¡­give you pain.¡± Tom wanted to groan in frustration, but made himself tear his gaze away from the curve of her leather-clad behind. He turned and went back to drying off and getting dressed. He had to adjust himself before pulling his pants on, too. It''s not fair. How can she be that pretty and that beautiful at the same time? Would she still trust me if she knew just how badly I want to bend her over that rock right now? He reminded himself over and over that Diavla liked women, not men. You''re an idiot, Tom. You have a responsibility to help these people, not scare them or threaten them or pressure them. Knock it off! Sweating a bit already, Tom finished dressing and gathered up his towel. ¡°I go now.¡± ¡°Tom.¡± He stopped and turned to look over his shoulder at her. Diavla was naked now, and using her hair and her towel to partly hide her body. Most importantly, she was smiling at him. ¡°I am no mad you see. I like you see. I like see you.¡± She dropped into Elvish and said something else that Tom couldn''t follow. She looks¡­amused. Is she laughing at me? Tom wondered. Unsure whether or not to get mad, he searched her expression for malice and saw none. Just thoughtful happiness. I suppose she could find my interest flattering even if she doesn''t return the feeling at all. I mean, she probably finds it nice to be wanted. Thoroughly confused, Tom nodded to her and pried his gaze off of her hips with great effort. He headed back to the wagons, passing a smiling Varga headed the other way. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Lucky woman. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The men finished their breakfast and started seeing to the camp. Diavla and Varga returned, both shivering, and stood close to the fire as they ate. Tom looked at the sky for a few minutes. ¡°I think rain today.¡± ¡°What is ¡®rain¡¯?¡± Kervan asked. ¡°Rain,¡± Diavla translated, not looking up from her bowl. There was a hint of a tremor in her voice as she shivered. The elves really don''t like the cold, Tom observed. They took extra care to secure the covers on the wagons, to protect the cargo from the weather. The group was almost ready to depart. Tom scanned the woods one more time, and caught a blur of motion coming out of the trees, heading towards Varga. ¡°VARGA!¡± He drew his sword even though he knew he wouldn''t get there in time and charged towards her. But his shouted warning made her turn and drop, dodging the first attack. It was a wolf, and a big one, now in the middle of the clearing, scrabbling for footing to make another leap at Varga. The oxen all started making noise and there was a danger of them panicking and charging off with the wagons. But that was a problem for twenty heartbeats in the future; Tom had much to do before then. A spear flew in from the right and hit the wolf, causing it to flinch and pause. That gave Varga another precious second to roll away and up into a crouch. The wolf saw Tom coming and reasonably concluded that he was the biggest threat. It bared its fangs, growled, gathered itself and leaped at him. Once it was committed to the jump, Tom twisted to the side and whipped his sword around, cutting its chest but not stabbing deep. In a flash, it was outside his range again. ¡°Look for more!¡± Tom shouted, then ground his teeth and growled himself as he tried to make his thoughts into Elvish while also fighting the wolf. ¡°See! One wolf! Two wolf! Three? Four? See!¡± Hopefully that was enough to get his warning across. The wolf wasn''t giving him much time; it was charging him again already. Tom tried for a stab this time, lunging to meet its leap. It was risky because he could get knocked over on impact. Tom knew he was solid and strong, but this was a big wolf. He didn''t get the angle quite right, and his sword was nearly wrenched from his grasp as it stabbed into the beast''s shoulder. A moment later, the wolf slammed into him and he went down, landing on his back with the wolf on top of him. Claws tried to dig into him and were thwarted by his leathers, if barely. The wolf tried to bite him so he fed it his left arm with the thick steel bracer he wore for this very purpose. Tom let go of the hilt, tucked his head under the beast''s jaw and punched the wolf in the throat, making it cough. It was a maneuver only feasible for someone as strong as he was. He punched it again in the same spot and the wolf shifted position, then let go of his arm and jumped clear as Diavla and Varga pushed their spears into its flank, driving it to the side and stepping over him as they pressed the creature. He reclaimed his sword, rolled to his feet and swung the blade at the wolf''s neck. In the next minute, there was a flurry of attacks from everyone and the creature dropped. It was still alive and still dangerous, but the spears proved effective at holding the beast''s claws at bay. The wolf seemed frenzied, ignoring its plight and determined to attack. Tom stabbed and hit something vital; the beast finally stopped moving. Tom got goosebumps for a moment, and shivered. ¡°Tom? What is it?¡± Kervan asked from the far side of the beast, two bloody daggers in his hands. ¡°It''s a wolf. Are there more?¡± ¡°What say?¡± Kervan asked, confused. ¡°Two, three, four, you see?¡± Kervan shouted a translation. ¡°No,¡± Orvan called from atop one of the wagons. ¡°(Something) one woof.¡± ¡°That''s ¡®wolf¡¯, not ¡®woof¡¯,¡± Tom corrected distractedly. Varga settled the oxen before they could run off. Tom stared at the animal. ¡°Strange. No good.¡± Diavla stepped up beside him. ¡°Tom? What no good?¡± She looked bothered as well, shivering a bit and seeming uncomfortable as she looked at the wolf''s dead body. ¡°Wolf no good. Wolf do. Wolf fight. Wolf fight and fight. Wolf fight alone. I do not understand.¡± Suddenly, Diavla gasped. ¡°Tom! No touch! (Something)!¡± The other elves reacted with alarm to the word. Tom froze. He had been about to clean his blade. ¡°What?¡± Diavla sputtered a moment, waving her hands as she got frustrated trying to urgently communicate something without enough vocabulary. ¡°Tom! Red¡­water! No touch! No good!¡± ¡°What''s wrong with the blood? Um, red water, blood.¡± ¡°You touch, we go, we get Sheema! No good!¡± ¡°All right. What do I do?¡± ¡°Fire. Sword, fire. Wolf fire.¡± Some kind of sickness. Diavla almost panicked because¡­I said the wolf was being too aggressive. A sickness that makes you aggressive? Tom wracked his brain, trying to think of something, but it was outside his experience. It was a tense half hour before they were ready to go again. By the end of that time, Tom''s blade had been carefully cleaned and the rag burned, and his hands washed so much that they were stiff from cold. No other wolves appeared. Tom eyed the burning wolf corpse, still feeling disturbed. Something about it made him shiver. Diavla had fussed over him making sure that he hadn''t gotten any cuts or bites or blood in his mouth or eyes. Touching the blood makes you sick, huh? Never heard that one before. Maybe it''s an elf gods thing. Finally, he shook his head, and signaled the others. They mounted their wagons and the caravan moved on to the north. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The rain started around midday. It gave the elves an excuse to have their hoods up all the time, at least, though nobody was happy about the weather. Tom hoped that he had the distance right. He didn''t want any more days on the road than necessary. He had things to do in Rivermarch and was impatient to get to them. At one point, they were passed by a fancy carriage with four mounted guards that seemed to be in a hurry. Fortunately, no one in that party took an interest in Tom and the elves. No messengers passed them in either direction for the rest of the day. By evening, everyone was tired and grumpy. There was some room they could squeeze in to sleep in the grain wagon and the wagon with black cases. Everyone but Tom turned in early. It was a long and boring night. Boring is good. Boring is better than wolves. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Eightday morning dawned cloudy but at least the rain had stopped. They had more language lessons over breakfast. Everyone was feeling a bit excited because by evening they would reach a human settlement, and had to figure out where the elves would stay while Tom went in to the city. The wagons rolled through puddles for most of the morning before they spotted another caravan coming the other way. The road was wide enough for the wagons to pass each other, but the other caravan''s leader stopped his procession and called out, so Tom stopped his group as well. ¡°Hello!¡± Tom cleared his throat, glad he was in the front wagon. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°I''m Wayne Terrance. Are you coming from Middleton or Oak Mill?¡± ¡°Tom Walker. We''re coming from Middleton, headed to Rivermarch. Are you coming from Rivermarch?¡± ¡°No, Goldenbough. We just switched at the crossroads this morning. How is the road behind you?¡± Tom took a breath. ¡°We suffered a big bandit attack, but killed nineteen. Only a couple of bandits escaped in the end. The road should be fairly safe now.¡± ¡°You fended them off?¡± Tom coughed deliberately. ¡°Barely. We lost a lot of people.¡± Mr. Terrance looked over Tom''s group briefly. ¡°There are only five of you for five wagons?¡± The other man rubbed his jaw a moment. ¡°Do you want to hire a couple of our guards to see you the rest of the way¡ªassuming they''re willing?¡± ¡°Any big dangers behind you?¡± ¡°Not a thing.¡± ¡°Then no, but thank you. We''ve made it this far, and we''re almost there. If we need to, I expect we can hire people at Copper Road tonight. How much farther is it?¡± ¡°From here? You could get there maybe an hour after dark if you push it. Up to you. My condolences for your losses, and my gratitude for your efforts.¡± Tom faked a cough again and squinted. ¡°Oh, one other thing. A lone wolf attacked our camp yesterday morning.¡± ¡°Just the one?¡± ¡°Yes, but the odd thing was how aggressive it was. It didn''t stop attacking when it was wounded, just kept coming at us until it was dead. We burned the body and cleaned up carefully in case it was sickness. You might keep an eye out for animals behaving strangely. If you fight them, don''t touch the blood.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the head guard for the other caravan answered. ¡°Thank you. Did it look as if it were starving?¡± ¡°No.¡± The guard subsided, nodding and thinking. Wayne Terrance cleared his throat. ¡°Thank you for the warning, Mr. Walker. We''ll be careful.¡± He looked at the hooded elves and frowned. ¡°Are your people all right?¡± ¡°No. The lot of us took sick two days ago, adding insult to injury. The light hurts our eyes, and I''m the only one with a working¡ª¡± Tom coughed, ¡°throat, excuse me. You might want to keep your distance when you pass us.¡± ¡°Thank you for that warning, too. You should hire a Healer in Copper Road.¡± ¡°We definitely will. I¡ª¡± Tom cleared his throat. ¡°I wish you safe travels.¡± ¡°Safe travels to you as well. I hope you find good fortune in Rivermarch.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The caravans rolled past each other with as wide a gap as could be managed. Tom carefully did not look back or speak for several minutes. Finally, he decided they were far enough away to be safe, and turned his head to look back at Diavla. ¡°We are good,¡± he called in Elvish. ¡°I say we are¡­sick.¡± ¡°Sick?¡± Diavla repeated. Tom coughed, and she nodded. ¡°Sick,¡± she taught him again. It was one of many words he had been told and already forgotten. Learning a language was hard work. They kept going, seeing no other signs of people all afternoon. About two hours before they would normally stop for the evening, Tom started searching for a place to stash the wagons. There weren''t a lot of good options, but there were some short roads or paths that had been cut into the forest in a few areas. Tom called a halt when they reached a possible hiding spot. ¡°I go see. You go see?¡± ¡°I go see!¡± Varga called. The two of them dismounted from their wagons and walked along the side path. It rapidly became impassable for the wagons and they turned back. The caravan rolled onward and they all looked for another prospect. They repeated the process fruitlessly twice more. On their fourth try, they found a small side road, easy to miss. It had been cleared within the past year, but was already getting overgrown again. The path curved around a hillock and went a short distance into a small valley with steep sides. Tom and Varga paced it out, spreading their arms to make sure there was room for the wagons to move and to turn around. It was a little tight for five wagons, but seemed workable. Best of all, they could not see the road directly from the small clearing. ¡°What do you think?¡± Tom asked Varga, not bothering to translate into Elvish. His meaning was obvious enough from context, he thought. Varga poked the ground in a few spots, peered out towards the road from a couple of places, then finally nodded. ¡°Here is a good (something.)¡± She looked around some more, then nodded again. ¡°Yes. Here is good, Tom.¡± ¡°Great! Good. We get ¡­elves and wagons.¡± He didn''t know how to say the others in Elvish. Their vocabulary was really limited, but it worked somewhat. They walked back up the path to the others and Varga shared the good news. The elves chatted for a few minutes too quickly for Tom to follow, then appeared to have come up with a plan. With gestures and demonstrations, it became clearer. Orvan and Varga carefully pulled a couple of branches out of the way, and they sent the wagon with black cases in first. Then the booze, then the ironwork, then the grain, and finally the one that Tom would take first: Mr. Whistler''s fabric wagon. Next, the elves did their best to mask the signs that the path had been recently used. They were better at it than Tom would be, so he gratefully let them deal with it. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They still had over an hour of daylight left, even with the time spent searching for their hideout. Tom guessed that they were about two or three hours away from Copper Road. He expected that that would be far enough to keep their secret, but wondered if maybe they should have stopped earlier. It was a really good spot though, pretty much exactly what they needed. They made a fire and Orvan started dinner early. Tom scouted a little and didn''t find anything, just like the last dozen miles. When he came back, they started going over different scenarios, with suggestions for what they might say or do if they encountered humans before Tom got back. ¡°I am with Tom Walker. He will return soon.¡± ¡°I do not know much Western.¡± ¡°We are sick, stay back.¡± As they ate dinner, Tom looked around at the four elves who were trusting him this far. He was humbled by the challenges they faced, and worried about his own difficulties ahead. I hope I don''t screw this up. Chapter 10: Did He Just Call Me Beautiful? Diavla eyed Tom as he seemed to brood. She could tell he was worried. We''ve traveled together for six days now. Eight, actually, if you don''t ignore that he was guarding the slavers for a couple of days before the ambush. What is my impression of the man? Diavla reviewed what she had learned. When he thought he was dying, he gave us the key to save our lives. He says ¡°thank you¡± when we do things for him. He asks us our opinions and leaves decisions up to us. He took our collars off. He''s bothering to learn Elvish. He seems to feel guilty over surviving when all his fellows died, and all the people he meant to protect. He plans to deliver the fabric wagon without charge, when he could live comfortably for years with the gold he would make by selling it elsewhere. He hasn''t pressured us for sex. He obviously wants us, but he''s being a gentleman. That counts for a lot. He''s traveled, done lots of jobs, and is very strong and very tough. He came up on his own with the idea of selling the wagons for gold to buy passage home. He stands watches, doesn''t shirk chores. He dealt with humans who wanted to talk to us. He''s very clever. ¡°Diavla?¡± She blinked and looked up. Tom had gotten up and come over to her. He paused, reaching for the words he needed in Elvish. ¡°We¡­two¡­talk. No three, no four, no five. Please?¡± He wants to talk to me alone? ¡°Yes, Tom.¡± She excused them both, and led Tom off behind a couple of the wagons. She noticed that Tom took a minute to scan the woods before turning to her. Always alert. He''s a conscientious guard. ¡°What is it? Um¡­talk now,¡± she simplified. Tom took a breath. ¡°I want¡­I am good. I am (something). Um¡­I am scared.¡± He doesn''t trust himself? Diavla wondered. ¡°You think¡­you want you are bad?¡± ¡°What? No. Um, no. I no want I am bad. No no.¡± He shook a hand in denial, sounding confident. Then he thought hard before continuing. ¡°I¡­say bad¡­um¡­I am no smart. I am scared I am no smart tomorrow.¡± Ah. ¡°You are scared you will make a mistake.¡± She pantomimed dropping something. ¡°Mistake.¡± ¡°Mistake. Yes.¡± ¡°Tom, you are smart. Tomorrow you are smart. I trust you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Diavla. You say¡­you help.¡± He appeared to feel reassured, then added something in Western that Diavla didn''t follow. Diavla looked into his eyes carefully. He looks relieved. If he were planning to betray us, and I said that I trusted him, he would look guilty, or hide that and look neutral, or feel gleeful and try to hide that. But he looks honestly relieved. I think I do trust him. We could so easily have gotten a random human who would have happily sold us. How did we get so lucky? ¡°You are a good man, Tom Walker.¡± She stepped closer and put one hand on his arm as comfort. Something shifted in his expression. Diavla tilted her head back slightly, looking up at him, realizing how close together they were, how his arm felt under her hand. He started to lean forward very slowly. He looks like he''s about to kiss m¡ª Tom jerked backwards, taking a deep breath. ¡°I''m sorry. Uh¡­I am sorry.¡± Diavla smiled. ¡°I understand. Tom, I like that you want me.¡± Diavla stepped closer and started to reach for him. Tom seized her wrists to stop her. The movement was sudden and her breath caught. She tried to move her arms, but his fingers might as well have been iron bands. Diavla felt trapped, and excited. She could feel her pulse pounding in her throat. ¡°No, Diavla.¡± Tom looked very torn. ¡°I want¡­I want you, but I no do.¡± He slowly forced her arms down and then released them. ¡°Why not?¡± He wants me. It feels wonderful. And¡­ he can''t get me pregnant. I want him. Diavla was startled by the realization. She didn''t have anything against sex, but she just hadn''t¡­felt inspired by anyone like this before. I guess narrowly escaping a life of slavery causes one to rethink one''s priorities. Life is short, even if we elves treat it as if it were going to go on forever. Meanwhile, Tom was struggling. ¡°You no give sex, get help. I help, no sex.¡± They looked at each other a moment. Tom took a couple of steps back, smiled gently and murmured, ¡°You are (something.)¡± Diavla repeated the word. Tom looked embarrassed. ¡°Um¡­very good see. I like see you.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Did he just call me beautiful? Diavla couldn''t help but smile. ¡°Thank you, Tom.¡± Tom shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back, clearing his throat. ¡°Um¡­I go now. Thank you, Diavla.¡± Looking awkward, the man made his escape, starting a patrol of their campsite. Diavla watched him go. Someday, Tom Walker, I''m going to kiss you, and I hope you grab me and¡ª ¡°Dee?¡± She turned, and Varga was coming around the wagon. ¡°Hi, Varga.¡± ¡°He gone?¡± ¡°He''s patrolling.¡± ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Diavla hesitated, and Varga''s eyebrows went up. ¡°Did he kiss you?¡± ¡°No.¡± The word came out a lot more annoyed-sounding than Diavla had meant it to. ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Well, we have an evening. Want to drown your sorrows in ale so I can have my wicked way with you?¡± Diavla was about to tell her off in exasperation from long habit, then paused. After a moment, she snorted. ¡°You know¡­why not?¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Kervan and Orvan volunteered to split the watch between them so that Tom could get sleep before his solo trip into town. The human turned in first, curling up under one of the wagons. The elves had quiet conversation for a while. Diavla proceeded to get drunk enough that Varga looked more and more appealing. After a while of watching the women flirt, Kervan got annoyed and walked off into the woods for a bit. Varga was pulling her up, and she followed the redhead into a wagon. They made sure that their mugs were full before retreating. I''m going to need a lot of alcohol for this, but maybe I''m getting more comfortable with it. I should be careful not to toy with her feelings. This obviously means a lot more to her than it does to me. The rest of her evening got a bit blurry, but it was fun. They made out, and their hands adventured until some of their clothes came off¡­and then some more. Diavla concentrated on giving Varga a wonderful time. Eventually, her friend was sated, and they cleaned up a bit and put some clothes back on against the chill. They curled up together, facing each other in the dark. Varga started sniffling a little. ¡°Varga? What''s wrong?¡± Diavla whispered. ¡°I''m fine. Sorry.¡± ¡°I don''t want to hurt you. This is just¡­fun, all right? I''m not¡­¡± ¡°It''s all right. You made it clear enough.¡± ¡°You''re my friend and I care about you.¡± ¡°I know. I''m a little stupid right now.¡± ¡°Oh, just right now?¡± Diavla teased. ¡°Yup. I''m actually super smart like you, but alcohol is my magical bane.¡± ¡°I see. Well, Diavla your friend is perfectly willing to commiserate with you about that stupid Diavla your lover. I refuse to stop being your friend, you know.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dee. We''re just¡­¡± Varga paused, then just said, ¡°freedom, you know?¡± Diavla felt that wholeheartedly, all the way to her core. ¡°Here''s to freedom. May we never be caged again.¡± ¡°Good night, Diavla. I¡­¡± Diavla waited, but Varga either chose not to finish what she was going to say or had passed out drunk. ¡°Good night, my friend,¡± she whispered, and closed her eyes. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The next morning, Diavla''s memory was a little fuzzy again. Ohhh, what did I do now? She wasn''t naked, but vaguely recalled Varga getting the last of her clothes off. Predictably, her friend was still snoring away gently. Well, we don''t have to go anywhere or do anything for a few days. I wonder if Tom has already left¡­ She checked her clothing, then peeked out past the back flap of the wagon. Tom was standing in one of the few open spaces in their hidden pocket of woods. He was stripped to the waist, and held his sword, the naked blade gleaming. As she watched, Tom made a very slow practice swing. He stopped partway through, shifted his stance slightly and started over. There was a look of intense concentration on his face. Diavla sighed deeply in satisfaction and enjoyed the unexpected morning entertainment. He really is a very fit young man. On one level, the ripples of his muscles was a primitive pleasure, and on a completely different plane of thought, the passionate focus and intelligence shining through was deeply appealing to Diavla. I like the smart ones. It was only a few minutes before Tom stopped, and Diavla had to suppress a little sound of disappointment when he sheathed his sword, wiped down and put his shirt back on. She pulled back and hid in the wagon for a minute, then came out and jumped down. Tom and Kervan were talking quietly. She saw Tom hand Kervan a pouch, and shake his head in refusal of something. She spotted Orvan sleeping by the fire and kept her voice low as she joined them. The fabric wagon was already positioned to leave. ¡°Good morning, Diavla,¡± Kervan called. ¡°Good morning, Diavla,¡± Tom echoed in his own language. ¡°Good morning. Is Tom getting ready to go?¡± ¡°Yes. He wants an early start. He just gave me three gold and change in case of emergency, and actually refused to take any food with him.¡± ¡°We have more than enough for a few days, don''t we?¡± ¡°He seems to be worrying pointlessly, honestly. He did point out that there''s a human town less than half a day away and he can get a meal there, so I''m not going to insist.¡± ¡°Diavla. Thing you want? I get in Rivermarch,¡± Tom asked. ¡°Food. Clothing. A map.¡± She had to remind him what map meant. ¡°Three day. One day go, one day in Rivermarch, one day go here. Here sun¡­after sun. Night.¡± He paused. ¡°Maybe and one day. No scared.¡± He stopped again. ¡°I think I am good. Five day, I am no here, maybe thing is bad. You hide.¡± Tom offered Kervan his arm, and Kervan gripped it near the elbow. A perfectly ordinary gesture, and yet Tom was surprised. He took a moment to walk Kervan through the human way of clasping hands. Then he turned to her and bowed a moment. She was puzzled. ¡°Ah¡­man and man, me and Kervan. Man and woman, man do¡­woman do¡­¡± After another bow, he awkwardly made a little curtsey motion, which Diavla did her best to imitate. Tom''s face broke out in a grin. ¡°You do good, Diavla.¡± ¡°?¡®May the road be clear of dangers and your heart be light.¡¯?¡± It was a traditional Elvish farewell that Tom would not be familiar with, but she said it anyway. Then she smiled and simplified, ¡°You go good and happy.¡± ¡°May the road play of dangle and you hoard be light,¡± Tom parroted. Diavla tried to keep a straight face but Kervan snorted and covered his mouth with one hand. Tom looked at their expressions a moment, then shrugged and grinned. He doesn''t get mad at us when we laugh at him. A good sense of humor too. ¡°Stay (something.) Um, stay here good.¡± Safe, Diavla thought. He said to stay safe. ¡°I go.¡± Tom mounted the wagon seat, and Diavla and Kervan cleared the way so that Tom would not leave any tell-tale broken branches to mark his passage. Once the wagon was on the roadway, Tom paused and gave her a long look. He smiled at her, but she could see that he was hiding worry. You''ll do fine, Tom. Diavla did her best to project confidence. After a moment''s thought, she winked at him, and his smile got a bit more genuine. Then he urged the animal into motion and started north up the forest road. Chapter 11: Delivering Cloth and Terrible News Tom had gotten the earliest start that he could manage, since it would take all of Oneday and a bit more to reach Rivermarch if he understood the distances right. It felt strange being completely alone on the road. He kept glancing over his shoulder for a while, half expecting to see the others following him. He practiced his Elvish, talking out loud to himself. He had a good memory; he needed it, since he couldn''t read or write. Maybe I should be trying to say things more exactly right. Out of necessity, they had been coping with a mix of pantomime and baby talk. Eventually, they should have time to get the details correct. I guess I''m going to be spending a lot of time with the elves. Months at least. He found that he liked the prospect. About two hours after he left the hollow, he reached Copper Road. He bought some travel food and pushed onward. He would have liked to stay longer and get a feel for the town, but didn''t want to be stuck camping if he could possibly make it to Rivermarch. As the day wore on, he started to see more traffic: riders, people walking with packs, a few wagons. The trees got thinner and thinner until he was clearly out of the Great Oak Forest and descending into a valley, much of which was farmland. He took note of the crops and the conditions of the fields out of old habit. This part of the kingdom was having a good year. No one called out to him; everyone was busy with their own work or errands. Likewise Tom didn''t try to start up conversations with anyone until very late in the day. Eventually, he addressed a thin woman with a basket walking past him. ¡°Excuse me, ma''am. Could you tell me how much farther to Rivermarch?¡± The woman looked at him, turned and looked at the setting sun. ¡°You''re still two hours out. Keep going this way, and you should make Blue Spring Village before full dark.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma''am. Good evening to you.¡± ¡°And you, big fella.¡± Blue Spring Village didn''t have an inn, but a small saloon held people who directed him to one William Farmer, a middle-aged family man who was happy to put him and his ox and wagon up for the night for a silver, throwing in a small dinner and the promise of a big breakfast. Tom gratefully ate a hot meal with soup and day-old bread, and supplemented it with the rations he had bought back in Copper Road. The vacant horse stall had fresh hay and was plenty warm enough. Tom lay down, but sleep eluded him for a while, because of the fear of something bad happening. The last time he had been surprised at night he had almost died, after all. He suspected his difficulties would have been even worse if he hadn''t been forced to fall asleep again and again while being healed. He was also worried about what would happen the next day. I hope I don''t screw this up. The guilt at the guards'' failure gnawed at him, but finally exhaustion won out and he fell into a heavy slumber. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Twoday morning Tom woke to find that no disasters had befallen him during the night. The wagon had not been stolen, nobody had tried to kill him, and no wild animals had attacked. The breakfast was simple fare but there was plenty of it, so Tom fueled up for the day. He left an extra ten copper as thanks and to ease any hard feelings over how much he had eaten. On the road, he had to pay more attention, as there was significant traffic, and a lot of smaller roads so that he had to take care that he didn''t wander off course into someone''s farm. Some people were leaving Rivermarch for points south, and many were walking into the city for work. It took him a bit over an hour to reach the city''s south gate. There was a line to enter, and brief questions from two guards. When Tom got to the front, he put on a smile. ¡°Good morning, guys. What do you need?¡± ¡°Name and purpose of visiting?¡± ¡°Tom Walker, delivering fabric to Whistler''s.¡± One of the guards lifted the wagon cover and started counting bolts of cloth. When he finished, he stood there, his eyes distant, as he argued with himself, struggling with math. Some people were touchy about it the way he was about being illiterate, so Tom knew better than to offer to help. ¡°Forty silver,¡± the man declared finally. ¡°Tax for the city.¡± Tom wasn''t confident that that was right, but for all he knew the man was undercharging him. He didn''t press the issue other than to ask for a token showing he had paid forty, so that he could be repaid on delivery. The guards were understanding enough and when he gave them four large silvers they handed him an oblong disk made of oak. Tom could feel runes carved into it with his fingertips. He pretended to look at it and nodded, then tucked it away. ¡°Thanks guys. Can you tell me which way to Whistler''s shop?¡± ¡°It''s in Middle Town¡­basically, cross one bridge only. If you cross two bridges you''re either back here or in North Town. Whistler''s is halfway up the hill, in Prince Vorn Square.¡± ¡°Thank you. Is this a busy day for you?¡± The first guard glanced at the line. ¡°No, this is about the usual.¡± ¡°Wow. All right, thank you!¡± Normally, Tom would have struck up more of a conversation, but if he had he would have to explain why he was alone and he didn''t want to tell the tale yet. Besides, there was a line and he was holding it up. Tom clicked his tongue and moved the reins, and the ox plodded into Rivermarch. It took a few minutes to realize the shape of things. Rivermarch straddled the Lasha River, but there was a wide tall island in the middle where the river split in two briefly. The major parts of the city including the keep had been built up on that hill. The pieces of the city were presumably North Town, Middle Town, and South Town, going by the guard''s description. His progress slowed due to the huge amount of traffic. Rivermarch was one of the biggest cities Tom had ever seen. He had plenty of time for his nervousness to grow and his stomach to churn as the ox trod onward. Crossing on a very high, very sturdy stone bridge, Tom could see a few boats pass underneath him, drifting downstream. He would have to come watch that for a while if he had a chance. It probably looked very different at different times of day, too, the way the light shifted. Once in Middle Town, Tom headed uphill. There was more than one plaza; he had to ask a few people for better directions. He noticed urchins zipping around, including one that looked at him and the wagon before running off in the same direction Tom was headed. He took a deep breath, and drove carefully into the narrow alley to the side of a shop with a painting of fabric and dresses on the front. He spotted a side door to the building and swallowed the lump in his throat. Before he could even get down, the door swung open with a bang, and a large woman charged out. ¡°PHILIP! Philip, my love¡­!¡± She stopped, looking over the wagon and the alley. They looked at each other. The news apparently was obvious from his expression. Her face crumpled. ¡°No¡­¡± she murmured, and stared at him, desperately willing him to disprove her fears. He shook his head slowly. ¡°I''m so very sorry, Mrs. Whistler. We tried¡­our best.¡± Tom was having trouble getting the words out, and to his shame he knew that there were tears in his eyes. The Widow Whistler sank to the ground and began to sob. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Mrs. Whistler?¡± A woman probably a few years older than Tom came to the side door next. She took in the tableau and furrowed her brow in confusion for a few moments before her expression changed to shock. ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± For a minute, both of them stood there, neither sure what to do. The younger woman was blond, bony and tall. She stood very close to the widow and stepped down so that she could comfortably rest one hand on Mrs. Whistler''s shoulder. Finally, the young woman pushed a lock of blond hair out of her eyes and demanded, ¡°what happened?¡± ¡°Bandits, Miss.¡± Tom took a breath, and steeled himself to explain. ¡°Almost a week ago, a day into the forest out of Middleton.¡± Mrs. Whistler grew quiet with an obvious effort. She clearly wanted to hear, even if she couldn''t bring herself to speak. ¡°Where were the guards?¡± ¡°Slaughtered, Miss. Almost to a man. We killed fifteen of the bastards, but were wiped out ourselves.¡± ¡°How did you get away?¡± ¡°I was left for dead, miss. They took out our sentries and started murdering us in our sleep. If our boss Kurt hadn''t woken up and yelled¡­I''d have been dead too.¡± ¡°But you have the wagon. And why are you alone?¡± Tom took a breath. ¡°I managed to kill one before they took me down. When I opened my eyes again, the wagons were gone and everyone else was dead.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°I went after them, miss. I didn''t want to die until I''d avenged my friends and everyone else. Late that night, I snuck up on them and did to them what they did to us; there were only six of them left, and two had run off apparently. I killed the sentry, and the other three. I think the sentry was the leader. ¡°Then I lay down to die, but I woke up again. A healer found me, a good one. They worked on me for days, and then some people helped me to bring most of the wagons closer to Rivermarch. I decided to bring this wagon first and deliver the cargo to you. It''s not much, but it''s all I could do.¡± Tom had run out of things to say, and paused awkwardly. ¡°Did he suffer?¡± Mrs. Whistler asked suddenly. Tom blinked. He wouldn''t have thought of the question, but it made perfect sense that she would ask. ¡°No, Ma''am, I am sure he did not. They killed most of us in our sleep. I''m certain it was over in an instant, with no time to feel pain.¡± Tom was hugely grateful that he could say at least one good thing in this horrible duty. The younger woman glared at Tom. ¡°Why didn''t you save Mr. Whistler?¡± ¡°Vanity¡­¡± Mrs. Whistler murmured. ¡°We tried, Miss. We tried. He was a nice man. I would have saved him if I could.¡± ¡°How many survived?¡± Tom swallowed. ¡°Just me.¡± ¡°Out of the entire caravan? Guards and merchants?¡± Tom nodded. Vanity glared. ¡°So there''s no one to confirm your story. How do we know you''re not one of the bandits?¡± Tom blinked, not expecting the question. It took him a moment to answer. ¡°Well¡­for one thing, I brought you the wagon¡­¡± ¡°And I suppose you want a reward for that,¡± Mrs. Whistler said coldly, slowly climbing to her feet with help from Vanity. ¡°No, Ma''am. I couldn''t do that.¡± The women paused. Tom felt his face get hot. ¡°We failed you. I am ¡­ashamed, Ma''am. I don''t deserve any reward. ¡°This wagon and everything in it was your husband''s, so it belongs to you. I don''t have¡­I''m not¡­¡± Tom trailed off, not sure what he was trying to say. He just hung his head. ¡°I know it doesn''t help anything at all, but¡­I''m sorry.¡± There was silence for a few moments. ¡°What is your name, young man?¡± Mrs. Whistler asked, finally. ¡°Tom Walker, Ma''am.¡± ¡°Francesca Whistler. This is Vanity Taylor.¡± Tom nodded politely. ¡°Come¡­¡± The widow''s voice cracked, and she simply gestured for him to follow. Tom scraped his boots on the step, then went with the two women. ¡°I''ll close the shop, Ma''am,¡± Vanity murmured. There were two main rooms on the first floor. The one on the left faced the street front, and was the shop itself. Mrs. Whistler led Tom into the other room, a sewing workroom with many bolts of cloth piled up in bins of different shapes and sizes along the walls, and several work tables in the middle. The older woman seemed unable to stand up straight, and made it into a chair at one of the largest tables before she would have fallen. ¡°Did you¡­did you recover¡­anything¡­?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes, Ma''am. I don''t know what belongs to who; I had to ask someone else to gather the personal effects. I couldn''t even be there. But this,¡± he pulled out a pouch, ¡°is everything that was collected from all the merchants'' bodies. Um, may I?¡± She nodded, and Tom gently slid most of the contents out of the pouch onto the work table. ¡°If any of this is familiar to you, please say.¡± There was silence for a minute. Mrs. Whistler moved very slowly, running her fingers over items. She picked up a couple of items and put them back down. ¡°I don''t¡­I don''t see his ring. Did¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, the bandits gathered up everybody''s coin and valuables. I think I saw¡­¡± Tom poured out the coins from his money pouch, and with them came several rings and a couple of hairpins. Mrs. Whistler reached out and picked up a thick gold ring, clutching it in her fist. Then she bowed her head and wept. This was one of the most painful conversations of Tom''s life. He simply sat there, unsure of what to say or do. A couple of minutes later he heard the large front door of the shop close with a rattle, and soon Vanity was back. She looked at them and the table for a moment, then at her employer''s hand. ¡°His ring?¡± she asked softly, and Mrs. Whistler nodded without speaking. Vanity turned to Tom. ¡°What¡­happened to his body?¡± Vanity asked Tom quietly. ¡°We didn''t want to leave them for the animals, but we didn''t have the people to dig graves, so we had to make a funeral pyre. I''m sorry if that¡­¡± Tom trailed off as Mrs. Whistler straightened up in her chair, nodding. ¡°I understand. My apologies for my lack of composure.¡± Her voice was only a little rough. ¡°Of course.¡± Tom hesitated, then brought up the next point. ¡°The bandits gathered up a total of twelve gold from everyone. I don''t know how much was whose; there were six wagons, so I thought two gold was a guess at Mr. Whistler''s share of it.¡± ¡°More like three gold, I expect,¡± Vanity put in. ¡°¡­as you say.¡± Tom pulled out three gold coins from the pile and set them in front of the women, then started gathering up the rest into his money pouch again. ¡°His personal things?¡± Tom hesitated. ¡°Everything was a mess, but I had them save anything with writing at least. I''m sure some of it was Mr. Whistler''s, but¡­none of us could read.¡± ¡°Vanity? Would you¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, Ma''am.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Vanity had Tom bring the bolts of cloth in from the wagon and place them in the bins along one wall while she read the papers. It was simple, easy work, and Tom was grateful to be spared the necessity of making conversation for a while. He carried the fabric, reminded by the partially used bolts of another thing to discuss with Mrs. Whistler. Meanwhile, Vanity quickly identified which papers were Mr. Whistler''s and took them. She handed the rest back and asked Tom to leave for the moment. She had to take care of Mrs. Whistler, whose brave front was starting to crumble. ¡°Can you come back tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡­yes, of course.¡± Tom wasn''t sure whether he had any more business with Mrs. Whistler, but she probably had more questions for him. He took the papers back. Disliking the thought of waiting a day, he cleared his throat. ¡°Actually, could you refer me to a trustworthy reader? That way I can get the information without bothering you. I have a lot of other questions too.¡± Vanity glanced at Mrs. Whistler, then hesitantly and quietly said, ¡°Simon Law, at the Keep. Pay him five silver and he''ll answer all your questions in strictest confidence.¡± Tom blinked. Five silver was two days'' pay for him¡­but he was dealing in values of gold coins now. Adapt, Tom. ¡°Thank you. I''ll be back again¡­at some point this week, and I''ll answer any questions and settle up if I owe you more. Mrs. Whistler, again, I''m¡­very sorry for your loss.¡± He backed out through the side door and hefted his pack. As he left, Vanity summoned an urchin to find someone to take care of the ox and wagon. Tom made sure he wasn''t leaving anything behind in it, and walked out of the alley. That was rough. Tom tried to think about his next steps. Simon Law, at the Keep. Shall I trust him? Or do I find someone else? Someone working at the Keep might whisper in a noble''s ear and that could be trouble. But ¡®strictest confidence¡¯, she said. Well, who else am I going to find? Another person might be cheaper, but they might spill secrets, or worse, lie to me, depending on what is written. Tom mentally shrugged, and headed uphill the short distance to the city Keep. The door had a guard, but there was no foot traffic at the moment. He took a deep breath and made himself smile. ¡°Good morning! How do I find Simon Law, please?¡± The guard looked pleasantly surprised. A lot of people said really useless things to start like, ¡°is this the Keep?¡± Tom knew that from his own time as a town guard. ¡°You want the second floor, go left, and speak to the clerk.¡± The guard pointed at the stairs. ¡°Thanks!¡± A minute later, the clerk explained that he would have to wait for an opening in Mr. Law''s schedule. Having nothing better to do, Tom sat down on a bench. He practiced his Elvish in his head to pass the time. A while later, but still before lunch, the clerk sent him through a heavy oak door into an office. He didn''t demand payment in advance, which surprised Tom only a little. The rich had their own rules. On one wall were more books than Tom had ever seen in his life. He felt a moment of avarice even though he couldn''t read. That''s a fortune, right on the wall. Rivermarch must be a very wealthy city. A thin man with white hair and a serious expression sat behind a desk, looking at him. He was dressed in elegant gray and black. ¡°Good morning, young man. I am Simon Law. How may I help you?¡± Tom stepped up to the desk and faced the man. ¡°Hello, sir. I''m Tom Walker. I have some questions that I would like answers to and privacy about both questions and answers.¡± ¡°Do the questions touch on the safety of the city or the kingdom?¡± Tom thought for a moment, looking off to one side. ¡°I don''t think so¡­¡± ¡°In that case, for five silver I will hear your case and answer your questions to the best of my ability, and no one will ever hear from me anything about what we have discussed without your permission. I promise it by my gods and my honor as a noble.¡± Tom breathed a small sigh of relief. All right. Here we go. Chapter 12: The Law of the Land Once he was seated across from Mr. Law, he started talking, trying not to have his voice show his nervousness. ¡°First off, I have questions about elves.¡± ¡°About elves?¡± Law repeated. ¡°What would you like to know?¡± ¡°What¡­is their status, in the kingdom?¡± Law pursed his lips in thought for a moment. ¡°Put simply, they are outlawed. No elf is allowed to live in Baria. It''s a decree from the king. You might know that the king''s brother was killed in the Elf War?¡± Tom hissed air in through his nose. ¡°I did not know that. Are there supposed to be no elves at all in this kingdom?¡± ¡°Not quite. An exception is made for slaves. All elves in the kingdom must be enslaved by a human. There are a very small number of them in Rivermarch; I''m not sure how many exactly. In fact, one is an advisor to Lord Rivermarch, and owned by him.¡± Tom blinked. ¡°An advisor? How did that happen?¡± ¡°The previous Lord Rivermarch purchased him as a tutor for his son, so the current City Lord grew up with his instruction, and continues to value his knowledge and insights.¡± ¡°So¡­being a slave doesn''t have to mean they are treated badly.¡± Mr. Law spread his hands. ¡°Well, to some, enslavement itself is very bad treatment, while to others, in agreeable circumstances and with the right temperament, it is much less of a burden.¡± ¡°What about human slaves?¡± ¡°Those are more common, but there still aren''t many. Generally, they are convicted criminals with some useful skill who were to be punished not quite severely enough to warrant death.¡± Tom nodded. That made sense to him. ¡°What are the requirements for treatment of a slave?¡± ¡°Well, the Empire practices what is called ¡®chattel slavery¡¯, which means that the slave is essentially treated as a thing, as property, in all ways, and not at all as a person. Here in Baria, we have a lesser form of that; a slave owner is expected to keep a slave reasonably healthy and to meet their basic needs, as a matter of public hygiene, if nothing else. To enforce it, the guard is empowered to confiscate a mistreated slave, and resell them to a more responsible owner. Since slave owners don''t want to lose their investment, it is generally considered better to meet the minimum standard. Of course, there are violations hidden away, but when they come to light, they will face some consequences¡ªat least, a hefty fine.¡± Tom cautioned himself not to get too distracted. ¡°So¡­supposing that someone was offering to sell me an elven slave, I would have to treat them decently with food and clothing and shelter and the like. What else?¡± ¡°In the cities at least, you would be responsible for their behavior: if they broke laws, or spent money, you would be held responsible. The slaves must be magically collared at all times.¡± Mr. Law stared at the ceiling for a moment. ¡°I believe that is all.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom digested that for a moment. ¡°How do the slave collars work?¡± he asked out of curiosity. ¡°I''m not familiar with the details. I only know that there are different versions, with different amounts of magical control.¡± ¡°Is there a limit on how many slaves one person can own?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, I could come into town with a bunch of slaves and have them serve me with no problems, so long as I kept them well. Are there taxes?¡± ¡°Only if you intend to sell them in the city.¡± ¡°I see. What about other countries, bordering on Baria? If I wanted to travel with slaves, are there places I shouldn''t go?¡± ¡°Undoubtedly, but unfortunately, I could not tell you which ones. I am less familiar with the laws outside of Baria, excepting the Empire, of course. Jalvan Gessa might know more¡ªthat''s the elven advisor to Lord Rivermarch.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Not sure I want a noble to know I''m asking. ¡°Mr. Walker, may I inquire as to the reason for your interest?¡± Tom hesitated. ¡°I have another topic to ask questions about first.¡± ¡°By all means.¡± ¡°Salvage rights. What are the laws in Baria on that?¡± Law''s eyebrows rose. ¡°Can you be more specific?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Suppose I found, say, an abandoned wagon with¡­wood or furniture in it or something. A merchant''s wagon. If I take that wagon and bring it to town, does it and the cargo belong to me?¡± ¡°Not always. If someone can prove ownership later, they would be entitled to its return. However, you would be entitled to one-tenth of the value for your trouble, if a judge so ruled.¡± ¡°And if the owners were dead and had no heirs?¡± ¡°You would owe the city a tax of one-tenth of the value on items you sold.¡± ¡°And if I just kept it?¡± ¡°No tax in that case.¡± Tom breathed a quiet sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mr. Walker, I have sworn not to repeat any of this to anyone else so long as the city or kingdom are not threatened by so doing. May I know the details of why you need this information?¡± Tom hesitated. Do I trust him? For myself, I would, but I''m gambling with the lives of all the elves if I do this wrong. Mr. Law cleared his throat. ¡°Perhaps your decision would be easier if I tell you what I already have surmised?¡± Tom held his breath, but gestured for the man to proceed. ¡°You have come into possession of some cargo, possibly including one or more elven slaves, that you have reason to believe was abandoned or their owners killed.¡± ¡°I''m not saying you''re right, but¡­what would be the consequences of that?¡± ¡°In that case, there was likely one or more major crimes committed, and the city guard should be informed of the details. It''s a matter of public safety.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°That makes sense. I was going to stop by the guardhouse later anyway, for¡­¡± Tom hesitated. ¡°For a matter of public safety.¡± ¡°Mr. Walker. I do have one important question for you, and remember that I cannot tell others your answer.¡± Mr. Law faced him squarely, his gaze boring into Tom. ¡°Did you murder the owners of the cargo?¡± Tom was about to blurt out a denial, but made himself stop and think. ¡°Just as imagination, suppose I¡­avenged the owners of this imagined cargo. Would that be a problem?¡± ¡°It is basically impossible to prove what did or did not happen in the wilds, Mr. Walker. That said¡­if bandits were to murder some merchants and take their cargo, the murderers would be fair game for you to kill. And if that resulted in you being the only one with a claim on the cargo, then so be it.¡± Tom let out a heavy sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Law.¡± ¡°That is what I am here for. May I know the details?¡± Tom chewed his lip a moment. ¡°I am slow to decide things on behalf of others. I expect I will be able to give you all the details sometime soon, but not quite yet.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°I do have a third issue to bring up.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Tom steeled himself, and admitted, ¡°I cannot read.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have recently come into possession of some pieces of paper with writing. I would like to know what is on them, but kept in strict confidence.¡± ¡°I can certainly help with that.¡± ¡°Thank you. You¡­¡± Tom paused to phrase it carefully. ¡°You might find ¡­inspiration¡­ for your guesses in them, though I have not actually said that anything happened.¡± ¡°Understood. You are an intelligent and cautious young man. I stand by my oath. Your secrets are safe with me.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Taking a deep breath, Tom handed over all the papers. The lawyer flipped through them briefly first, then took them one by one and scrutinized them. After a while he pulled out a rock light and shone it on some of the pages. Tom did his best not to fidget as he waited. The man was smart, and worked slowly and carefully. Tom disciplined himself not to jog the man''s elbow. Finally, Mr. Law cleared his throat. ¡°Interesting.¡± He pulled one of the pages to the top. ¡°I''ll begin here. ¡°This is a list of grain deliveries. Some of them are marked as paid, others not.¡± ¡°Oh, I should memorize those, then.¡± ¡°I will recite them for you once we finish.¡± He moved on to the next sheet. ¡°This is a list of ironwork for delivery to Hooper and Drum. They''re a general store here in Middle Town. It''s marked as paid in advance.¡± Tom heaved a sigh. ¡°Ah, well. So be it.¡± ¡°This is not advice, young man, but I will point out the possibility of charging them a recovery fee.¡± Mr. Law actually looked a tiny bit guilty. ¡°It''s a bit petty of me, but they aren''t the nicest of people.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Mr. Law set it aside and moved on. ¡°This other one is almost impossible to read because whoever wrote it has absolutely horrible handwriting. But it''s a long list and I think it refers to alcohol. I see ale, ale, something, something¡­hmm. No prices listed, and nothing is marked as paid that I can tell. If you sell it, the tax might be significant, so be sure to pay it promptly.¡± ¡°No comment. Yet.¡± ¡°Very well. This next one is written in Eastern. Fortunately, I read it fluently.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°This is a list of eight¡­ items¡­ with prices marked as follows: 11, 13, 15, 10, 19, 17, 16, 35. Those prices are in gold. That''s 136 gold in all.¡± Mr. Law looked up at Tom to gauge his reaction. Tom took a deep breath, and let it out. 136 gold! I would have been set for life with that much! Rotten luck that it had to be the slaves. ¡°Oh, well,¡± he muttered. ¡°It''s a moot point.¡± Mr. Law made an interested sound. ¡°Hm.¡± Tom raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing, pardon me.¡± He set down the slave manifest and picked up the next set. ¡°Now, these are interesting.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I don''t know what language they are written in. I would have expected that I could at least recognize every language in this part of the continent. The only bit that is translated is the address: High Pass Temple.¡± At Tom''s puzzled look, he elaborated. ¡°It''s a famous temple up in the mountains, in Red Tors. The Red Tors Kingdom borders Baria in the northeast.¡± ¡°Ah. Thank you.¡± That must be the black cases, everything else is accounted for. Why are those going to a temple? ¡°And finally, we have these.¡± Tom looked over, and realized that there were a few pieces of paper left. ¡°These belong to Sir Kurt of Briarwood.¡± Tom''s jaw fell, and he blurted without thinking, ¡°But he told me not to call him ¡®sir¡¯!¡± ¡°He was¡­retired, shall we say. Has Sir Kurt been killed, then?¡± Law''s voice was grave and intense. Tom hesitated, then nodded. ¡°One week ago. He fell surrounded by a pile of his dead foes, defending others.¡± ¡°I would expect nothing less of Sir Kurt. I will need to notify the capitol of this, however. The rest I will keep in confidence, but I strongly urge you to inform the guard of everything that happened, and the sooner the better.¡± ¡°Will that¡­¡± Tom paused to think his question through. ¡°Do you think the cargo will be taken from me?¡± ¡°Do you have the rest of the cargo with you?¡± ¡°No, I only brought the one wagon into the city to start.¡± ¡°Hm. Others might find the cargo if it is unattended, and of course, some might try to take the cargo and claim it for themselves. But legally, if you bring it into the city, and matters are as you say, then you have the legal claim. I would so argue in the city court, if needed.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. I''ll bring the rest as quickly as possible.¡± Tom drummed his fingers on his knee a moment. ¡°Maybe I can give the guard a¡­simplified description of what happened, and correct it in a few days?¡± ¡°That might be for the best. So long as you report everything relevant to public safety right away, I see no need for the guard to know about the disposition of some wagons before you are ready to arrive and make your claim.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.¡± Tom hesitated, then added, ¡°He was a good man, sir. His warning saved my life.¡± Mr. Law nodded, then took a breath and lifted a sheet. ¡°I find my mind is put a bit more at ease by this paper. It is a contract between Sir Kurt and one Jeffrey Parson, to guard a caravan of six wagons from Middleton to Rivermarch. It lists seven employees as guards serving under him. Your name is among them. Did you work for him for very long?¡± ¡°Regrettably, no. I was the new guy. I would have loved to get more instruction from him.¡± ¡°Are all the merchants dead, Mr. Walker?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°To my shame. We got nineteen of the bandits, but it wasn''t enough.¡± He bowed his head. ¡°I already delivered Mr. Whistler''s wagon to his widow.¡± Simon Law froze. ¡°Philip Whistler is dead?¡± he asked very precisely. ¡°Yes.¡± Law sagged back against his chair and put one hand over his eyes. ¡°Demon shit,¡± he whispered, so quietly that Tom almost didn''t hear it. After a few moments, he straightened up slowly and his voice returned to normal. ¡°That is a great loss to the city.¡± He paused. ¡°You didn''t charge Mrs. Whistler for delivery, did you?¡± ¡°Gods, no!¡± ¡°Good.¡± He drummed his fingers on the desk a moment, clearly thinking hard. ¡°You should report matters sooner rather than later; word of Mr. Whistler''s death will spread quickly and people will want details.¡± Mr. Law looked over the papers again, stopping at the slave manifest. ¡°All the slavers are dead?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Law clearly knew just about everything already. Tom had mostly given up on keeping anything from him. ¡°And you were concerned about your ownership of the slaves being called into question?¡± ¡°Yes. I''m glad to know that I''ll have clear title to them as soon as I get them into the city.¡± ¡°What do you intend to do with them?¡± ¡°Protect them, as best I can.¡± Tom was unwilling to simply state that he was going to try to get them home to the Elf Lands. His credibility was already thin. Mr. Law stared at him in silence for a few moments, as if weighing Tom''s character. ¡°One more question, Mr. Walker. How did you survive the fight, and kill the last of the bandits?¡± Tom gave him a grim smile. ¡°Amazing luck and stubbornness. I''m going to make a big donation at the Temple later.¡± Mr. Law eyed him as if encouraging him to say more. Tom''s smile got a bit wry. ¡°You figured out nearly everything already, Mr. Law. Allow me a little mystery or two.¡± Tom started to stand up, but caught himself. ¡°Oh, the list of grain sales?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Mr. Law recited the information slowly. When he paused, Tom said, ¡°keep going, please.¡± Raising an eyebrow, the lawyer continued to read until Tom felt his mental grasp was nearly full. ¡°Hold, please.¡± He then recited everything back twice without a mistake, so Mr. Law read him the rest. Once he was sure he had it all, Tom stood up. Mr. Law stood as well and handed him the papers. ¡°Thank you very much, sir.¡± ¡°Likewise. I found this an interesting meeting, Mr. Walker. Do come back if you have more questions.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Try to stay ahead of the news if you can,¡± Law advised. ¡°I will report to the guard, and then deliver everything as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°A wise ordering. Good luck to you, Mr. Walker.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom paid the clerk and left. He immediately started putting some distance between him and the Keep. That man is scary smart. Other people might start to figure out what happened. I need to move fast. He swung by Whistler''s shop and knocked at the side door. When Vanity answered, he said, ¡°I have to leave town briefly, but I expect to be back in three days and will stop by then. Is there anything Mrs. Whistler needs from me before I go?¡± ¡°What happened to the fabric?¡± Vanity asked. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°A bolt of linen and a bolt of wool were cut and partially used.¡± ¡°Oh, that. Right. I''ll pay for it of course.¡± ¡°What happened out there? What did you need the fabric for?¡± ¡°Bandages, clothing, blankets and towels. It was a real mess.¡± ¡°Clothing?¡± Oops. Should have skipped that. ¡°Yes. If it weren''t a horrible time to ask, I''d be buying some clothing here right now. I''ll find another tailor, though.¡± ¡°You need clothing before you leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hold on. I expect I will have to take care of things around here for a while. What did you need? We don''t have much ready-made, but¡­¡± ¡°Well, a couple of dresses and lady things, and a couple of shirts for men.¡± ¡°How big?¡± ¡°Uh¡­one woman is your size, the other is a little shorter and fuller. Both the men are on the scrawny side and a bit short.¡± Vanity appeared to do some mental math, and then another kind of thinking. ¡°One gold twenty silver, and I can give them to you now.¡± Tom paused for a split second. I think that''s a little high¡­ but I owe these people. ¡°Done. Oh, and four pairs of socks?¡± ¡°Ten more.¡± Vanity disappeared into the shop. Tom got out one gold coin and three large silver with small motions, mindful of eyes around. Only a few minutes later, Vanity was back and handing him a large bag. Tom passed the coins to her. Reluctantly, Vanity grumbled, ¡°thank you. I expect we''ll need all the coin we can get with Mr. Whistler gone.¡± ¡°If I need more, I''ll buy here. Thank you.¡± ¡°Don''t disappear,¡± she warned. ¡°I''ll be back. I''m actually racing time.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Well, that was fortuitous, Tom mused. Thinking it over, he suspected he had been overcharged, but the convenience was undeniable. He remembered the mercenary look in Vanity''s eye. I think the shop is in good hands, too. Tom''s next stop was the city Temple, where he made a donation of a few weeks'' pay. I''ll give more when I am richer, dear gods, for I am truly thankful. With hopefully the blessings of the gods, Tom headed to the city guardhouse. There was one guard at a desk, and a couple of people waiting there with reports or requests or arguments. Tom sympathized with Watchman Kyle, who had to listen to an elaborate tale about a stolen dog, and then deal with permissions for something else, and then it was finally Tom''s turn. ¡°I need to report a bandit attack.¡± Kyle straightened up. ¡°When and where?¡± ¡°Last Twonight, on the Forest road, a couple of days out of Middleton.¡± ¡°Who was attacked?¡± ¡°A caravan of six wagons, with a dozen merchants and eight guards.¡± The others in the room started muttering. Kyle looked around and announced, ¡°the guard will report the details once we have all the information, people.¡± Then to Tom, ¡°Please come with me, sir.¡± Kyle led Tom down a hall to an office, and knocked on the door. ¡°Enter!¡± They stepped in together and Tom instinctively straightened up when Kyle did. ¡°Captain, this man is reporting a bandit attack on a caravan out of Middleton.¡± ¡°Thank you, Watchman.¡± Kyle left quickly, shutting the door behind him. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Tom Walker, sir. Late of the mercenary group guarding the caravan.¡± ¡°Mr. Walker, I am Miles Hayward, the Captain of the City Guard. Please tell me everything you can.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Tom gave a detailed description of the caravan, its people and cargo. He stated that before the attack, he had never found out what was in the first or fifth wagons, which was correct as far as it went. Captain Hayward reacted to mention of Philip Whistler and Sir Kurt of Briarwood. ¡°Where are they now?¡± ¡°Dead, sir.¡± ¡°Dark gods. How bad was it?¡± ¡°Bad, sir. The bandits won.¡± ¡°Against Sir Kurt?¡± ¡°They had a clever leader.¡± ¡°Who survived?¡± Tom took a deep breath. ¡°I am the sole survivor, sir.¡± He could feel the weight of the captain''s suspicion land on his shoulders. ¡°Explain.¡± Tom recounted the attack as best he knew it, up to the point where he had woken up alone and looked over the site and the bodies. ¡°And then what happened?¡± ¡°I went after them, sir.¡± ¡°You were wounded.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Badly enough that the bandits left you for dead.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. But they had to pay.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I''m not saying it was smart.¡± The captain snorted at that. ¡°What happened?¡± Tom answered carefully. ¡°I found four of the bandits and one of the wagons. I waited until late at night, killed the sentry, and then killed the other three where they slept.¡± ¡°Fitting,¡± the captain noted. ¡°Yes, sir. I believe the sentry was the leader of the attack. I was glad to watch him die.¡± ¡°Can you describe this man?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Tom did his best from memory. The captain pulled out a large rough book, full of pictures, and flipped through, then pushed the book at him. Tom grimaced. ¡°Ah¡­my apologies sir, but my sight is long. Could you hold it up from there?¡± The captain was understanding and accommodated him. ¡°Is this the man?¡± Tom squinted. ¡°No, sir. He looked thinner and the nose was smaller.¡± The captain flipped some pages and held up another. ¡°Him?¡± Tom scowled. ¡°That''s the one. Bastard. Who was he?¡± ¡°Davis the Knife. Wanted all over the kingdom, for murder and theft. He was good. It seems banditry didn''t work out as well for him.¡± The captain set the book down. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I managed to get the wagon onto the road, then blacked out. To be honest, I didn''t expect to wake up again. When I came to, a healer had found me.¡± ¡°A healer? On the road?¡± The captain sounded skeptical. ¡°I am the luckiest man in the kingdom for it, I know. There''s a reason I went to the temple here in the city even before reporting in.¡± ¡°Who was this healer?¡± ¡°He didn''t want to say. I got the impression he might be in trouble, and didn''t want to be found. Fortunately, he was willing to pour healing into me that I could never have afforded, then we parted ways. He kept going south. I never got his name, or his destination.¡± ¡°This story sounds a bit fanciful, Mr. Walker.¡± ¡°I know. I can barely believe it myself.¡± ¡°Can I see these wounds?¡± ¡°Yes sir, what''s left of them.¡± Tom removed his shirt, grimacing. ¡°I got a lot of healing from that stranger, and as I said I visited the temple before coming here.¡± Let him think I got more healing there by implication. He showed his arm. ¡°This is where the knife got me.¡± The area was still red and obviously healing but was going to scar. He flexed his hand a couple of times. ¡°I got full use back, thank the gods.¡± He touched the back of his head. ¡°I honestly don''t know whether there''s a mark from the head wound. But the big injury was here.¡± Deliberately moving stiffly, he showed the angry pink area where he had been stabbed. The captain moved closer and prodded the spot. Tom pretended to stifle a pain reaction. ¡°This definitely looks like a stab wound, but it''s fully healed.¡± ¡°But I probably would have been dead by midday if the healer hadn''t found me. He called me an idiot for fighting while wounded, more than once. It was a day before I could even sit up, and that was with the healer giving it everything he had. I owe him my life, sir. Someday, I want to find out who he was and thank him. He was obviously a really good healer, but I don''t understand why a healer would want to keep his identity secret.¡± The captain gripped Tom''s left arm a bit roughly and he gave a genuine hiss of pain. Then the captain let go. ¡°My apologies. I had to check.¡± ¡°I understand, sir. I''ve been a town guard. I would do the same.¡± Tom slowly put his shirt back on as the captain went back behind his desk and wrote some more on his slate. ¡°Which wagon did you recover?¡± ¡°Mr. Whistler''s. I brought it straight to Mrs. Whistler before going to the temple and coming here.¡± ¡°You told Mrs. Whistler about all of this?¡± ¡°The parts she asked about, yes, sir.¡± There were a few more questions, and Tom managed to be truthful or mostly truthful in answering them. Once he had covered everything, Tom went to leave. ¡°We need some confirmation of Davis'' death before we can give you the reward.¡± ¡°Reward?¡± Tom was surprised, thought about it, then shook his head. ¡°Never mind, sir. There''s no evidence, we burned all the bodies to keep animals from getting them. Besides¡­¡± Tom grimaced. ¡°I don''t deserve a reward. I shouldn''t even be alive right now. We failed, sir. I failed.¡± He sighed. ¡°Anyway, you needed to know.¡± He stood up. ¡°Thank you for coming in, Mr. Walker. Where can we reach you, if we have questions?¡± Tom thought. ¡°I actually have to leave the city for a few days, but I''ll be back after that. I promised to stop by Whistler''s to answer more questions from the widow. Do you want me to check back in when I get back to town?¡± ¡°I would appreciate it.¡± ¡°Very well. Thank you for your time, sir.¡± With that, Tom finally escaped. I feel bad about lying, but I need to protect the elves, and I''ll come clean on the details when I can. ¡­Excepting the number of slaves that were in the cage, he amended after a moment''s thought. I''ll still need to protect Sheema and the others as best I can, and they''re safer if no one realizes they exist. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Feeling the time pressure, Tom hurried to purchase food for the next trip. Let''s see, what else am I going to need? Soap, maybe some salt and cheap spices for Orvan, fresh bread¡­a map is going to be hard, I should probably have Diavla pick it out herself when we get back to town. Tom brought his thoughts up short. Wait a minute. I shouldn''t assume that the four of them are willing to come with me. They''ll have to put those collars back on¡­maybe I can break the collars, so it only looks like they are controlled? Let''s see, there are five of us and four wagons left. One can stay behind, and the delivery to High Pass Temple could be left behind if two of them want to stay out of the city¡­but the booze, the ironwork, and the grain need to be brought in and sold or delivered as soon as possible. For those who don''t want to come in, I need to buy them extra food, and whatever else they will need for a week or so. Tom thought about how much his pack would weigh at that point and nodded. No problem. I can walk with that much. I hope they are doing all right out there. Chapter 13: Hiding Out Tom left on the morning of Oneday, the thirteenth of Dunvar. He couldn''t possibly be back before evening on the fifteenth. Three days at least. That was a lot of time to be doing nothing. Varga kept looking at the booze wagon, but Diavla told her that she wouldn''t kiss her or touch her on a day she had more than one drink before dinner. With that temptation removed, or at least deflected, Varga spent most of her time moving slowly through the woods, familiarizing herself with the plants and animals in this part of the human continent. Diavla was relieved; she didn''t want her friend disappearing into a different sort of trap right after they got some freedom. Orvan spent his time cooking, examining their supplies and napping. Kervan and Diavla practiced speaking Western. Apparently, the language of the Empire was called Eastern, and Tom only knew a handful of words in it. They compiled lists of words to ask about, and came up with plans for pantomimes to get the ideas across. Diavla also got some exercise. She had been feeling a bit antsy the past couple of days, and needed to deal with her physical weakness brought on by moving so little during captivity, anyway. Besides that, there was always the possibility of another wolf attack or worse, so Diavla practiced with her spear a fair bit. By the end of the first day, she had exhausted herself. ¡°Ugh, I want to die,¡± she groaned, lying on the grass and dirt for a moment. ¡°Nope, not allowed.¡± Varga smirked. ¡°Just wait until you see how your feel tomorrow.¡± ¡°Keep it up and I won''t kiss you tonight.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Varga ignored the threat. In the evening, Varga volunteered for the second night watch so that Kervan could catch up on sleep, for which he was grateful. He turned in early. After dinner and more conversation, Varga settled herself leaning back against Diavla, who cuddled her a bit as they both drank. Diavla had intended to keep things nonsexual, but as the evening progressed she found her hands wandering. It felt good to give Varga pleasure. Even a light stroke of her arm, blowing on her ear tip, or the faintest kiss on her neck could provoke strong reactions, and Diavla felt less antsy as she teased her friend. It seemed to satisfy a hunger she couldn''t describe. Maybe I just crave connection now that we have freedom. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The next morning, Diavla had a hangover, a couple of hickeys, and sore muscles all over from the previous day''s unaccustomed exercise. ¡°Ugh, now I really want to die.¡± ¡°Still not allowed. Drink some water.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°And then we''re going to do stretches.¡± ¡°Demon.¡± ¡°It''s for your own good.¡± ¡°Still a demon.¡± ¡°Hm, if I''m a demon, I think I''ll go with succubus.¡± Diavla was grumpy while Varga was bouncy. Varga nagged her until she did all of the stretches her friend demanded. It was really irritating for a while. Then Varga volunteered to take Diavla into a wagon and give her a massage, which made up for a lot. This worked out well for Varga, as she could make Diavla moan and groan in pleasure with enough effort, and she got to run her hands all over Diavla''s body. Diavla didn''t mind it a bit, either. She still resisted sexual release, but they were intimate in most other ways. By the time they finished, the pain had receded but was not gone. ¡°I miss Sheema,¡± Diavla admitted. ¡°Some healing would be very helpful here.¡± She went back to language review with Kervan while Varga went exploring again. Hours passed. It was midday when Varga reappeared. ¡°You know, it''s a little hard to tell because the land and everything is so unfamiliar, but I get the impression that something has the animals in the forest upset,¡± Varga commented. Diavla raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh?¡± Varga''s intuition was usually good, especially concerning animals. ¡°Any idea what? A predator? Something local? The weather?¡± Varga scowled. Then she shrugged and seemed to put it out of her mind while she ate. Finally, she grumbled, ¡°I can''t put my finger on it. I''m going to scout some more.¡± ¡°Don''t get spotted from the road.¡± ¡°I''m not an idiot, Dee.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã On their second night of camping in the hidden valley, Diavla was woken by a hand roughly grabbing her ankle. She sat up at once, instantly on alert, imagining that slavers had come to kidnap her again. It was Orvan, though, and it was the middle of the night. Fortunately, he was completely unmoved by the sight of Varga and Diavla naked and sleeping intertwined. For a moment, she wondered if Orvan was just trying to wake Varga for her shift as guard, but one look at his face convinced her otherwise. She shook Varga, then Orvan passed her two spears. Diavla quickly tossed clothes at Varga''s head and started putting some on herself. Varga slowly started waking up, and saw Diavla''s fingers on her lips for silence before blurting anything out. Serious and awake now, Varga pulled on her shirt and then froze. She looked as if she were listening intently, so Diavla stopped moving for a few seconds. Nodding, Varga grabbed her spear and jumped out of the wagon, and Diavla followed. Kervan was leaning against one of the wagons, his daggers at the ready, staring out into the dark. Orvan took a different direction, Diavla a third. Varga went to one of the oxen and patted it reassuringly while looking outward. The other animals were more than a little restless. What are we looking for? Should I try asking the spirits, or would that just distract me? Diavla knew that she was very much out of practice, and she had no idea how strong her abilities would be in the human lands, but with only the four of them, it might be time to consider desperate measures. For the moment, she kept looking. Then she finally saw it. There was a wolf in the woods, staring at them. Once she spotted one, it was easier to see others. They were surrounded, and the wolves were slowly creeping closer, watching them all. The one to her right caught her eye for some reason. She narrowed her eyes at it, and it turned to stare back at her. There was something different about this one. It changed direction slightly to head directly for her, still approaching slowly. ¡°This is bad,¡± Varga murmured. That decided Diavla. She reached back into her memories of temple and took a very deep breath. She recalled the Wise Woman''s voice: There is listening, and there is calling. One should begin by listening, sensing what kinds of spirits inhabit the land you are in, and not disturbing them unnecessarily. But in some situations there isn''t time. Gather your soul, focus your desire, and smoothly project the feeling. Diavla wanted to give a mental shout as she saw how quickly the wolves were closing in, but she forced herself to clear her thoughts. Only the most spirit-touched initiates could make complex requests; Diavla had to choose a single word, and quickly. Gather my soul. Focus my desire. Project. Diavla exhaled. INTIMIDATE. The strange wolf took one step closer, and Diavla did as well, startling the others. She concentrated on radiating menace. No. Find easier prey. The wolf hesitated, then gave a small whine, stepped back and howled to the others, turning and fleeing into the woods. The others followed, yelping and howling. The elves listened as the animal cries and sounds of their passing grew fainter. ¡°Dee?¡± Varga called softly. ¡°Did you do that?¡± Diavla kept projecting for as long as her soul''s stamina held out, then sagged. Varga darted forward and Diavla leaned against her as she swayed. She felt vaguely sick. Forgiving spirits will heed the call, out of generosity or curiosity. Others might give you what you seek but exact a price. And, of course, the spirits you need may not like you, or even live in the place you are calling from. Diavla struggled to remember the rest of the lesson. Listen for a response; do not call again. That is a common mistake. Call only once, or spirits may take offense. You may call with a different request for different spirits, but you must direct your call away from those you have already tried to summon. Diavla tried to listen, but she felt a fierce headache rapidly blooming and she couldn''t concentrate. ¡°Oh, Dee, my stupid kanashim, if Sheema were here she would yell at you until your ears broke.¡± ¡°Help me¡­into¡­the wagon¡­¡± Her voice started strong but faded almost to a whimper. Varga jumped up, took her hands and hoisted her up while Orvan took her legs and lifted. She flailed a moment before she found her footing, then ducked inside the wagon. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. A minute later, she was lying down and Varga was pressing a cold wet cloth to her forehead. She vaguely heard the men talking quietly. ¡°She definitely did something.¡± ¡°Yeah, but she failed at Temple. I didn''t know she had it in her.¡± ¡°She still took at least some of the lessons. Maybe she overextended herself.¡± ¡°That makes sense. Dee is too smart sometimes, and exactly the sort of person to hurt herself by trying to help us with something she half-remembered from years ago.¡± ¡°Well, she knows more about spirit-work than the rest of us. I will be grateful the animals left, and I suggest we let Diavla sleep in if she needs to.¡± Thank you, Orvan, Diavla murmured in her thoughts, closing her eyes. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Threeday, the fifteenth of Dunvar, dawned with heavy rain. Diavla cracked one eyelid, determined that the sound was rain and not an avalanche or other calamity, and went back to sleep. The nightmares were¡­strange. She couldn''t remember what she was scared of. Prison, she vaguely recalled. A prison with red walls. Usually, she dreamt painfully of the raid on Kilder Vald, or the day they put the collar on her, or some horrible imagined human lord who bought her and planned to use her for his pleasure. At least, this dream was different. When she woke again, Varga was sitting next to her, fully dressed, and peering out the back flap at the rain. ¡°Hey, sleepy. How are you feeling?¡± Diavla opened her eyes wider and winced. ¡°I still have the headache, but it''s not as bad,¡± she mumbled. Varga, spirits bless her, handed her a cold meal of various things mixed in a pot. It wasn''t the tastiest, but it was pretty good, given their limited ingredients and no fire. Diavla took a moment to appreciate Orvan again. Life is much better with good food. And enough food. She still had to remember not to gorge herself, but she already was feeling less gaunt after a week of better eating. ¡°Hey, Dee, do you remember any of the, um, like, soul stretches or whatever from temple class?¡± Diavla squinted at her friend. ¡°You know what I mean! Like, warm up exercises for your spirit stuff?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± she grunted noncommittally. ¡°Maybe you should do some of those, gently. It might help.¡± It wasn''t the worst idea, but it felt like too much effort at the moment. ¡°Later. But yes. Thanks, Varga.¡± There was quiet for a while. Diavla got dressed and ate her breakfast. ¡°Thanks, by the way,¡± Varga said quietly, after a bit. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For whatever you did to scare away the wolves. I didn''t realize you could do that much.¡± ¡°I may be hopeless at Healing, but I can do a few other things a little bit.¡± ¡°It was fancy. You took whatever it was doing and gave it right back, only worse. I could feel it when the wolves got scared and left.¡± Diavla didn''t want to think about it. ¡°Where are the men?¡± ¡°In the grain wagon.¡± ¡°Should we be keeping watch?¡± ¡°The animals aren''t interested in attacking in this downpour. And we''re in the middle of nowhere, so no humans are going to¡ª¡± ¡°Hello?¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It was a man''s voice, loud and deep, calling out in Western. Diavla felt a surge of panic and Varga''s expression probably matched hers. ¡°Demon shit, what do we do?¡± Varga hissed. ¡°Can you see him?¡± Diavla whispered, gathering her feet under her. ¡°No.¡± Diavla went to the other end of the wagon and peered out the slit there. She spotted a woman wearing a cloak and holding a human contraption that looked sort of like a small sideways bow, but covered against the rain. ¡°There''s one on this side,¡± she whispered. ¡°Hello?¡± The man called again. ¡°You, (something) wagons!¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Kervan''s voice called out. The women listened as closely as possible to pick the conversation out of the noise of the rain. ¡°Who are you?¡± the man demanded. ¡°I am¡­Tom,¡± Kervan answered. Smart, it''s the only human name we know, really. Kervan must not be showing his face yet. ¡°Who are you?¡± Kervan continued, throwing the question back at the humans. ¡°I am Mark Carver, and this is my (something). (something) ask what you (something) here?¡± The voice was wary, and a bit aggressive. Maybe a female voice would help. Diavla took a deep breath. ¡°Hello? I am¡­Dee.¡± Hopefully, that was short for a human name. ¡°We¡­stay¡­three¡­four¡­day. We go.¡± Hopefully, the oddity of her speech would be lost in the noise. The woman in the woods looked directly at her at once, and Diavla kept her eye to the slit, hiding herself. Mark Carver called out something, but Diavla didn''t know any of the words. She chewed her lip and waited. The man repeated himself. ¡°I do no understand,¡± Kervan called. ¡°I no say good Western.¡± ¡°I want (something) see you!¡± Diavla quickly pulled on a cloak with the hood over her, which was perfectly reasonable given the rain. She stuck out one hand and lifted it in greeting, then slowly opened the flap and climbed out onto the wagon seat. ¡°(Something something) you are (something)?¡± Apparently, Kervan caught more of it than she did. ¡°We are four.¡± From the sound, Kervan was also out in the rain now. ¡°No good rain.¡± ¡°Varga, stick your hands out, just your hands.¡± Varga did so, waving at people she couldn''t see. ¡°Orvan, stick your head out, but keep your hood on.¡± Kervan was following her lead. I hate being in charge. I just hate no one being in charge even more¡­ ¡°We are four. You see?¡± Kervan called. ¡°(Something) are you here?¡± It sounded like a question word. Diavla wondered if the human was asking how they got there, why they were there, or how long they would be there. The last one was easiest to answer. ¡°We go here yesterday yesterday,¡± Diavla called. ¡°We stay. We wait. Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow tomorrow, Tom Walker go here, we go. Do you understand?¡± There was a pause. Then Mark said something completely unfamiliar. It didn''t even sound like Western, actually; it was more guttural, and a couple of the sounds were new. Diavla and Kervan exchanged puzzled looks. ¡°We no understand.¡± Joan spoke up, and said five strange words very haltingly. Spirits, how many languages do humans have, anyway? Diavla wondered. ¡°We no understand. We are sorry.¡± ¡°Ugh. What language (SOMETHING) you (something)?¡± Diavla could understand the woman''s annoyance. She considered trying Dwarvish, but her meager vocabulary in it was even worse than her Western, so that wouldn''t help. ¡°(Something) are you hiding (something)?¡± Diavla could think of at least two completely different questions the man could be asking. Unfortunately, she didn''t have much time to think about it, because the woman was shifting position and she could see the man now, approaching Kervan. ¡°No, no! Stay back! We are all sick!¡± Kervan recited as if it were a magic spell. The human paused. Diavla figured that a cough might help convince him. Unfortunately, all four of them had the exact same idea and gave two coughs at exactly the same time. Mark stuck his cheek in his mouth for a moment, and said something but she couldn''t catch any words. The sarcasm came through just fine, though. The woman kept back, and moved so that she could cover Kervan, who was standing with his arms away from his body. Mark kept approaching, and Diavla had a sudden premonition of a last-minute panic causing the situation to turn violent. She yanked the hood off her head and called, ¡°We are elves! Please! No¡­ummm¡­no¡­¡± Diavla''s brain abruptly froze up. I can''t remember the words! But she had done enough. Mark stopped. He murmured something to himself. ¡°Do you need help?¡± The woman asked. ¡°Joan!¡± Mark called out in angry surprise. The two humans, Joan and Mark, proceeded to have an argument that made plain that they had been together for a long time. It was too rapid for Diavla to follow any of it. She thought she heard the words fire and rain in there, and Mark used the word trust. While that went on, Varga and Orvan came out and stood with them. We''re all getting soaked, now. ¡°We are good!¡± She interjected, hoping that she could still convince the humans to leave them alone. A moment later, Kervan sneezed unexpectedly. The argument in Western picked back up. Finally, Mark heaved a sigh, so Joan must have won the argument. ¡°We go,¡± she declared, then added a few more words Diavla didn''t know. A minute earlier and that would have been cause for great relief. But now other humans knew that there were elves around. The secret was more likely to get out now. ¡°You have five oxen,¡± Mark said suddenly. ¡°You have four wagons. We (something something something) one ox.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Orvan suddenly declared, having gotten the gist. ¡°Wait! What are they going to do with the ox?¡± Varga demanded. ¡°Umm¡­you get ox, ox happy?¡± Diavla asked for her. Mark started a long answer but Joan talked over him. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Good. You get ox, you no say elves. You go. Yes?¡± Diavla put two fingers to her lips to indicate silence. ¡°No, no, no!¡± Joan countered quickly. ¡°We go. We six go.¡± Wait. Diavla blinked. What did she just say? ¡°And the ox.¡± ¡°And the ox,¡± Joan repeated, rolling her eyes at (apparently) her husband. ¡°What are they saying?¡± Varga asked. ¡°They want us to go with them, and they''re taking the spare ox.¡± ¡°What about the wagons?¡± ¡°Good question. Wagons?¡± Diavla called out. ¡°The wagons stay. We (something something something) walk.¡± ¡°Tom Walker go here, Tom Walker get wagons, get us,¡± Diavla clarified. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, no (something something something.) We (something) bandits.¡± ¡°Diavla¡­?¡± Kervan called, asking for a decision. I hate choosing. What should I pick? Should we go with them like they want? For just a moment, she froze, then remembered that often no answer was even worse than a wrong answer. Diavla chose. ¡°Let''s do it. Grab your packs and weapons.¡± She turned to the humans again. ¡°Yes. We six and ox go, you get ox, you no say elves, wagons stay, Tom Walker get wagons, get us¡­and get four ox,¡± she added, just to remove any doubt. The woman said one word, sounding like agreement. The man told his partner something with unfamiliar words, but Diavla caught¡ªof all things¡ªthe word for lawyer, which she had heard exactly once. He sounded amused and approving. The humans relaxed somewhat and lowered their weapons, but they still kept one eye on the elves while they both began to check over the oxen. Varga trotted over and watched. Diavla heard a lot of ¡°good?¡± and ¡°no good?¡± from her. Once the man had chosen an ox, he waved away the rest of Varga''s questions and said something very long and incomprehensible. Varga stood there and listened to his monologue for a while. After he finished, Varga and the man stared at each other for several moments. Mark looked at her expectantly. ¡°What?¡± Varga finally asked in Elvish, completely baffled. Another long pause. ¡°We go,¡± Mark summarized. ¡°Saa.¡± Varga nodded. The group assembled, making sure that there was enough waterproof fabric covering the packs at least. There was one more hiccup as Mark pointed at Orvan''s spear. ¡°No.¡± Orvan shook his head. ¡°Yes. Diavla, tell him.¡± Diavla stepped closer. ¡°Yesterday night, wolves.¡± She held up eight fingers, having forgotten the word for eight. ¡°We are good. We have.¡± She held her own spear more tightly to clarify. ¡°Wolves?¡± The man sounded as if he didn''t believe her, but Joan spoke up again. ¡°Yes, good.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Diavla told her. Mark looked at Kervan''s daggers, but then glanced at his wife and didn''t say anything. They made their way out onto the road, with the ox, and turned north. ¡°How far are we going?¡± Varga asked. ¡°I don''t know, but they haven''t had time to go far today, so it must be close by.¡± They trudged along in the rain for about a quarter of an hour, during which they didn''t say much more than their names. Then they crossed to the west side of the forest road, at a place where the plants looked impenetrable unless you were north of it and very close. Tom could easily have driven by and completely missed it if he didn''t look back at the right moment. A path was visible from this side, and the woman led them down it. A couple of minutes more brought a house into view. ¡°That''s a big house¡­¡± Varga murmured. ¡°How did you miss it when you were scouting before?¡± ¡°Because it''s on this side of the road, and I did like you said and stayed on the other side!¡± Meanwhile, Kervan stopped short. ¡°Humans?¡± ¡°One,¡± Joan said reassuringly. ¡°She no say elves (something).¡± She put one finger to her lips, then visibly had a thought and very deliberately switched to two fingers like Diavla had done. Humans only use one finger for that, Diavla mused. There''s a dirty joke in there somewhere. She shook her head, surprised at herself. Focus, Diavla. ¡°Well, we''re already here. We might as well get out of the rain,¡± she told Kervan, who had sneezed a couple more times on the walk. Joan said something about the ox, and somewhat reluctantly Mark broke off and led the ox into a stable, looking back over his shoulder often. Joan led them inside, to meet yet another human. Chapter 14: The Carvers Joan Carver knocked on the heavy oak door, twice then once, to let Winnie know that they were back. She took a deep breath. I can''t believe I''m inviting a bunch of elves into my home! She was pretty excited. I can''t wait to see the look on Winnie''s face. It was a minute before Winnie reached the door. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ever sweet,¡± Joan called the password. She heard Winnie unbar the entrance and then light spilled out from the fire into the gray day as the door opened. ¡°Everything all right?¡± Winnie asked. Winnie was an extremely large woman, with a big pile of golden yellow hair and cherubic dimples when she smiled, which was often. She wasn''t out of breath at all, so she must have already been up when Joan knocked. Strong arms set the heavy bar aside and she stepped backwards to make room for people to come in. ¡°We have guests!¡± Joan announced. ¡°I can see that. Welcome, welcome, come in out of the rain!¡± Winnie beckoned as Joan and the four elves walked in. ¡°Where''s Mark?¡± ¡°He''s putting our new ox in the barn.¡± ¡°Our new¡ª? Is that man taking advantage of people in trouble again?¡± ¡°We can talk about it later,¡± Joan said as she closed the door behind them. ¡°Hang your cloaks up by the door,¡± Winnie instructed the newcomers. Joan hid a smile. ¡°Diavla?¡± When the elf leader turned to her, she tugged on her own cloak. ¡°Cloaks.¡± Then she pointed at the plentiful pegs on the wall, and demonstrated by hanging up her own, letting it drip onto the piece of stone flooring set by the door for the purpose. ¡°Cloak sankal fez,¡± Diavla told the others. The elves all watched for Winnie''s reaction as they pulled their hoods back and started undoing the clasps. So did Joan, for that matter. Winnie did not disappoint. ¡°Whaaaaaaaaat?¡± Winnie got bug-eyed. ¡°Joan, they''re elves!¡± ¡°Noticed that, did you?¡± Joan got great amusement out of Winnie''s expression. ¡°They can barely speak Western, so be warned. We''ll have to point at things a lot.¡± ¡°How did you¡ª? Where¡ª?¡± At that point the blond elf sneezed violently, turning his head away from them. ¡°Saa, I am sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, you poor things, let''s get you dried off and warmed up. You can leave your¡­boots? Joan, they''re barefoot!¡± ¡°I''ll get the spare towels while you get them settled around the fire,¡± Joan told her. It was easier for Joan to move quickly. Much as she didn''t want to miss a minute of this, Joan hurried to the linen closet next to the washroom and grabbed most of their clean towels. By the time she got back, Winnie was just finishing up getting their names and herding them over to the main fireplace. One of the elves was a tall redheaded woman; she was helping Winnie to move a couple of benches closer so that all of them could sit close to the warmth at once. She looked somewhat like Joan herself, just a lot slimmer. Hm, Mark is probably going to flirt with that one. I don''t know how they will react, so I will have to beat some sense of restraint into that man, at least temporarily. All of the elves said, ¡°thank you,¡± and proceeded to huddle close to the flames, quietly chatting amongst themselves in Elvish. They were looking around warily, watching the humans and peering at the room. Winnie stepped back and leaned close to Joan. ¡°So, how did this happen?¡± she demanded in an excited whisper. ¡°Apparently, they have been camping in the Nook for the past two nights; that''s the smoke we saw,¡± Joan explained. ¡°Oh, and Winnie, they kept saying, ¡®no say elves¡¯, so I think they mean they want to keep their presence secret.¡± ¡°Well, certainly. Either they''re diplomats on a secret mission, spies, or they''re escaped slaves.¡± Joan noticed that the elves all stiffened when they hear the word ¡®slave¡¯. ¡°Can you think of anything else they might be?¡± Winnie continued. ¡°They are waiting for someone called Tom Walker, who will be coming for them in a day or two, apparently.¡± ¡°I take it Tom Walker is their owner?¡± ¡°Presumably, but I''m not sure yet.¡± Joan watched the elves, trying to get a feel for their personalities. Diavla was in charge. She looked tense, alert, but not hostile. She and Kervan did nearly all the talking in Western. Kervan appeared to be making an effort to be more polite than was normal for him, though she might be wrong about that. Varga looked like a very open sort; her feelings showed plainly. At the moment she was a mix of worried, curious, and friendly. Orvan was the oldest one, going by the hair. He was quiet and reserved. ¡°Any trouble when you met them?¡± Winnie asked. ¡°They were trying to hide that they were elves, but they''re not very good actors, at least with a language barrier.¡± ¡°Yeah, if they were diplomats or spies, they would speak better Western ¡­and probably would have thought to bring hats.¡± ¡°So the question becomes, who is this Tom Walker, and what is he doing with these elves?¡± ¡°And why did he leave them alone?¡± Winnie added. ¡°How did Mark react?¡± ¡°He demanded their spare ox when I invited them home. They consider it payment for a binding promise of secrecy.¡± ¡°Well, Mark may drive a hard bargain, but he never breaks his word, so I guess the elves are safe. Why didn''t you leave them there?¡± ¡°It''s a cold, miserable rainy day, Winnie!¡± ¡°I know, I''m asking how they were doing before you found them.¡± ¡°Oh. They were mostly dry, I think, but cold, and Kervan has been sneezing. They were huddled in four wagons stashed in the Nook.¡± ¡°Well, it''s a bit early for midday meal, but I could start up something hot for them. Porridge, maybe?¡± ¡°Porridge?¡± Orvan asked, breaking into the human conversation. ¡°Food,¡± Joan told him. ¡°Food?¡± ¡°Yes. Hot food. You wait,¡± Winnie told him. ¡°I help? I see?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Orvan help food good good,¡± Diavla informed them confidently. Joan and Winnie looked at each other. ¡°Why not?¡± Winnie said finally. ¡°Sure. Orvan, was it? Orvan, come with me.¡± She beckoned, and the old elf followed the large woman to the pantry and kitchen. Joan got out mugs and set them on the main table. She then fetched a tin of tea leaves, pulled one out, and offered it to Diavla. ¡°Is¡­this¡­good?¡± The elf woman took it, peered at it and smelled it, then smiled. ¡°Saa! It is good.¡± She spoke rapidly in Elvish to the others. Soon enough, the water was hot and Joan poured cups for them all. The elves all sat around the fire, sipping their tea gratefully. Mark''s familiar pounding came at the door. Joan got up and walked over to it. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ever sweet,¡± her husband called back. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Joan knew that there was very little need for such a password, but little was not nothing, and Mark was very protective of his women. She took a deep breath and heaved the heavy bar out of its rest. Mark came in the house and took off his wet cloak, adding it to the others. The elves watched him warily. Joan went and poured him some tea, gauging his mood. ¡°What have you found out?¡± he asked. ¡°Not much. I thought we should let them get warm first.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± They sat in silence together for a while. Eventually, the quiet grew a bit awkward, and the one called Diavla cleared her throat. ¡°Thank you¡­water¡­¡± she pointed at her mug of tea. ¡°Tea,¡± Joan said. ¡°Mint tea. You''re welcome.¡± Another pause. ¡°Thank you¡­fire.¡± ¡°You''re welcome. And we say, ¡®thank you for the tea¡¯, or ¡®thank you for the fire.¡¯?¡± ¡°For the. For the. Thank you for the tea. Thank you for the fire,¡± Diavla practiced. ¡°Much better.¡± Diavla asked Kervan something in Elvish, then turned back. ¡°?¡®Better¡¯ is ¡®good good¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joan held out her hand as if indicating the height of a child. ¡°Good.¡± She raised it some. ¡°Better.¡± She raised it all the way up. ¡°Best.¡± ¡°Good, better, best. Thank you very much. We learn Western.¡± Joan noticed that Kervan was silently mouthing the words as well, but Varga was looking around at everything. Joan tried to think of what to ask. ¡°So¡­where are you all from?¡± She said it slowly, not sure which words the elves understood. ¡°Kilder Vald, Velsunona, Salathin.¡± Diavla recited it slowly, though the names meant nothing to Joan. After a moment in which they stared at each other, the elf asked, ¡°you have map?¡± ¡°Uh, no, sorry, we don''t own any maps.¡± Joan shook her head. Diavla nodded. ¡°Is Tom Walker your master?¡± Mark asked bluntly. The elves hesitated, looking at each other. ¡°You don''t have collars on.¡± Mark pointed at his neck. ¡°Tom Walker¡­help us. You help Tom Walker?¡± Diavla asked cautiously. ¡°Maybe. Is he your master?¡± Diavla held up ten fingers. ¡°Day. Tom no is master.¡± She took down one finger. ¡°Day, Tom is master.¡± ¡°He became your master nine days ago?¡± ¡°Nine yesterday, yes.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Diavla and Kervan muttered back and forth in Elvish for a few moments. It''s a pretty language, Joan thought. I wonder if I can learn a few words while they are here. Diavla lifted her hands and said, ¡°Day.¡± Then she flicked all her fingers out quickly three times, and did that three times. ¡°Ninety days ago. Three months.¡± ¡°Month.¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She sounded relieved. ¡°Three month¡­ago? Slave boat go Kilder Vald. Slave boat man kill, slave boat man fire, slave boat man get us.¡± Joan held her breath. There was no sound beyond the crackle of the fire and faint rattling sounds from the kitchen. ¡°One month, boat.¡± The crossing from the Elvish continent. ¡°Two month, wagon. Ten yesterday, banditch.¡± ¡°Bandit. One bandit. Two bandits,¡± Joan corrected automatically, carefully pronouncing the words. ¡°Thank you.¡± Diavla flicked all her fingers twice. ¡°Ten and ten bandits¡­ kill guard. Bandits kill mercha. Bandits get elves.¡± Joan''s eyes flicked from Diavla to Varga and back. Did they¡­? Diavla caught the unasked question and shook her head with a small smile. Thank the gods. ¡°Tom Walker is guard. Tom no die.¡± Diavla held two fingers close together. He barely survived. ¡°Tom go, Tom kill four bandits. Tom see us. Tom help us.¡± ¡°Well, that''s illegal,¡± Mark declared. Joan gave her husband a sharp glance, but he was only saying a fact. Diavla looked puzzled, so Joan tried, ¡°king say bad.¡± ¡°Bad is no good?¡± She sounded as if she were double checking something she thought she knew. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is ¡®king¡¯, please?¡± Mark spoke up. ¡°King say, guards do. King say, we do. King say, everybody do.¡± ¡°Saa.¡± Diavla sighed, looking disappointed, then got that careful look on her face again. ¡°I no say Tom do no good.¡± She doesn''t want to get her rescuer in trouble. ¡°Well, I for one want to meet this Tom Walker. I see Tom, please.¡± Diavla asked Kervan something in Elvish. ¡°Tonight,¡± Kervan replied. ¡°Tonight, tomorrow, two tomorrow, Tom go wagon. You see Tom.¡± Diavla took a deep breath, and finally asked the big question. ¡°You help us? You help Tom?¡± ¡°We''re not breaking the law,¡± Mark declared firmly. ¡°No.¡± Seeing the fear in Diavla''s eyes, Joan quickly added, ¡°We no¡­no help.¡± She glared at her husband, who held up hands defensively and nodded. ¡°We didn''t see anything,¡± he agreed. ¡°Besides, they gave us the ox, so I have to do that much.¡± ¡°We no say elves. Guard ask, we no see elves,¡± Joan simplified. Diavla spoke rapidly to Varga, who shrugged. Diavla turned back to face the humans again. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You''re welcome.¡± ¡°Porridge is ready!¡± Winnie sang. They had used the kitchen fire instead of the one in the main room. Orvan came out first, pushing the door open with his elbow, carrying a pot. Winnie followed with a trivet and bowls. ¡°How was Orvan?¡± Joan asked. ¡°He was magnificent, a wild animal of passion,¡± Winnie moaned, winking at Orvan. The old elf raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He probably got the gist, but kept a mostly blank expression. ¡°You should taste for yourself,¡± she added dramatically. Mark snorted and shook his head. ¡°You''re incorrigible.¡± ¡°But you have so much fun trying. Please, corrige me again, husband. Corrige me hard.¡± Joan rolled her eyes at Winnie''s antics. Good thing the elves have no idea what she is saying. ¡°We argue now, please.¡± Diavla turned and started speaking rapidly in Elvish. Presumably, she was filling Orvan in on what they had learned, and the elves had a discussion. Meanwhile, Winnie served out the porridge, receiving thanks from each elf. ¡°So now what?¡± Mark asked his wives. ¡°Well, they can at least stay here while the rain keeps up. It''s only a day or two, we could just let them have a couple of rooms. They paid us an entire ox, that''s worth some room and board, don''t you think?¡± ¡°Mm. I was going to get some work done¡­¡± ¡°Nothing says you can''t, love. Winnie and I can entertain our guests. I can''t go picking herbs in this downpour so I was going to be at loose ends anyway. Besides, I want to see if I can learn a little Elvish while they are here, and maybe find out more of their story.¡± ¡°Mm¡­you holler if they give you any trouble, Joan. I mean it.¡± ¡°Understood, husband.¡± Joan could see Mark''s hands twitching a little, as if eager to get to work. ¡°Go. We''ll be fine.¡± ¡°I''ll keep an eye on them, Mark,¡± Winnie added. Reluctantly, Mark stood, gave each of his wives a kiss, and headed off to his workroom. Joan noted that the elves did not seem fazed in the slightest at the signs of their relationship. I wonder what their culture says about group marriage? It would be nice if they were more enlightened than humans about it. Joan had to take a certain amount of verbal abuse at times in human society. She had had to take on the role of ¡°mistress¡± in public, while Winnie was allegedly Mark''s only wife. People gave them odd looks when they learned about their relationships, mostly at the idea of Joan and Winnie coexisting under one roof. Joan had been accused of being a homewrecker more than once, but she usually just pointed out that their home was in fine shape. That was one of the reasons they lived way out here. She was proud of their house. She looked forward to showing it off to the elves, and eventually to Tom Walker. A man with two female slaves would be in no position to argue with a man having two wives. Besides, they were taking good care of his property, so he had no call to be upset. The elves looked strangely awkward, but not with the affection shown. It was as if they had to remember how to sit on benches and eat at a table. Emotions flitted across their faces ranging through relief, joy, sadness, grief, and anger. But food tended to help stabilize the soul, Joan had found. Orvan and Winnie quickly hit it off. Joking aside, Orvan was apparently already a good cook, but was unfamiliar with the ingredients in human lands. So Winnie got to show off her cooking and baking skills, and took the opportunity to make lots of different kinds of food for their guests. All the while Winnie flirted outrageously with him, but the old elf seemed to take it in stride. The elves all ate large portions, and Diavla explained that they had not quite been getting enough food while traveling in the slave wagon. When she asked, Diavla added that they had been eating much better ever since meeting Tom. Well, that''s one point in his favor, Joan supposed. Varga volunteered to do various chores, like bringing water and firewood. She seemed to be happiest when active, and actually did some odd-looking exercises when she had nothing else to occupy her body. Sometimes she pestered the other elves with questions. She was tall for an elf, nearly Joan''s height, and their red hair was similar and yet different enough that they had a nonverbal conversation about how human and elven hair differed. Varga even took a knife and cut off a small lock of her hair as an offering, and Joan did the same. The texture was strange; slick, but not oily. She wondered if elven hair got tangled less easily. Kervan offered to help with the sewing, and proved to have nimble fingers. He listened in as he worked while Joan and Diavla talked, and occasionally provided a word Diavla had forgotten. He must have one of those graven souls, where they never forget anything, Joan mused. She had seen such a person in the city once; the jester had shown off their prodigious memory with a number of tricks. Joan asked Diavla a great many questions, and did her best to answer a lot in return. She was concerned about how the elves would be treated, and she didn''t know this Tom person. It took quite a while to build up the vocabulary for what she wanted to ask. Joan mentally smoothed out the translations in her head as they went along. ¡°Are you worried that Tom will sell you to someone else?¡± Gesture, gesture, translate, translate. ¡°No. Small yes,¡± Diavla amended. ¡°We see Tom nine day. Nine day is small. Yes. We are scared. Tom is¡­good. Tom is good man. He help us. Here is scared.¡± This situation is scary? Joan guessed. ¡°That''s fair. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°We want elf land. Tom say he give wagons, get gold, give gold, get boat. It is big, very big. We want. We very want.¡± ¡°Do you believe him?¡± It took a few tries before Joan managed to paraphrase, ¡°Tom say, you know?¡± ¡°Trust?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you trust Tom?¡± Diavla sighed, picking her words with care. ¡°I want trust Tom. I very want. Maybe, I trust him. Maybe, I am scared. And one say Tom is good now. Tomorrow, and tomorrow tomorrow?¡± The elf shrugged. ¡°Has he asked you to lie with him? Um, did he ask, you and Tom¡­bed?¡± ¡°No.¡± Diavla paused. ¡°Tom want women. He see us. He like see us. He no say, he no ask, he no do.¡± The elf woman fidgeted a moment, then confessed in a quiet voice. ¡°I ask. Tom say no.¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Diavla lowered her voice further. ¡°I want Tom. Tom want me. We no do. Tom say no.¡± Well, now, that is very interesting. I wonder why he turned her down? I can think of a few different reasons, that would say very different things about the man. His motives are important here. What is he like? Joan looked forward to meeting the mysterious Tom Walker with some trepidation and a lot of curiosity. Chapter 15: Crystals and Conversation What a day. Tom plodded south on Forest Road, avoiding the worst of the puddles. He had spent a couple of hours recovering at the Copper Road Inn and eating a big hot meal before continuing his trek, since he had time to do that and still get back to the campsite by nightfall. It was a little hard to tell when the sun was setting from the gradually increasing gloom and the continuing heavy rain, though. It will be good to get back to the elves. They won''t be able to have a fire, but just drying off a bit and putting this pack down will be a big help. Glad I got the waterproof kind, even if it does make my back sweaty. At least, the goods I''m carrying won''t be soaked. His mind wandered over the different things he had to do. He thought about Diavla and smiled. She''ll be glad to get the information. I like talking with her. She''s so clever and inventive with the gestures. Visibility was getting miserable enough that Tom pulled out the rock light he had bought as a precaution. The tricky part is going to be finding the hiding place again, especially in this weather. Tom had memorized some landmarks, but in the gloom he wasn''t sure that would be enough. He ended up walking past it twice before spotting it on the third pass. It''s a good hiding spot, at least. There wasn''t much point in worrying about leaving tracks in the downpour, so he only fretted about breaking branches as he pushed his way down the small slope. At long last, the wagons came into view. ¡°Hello!¡± Tom called in Elvish. ¡°Diavla? Kervan?¡± There was no response, but it was possible that they just couldn''t hear him over the rain. ¡°Varga? Orvan? You are here?¡± Tom stuck his head inside the grain wagon, and saw two bedrolls but no elves. The ironwork wagon didn''t really have room, nor did the ale wagon, but he checked, anyway. Finally, he looked in the wagon with the cases bound for High Pass Temple. There were two more bedrolls there, but it was unoccupied as well. Demon shit. The elves are gone. Tom felt rising panic. What happened? Where are they? Were they captured? Run off? He forced himself to calm down enough to act. He searched and made sure all the cargo was intact. The packs were gone, but not the bedrolls. The spears were gone. The spare ox was gone, oddly, but the others were huddled under the makeshift shelter they had improvised before he headed to Rivermarch. At least they were armed when they left. So what happened? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It took Tom a while to decide that there was nothing useful he could do in his current state. He was tired, it was dark, and the rain was still pouring. He had no idea which way to go. He would have to wait for morning. Even after making that decision, it didn''t stop his soul from spiraling as he tried to guess what had happened. How long ago did they leave? He couldn''t think of a good way to tell. It could have been minutes, or two days. Think, Tom! Figure it out! Why would they leave the wagons? Either they were forced to go, or they wanted to go. If someone found them here in the wagons, why didn''t they take the wagons? This cargo is worth tens of gold at least, it''s a fortune. Of course, the elves alone are worth tens of gold, and maybe it was easier to make off with the elves first and come back for the rest later. But how? How did someone find them, and what happened when they approached? If they took the elves at sword point, did they find the collars and put them back on? That at least gave Tom something he could check. It was a few minutes of rummaging around, and stepping out into the rain briefly to switch wagons, but he eventually did find the bag Kervan had stuffed the collars in, and they were all still in there. There''s that, at least. All right, where would they go? The closest place of any size is Copper Road, and I just came from there. I should have passed them on the road, right? Unless they moved on before I came back. Did they switch at the crossroads, and go east or west? Did they take the elves south instead? Tom felt himself starting to panic again and took a breath. Don''t overreact, Tom. Maybe they found a cave or something that was more comfortable, and moved there to wait out the rainstorm. It''s not as if they could leave you a note. He hadn''t found any such cave when they settled themselves in the little valley, but the elves had had days here to explore. You can''t do anything about anything tonight. Get some rest, and hopefully, things will look better in the morning. Even if someone is making off with the elves, they''re probably hunkered down somewhere against the weather, too, so you''re not losing any ground. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom fretted. It was hard not to, there wasn''t anything else to do. Tom was tired, worried, and bored at the same time. After a while, his gaze fell on the damaged black case. Hm. No, I should leave it alone. Some time passed. I could just take a peek, see what''s inside there. That one case is already broken, after all. The bandits already messed with it. No. Leave it, Tom. More time passed. Tom found himself imagining all sorts of terrible outcomes for the elves, and didn''t have anything to distract himself from his worries. Maybe I''ll just look it over. He went to the damaged case and inspected it, using the rock light. The case was about as long as his arm, and half that tall and wide. The wood wasn''t painted, but it was so dark Tom wasn''t even sure what kind of tree it came from. There was some decoration carved into the wood; from a distance, it looked like writing. He ran a hand along it, feeling the small grooves, and the broken corner where the bandits presumably had cracked the wood and splintered off a small piece. It had messed up part of the decoration, too. The lid creaked but didn''t give much when Tom pulled on it. It was locked, naturally. Tom went through the bags of personal items by feel, looking for keys, and found a couple. Neither one fit the crate''s lock, though. The gods only knew where the correct key was. Leave it alone, he told himself, and went back to practicing his Elvish. He was annoyed at how much he was forgetting. He had been told he had a good memory but didn''t really believe it because he still forgot things, sometimes important things. The little words are the hardest for some reason. I mean, does ¡®kel¡¯ mean ¡®from¡¯, ¡®of¡¯, or ¡®by¡¯? He lay down and tried to sleep, but it was too early for that, really. He also couldn''t relax, because he was too worried about the elves. He had nothing much to look at except for the cases. Oh, demons take it. Tom got up, found the iron pry bar someone had left in the corner of the wagon, and set about breaking the damaged case open. It took much of his considerable strength and all of his dexterity to get it open without completely wrecking it. Finally, the wood around the lock gave way. Stupid of me, but I can always blame it on the bandits when I hand these things off to somebody. Taking a deep breath, Tom set aside the pry bar, gripped the lid and raised it. The case smelled of dust. Very, very old dust. Tom coughed a couple of times and took some fresh breaths at the exit flap before returning, moving slowly so as not to stir things up. I guess I''m sleeping in the grain wagon after this. There was some sort of inner lid or cover. Tom removed it cautiously, then picked up the rock light and stepped back so that he could see. Huh. The case was largely filled with some sort of dull gray padding material that probably used to be cloth, but was brittle and cracked with age. There were three indentations, and whatever was inside them sparkled a bit in the rock light. Tom moved back and forth, squinting, trying to get a good look. The first hole was partly filled with what seemed to be tiny shards of black crystal. The shards crumbled further at a touch, leaving a dusty residue that made Tom''s fingers itch. He took a moment to wash his hand off in the rain before continuing. The second hole was likewise partly filled with shards of crystal; these were gray, and the shards were a bit larger than the black ones. They were fragile, but not quite as fragile as the first. Tom was able to pick one up and inspect it at arm''s length for a few moments, turning it in his fingers until it snapped in half. He dropped the pieces back where they came from and rinsed off his hand again. The third hole contained a big red crystal. Is this what those other two used to be? If so, they broke from age or mishandling at some point. Given the way the wagon bounces on the road, and how fragile these things are, it might have happened recently. Maybe even when the bandits damaged the case. Tom reached in and picked up the red crystal, only to find that it was broken as well, just not as badly. It came apart in three large pieces, and he struggled to catch them in both hands before setting them down gingerly, back in the hole they came from. Just from doing that much, a small piece broke off, landing in the hole first. Tom''s fingers didn''t itch this time, but he washed his hands off again, anyway. The crystals and their padding didn''t seem like enough to fill the case, though. Tom looked around to see if there was anything else, and realized that the entire top half was a tray that could be removed. Proceeding gently, Tom lifted the tray up and out, setting it down slowly, then picked up the rock light and peered down into the deeper opening. Three intact crystals lay nestled in more of the padding. Each was a different color: turquoise, bright green, and a dull, dirty yellow. Tom reached out to pick up the green one, and recoiled instinctively, not quite having touched it, snatching his hand back as if from a hot fire. Nope. Something told him that touching the crystal would be a very bad idea. I''m no mage, but if this is something nasty bottled up and it leaks¡­ He looked back at the upper tray, with its three broken crystals. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. This could be bad. Did this happen when the bandits messed with it, or before? Mr. Sashen slept in here, and he had been traveling with the caravan for weeks at least, so the intact cases can''t be that dangerous, but what about this broken one? We''ve been jostling it on the road, and nothing bad has happened, but¡­ Tom thought about it, then took his dagger and started cutting up his bedroll to make padding. With great care, he added an extra level of protection as best he could, and repacked the case, almost holding his breath at times against the dust. He didn''t relax until the case was closed again. Even then, he didn''t want to spend the night in the same wagon. The crystals wagon, he dubbed it mentally. He moved his things over to the grain wagon and stared out at the rain in the little valley, despairing of getting any sleep. He practiced his Elvish a little but his soul was just going in circles. He couldn''t concentrate. ¡°Hello?¡± GAH! Tom jolted so hard he was grateful he wasn''t still in the crystals wagon; he might have shattered another one. It was a man''s voice. Quickly, Tom moved to the other end of the wagon and peeked out. A big man in a slicked cloak was approaching, holding a lantern. Tom made sure his weapons were at the ready, and looked into the gloom trying to spot any others. ¡°Who goes there?¡± he called. ¡°Mark Carver. I own this land. Are you Tom Walker?¡± Tom felt a surge of both hope and worry. The elves were alive, or at the very least, they had been given a chance to speak. He took a second to gather his thoughts and clear his throat. ¡°I am. I apologize, I wasn''t aware anyone owned this land.¡± ¡°Your, ah, companions said you might be getting back tonight, but that you also might be another day or two. I was going to leave a note for you. Would you like to come to my house and talk? It''s not far, and the ¡­others are already there. You can spend the night, of course¡ªlet''s just get out of this miserable rain, eh?¡± Tom hesitated for a moment, his soul whirling, then nodded. ¡°Yes, thank you. One moment.¡± Quickly, he gathered his things, donned his cloak and hefted his pack, then stepped out. Mark Carver was inspecting the makeshift shelter the elves had created for the oxen. It seemed to be holding up. ¡°They''re not happy, but they''ll survive to morning. That wheel doesn''t look good, by the way.¡± Mark pointed at the wheel that had broken on the road and Tom had ¡°fixed¡± as well as he could. ¡°I know. I did my best. So long as it lasts to Rivermarch, that''s all I ask of it.¡± ¡°Maybe I can help you with it after the rain ends. Come on.¡± Tom followed the man, who did appear to be alone, as he led the way back to the road, north a bit, and then down a mostly concealed trail, which led after a couple of turns to a large two-story house in the middle of the forest. He blinked in surprise, and glanced at the stable to one side before following the man up to the main building. Carver pounded on the front door. ¡°Hello?¡± A woman''s voice called. ¡°Ever sweet,¡± Carver replied, and a moment later Tom could hear a bar being lifted and the door opened. Bright firelight spilled out into the night, getting swallowed up within a few feet. The men both entered the house, and Carver shut and barred the door. ¡°You found him!¡± The redheaded woman who had gotten the door looked very pleased. Tom immediately peered past her and glanced around the large room. There was a big, long table and a huge fireplace. The place looked like an inn. Far more importantly, the elves were sitting on benches around the fire, along with a very large woman with yellow hair. Tom felt a huge wave of relief wash over him. Diavla was already up and moving, grinning at him. He sighed happily. ¡°Diavla! You''re all right!¡± ¡°Tom!¡± He shed his pack and cloak quickly so that he could grab her in a hug when she moved up to him. He crushed her to him just for a moment, careful of his strength, as always. She felt good in his arms, and warm, as she hugged him back tightly. He pulled his head away, trying to see her more clearly, and realized that this was the first time he had ever hugged her, yet it had felt completely natural to him. He felt himself smiling, and she was smiling back. But then she looked embarrassed as she let go, making Tom feel a touch awkward. He drew upon his meager Elvish. ¡°Are you good? I am scared tonight.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Tom. We four are good. You are here. I am happy.¡± Tom looked around the room. The redhead at the door picked his cloak up off the floor and hung it on a peg. ¡°Welcome, Tom,¡± she called. ¡°I''m Joan Carver. That''s Winnie.¡± She pointed at the large woman sitting at the elves. ¡°Go grab a towel and warm yourself by the fire.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma''am. Can you tell me what happened, how you met?¡± Tom moved over to the fire and started warming and drying himself. ¡°Well, we saw the smoke from their campfire the past couple of evenings. Once would probably be someone passing through. Twice in a row, and we knew someone was camping on our land. Not knowing what to expect, Mark and I went over there this morning. We met the elves and invited them here to wait out the rainstorm. Ah¡­the elves bribed us with your spare ox, in exchange for keeping quiet about them. I hope that''s all right.¡± That''s a lot of money for keeping a secret. But it''s a really important secret. Tom considered a moment, then nodded. ¡°That''s fine. If I''m going to be responsible for them, I have to accept deals they made.¡± ¡°So you''re claiming them as your property?¡± Mark asked. Tom hesitated, and his mouth puckered as if he had bitten into something sour. ¡°For legal purposes¡­yes. I talked to a lawyer. They''re legitimate salvage,¡± he added defensively. ¡°What do you intend to do with them?¡± The large woman asked, frowning. Tom shrugged. ¡°Help them. I feel responsible for them, since I was guarding the caravan they were in. So I''m going to do my best to leave the big decisions up to them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Joan Carver sounded skeptical. Tom held up his hands and shrugged. ¡°I can''t tell them what to do. I mean, I won''t, even though I could. I mean¡­¡± He gestured vaguely for a moment as he hunted for words. ¡°If I tell them to do something, they are going to feel pressured to do it to keep me happy, right? Even if I don''t make it an order.¡± ¡°So you''re just going to do whatever they tell you to?¡± Tom fought down his annoyance with the suggestion. ¡°I certainly want to take charge. I''m comfortable leading a group, I know Western, I know what humans are like, and the elves don''t. But¡­I''m really trying hard not to lead them without being asked. ¡°If I make a suggestion, then the next time I might make it more firmly, and then I start giving little orders, and then big ones¡­I''m worried that I would turn into¡­someone I don''t want to be. It''s incredibly frustrating. I want to take charge, but I can''t.¡± Joan blinked and stared at him oddly. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Eighteen, why?¡± Tom guessed that Joan was in her mid-twenties, herself. She opened and closed her mouth a moment, then shook her head and said, ¡°I''m just impressed, is all. That''s very mature of you. Most men your age would already be ordering the women to lie with them.¡± ¡°Well, then I''d have to live with myself afterward.¡± Tom glanced over at Diavla to find her watching him intently. ¡°Sorry, Diavla.¡± It felt like an ugly topic and Tom felt bad even discussing it in front of the elves. The pretty elf waved a hand dismissively. She didn''t look upset, she looked¡­very interested. I wonder how much of that she caught? Joan was looking at him curiously after his response. ¡°Well, maybe you''re strong enough to resist the temptation, then. Your concern speaks well of you. Trustworthy people should trust themselves.¡± Tom blinked. Am I being too cautious? The idea of relaxing his vigilance alarmed him, so Tom cleared his throat and changed the subject. ¡°May I ask about all of you, and this place?¡± Mark, Joan and Winnie all looked at each other for a couple of moments. Interesting. Do these people have some secrets too? ¡°Well¡­I built this place to be an inn, and put up travelers on the Forest Road,¡± Mark Carver began. ¡°I may have gotten a bit ambitious, and I had a lot of help early on.¡± ¡°It looks like one. I see all the pegs for lots of cloaks, and this big common room, and a second story and a big stable. But you''re set pretty far back from the road, aren''t you?¡± Mark rolled his eyes, and Tom realized that the man was probably tired of people pointing that out. ¡°Yeah, I know. At first, this was just going to be a temporary structure, and the real building was going to be right up on the road, fairly near the Nook, actually¡ªthat''s what we call the little valley you stashed your wagons in.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. You start a project, and one thing leads to another and suddenly the plan is all different. I''ve been in that situation myself,¡± Tom reassured him. ¡°What do you do for a living, Tom Walker? You''re a guard?¡± ¡°I''ve been a lot of different things: smith, miner, lumberjack, town guard¡­ I left home four years ago and have been traveling ever since, and I tried out a bunch of jobs,¡± Tom explained. ¡°The world is big and I want to see more of it and have more experiences before I get stuck in one place doing one job for the rest of my life.¡± He caught himself and cleared his throat nervously. ¡°Sorry, didn''t mean to ramble. You were telling me about the plans for this to be an inn.¡± ¡°Well, there''s not much more to tell. I had a great time designing and building all this, and while I was working on it, I started selling some of my carvings, and that turned into a solid job. And we talked it over and, well, I decided I''d rather be a carver than an innkeeper.¡± ¡°How did you get the land?¡± ¡°I bought the rights to it, and I kept buying more for a while, just so nobody could build something obnoxious right next to us. I''ve stopped adding land because to retain title of it I have to patrol it and keep it free of hazards, and that already takes as much time as I''m willing to give it.¡± So he''s fairly rich, if this huge house were not hint enough. Mark continued, ¡°That''s why I was so surprised that the elves said they faced off against a wolf pack last night.¡± ¡°Wolves?¡± Tom turned to Diavla who nodded. ¡°Eight wolves, Tom. We are good. They did are scared, they did go.¡± ¡°Did you kill some of them? Ah¡­wolves die?¡± She shook her head. Varga leaned forward and called cheerfully in Elvish, ¡°Diavla scare the wolves (something). They (something something)¡ª¡± ¡°Varga! Tom (something) know (something) words.¡± Diavla looked as if she urgently wanted Varga to shut up. ¡°You (something) very good (something), Dee.¡± Tom raised an eyebrow. Hm. I''ll try to get that story later. The conversation jumped around. The Carvers were all very interested to hear the story of the bandit attack. Tom avoided certain topics, and said that a passing healer had found them, and had agreed to stay quiet about the elves. He noticed that Mark, Joan or Winnie changed the subject sometimes when their personal lives came up. Tom was more than happy to let them keep their secrets. He was just grateful that the elves weren''t prisoners. ¡°So what have you all been doing all day?¡± he asked. ¡°Orvan has been helping with the cooking, and Kervan has been doing some sewing for me that I hadn''t gotten around to. Diavla has been teaching me Elvish. I say small Elvish. See?¡± Tom nodded politely. ¡°I''ve also been teaching Diavla and Kervan some more Western words.¡± That got Tom''s attention. ¡°Great! I''m happy for all the help I can get there. What did you learn, Diavla? Ah¡­¡± Tom was about to simplify, but Diavla grinned and waved a hand in dismissal. ¡°I did learn say ¡®did.¡¯ ¡®did am¡¯ is ¡®was¡¯, ¡®did are¡¯ is ¡®were¡¯. I did learn. I was happy. Joan did help me.¡± ¡°That¡­actually helps, a lot. Thank you,¡± Tom told Joan. ¡°Tom? What you did learn? In Rivermarch?¡± Diavla asked. It took a long while, but Tom eventually managed to convey everything Simon Law had told him. At least, he hoped he got it all got across. It turned out that the Carvers had known some of that already and had told the elves, which made things easier. Finally, Tom got up to the present. ¡°So¡­you choose what we will do tomorrow,¡± he told the elves. ¡°Tomorrow, you say, we do.¡± They proceeded to argue in Elvish for a while. It was too fast for Tom to follow the discussion. ¡°Wagons go fast, good. We will take four wagons, no one wagon,¡± Kervan said finally. ¡°Three elves will go wagons, one elf will stay here.¡± Tom noticed that Kervan was talking about the future without difficulty. I suppose ¡®did¡¯ and ¡®will¡¯ are enough for a lot. Tom nodded. It made sense; he didn''t expect the elves to all be willing to put the slave collars back on, since if that happened they would have to trust him to remove them again. That was a lot to ask of them, since they had just gotten free of the cursed things after months under their control. One elf free could, in theory, rescue the rest. ¡°Who will stay?¡± ¡°I will stay.¡± ¡°Is that all right?¡± Tom asked the Carvers. ¡°The ox pays for a fair bit of lodging. If Kervan is all right with staying here a week or two until you all get back, we''ll be happy to host him,¡± Mark replied. ¡°Thank you. I really appreciate your help here.¡± ¡°If anyone comes and finds Kervan, I''m telling them he''s your slave and you left him with us temporarily to pay for some lodging,¡± Mark told him. ¡°He''ll need a slave collar for that.¡± A brief silence fell. Joan spoke up. ¡°He wouldn''t have to wear the collar unless someone showed up! He can keep it and sleep with it under his pillow or wherever. Just somewhere he can get at it quickly if he needs to play the role.¡± Tom quickly translated that as best he could. Kervan sighed heavily, and after several moments, nodded. ¡°We will argue.¡± The elves had another discussion. Tom caught his name, and the word trust several times. The humans waited quietly. The discussion got involved, and Winnie put out fresh tea for everyone. Finally, Kervan addressed the humans again. ¡°We four and Tom go Rivermarch. Thank you,¡± he told the Carvers. ¡°I go. We elves stay¡­¡± Kervan brought his hands together. ¡°Together.¡± Tom and Kervan recited the word in both languages. ¡°Together,¡± Diavla chimed in. ¡°It is good word, I think.¡± Tom wanted to feel flattered, but he knew it was because the Carvers were even more strangers to them than Tom was. Better the demon you know. He thought about how to reassure them. ¡°Night, you no get collars. Day, you get collars. We hide, you no get collars.¡± The elves nodded, and their tension seemed to ease a little bit. This is a hard road for the elves, no matter what they do, Tom mused. All I can do is smooth the way as much as possible, and try to always act in a way that is clearly trustworthy. Act¡­ Tom felt the beginnings of a plan forming in his soul. I''ll have to talk this through with them very carefully, and make it very clear that they don''t have to do it. But depending on the attitudes we find once we are walking down the street, it might be the best move. Sometimes, a careful lie can do a lot of good. Chapter 16: Turnabout It had been quite a day. They had all washed outside in the heavy rain, using soap for the first time in months. They got to sit at a table near a fire and talk like civilized people. It was the first time any of them had even had a proper roof over their heads since they left the ship that brought them to the human continent. Diavla had a few quiet crying jags, but was feeling a bit better. She wasn''t sure about Mark Carver, but Joan and Winnie Carver both seemed like nice, friendly people. Their situation was improved, if still precarious. ¡°Do we really have to wear the collars?¡± Varga asked. ¡°Well, we''ll argue about it with Tom when the time comes.¡± ¡°Maybe we can break the collars? Break the magic?¡± Diavla shook her head. ¡°That''s risky. We don''t want to damage the enchantment without completely breaking it. The cursed thing might instantly constrict and kill the wearer when they put it on.¡± ¡°Can you tell whether the enchantment is completely broken?¡± Diavla hesitated. ¡°Not reliably enough to risk our lives on it. It''s not a skill I ever got to practice much.¡± Varga sighed. ¡°Maybe we can leave the collars open a little? Just jam them so the magic doesn''t activate and we can pull them off?¡± ¡°We can try that. Maybe a bit of cloth would do it. But we''d need a way to secure the collar so that it doesn''t fall off on its own at the wrong time.¡± ¡°There''s always the option of hiding that we''re elves, trying to pass as human,¡± Kervan suggested. ¡°I could make us some simple scarves to hide our ears.¡± They all mulled that over for a moment. Varga looked around at everyone, human and elf, then shook her head. ¡°Nah. That wouldn''t work. We look too different from humans, with all the little things: our eyebrows, our hair, our eye colors, our build. Nah. I could tell. We have to assume that humans can tell too.¡± ¡°And we''d look very suspicious if we wore a heavy cloak and completely hid ourselves all the time,¡± Diavla added. ¡°Maybe¡­we could each try something different?¡± ¡°No.¡± Orvan spoke up. ¡°That''s more things to go wrong. I am willing to wear the collar.¡± Yes, well, you don''t have much will to live, Orvan, Diavla thought but didn''t say. ¡°Let''s put a collar on Tom,¡± Varga suggested. Diavla blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just for a little while. So he knows what it feels like,¡± the redhead explained. ¡°So he knows what he''s asking of us.¡± ¡°That''s¡­a good idea,¡± Kervan put in. ¡°Even if he refuses to try it, that will tell us something.¡± Diavla reluctantly nodded. ¡°And even if he refuses, it will force him to think about what is is like for us.¡± She mulled that over for a minute. ¡°I just wonder¡­Tom might actually insist that we not wear the collars, after that. He might not be willing to bear the thought of doing that to us, once he really thinks about how it would feel.¡± ¡°So let''s find another solution,¡± Kervan said. ¡°It''s still worth asking him, but let''s assume that we''re not wearing the collars activated. I''ll see if the humans have some string or twine.¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± Diavla countered. ¡°The man of the house might get ideas about what we''re up to.¡± ¡°Good point. I''ll wait until we''re back at the¡­oh, demons. The fabric wagon is gone.¡± Kervan scowled. ¡°I can probably still rig something up.¡± Then he sneezed violently. ¡°Kervan, did you pick up a human sickness?¡± Varga asked. Kervan looked ready to deny it, so Diavla put in, ¡°I can check that when we''re alone.¡± ¡°What, really?¡± Varga asked. ¡°Yes. Remember? I told you how frustrating it is to be able to see a sickness and not be able to do anything to cure it?¡± ¡°That''s right¡­¡± Varga looked chagrined to have forgotten. Her friend wasn''t being fair to herself. In a small village with Little Miss Perfect Healer, there wasn''t ever a need for Diavla to use any of the spirit skills she had managed to learn, so it simply never came up. Hm, I''m getting a little snippy about Sheema. I guess I''m tired. Focus, Diavla. She resumed her part of the conversation. ¡°So, I can at least find out what, if anything, is wrong, Kervan. Come see me once we know where we''re sleeping and have some privacy. I don''t think Tom knows I have any spirit skills, let alone the other humans here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kervan sniffed slightly. Tom spent a long while talking in rapid fire Western with the Carvers. Diavla could barely catch a word of it. Kervan claimed he was getting a little bit, listening closely. Varga was restless, but she visited with the animals to pass the time, once she ran out of errands and chores. Orvan was in his element, getting cooking lessons from Winnie and teaching her a little about elvish cuisine in return. It was good to see a little life in the man. The blond woman appeared to be flirting with Orvan and teasing him constantly. Across the language barrier, nothing seemed to be bothering Orvan; he just looked amused. No one was complaining about having an unusually large number of snacks available, either. Finally, everyone was getting tired, and the Carvers offered three sleeping rooms on the second floor: one for the elven men, one for the women, and one for Tom. Diavla took a while checking over Kervan; to her embarrassment she didn''t fully remember how it went, and it took a fair bit of fumbling before it came back to her. Fortunately, some spirits of Curiosity liked Diavla''s request enough and helped her out. It turned out to be just a mild cold after all, and all the elves were relieved. Settling into their own room, Varga and Diavla adjusted the bedding to suit them and curled up together. Varga wanted kisses and hugs, but not more than that. Diavla was happy to oblige. She actually had to quash a slight urge to get more amorous with her friend. They spoke to each other in whispers for a while before Varga fell asleep. Diavla stared at the ceiling and listened to the rain. One more night on the road. The morning after tomorrow, we''ll be in the human city. By Tom''s plan, we''ll be selling the grain, the alcohol, and delivering the ironwork as quickly as possible. After that¡­? Well, we''ll see. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla woke in the night for her necessary, and then couldn''t get back to sleep. Varga was snoring softly, and Diavla was feeling antsy. She pulled her clothes back on and tiptoed out of the room. She walked slowly and quietly, exploring the building in the dark. There was no need to have anyone keep watch inside the secure house, but she wouldn''t have been surprised if one of the residents were up to keep an eye on the strangers. The building was well-made; the stairs didn''t creak when she went down to the fireplace. She warmed herself for a couple of minutes, then resumed looking around. Soon she found the bedrooms of their hosts, and tiptoed away with a smile when she heard amorous noises coming from behind one of the doors. She paused in the upper hallway, considering the doors. Orvan and Kervan were sharing the first room on the left. Tom had the room beyond theirs. She and Varga were sharing the room across the hall from Tom''s. She walked up to Tom''s door and stopped. I can''t go in there. He''ll wake up and be angry. He might¡­grab my wrists again¡­ Diavla paused for a deep breath, feeling warm. I wish I could get away with kissing him. Diavla tried to think up an excuse for sneaking into his room. You could say you were testing his alertness, Diavla told herself. She discarded the idea at once. You got confused about which room was which? No. You heard a noise and got scared? Better, but no. He would be on high alert and probably do a patrol. You felt lonely and wanted a man to just hold you. That one tempted Diavla. It took advantage of Tom''s kindness so it would likely work. But would it make him brood nervously? Or get upset because he''s ashamed of his desire for me? Diavla raised her hand to knock, but then paused. It''s been an emotional day. My thoughts are muddled. Complicated things can wait. For now, back to bed. Diavla quietly went into the room she shared with Varga and lay down. Sleep was a long time coming. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã On Fourday morning, Diavla had a hard time waking up. Varga nudged her more than once, and she tried to snuggle deeper into the blankets, using her friend like a stuffed cuddle cat. The nudging went away for a couple of minutes, then her companion started trying to get out of bed without her, and that finally woke her, if slowly. The door was just closing when she opened her eyes a crack. The bedroom became focused as she blinked, then frowned. Something felt off. Wait. Is this my room? This is my room, right? Diavla felt turned around, and looked for her pack and Varga''s. She didn''t see them. She saw Tom''s, though. What? Diavla sat up abruptly, shocked fully awake. She looked around the room, and looked down at herself to make sure she was still dressed. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. How in the world and sky¡­? She didn''t remember coming in here, and she certainly would remember it, so¡­ Don''t tell me I spirit walked in the night. I''ve never done that before! Diavla quickly got up and crossed to her own room. She looked around; Varga''s pack was already gone, while hers was still there. Also, draped over the chair was a blue dress, and a bit more cloth atop it. It turned out to be human-style undergarments, which only took her a few moments to figure out. After making sure the door was closed, she stripped out of the shirt and pants she had been wearing and put on the dress. It was a decent fit, though a bit tight in the chest. She put away her dirty clothes in her pack, moving this way and that to get familiar with the new outfit she was wearing. She picked up her own pack, steeled herself, and went downstairs. Everyone was sitting around the big table eating, and all of them looked up at her as she appeared. Feeling self-conscious, she called, ¡°Good morning, everyone. Good morning,¡± she repeated in Western. Diavla took in the expressions on their faces. Varga was wearing a green dress that fit her frame well. Her friend''s eyebrows rose and she blinked a couple of times, then grinned. Good. She''s not mad. Or at least, she didn''t stay mad. This is Varga. Orvan and Kervan looked at her with curiosity, and nodded in greeting before turning back to their food. Both of them had new shirts on. Kervan stared a little longer, but turned away jerkily after a moment. The Carvers smiled at her, though both Winnie and Joan were giving her wary, questioning looks. Tom was staring at her, his breakfast apparently forgotten for the moment. He mouthed a syllable silently, then looked embarrassed when she tried and failed to read his lips. His face was red and getting redder as she watched. Diavla didn''t preen for him, but she was¡­aware of his gaze. It felt good. ¡°Good morning, Diavla. You are good?¡± Joan called in passable Elvish. Her intense stare added a layer of meaning to her question. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Diavla gave her a warm smile and nod. No, Tom didn''t abuse me, but thank you for checking. ¡°Nice dress, Dee,¡± Varga called, smiling. ¡°You, too.¡± ¡°Thanks. It fits me really well! And I can move in it, mostly. I''m tempted to cut a slit, but I''ll wait on that. Also, we should talk when you have a minute.¡± Varga was hinting at something in her tone. ¡°What''s happening now?¡± Diavla asked first. ¡°We''re having breakfast, then packing and hitting the road,¡± Kervan told her. ¡°Right. Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°Oh, we didn''t wait. But you should grab some food quickly,¡± Kervan said with his usual practicality. Varga pointed at something round and vaguely bread-like. ¡°These are called panbakes. They''re good.¡± ¡°Pancakes,¡± Joan corrected mildly. ¡°Try ''em with butter and this brown powder they''ve got,¡± Varga continued, undeterred. Diavla took a seat, and pretty soon she and Tom were the only two still eating. Tom was clearly singing the praises of the food to both Winnie and Orvan. He really does eat a lot of food. After eating, Tom chatted with Mark and Winnie for a couple of minutes, while everyone else got ready. Joan called, ¡°Diavla? A minute?¡± Tom headed outside, and Diavla followed Joan into the pantry. ¡°Diavla, are you (something something)?¡± ¡°I no understand, but I am good. I no¡­¡± Diavla paused, struggling to find the words in Western. ¡°I sleep. I no think. I go Tom bed. I sleep.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Was Tom a (something)?¡± ¡°I am good. Tom no touch. Tom no bad. We¡­¡± Diavla gestured a hug. ¡°We sleep.¡± It was Joan''s turn to shrug, and she said a long sentence, the only word of which Diavla caught was ¡°I¡± at the beginning. ¡°I no understand.¡± Joan tried out her Elvish. ¡°I am¡­¡± She made a frightened face. ¡°Now no. You are good, I am good. Tom is very¡­¡± ¡°Red?¡± Joan laughed in surprise that Diavla knew the word. ¡°Yes. (Something.)¡± Diavla put one hand on the other woman''s arm. ¡°Thank you. You are good.¡± ¡°(Something) are you. Good (something) you.¡± Diavla cocked her head. After a couple of tries, she figured out that Joan was giving her some sort of farewell. She had no idea what the two twined fingers meant, though. Before they went outside, Mark had a surprise for them: sandals. He had managed to put together four pairs so that the elves didn''t have to go completely barefoot any more. They weren''t very comfortable, but they were good for keeping their feet out of shallow puddles at least. Mark actually apologized that he couldn''t do better. They said their goodbyes in pidgin Western-Elvish, then Mark finally walked them back to the wagons. The rain had decreased to a light drizzle. Their host helped them care for the oxen and get the wagons turned around. He even brought a piece of wood and a couple of tools, and he and Tom messed with the damaged wheel for a few minutes, until Mark seemed satisfied. Before they got rolling, Diavla approached Tom. ¡°Tom? You and I alone, please?¡± Tom stepped aside and the others gave them space. He waited, not offering to start the conversation. Perhaps he was scared to. Diavla sighed. ¡°Tom, yesterday night, what did I?¡± Tom reddened, and cleared his throat. He was having trouble meeting her gaze. He answered in Elvish. ¡°You go in. I no sleep. I talk. You no talk. You go in bed. You go on me. You sleep.¡± Finally, he looked her in the eye. ¡°I no touch you, Diavla. I talk, you sleep. I talk, you sleep. You no go. We¡­hug? We sleep.¡± He was nervous, urging with his tone for her to believe him. ¡°I understand, Tom. I am sorry. I sleep and go. This is first time.¡± She could tell that she had lost him. ¡°Um¡­day, day, day, I no sleep and go. Yesterday night, I sleep and go.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I am sorry.¡± Tom nodded slowly. ¡°Thank you. We are¡­good. Yes?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, Tom.¡± She looked around. ¡°We go now.¡± They rejoined the others. Soon they were rolling along northward towards the forest road. They traveled for an hour, then Tom called a halt and asked the elves to gather around. ¡°Collars now,¡± he said, looking unhappy. ¡°Tom.¡± Kervan stepped forward, holding a collar. ¡°We ask.¡± Diavla held her breath. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You get collar.¡± Tom stared at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You get collar now. You see. You understand. Soon, you no get collar. We get collars.¡± The blood drained from Tom''s face. He looked terrified. ¡°You¡­you want¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°You ask us, get collars. We want, we see, you understand.¡± Diavla actually could see Tom shaking. He held up a hand to stop Kervan, but he didn''t say no. She could see his soul racing as he worked through the reasoning. He started muttering something to himself in Western, the same phrase over and over. His breathing grew a bit ragged. He almost looked as if he were going to start crying. He''s absolutely terrified of it. Diavla wondered at the extreme reaction. But then, that was the whole point: for Tom to really understand in his soul what he was asking of them. We wore the collars for three months. We had no choice but to get used to it. Tom''s not going to be able to¡ª ¡°I¡­will¡­do,¡± Tom rasped. He lifted his chin and stepped closer, staring upward. Kervan stepped up, reached up and put the collar around Tom''s neck. He started to flinch and draw away but held himself still by force of will. Kervan finished putting the collar on and snapped it closed. Tom shuddered as the magic took hold, and Kervan stepped back, a cold expression on his face. ¡°Now, Tom. I am you master. You understand? I say, you do. I want you die, you die. You no kill me. You understand?¡± Tom put his hands to his neck. He felt along the collar, tugged at it experimentally. He gripped it with both hands and seemed to be trying to pull it apart with brute strength. The human gave it up after several moments. He held up his hand in front of him, turning it, flexing his fingers. He was starting to calm down, and she could see his curiosity as he started to figure out how the collar worked. ¡°Tom.¡± Kervan held up a token. ¡°You key. You want?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Get.¡± Tom looked at him, then reached for the token in the elf''s hand, only to have his fingers stop suddenly a handspan away. The human stared, horrified. He made several attempts, feeling out what the magic would and would not let him do. Kervan set the token on the closest wagon seat, then stepped back. ¡°Get.¡± Tom tried again, and found that he could not get any part of his body closer to the token than he had before. Kervan let him try for a while, then held out a dagger to the human, hilt first. ¡°Tom, here. Get.¡± After a moment, Tom took the dagger warily. Kervan spread his arms wide. ¡°You do, kill me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tom added something in rapid Western, clearly worried. ¡°Tom, do. You no kill me. Do.¡± Seeing that Kervan was not afraid at all, Tom hesitantly pushed the dagger until it touched Kervan''s shirt. ¡°Do.¡± Tom took a deep breath, and then leaned forward slightly, his muscles flexing. His face took on a look of amazement when he wasn''t able to push the dagger far enough to hurt Kervan. He strained harder, and shook a little with effort, then pulled back and tried to stab. Again, his hand was stopped. ¡°Tom, I no touch key eight day, you die. You understand?¡± Tom stared at Kervan a moment, then nodded. Kervan turned to Diavla. ¡°Tell him to walk towards you, and I''ll order him to stop.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Diavla called impulsively. ¡°I want to do something first.¡± She walked up to Tom, tilting her head back a moment. ¡°Ugh, you''re too tall. Tom, kneel.¡± She heard a little gasp from Varga, and steadfastly put it out of her mind. Tom didn''t understand, so she demonstrated by going down on one knee. ¡°Do. Kneel.¡± Then she stood up and looked at him. Tom paused, then shook his head. Kervan spoke. ¡°Tom. Kneel, or die.¡± Tom looked at the blond elf, and saw only the cold expression Kervan showed him. Taking a deep breath, Tom looked away from him and faced Diavla, then went to one knee. Diavla pointed at her face, then closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°Tom, you do. You no see.¡± Then she looked at him and waited. Tom stared up at her, and the gaze from his blue eyes was intense enough to give Diavla some heat. After a few moments of silent communion of spirits, he closed his eyes. Diavla took a moment to catch her breath, then stepped closer, bent down slightly, put one hand on Tom''s neck, and kissed him. His hands started to come up and she slapped one away with her free hand. She pushed her lips hard against his, slow but insistent, pulling on his neck as she forced him to kiss her, willing him to respond. After a few moments, he finally did. She felt it when he began kissing her back, slowly, firmly, with chained heat. Now his hand gradually came back up, and went to the back of her neck, his fingers sliding up into her hair. Her heart leaped when he tightened his grip around a fistful of her hair, and his lips pressed harder against her as she felt him rise up from his knee until he was bending over her, his other arm around her waist. Yes¡­oh, yes¡­ Her soul sang until it started to get drowned out by passion. Varga cleared her throat, loudly. Tom broke the kiss, and slowly released her. Diavla was faintly, belatedly aware that Varga had had to clear her throat more than once before that happened. It took her a moment to focus, to rise up from the haze of delight that seemed to consume her thoughts. She stepped back. ¡°Tom,¡± Kervan called, ¡°we are near did do. And one.¡± He waited a few moments until Tom appeared to be paying attention again. Then Kervan walked over, holding up the token. Tom was forced backwards, stumbling slightly in surprise. ¡°You see?¡± Kervan demanded. ¡°Now.¡± He held the token off to the side, reached up and gripped Tom''s shoulder. He brought the token closer again, and this time Tom was not forced back. Kervan pressed the token to the collar and unlocked it. With shaking hands, Tom pulled the collar off. For a few heartbeats, no one spoke. He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡­understand.¡± He handed the magic item back to Kervan. Kervan turned and looked at the others. ¡°What do people think?¡± Orvan answered first. ¡°I think you made your point.¡± Varga shook her head and sighed. ¡°He knows now.¡± She turned to the human. ¡°Tom? If I put on the collar, will you take it off again, at night? Um¡­¡± Varga paused, clearly unsure whether Tom could understand that much Elvish. ¡°Um¡­night, no collar?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Day, collar. Night, no collar. Human no see, no collar.¡± Varga looked at him and sighed. ¡°All right. I can put the collar back on.¡± Diavla nodded as well. One by one, the elves walked up to Tom and handed him a token, then stepped back and put their collar on. Diavla was the last to do so. Then they stood around, looking at Tom, waiting to see what he would do. Tom felt the tokens, rubbing them with his fingers. His expression was neutral as he looked around at them all. ¡°I do one,¡± he said, holding up a finger. Then he faced Kervan. In a voice that brooked no argument, he commanded, ¡°Kervan¡­kneel.¡± Diavla thought her face would melt from her heat. A couple of heartbeats later, Tom seemed about to gather himself to say more, and Kervan didn''t wait. He dropped to one knee in front of Tom. Nobody moved. Tom took a long, shuddering breath, then let it out. ¡°Now we are (something),¡± he told the kneeling elf. A moment later, he stepped back. In a more normal tone, he declared, ¡°Kervan, you want, you do. You do you want.¡± Then, he offered Kervan his hand. Kervan took a breath himself, and said, ¡°I guess that''s fair. I understand, Tom.¡± He took the human''s hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. Next, Tom turned to Diavla, and her heart raced to see his expression. He wants to kiss me again, he''s going to kiss me again, he¡ª Tom ran a hand over his face. ¡°We go now,¡± he announced, and abruptly turned to walk back to the lead wagon. Diavla almost felt as if she were going to fall over forward from leaning against something that wasn''t there. Varga walked up. ¡°Nicely done, sexy,¡± she murmured with a wicked grin now that she was facing away from Tom. ¡°How about you come ride with me while he cools off?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°¡­and while you relearn how to speak Elvish,¡± her friend added in a mocking tone, giving her a gentle tug on the arm. ¡°Right.¡± Diavla allowed herself to be towed away. She barely noticed that her jaw was starting to ache again. Chapter 17: Flirting I cannot believe her! Tom''s soul was a complete tangle. He felt angry, happy, offended, aroused, and very, very confused. Gods, I want to kiss her again. I want to take her and¡­ With effort, he shut down that line of thought. Not now, he told himself. He knew that desire would haunt him in the night, but for now he needed to focus on getting the elves safely to the city, so he could stake a legal claim to them and prevent others from doing so. I made Kervan kneel, which was over the line, but he did it to me first. Now we''re even. I hope he feels the same. The elf claimed that he understood why Tom did it. But I wonder what the others thought of it. Do they understand? Tom took a deep breath and let it out, thinking back to the moment the collar had locked around his neck. That was one of the hardest things I''ve ever done. The reality turned out to be not nearly as horrible as he had been imagining¡ªhe wasn''t compelled to act on every order, for example¡ªbut he really had put his life in their hands. If I had been wrong about them¡­ Tom shook his head. I told myself I wasn''t going to trust people again, but that''s not really workable, is it? I''m asking them to trust me with their lives. Copper Road was just ahead, but Tom was still lost in a stew of thoughts. Diavla kissed me. She forced me to kiss her. Obviously, I wanted to, but I had decided not to. I didn''t want to pressure her. And here she did that exact thing to me. Wait. This is Diavla. She''s really smart¡ªsmarter than me. So why did she do that? I''d love to think that she''s just so attracted to me that she couldn''t help herself, but I''m not that much of a fool. She wanted to show me something. Teach me something. She wanted me to know what it felt like to be forced to do something. Forced to be a lover. So that I wouldn''t do it to her. Or Varga. So that I would understand what it was like. This is the special fear of women, Tom knew. He hadn''t really understood why. Now, he could imagine the general horror of being forced to obey, day and night; but even so, he knew that he still didn''t really understand. He was also very disappointed in himself, because he found that he liked the idea of forcing Diavla. A lot. His soul shied away from examining that too closely, but he couldn''t help but find it worrisome. If we had been alone when she did that, I don''t know when I would have stopped. But that wasn''t really true, he realized. I know when. The moment I saw that she wasn''t enjoying it. How long would she keep up the act before admitting it, though? She is a really good actress. It felt just as if she really, really wanted to kiss me. Just goes to show how little I can trust my impressions of women. Tom was jolted out of his thoughts when the first building on Copper Road loomed ahead. He looked back to make sure all the wagons were following, and nodded encouragement to the elves. Then he focused on getting them through the town without stopping. Thanks to the Carvers, they had fresh bread, and Rivermarch was only a day away now. There was no need to stop, and Tom was wary of the welcome that strangeness received in smaller communities. They pressed on. Tom was riding alone, as Diavla was spending time with Varga. He had opted to take the crystals wagon, so that he could personally steer it as carefully as possible to avoid bumping the possibly dangerous and unstable cargo. I should talk to the elves about what I found, but we really don''t have the words for it. I would have to show them, and I don''t want to open that case again if I can help it. I''ll be glad when we can get rid of this cargo. I wonder who I should take it to? I suppose I''ll have to hire someone from the city temple to come inspect it and tell me what to do with it. He was distracted by the sound of Varga laughing. It was such a cheerful and open sound, Tom couldn''t help but smile a bit. She had to be listening to Diavla. Then he thought about talking to Diavla, and his smile faded. He had no idea what he would say to her. A minute later, he heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see Varga quickly walking up beside his wagon. A glance back showed that Diavla was now driving the grain wagon instead. Varga pointed at the seat. ¡°Tom? (Something) I (something) here?¡± He beckoned, and with an energetic leap the red-headed elf bounded up and sat quickly, then jumped up again because the seat was wet, cursing in Elvish. ¡°Give me a second! I swear, you''re like a cat,¡± Tom grumbled, grabbing a rag and giving the seat next to him a quick wipe to get the worst of the water off. ¡°Thank you.¡± On the second try, Varga settled herself. After a quick glance and a friendly smile, Varga seemed to content herself with watching the scenery go by. She observed people in the distance, now that they were coming out of the forest into areas cleared for farms. The crops looked good to Tom''s eyes. Decent harvest this year, I expect. A couple of minutes passed. Finally, Varga said, ¡°Saa.¡± ¡°Saa?¡± ¡°Diavla kissed you.¡± Varga sounded highly amused. Tom scowled. ¡°Yes. Stupid.¡± Varga responded with a lot of Elvish Tom couldn''t follow. ¡°What? Say simply, please.¡± ¡°Diavla is not stupid.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°She wants you.¡± ¡°No. She wants you,¡± Tom corrected. Varga muttered something Tom couldn''t follow, then rephrased and said something else that Tom still couldn''t follow. The elf groaned in annoyance and appeared to be thinking hard. ¡°Diavla¡­want¡­me¡­and¡­you.¡± Tom felt his brow furrow. ¡°Varga, I walk and walk. I see city. I see farm. I see town. I know men like women. I know some men like men. Women like men. Some women like women. You want women. Diavla want women. I am man. You no want me.¡± Varga stared at him. Her green eyes blinked twice. Then she got a huge grin. ¡°You (something something something)?¡± Tom shook his head. The elf got a scheming look on her face for a few moments, then shook her head as if giving up. ¡°Tom. I say simple. Some women like (something) men and women. Some men like (something) men and women. I big like men. I big like women. Diavla big like men. Diavla small like women. (Something something something.)¡± ¡°Say end words?¡± Varga put one hand to her forehead and groaned, ¡°I do not know (something) Diavla (something something) you.¡± The redhead clearly did not have as much patience with the language difficulty as Diavla or Kervan, and hadn''t learned many words of Western yet. Finally, she half-shouted, ¡°I am not you. You are not Diavla. I am not Diavla. We do not one. We are not (something).¡± ¡°We are all different,¡± Tom tried. Varga shrugged. ¡°I think I understand.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Then Tom''s soul caught up with what Varga had been saying. ¡°Wait. Diavla want me?¡± Varga stared at him a moment, then reached out and made as if to hit Tom in the side of his head with her palm. The elf''s hand stopped short when it got too close and Varga was jolted a bit. Both of them were surprised. ¡°Stupid collar. Stupid Tom. YES, Tom, Diavla want you. Tonight, you and Dee (something something?)¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Tom scowled. ¡°I no want know what you say end.¡± ¡°Stupid Tom.¡± Varga scowled, an unusual expression for her. ¡°You have, I want. You no get. Stupid. I get.¡± With that, the redheaded elf jumped off of the wagon, then stood there as Tom''s wagon rolled on past. Tom glanced back a minute later and Varga had rejoined Diavla. They were already having an animated conversation. He shook his head and returned his attention to the road. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Later, Diavla approached his wagon. ¡°Tom? I go here, please?¡± Tom eyed her, kept her waiting for a moment, then nodded. Diavla jumped up gracefully, then Tom wiped the seat and she settled herself. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom didn''t respond, and kept his gaze on the road ahead. While not paved, it was in decent condition, and it wasn''t difficult to avoid the few holes. Silence hung between them for a few moments. ¡°Tom, you are mad me?¡± Tom huffed. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I kiss you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You kiss me.¡± Tom scowled. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You kiss me very good, Tom.¡± ¡°No, Diavla.¡± He turned and looked at her. She was staring at him intently. ¡°You are wrong, Tom Walker. You kiss me very good. I very like.¡± I ¡®very like¡¯ that kiss too, Tom thought. ¡°Yes, but it was bad.¡± ¡°What is bad?¡± ¡°Bad is no good.¡± ¡°I know word, Tom,¡± Diavla shot back, sounding annoyed. ¡°What kiss is bad?¡± Tom stared at her. ¡°You''re smarter than that, Diavla¡­.¡± He paused, realizing that he didn''t know Diavla''s family name. ¡°What is you big name?¡± he asked in Elvish. ¡°Urula. I am Diavla Urula.¡± She sounded very pleased that he had asked, and that beautiful smile came out for a moment. ¡°No smile. You smart Diavla, you no ask what is bad. You know.¡± Diavla made a face and turned partly away from him. She held her cloak up a bit at her throat, instinctively hiding the slave collar from casual view. After a few minutes, she turned back and demanded, ¡°I learn Western words for ask.¡± Tom frowned. ¡°Fine. ¡®What day¡¯ is ¡®when.¡¯?¡± ¡°When. When. When you no mad, Tom?¡± She would pick that example. ¡°I do not know. When you say sorry?¡± She didn''t answer right away. Tom waited. Finally, she said, ¡°No. I no say sorry. I am no liar.¡± ¡°Who,¡± Tom continued. ¡°Who are you? You are Diavla Urula.¡± ¡°Who. Who. Who give you heartache, Tom?¡± ¡°This isn''t about that!¡± Tom snapped. ¡°Where. Where we go? We go to Rivermarch.¡± ¡°Where. Where. Where we stop tonight?¡± ¡°No house. Field.¡± Tom gestured to make it clear. ¡°Tomorrow morning, we go Rivermarch.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°(Something). (Something) you get very strong?¡± Tom realized that the word was ¡®how¡¯ and nodded. ¡°How. How. I have sword,¡± he patted it, ¡°every day. Uh, day, day, day. All days.¡± ¡°What. When. Who. Where. How. What. When. Who. Where. How.¡± ¡°Why,¡± Tom added. Then he couldn''t keep the anger out of his tone and demanded, ¡°Why did you kiss me?¡± ¡°Why. Why.¡± Diavla took a deep breath. ¡°I want you, Tom. I very want you.¡± ¡°Well, I very want you too, but here in this kingdom, you are a slave and I am your Master,¡± Tom hissed, trying to keep his voice down on the second half. ¡°Yes. What?¡± From her tone, she was asking about something new, not confused about what he had already said. ¡°?¡®So what?¡¯?¡± He clarified. ¡°So what? So what?¡± She looked at him expectantly, one eyebrow arched. ¡°So, bad you trust me!¡± Tom shot back. ¡°I no want kill you, Diavla!¡± ¡°So, you no kill me.¡± ¡°I am mad, I make mistake, you die. Bad, Diavla!¡± ¡°So, no get mad I have collar. When I have collar?¡± she tried in Western. ¡°That''s it.¡± Tom was fed up and faced her squarely. ¡°No collar. Collars in fire.¡± Diavla''s eyes widened. ¡°No, Tom! We need the collars!¡± ¡°Well, I need no kill you!¡± ¡°I am sorry!¡± Both of them stopped talking for a minute as they tried to get control of their feelings again. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Diavla quietly repeated in Western, sounding miserable. ¡°I very very want kiss you. I very very want you kiss me. You kiss, I am happy, Tom.¡± She looked down. ¡°I want¡­I am happy.¡± That took the whip from Tom''s horse. She has had a miserable three months, he reminded himself. He heaved a sigh. ¡°I want you are happy. But¡­no good.¡± He looked at her, wishing he could find a way through this. His gaze went to her neck, then her head. Quietly, he asked, ¡°I get you hair. You have headache?¡± That made her look up. ¡°No. (Something) no! I very, very like, Tom.¡± Tom blinked. ¡°You¡­like?¡± ¡°I very like,¡± she repeated firmly. Tentatively, she asked, ¡°You like, get my hair?¡± She seemed to be waiting nervously for an answer. She''s perfect. I want to marry her, Tom thought in the heat of the moment. His soul drew an image of them living together, and Tom bending her over and having his rough way with her every day. He felt his face heat. ¡°Yes. Very much yes. Diavla, I want¡­¡± Suddenly, sense returned and he bit off what he was about to ask. ¡°Yes?¡± Diavla''s amber eyes were open wide. She looked hopeful. Tom groaned in frustration, and her face fell. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Tom groused. ¡°Tom,¡± Diavla answered in a calmer tone. ¡°I am wrong. You are right. I get collar, we no¡­(something).¡± ¡°What is ¡®something¡¯?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Um¡­¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°Smile. Kiss. See eyes. Get hand. Say sex.¡± ¡°?¡®Flirt.¡¯?¡± ¡°Flirt. Flirt. I get collar, we no flirt.¡± Then her gaze hardened, and she warned, ¡°I no get collar, I flirt.¡± Tom couldn''t quite hide a smile. ¡°Bad, Diavla. You flirt now. You have collar. No flirt.¡± Diavla looked a little guilty and a little playful. ¡°Maybe I small flirt.¡± A smile slowly grew on her face. Tom put a hand over his eyes for a moment. ¡°Woman, you will be the death of me.¡± ¡°You say yes,¡± Diavla grinned. Gods, stop smiling, woman, I can''t even think straight when you do that. He summoned the last of his willpower. ¡°No. I say no.¡± ¡°You''re a bad liar, Tom.¡± Tom couldn''t help it. He cracked up. So did Diavla. Her giggle was surprisingly high-pitched, and it was possibly the most beautiful sound Tom had ever heard. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã When it was getting too late to travel, Tom steered the caravan off of the main road onto a fallow field suitable for a campsite. Leaving the elves for the moment, he walked to the farmhouse and negotiated for use of the land for the night. When Tom paid, the farmer threw a small stack of firewood into the deal, presumably to stop them from taking wood they shouldn''t. Tom hefted it all at once, surprising the farmer a bit, and carried it back to the campsite. The elves were waiting, unsure whether to set up camp yet. ¡°We are good,¡± Tom announced. ¡°I give coin.¡± He dumped the firewood and everyone started doing needed tasks. Seeing that everything was well in hand, Tom did a quick patrol, unsurprised to find nothing alarming. They were close enough to the city that any significant beast or monsters would be hunted regularly. The only real danger was bandits, and they were unlikely to strike an armed camp so near to Rivermarch. Tom stripped to the waist and went through his sword drills, trying to remember every single thing Kurt had taught him in the two lessons he had received before disaster struck. Slow. Precise. No, that was too far. Again¡­ Tom lost himself in the rhythm of learning and drill, concentrating hard. The light was starting to fade when he finished, sheathed his sword and picked up a towel to wipe himself down. When he glanced around a minute later, he saw that Diavla and Varga were side by side, in identical positions. They were leaning over, chins on their fists and elbows on their packs, watching him with matching impish grins. Once they saw him looking, they both started applauding. Varga called out something Tom couldn''t translate but which was clearly lewd. Tom bunched up his towel and threw it at her, grinning and shaking his head. He put his shirt back on, but left off his leather armor for the moment. Orvan had put together a soup that smelled like a meal of the gods. Clearly, he had learned some things from Winnie about Western spices and seasonings, and had resupplied his stock of ingredients at the Carvers'' home. Tom happily ate two bowls and a sizable serving of toasted bread. Kervan sniffled a bit and cleared his throat, then called out, ¡°Tom. We talk.¡± Tom thought about the first order of business. He looked around at the surrounding area, trying to judge how likely it would be for someone to pass close enough to their camp to recognize the elves. ¡°I think, no collars tonight is good. You have collars near. Person go here, you get collar fast. Good?¡± The elves all nodded, and Tom went through the hassle of finding the correct tokens and unlocking the collars. Orvan took it stoically and stepped back with a nod. Varga gave a loud sigh of satisfaction, then leaned forward quickly and gave Tom a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Thank you, (something).¡± Tom frowned. ¡°What is (something?)¡± ¡°You no want know,¡± Diavla told him quickly. ¡°A name.¡± ¡°I say Varga is (something)?¡± Varga laughed and they shook their heads. ¡°Man name. No good.¡± ¡°What is woman name?¡± Varga answered with an Elvish word, and Diavla immediately shoved her friend and talked over her. ¡°Varga lie, Tom.¡± Tom rolled his eyes, and unlocked Kervan''s collar. Kervan started to lean forward and Tom recoiled. ¡°No kiss, Tom!¡± the elf yelled at him in annoyance. ¡°I (something) say word. Woman word is (something). Word is¡­no good.¡± ¡°Word is flirt,¡± Diavla put in. ¡°Bad flirt. Laugh.¡± She stepped up and Tom reached up to unlock her collar. For just a moment he let his hand linger on her throat, then made himself finish the task and stepped back quickly in case she was going to try to kiss him. Diavla grumbled. Varga said something teasing and Diavla replied, ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tom.¡± Kervan cleared his throat. ¡°We talk.¡± He pointed at himself and the other elves. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We say, in Rivermarch, you say, we do.¡± Tom took a deep breath. This was important to get straight. ¡°I am leader, not Master?¡± ¡°What is ¡®leader¡¯?¡± Tom wracked his soul a moment, then answered, ¡°Guards have leader. Leader is guard. Leader say, guards do. Leader is no Master.¡± The elves looked at each other. ¡°Yes, Tom. You are leader. You know Western. You know humans. You know human cities. You are leader, humans see you and think you are Master us. Smart. And, you did get collar we ask. We trust you.¡± Tom breathed a sigh of relief and bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Kervan. Thank you, all of you. I want be good leader.¡± Offerings to the gods. That''s a relief. Navigating the morals of this situation feels like trying to balance on a rolling log in the river. Maybe it will be easier now. He saw Diavla giving him a sort of happy, hungry look. And I need all the help I can get. Chapter 18: Changed? It was really obvious when Tom relaxed, and Diavla was happy to see it. He really does want to be in charge. He was just being a gentleman and desperately trying not to take advantage of the situation. She tried not to think about how pleased she was, nor why. Now I just have to figure out the best way to flirt with him. Diavla cast her soul back, thinking over their interactions since they met, and got an idea. ¡°Tom?¡± she called with a grin. ¡°Yes?¡± Tom sounded wary. ¡°You say another time, you say you get scars.¡± ¡°I do not remember that word.¡± Diavla lifted her hair to show the scar on her temple. ¡°Oh, scar,¡± Tom realized. ¡°Scar is scar.¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°Yes. Tom, will you say how you got your scars?¡± Tom visibly struggled because she had spoken natural Elvish instead of pidgin, but nodded after a moment, having gotten the gist. His answer was slow and precise. ¡°Yes. I will say how I got my scars.¡± ¡°Good. Show us your scars, please.¡± Diavla wasn''t quite able to hide her grin. Tom scowled at her and rolled his eyes, but she could tell he was hiding a smile of his own. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± He took off his shirt, as she had hoped. She glanced at Varga smugly, who looked back with mischievous approval. They returned their attention to the muscular human standing near the fire. Tom had several scars, as she had noted at the creek. He pointed them out one by one. ¡°Sword. Dagger. Sword. Hot¡­¡± He lapsed into Western, groping for words. ¡°How do you say (something?) Hot metal stick (something) fire?¡± He ended up gesturing until they were confident that he was trying to say ¡®hot poker¡¯, and taught him the Elvish. It took another minute of gestures to get ¡®broken mug¡¯ across. Tom was a good storyteller. With his limited Elvish and a lot of gestures, he acted out bits of the fights he had gotten into. Apparently, he had worked at a bar for a time, skillfully removing unruly drunks. One sword slash had actually come from a clumsy partner in the guard. They had been fighting in the woods against some animal Diavla couldn''t identify from the description. He had also dealt with bandits on more than one occasion. He''s had an adventurous life already, and he''s only eighteen years old. And now he''s having a new crazy adventure with us. This will be a tale to tell his great-great-grand¡­ Diavla brought her thoughts up short. No, just his grandchildren. Diavla sobered as she considered Tom''s all-too-short lifespan. That just¡­rots. She came back to the present when she realized that Tom was putting his shirt back on. Varga was trying to stop him and failing. Then she tried to get him to drink more ale, which he refused. Pouting, Varga started to guzzle the drink she had brought him. ¡°Varga.¡± Tom''s face was serious. ¡°Small alcohol tonight, please.¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± her friend complained. He doesn''t know those words¡­ ¡°I no say. I ask.¡± ¡­but he got the gist. He really is clever. Diavla thought about his sweet but inconvenient ethics. A little too clever, sometimes. I should be patient. I know he wants me, too. Give it time, and his willpower might crumble a little. If I can get him to lie with me, and keep him to myself, hopefully I can keep from souring his relationship with the others. At this rate, though, Varga is going to get him before I do. Really, Tom has proven himself. This isn''t a situation where I have to worry about Tom becoming a controlling Master and not freeing us. He''s made it clear that that''s unlikely to happen. Diavla searched for a comparison, then found one. It''s more like the usual caution not to get involved with someone when you are stuck with them for a month or more. The danger is a breakup and hard feelings. I guess that is a danger, still. He''s young, and if I break up with him at some point and do it badly, that could really mess up his soul, and people in pain sometimes turn to anger. Really, why am I even considering this? Diavla furrowed her brow. Something about me has changed. I am much more interested in sex than I used to be. I''m hardly the first to feel this way, but it''s to the point where my decisions are questionable, possibly even foolish. But¡­I want him. Diavla was surprised by how strong the desire was. Her libido rarely spoke so loudly. Her gaze fell on Varga, who was still drinking. Playing with Varga is fun. I should have tried it a long time ago. But I just didn''t have this fire burning in me as brightly. Fire burning¡­ Diavla frowned and closed her eyes. What am I trying to remember? Despite her struggles, the thought eluded her. She gave up when Varga approached her with another mug of ale. ¡°Can I interest you in some booze and sex?¡± her friend asked with her typical bluntness. Diavla smiled. ¡°Bring the ale; I''ll drink if I need the help.¡± Varga beamed and started gathering up things to climb into the wagon with the black cases. Then Tom called out. ¡°Ah! Varga, no wagon.¡± Tom pointed at the wagon with cases, then the grain wagon. ¡°Wagon.¡± ¡°But there''s more room in this one,¡± Varga protested. ¡°I see in. Bad.¡± Diavla blinked. What did he just say? ¡°Tom, did you look inside one of the cases?¡± Kervan asked in surprise, then switched to Western. ¡°Ah, you open?¡± He pointed at the wagon and pantomimed opening up a case. ¡°What you did see?¡± Tom tried to explain, but it took a long time and they still weren''t sure they understood each other. Finally, Kervan waved away Tom''s latest effort. ¡°Tom, I go, I see.¡± ¡°I go, too,¡± Diavla added. Tom looked worried, but nodded. ¡°Wagon is bad. Um¡­like wolf is bad, like sword is bad.¡± ¡°Dangerous,¡± Kervan answered. ¡°Dangerous. Dangerous. Wagon is dangerous.¡± ¡°Why? No, how?¡± Diavla asked. Tom gestured vaguely with his hands. ¡°Like Sheema do.¡± ¡°Magic?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°Maybe? Magic. Magic.¡± If that was the right word, it was unclear. They could manage a lot with their pidgin, but every time they had tried to talk about magic, they made no headway. It was just too abstract, and involved too many things you couldn''t point to. Tom pulled out his rock light and held it up. ¡°Rock light is magic. Collars are magic. Sheema do magic.¡± Kervan and Diavla looked at each other. ¡°Yes. You are right. Magic is magic.¡± Tom gave a sigh of relief. ¡°We go.¡± When they got to the wagon, Tom warned, ¡°light,¡± and the elves closed their eyes. Diavla didn''t see a flash past her eyelids, though. Tom sighed, and she opened her eyes again. ¡°Light is bad. I get light.¡± He went off to get the other rock light, leaving the dead one on the edge of the wagon. Diavla walked over and picked it up. I can probably charge this again, if the construction isn''t too different from the ones at home. Not sure I want to show Tom I can do that, though. She slipped it into a pouch while they waited. Tom returned, and this time he got the light to work and led them up into the back of the wagon. As he shone the light around, it was obvious that the cut and battered case was now much more damaged. Kervan made a noise of dismay, taking the rock light from Tom and holding it up. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Tom? When you do?¡± ¡°I do when I am here alone. Yesterday night.¡± He shrugged, then put one finger to his lips. ¡°We say bandits did do.¡± He gave a slightly sheepish grin. Kervan reached toward the case and Tom called out, ¡°Slow! I do.¡± The big man approached the case, then made sure he had their attention and made a show of taking a deep breath and holding it. He waited until they both had done so, then nodded, reached out carefully, and slowly lifted the lid. Inside was some fabric, which turned out to be a cut up bedroll. Tom gently lifted the cloth away, and Diavla could see plentiful dust motes stirred up in the air. Next was a black cover, which Tom removed, acting as if he were handling an unstable magic formation like in an adventure play. Kervan lifted the light higher and they peered inside. Very, very old and brittle black fabric was shaped around three indentations. The first had a pile of black dust; the second had gray flakes. The third held fragments of a red crystal. For just a moment, Diavla felt an inexplicable terror at the sight of the red crystal, but the feeling vanished almost as soon as it had started. She looked at the three piles, and as she watched, it seemed that the flakes broke up more finely and new cracks appeared in the red crystal fragments. They are falling apart. Decaying with age. That ancient fabric probably used to be padding, and Tom improvised a replacement. What are these things? Tom wasn''t finished yet. He took a moment to stick his head out of the wagon and breathe, then returned. With great care, he lifted out the top tray of the crate, revealing a second layer, also covered by scraps of bedroll. These he pulled out, and then stepped back. Kervan cautiously raised the light again and moved closer, and Diavla followed. The bottom half of the case contained three more padded areas, and in each was a complete, unbroken crystal. Oh, spirits. The crystals radiated a wrongness that fairly howled against her spiritual sense. Kervan made as if to bend over closer. Diavla''s hand shot out and grabbed his arm. ¡°Stay back.¡± The blond elf heeded her warning at once. ¡°Tom? What are they?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°I no know magic.¡± He reached out towards the crystals and stopped before Diavla could warn him. ¡°I no touch. Bad magic.¡± Diavla blinked. Wait. Can Tom sense the magic? Is that a thing all humans can do? Setting that aside for later, she looked around at the other seven cases. Forty-eight crystals, three broken. ¡°When?¡± she asked, and gestured as if breaking a stick. ¡°Break. When break?¡± ¡°Bandits, I think. Bandits break. Night I see you.¡± Tom looked pensive. ¡°I think¡­three bandits, three crystals.¡± His meaning was clear when he pointed. ¡°I did see one bandit¡­¡± and Tom proceeded to do an impression of a man muttering crazily to himself. ¡°Maybe three bandits do? Maybe bandits sick now.¡± ¡°But there were only two bandits who went missing¡­¡± Kervan mused. ¡°Did the red one break later?¡± He looked at Diavla. ¡°Did you see anything? On the road? Maybe¡­when the wagon wheel broke¡­¡± ¡°I did feel strange for a minute, but I''m clearly not going crazy or sick.¡± Diavla saw Kervan''s worried look and grimaced. ¡°I''ll check my soul over tonight, but I think I''m all right. Maybe it missed me. Or maybe elves are immune to whatever this is.¡± ¡°That would be a relief. But that means we would have to worry about Tom. He''s the only human who''s been around these things for any length of time.¡± The subject of discussion looked at them both, patiently waiting for them to explain. ¡°Tom,¡± Diavla began. ¡°Maybe humans sick, elves no sick. Bandit, bandit¡­and you.¡± Tom kept still a moment, then took a deep breath and shrugged. ¡°I will go (something.)¡± Seeing their lack of understanding, he tried again. ¡°Big¡­¡± he gestured a rectangle, probably for a building. ¡°Man, woman know magic¡­¡± He said some more things, but Diavla couldn''t make heads or tails of it. ¡°A temple? In Rivermarch?¡± Kervan guessed. ¡°Yes. In Rivermarch. I go¡­ask¡­Sheema man.¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°Where wagon go?¡± Kervan asked. ¡°High Pass Temple,¡± Tom said. It sounded like a name. Then he pointed. ¡°Northeast.¡± He looked down at the crystals. ¡°I do no open?¡± He was gesturing to close the case. The elves motioned for him to proceed, and Tom very carefully put the padding back in and packed away the crystal trays. ¡°We no get gold. We give magic man, magic woman.¡± He gestured as if trying to throw away or get rid of the cases. ¡°We no want.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Both elves nodded at him. ¡°Tom, you sick, you say,¡± Kervan asked. ¡°Yes. You sick, you say.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They exited the wagon carefully, not wanting to jar the cases any more than necessary. Diavla and Kervan explained to Orvan and Varga what they had seen. Diavla took Varga aside. ¡°I''m sorry, but I need the privacy of the wagon for a bit.¡± Varga didn''t look upset to hear that, but she did seem worried. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°You know those ¡®soul stretches¡¯ you said I should do? I''m going to do them, check myself over. But I don''t want Tom to see me doing magic.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, of course! This is important. I want you to take care of yourself. I can''t help you with magic stuff. Are you going to be all right?¡± ¡°I''m sure I will,¡± Diavla said with forced cheer, not fooling her friend in the slightest. ¡°But I should do this sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°Sure. Spirits, Dee, do what you need to do.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Why aren''t you telling Tom you''re spirit-touched? He already knows about Sheema.¡± Diavla thought about it, then shrugged. ¡°Just caution, I guess. I''ll tell him if he needs to know.¡± ¡°Fine. I''ll go keep Tom busy so he doesn''t bother you.¡± Diavla raised an eyebrow. ¡°Saa.¡± ¡°What?¡± After a moment, Varga gave up and grinned. ¡°I might as well have fun while I do it.¡± ¡°I''m going to be a little miffed if you seduce him before I do.¡± ¡°Plenty of him to go around, I think.¡± ¡°I know, I''m just¡­feeling jealous.¡± ¡°?¡®Envy is good, jealousy is bad,¡¯?¡± the redhead quoted. ¡°I''m aware. I''ll get over it.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°I suppose there are advantages to letting him take his first fumbling steps with someone else.¡± ¡°Yeah, everybody''s awful in the beginning. But it''s so much fun improving. And, hey¡ªif he turns me down and keeps turning you down, maybe we team up to tease him. Have you seen the way he stares at us when we kiss? I thought steam would come out of his nose.¡± ¡°You want to taunt him with what he''s missing?¡± ¡°And, if that doesn''t work, we could be more direct. It would be pretty hard for him to turn down an offer of two women at once.¡± Diavla felt her face heat. ¡°That''s¡­not the worst idea.¡± ¡°Think it over later. Go do your spirit stuff. I have important flirting to do.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Diavla smiled at her friend and shook her head, then watched the other woman approach Tom again. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla climbed into the grain wagon and squeezed into the available space for privacy. She looked around at the cramped space and settled herself as best she could. It''s been a long time, she fretted. There wasn''t any point in delaying, though, so she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began. Listen. Diavla hunted for vaguely remembered sensations and perceptions. Meditation was a different frame of mind from the everyday, and communion with spirits was stranger still. She cast her mind back, replaying lessons in her soul. What spirits live here? She reached out gently with her soul, thoughts questing, seeing without eyes, listening without ears. Not just the water sense that came automatically to almost all elves; feeling a certain tree as if she were leaning on it. Sensing the chill of a large rock without sitting on it. She was separated from the wind, but could hear it against the fabric of the wagon cover. Slowly, her soul-sense awakened from its slumber. Fire. Curiosity. Light. Water. Love of Life. Decay. She knew that there were other spirits there, but she had little affinity for Healing, Earth, or Passion, among others. Her affinities for Fire and Curiosity were greatest. She reached out to Curiosity. The response was small at first, but gathered strength over time, the same as back home. She invited them to explore her, offering mystery. She intended to think hard about what she most wanted to know before she cast her wish outward. What is wrong with me? No, I don''t need my health examined. Are there any strange spirits about us? Maybe. What is in the crates? Important. What is different about me? Either of the last two should give her useful information. She was tempted to ask about the crystals, but she had promised to check her own condition, so¡­ She focused her will, and projected. CHANGED? She hoped that that was clear enough. The spirits were presumably already looking her soul over. Sometimes it was possible to convey a little more than a single word with the intention. The air swirled softly around her as the spirits were drawn in. She could almost feel them running along her arms, her hair. A faint tingling began in her toes and started to glide upward along her legs. She got a faint impression of the soreness in her muscles which were showing new growth, and sensed that she would be a bit stronger on the morrow. Many spirits swirled around her head, examining her soul, tasting the differences that freedom had given to her thoughts. Some spirits drifted to her abdomen¡­and stopped. They had found something interesting in her spiritual core, the body''s nexus of magic that all elves possessed but few could access. More and more spirits gathered there, like fish nibbling at bait. She could taste their hunger to identify, to know, to understand. She began to feel a tension in her gut; the object of their attention grew unsettled, and seemed to be shifting. The sensation intensified until something abruptly gave way, like a bubble popping. Spirits suddenly flooded into her. She gave a gasp as they rushed in, spreading through every nerve in her body, excited by something they had found. A different kind of spirit followed, gathering rapidly from the environment, as if following a rumor or a scent on the wind. As they also plunged into her core, Diavla recognized them with surprise: spirits of Passion. But I don''t¡­have¡­aff¡­affin¡­affinity for¡­ Diavla rocked her head back, eyes closed, trembling. The Passion spirits clearly disagreed. They had never shown interest in her before, but now¡­ Diavla gasped as she felt the rush of the spirits bonding with her. It wasn''t pleasure at first. All her passions¡ªher worries, her fears, her hopes, her sense of wonder, her desire¡ªall were stirred up and amplified. But soon all of those damped down, except for wonder and desire. Diavla definitely was feeling desire. Her hands went to her belly as she felt something like a fire in her spiritual core. What is this? What''s happening to me? An intoxicating rush filled her soul with happiness. I want this, she realized. I have wished for this. Her thoughts at once went to Tom, but she had no patience for his reluctance. ¡°Varga!¡± she called loudly. One hand slid up to her forehead as she breathed heavily. The other hand slid downward. It was only a few moments before Varga approached the wagon and stuck her head in past the flap of fabric. ¡°What¡­?¡± Varga stopped talking and stared. ¡°Dee?¡± ¡°I want you, Varga. Right now. Please give me pleasure.¡± She didn''t have to ask twice. Varga did not question her good fortune, and eagerly did as she was bid. Chapter 19: Rivermarch Fiveday morning dawned with clear skies. Tom opened his eyes, ending his latest wild dream, and took a few moments to let his soul settle. Nightmares and fantasies. A strange mix. He had had a hard time getting to sleep while listening to Diavla and Varga''s cries of passion. He felt his face heat with embarrassment when he recalled the sexy dreams he had had, and was glad that the women had not yet emerged from the grain wagon, so he had a little time to calm down and get his head on straight. Tom was grateful that Orvan had given him the chance to get a good chunk of sleep before their big day. He also appreciated the hot breakfast the older elf prepared. Orvan apparently had learned a lot from Winnie, as the food tasted even better than usual. Diavla and Varga came out and joined them in time for the meal. Diavla avoided his gaze, and Varga gave him a self-satisfied smirk. Everyone was quiet that morning. The elves were subdued, presumably at the thought of going into a human city wearing slave collars and being stared at and possibly threatened. There was no pretending that there wasn''t danger for them; many things could go wrong. It all came down to how well they trusted him to protect them. He didn''t rush them, and let them have long conversations in Elvish. They took their time packing up to leave. Finally, Diavla brought him four tokens. He put them carefully into a pouch. Then she took a deep breath, reached up and put a slave collar on, shivering with a grimace as the magic took hold. On impulse, Tom stepped forward and hugged her. ¡°I do good,¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°I help you.¡± Diavla clung to him, and hugged him tightly for several moments. Tom let go when he felt her do so, and stepped back. Only afterward did it occur to him that his attraction to Diavla might have made that gesture awkward if he had been thinking about it. But fortunately, the only thought in his head right at that moment was that she needed comforting. ¡°Thank you, Tom,¡± she murmured in Western. The other elves put on their collars, then waited for instructions. Tom weighed the pouch with the tokens in his hand. We''re going into a big city. Getting pick-pocketed and losing these would be a disaster. Tom knew what to do about that, but he didn''t want to share his trick with everyone. He beckoned for Diavla to follow him, and walked out of sight of the others behind one of the wagons. He held up a finger for patience, and then unhooked his belt, sliding it free. He glanced up at Diavla. She was frozen in place, as if shocked, staring intently at him¡­at his waist¡­ Oh. Tom started to feel incredibly foolish. Did she think I was going to¡­that we would¡­? They looked at each other for a few moments. Diavla swallowed. She looked flushed, and afraid, but¡­not horrified. There was something in her expression that stirred Tom''s blood. He felt his body start to respond, and clutched at his trousers in embarrassment. He cleared his throat. ¡°Diavla, this is my belt. Belt.¡± He held it up, and Diavla blinked and unfroze, looking confused. Tom turned it over, and pried open the secret pocket. Slowly he pulled out both of the gold coins he had saved up. ¡°This is secret.¡± He put a finger to his lips. ¡°No say.¡± Diavla blinked a few times. Tom could almost see her clever soul working hard to catch up, and she nodded slowly. Carefully, Tom put the four slave tokens into the pocket. ¡°Four years I do,¡± he told her, showing her the gold coins, then put them into the pocket after the tokens, so that the gold would be accessible first if he needed it. He closed the little flap, smoothed it until even he could barely tell it was there, and then put his belt back on. When he finished, he pulled out his coin pouch. ¡°In Rivermarch, boy take this, boy get coin, boy no get tokens. No one get tokens. Do you understand?¡± Diavla nodded again, quickly. ¡°Yes. I understand. Thank you, Tom.¡± She looked very embarrassed. ¡°Diavla.¡± ¡°We (something) get go (something).¡± She had her face turned away. ¡°Diavla.¡± Tom waited until she looked back at him. ¡°You are¡­very good see. I like you. I no hurt you. I want¡­¡± Tom''s gaze ran down over Diavla''s body. She filled out the blue dress amazingly well. He hadn''t realized quite how shapely she was. He longed to run his hands over her, to feel her body, in that dress and out of it. He swallowed, and forced his gaze away from her curves and back up to her face. ¡°You are very beautiful and I want you very badly,¡± he near-whispered in Western. ¡°But I will not hurt you.¡± Tom very much wanted to step closer, but he kept his distance so that he could see her expression clearly. ¡°I want to take you. But I won''t. I want you. I no do. Collar.¡± He reached out toward it, and he heard Diavla''s breath catch, so he stopped, and forced himself to look away and take a ragged breath. ¡°I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have¡ª¡± ¡°Tom. I¡­I want¡­¡± He turned back to face her and Diavla hesitated, then held back whatever she was about to say. ¡°You are a good man,¡± she said instead. ¡°We go. Please.¡± ¡°You go now, please. I go soon.¡± Diavla nodded her understanding, turned, and rejoined the others. Once she was out of sight, Tom punched his forehead a few times. Stupid, Tom, stupid! Don''t scare her like that! You''ve got to be careful! He waited until his breathing evened out and his body settled before he headed over to the elves. But gods above and below, she''s sexy in that dress. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla rode with Tom on the crystals wagon in the lead. She practiced her Western intensively as they rode. However, she started fidgeting as they were about to crest the last rise before descending into the valley holding the city. ¡°Diavla? What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Water.¡± She pointed ahead. Tom furrowed his brow, confused, then nodded and led them onward. Once the river was in view, Tom pointed all along it and said, ¡°Water. River. River.¡± Diavla stared at him, then closed her eyes and tilted her head back. ¡°Rivermarch!¡± she called out as if it were a revelation. Then she turned and called excitedly to the others. Varga laughed at whatever she said, then Diavla faced forward again looking at him with a smile. ¡°River is river,¡± she taught him. At first Tom didn''t hear her. Diavla''s smile seemed to blind his soul, making it hard to think about anything else. Gods, how I want to see her smile more. Belatedly, he recited the word back, then returned his attention to keeping the ox from wandering down a side road. The ride down into the valley was pleasant, and Tom made note of places he recognized, doing his best to become familiar with the city. It was nearly noon before the caravan reached the gate, and the line was long. Finally, Tom rode into position as the wagon before him made room. He noticed that it was the same two guards from his entry into the city on Twoday. ¡°Hi guys!¡± he called cheerfully. ¡°Tom Walker, with some goods for sale, others not. These four wagons.¡± ¡°You came through here before, right?¡± ¡°Yes. The delivery for Whistler''s. This is the rest of the caravan.¡± ¡°What goods are you selling?¡± ¡°Not selling anything in this wagon, grain in the second wagon, third wagon is booze and the fourth is ironwork for Hooper and Drum.¡± ¡°What''s in this wagon?¡± ¡°A delivery for the city Temple. I don''t know what it is and I don''t want to know.¡± One guard peered into the back curiously and noted the cases. When the second guard started to walk past, he got a good look at Diavla and stopped short. ¡°Gods, is that an elf?¡± Tom took a deep breath. ¡°Yes. Four elves. They are not for sale, either.¡± ¡°You own four slaves?¡± The first guard was incredulous. ¡°Wait, this entire caravan belongs to you?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°It does now. Long story. I told them about it at the guardhouse when I came through last time, and I talked with Simon Law. If I happen to see you in a tavern tonight, buy me a drink and I''ll tell you the rest in person.¡± ¡°I''d like to hear that story,¡± the first guard agreed. He blinked, his soul trying to get a grip on the idea of four elves. ¡°Um¡­right. Do you know the laws about slaves in the city?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Tom recited, ¡°I have to keep them fed and clothed and treated well, I need to back up any promises they make on my behalf, and I am responsible for any crimes they commit in the city. Does that about cover it?¡± ¡°Yeah, that''s basically it. If you were selling them there would be a big tax.¡± ¡°Definitely not selling.¡± Tom put a hand on Diavla''s knee possessively. ¡°Yeah, I can certainly see why you wouldn''t want to,¡± the second guard said, looking Diavla up and down. ¡°What''s in the second wagon?¡± the first guard asked. ¡°Grain. Some of it is already sold, some I''ll find buyers for.¡± The second guard stuck his head in that one, counted a minute, then said, ¡°thirty silver for this.¡± He trudged on and inspected the rest of the cargo, looking over the other elves while he was at it, paying extra attention to Varga. They were too far away for Tom to see what was going on back there, and he got a bit nervous, but he didn''t hear Varga shouting or anything. Finally, the second guard returned to the front. ¡°One gold for the ironwork, two gold for the drink, and thirty silver for the grain.¡± Tom blew air out his cheeks, stunned at the total, then opened his coin pouch and fished out the required tax. The guard carefully counted it, then counted five tokens into Tom''s hand. Tom couldn''t see the markings, but Diavla put one hand on his arm. ¡°Tom? Please I see?¡± Tom held out his hand, palm open. Diavla poked at them one at a time. ¡°Gold, gold, silver, silver, silver, um big, big, big silver, yes?¡± ¡°Yes. Exactly. Very good, Diavla.¡± Tom dropped the tokens into his pouch, and gave her a grateful look. The guards waved them on into the city, and Tom quietly let out a sigh of relief once they were well past the gate. ¡°Diavla, you see, you see, you see, Varga and Kervan and Orvan are good, please?¡± ¡°Yes. I watch.¡± Diavla taught him, and suited action to words, turning and looking back at the others to make sure nothing bad happened to the elves or wagons as they moved through the city. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Now, which should we do first? Guardhouse, Temple, or sell the goods? Tom mulled that over a moment. We''ll sell the goods first. I''ll tell the guard once it''s a finished deal and I''ve turned the cargo into gold. The temple is important, but it can wait another day or two. Tom drove to a wagon lot that he had picked out on his previous visit. They paid a silver per wagon to stash three of them, and all climbed aboard the fourth, to go deliver the ironwork to Hooper and Drum. It was a short ride, only made slow by the need to weave the ox and wagon past pedestrians on the crowded streets. The elves were staring at everything, and a fraction of the people they passed noticed them and stared back. Their first time in a human city¡­at least, when free to move around. I''ll have to do my best to make it as pleasant an experience as possible. The gods know they''ve suffered enough. Once they pulled up in front of the big general store, Tom went inside and told a clerk that they had a delivery, but that there were complications. He hurried back out so as not to leave the elves alone longer than necessary. Diavla looked a question at him and he patted her knee reassuringly. Within a couple of minutes Gabriel Hooper came out. He was a man of middle height and tubby shape, bald and with a sour expression that brightened a little at the sight of the cargo. ¡°Is that the ironwork from Southby? Excellent. Just bring the wagon around to the back.¡± Here was the tricky part. Tom steeled himself against his nervousness. He cleared his throat and said firmly, ¡°Ah, we have a matter to discuss first.¡± ¡°What do you mean? We paid for this cargo.¡± ¡°And it was lost, the owners killed. I salvaged it. Now, I would have been within my rights to drive off with it to some other city and sell the whole thing for a tidy sum, but I didn''t. I brought it to you. I know you have use for the items or you wouldn''t have ordered them. It seemed simpler all around to bring them here.¡± ¡°Well, we appreciate that very much, but it is our property,¡± Hooper said warily. ¡°Technically, it isn''t. It''s probably about to be, but it isn''t yet. Not until we finish delivering it.¡± Hooper started turning red. ¡°I can call the city guard on you!¡± ¡°By all means! Let''s tie up this cargo at the keep, and bring it to the attention of the Lord of the City, who might take an interest in it and confiscate some of it for his own use in caring for the city. Or, we could settle this right now with a minimum of fuss.¡± Hooper glared at Tom for several seconds. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Just a bit of fair recompense for my efforts is all. Now, the contents of this wagon are worth, oh, fifty or sixty gold¡ª¡± ¡°We paid forty-five!¡± ¡°Forty-five then. I would think that six gold would be a fair payment.¡± ¡°What! That''s absurd.¡± ¡°Feel free to make me a counteroffer,¡± Tom declared mildly. A small crowd was gathering as passersby stopped to watch the haggling. ¡°One gold!¡± Tom scoffed. ¡°Don''t be insulting; I already paid a gold just to bring this inside the city gates! But I understand the pain of an unexpected expense. Five and a half gold.¡± ¡°This is ridiculous! I''ll call the guard!¡± ¡°Go right ahead! I think I see one down that way,¡± Tom declared, pointing. ¡°Or make me a better offer.¡± ¡°Two gold.¡± ¡°Now you''re getting it! Five gold even.¡± ¡°Two fifty!¡± ¡°Four gold fifty.¡± ¡°Three gold even!¡± ¡°Is this cargo worth that little to you? Because I can still drive off with this and find another buyer. Maybe one of your competitors here in town would like a steep discount. I''m sure they''d be delighted to acquire forty-five gold worth of ironwork for ten gold, and I''d be much better off.¡± Tom raised his voice for the last. At least one urchin saw an opportunity, and dashed off. Hooper noticed. He took a few moments to scan the crowd, then glared at Tom. ¡°Enough! I''ll give you four gold and not a copper more!¡± ¡°Done!¡± Tom called loudly. ¡°Bring me the four gold and it''s all yours.¡± Hooper fumed a moment, then turned and stomped back into his shop. Tom did his best to hide a nervous tremor. Then Diavla''s hand was there on his, just for a moment. ¡°You are smart,¡± she whispered. Hearing her say that really made a difference. I can''t let her down now. He firmed his resolve. It felt like forever but was probably under a minute before Hooper returned and held out four gold coins. Tom took them in his hand and quickly passed them one by one to the other. ¡°There! You have your payment¡ª¡± ¡°Just a moment!¡± Tom interrupted him with a frown. ¡°You''ve only paid me three gold. This coin is a fake.¡± He tossed the faulty coin at the shopkeeper, who fumbled but made sure to catch it; it was probably still worth half a gold, after all. ¡°I''m sure you have got one more true gold coin somewhere, don''t you? Surely Hooper and Drum is not so financially shaky that they would try to pass on counter¡ª¡± ¡°HERE!¡± Hooper shouted, apoplectic now. He handed Tom another gold coin, and the weight felt right. ¡°Payment is received; it''s all yours. There, that wasn''t so hard, was it? Think of the forty-one gold you just rescued from loss with my help, eh?¡± Tom gestured to the elves, and they all clambered down. ¡°Hey, where are you going? Drive it around back!¡± ¡°I don''t work for you, Mr. Hooper. I''m sure you have staff to help you. Oh, and that''s my ox and wagon, you''ll need to give those back when you''re finished unloading.¡± ¡°I''ll give you one gold for the ox and wagon, if you get out of my sight and never darken my door again!¡± The ox and wagon were worth two gold, but Tom could feel he was riding the edge of the deal and simply held out an empty hand with a flourish. Hooper made as if to pay with the counterfeit coin for a moment, but a warning look dissuaded him, and another gold coin landed in Tom''s palm. ¡°There! Now go!¡± ¡°A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Hooper!¡± Tom shouted over his shoulder as he walked away, followed by the elves. A smattering of laughter and applause followed them for a few moments, and then the crowd started to disperse. Tom kept the elves moving until they were back at the lot. Then, once they were among the wagons and out of sight of the crowd, Tom doubled over, breathing heavily for a few moments. He found he was shaking. Diavla crouched down next to him. ¡°You did are very good smart, Tom,¡± she told him. Tom nodded jerkily. He only needed a couple more moments before he could straighten up again and work out a few more shivers. A deep breath, and he felt himself grow calmer. He nodded again; he was ready for the next challenge. He thought about the new gold coins in his pouch. That''s a relief. We were down to six gold, with all we''ve had to spend. Tom looked around at the elves. ¡°Now we get grain, give grain, get gold.¡± It felt good to just say what they were going to do next, instead of asking the elves every time. In town, he got to lead them, and it was a great relief. They pulled the grain wagon out of the city lot. An urchin was happy to point the way to the right markets for a pair of small copper coins, and followed along for a while, staring at Diavla and the others. The elves were drawing attention wherever they went. Again, most of it was curiosity, or interest at the novelty. Some people asked questions, others just stared. Twice, someone glared at them instead. Both times it was an older veteran, judging by the scars and posture. ¡°Cursed elves shouldn''t be getting better treatment than I am,¡± one grumbled loudly. ¡°I served my king!¡± ¡°You''re right,¡± Tom told him. He pulled out a couple of silver. ¡°Have yourself a good meal and a good room tonight, on me. Thank you for your service.¡± The man was stunned into silence as the coins hit his palm. They had moved on past the next building before the veteran yelled after him, ¡°Thank you, young lord!¡± Lord? Tom blinked, then thought it over. I guess normally someone casually giving out a couple of silver as a gift would be a noble. I should remember that most of this money belongs to the elves and not spend too much. I can''t give out coin every time, but this time¡­it felt right. Tom suspected that the veteran''s attitude towards him and the elves at least would be softened now. You never knew when that would be handy. At the grain market, Tom asked around for the correct stalls he had memorized from the wagon''s list of goods. First, he went to the prepaid vendors and gave them what they were owed. Each time, he asked for a gratuity for getting the goods delivered and paying the city tax. Generally, the vendors gave him at least a little something, enough to cover the tax and a bit more. Once that was done, Tom had to start asking merchants who might be interested in buying the remaining grain. Now that he had gotten used to it, his skills at haggling came back and it got easier. They found a mill willing to take most of the wheat, for starters. The day wore on as Tom and the elves went from place to place, exchanging grain for gold a little at a time. It was midafternoon before they finally handed over the last sack of barley. ¡°Twenty-two gold,¡± Kervan said quietly. ¡°Good.¡± The elves made other comments that Tom didn''t catch, as he tried to shake the soul-fog sinking into him. Gods, I''m tired. He took a deep breath. Keep going, Tom. ¡°All right, let''s sell the ox and wagon, then get to the Keep so we can use a Treasury box.¡± The elves looked at him blankly. ¡°Um¡­we go, give ox, give wagon, get gold. We go, give gold to guard. Get gold tomorrow.¡± Thirty gold or so was a lot of coin to be carrying around in a city, given pickpockets. It wasn''t hard to find a buyer for the ox and wagon, just a matter of walking to the right part of town. Once that was settled, they started up the hill, and Tom mulled over what Simon Law had told him. He wasn''t sure it was a good idea to bring a bunch of elves into the Keep and draw extra official attention too soon. What should I do with the elves now? Chapter 20: Beet Cookies Tom started looking around once they got close to the Keep, and spotted a bakery. He gestured to the elves to follow, and approached a woman standing outside the shop. ¡°Excuse me, miss. Is this the best bakery in the city?¡± ¡°Either this or Cook''s Pastries, I''d say,¡± the woman replied, with a curious look at the elves behind him. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Tom gave her a warm smile, and then led the others inside. Let''s see whether they give us any trouble. Orvan gave a sniff or two the moment they stepped inside, and immediately walked over to the counter, peering at the sweets on offer but not touching them. Tom turned to the others. ¡°You see, you say, I get,¡± he told them. ¡°What the hells are elves doing in here?¡± one customer snarled. ¡°Buying sweets,¡± Tom told him firmly, looming over him a bit. ¡°Did you think they came in for a haircut?¡± ¡°They''re unclean!¡± ¡°Some would say the same about you. Should we object to your presence, then?¡± Tom raised his voice. ¡°But this is for the proprietor to decide. Excuse me, miss,¡± he called, ¡°is it all right for my elves to be in here? This man seems to have a problem with it.¡± The woman behind the counter locked eyes with him for a couple of moments, then looked around, gauging the mood of the customers. ¡°I was hoping to buy a lot, but if I should go to Cook''s Pastries instead, I understand,¡± Tom prodded politely. ¡°No, no problem here. You''re welcome in Sally''s Sweets,¡± the woman declared firmly. Apparently, she had decided that the novelty factor would draw more customers than it would drive away. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Tom grinned at the complainer, who left in a huff. The shop had to serve two people ahead of Tom and the elves, then they stepped up to the counter. ¡°It''s their first time having human sweets. Could we start with an assortment?¡± he asked with a grin. ¡°Then I''ll buy more of whatever they like best.¡± ¡°Of course, sir.¡± The clerk beamed up at him, then busied herself wrapping items in tiny squares of cloth. Tom braced himself for the price, and handed over the silvers without protest. He passed the sweets to the others and led them outside. There was a low stone wall where some people were sitting. It had plenty of room for them to sit all in a row. Orvan gave everything a look and a sniff, and asked Tom for names. Tom only knew some of the words, but shared what he could. Kervan gave a pleased grunt when he bit into a brownberry cake. Varga eagerly devoured two pretty little white cakes, grinning as she almost always did. Diavla took a bite of a beet cookie and froze for a moment, then moaned in pleasure as she started to chew on it. Tom''s heart quickened a bit as he watched her with a smile. She didn''t gobble her sweets like Varga, instead savoring them with lots of happy noises. In between bites, Varga smirked and made a comment to Diavla in Elvish that sounded like, ¡°(something) the cookie teach me.¡± Diavla elbowed her friend with a grin and continued to savor her dessert. Tom pulled out several silver and handed them to Kervan. ¡°You want, you get. I go to Keep. I go here soon.¡± He took a moment to look around at the passersby, checking for any hostility. Varga waved at him cheerfully. Diavla was fully absorbed in her second beet cookie. Tom turned and headed into the Keep. ¡°Treasury?¡± he asked the guard at the entrance. She was a different one from his previous visit. She smiled at him and pointed. ¡°First hall on the right, then it''s on the left, sir.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Tom made his way there and, once he admitted to the clerk that he couldn''t read, managed to store his gold without difficulty. They kept it simple for him; he paid five silver for a box and deposited 25 gold coins. The clerk did a little magic thing with a drop of Tom''s blood to make sure no one else could take the coin. ¡°Ah, can I bring someone in and give them permission to access the box as well?¡± ¡°Certainly, sir. We will simply need a drop of their blood as well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom resolved to give Diavla access later, just in case something happened to him and the elves needed their gold. But for the moment, he wanted to hurry back and make sure the elves were all right in public. When he returned, Diavla was having an animated conversation with a young girl while her mother looked on. Several other adults were spectators as well. ¡°You know words and words, yes?¡± Diavla was asking. ¡°I know lots of words!¡± the girl declared proudly. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°I want lots of words too,¡± Diavla agreed. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I no understand. Please say?¡± ¡°I''m eight! Eight.¡± The girl pointed at herself, and then held up eight fingers after a moment of consideration. ¡°Saa. Years I get, you want I say?¡± The girl had a giggle fit and nodded. ¡°You talk so funny!¡± Diavla held up ten fingers. ¡°This is¡­ten?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°I get ten and ten and ten and eight years.¡± Tom blinked. ¡°Wow, you''re old!¡± the girl exclaimed. ¡°April, hush!¡± her mother chided. ¡°You look much younger than that, dear,¡± she told Diavla. ¡°She say, she see you more small years,¡± Tom translated. Diavla nodded and smiled at the woman. ¡°Wow, you speak Dwarf?¡± April exclaimed, staring at him with wide eyes. Tom stared at her, then burst out laughing, as did a few other people. ¡°April, they aren''t dwarves, they''re elves,¡± her mother explained, sounding embarrassed. April looked at her mother, then at the elves. ¡°Oh.¡± Undeterred, she turned back to Tom. ¡°You speak elf?!¡± Tom got his laughter under control. ¡°Elvish, yes, a little. I am learning Elvish, and they are learning Western.¡± ¡°What''s Western?¡± ¡°Western is what we speak, April,¡± her mother explained. ¡°Oh. Is that ¡®cause we''re in the west?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tom turned to Diavla with a bemused smile. ¡°You are thirty-eight years old? Um, ten, twenty, thirty¡­¡± he gestured. ¡°Yes. I am elf, Tom. More years small. Eh¡­small person, big person, years? Humans?¡± She gestured for child height, then adult height. ¡°Child. Adult. Humans are adult at fourteen years old. Ten and four years.¡± ¡°Elves are¡­adult¡­at¡­thirty years,¡± Diavla explained haltingly. ¡°Tom, you years?¡± ¡°Eighteen. Ten and eight.¡± ¡°You are four years adult?¡± ¡°Yes. You are eight years adult?¡± ¡°Yes. We are same, Tom.¡± Diavla wiggled her hand. ¡°Small no same.¡± I wonder what that''s like¡­to be almost thirty years old and not be an adult yet. Tom was puzzled, but set it aside for the moment. ¡°You all like food?¡± Tom asked. A chorus of agreement came back. Diavla clutched her latest cookie and beamed at him. ¡°Tom, I very, very, very, like beet cookies.¡± ¡°You love the beet cookies.¡± ¡°I love the beet cookies.¡± Good to know. ¡°Brownberry cake,¡± Kervan volunteered, holding up a piece he had nearly finished. ¡°Very good.¡± ¡°I love food,¡± Varga declared, amusing everyone in hearing. ¡°White cake very good,¡± Orvan declared. ¡°Brownberry cake good. Cinnamon,¡± he enunciated carefully, then paused. ¡°Food¡­ no water?¡± he asked in Elvish, pointing at the dessert he held. Tom took a moment to lean back and squint so he could see. ¡°Raisins.¡± ¡°Raisins good, raisins no very good. They get more good raisins, they get more good cake,¡± he opined. ¡°Tom,¡± Kervan spoke up. ¡°Night soon. What we do?¡± Tom lifted his head and looked at the sunlight on the buildings and the shadows lengthening. ¡°We need to find a place to sleep.¡± He stressed the last word and everyone seemed to get the idea. The elves stood and dusted themselves off. ¡°April, I am happy we talk,¡± Diavla told the child. ¡°Thank you.¡± April turned to her mother. ¡°Mommy, can we buy an elf?¡± Tom froze, and his blood ran cold a moment. ¡°No, sweetie, they are very expensive.¡± ¡°Oh. All right.¡± The child sounded sad for a moment, then perked up and started waving. ¡°Goodbye, Diavla Walker!¡± Tom''s soul stuttered for the second time in a few heartbeats. Diavla Walker. Tom looked at the amber-eyed elf, who had a confused expression on her face, and quickly looked away. With very mixed feelings, Tom led the elves down the hill. Let''s get rooms for the night. Think about the rest later, Tom. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They got ready to visit the bathhouse, then Tom brought the elves to the closest shop with household items. He picked up a basket and went to get soap. It turned out that there was a bewildering variety. For himself, Tom simply grabbed the middle-priced one, but he wasn''t sure whether elven skin and hair were different from human, so he got a couple of every kind. Diavla protested and Tom tried to reassure her. ¡°I get today. I no get tomorrow. You do, do, do¡­¡± he pointed at the different kinds. ¡°You say¡­um¡­¡± He was forgetting the word in Elvish. ¡°Tomorrow, you choose one.¡± ¡°Choose. Yes, Tom. Thank you.¡± Diavla fidgeted a moment, then asked, ¡°How do I say, I ask coin, coin, coin?¡± She pointed at an item on a shelf. ¡°You say, ¡®How much is this?¡¯ Or ¡®How much does this cost?¡¯?¡± ¡°?¡®How much does this cost.¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To his amusement, Diavla proceeded to pester one of the shop clerks by asking the price of item after item. It took him longer than it should have to realize what she was actually doing: learning to read number runes. Soon, she was saying the prices and asking for confirmation. After enough of that, Diavla came back and took Tom''s arm. The next time he stopped to look at something, she said loudly, ¡°Tom, I ask. This is one silver, yes?¡± For a moment, he stared at her blankly. Why? She knows I can''t read¡ª. Then, he again figured out what she was actually doing. ¡°Yes, very good, Diavla, that says one silver.¡± ¡°And this is one silver and ten and ten copper?¡± ¡°Yes. Ten and ten is twenty.¡± ¡°?¡®Twenty,¡¯?¡± she repeated. Tom leaned over and whispered into her elegant ear, ¡°Thank you, Diavla. You are very smart and you are good¡­you help me.¡± ¡°I help you, I am happy,¡± Diavla whispered back, giving his arm a squeeze. Once Tom had paid for a number of useful items and stowed them in his pack, they headed to the bathhouse. Tom paid for them all, and led them back to the wash rooms. There was a confusing moment when all four of the elves started to follow him into the men''s wash room. ¡°Ah, Varga, women go there, men go here.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Diavla nodded to Tom that she had it in hand. ¡°Saa. I''ll (something.) Human men and women need clothes¡­¡± Diavla led her friend towards the other side. ¡°We meet back here,¡± Tom called. ¡°We go here.¡± The women waved to him absently and continued their conversation as they disappeared through a doorway. Tom was nervous about letting them out of his sight, but stifled the reaction and led the men into their side. It took a few minutes, but he started to relax a bit more while getting properly clean. It had only been two days since his last bath, so this was a luxury for him. Sometimes you just couldn''t get all the grime from the road off in a single wash. Kervan peppered him with questions of all sorts which he did his best to answer. As soon as they were done, one of the women working there brought them their discarded clothes, which had been washed but were still wet. Tom had warned the elves to bring a full change of clothes so that they would have something dry to wear. He thought about the dinner ahead of them, and hoped he could find the kind of person he needed for the next step at the Floating Duck. Chapter 21: Kanashim, Erotalsh, and Tolasor Varga followed Diavla into the wash area for women, and contemplated how her life had gone completely and utterly insane. Here they were, in a human city, somewhere in the middle of the human continent, wearing slave collars. Objectively, their situation was still terrible. And yet, she had a nice new dress that matched her eyes, a belly half-full of exotic sweets, and the fresh memory of sex with Diavla, something she had fantasized about for years. Life definitely wasn''t boring. ¡°So, you''re telling me that legend about human males being insatiable monsters of lust is actually true?¡± she asked, while they undressed. Diavla nodded. ¡°Obviously not completely true, or Tom would have taken us by now. But apparently it is bad enough that they have separate rooms for washing, because a naked woman has such an effect on the males. You should have seen how red Tom got when I joined him at the stream to wash up the other day.¡± Varga thought back. ¡°I did see, when I passed him in the woods. I thought you must have groped him or something. All that just from seeing you undress?¡± ¡°I didn''t even touch him.¡± Varga grinned. ¡°That is useful information.¡± Varga could see that Diavla was trying to hide a smile. Her lover cleared her throat. ¡°Well, remember it works both ways. If you don''t want to inflame his passion, be careful not to go naked around him.¡± Varga glanced at the bath workers taking her dress and starting to wash it in one corner of the room. ¡°Do you suppose it''s the same for their women? The ones who have an interest, I mean?¡± Diavla shrugged. Varga watched her set out all the different kinds of soap on a handy shelf. Diavla tested the water with her hand, then nodded and climbed in. Varga took the next tub over. There were two human women bathing in tubs on the other side of the room and chatting in rapid Western. Aside from polite nods, the groups ignored each other. Varga wet herself down, then snapped her fingers. Her friend took the hint and tossed her one of the pats of soap. Varga snatched it out of the air and immediately began using it on her arms. After a moment she stopped and sniffed the soap. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°No idea. See if it works on a bit of your hair.¡± Diavla was being her usual cautious self, putting small dabs on her arm and rubbing them in, checking for a bad reaction. ¡°I''m sure it''s fine. We can''t be that different from humans, right?¡± Varga started rubbing it in all over her scalp. ¡°You never know¡­¡± Diavla was staring at the spot. Varga rolled her eyes. ¡°You trying to ask the Soap spirits?¡± Diavla gave her a very serious look. ¡°Do not anger the Soap spirits, Varga, lest you incur their eye-stinging wrath.¡± Varga snorted, and Diavla let a smile slip out. Her raven-haired kanashim tried three different soaps, sooo slowly and methodically. As usual, Varga lost patience first. ¡°See, this is why you aren''t having sex with Tom yet. You go too slowly with everything.¡± ¡°I''m not having sex with Tom because he refuses me,¡± Diavla retorted grumpily. ¡°Well, now you''re seeing the other side of the coin,¡± Varga answered with a little bite in her voice. ¡°I never thought I would,¡± Diavla admitted. Varga''s eyebrows went up. ¡°Well, I''ll be the first to swear that you''re beautiful and smart and wonderful, Dee, but don''t stare quite so far past everyone.¡± ¡°I''m not! I mean, I just didn''t have much interest in sex until now, so I didn''t expect ever to ask. I''m glad you were here with me when this happened.¡± Varga had a scary thought, and followed her habit of immediately asking. Everyone said she was wildly brave for that, but Varga just couldn''t bear to live in dread. So she hit scary things head-on, like now. ¡°Dee, if Tom has sex with you, are you going to stop having sex with me?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Varga stared hard at her kanashim. ¡°Varga, I like having sex with you! I like it much more than I thought I would.¡± ¡°But if Tom wants all your time¡­¡± ¡°Tom''s going to be busy with other things sometimes. And if he isn''t, I''ll make time for you. Besides¡­¡± Diavla stopped talking. Varga could see her blushing furiously from her own tub. ¡°Ohhhh¡­You want to have both of us at once, don''t you?¡± Varga felt a bit of heat herself at the thought. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Well, you brought up the idea first!¡± ¡°My, my, we are coming along quickly, aren''t we?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°You know, I''ve been meaning to tell you¡­ as seductions go, that needs work.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°As you desire, my kanashim.¡± Varga went back to washing, thinking over the idea. Tom was too much of an unknown to imagine what might happen in much detail. What is his soul like? Is he shy in bed? Is he selfish? Is he a good kisser? Does he last? Does he have an interesting hunger? So much to learn¡­ Varga smiled to herself. I wonder if I can seduce him first. If I leave it to Dee, we''ll be on a boat to Salathin before he so much as gets his hands up her shirt. Then again, that was the old Dee. Now that she knows pleasure, she might get more pushy. I can only hope. She obviously wants him. I want her to be happy. So¡­I should help. Now, how should I get those two together¡­? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã After the baths, they carried their laundry back to their rooms. As usual, Tom was using a mix of Elvish baby talk and Western, and Diavla and Kervan were doing the same in reverse. I should probably learn more words of Western, she admitted to herself. She would really rather leave it to the others. Varga knew that she wasn''t dumb, but she wasn''t particularly smart, either. Learning a language was exhausting. She had gotten a bare handful of words so far. She didn''t especially like the sound of Tom''s language, either. It was too gravelly and harsh. Elvish was smoother, more liquid. They spread out the clothes to dry on every available surface. Once that was done, it was time to go get dinner. Diavla took Varga aside first. She''s probably going to lecture me about my behavior. Diavla closed the door to their room, then kissed her. Varga was stunned. This is very much not normal Diavla behavior. She returned the kiss with growing passion. This is everything I wanted; it''s everything I hoped. Is this too good to be true? Varga shoved the thought away as soon as she had it. If it was too good to be true, it only made sense to enjoy it while it lasted. If it wasn''t, then she would be worried over nothing. And if she couldn''t stop worrying, she''d just ask flat out. ¡°Tonight?¡± Diavla asked when the kiss ended. ¡°Always,¡± Varga told her. ¡°Diavla¡­we are kanashim, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°And erotalsh?¡± Diavla answered by groping Varga''s breast through her shirt and making her gasp. ¡°Obviously.¡± She stole another kiss, reluctantly breaking it off after several heartbeats. Varga couldn''t stop poking at their relationship like a lost tooth. ¡°And¡­and tolasor?¡± Diavla stilled, and her smile faded. ¡°I¡­don''t know. That''s a lot.¡± Varga closed her eyes and tried to stop her sadness. ¡°You?¡± She heard Diavla ask, gently. She nodded. ¡°Already?¡± Varga opened her eyes so that she could glare at her friend. ¡°For years, Dee. I swear, sometimes, you are the smartest fool I''ve ever heard of.¡± ¡°I¡­ didn''t realize you felt that strongly about me.¡± ¡°Well, I do. I have, almost from the day you arrived in Kilder Vald.¡± Then Diavla was kissing her cheek and looking at her tenderly. ¡°I am honored, kanashim. I''m sad to disappoint you. I¡­I might be tolasor. I mean, I think I could be, someday¡­¡± ¡°No¡­no, it''s fine. I mean, it''s not fine, but¡­that is the world.¡± She shrugged, and fiercely wiped her eyes. ¡°I''m¡­I''m interested in whatever I can get. All you will give me.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°We have time,¡± she said, more firmly. ¡°Five years I''ve known you, and I thought we would never be erotalsh, but here we are. I will gladly wait another five years, or more, even for a chance of tolasor.¡± ¡°Ladies?¡± Kervan called loudly through the door. ¡°We''re ready to go get dinner.¡± ¡°There in a moment,¡± Diavla called back. She cupped Varga''s cheek; her hand felt warm and soft. ¡°Can we just enjoy erotalsh for a while? I''m still really new to it.¡± That helped ground Varga in the world again. ¡°Absolutely, Dee. I''m never turning down sex with you.¡± ¡°I''m glad, because my soul is practically on fire over sex right now.¡± Varga cleared her throat and smiled saucily. ¡°I am here for you, kanashim.¡± She took a breath. ¡°Let''s go; they''re waiting.¡± She smoothed her shirt and gestured; Diavla got the door. I would do anything for you. Varga didn''t say it. If Diavla ever felt the same for her, Varga could die with all the happiness in the world and sky. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It was near sunset as they crossed the street. Varga noticed that Tom took a deep breath, then straightened and led them into the place where they would get dinner. Varga wasn''t sure what to call it. A bar? A tavern? An inn? The first floor was mostly one big room with many tables and benches. One wall had a long bar, another a big fireplace, and on the far end were a few doors. Maybe one of those leads to a gaming room, she hoped. The place was about a quarter-filled with humans, with more entering steadily. A lot of conversations died down when people spotted them. Soon many of the humans were murmuring to each other and staring. Varga glanced around, watching for hostility but not particularly worried; at least half the looks were aimed at Tom Walker. She had already noticed during the day that Tom was a big guy even among humans, now that she had a basis for comparison; not the tallest, nor even the widest, but very possibly the strongest. Spirits, I wonder what a human blacksmith looks like? At any rate, she felt fairly safe with Tom there. He led them to a small table against the nearest wall, as close to the corner of the room as possible. Diavla sat with her back to the wall, so Varga sat next to her. Tom took the end next to Diavla, and Orvan the other, leaving Kervan on the outside with his back to the room. Tom looked torn about whether to switch with Kervan, but their human clearly wanted to watch the room. Varga looked over to the bar. It had a long row of stools in front, half of them already occupied. The bartender¡­ Zada zada! Varga elbowed Diavla without taking her eyes off the woman. Great spirits, she''s me, only better! ¡°What?¡± Diavla said, then paused. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± Varga murmured. She was the same height. She had almost the same red hair, maybe a touch lighter, only hers hung nearly to her waist in a thick braid. She had the same hard-won muscles. Her face wasn''t anything to praise the spirits for, but her impressive bust almost rivaled Sheema''s, and her sleeveless shirt had a deep neckline. Honestly, her muscles were beautiful, and Varga knew immediately that the bartender shared her discipline, persistence, and an interest in being strong and healthy. Oh, I hope she likes women¡­ Being in a human city most definitely is not all bad. Chapter 22: The Floating Duck Tom looked around at the growing crowd. So far, so good. Lots of curiosity, which is fine. I''ll probably be answering questions all through dinner. A young barmaid with brown hair came over to their table. ¡°Good evening! Welcome to¡­¡± She stopped and stared at the elves for a moment, then at Tom. She put the smile back on her face. ¡°Ah, welcome to the Floating Duck! I''m Debbie. What can I get for you?¡± ¡°What''s for dinner?¡± Tom asked. Debbie pretended to think a moment. ¡°Well, there''s stew, stew, or stew.¡± She grinned. ¡°Do you have bread to go with it?¡± ¡°We do!¡± ¡°Then we''ll start with five dinners with bread.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. And to drink? We have water, ale, wine, and the hard stuff.¡± I don''t know all of those words, Tom mused. ¡°Hold on a beat. Guys?¡± The elves were already looking at him attentively. ¡°Drink? Water, ale¡­thing three¡­ah¡­ raisins?¡± Orvan nodded. Tom gestured as if inflating a raisin. ¡°Grape? Grape water?¡± ¡°Wine,¡± Orvan supplied. ¡°Wine. Wine. Water, ale, wine? You say you want.¡± Tom was stretching his leadership a little bit, but the last thing he wanted on their first night in town was to find out the hard way how elves reacted to hard liquor. The men ordered ale and the women both ordered wine. Debbie smiled and did a little twirl as she darted off to fill their order. Too young for my tastes, Tom thought idly with a small frown. He turned to the others and caught Diavla smiling at him. He tilted his head questioningly. ¡°Nevahmine,¡± the elf told him. I really should correct her pronunciation, but it''s just too cute. People started wandering by and asking questions. The first was a scrawny man with a ragged brown beard. ¡°Are those elves?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°You have four slaves?¡± He nodded again. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I won them as loot killing some bandits.¡± He was going with a simplified story to avoid telling too much. ¡°How did bandits have slaves?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°I guess they killed some slavers.¡± ¡°How much are they worth?¡± ¡°About ten or twenty gold each, I think.¡± ¡°You going to sell them?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°No way. I rent them out for day labor.¡± ¡°You could rent those two out as night labor,¡± the man observed, staring at Diavla and Varga. ¡°I could, but I won''t. I''m keeping them all to myself.¡± Tom reached out and took Diavla''s hand possessively, gloating a bit at the man. ¡°That''s a lot of gold you''re giving up, but I can see why you''d do that. You staying in town?¡± ¡°Haven''t decided yet. We''ll be here for a few days at least.¡± ¡°Nice. See you around.¡± ¡°Yeah, take care.¡± The man wandered off and Tom felt his smile go stiff. He took his hand off of Diavla''s. ¡°Thank you.¡± Diavla leaned towards him. ¡°Tom, I know you (something).¡± She saw that he had missed the last word and her eyes went vacant a moment as she considered her vocabulary. ¡°Lie, say story. Fun.¡± She struck a couple of exaggerated, dramatic poses, which Varga got in on, hamming it up. Tom snorted at their antics. ¡°Act. Act is act. Yes, I act, I lie. I stop bad people.¡± ¡°I trust you, Tom.¡± Then Diavla got a scheming look on her face. ¡°I act too.¡± She took hold of his arm firmly and pressed her body against his. ¡°Diavla, no flirt.¡± ¡°I no flirt. I act. I act (something) good slave, I want big Master happy.¡± Her impish grin was both delightful and maddening as she ran her fingers along his arm. ¡°Diavla¡­¡± She looked at him with an overly innocent, questioning expression. Now I know why they call it elf-stroke when a man just falls down dead for no reason. Woman, you will be the death of me. ¡°We get food. No touch. Eat. I talk to people.¡± Serious now, Diavla waved her hand to encompass the whole room. ¡°People? Men and women is people?¡± Tom extricated his arm from her grasp. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°People is people.¡± ¡°People. Thank you.¡± So, I can distract her with learning, he mused. Good to know. Tom watched the room, trying to identify people of interest. I should put the word out. Another man walked up and asked much the same questions about the elves as the first. Then another came over, carrying a mug. ¡°Hey, how much for the redhead?¡± ¡°She''s not for sale.¡± ¡°I''m not looking to buy her, pal. How much for the night?¡± Tom knew the question was coming, but it still galled him. ¡°She''s not available.¡± The man frowned. ¡°Got her all booked up already?¡± Tom felt his blood pulse in his neck. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°What about the dark-haired one?¡± ¡°Same.¡± ¡°Demons. They going to be around?¡± Tom was reluctant to answer, but couldn''t think of a reasonable excuse not to. ¡°We''ll be in town a couple of days, at least.¡± ¡°Maybe I''ll check back, then. Thanks, man.¡± Tom took a deep breath, then felt Diavla squeeze his arm. He looked down at her. She was watching him with a serious expression. ¡°Thank you, Tom. You do good.¡± He nodded to her, not trusting himself to speak for a couple of moments. Debbie the barmaid returned with their drinks and handed them out, leaning forward a bit as she pushed his ale across. Tom kept his eyes on his drink, then her face. ¡°Thanks, Debbie.¡± Tom kept a lookout, watching the room and checking on the elves. He noticed Varga was staring at something, and when he followed her gaze, spotted the bartender. He blinked, looked at Varga, then at the human woman again. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The bartender was tall and had long red hair. Her sleeveless top showed off muscular arms like Varga''s. She was a lot bustier than the elf, but Varga was prettier in Tom''s opinion. He wondered what Varga thought of the woman. Then he remembered one of his plans. ¡°Oh. I need to go talk to the bartender. Um¡­I go talk, I go here soon.¡± ¡°I go, too!¡± Varga declared. ¡°I go, too,¡± Diavla echoed, looking up at him worriedly. Tom took in her expression, then nodded. I can see why they don''t want to be more than a few steps away from me at all times in a place like this. Probably better for avoiding trouble, too. Tom stood and held out his hand. Diavla looked at it, then up at him, gave a tiny shake no, and jerked her head a bit to signal that he should go first. Right. A master would walk ahead of his slaves. Tom took a deep breath and headed for the bar slowly, giving the women time to follow him closely. He found an open stretch where they could all lean on the bar and waited. It was a minute before the bartender finished serving some customers and turned to him. ¡°What''ll it be?¡± ¡°Information. I''d like to hire you,¡± Tom told her. The bartender looked back and forth between Diavla and Varga and frowned. ¡°For what?¡± she asked warily. ¡°I''ve got some alcohol for sale, and I don''t know how much to charge. I''d like you to price it for me, if you''re willing.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°A wagonload. I''ll give you one silver per gold of the sales,¡± Tom offered. ¡°Three silver.¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Done.¡± The woman looked him up and down. ¡°I''m working tonight. When do you need to do this?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning suits me.¡± ¡°I work at a bar; I''m not a morning person. One hour before noon is the earliest I''ll do it.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°That''s fine. Do I bring it here?¡± The woman nodded. ¡°I''ll be by in the morning then.¡± ¡°What''s your name?¡± ¡°Tom Walker.¡± ¡°Miranda Barr.¡± She looked at the three of them again. ¡°And who are they?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Tom was annoyed at himself for forgetting his manners. ¡°Miranda Barr, this is Diavla Urula and Varga¡­¡± He looked at Varga and realized he didn''t know her family name. ¡°Varga Morovel,¡± Varga supplied with a smile. She held out her hand. Miranda clasped her forearm and Varga imitated her. It looked as if they were having a bit of a strength contest for a moment, sizing each other up. Both of them were smiling a little, though, so Tom didn''t worry about it. ¡°What''s your story?¡± Miranda asked the elf. Varga looked at Tom. ¡°Tom, you tell story, please?¡± ¡°Yes. I do.¡± Tom caught Miranda''s raised eyebrows when he spoke Elvish and grinned. ¡°I''m just learning Elvish. I lucked into four elven slaves recently, and we''re here in the city to get them clothes and things¡­and also to sell the alcohol.¡± ¡°How do you ¡®luck into¡¯ four slaves?¡± Tom weighed what to say, and sobered. ¡°My friends were killed, and I killed the murderers. The bandits had these slaves, so they''re legally mine now.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with them?¡± Miranda''s expression was a bit stiff. ¡°Well, I''m going to sell the alcohol and spend some of the gold to take care of them. We''re working out the rest as we go.¡± ¡°How''d you learn some Elvish?¡± Tom took a deep breath and puffed air out his cheeks, allowing himself to sound tired. ¡°It''s been a busy week.¡± ¡°Tom learn Elvish, we learn Western,¡± Diavla spoke up. ¡°Huh.¡± Miranda regarded them a moment. ¡°Is Tom good to you?¡± she asked Diavla. She''s blunt, Tom thought. ¡°Tom is very good man,¡± Diavla assured her. ¡°We are very happy Tom get us.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Miranda still sounded a bit cold. Tom looked back and forth between them. ¡°How about I go back to our table so you can talk with them privately?¡± At that Miranda''s expression seemed to thaw a bit. ¡°I''d like that, thank you.¡± Tom nodded and withdrew after a exchanging a look and a nod with Diavla. Varga started to follow him but Diavla spoke to her in rapid Elvish and Varga smiled, turning back to eye the bartender some more. I''ll give them a couple of minutes, Tom told himself. When he got back to the table, Kervan was having a passable conversation with a woman who was asking questions. ¡°Saa, here Tom Walker is.¡± He looked a bit relieved. ¡°Hello, can I help you?¡± The woman looked up at him and blinked. ¡°Uh¡­no. I''m fine. I was just curious.¡± She looked a bit intimidated by him, so Tom sat down. ¡°Nothing wrong with curiosity,¡± he told her. ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman retreated, and Tom looked a question at Kervan. The elf shrugged. ¡°She ask¡­you. She ask me say you. Ugh.¡± Kervan put a hand to his forehead, for once stumped by their limited vocabulary. ¡°She want my name?¡± Tom guessed. ¡°Yes!¡± Kervan looked relieved. ¡°She want¡­¡± he lifted several fingers one at a time rapidly. ¡°She want where you are from. She want¡­count you gold?¡± ¡°She wanted to know whether I am rich? ¡®Rich¡¯ is, I have big gold.¡± ¡°Saa. She ask. She ask where we go.¡± ¡°She asked ¡®about¡¯ me. She asked ¡®all about¡¯ me.¡± Tom made a sweeping gesture with his hand for ¡®all.¡¯ ¡°She asked all about you.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°That''s fine. It is good.¡± Debbie returned with a platter bearing five bowls and a loaf of bread. ¡°Here you are, five bowls of stew and bread. Say, where''d the ladies go?¡± ¡°They''re talking to Miranda.¡± Tom pointed. Debbie looked. ¡°Huh. All right.¡± She turned back and her smile returned. ¡°Enjoy your meal. Give me a wave when you want anything more.¡± Right after she walked off, someone else approached. Going to be a busy night, Tom mused. The new fellow was short, with thinning hair and a nervous twitchiness about him. He gave Tom a big grin that was about half-fake. This might be the man I''m looking for. ¡°Good evening, young sir. My name is Edge. May I join you for a moment?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Tom gestured at a space between him and Kervan, and Edge sat down. ¡°Tom Walker. This is Orvan and this is Kervan.¡± Edge took a brief moment to size up each of the elves, then returned his attention to Tom. ¡°Welcome to Rivermarch, Tom!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Tom smiled at him. ¡°It''s good to be here.¡± ¡°Just arrived today?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°And you have two elves, I see.¡± ¡°Four, actually.¡± ¡°Four! Interesting! I''m sure there''s a story there.¡± ¡°There is, but I have to keep quiet for another day or two before I go spreading all the details.¡± Edge nodded. ¡°I see, I see, you have wheels in motion. I am far from a man to upset your cart. Of course, if you need to put the word out to particular individuals, I might be able to help with that.¡± ¡°I''ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Tell me, young Tom, is there anything you need while you get settled? Have you got a place to stay?¡± ¡°We do. All set there.¡± ¡°You need clothes for your boys, maybe?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°We''re going shopping tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, I know all the shops around here. I''d be happy to tell you about them.¡± The man rubbed his throat a moment. Tom took the hint. ¡°Are you thirsty, Edge? What are you drinking?¡± ¡°Northern Ale.¡± ¡°Well, let me buy you one.¡± ¡°Thank you. That''s very thoughtful of you, Tom.¡± Within a minute, Debbie had dropped off the man''s drink, and Edge took a sip, smacking his lips. ¡°Ahh, that''s better.¡± He beamed at Tom. Tom smiled back. ¡°You look like a guy who knows guys who can get things done. A guy who''s up on all the latest news.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, I know everybody in this city,¡± Edge bragged. ¡°I thought you might. I actually would love to ask you a few questions.¡± ¡°A man after my own heart, you know just what you want. Let me hear it.¡± ¡°Great. First things first. How are elves treated around here? A lot of hate? Accepted?¡± Edge took a moment to think, which Tom was glad to see. Some guys would make up a line of manure on the spot without a care. This fellow might be very useful. ¡°Honestly, Tom, there are precious few elves in the whole city, so I guess we''ll all find out together. My guess is that most people will be fine with ''em, but a few might be touchy because they lost a leg or a brother or what have you, fighting elves at some point. Or maybe their daddy did. You know how it is.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°That matches what we''ve seen so far. A little rudeness, but not big trouble.¡± ¡°Good to hear. What else you want to know?¡± ¡°I need to talk to someone who knows boats. River boats, ocean boats, someone who''s been around.¡± Edge got a distant look in his eyes for a moment. ¡°I think I know just the guy. Captain Miles Weller. His boat''s the Blue River Dream and I hear it''s moored at North Birch Pier for a few days, so he''s got some time. I bet if you buy him lunch, he''ll be happy to tell you anything you want to know.¡± ¡°That sounds perfect.¡± ¡°Great! I''ll probably see him at some point, so I can tell him to expect you if you like.¡± ¡°Good. Lunch tomorrow works for me. Thanks, Edge.¡± Tom took a bite of his stew; it was some kind of fish chowder. A motion to the side caught Tom''s attention, and he suddenly realized that both Kervan and Orvan had waited for him to take a bite before starting their own dinners. His eyes widened just a moment. Gods. I need to pay closer attention. I''ll talk to them later about that. He swallowed his food and looked over at Edge, who was smiling as he waited for the next question. He thought a moment, then said, ¡°So, I''m pretty new at the owning slaves thing. Are there a lot of human slaves around the city?¡± Edge frowned in thought. ¡°Maybe a dozen or two?¡± ¡°Anything special I should know about?¡± ¡°I can ask around. Are you going be here again?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°For at least the next of couple of days. I take it you''re a regular here?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I can find things out and tell you tomorrow evening if you like.¡± ¡°That''s great. I always like to know about trouble before it arrives, you know?¡± ¡°You''re a smart guy, Tom.¡± ¡°Thanks. You''re clearly a sharp guy yourself.¡± ¡°Well, I try, Tom, I try.¡± ¡°So, about¡ª¡± Tom broke off as he realized that Orvan and Kervan were having a discussion in rapid Elvish that was getting a bit heated. Abruptly, Orvan stood. ¡°Orvan?¡± Tom called. ¡°What?¡± Orvan responded with a torrent of Elvish that Tom couldn''t catch a word of. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kervan?¡± The blond elf turned to him. ¡°Orvan say food is very bad. Orvan want go to¡­food room? And talk.¡± Uh-oh. Chapter 23: Alcohol and Memories Diavla watched Tom head back to their table, then turned to face Miranda. Up close, the woman was not pretty at all, but she did have a presence, and her body was impressive. She was currently looking them both over with a skeptical eye. ¡°What (something something) you?¡± The human asked. ¡°I know small Western,¡± she warned the woman, then pointed at Varga. ¡°She know very small Western.¡± Miranda scowled, but was very no-nonsense about it. ¡°You. Here. How?¡± ¡°I''d better give you the short tale,¡± Diavla muttered in Elvish, then marshaled her vocabulary again. ¡°Slavers go Elf Land, get us, give village fire. One month, boat. Two month, wagon. Bandits fight. Bandits kill slavers. Bandits get wagon, get us. Tom kill bandits. Tom get us. Ten day? No, ten and two day. Tom help us.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°We give wagons, get gold. Give gold, get clothes, food. We help Tom. Tom help us.¡± ¡°He touch you?¡± Her tone and expression made clear what she meant. Diavla scowled. ¡°No. I ask. He say no.¡± That got a look of surprise from the woman. ¡°Are you talking about Tom?¡± Varga asked. Diavla turned to her, briefly. ¡°Our whole situation.¡± Varga squinted at her. ¡°Are you talking about Tom saying no to kissing you?¡± Diavla''s scowl deepened and Varga grinned. Her traitor kanashim turned to Miranda and winked. ¡°He say no?¡± Miranda repeated. Diavla nodded. ¡°Yes. He say no.¡± ¡°He no want you?¡± ¡°No, very no, he want us. He very want us.¡± ¡°(Something) why?¡± ¡°Tom Walker is a good man,¡± she said grumpily. ¡°He no want¡­give pain?¡± Diavla couldn''t recall the word at the moment. She shook her head and went on. ¡°He want he is good. He want we no scared.¡± Miranda still looked skeptical. Diavla couldn''t very well tell her that Tom had willingly worn a slave collar for a few minutes to earn their trust. Then the bartender surprised her by turning to Varga. ¡°Varga.¡± The bartender asked, ¡°You? Tom?¡± And she made a universally understandable vulgar gesture. Varga barked a laugh and shook her head. ¡°Diavla? Tom?¡± Again, Varga shook her head. Then Varga laid a hand on Diavla''s, and said, ¡°Diavla. Varga. Yes.¡± ¡°You didn''t have to tell her that!¡± Diavla hissed, once she got past being stunned. ¡°Some humans don''t like it.¡± Fortunately, Miranda looked surprised but not shocked or angry. ¡°Well, some elves don''t like it either, but they can go mate with the Moon,¡± Varga replied, oblivious to the potential problems. Diavla squeezed her eyes shut a moment, trying to hang on to her temper. When she opened them again, Miranda and Varga were back to gesturing, this time making happy, sad, angry and scared faces. Diavla watched them in amazement as they communicated a great deal very quickly. I guess they think alike. Varga''s got a clearer grasp on the attractions between us and¡­ Diavla blinked. Wait. That can''t mean what I think it means. Diavla stared. Did Varga just suggest Miranda have sex with Tom?! She''s laughing it off. Thank the spirits. Varga, I''m going to kill you later. Miranda turned back to Diavla, looking amused. ¡°Your friend is (something something something).¡± ¡°I do not understand, but I think you are right.¡± Miranda laughed at that, a loud braying sound that startled the elves a bit. ¡°Good. I go (something). Now¡­Tom bad, you here. Maybe I (something) buy you.¡± Diavla stared at her, then nodded her thanks. ¡°Thank you very much. Tom is good. You¡­you are good woman.¡± ¡°Hey, we women (something something something) together.¡± Miranda offered her arm, and Diavla clasped it. Then Miranda did the same to Varga, and with a wary eye out, the elf women headed back to their table. They got curious looks, but no one touched them or spoke to them. As they approached, Diavla saw that a human was sitting with Tom. Orvan was standing up, looking¡­ disgusted. Tom was holding up a hand placatingly. ¡°Orvan, yes. Wait, please. I get Debbie.¡± ¡°What''s wrong (something something) elf, Tom?¡± the man asked. ¡°Saa, Debbie!¡± Varga hollered shamelessly, turning a few heads, and the barmaid showed up quickly. ¡°Tom want you,¡± Diavla explained to the girl. Tom and Debbie had a rapid conversation in Western that Diavla couldn''t follow. She stared at them, thinking hard. I didn''t realize how slowly he has been speaking for our benefit until now. Their speech is like a rushing river and I can''t pick out any of the words fast enough. Finally, Tom turned to Orvan. ¡°Orvan, you and Debbie go to kitchen, food room.¡± ¡°Kitchen,¡± Orvan repeated, looking annoyed with himself for not remembering the word. ¡°Yes. I go kitchen.¡± Debbie then said something polite to Orvan, and led him towards the door on the far right. They passed through the door, and then Diavla heard Debbie in a much less sweet and demure voice yell, ¡°HEY, KEN!¡± followed by some more words she couldn''t catch. Diavla tried to smother a smile but couldn''t quite manage it. ¡°Here''s hoping Orvan doesn''t get in a fight,¡± she mused. Tom looked at her quizzically. Why is he so adorable? she asked herself. Hm, maybe that wine is a little strong. To answer him, Diavla mimed a fistfight. ¡°Orvan. Cook.¡± ¡°Uh oh. No good?¡± ¡°How do you say, maybe, small no, big yes?¡± ¡°?¡®Probably.¡¯?¡± ¡°Probably Orvan no fight.¡± ¡°Uh oh.¡± Diavla grinned. I probably should be a little more worried about that, but right now I can''t be bothered to care. Tom continued his conversation with the human while they reclaimed their seats and had some of the stew. Tom introduced the man as Edge. Diavla kept an eye on the man as she ate, but didn''t speak. More than one person stopped by and interrupted with questions. ¡°Tom,¡± Varga called. ¡°What they want?¡± Tom looked a bit embarrassed, but asked Edge for patience and answered in Elvish for their benefit. ¡°They ask story. They ask how much gold I give, I get you. They ask how much gold they give, they get you. They ask, um¡­¡± Tom made an odd face, ¡°how much gold they give¡­um¡­they get you¡­one night. I say no.¡± He was clearly embarrassed but seemed to feel duty bound to report it. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Who do they want?¡± Varga asked, grinning. Tom looked amused and exasperated with Varga, then apparently decided to punish her with the truth. ¡°One want you. Three want Diavla. One want you and Diavla. Two want Kervan.¡± Varga pouted for all of a few seconds before rallying. ¡°Men wanted me?¡± Kervan asked, sounding more than a bit disturbed. Varga laughed. ¡°One man ask, one woman ask.¡± ¡°If a man asks, very much say no,¡± Kervan instructed forcefully. There was a pause. After a moment, everyone was looking at him, waiting curiously for him to say more. Kervan looked pensive and a bit uncomfortable, then grinned. ¡°If a woman asks, tell her one gold, I go with her one night.¡± Everyone laughed. Tom translated for Edge, who looked thoughtful. A gold for a night was ridiculously expensive even for a good courtesan. Only nobles could pay that kind of money, and even they were very unlikely to. And the group wasn''t about to encounter any nobles in the Floating Duck, from the look of the place and the neighborhood. ¡°Careful, Kervan. What if a woman says yes?¡± Varga asked with a huge grin. ¡°If a woman says yes, I finally get some sex and I make money for the boat home,¡± Kervan answered, smiling. Diavla was less sanguine. You jest, Kervan, but you are probably the only willing male elf for a great distance in any direction. You can''t get a human woman pregnant, you''re not bad-looking, and you''re exotic. If human culture is like elven this way, for twenty, thirty silver, you''d already be in a woman''s bed. A gold might not be high enough to deter them all. Diavla tapped Tom''s arm. ¡°Tom, I say no, man wants me for gold.¡± Tom actually looked relieved, and nodded with a smile. He glanced at Varga. ¡°Same. I say no.¡± A glance at Orvan and he mouthed ¡°no¡± with a smile. Tom turned and resumed his conversation with Edge. The man had a jittery motion about him, and spoke with enthusiasm to nearly every person passing by the table. It seemed he could not go five heartbeats without talking. He sounded as if he were constantly welcoming someone, telling a joke, or bestowing a favor. He was a bit under average height for an elven man, which put him well on the short side of humans. Tom looked interested and engaged in their conversation, as if he had been waiting for this to happen. Meanwhile, the impression Diavla got of Edge was of a man trying to sell Tom a leaky fishing boat. Tom seemed to know how to handle him, though. It took a lot of effort not to butt in and ask for a translation. She noticed Kervan carefully memorizing things being said, so that he might figure them out later. Finally, they repeated a list back and forth, shook hands human style, and Edge excused himself, talking with blazing speed at his next conversation partner from across the room as he approached them. Tom sighed, looking a bit tired but satisfied. He turned to everyone and said. ¡°I am sorry. Edge talk a lot.¡± ¡°Edge talk alotta words,¡± Diavla agreed in Western. Tom grinned and nodded. Diavla took a deep breath. Doing her best to hide her trepidation, she asked, ¡°What you and Edge did say?¡± Tom switched to Elvish. ¡°We speak Elvish, humans no understand.¡± Everyone nodded. That said, Tom took a moment to hunt for words. Finally, he explained, holding up one finger. ¡°One, I ask Edge what people say elves. Edge listen,¡± he tapped his ear to make the meaning clear. ¡°Edge say me tomorrow.¡± He raised another finger. ¡°Two, I ask Edge boat. I ask where we go¡­ugh, I forget the word. Big, big water.¡± ¡°The sea. The ocean,¡± Kervan supplied. ¡°Ocean! That''s it. Right. Edge say man we go see, talk boat. ¡°Three. I ask Edge where we go, do, get coin.¡± Jobs, Diavla translated mentally. He was asking about work we can do while we''re in the city. ¡°Four. I ask Edge where I get¡­things.¡± Tom didn''t elaborate and clearly didn''t want to. They didn''t press him. ¡°And. Edge ask story. Edge ask gold for elves, gold for night. I say. I say I no give elves. Edge ask what we do, where we go. Edge ask what I want. Edge is man¡­¡± Tom struggled for words. ¡°Edge talk man, man, man. Edge know things. Edge get coin, Edge say things.¡± At that point, Debbie and Orvan came back. Debbie chatted with Tom rapidly. The gist was that Orvan had much improved the chowder and had brought out a few more bowls. Tom took an entire second helping, while the women and the men split one each. Debbie called something out to the room at large and Tom snorted with amusement. ¡°What say, Tom?¡± Tom turned to the elves. ¡°They get more gold, food. Thank you, Orvan.¡± ¡°The fish here is too oily. They were trying to use pantho; I substituted malash. I would have used orithia root too, but they don''t have it here. Also, they weren''t cooking it the right distance from the fire. Still, it''s better than it was.¡± ¡°Definitely. Thanks, Orvan,¡± Kervan told him. There were murmurs of agreement around the table. Diavla noticed that Tom devoured his second bowl quickly. As she filled up her own belly, she mused, I suppose I have a while yet to put weight back on before I have to worry about eating too much. I hope we get more desserts tomorrow. For a moment, she thought about Brallik, Arven, Rillik and Sheema. It''s a pity they aren''t getting good food like this. I hope they''re eating enough. I hope they manage to stay away from humans until we find them. All too soon, the food was gone. Tom emptied his second mug of ale while Varga finished her wine. Diavla was surprised to find that she had finished hers as well. I think I was drinking nervously while that man Edge was here. Tom asked them if they wanted more. Only Varga said yes. After a minute of waiting for Debbie, Tom shrugged and stood. ¡°I go, get drinks.¡± ¡°I go!¡± Varga declared eagerly, standing up. ¡°You just want to flirt with the bartender some more,¡± Diavla accused. ¡°I want to ask her what she does for exercise!¡± Varga protested. ¡°In gestures?¡± ¡°Some gestures are better than others. Come on¡ªzada zada.¡± ¡°If bad, big say ¡®Tom¡¯,¡± her human advised. Diavla nodded. Call for help if we need it, he means. We''ll be good at the table here for a couple of minutes without you, Tom, Diavla thought. I certainly hope we will, at least. Diavla kept an eye on them. Tom had to wait for the bartender, and then he ordered drinks from the buxom woman. After a bit, Miranda leaned forward a little, showing off and watching for his reaction. Tom noticed the view; Diavla wondered whether he knew the woman was doing it deliberately. Men could be dense sometimes. I wonder, is she testing him or actually flirting? Finally, Tom and Varga returned, each holding a drink that was already half-finished. Easy there, Varga. Tom looked around warily. ¡°We go soon?¡± Everyone but Varga nodded at once. Varga shrugged after seeing their reactions and agreed. Tom summoned Debbie, and paid out in silvers. Judging by her reaction, that included a sizable tip. Varga started drinking her wine quickly. ¡°Hey!¡± Diavla reached over and took the glass, downing the rest of the wine to keep her friend from getting dangerously drunk. Whoo, this stuff is strong. Well, I could use the courage. Tom drank the rest of his ale in one long draught, then slammed the mug down on the table. ¡°Let''s go.¡± He led them across the crowded room and out the door without incident. Within a couple of minutes, they were upstairs in their rooms. True to his word, Tom removed their collars right away. Diavla savored the moments of contact, Tom''s firm grip on the back of her neck, almost as much as the feeling of freedom as the magic lost its hold on her. That done, Tom turned in, taking his rock light with him, and the hall and other rooms were plunged into darkness. Diavla wondered if he realized that they had no light. Probably not, or he would come right back out for us. He''s considerate like that. ¡°We forgot candles,¡± Diavla observed. ¡°We should get some tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mmm. That''s tomorrow. Come here and help me work out my frustrations.¡± Diavla heard the rustling sounds of Varga shedding her clothing and climbing into one of the two small beds. ¡°The bartender didn''t say yes?¡± ¡°She claims she''s not interested in bedding women, but she was looking me over. She''s at least a little curious. Spirits, those muscles.¡± ¡°Most human women don''t seem to have a lot of visible muscle,¡± Diavla observed, getting out of her dress and folding it neatly. ¡°We have that in common. She must work hard at it, like you do.¡± ¡°Well, I''ll get another chance when we see her tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, you will.¡± ¡°Come to bed,¡± her friend''s voice urged. ¡°Varga, I need to meditate for a few minutes before that, all right? I want to keep checking on my soul.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Just don''t¡­¡± Diavla heard her yawn, ¡°¡­take too long.¡± Diavla waited until she didn''t hear Varga moving around any more, then took a deep breath. It was harder to focus her soul with the alcohol in her body. Diavla tried to remember the correct lesson, but found her mind wandering a bit. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ¡°Dwarves protect us from the demons,¡± the Wise Woman taught. ¡°They are immune to possession. The spirits favor dwarves in that way. They themselves claim it is simply breeding¡ªthey say that any dwarf susceptible to possession didn''t live long enough to have children. Of course, they don''t believe in the spirits, so they have to have a rationalization for their blessing.¡± ¡°What do they think provides magic, then?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°They think that spirits are unaware, that a brook is simply a brook, a tree is simply a tree, and a mana well is like a vein of metal ore, simply there and waiting to be tapped.¡± ¡°But aren''t we spirits? We have souls.¡± The Wise Woman shrugged. ¡°I confess, I have never understood the thinking of the Dwarves. Perhaps they do not believe they have souls, either. However they view it, they are certainly effective. Demon outbreaks on the surface happen only once or twice per century, and dwarven weapons are vastly superior for fighting them.¡± ¡°How do people fight demons if there aren''t any dwarves or dwarven weapons around?¡± ¡°That is where we come in. We, the spirit-touched, are the defenders of the surface world. This is why we must learn to call upon the spirits for offense and defense. Now, we will practice listening for spirits of War¡­¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla blinked and shook her head. I don''t need that lesson right now. Focus. Don''t reminisce, meditate. She tried for a while, then gave up. It was no use; she had drunk too much wine. I''ll meditate tomorrow, she promised herself. Are there even any spirits in this city? Or if there are, are they too busy dealing with a host of requests from people? She undressed and lay down beside Varga, who was already snoring gently. I wonder where my new libido has gone off to, she thought wearily. I wonder what would happen if I called for spirits of Passion right now¡­ Diavla tried listening for the spirits once more, but found the area so quiet to her soul-sense that she fell asleep before accomplishing anything. Chapter 24: Clothes On Sixday morning, Tom dreamt about his comrades. This time, it wasn''t a nightmare. Instead, he was sitting around a fire with them, all of them drinking ale. He looked around, feeling sad. ¡°I''m sorry you died,¡± he told them. ¡°It happens,¡± Kurt answered. ¡°Good job surviving.¡± ¡°I had help.¡± ¡°Yeah, that Sheema is a babe!¡± Julio put in. ¡°You should totally hunt her down and bed her.¡± ¡°Nah, Varga''s better,¡± Nictal opined. Michael snorted. ¡°Diavla''s in love with him. And she''s throwing herself at him. Tom, when the gods give you a gift, don''t drop it.¡± ¡°How about that Miranda, though?¡± Vlad offered. ¡°She''s more my type.¡± ¡°Why choose?¡± Julio answered. ¡°He should bed them all!¡± ¡°Tom,¡± Kurt called. When Tom focused on him, the former knight gave a nod of approval, and something loosened in Tom''s chest. ¡°Thanks for getting four more of the bastards with my dagger.¡± ¡°You''re welcome¡­¡± Tom trailed off. ¡°I can still hear the ¡®sir¡¯, you know.¡± Tom actually smiled at that. Bob and Pete didn''t say anything; Tom had barely exchanged any words with them while they were alive, and they were faint and blurry to his dream sight. ¡°Tom, don''t drag yourself down being sad for us,¡± Vlad urged. ¡°You''re the only one of us left alive; you''re the only one with time, so don''t waste it.¡± ¡°If you want to honor us, go have all the fun we''ll miss.¡± ¡°Yeah, bed all the women you can,¡± Julio advised. ¡°I''m not there, so you''ll have to make up for the lack with the poor, deprived ladies.¡± The others hooted in derision at him. ¡°Well, he''s got a great chance to get started right¡ª¡± ¡°Julio!¡± Kurt snapped, and the other man fell silent. ¡°Nothing he doesn''t know already! You know the rules.¡± The men all started to fade into mist. ¡°Looks like time''s up.¡± ¡°Nice going, Julio,¡± Vlad grumbled. ¡°Thanks for the drink, Tom!¡± Michael called. ¡°Hear, hear!¡± The dream was fading fast, but Tom caught a faint sound on the wind: Mr. Whistler''s voice. ¡°Tom¡­tell my wife I love her¡­¡± ¡°I will, Mr. Whistler,¡± Tom promised, just as he started to wake up. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Thanks, guys. He wiped away tears and took a shuddering breath. They all lost the rest of their lives. Everything they were ever going to do, and have, and love. Maybe I should live a life full of enough joy for eight men, to balance the scales. Tom felt both warm and cold. The air was chilly, but under the blanket was toasty, especially with¡ªTom started slightly, and looked to his side, where Diavla was curled up against him, snoring gently. His heart stuttered. It happened again. The first time, Tom had been awake when she wandered in, that night at the Carvers'' house. Diavla had completely ignored everything he said, and simply climbed into bed with him, lay across his chest and went still, apparently sleeping deeply. She had refused to wake even when he shook her a couple of times. Finally, Tom had just accepted her presence, though it took him a long time to calm down enough to get back to sleep. He had woken up before her, managed to get her off of him and get out of bed without waking her, and gone to breakfast. Now, here she was again, in his bed. He felt aghast, but at the same time¡­it was a really nice feeling. She fit very comfortably in his arms. He liked the sensation of her draped across his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. Maybe this is what she wants when her soul is asleep. The way his arm was curled around her protectively, Tom knew that his body felt the same. It was a sweet and romantic feeling. Then Tom continued waking up, and started thinking about how he had a mostly naked woman in his bed. His body reacted nigh instantly. He was intensely aware of his hand on her hip, and how if he moved it just a little he would be able to feel the curve of her bottom. For a minute, he had to hold his breath from the effort required not to move his hand. He ground his teeth in frustration a moment, then forced himself to relax his jaw a little. How did she get in here? Tom had seen a play once in Peter''s Crossing, a comedy in which a character kept doing this. They called it ¡®sleepwalking¡¯ in the performance, and used it over and over to produce increasingly silly situations. Half the comedy wouldn''t have happened if any of the characters had had the sense to lock their doors. But I did lock my door. Tom was sure of it. Then he remembered. I gave Diavla my spare key. Can a sleepwalker do things like unlocking doors? Tom''s soul raced, until he thought of a simpler explanation. Maybe I just forgot to lock my door again when I came back from the necessary. I must have gotten up at least once and I don''t particularly remember doing so. Tom squeezed his eyes shut and winced slightly. He hadn''t drunk nearly enough to get a real hangover, but he was aware of a mild headache. He needed to drink some water. Diavla will likely have it worse, judging from past experience. He knew that he should hurry up and sneak out of bed, the way he had the first time this had happened. But for several moments he just lay there, imagining how it would feel to kiss her, to slide his hands over her, to roll over on top of her¡­ That is not helping. For a few more breaths he lay there, warring with his instincts. Then Tom started trying to extricate himself from her embrace without waking her. He got about halfway free, but then Diavla gave a little moan and hugged him tighter. Her leg pushed against his crotch and he froze. There was nothing for it. ¡°Diavla,¡± he whispered. ¡°Diavla, wake up. Good morning, Diavla.¡± She gave a groan of complaint, but didn''t open her eyes or otherwise react. Tom looked down at the splayed mess of her long black hair, and sighed. ¡°You are so beautiful, and so smart,¡± he whispered. ¡°And maddening. And I want you, badly. I can barely stand it.¡± Diavla stirred, and turned her face up towards his. Tom swallowed. If she kisses me now, I don''t think I''ll be able to resist her. Diavla''s eyes opened and she smiled. She blinked, and froze, losing her smile. Then she jerked herself up on one arm. She swore in Elvish. Tom held up his hands in surrender. I didn''t do anything. ¡°Saa! Saa, Tom! What did I do? Did I¡ª?¡± She sat up the rest of the way and flipped the blanket off in an apparent panic, exposing them both to the chilly air. She looked at her own body, and his. They both wore only their lower underclothes. She appeared to be relieved to see that they weren''t both totally naked, he guessed. Diavla''s breasts were tantalizingly close to being exposed, just her long hair covering her chest. Then she reached up and swept her hair back over her shoulders, revealing her body fully. She squeezed her eyes shut a moment, probably feeling a hangover. She didn''t appear to notice that she was on display. Tom swallowed, admiring. His eyes traced the gentle swells and curves, drinking in the sight. He ached for her. Belatedly, he pulled his gaze up to her face, to find her motionless, staring at the bulge in his underclothes. Tom grabbed the blanket and quickly yanked it back over his waist. He felt embarrassed, but knew he had no right to complain because he had been staring, too. Diavla still didn''t move her gaze until he cleared his throat, apparently breaking whatever spell her soul was under. ¡°Saa. Yes. I hide,¡± she reminded herself, lifting one arm to cover her breasts. Now she looked embarrassed. ¡°Tom, I (something something).¡± ¡°You what?¡± ¡°I sleep and go (something). Two nights.¡± ¡°Again. You sleepwalk.¡± ¡°Sleepwalk.¡± ¡°You sleepwalked again. Again is two times. Um¡­again is ¡®and one.¡¯?¡± ¡°Again. Again. Tom, why you no¡­?¡± She mimed turning a key. ¡°I did!¡± Diavla stared at him a moment. ¡°You did? ¡­I get key? I sleepwalk and get key?¡± ¡°I think so¡­?¡± Diavla stood up. ¡°I am sorry, Tom. You say no do, I no do. I sleep, and I do. I go now.¡± She moved to the door, then paused and looked back at him for a long moment. She sighed. ¡°You are very beautiful, Tom.¡± Tom coughed. ¡°Handsome. Man is handsome, woman is beautiful. You are very beautiful, Diavla.¡± ¡°You are very handsome, Tom. I very like.¡± Tom followed her gaze. ¡°Um, Diavla¡­face is handsome. Body is¡­um¡­sexy.¡± He wanted to clear his throat again. ¡°Saa. You are handsome.¡± She pointed at his face. Then she gestured at the rest of him. ¡°You are very sexy.¡± ¡°You are very beautiful, Diavla. And very, very sexy.¡± Tom paused, then buried his face in the blanket. ¡°But please go now.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes. I go. Yes.¡± Then there was silence. He looked up when he didn''t hear her leave, and she was still standing and looking at him. Her mouth worked a moment before she spoke. ¡°Maybe I kiss¡ª¡° ¡°Go.¡± Tom put a bit more determination and annoyance into his tone. ¡°Yes, Tom.¡± Diavla actually bumped into the edge of the door frame on her way out. It was all the more startling because Tom didn''t remember ever before seeing Diavla be anything but graceful. She must still be drunk. Finally, the door closed behind her. Tom fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. I might be the biggest fool in the world. If I don''t settle down and focus, I''m going to cave pretty soon. When I''m looking at her, it''s hard to remember that bedding her is a bad idea because of the situation we''re in. Really hard. Tom thought about Diavla''s body, recalling how her ribs were no longer so prominent. She looked healthier, which was all the more appealing. Gods above and below, that woman is even sexier than before. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã When he opened the door to his room, the door to the mens'' room opened as well, as if waiting for his signal. The light was dim from the single window at the end of the hall. Kervan came out first. Tom nodded. ¡°Good morning. Ah, good morning.¡± It still wasn''t automatic to speak in Elvish, and probably wouldn''t be for a long time yet, he guessed. ¡°Good morning, Tom. We stay here, tonight?¡± Kervan asked in Western. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Packs stay?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± He was asking whether to bring everything, or if they could leave belongings behind in the rooms while they went out. ¡°Good. Thank you.¡± ¡°We go, food?¡± Orvan asked. He''s getting the most important words, I guess. ¡°Yes.¡± The door to the room across from his opened, and Diavla and Varga came out. Tom felt himself redden and his heart quickened just to look at them. ¡°Unnngh. Good morning, Tom,¡± Diavla groaned, one hand to her head. The hangover is hitting her harder now. She got pretty drunk last night. I wonder if that contributed to her¡­ Tom desperately tried to think of something else. ¡°Water and bread help,¡± he told her. ¡°We go.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°Good morning, Tom,¡± Varga said cheerily. ¡°Did you sleep (something)?¡± Is she teasing me? Tom got tongue-tied and simply led the way to the stairs. Everyone locked the rooms and followed. The Floating Duck was closed in the morning, so they started walking up the street. Tom figured they would find a place offering food soon enough, and he was right. On the next block, there was a stand selling bowls of porridge from a big pot. He got in line and the elves followed. They received a lot of stares. When he got to the stand he asked, ¡°how much for a breakfast?¡± ¡°Twenty copper.¡± Tom''s eyes widened. That was a bit steep for simple fare. The woman quickly added, ¡°you get ten copper back if you return the bowl and spoon.¡± ¡°Ah, I get it. Five breakfasts, please.¡± He handed over a silver. ¡°Coming right up.¡± There were half a dozen benches set out, but they were fully occupied. At least as many people stood around the periphery eating. Tom led them to a free section of wall to lean against. They all ate quickly except for Orvan, who seemed determined to critique every food he encountered on the human continent. Various people made conversation with Tom during breakfast. A lot of them were ordinary laborers curious about the strangers. ¡°Are you supervising these elves?¡± one man asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Tom answered, keeping things simple. ¡°Who''s the owner?¡± ¡°I am, actually,¡± Tom told him around a mouthful of food. ¡°Begging your pardon, but you don''t look rich enough to own¡­four slaves.¡± ¡°''m not used to it myself, yet.¡± ¡°Where''d you get ''em?¡± ¡°Killed some bandits. They were the loot.¡± ¡°Where''d bandits get slaves?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°They must have killed somebody for ''em. Mine now. Lawyer even said so.¡± ¡°You lucky dog.¡± ¡°I am.¡± Tom grinned. ¡°How much are you going to rent them for?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Day labor. How much to hire them?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Tom chewed a moment and swallowed. ¡°Dunno yet. What''s fair?¡± The man paused a moment. ¡°I''d ask a silver a day for unskilled workers. Less if they don''t know the language.¡± That matched what Tom had heard from Edge. ¡°Mm. They don''t, but they''re learning quickly. You hiring?¡± ¡°Not me. My boss might. We''ve got more work than we can handle at the moment. Brix Waters, North City docks. If you go there, ask him for a silver ten, and let him talk you down.¡± ¡°Thanks! I might do that. I''m still getting them set up with clothes and stuff.¡± ¡°Millie''s Mending is good for cheap work clothes. Two blocks that way.¡± ¡°Yeah? Thanks, again¡­¡± ¡°Chase Dockhand. No problem, Mr¡­.?¡± ¡°Tom Walker. Call me Tom, I haven''t had time to get snobby yet.¡± Chase laughed. ¡°Take your time about it. Good luck with them.¡± He got up to return his bowl. ¡°Thanks! Best to you.¡± Tom ended up getting another three bowls: one for himself and two for the four elves. They seemed to be eating a meal and a half at a time, which made sense. They had all looked a bit gaunt when Tom had found them, and they were all still thin, but less painfully so. Happy to help them get back to full health. Especially if I get to stuff Diavla full of beet cookies. Once they had finished eating, Tom debated leading them to Millie''s Mending, but remembered his promise to Vanity Taylor. He dithered for a moment, unsure in what order to perform the day''s tasks, then realized that making the elves presentable should be a priority. Diavla and Varga looked great in their dresses, which had dried overnight, but they couldn''t wear them all the time. Plus, Diavla was getting downright distracting the way she filled out the blue one¡­ Tom yanked his gaze away from her figure yet again, and found her smiling at him, eyebrows raised. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°No sorry. I like.¡± Diavla walked past him, taking a deep, attention-getting breath as she did so. Varga grinned and strutted past him as well, swinging her hips. Gods, these women will drive me mad. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Whistler''s Fabric Emporium was bedecked in swaths of black cloth. There was a note Tom couldn''t read on the front. He led the curious elves around to the side door and knocked. It was a couple of minutes before Vanity opened the door. ¡°Mr. Walker.¡± ¡°Hello, Miss Taylor.¡± ¡°What¡­? Who¡­?¡± Vanity was staring at the elves. She clearly recognized the clothing she had sold him. ¡°What in the world?¡± ¡°They were part of the caravan.¡± ¡°You said nobody else survived!¡± ¡°They were in a cage the whole time. They weren''t merchants or guards or bandits. I didn''t want to overcomplicate the explanation.¡± Vanity scowled for a few moments. ¡°Slaves, huh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Didn''t take you for a slaver.¡± That stung. ¡°I''m not. I''m just taking care of them. They need food and clothing and stuff.¡± Diavla was looking back and forth between them, and spoke up. ¡°Miss Taylor, Tom is good man. He help us.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Diavla persisted. ¡°I am very sorry you man die.¡± That got a reluctant ¡°Thank you,¡± out of Vanity. There was a pause. ¡°We¡­get clothes?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°I did promise to buy here, but you''re busy, so we can go elsewhere, of course,¡± Tom added hurriedly. ¡°Vanity? Who is it?¡± the widow, Mrs. Whistler called from inside. ¡°Mr. Walker and his¡­people,¡± Vanity called back. ¡°Who?¡± Francesca Whistler came to the door, and recognized Tom at once. ¡°Mr. Walker, please come in.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma''am.¡± They all filed into the sewing room. Mrs. Whistler gave the elves a look of curiosity, then focused on him again. ¡°We have unfinished business, do we not, Mr. Walker?¡± Tom thought back. ¡°Ah, yes, ma''am. We used up some cloth I need to pay for.¡± ¡°Hm. There is that. Vanity, fetch my coin purse.¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡± The assistant tailor scurried up the stairs to the second floor. ¡°And who are these people I see wearing my husband''s work?¡± ¡°Ah, Francesca Whistler, may I present Diavla, Orvan, Kervan, and Varga of¡­Kilder Vald,¡± Tom finished, hoping he was getting the pronunciation right. ¡°Were they¡­in the caravan¡­?¡± Mrs. Whistler stared at them for a moment. ¡°They were cargo, weren''t they?¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡± ¡°My husband traveled with slavers?¡± She sounded disappointed. ¡°They kept the wagon covered. Most of us didn''t know, including him,¡± Tom said to defend Mr. Whistler. ¡°It was only for two days. We would have found out, eventually.¡± ¡°Do you have the entire caravan, Mr. Walker?¡± ¡°Well¡­we brought it all to town. Some of it was paid for, and we delivered those. The rest we''re selling to get funds to take care of the elves.¡± Mrs. Whistler regarded them. ¡°?¡®We¡¯, meaning just you and the elves?¡± She nodded. ¡°I suppose they must be very much lost at sea¡­I know a little about how that feels,¡± she murmured. Vanity returned and wordlessly handed over the coin purse. ¡°Ah. Yes. Thank you, Vanity. Mr. Walker, we should conclude our business.¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am. What do I owe you for the fabric?¡± The woman waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Never mind that. We have bigger matters to discuss.¡± ¡°Ma''am?¡± ¡°You paid the tax to bring the fabric into the city, yes?¡± ¡°Ah¡­yes. It was forty silver.¡± The woman nodded. ¡°And what was your pay to be, working as a guard?¡± Tom felt uncomfortable. ¡°Ah, ma''am, we failed in our duty¡ª¡± ¡°You all died doing your duty,¡± Mrs. Whistler snapped. ¡°Your fellows, certainly, and Sir Kurt, and you yourself very nearly, I understand. Now, what was the pay?¡± Tom cleared his throat. ¡°Two and a half silvers per day, meals, and a combat bonus that wasn''t specified.¡± ¡°There were, what, eight of you, you said?¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡± ¡°And two days from your last payday?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°That''s forty silver, plus a bonus. I should think so many dying in the line of duty warrants a sizable bonus for the survivors.¡± ¡°Ah¡­thank you¡­¡± Tom wasn''t quite sure how to react. ¡°Then there is the reward for delivery.¡± ¡°No, ma''am, I said that I couldn''t take a reward.¡± ¡°That is precisely why I am giving you one.¡± That doesn''t make sense. ¡°And then there is the bounty.¡± ¡°Bounty?¡± ¡°You killed Davis the Knife, the leader of the group that murdered my husband. That reward was three gold.¡± ¡°Ah, I don''t have proof¡­¡± ¡°There''s no doubt in your mind, is there?¡± ¡°Well, no, the picture looks just like he did. It must have been him.¡± ¡°Then, that''s fine. I''ll pay you now, and I''ll get it from the city, don''t worry about that.¡± Tom took in a sharp breath. Three gold is a lot of coin, he thought instinctively. And it''s money that I actually earned myself. ¡°How many bandits were killed? How many survived? As exactly as you can, please,¡± the widow continued. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tom stopped to count. ¡°Fifteen killed in the fight; I got one of those, Sir Kurt got at least six. Then afterward, I followed the bandits. There had to have been six of them at least, and I think it was exactly six, from the way they talked. I saw one leave the group and head into the woods. Apparently, another did the same. There were four left, including Davis. I killed those four. So, to the best of my knowledge, there are two bandits left, unless some ran away in the original fight. That seems unlikely because they won.¡± ¡°I see. You''ve taken most of my revenge for me already, then.¡± Mrs. Whistler sighed. ¡°I''ll offer a bounty of two gold each for the last two, if you have any way to hunt them down. I''d like to see every last one of them dead.¡± ¡°Ah, noted. I might be headed back into the forest in a few days. I will bear it in mind, though I wouldn''t hold out much hope of picking up their trail.¡± ¡°You saw at least one''s face.¡± Tom nodded, conceding the point. ¡°So, I believe that would be six gold altogether in my estimation.¡± The widow pulled out six gold coins and set them on the table. Tom was tempted, powerfully tempted. But he swallowed and said, ¡°Ma''am, with your husband gone, can your finances spare such a sum?¡± ¡°It''s the best use I can think of for the coin.¡± ¡°Ma''am, if I may¡ª¡± Vanity began. ¡°Don''t try to talk me out of it, Vanity. This is important to me.¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am. But ma''am, they need clothes.¡± Ah. Tom repressed a smile. That''s¡­perfect. ¡°You can reward him without spending so much coin, ma''am. They could easily use six gold worth of clothing.¡± You don''t know the half of it. We need clothes for the other four elves, too. ¡°That would be most helpful,¡± Tom was quick to put in. ¡°We don''t have that much ready-made, Vanity.¡± ¡°But we could place an order, ma''am,¡± Tom pointed out. ¡°We can make do for a bit.¡± He paused. ¡°Ma''am, your late husband didn''t know that the three men were slavers, but I could tell that he strongly disliked them, even without knowing that. I suspect he might have been pleased to treat well those who the slavers had treated so poorly.¡± He took a breath. ¡°I would also be honored to wear products of his shop.¡± The widow seemed to turn the idea over in her mind for several moments. ¡°Very well. I''m still paying you the three gold bounty on Davis, because I have to say that I gave it to you, in order to get it back from the city. But the rest¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I think a bit of righteous work might help me through the next little while. Take my mind off things. Keep me in the realm of the living.¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡± Tom exchanged alarmed looks with Vanity quickly, and she gave him a quick nod. She''ll watch out for her employer. It might have been metaphor, but best not to take chances. ¡°All right, then. Why don''t you tell us what you need?¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã For the next couple of hours, the tailors took measurements of Tom and the four elves, and worked out what they had ready, what could be altered, and what needed to be made from whole cloth. Kervan actually helped a fair bit, once he understood what they were doing. Tom looked for an opportunity to tell Mrs. Whistler about his dream message, but it never felt like the right moment. He would have more chances, he knew. Diavla disappeared with Vanity for a while. When they returned, her blue dress was no longer quite so tight in the chest, he noticed. Tom was given a rather fine white shirt, fancier than he would normally wear, but Mrs. Whistler insisted. ¡°You''re going to be moving in higher circles unless I miss my guess, young man. You''ll need to look the part.¡± The tailors sent them off to a bootmaker, saying that the shop owed Whistler''s a favor. There, the elves were relieved to get shoes and boots that finally fit them properly. The nights were getting colder and they needed warm shoes with a comfortable fit. The total bill there was getting alarmingly high, but the proprietor assured Tom that it was fine. ¡°We trade favors. We''re some of the wealthiest merchants in the city. It''s simpler to owe tasks back and forth than to fight over coin. If this costs too much, Sesca will end up owing us a favor, and someday that will be handy. It''s all part of how we do business, Mr. Walker.¡± So the elves got new boots and some clothes, with the promise of more in the future. They did end up going to Millie''s Mending as well, because Whistler''s couldn''t produce everything they needed as soon as they needed it. At the less fancy shop, Tom was also able, without raising too much suspicion, to buy some extras in sizes that he hoped would fit Sheema, Arven, Brallik and Rillik. That ate most of the morning. Next, they needed to visit the Floating Duck with the wagon of alcohol. They stored their purchases in their rooms and fetched the wagon from the lot, and headed to the tavern. Chapter 25: Booze and Boats They got to the Floating Duck at about the right time, as near as Tom could judge. He knocked firmly. For a minute, they stood there waiting. Tom decided not to knock again for a while. A minute or two passed, while Tom kept an eye on the people walking by. Am I too early? Finally, the door opened. Miranda was standing there in a shift and overalls, wet in a few places and with a bit of something in her hair. Tom appreciated the view but jerked his gaze back up to her face. Her expression was surly and she squinted as if the sun were an evil lamp placed in the sky by a demon to annoy her. ¡°Yeah?¡± Then Tom''s face apparently registered. ¡°Oh. Right. The man with the elves and liquor. Um¡­¡± ¡°Tom Walker.¡± ¡°Hi, Tom. I was just giving some spots a desperately needed cleaning. Give me a moment to put on my sandals and I''ll be right out.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± True to her word, Miranda was back in under a minute. The first thing the bartender did was to compare the contents of the wagon with the listing on the paper. She squinted at it a while, grumbling about chicken scratches. Then she inspected the barrels from all angles, finding some markings. ¡°You''re four barrels short,¡± she observed. ¡°I''m not too surprised.¡± ¡°Well, you''ve still brightened my day; we agreed on two percent, so I''m probably making close to a gold on this consultation.¡± ¡°Well worth it to know how much to ask.¡± Miranda muttered to herself, tapping on some of the casks and listening. When she finished with the biggest barrels, she reported, ¡°These are worth about ten silver each; I''d ask for twelve each for the two closest to the front. The real money is in these smaller casks. These are distilled. It''s a little harder to judge the prices exactly, but I''ll do my best. Roughly speaking, each of these is worth anywhere from one to six gold.¡± Then Miranda crouched down and pointed. ¡°You see that little one marked in red?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°That''s your real treasure. It''s dwarven, and not just dwarven ale, which would already be worth triple a regular ale. Oh no, this is dwarven whiskey. Seven years old, if this paper is to be believed.¡± ¡°How much is that worth?¡± ¡°Hard to say, but twenty gold would be insultingly low. You''ll likely get thirty gold for it, and might do better if you put it up for auction. Some nobles get in on the action and the sky''s the limit.¡± ¡°Before I do that, would you be interested in it?¡± ¡°I''d love it, but I don''t have that much coin to spare. Partly, it''s expensive to me because it can sit there for years without being used. I can''t lay out tens of gold without expecting to earn it back in a reasonable time. You should definitely stick to the high end establishments.¡± ¡°How would I put it up for auction?¡± ¡°I actually don''t know; I''ve never done it.¡± ¡°Hm. Well, I think there''s someone I can ask.¡± Tom remembered Simon Law. Or Mrs. Whistler looks rich enough to know, or she would know someone who does. Tom paused as an idea struck him. Then again¡­the very richest people are at the Keep. They would have a supply of drink, wouldn''t they? He set it aside for the moment. ¡°All right, that said, do you want to buy any of these while we''re right here?¡± ¡°Well, let''s see. My fee for the consultation is¡­let me think¡­¡± Miranda muttered numbers to herself for a few moments. ¡°I think not counting the dwarven whiskey, the rest of the wagon is worth forty gold, which means my consultation fee is¡­eighty silver. Not sure how much to charge for evaluating the dwarven stuff. Call it thirty gold, and that makes a gold forty for me. I can take a few of these in trade and the rest in coin, but I don''t need all the ale.¡± ¡°Sounds good. You need help unloading?¡± ¡°Yes, please! These will be heavy even for you, and Gus and Vince don''t come in until midafternoon.¡± It took some finagling, but they unloaded six of the large casks, and Miranda agreed to take a smaller cask that had already been opened by the bandits for the rest of her payment. There was a lot more room in the wagon after that. Miranda urged him to wrap the dwarven drink in something both to hide it and protect it; she found him an old blanket he could use for the time being. Once it was all done, Miranda edged closer to Tom and said, ¡°You know, your girl is really something.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Tom asked without thinking about how it sounded. ¡°Oh? I see. Well, I meant the one in the green dress.¡± Miranda sounded as if she were teasing him. ¡°Uh, that''s Varga.¡± ¡°Varga, that''s right. She''s been staring at me the whole time, and it should be creepy but it actually feels really flattering. If I were going to try girls I''d definitely start with her. But don''t get her hopes up. I like men.¡± Miranda gave him a warm smile. ¡°Ah¡­all right.¡± Tom had no idea how to continue the conversation. Fortunately, Miranda wanted to get back to her business, and stuck out her hand for a shake. ¡°Well, don''t be a stranger, Tom.¡± ¡°I won''t be. Take care and thanks again, Miranda.¡± ¡°Don''t thank me, I made out like a bandit!¡± ¡°Well, thanks to you, hopefully, so will I!¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Tom watched Miranda''s body as she walked away. She''s human, I don''t have to feel guilty, as long as she doesn''t catch me at it. Her brute strength was as attractive as her full figure, to his eyes. I probably wouldn''t break that one if I bedded her¡­He still couldn''t tell whether the bartender had been flirting with him or simply friendly. Kervan coughed politely. Tom flushed. While it was hard to feel guilty, it wasn''t hard to feel embarrassed. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It was getting close to noon, so Tom had them stash the wagon back in the lot and they returned to their rooms. Tom asked Diavla to come with him to meet the ship captain, and the other three chose to stay in their rooms for the moment. Varga insisted on giving him a kiss on the cheek before he left. Tom and Diavla made their way to the North Town docks. The day was cold but clear; Tom wrapped his cloak around both of them when he saw Diavla shivering. As they searched for the right dock, Tom couldn''t help but think about how pleasant it was to walk around with this beautiful woman clinging to him. Her clever soul eagerly soaked up more words for things; parts of buildings that Tom could point out as they strolled through the city. Her Western was improving rapidly. I''m no slouch, but she''s better at this than I am. I''m only keeping up because I''ve got four people to practice on and they mostly just have me. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After asking for directions, they finally found Captain Weller, who led them to a place they could buy an early lunch. Tom paid for them all, and tried to recall all of his questions for the man. ¡°Thank you,¡± Weller said cheerfully as his food arrived and he hoisted an ale to his benefactors. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± Tom spread his hands. ¡°I don''t know boats. You do. I want to find out what it would take to send an elf from here, all the way back to Salathin¡ªthe Elf Lands, I mean.¡± ¡°From here to the Elf Lands?!¡± Weller asked incredulously, then laughed. ¡°Oh, mate, are you ever in the wrong place!¡± ¡°That''s what we want to fix,¡± Tom said agreeably. Weller turned to Diavla and said, ¡°My dear, I am sorry but you are a long, long way from home. You''re looking at several months of travel¡ªsix months at a minimum, no matter how you slice it.¡± ¡°It only took her¡­um¡­three or so to get here in the first place,¡± Tom pointed out. ¡°Yes, but she came overland from the Empire, didn''t she?¡± ¡°I¡­think so.¡± Then Tom got it. ¡°The mountains.¡± ¡°Exactly. Unless you set out right this minute, I doubt you could cross the mountains before the snow blocks the passes. Not to mention that then you''d be in the Empire, which I wouldn''t do as an elf for love or money.¡± ¡°So, why can''t she go by water from here?¡± ¡°Well, she can, of course¡ª¡®All waters are one¡¯, after all. But the Lasha River flows west, young man, not east. After weeks of going downriver, she''ll reach the ocean all right, but it''ll be the wrong one! Then she would have to find a ship sailing all the way around to the other side of the continent, three months minimum in fair weather with no serpents, and there are always storms and serpents. And then, after all that, you need to find a ship crazy enough to make the crossing, and who won''t just grab your pretty lady here and sell her right back into slavery.¡± Tom grimaced and sat back in his chair while Captain Weller took a big bite of his lunch. He exchanged a glance with Diavla, who looked worried but patient enough to hear the explanation later. He thought about how to phrase his question to get the information he needed. ¡°All right, I think I understand. But even so, if you had to do it for some reason, had to get this lady home, how would you go about it?¡± The riverboat captain looked thoughtful as he chewed, and washed his food down with a few swallows of ale. ¡°Well¡­¡± he paused to put a small bite of something fried into his mouth, and kept talking while chewing. ¡°The big problem is the last one. No sense in getting to the east coast if you don''t have a way to get across the Elven Ocean.¡± He swallowed, picked up his ale, but paused with it in the air, not drinking yet, as he thought hard. ¡°The crew need to be willing to drop her off when they get there, right? So, obviously not a slaver and not an Empire warship, which doesn''t leave much. You''d either need to buy your own damned ship and hire a loyal crew¡­¡± Weller took a drink. ¡°Or¡­?¡± Tom prompted after a moment. Weller swallowed, smacked his lips and sighed. ¡°Or it has to be an elven ship in the first place.¡± Weller shrugged and took another bite of his meal. ¡°How could we get on an elven ship?¡± ¡°The usual way. Know where it''s going to be, get there when it is, and get them to let you aboard before it leaves.¡± ¡°We can''t predict an elven warship,¡± Tom protested. ¡°So, it can''t be a warship,¡± Weller agreed. ¡°What''s that leave you?¡± Tom furrowed his brow in thought. Not a warship, but it has to be able to come and go from our coast, despite the war. Who could¡­? ¡°Oh! A what-do-you-call-it¡­?¡± ¡°An embassy,¡± Weller finished for him. Tom didn''t know the word and gave him a blank look. ¡°A house for diplomats that''s their turf,¡± the ship captain explained. Diplomat was the word Tom had been trying to remember. ¡°You need to get her to an elven embassy, and then pay them enough gold to fix your problem.¡± ¡°How much gold?¡± ¡°Not sure. So, you either need to write to them and wait for an answer, which would be months on its own, of course, or show up ready to throw around money as if you were Old Silverhand himself.¡± ¡°Rough idea? How much would you pay, if it was optional but you wanted it?¡± Weller took another bite and chewed, scowling. ¡°Could be anything from free up to¡­oh¡­I think ten or fifteen gold would be pushing it, depending on the port.¡± 120 gold just to get them all on the elven ship. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry, kids. You don''t look rich enough to pull that off, so any journey you make is going to be long and hard and might not even have a payoff at the end of it. My advice?¡± Weller turned to Diavla. ¡°Make a new home here. Looks like you''ve got a fine young man. Set up a farm or a shop or something and have yourself a good life.¡± He looked at Tom. ¡°And you, treat her well so she doesn''t regret it.¡± Tom rubbed a hand over his face. ¡°All right, I get that it''s hard. How do we find out where these elven embassies are?¡± Weller finished his ale and set it down with a bang. ¡°Ah, the stubbornness of youth. It always looks stupid, but then, who would get amazing things done if no one tried?¡± The captain looked at them both and smiled. ¡°Me, I''d check the Library.¡± Tom frowned. ¡°Whose library?¡± ¡°The Library.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom did his best to explain the conversation to Diavla on the way back to the others. She was dismayed when he explained how much gold might be required, naturally, but pointed out that they had already made a good start on amassing the needed coin. Tom respected that she was trying to be optimistic. A lot of people would have just given up in despair. Diavla has strength of character. As if I needed another reason to want her. She is amazing. ¡°You are amazing,¡± he told her. When she turned to him for explanation, Tom stopped and did his best to show shocked happiness on his face while looking right at her. ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°You are amazing, Tom.¡± Diavla showed him that wonderful smile that always seemed to dazzle him. ¡°Thank you.¡± She clung to his arm, and looked¡­happy. I want to remember this moment forever, Tom thought. They stared at each other for a few more moments until someone was trying to get past them, then resumed their walk. All too soon, they were back at their rooms, and Diavla explained to the others what they had learned. Then it was time for lunch, and they all walked together as they searched for a place to eat. Tom was impressed by the sheer size of Rivermarch. It''s amazing how many places there are around here that will serve food so that you don''t have to cook for yourself. It''s expensive, but really convenient. We''d have to buy a house or something and set up a kitchen if we wanted to do our own cooking. If we end up staying in Rivermarch for the winter, we''ll have to do that. ¡°Tom, what we do again?¡± Diavla asked after they had finished a meal of chicken buns and apples and extracted Orvan''s nose from the cooking area. ¡°Beg pardon? Ah, I do not understand.¡± ¡°Again? And one?¡± Tom took a couple of seconds, then snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh! Next. One, two, three? Four is next.¡± ¡°Next. Next. What we do next?¡± ¡°?¡®What do we do next?¡¯?¡± he corrected. ¡°?¡®Do we do?¡¯?¡± Varga unexpectedly giggled. ¡°Do we do. Do we do!¡± She started laughing harder. Kervan snorted. ¡°What?¡± Tom asked, smiling. ¡°In Elvish, dowidoo is word for¡­saa¡­¡± Kervan paused. Unusually for him, Kervan was stumped for a way to describe whatever it was. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. ¡°I no say now. No big, saa, no now big.¡± ¡°It''s not important?¡± Tom guessed. ¡°Do we do. Do we do. Do we do,¡± Varga murmured, still giggling. ¡°Shut up,¡± Diavla told her, grinning herself. ¡°Adults are (something).¡± Varga blew a raspberry at her friend. ¡°Do we do.¡± Tom shook his head in confusion, then waved a hand in dismissal. ¡°Anyway, now we get wagon and we sell alcohol.¡± ¡°?¡®Sell¡¯ is give, get gold?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kervan murmured before Tom could. Diavla looked Tom up and down. ¡°Tom, you get you good clothes.¡± ¡°All right.¡± He stepped into his room to change, and Diavla followed him. He looked at her and she just looked back, smiling. Tom rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± He took his shirt off under Diavla''s watchful eyes, then put on his new dress shirt from Whistler''s. If he hadn''t done a stint guarding nobles, it would have been the nicest clothing he had ever worn. It actually had little frills in places. He considered his pants, comparing what he was wearing to his spare pair. Diavla watched hopefully, but Tom decided to keep wearing the ones he had on. That will have to do. When he turned around, Diavla walked up to him, actually looking serious, and fussed with the frills and such for a minute, apparently fixing little imperfections that Tom hadn''t noticed. ¡°Good.¡± Then she looked up at him and the impish smile came back. ¡°You are very handsome.¡± ¡°Thank you. Let''s go.¡± Tom shook his head as he led Diavla back out into the hall, and locked his door. ¡°Tom, I no go,¡± Orvan said, suddenly. ¡°I sleep.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Yes. Collar.¡± ¡°Tom, I stay too,¡± Kervan put in. ¡°Orvan no lonely? No. Orvan no alone.¡± ¡°All right. Yes.¡± Tom went through the process of removing the men''s collars, then looked at the women. ¡°We and you go,¡± Diavla said. Tom nodded to her. I am a lucky man. Chapter 26: Gold Tom led the way outside and back to the wagon lot, where he retrieved the booze. They headed uphill to the nicest part of the city, and Tom looked for taverns. Arriving at the first one, he pulled up the wagon, climbed down and headed inside. Diavla followed, and Varga stayed with the wagon. ¡°We don''t open until two hours before sunset,¡± the man behind the bar announced warningly. ¡°I''m here to sell alcohol.¡± The man''s expression relaxed somewhat. ¡°I already have a supplier.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°That''s fine, I only have the one wagonload. Are you topped up right now?¡± The bartender nodded. ¡°We''re all set here.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Do you know who around here might be thirsty?¡± Tom pressed as politely as he could. The man eyed him for a moment as if passing judgment. ¡°Try The Walking Staff across the way.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. Good fortune to you.¡± ¡°And to you¡­¡± the man trailed off, looking at Diavla, but didn''t seem inclined to speak further. Tom led Diavla outside, waved to Varga, and headed across the street. It turned out that The Walking Staff did need some ale, and once he showed the stronger spirits, the owner got interested in the brandy. Tom reminded himself that he was trying to act more like a noble, and also that he was raising money to help the elves. He pushed in the negotiation a bit harder than he normally would, and was mildly surprised that the man accepted a significantly higher price. Tom collected the gold while two men came out to unload the casks. His instinct was to help the men, but he held himself back. He was pretending to be above common labor, and it did not come naturally, so he needed the practice. For the next two hours, they made the rounds of all the places likely to purchase alcohol, and sold everything except the dwarven whiskey. Diavla or Varga was always hovering near him, sometimes holding his arm. Tom had to admit that having two lovely women paying attention to him improved his mood and gave him more confidence. At the end of all the negotiation, Tom had managed to get fifty gold for the alcohol, thanks to one buyer showing too much desperation for one cask in particular. We''re a lot closer to 120 gold now. But the hardest part still lay ahead. Tom drove them to Sally''s Sweets. Diavla looked thrilled to be back and Tom enjoyed her expression immensely. He dropped the two women off with money for desserts, paid a boy to watch the wagon, and picked up the cask of whisky carefully. Then he walked up to the guard at the entrance to the Keep. It was yet another stranger, and Tom introduced himself to her. ¡°Who is in charge of purchasing for the Keep?¡± ¡°What have you got there?¡± ¡°Dwarven whiskey.¡± The guard''s eyebrows went up for a moment. ¡°You''ll be wanting the Steward of the Keep. Straight ahead, then ask the bald guy just past the doors.¡± Tom gave a formal nod. ¡°Thank you.¡± He walked in. A few minutes later, he was doing his best to act calm while he and the Steward watched a woman examining the cask with care. ¡°This is certainly written in Dwarvish, and is carved into the wood.¡± She pointed at something Tom couldn''t see. He didn''t understand what she was doing, but after another minute she straightened up. ¡°In my judgement, this is genuine dwarven whiskey, and at least seven years old. ¡°Excellent. Thank you, Lucille,¡± the Steward told the woman, who stepped back. He turned to Tom. ¡°Well, Mr. Walker, what price are you asking for this?¡± This was the hard part. Tom steeled his nerve. The elves need me to do well here. Almost feeling as if he wanted to faint, he spoke calmly. ¡°This is not a common item, and I''m sure in the capital it would fetch over a hundred gold, but here in Rivermarch I will only charge eighty.¡± ¡°Eighty gold!¡± The Steward looked stunned. ¡°I was prepared to offer thirty¡­five,¡± he amended quickly as Tom pretended to slowly grow outraged. ¡°Sir. If I wanted to waste the value of this, I could easily get more than that from the Green Horizon Inn. I brought it here first out of courtesy to the Lord of the City. The price is eighty gold.¡± It took every bit of Tom''s nerve not to lower the price. This is not an ordinary haggle, he told himself firmly. The Steward looked at the cask. ¡°I suppose I could go up to fifty gold.¡± Fifty gold! Tom''s instincts screamed at him to take the price. He fought them down with effort. ¡°That is barely half of what I would get in Baria City. But I understand that your funds might be limited. I can lower the price slightly, to seventy-five.¡± ¡°Thank you for your flexibility. I believe I could spend sixty gold on this item.¡± Tom sighed. ¡°I am afraid that it is not possible for me to accept that offer. Seventy gold, and that is the very lowest I can go.¡± ¡°Perhaps sixty-five, then?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°My apologies, but I have used up my discretion. Seventy gold is my final offer.¡± The Steward looked at him hard, then eyed the cask. Several moments passed. ¡°Very well. Seventy gold.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom very slowly let out the breath he had been holding. ¡°I will write you a draft on the Treasury, then.¡± Tom had a moment of panic, because he didn''t know what that was. Keeping his voice casual with an effort, he answered, ¡°I already have a box in the Treasury.¡± Does that matter? Is that the right thing to say? Gods, what is a ¡®draft¡¯? ¡°Convenient. There won''t be much of a delay if you tell them to transfer the gold there.¡± The Steward walked over to a desk and wrote rapidly on a piece of parchment, then shook a bit of something over the wet ink. He inspected his writing, then handed the paper to Tom, who took it and pretended he was reading it. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I will. Thank you, Steward¡­?¡± ¡°Steward Williams, Mr. Walker. Thank you for bringing this in. The Lord of the City has a particular fondness for dwarven spirits. Do you expect to obtain more in the future?¡± ¡°Sadly, no; getting this one involved some luck. But if I do acquire similar goods, I will be sure to offer to sell it here before going elsewhere.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration. The Treasury is just around that corner and down the hall.¡± ¡°I remember. Thank you very much.¡± Tom turned and walked away with a smile. Inside he was panicking. Is this for real? Do I just have to show this piece of paper and they will hand me the coin? Or will there be some trick or excuse? Will I have to read something? Did I just blow it? It seemed to take forever to complete the short walk. Fortunately, the fellow manning the counter was the same as the one who had sold him the Treasury box. Tom took a deep breath, and held out the piece of paper with a smile. ¡°Hello again. This is for seventy gold coins. I would like them deposited in my box.¡± The clerk took the paper and held it close to his nose, squinting. ¡°Yes. Just a moment, please.¡± He moved back and pulled out a huge ledger which he lay on a table. With the ease of long practice he turned the new but well-worn pages. When he found the page he wanted, he squinted a moment, then frowned. ¡°I''m afraid this is too much.¡± Tom''s heart stuttered. It was hard to answer evenly. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°The Steward has exceeded his budget for the kitchen with this.¡± Thoughts raced through Tom''s soul. It was a real struggle to keep the panic off of his face, and he wished he could wipe his brow. ¡°Interesting that the Steward would make such an error, and in front of Miss Lucille, too.¡± ¡°Miss Lucille? Oh, was this for drink?¡± ¡°Yes. Dwarven whiskey.¡± Please, gods, let this work¡­ ¡°Ah, I see. He should have made note of that on the draft. That''s a different part of the budget.¡± Again the clerk turned pages, stopped and squinted, then picked up a quill and made a few scratches. ¡°Shall I bring the gold and the box out to you?¡± ¡°If you would.¡± Tom could barely speak, his mouth was so dry. His heart continued to pound as he imagined calamity. As soon as the clerk''s back was turned, he went to wipe his brow with his sleeve, but caught himself and pulled out a small rag to use instead. Fancy shirt''s expensive. Got to look fancy. He tucked it away again and struggled to keep his breathing even. It will work, it will work, it will work, he chanted in his soul. It was a couple of minutes before the clerk returned. ¡°Please proceed to the same room we used before.¡± Tom nodded and walked over. He took a deep, shaky breath when he saw his box and the neat stacks of coins on a tray. Thirteen stacks? Each should be five gold coins. Why are they short? Tom''s soul raced. He laid his hand on the last stack, quickly feeling that it had three coins instead of five. Seven short, out of seventy. Oh. ¡°I see that ten percent has been set aside?¡± ¡°Yes, young lord. Tax for the city on major sales is ten percent. It was marked on the draft.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Tom took a moment to force his hand to be steady, then pressed his thumb to the blood lock and the box opened, revealing the twenty-five gold already inside. Yes, it is my box. Tom loaded the coins in neatly. Then he pulled out the fifty gold coins he had collected from the sale of the other alcohol. Do I owe tax on this too? Should I volunteer five gold for tax? No, I''m pretending to be a rich man here. Rich men wouldn''t offer money unless they had to. I can just claim absent-mindedness if it comes up, like it wasn''t important enough for me to think about. Tom added the fifty coins, then stared in awe for a moment. That''s 138 gold coins, plus what I''m carrying on me. Never in my dreams did I think I would ever have such a fortune. But, it''s not all mine. ¡°I have another task,¡± Tom told the clerk. ¡°Keep this readily available for a few minutes. I have someone nearby. I wish to bring them in and add them to the blood lock.¡± ¡°Of course. Thank you for telling me, young lord. You saved me carrying the box back and forth. It grows heavy with your wealth,¡± the clerk added, attempting to flatter Tom, though it was literally true. The whole situation felt unreal to him. ¡°I will return shortly.¡± Tom held his head high and strode out of the Treasury and out of Keep. It was a matter of moments before he approached Sally''s Sweets. There was a crowd gathered, and Tom caught his breath. Oh, no, now what? As he drew close, he could hear singing¡ªin Elvish. Diavla and Varga were giving a performance; Diavla carried the melody, while Varga produced a beat and odd little harmonies. He gently pushed his way to the front, and stopped when he could see them. Both of the elves were smiling, and Tom felt himself smiling back. Diavla caught sight of him and nodded, continuing to sing. The sight was a balm to his soul, and Tom felt some of the enormous tension leaving his body. A scan of the crowd showed only curiosity and enjoyment. It was almost like a magic spell, and Tom listened to the rest of the song with the others. As soon as they finished, the crowd broke out in applause. Diavla turned to face Tom and smiled. ¡°Hello, Master.¡± Everyone turned their eyes to Tom for a moment, and he smiled politely to the people gathered. ¡°Thank you,¡± a few people told him, instead of the elves. Tom kept the smile on his face, but it grew a bit stiff. ¡°You''re welcome.¡± Both of the elven women looked startled when the audience started throwing coins at their feet. Diavla murmured to Varga, who bent down and started scooping up the coins while Diavla kept standing and bowing to the audience. ¡°Thank you. Thank you¡­,¡± she said in Western, then gestured at everyone. ¡°?¡®All,¡¯?¡± Tom told her. ¡°You say, ¡®Thank you all very much.¡¯?¡± He forced a little condescension into his voice. It''s just acting. It''s just acting. Diavla bowed to him, then to the crowd again. ¡°Thank you all very much.¡± ¡°Will they be performing again?¡± one woman asked him. ¡°I do not have plans for that as yet,¡± he told her. ¡°They''re still learning Western.¡± ¡°I hope to see them at the Green Horizon Inn, if possible.¡± ¡°Perhaps. Thank you for the suggestion.¡± He smiled at the woman again, then turned to the elves. ¡°Diavla, come with me. Varga, stay here. We will be back soon.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Varga said, bowing. She acted meek, but Tom could see her amusement and the twinkle in her eye. Thank you for playing along, Varga. You''re a good sport. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Diavla echoed, turned and rattled something off in Elvish, then recited, ¡°?¡®My Master will go here soon.¡¯?¡± ¡°My Master will here soon,¡± Varga attempted. Close enough. Tom headed for the Keep and Diavla followed. ¡°T¡ªMaster? Why I go Keep?¡± Tom furrowed his brow a moment. Why did she call me ¡®Master¡¯ when she''s speaking Elvish baby-talk? Oh. Even people who don''t know Elvish would hear my name. Tom marveled at Diavla''s soul again. She''s so quick! He gathered his thoughts, then said, ¡°I need you here. Very soon we go.¡± Diavla bowed her head as they passed the guard, who stared at her curiously. Tom led her straight to the Treasury, and the man at the counter nodded to him and met him in the ¡®box room¡¯ as Tom thought of it. The box lay waiting, and the clerk had already laid out the implements he needed to change the lock. Tom felt that odd itchy tingle again. Magic feels weird. Soon the clerk was ready, and held out a pin. Tom pantomimed for Diavla. ¡°They need you red water. Very small.¡± Diavla nodded her understanding, then hesitated, looking at the pin. After a moment, she smiled at the clerk, reached up and pulled a pin of her own out of a pouch. She seemed to be wiping it carefully, then pricked her own finger, providing the drop where the clerk indicated. The clerk finished the magic, then gestured at the box. ¡°Please verify that it works for you both now.¡± Tom went first, placing his thumb in the right spot, opening the box slightly. He nodded and pushed it closed again. Then he stepped aside and gestured for Diavla to do it. Slowly she placed her finger against the metal, and again the box clicked open. Diavla opened the lid all the way, and her hand flew to her mouth. She murmured something emphatically in Elvish, then picked up one coin and felt it. She turned to Tom in amazement. He smiled and nodded for her to take it. She closed the box, still clutching the coin, and turned to him, eyes shining. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Tom told the man. ¡°My business is concluded for today.¡± Tom considered taking the coin and tossing it to the clerk, but he wasn''t feeling that generous. That would be insane. I''m not a king. And most of this money isn''t mine. They left the Treasury. Temptation is a strange and powerful thing, he mused. He led Diavla out of the Keep and back to the sweets shop. I need to be careful. As they walked, he looked at her lovely figure showing in the blue dress, and the breathtaking smile on her face. Very careful. Chapter 27: The Guardhouse and the Temple Diavla''s heart was racing and her soul was soaring. She could barely keep from skipping or dancing as they crossed the street. It was hard to remember to stay a step behind Tom. Her jaw ached a bit from smiling. Varga looked up from the cake she was spooning into her mouth, and grinned when she saw Diavla''s expression. ¡°Good news?¡± ¡°So much gold,¡± Diavla loud-whispered. ¡°So much gold! And I have permission to take it out!¡± ¡°How much?¡± Diavla wasn''t sure. ¡°Tom? Number gold?¡± Tom took a shaky breath. Diavla looked closely and realized that Tom was close to panic again, even though the news was good this time. His voice strained, he answered in Elvish, ¡°hundred and three tens and seven.¡± What. Both women stared at Tom, who was starting to smile nervously. Varga turned to Diavla and pointed at Tom. ¡°Did he just say 137 gold?¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°I''m getting another cheesecake.¡± Varga headed back inside Sally''s Sweets. Diavla burst out laughing. ¡°Get me beet cookies!¡± she called after her. We''re rich, and her first thought is to get more desserts. That''s¡­exactly Varga. Then she turned to Tom and shook her head slowly in amazement. ¡°How? Twenty-five and fifty is seventy-five? The last cask was supposed to be forty or so. How?¡± She was a little too flustered to use pidgin for him, but he got the gist. Acting with two voices, he performed a repeat of the negotiation for her, and added up the numbers. Diavla felt the gold coin that she had claimed as a test, still clutched tightly in her hand. He was this scared, and negotiated that hard. His spine must be mithril. Diavla felt warm. He did that for us. ¡°Tom, you are amazing.¡± Her human was looking a bit less shaky, and his smile grew more natural. ¡°I get ten and five gold. I have big money now. I am happy.¡± Diavla blinked, staring at him until her soul caught up. He''s still splitting it nine ways. We needed 120 gold to get all eight of us on the boat, and now we have it, thanks to the skills of an eighteen-year-old human. He''s still trying to get all of us home. Diavla cleared her throat. ¡°T¡ªMaster, what do we do next?¡± Tom seemed to consider a moment. ¡°We go. We get Kervan and Orvan. We go to¡­guardhouse. We talk to guard, guard see you, guard see you and me. Guard see I am Master. I say story, four elves.¡± ¡°We sell wagon?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°No. We want one wagon. We will go forest, get Sheema and¡­¡± he gestured vaguely. ¡°?¡®The others¡¯,¡± Diavla finished for him. They pried Varga out of the shop, after she invested in more sweets. The redhead beamed at their human. ¡°Tom, I could kiss you. Spirits, I could¡ª¡± ¡°I see the scene, Varga,¡± Diavla cut off her friend before she said something lewd. Diavla finally tasted the cheesecake and immediately had a huge craving for it. ¡°Too bad we couldn''t give some of this to Sheema,¡± Diavla lamented. ¡°We''ll have to bring some with us when we leave town.¡± ¡°Dee, don''t make yourself sick. You''re eating a lot of sweets.¡± Diavla looked at the dent she had already made in the cheesecake. ¡°You''re right, I should stop. But my body really seems to want it. I''ll have to ease off once I get back up to my healthy weight.¡± They packed up their sweet loot and headed back to their rooms. Orvan was awake and was receiving a lesson in Western from Kervan when they arrived. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Kervan called. ¡°Everything all right here?¡± ¡°We are good,¡± Kervan said with an eye on Tom. ¡°We want, go give coin, get things. We wait for you.¡± Tom nodded to show that he understood. ¡°Tom''s going to show us off at the guardhouse. I think it might be an inspection to make sure he''s treating us right.¡± ¡°Maybe we should be nibbling on sweets when we go in, so they can see we are eating well,¡± Kervan mused. ¡°How did the selling go?¡± ¡°Tom and I both have access to a box in their bank, which currently has 137 gold coins in it.¡± Kervan blinked twice. ¡°That''s impressive. I was expecting about a hundred.¡± ¡°Tom got seventy gold coins for one cask, and fifty for the rest.¡± ¡°With the twenty-five from the grain and such, that would make 145 gold.¡± ¡°Apparently, he had to pay tax, and I withdrew one gold just to check that I could.¡± ¡°You went into the bank?¡± Orvan asked. ¡°I thought we were trying to stay low in the grass?¡± ¡°Only briefly. We didn''t run into any nobles.¡± ¡°That''s good, but word will get around about us.¡± ¡°It was going to happen anyway.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Inwardly, Diavla cheered that Orvan was thinking about their situation. Maybe he will be able to put aside some of his grief and work with the rest of us. Diavla hoped so. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. They visited the bathhouse again and made sure they were as presentable as possible in their new clothes, then walked to the guardhouse that Tom apparently had visited before. Diavla couldn''t follow much of the conversation, but Tom explained afterward. Tom apologized to the Captain of the Guard for leaving important details out of his earlier report. The Captain did not seem very upset and actually looked impressed with Tom''s actions. Tom seemed fairly stiff, and said, ¡°Thank you,¡± several times. The Captain checked that none of his men spoke Elvish, then they made do in Western. Diavla told their story in much the same way she had to the Carvers. The Captain asked for more details. She explained that the elves hadn''t seen anything for months until six bandits looked in on them, and argued about whether to abuse the women. The Captain asked Tom to wait outside, then pulled out a rough book of drawings of human faces. Taking the hint, Diavla called Kervan over to make use of his excellent memory, and together they pored over the pictures. When they found one that looked very like the bandit leader, the Captain did not look surprised. The Captain examined them as if he were inspecting cattle, but the elves put up with it, knowing that it was important. He asked if they were getting enough food. Varga burped happily at that point, causing a bit of laughter on both sides. ¡°Tom Walker is very good man,¡± Diavla told him. ¡°He is very good Master. We are very¡­happy.¡± The Captain''s response was made entirely of words she didn''t know. He brought Tom back in, and the humans spoke for another couple of minutes. Finally, they were allowed to leave. Tom looked relieved, as if a burden had come off of his soul. Did it bother him to lie about the caravan before? She wondered. He seemed fine with lying to strangers. Maybe it''s because he used to be a guard himself. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã By the time they left the guardhouse, it was getting on towards evening. Tom led them uphill without asking directions, and they soon reached a large square building fairly close to the Keep. It was all white stone and had minimal decoration on the exterior. Huge double doors were open wide, and every so often, people would walk through. They followed Tom up three marble steps and into the building. Just inside, a hallway stretched left and right. Several doorways were spaced along the inner wall. Some had doors, while others had curtains of cloth or beads. A few were open, and led to a larger room further in. A mother and young daughter walked out of the central area and headed outside without looking their way. Tom was looking for something, or someone. He held up a hand to signal them to wait, and walked off, first in one direction, then doubling back in the other. He peeked into the inner space, nodded, then turned and looked at them. He made an odd gesture, signaling something, then walked in. They followed him through the entryway, then hesitated nearby, while Tom walked over to a man wearing white robes and started a quiet conversation. Diavla looked around curiously. The inner room was circular, and lined with alcoves filled with statues, art, or symbols. Several alcoves had people kneeling in front of them. She puzzled over the building''s purpose for a few moments before she got it. ¡°I think this is where they praise their gods,¡± she murmured quietly. ¡°Ohhh,¡± Varga murmured. ¡°I think you''re right,¡± Kervan added after a few more moments of looking around. ¡°I don''t know anything about the human god Ideas.¡± ¡°They''re not like spirits, here. I think they believe an entire Idea is an aware being, a god. Or something like that.¡± ¡°What, so they think all the spirits of an Idea get on each other''s shoulders under a cloak?¡± Kervan snorted at Varga''s joke, then coughed to cover it up. ¡°Don''t be disrespectful,¡± Diavla murmured. Varga was quiet a moment, then quietly asked, ¡°Is Tom spirit-touched, then?¡± Diavla thought back to the moment Tom was showing them the crystals. Somehow he knew not to touch them. Is that a human thing? Or is Tom special? ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Kervan answered Varga''s question. ¡°Look, all sorts of people are coming and going here. They can''t all be spirit-touched. Elves as a race are more spirit-touched than humans, right?¡± ¡°That''s what we were taught,¡± Diavla murmured. ¡°I wonder.¡± She watched Tom follow the man in robes over to the other end of the chamber, where a woman in white robes was standing, watching over the room. If Diavla were going to stay here for a long while, she might have been tempted to call spirits of Curiosity to see whether they could tell her anything about this place and the robed people. After a minute, Tom pulled out his pouch and handed some amount of silver to the woman in robes, then bowed respectfully and backed away. In a few moments, he had rejoined them. ¡°Soon, we go. One, I ¡­(something something). You want, you do. You no want, wait.¡± The elves looked at each other for a moment. Kervan looked just as lost as she felt with the words Tom couldn''t translate. ¡°We wait and see. No¡­wait and¡­watch,¡± Diavla corrected, proud of herself for recalling the word. Tom nodded. ¡°We go soon.¡± Tom turned and walked over to one alcove in particular. He dropped to one knee in front of a statue of a fierce-looking warrior woman. He bowed his head and stayed still. Is that how humans meditate? Diavla was just starting to wonder if it was going to take a while when Tom stirred. He approached the statue and placed a coin in a box beside it. He backed away a couple of steps, then turned and walked diagonally across to a different alcove and repeated the process. That alcove contained a strange painting that Diavla could not understand. I should come back here when I have time, and see what I can sense. Once Tom finished, he rejoined them. ¡°You wait. Thank you. We go now, yes?¡± They nodded, and Tom led them back out of the temple and onto the street. ¡°Now what, Tom?¡± Kervan asked. ¡°Tomorrow morning, magic person go wagon, see wagon, say what is wagon.¡± Tom muttered to himself in Western for a few moments, clearly thinking, then made a snap sound with his fingers. ¡°Kervan, you want (something)?¡± ¡°We give coin, get¡­things.¡± Kervan made a vague gesture with his hands as if holding something small. ¡°We ¡®buy¡¯ things. They sell things.¡± Tom didn''t remember the Elvish he needed, and started getting frustrated. He''s been pushing his soul all day, Diavla thought. I don''t want to see what Tom losing his temper looks like. She listened to the conversation and waited for an opportunity to help. However, Tom seemed to settle himself without assistance, and eventually they managed to go buy lanterns and oil, and another spare rock light, along with a few other sundries. The worrisome thought stayed with Diavla, though. Tom is generally really nice, and kind, and patient, but if he loses his temper while we''re wearing the collars it could be disastrous. I really need to remember how everything depends on him. The thought made her more hesitant about trying to flirt with Tom. She still wanted to, but Tom''s reason for not kissing her did not seem quite so trifling any more. Not that it ever should have, but with Tom being so nice constantly, it was too easy to forget what could happen if that ever changed. Our lives are in his hands. They headed back to their rooms and unloaded their purchases. Tom said that they would be going to dinner soon, and asked whether they wanted their collars off briefly before then, or if they were willing to just wear the collars until they got back. They decided that it was acceptable to keep the collars on for the moment, although Diavla hesitated a bit. Kervan spoke with Tom about amounts he spent and received recently and did some accounting. While that was going on, Diavla sat with Varga in their room. ¡°What else do we have to do?¡± Varga wondered. Diavla considered. ¡°Well, if the crystals are getting inspected in the morning, we might be called upon to do something with them, transport them or get rid of them, maybe. We need to find this ¡®library¡¯, whatever that is, so we can find a destination on the coast, somewhere with an elven embassy. Then we need to plan our route, provision, and go try to find the others.¡± ¡°They might not be easy to find,¡± Varga observed, ¡°I''m aware. But Arven told me that he would leave a few marks that humans shouldn''t be able to interpret. If we can find a map of the forest, we will get a better idea of what they might run into there.¡± ¡°Do you suppose Tom will let us get better weapons and armor?¡± ¡°I think he considers each of us to have fifteen gold to do with as we will, but it might take all of that to get us on the boat, so we should be cautious about spending.¡± ¡°But Tom gets to throw his fifteen gold away however he wants.¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°He told me that he worked for four years to save up two gold coins. Now he has seventeen. I wonder, what will he decide to do with all that gold?¡± Chapter 28: Custom Dinner at The Floating Duck felt like a repeat of the previous evening. Debbie darted around enthusiastically with the energy of youth, eager for another big tip. ¡°Welcome back, big guy! What''ll you have tonight?¡± ¡°What''s on offer?¡± ¡°That would be stew, or stew.¡± ¡°Bread with it?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Then, five dinners. Drinks?¡± Tom called in Elvish. Just like the last time, the women asked for wine and the men had ale. ¡°Tom? What is food¡­?¡± Orvan asked, then paused as he reached the end of his Western knowledge. ¡°Orvan, today is today,¡± Kervan supplied. ¡°What is food today?¡± the older elf asked, somewhat impatiently. ¡°One moment, Orvan. Hey, Debbie, can Orvan visit the kitchen again?¡± ¡°Definitely! Is he going to teach Ken how to cook?¡± ¡°If he wants to. Orvan? You choose. You go¡­food, or you no go.¡± ¡°I go. Thank you, Tom.¡± Orvan stood up. ¡°Right this way, Mr. Orvan, sir!¡± I should talk to Miranda about that, Tom mused. That reminded him of his other business with her, but he held off for the moment. He watched the crowd instead, alert for any signs of trouble. The elves spoke too rapidly for Tom to follow their conversation, especially with the increasing din from the other patrons. Their dinners did not come quickly; neither did Edge. Tom decided to get up and go see Miranda while he was waiting. Again, Diavla and Varga followed. The bar was busy, and Tom found himself checking the table several times to see whether their food had arrived yet. Finally, there was an open seat at the bar¡ªjust one. Varga all but shoved him into it after conferring with Diavla. Right, I wanted to offer one of them the seat, but I have to act like a Master. Miranda noticed the byplay, and told her assistant to handle the customers for a few minutes. She moved opposite him and spread her arms wide on the bar, before leaning forward. Tom noticed the curves of her large breasts framing her luscious cleavage, and jerked his gaze back up to her face. She regarded him with a small smile. ¡°Hello again, Tom Walker. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Hello, Miranda. Two things. First, here''s what I owe you.¡± Tom held out a gold coin with a grin. Miranda stared at it, then looked up at him. ¡°What''s this?¡± ¡°Thanks to your advice, I was able to bargain hard for the booze. I sold it all today. Your fee was two silver per gold, and I got fifty more gold than you estimated, so that''s for you.¡± Miranda''s jaw fell open, and she blinked twice. For a moment, her mouth worked without sound, before she blurted out, ¡°Are you rich, or just soul-addled?¡± Tom almost laughed. ¡°I prefer ¡®foolishly fair.¡¯?¡± ¡°Well, I prefer it, too,¡± Miranda agreed, with a bit of wonder in her tone as she took the coin. She stared at it, then looked up at him. ¡°What did you get for the whiskey?¡± ¡°I opened with eighty and sold for seventy.¡± ¡°Gods. You''ve got a pair on you, haven''t you?¡± ¡°Last time I checked,¡± Tom agreed. But if you want to make sure¡­ Tom thought but didn''t add. He often came up with flirtatious lines, yet refrained from saying them. From the way Miranda grinned as she looked at him, though, it was almost as if she had heard the thought. ¡°Well, I''ll be¡­¡± She shook her head and tucked the gold away. ¡°You and the elves eat and drink for free tonight. It''s not every day a man gives me a gold coin when he easily could have avoided it.¡± She crossed her arms under her breasts and leaned forward a bit more. ¡°You said two things. I really liked the first one.¡± Her eyes are brown¡ªno, hazel, Tom thought desperately, struggling not to look down. He checked the color three times, then swallowed and forced himself to focus on a reply. ¡°Ah, the other one¡­was Orvan,¡± he finished quickly, as he remembered. ¡°He''s helping in the kitchen again. I was wondering what to charge for his services if I loan him out elsewhere.¡± Miranda glanced towards the kitchen, and pursed her lips in thought. ¡°Well, I''d gladly pay a silver per meal he helps Ken improve, but I''m not the richest. You go someplace really nice, get at least a few silver a day for him. Five would not be outrageous.¡± ¡°Thanks, I appreciate the tip.¡± ¡°I appreciate your tip, too!¡± Miranda said with feeling. She glanced along the bar. ¡°I need to get back to work now, Tom, but feel free to come by again later with any more offers you want to make.¡± She winked at him, then turned to Varga. ¡°Hello, there, Varga. You see something you like?¡± ¡°Very yes,¡± Varga said bluntly, getting a small laugh out of Miranda before the bartender shook her head. ¡°You take care of your women, now, Tom.¡± ¡°I''ll do that. Good fortune.¡± Miranda headed over to cluster of patrons gathered at one end of the bar. Tom got up and headed back to the table with the elven women following him. It bugged him to do it that way, because he would rather keep an eye on them and be ready for trouble from behind. The thought also skipped through his head that he wouldn''t mind watching Diavla and Varga both walking in front of him. Don''t stare at them either, idiot, he chastised himself. They sat back down at their table, again with the women against the wall for greater safety. The food still hadn''t appeared; Orvan had to be busy bringing dinner up to his standards, so it might take a while, Tom supposed. Edge arrived first. ¡°Tom, my new friend! How are you doing tonight?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I''m doing very well, Edge. I finished off my big deals in town, so now I can relax.¡± ¡°How''s business with the elves? I notice they''ve got new duds. You''re taking good care of your merchandise.¡± Tom''s smile got a bit stiff, but he knew the attitude was only to be expected. It didn''t mean he liked it, but Edge was clearly a useful guy. ¡°We''ve done most of our shopping. Now, we''re waiting on information.¡± ¡°Information I have. Information is what I do, young Tom!¡± ¡°I can tell. What have you got for me? Oh, first, what are you drinking?¡± ¡°Northern ale.¡± ¡°Northern ale, it is.¡± Tom summoned Debbie and ordered the drink. He could see the change in Edge''s posture as he relaxed, knowing that his payment was on its way. The little man leaned closer. ¡°I''ve possibly got custom for your boy, Kerv.¡± Tom raised his eyebrows. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. The lady has a couple of questions, though.¡± Tom was curious. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°First, is your boy healthy?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°They''re smart to ask. Yes, he was checked over by a healer recently and hasn''t had any¡­custom¡­ since. The same question goes in reverse, though. In fact, just let them know that if Kervan gets sick from them, they owe for the healer bill.¡± ¡°Won''t be a problem there. Apparently, a young woman is saving her chastity for someone, and has decided that an elf man doesn''t ¡®count¡¯.¡± Tom almost snorted his ale, and had to take a second to cough. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°However they justify it to themselves, pal.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Tom tried to hide his grin again. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°The lady wants to know whether it''s a gold per person or a gold per night.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°The price is pretty hefty, Tom. The lady wants to split the cost with her friend, and wants to know whether two of them will cost more than one.¡± Tom put one hand over his grin this time. He cleared his throat a couple of times. ¡°One moment, Edge. Kervan!¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Woman ask you. One gold, two women?¡± Varga gasped and started laughing. Diavla''s eyes twinkled. Kervan blinked. ¡°You are (something something) me.¡± ¡°Edge ask. Woman want you.¡± Diavla said something to Kervan that Tom couldn''t follow, but from her tone it was a caution. Kervan nodded to her and seemed to be thinking furiously for several moments, staring at nothing. Finally, he looked at Tom again.¡°Yes, Tom. I will do.¡± Varga started laughing harder. ¡°Kervan. One woman, you are first time.¡± ¡°First time elf?¡± ¡°First time. First time man. Be good. Do good.¡± Kervan sobered. ¡°That is¡­big. Yes, Tom. I will do good.¡± Tom nodded, glad that Kervan was taking it seriously. I''m glad that he''s a gentleman in that respect. He turned back to Edge. ¡°He says yes. When and where?¡± ¡°Tonight, if possible.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Great. The place is in Doublet Square.¡± Edge gave detailed directions. Tom hesitated at the thought of sending Kervan off with a bad translation resulting in him getting lost in the streets of Rivermarch. ¡°I''d better walk him there. What time?¡± ¡°As soon as possible. She wants him until sunrise, and wants to get her coin''s worth. You can present him at the side door, and collect his fee before he goes in. Best to get that out of the way up front; some people get forgetful about paying after, you hear me?¡± ¡°I do. Thanks for the advice.¡± Tom looked at the elves and frowned, trying to decide how to work it. ¡°Do you want me to keep an eye on them for you, Tom?¡± Edge offered. Tom hesitated. How much can I trust Edge with this? He can''t make off with them without the tokens, and if he''s smart, he knows I''ll kill him if he takes the women. Seeing his reluctance, Edge added, ¡°How about this: I can have Lily Rose walk Kervan there, collect the gold, and bring it to you.¡± ¡°Who''s Lily Rose?¡± ¡°I''ll get her. Always happy to help a friend, Tom.¡± Edge clapped him on the shoulder and hustled off through the dinner crowd. Tom did his best to explain the situation in Elvish. Before they could reply, Edge returned with a short, tough-looking woman in leathers. She had a rough face, but a friendly smile. ¡°Hey. Edge says you got a guy who needs an escort and a fee to collect.¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± ¡°Buy me dinner and a couple of rounds when I get back?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Great. This the guy?¡± Lily turned to Kervan. ¡°You speak people?¡± ¡°I speak a small Western,¡± Kervan replied. ¡°That''s a start. You ready to go?¡± ¡°We go now, yes.¡± ¡°All right. See you soon, big guy.¡± With that, Lily headed out of the tavern, with Kervan following. The elven women called out encouragement as they left. Varga''s was probably something quite lewd. I guess I''ll find out whether I am right to trust these people. Gods, I hope I don''t screw this up. ¡°This is a bad (something)¡­¡± Diavla muttered. Tom shrugged. ¡°Kervan say.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°He''s going to be a popular fellow if you lower his rate a bit after the first few,¡± Edge advised. ¡°We''ll see how it goes,¡± Tom answered, noncommittally. ¡°What else have you got for me?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Edge trailed off, staring across the room. Tom turned to see, and it was Debbie and Orvan returning, bringing five bowls and a loaf of bread. ¡°Did you want a dinner, Edge? Looks like Orvan''s done it again.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tom, I would.¡± Orvan had a lively chat in Elvish with the two women. Tom heard Kervan''s name a couple of times, and Orvan sighed heavily. Edge dug in to the bowl originally meant for Kervan, and grunted in pleasure. ¡°Good stuff. You should hire out Orvan someplace fancy as a cook.¡± He took a swallow of ale. ¡°No surprises on the popularity front. A lot of people are curious. A few are pissed. Some are looking for somebody new to bully. You know, nobody likes being on the bottom, so they find someone even lower to pick on.¡± Tom nodded to show he understood. ¡°Sounds about right.¡± Edge leaned closer and lowered his voice. ¡°I also asked around about slaves in general, you know, looking for information you might want. Turns out there''s a guy on Crafter''s Row you might want to visit. Morgan''s Curios is the shop. Ask for Turner.¡± Tom turned that over in his soul a moment. ¡°All right, I''ll make sure to do that.¡± He wondered what he would find there, but it would probably be of interest one way or another. Edge took another spoonful and moaned in appreciation. ¡°Aw, this is great. Now if only they would get bread that isn''t stale by dinnertime this would be amazing.¡± ¡°Rivermarch is pretty big. Do the bakers keep baking all day?¡± ¡°Of course. Everybody wants bread at mealtimes and they can''t keep up, so they gotta make it early, and¡­¡± Edge shrugged. ¡°You can''t always get the freshest stuff.¡± ¡°Thanks, Edge.¡± ¡°Oh, hey. I thought you might want to know, that some people are talking about you around town.¡± Tom raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are they saying?¡± ¡°They''re saying you killed Davis the Knife. Any truth to the rumor?¡± Tom nodded. Edge made an impressed face. ¡°A lot of people have tried that.¡± Tom scowled. ¡°The bastard killed my friends, and thought he''d killed me. I made him pay for that mistake.¡± ¡°Gods below, you''re even tougher than you look.¡± Edge regarded at him thoughtfully, and lowered his voice again. ¡°You know¡­they say that Davis had a ring with a ruby in it that he always wore. Would you happen to know what became of it?¡± Tom cast his soul back, looking at the ceiling while he tried to remember. Did I ever go through the bandits'' personal effects? He couldn''t recall. ¡°You know, I''m not sure. Is it important?¡± When he looked back at Edge, the man''s face was professionally bland. ¡°I might be able to find a buyer for it, or take it off your hands myself, if you have it.¡± ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Tom said cautiously. ¡°I don''t remember seeing it. But I''ll check and let you know tomorrow.¡± ¡°You don''t remember taking it off him?¡± Edge asked in surprise. I wasn''t the one to loot his body, Tom thought, but decided not to say. Instead, he simply answered, ¡°no. Maybe he didn''t have it on him when he died?¡± ¡°Well, the offer''s open. Please let me know if it turns up.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°As far as jobs go, what were you thinking? Got a clearer idea now?¡± ¡°Well, as you said, Orvan is a great cook and I might rent him out to a fancy inn or something. The elves can''t read Western and are still learning to speak it, so that limits the options. I might try for day work at the docks.¡± ¡°Well, your boy Kervan clearly doesn''t need a day job, and the ladies¡­are you sure they''re not available, Tom? We can find them regular jobs, but there''s good money to be made in the evenings¡­¡± Tom frowned. ¡°I''m sure. They''re mine.¡± He hated to put it that way, but it was the best way to shut Edge up on the topic. ¡°I get it, Tom, I get it. Don''t be mad at me for asking, all right? You''ve got the only lady elves in Rivermarch who aren''t ruined.¡± Tom got an awful sinking feeling. Chapter 29: Madam Louisas Struggling to keep his emotions off his face, Tom asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®ruined¡¯?¡± He did his best to sound only mildly interested. ¡°Oh, you know¡ªmessed up so''s nobody would want ''em any more.¡± ¡°Are there a lot of those in Rivermarch?¡± ¡°Oh, no, just the one. I hear there used to be two, but the other one killed herself a couple of years ago.¡± Demon shit. Tom was already braced for awful things in this conversation, so hopefully his disgust didn''t show. He took a drink of his ale to buy time to steady his voice. Diagonally across from him, Diavla had picked up that something was wrong, but she didn''t seem to have heard and understood enough to know what, yet. Tom thought frantically for a good way to approach the rest of the conversation. Don''t look too eager, he warned himself. He took another sip of ale, pretending to consider. ¡°Huh. I''m sort of collecting elves. Is the one still around for sale?¡± ¡°Oh, you wouldn''t want this one, Tom. Nothing like these beauties.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn''t pay full price, obviously, but I''m curious. I don''t need all of them for sex. Where''d you find her?¡± Edge got a bit of a shifty look, and Tom got ahead of the issue. ¡°Oh, hey, let me buy you another round. You''re a useful guy to know, Edge.¡± Tom signaled to Debbie, who picked up on it right away. Ease off for a moment. ¡°Thanks, Tom. Nice to be appreciated.¡± ¡°You been doing this a long time?¡± ¡°What, helping friends? I been doing that for forever.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Some people are just naturals at it. You know a guy in Middleton, name of Levi?¡± ¡°I sure as shit do! That bastard''s robbed me blind more times than I can count!¡± ¡°Ha! Sounds like him,¡± Tom agreed. It didn''t take long to find people like Edge and Levi in a new town, and Tom made a point of it each time, just in case he needed their services. Another ale appeared in front of Edge, who started right in on it. They chatted for a couple more minutes, during which two different people called out to Edge, who promised to be right over. ¡°Oh, hey, I don''t mean to take up your time. If you''ve gotta go¡­¡± ¡°I probably should.¡± Edge finished the ale and stood. ¡°Oh, yeah¡ªthe messed-up girl elf is at Madam Louisa''s Delightful Den of...In It Quickly, or something like that. It''s over on South Wharf, right by the fish market.¡± ¡°Are the girls any good?¡± ¡°She''s still in business, ain''t she? Make sure to have fun while you''re there, all right? Tell ''em Edge sent you! Talk to you later, Tom.¡± ¡°Good night, Edge.¡± Tom kept the smile on his face for a few more moments, then looked down at his meal and frowned. ¡°Tom?¡± Diavla called. He shook his head stiffly. ¡°We eat.¡± He wasn''t very hungry, and a few minutes later, turned down a chance at another bowl. ¡°Tom?¡± Orvan asked. ¡°Food no good?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°The food''s fine, Orvan, sorry. Ah, food is very good.¡± Sensing his mood, the other elves didn''t ask for seconds, either. Tom looked around at the others. ¡°Can we get out of here? Home?¡± The elves all nodded and stood. Gratefully, Tom left a fair tip again for Debbie, who seemed to have a sense for it and appeared before they could get clear of the table. ¡°Thanks, big fella! Hey, you lose an elf?¡± ¡°You know, I keep losing count,¡± he said, trying to appear cheerful despite his mood. ¡°I told Ken he should put that mala-shit, or whatever it was Mr. Orvan used, in the stew next time. He''s always welcome in our kitchen.¡± ¡°I''ll let him know. Good night.¡± Tom turned to leave, but caught himself. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot. Lily Rose will come by looking for me. Please give her dinner and three drinks on me, and tell her I''ll be here tomorrow night to collect.¡± Tom laid out some more coin, because he didn''t want to stretch Miranda''s generosity. ¡°Will do. Thank you!¡± Debbie scooped up the coin and darted off to help another customer. Varga smiled at him. ¡°Tom? Coins I have? Five silver?¡± She looked as if she wanted to find a gaming table or something. ¡°Actually, Varga, I need your help with something first, please.¡± ¡°Saa¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, but no now. Please we go.¡± Varga''s smile faded as she looked at his face. She nodded. Tom led the group across the street. Once away from the tavern, he beckoned them all closer and lowered his voice. ¡°Diavla, are any stores still open? Um, buy things now?¡± ¡°Yes, one place. Soon no.¡± Diavla looked puzzled. Tom pulled out a half-gold piece and handed it to her. ¡°Get all things, sick.¡± Everyone stiffened. ¡°Person sick?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°Elf sick. Maybe. Varga and I go, see. Orvan, you and Diavla go get things.¡± ¡°We go to temple?¡± Varga asked. ¡°No tonight.¡± Diavla nodded.¡°Orvan and I go.¡± ¡°See Vinder Hall, get and one room. Uh¡­we have three room. Get. We have four room.¡± ¡°I understand, Tom. We do.¡± ¡°Good. Thank you, Diavla. Thank you, Orvan. Varga, we go now.¡± ¡°Where we go?¡± ¡°South Wharf.¡± Tom didn''t get lost easily, but after a couple of minutes of walking between tall buildings, he muttered, ¡°Where''s the cursed river?¡± ¡°River?¡± ¡°River.¡± Varga looked at him, then closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°The river is...¡± She turned and pointed with both hands, then swept them past her on either side. That was probably the direction the water was flowing. Tom thought about how the valley was shaped. So that would mean¡­Tom turned and looked at the streets. ¡°This way. Thank you, Varga.¡± After a minute, the road started sloping downwards. ¡°How water you see?¡± he asked after a few moments. Varga shrugged. ¡°How water you no see?¡± He realized that he was hurrying, and made himself slow down. Varga was keeping up with him without a problem, but after years, another five minutes wouldn''t make much difference, and he had to be ready to act when he arrived. When they finally reached the wharf, Tom chewed his lip a moment, thinking. ¡°Tom?¡± ¡°I think.¡± He looked around for a few more moments. ¡°Now. Varga, I go. You go.¡± He held his hands out to indicate her following him at a short distance. ¡°I see Louisa''s Delightful Den.¡± Even the name felt sour on his lips. ¡°Out you wait. When out I come, me you come. Understand?¡± ¡°No, but I will do.¡± Tom turned to go. ¡°Tom!¡± He looked back. ¡°Elf hurt?¡± ¡°Yes. I think. Years. I go, I buy. She is scared, you help. Understand?¡± It was hard to see Varga''s expression in the flickering lights of lanterns and candles. ¡°I understand. Go. I go (something).¡± Tom nodded, then took a few deep breaths. Get into character, he told himself. I''m out for a good time. He started wandering up the wharf, looking at the different buildings, hoping it would be obvious which one was Louisa''s. It wasn''t, at least to him. Finally, he asked a bored-looking guard watching over a ship. ¡°You passed it, pal. Big red door, four or five doors back.¡± ¡°Thanks. Have a good one.¡± ¡°Won''t be as good as yours will!¡± Tom walked back the way he came, counting buildings. When he saw one with a big red door, he also saw Varga across the way from it, watching him with raised eyebrows. Tom looked up and down the wharf for a moment, then stared at the door, thinking hard. How do I want to play this? If I act like I care about her, they''ll charge me some ridiculous number of gold coins. I need to be interested, but reluctant. If I look rich, they''ll try to soak me. Maybe I''m interested until I see her, then disappointed, but somewhat willing to buy anyway? Maybe a scholar? Would a mage have need of an elf, regardless of her condition? Oh, yuck, maybe not. All right. Not eager. Not surprised either. Pragmatic. I have other options. Improvise based on her condition. Here we go. Tom opened the door and stepped into a foyer. There was a small desk, and a blonde woman behind it. She was pretty enough, and her clothing was revealing, but Tom was braced for that. He took a deep breath. ¡°Good evening. Is this Madam Louisa''s?¡± ¡°It is, good sir. Welcome. You can leave your cloak and boots here, if you prefer.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I won''t be staying long. Is it through here?¡± Of course it was; the double doors painted red were the only other exit from the room. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom did stop to scrape his boots, but he had no intention of entering this place without the ability to leave instantly. Then he pushed open one of the double doors and stepped inside. A plush parlor, with no windows, one service door in the back right corner, and a split staircase starting in the middle of the room. There were three couches, and on each was a barely dressed young woman, all of them even sexier than the poor greeting girl out front. Normally, Tom would be overwhelmed by his hunger for them. The blond wore a lacy blue shift and nothing else; her skin was creamy white, and her lips were painted bright red. She smiled enticingly, but the smile didn''t reach her eyes. The brunette in the middle wore a slinky black dress that was scandalously tight, and it had a lot to be tight over. She strained the fabric in all the right places, and her smile was a bit warmer than the blonde''s. The redhead wore a green shift. Her hair was done up in a pile over her head. When Tom''s eyes fell on her, she pulled a pin out of her hair and it fell to both sides, a calculated, enticing display. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. They all called out to him with genuine enthusiasm and fake arousal. He spared them each a quick look, then turned around. Wow. It was obviously Madam Louisa herself. There were crow''s feet near her eyes, a wrinkle here and there, but she looked like a fine and sexy woman. Her breasts sagged a bit but still appeared large and full. Her waist was trim and her legs were lovely. The most striking thing about her, at least to Tom''s first look, was what she was wearing. Tom had never before seen an outfit made of spaced straps of black leather, revealing areas of white flesh in between in an eye-catching contrast. Black string seemed to hold the outfit together. The effect on Tom''s blood was instant. He wanted nothing more than to cut those strings and pull her clothing off of her. But then his eyes traveled up to her face. A dazzling smile under cold, cruel eyes. Those eyes quenched much of his ardor, for the moment. ¡°Welcome, John,¡± Madam Louisa purred, her voice sending a shiver down his spine. ¡°Do you see anything you like?¡± ¡°Very much so,¡± he answered, thinking of the clothing but not the women. He wanted to see Diavla in a red slinky dress now, and if Sheema were to wear a black leather outfit like Madam Louisa''s¡­Tom''s thoughts ran off the road, and he had to push the image out of his head for the moment. ¡°You can have any of these three lovelies for thirty silver. Or, if you like what you see here you can take me upstairs for fifty silver.¡± She ran her hand down her cleavage as she spoke, and it was truly magnificent cleavage, if you could ignore the owner''s soul. ¡°I had something specific in mind. An elf.¡± ¡°Ah. Well, Heather here,¡± she pointed at the brunette, ¡°has these ears she can put on, and she''ll be happy to be your elf. She even speaks a little Elvish.¡± ¡°Hello, (something),¡± Heather purred. ¡°Hello,¡± Tom answered. ¡°I''m sure you''re very talented, but I was interested in an actual elf. I heard that you have one here.¡± Madam Louisa lost her smile. ¡°I''m afraid she isn''t available any longer.¡± ¡°Oh? And why is that?¡± ¡°A danger of our vocation, sadly. She has the red pains.¡± Tom winced in sympathy. ¡°That''s too bad, then. Can I still see her and speak with her?¡± ¡°Seeing her is unfortunately out of the question. A John¡­disfigured her. You wouldn''t want to see her.¡± ¡°I ¡­understand.¡± Tom chewed that over. ¡°Can she talk, at least?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡ª¡± ¡°Then I would like to rent her. For conversation.¡± Tom waved a hand at the girls. ¡°You say that these lovely sexy ladies are available for thirty silver. If the elf is not lovely, and not available for sex, I would expect to be charged much less. Say, five silver.¡± ¡°Five silver, just to talk with her?¡± ¡°In private.¡± Madam Louisa''s mouth opened, then closed. She took a breath. ¡°I would like payment in advance, please.¡± ¡°As you say.¡± He pulled out five silvers, and handed them to the madam. ¡°Heather,¡± Madam Louisa called, ¡°please help Eubexa clean up and bring her to the Blue Room. Leave the light low.¡± ¡°But Madam¡ª¡± Heather actually looked distressed. ¡°It''s what the John wants and has paid for.¡± Louisa''s voice was soft, but had iron in it. Heather''s shoulders slumped. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± She uncoiled herself from her deliberate lounging position and walked up the central staircase, then turned left. ¡°It will be a few minutes,¡± the madam told Tom. He nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, please feel free to talk with the girls. They''re very friendly.¡± I''ll bet. Tom schooled his face to conform to his act. Taking the plunge, he stepped over to the blonde. ¡°That''s a lovely little thing you''re wearing. The color suits you.¡± ¡°Why, thank you,¡± the blond purred. She used her arms at her sides to press her breasts together so that they bulged a bit above the fabric. ¡°It''s nice and slippery, too.¡± Tom swallowed. ¡°What''s it made out of?¡± ¡°Silk¡­¡± she ran one hand down her side, ¡°¡­and lace.¡± With her other hand, she traced some of the lacy pattern wrapping around her breasts. ¡°Would you like to feel it?¡± she asked, with pretend innocence. She''s like a fantasy, but it''s all pretend. Pretend can be fun¡­but this isn''t how I want to spend my coin. Besides, Diavla is sexier than this girl. No offense, but you''re just a pale imitation, miss. Aloud, he answered, ¡°I would¡­but perhaps another time. Are you here every night?¡± ¡°Every night except Fournight.¡± ¡°I''ll remember that,¡± Tom told her with a smile. At least it''s fine for me to ogle her. He was spared the need to make small talk with the redhead when a man came in through the double doors and headed right for her. ¡°Hiya, Ruby! I got paid!¡± ¡°That''s great, John! Welcome back! Madam, is the Red Room all right?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. Have fun, you two!¡± Madam Louisa called, as the two of them hurried up the stairs. Needing to pass some more time, Tom tried to get some use out of the opportunity. ¡°Madam Louisa, I must admit, your body is magnificent.¡± ¡°Why, thank you, John!¡± The madam''s smile got a trifle more genuine. ¡°And that outfit you''re wearing definitely heats my blood. I don''t know what it is about it, but seeing that on you gives me a strong urge to rip it off. Where did you get such a thing?¡± ¡°Oh, I had this custom-made by a leatherworker in town.¡± ¡°Gods of lust must have blessed the worker.¡± ¡°I often have a lot of fun while wearing it¡­and while removing it.¡± Tom''s gaze narrowed to the dark valley between her two mountains. He really, really wanted to touch her, and feel the outfit and her in it. ¡°Maybe,¡± Louisa continued, ¡°you could forget about Eubexa and come explore this together with me?¡± That helped cool Tom''s heat. Right. He swallowed and forced his gaze away. ¡°Madam, you are spectacularly sexy. I am very tempted, and I might well come back, but at the moment, I want to speak with your elf.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Madam Louisa moved closer and closer. ¡°You don''t have to wait. I''m right here¡­right now¡­¡± ¡°John,¡± Heather called from the stairs, ¡°she is ready for you.¡± Saved, Tom thought. ¡°Please, excuse me.¡± He nodded to Madam Louisa and started up the stairs. ¡°Right this way.¡± Heather led him down the upstairs hall to a room with a bright blue door. ¡°She''s in here.¡± As Tom reached for the door handle, she blurted quietly, ¡°Please be kind to her.¡± ¡°I will,¡± he said equally quietly, then opened the door and stepped inside. The light was low, as instructed. A large bed filled the center of the room. On it lay a small figure. The person wore a gray veil completely obscuring her face and neck. She was also dressed head to toe in light fabric, even to wearing gloves and stockings. None of her skin was exposed. Tom closed the door behind him. ¡°Hello. Did they say your name is ¡­Eubexa?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. Hello, John. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Do you speak Elvish fluently?¡± The figure on the bed flinched, and tensed. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Good. I speak small Elvish. Are you fluent in Western?¡± ¡°Yes sir, completely fluent.¡± ¡°Good. You want go no here?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I buy you. We go.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Salathin.¡± The elf did not respond. Tom gave her a few moments, then added, ¡°No now. Maybe ten and ten weeks. Is big go.¡± More silence. Then, very softly, Eubexa said, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I talk elves. I am friend. I can help. Then I help. I have four elves. You are five. We all go Salathin.¡± Instinct made him cautious about what he revealed, so he didn''t mention the other elves hiding in the forest. ¡°Why?¡± the woman repeated, her voice cracking. ¡°I am broken. (Something. Something.)¡± ¡°Broken, yes. What is (something)?¡± Eubexa seemed to shift her head just a bit, probably to look at him better. ¡°Useless. Diseased.¡± ¡°I understand. You are broken. You are no useless. You speak Elvish. You speak Western. I need. You translate.¡± That got a reaction, just for a moment, as she shifted position slightly. There was a short pause before she answered, sounding despondent. ¡°I am not well. I cannot do it.¡± ¡°Not with strangers. Not in public. Just between me and the other elves. You want go? I give food, I give clothes. You would be a great help.¡± Eubexa was silent for a long time. Finally, quietly, she said, ¡°Yes. I want to go with you.¡± ¡°I will buy you. You have things, get.¡± A bitter laugh escaped Eubexa. ¡°No. I have nothing.¡± ¡°Soon, more good.¡± Tom got up and opened the door. Heather was waiting, looking nervous. ¡°Get her ready to leave,¡± he told her quietly. Heather looked alarmed. Tom eyed her a moment. ¡°Were you kind to her?¡± The young courtesan got a distressed and somewhat guilty expression. ¡°I tried to be.¡± Tom nodded, took a deep breath, and headed downstairs. Heather followed. Louisa watched him, curious. He paused as if debating with himself, then nodded. ¡°I will buy her.¡± Madam Louisa blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will purchase Eubexa. I can get some use out of her. How much?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The madam looked stunned, something that probably didn''t happen very often. ¡°I purchased her for ten gold¡­¡± It was a struggle to keep from snarling, Did she look like THAT?! Instead, Tom was silent for a moment, waiting for her to reconsider. She was watching him as well, and probably saw his anger, but hopefully thought it was simple annoyance at being cheated. Finally, he said, ¡°her condition is absolutely terrible. Is she even going to live long? I''ll give you a gold for her.¡± ¡°Sir, she''s¡­¡± Louisa''s expression hardened. ¡°Five gold.¡± ¡°Keep going. One and a half.¡± ¡°Four and a half.¡± ¡°You''re not even getting three gold for that. I do have another option, if necessary. Two gold.¡± ¡°Four gold.¡± ¡°Don''t waste my time. She''s barely acceptable for my purposes, as it is. My final offer is two and a half gold. Either accept it, or not.¡± Tom pulled out two gold and a half gold coin and showed them to her. The madam crossed her arms. ¡°Two and a half gold, and no complaints or trouble later from you, of any kind.¡± You don''t want me bringing the guard down on your head for her poor condition. But if I refuse your requirement, you''ll know I mean trouble. ¡°We have a deal.¡± ¡°Heather, bring Eubexa. She is leaving with this gentleman.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Madam Louisa excused herself to retrieve the slave token. Tom tried to focus on logistics. They have rented a room for her. I know she''s not Sheema, but Diavla will do what she can for her. Food, clothes, and I''ll have to see what else she needs. Fortunately, the blonde seemed to have figured out that Tom wasn''t in the mood to pay for her charms and let him be. He wondered what was taking Eubexa so long, if she had nothing to pack. He got his answer when Heather and Eubexa appeared at the top of the stairs, moving slowly. Eubexa gripped the railing in one gloved hand, and Heather''s hand in the other. It took a while for them to get to the bottom. No cloak. No boots, even. Madam Louisa returned. Then Eubexa straightened, let go of Heather, and shuffled slowly forward on her own two feet as if every movement was painful. Tom heaved a sigh for effect, and with a show of reluctance, handed the coins to the madam, receiving the slave token in exchange. Eubexa approached them and faced Louisa. Then she reached up. Tom''s eyes widened and he had just a moment to school his expression before she lifted her veil. Her face was a ruin of scars and blotches. Red, black, gray, and white streaks and bulging ridged scars criss-crossed her face. The piercing gaze of her bright blue eyes made a dramatic contrast¡ªit was like seeing two sapphires floating in mud and ashes. ¡°Madam Louisa,¡± Eubexa said coldly, ¡°I will never forget my treatment here.¡± She turned, giving everyone a good look. Finally, she faced Tom, and he saw fear in her eyes. He gave her a slow nod of approval. ¡°Good say,¡± he told her in Elvish, and some of the fear seemed to fade. She carefully replaced her veil and smoothed it. ¡°Time to go.¡± He pulled off his blue cloak and held it out to her, and she recoiled slightly. ¡°Master, I am sick. Any clothes I touch cannot ever be worn by others.¡± Tom digested that a moment. ¡°Then this is now your cloak.¡± He stepped behind her and draped it carefully over her shoulders; she pulled it tight around her. He leaned closer. ¡°May I carry you?¡± he whispered. ¡°Please.¡± Tom scooped her up in his arms, a small bundle wrapped in his cloak. She weighed next to nothing. He spared Heather a small nod of thanks as she got the door, and he swept out of the brothel. The blonde at the entry desk gave a gasp of surprise, but said nothing as Tom carried Eubexa out onto the street. Varga hurried across to meet them. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± Eubexa shouted something at Varga sharply. Whatever she said stopped Varga before she touched her. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Tom grumbled, feeling the cold a little bit without his cloak. Varga asked a question. Eubexa answered with another question. Varga lost some of her tension. ¡°Tom Walker is a good man. You''ll see.¡± Tom expected trouble with the evening crowds as he carried her, but instead people took one look at his face and got out of his way. It was five or ten minutes before they reached Vinder Hall''s building. The little person himself was at the entrance. ¡°Is this the new tenant?¡± he asked. Tom actually found it almost effortless to crouch while holding the frail elf. ¡°Yes. Vinder Hall, this is Eubexa¡­um¡­¡± ¡°Eubexa Corvolli. I apologize for not offering my hand.¡± ¡°A pleasure,¡± Hall said. He nodded politely. He looked at Tom and added, ¡°I''ve given the keys to your man Orvan. I''ll get the door for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hall.¡± Tom straightened up. ¡°Ah, Eubexa¡­it''s on the fourth floor. Do you need the necessary?¡± ¡°Not now, thank you. Shall I climb¡­?¡± ¡°You just rest for now.¡± Tom carefully navigated the stairs by a light Hall held for him. When he reached the fourth floor, the others were waiting. Their four doors were all open, spilling lantern light into the hall. ¡°Here, Tom,¡± Diavla called. He followed the voice into the new room. Diavla was waiting with the physicker supplies. Tom laid Eubexa down on the bed as gently as he could. ¡°Everyone, this is Eubexa Corvolli.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Eubexa said as he stepped back. ¡°Please wash yourself with harsh soap at once, Master. I am unclean.¡± ¡°I will,¡± he told her. ¡°Here,¡± Diavla called, pointing him at a few buckets of water with towels and soap laid out. To reassure Eubexa, Tom carefully and thoroughly washed right there, even though he hadn''t touched anything but his own cloak. The others started talking in Elvish, but Tom tuned it out. It was hard to keep his feelings bottled up. When he finished washing, he backed up slowly until he was in the hall. Diavla left Varga and Eubexa talking, and walked up to him. ¡°Tom.¡± That one word seemed to carry so much meaning. Part of it was concern for him. She was right to be concerned. ¡°Diavla, please take over here.¡± He went into his room, shut the door, and took a deep, shuddering breath. He removed his belt, pulled out the gold coins, and inserted Eubexa''s token with the others, replacing the coins and putting his belt back on carefully. He noticed that Eubexa''s slave token had left a red mark in his palm. Tom came out of his room. Diavla was in the process of examining Eubexa. Varga was a few steps back, so he turned to her. ¡°Varga, can I borrow your cloak? I need some air.¡± ¡°¡­cloak? Yes, Tom.¡± It was only a couple of moments before she handed it to him. ¡°Thank you, Varga.¡± He turned to leave. ¡°Tom? Collar, please?¡± Tom stopped, and swallowed a curse, furious with himself. ¡°Yes, of course. Be careful nobody sees you.¡± He showed Varga his hidden belt pocket, and she looked very relieved. He fished out their tokens, and removed Varga''s collar. Varga hugged him at once, then whispered in his ear. ¡°Thank you, Tom Walker. You are a good man. I see (something) Diavla (something something) you.¡± She pulled back, and cupped his cheek in one palm for a moment, but she didn''t try to kiss him. Tom left the other tokens on the table. ¡°You get collars, please?¡± Varga frowned, seeing something in his expression, then nodded and scooped the tokens up carefully. Tom stood still and did his best to think about nothing. A couple of minutes later, she returned with two more collars, and a third wrapped in a piece of fabric. With great care, Tom returned the precious tokens to their hiding place. ¡°Thank you, Varga,¡± he said quietly. He turned and walked the length of the hall and down the stairs in the dark, out and around to the alley, and once no one could see him, he got violently sick. Chapter 30: Eubexa Diavla stared at Tom''s retreating figure until he had disappeared from view. He''s so young. He''s so mature and skilled in some ways, but just now¡­he''s like a little boy who looks betrayed that people were mean. Tom is very strong of character, but just now he looked¡­weak. Fragile. She returned to Eubexa''s side, and continued asking questions about her health. The matter-of-fact replies were chilling, as the woman described what she had been through. Diavla struggled not to react to the ruin of Eubexa''s face, and after a moment, it got easier. Varga asked the new elf for her story. Fortunately, the scarring did not seem to have affected her speech at all. That, and her eyes, were almost the only things working right in the poor woman''s body. I wish Sheema were here, Diavla thought for the tenth time in as many minutes. Eubexa took a few sips of water and cleared her throat, then began her tale. ¡°My name is Eubexa Corvolli. I''m from Foral province in the West Wilds. I was taken by slavers nine years ago. I spent two years in the Eastern Empire, one in the Red Tors Kingdom, and the past six in Baria, here in Rivermarch. ¡°At first, I was one of the lucky ones. I used to be pretty. A lot of people said so, back home. So, I got snapped up by an Eastern noble named Richmar at my auction, and spent two years in his private court. It really wasn''t so bad. ¡°Then, Richmar ran up too much of a gambling debt, and I was handed over as partial payment, with instructions to make my new owner ¡®very happy¡¯¡ªprobably in hopes of canceling more of the debt. I actually did my best; Richmar was kind of an idiot, but he was sweet sometimes. My new owner lost interest in me pretty quickly, though, and I was packed off for auction in Baria, where I did not sell for as much gold as hoped. The high bid was from Madam Louisa''s Delightful Den of Iniquity.¡± Her voice was bitter as she said the name. ¡°It was a bad life for a while, but not as bad as it was going to get later. I got teamed up with this girl Belva Doralla, who got traded from a bordello in Goldenbough. We got billed as a couple of sisters, for the guys who enjoy that sort of thing. We didn''t look a thing alike of course, but humans can''t tell the difference. ¡°Then, I caught the red pains disease, and couldn''t work with Johns any more¡ªthat''s what they call them here. Madam Louisa claimed that human Healers wouldn''t be able to help an elf. Really, she just didn''t want to deal with the expense. Most human Healers aren''t very competent, so it would have cost more than I''m worth to cure me. ¡°So, I was only interesting as a prop, or as¡­well, anyway. I still had my uses to certain Johns. As I got sicker things got worse, and then they got a lot worse, and then one day, one angry bastard did this to me and I couldn''t work at all after that.¡± Eubexa waved one hand vaguely at her face. ¡°Then, they put me to doing the house chores¡ªat least the parts I can do, since with my broken foot I can''t even haul water. We had a careful system set up so that I couldn''t get anyone else sick. And I''ve just gotten older and sicker for years, and I heard Madam Louisa talking about options for getting rid of me, saying I wasn''t really worth my upkeep any more. She was lying¡ªI know I still do enough work for that¡ªand she probably said it deliberately where I could hear to get me to work harder. I''m ashamed to say that it worked.¡± ¡°What happened to Belva?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°She killed herself two years ago.¡± Diavla felt a bit sick when Eubexa simply shrugged. ¡°She was always weak. Didn''t have it nearly as bad as I did. But then, maybe she took the smart way out. I wonder, sometimes.¡± ¡°Well, things will be better now,¡± Varga told her. Eubexa stared at her for a few heartbeats. ¡°You don''t really expect me to believe that, do you?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Diavla answered, after only a moment''s hesitation. ¡°But let me tell you our story¡ªwe were dramatically, dramatically luckier than you. Then you can decide what you want to believe.¡± ¡°Oh, wait, are you hungry?¡± Varga broke in before Diavla got started. ¡°Always. Can I have some food?¡± ¡°Of course. We probably can bring you a serving of stew from The Floating Duck across the street. We''ve also got some cheese and hard bread, a little holias bread, a piece of fruit the humans call an apple, and a couple of other things.¡± Eubexa snorted. ¡°Yeah, you''re having fun with the new girl. Why don''t you offer me dessert from Sallie''s Sweets on South Hill, while you''re at it?¡± Diavla and Varga looked at each other. ¡°Do you have any cookies left?¡± Varga asked. ¡°You just don''t want to cut into the brown cake yet.¡± ¡°It''s true, I was saving it. Dee, did you actually eat all of the cookies in that bag?¡± ¡°I left¡­two¡­¡± Diavla protested feebly. ¡°Brown cake or beet cookies?¡± Varga asked Eubexa. ¡°You pick.¡± ¡°Now you''re just being cruel.¡± It was hard to read her expressions, but the cold in her tone was obvious. Diavla could see the hurt and offense on Varga''s face, and cut her off before she could reply. ¡°Fine, I''ll give her one of my cookies to start.¡± She rummaged in her pack and pulled out a cookie, offering it to the sick elf. There was a pause. ¡°What, is it poisoned or something?¡± ¡°Oh, for¡ª¡± Diavla gripped the cookie and snapped it in half. ¡°Left or right, choose.¡± ¡°Left.¡± Diavla held her right hand out offering the sweet while she took a bite of the other half. It was hard to savor it properly, but she did her best. ¡°I love these things,¡± she murmured after swallowing. Slowly, as if expecting it to be snatched away at the last moment, Eubexa reached out with one gloved hand and took the uneaten half of the cookie. Diavla waited while she took a bite, watching her reaction. She chewed slowly, then swallowed. Her throat clenched. Eubexa''s eyes filled with tears. She tried to cry silently, but in moments, her body was wracked with sobs and she began to wail with a sound that threatened to break Diavla''s heart. The women cried with her as she howled her anguish, on and on, until a neighbor complained through his closed door and Orvan cursed him out in two languages. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Diavla held the sick elf over her protests, declaring, ¡°I''ll wash, I''ll wash! Later!¡± Is this the first hug she has gotten in years? It certainly seemed like it. Eubexa screamed and ranted, at one point lashing out at her rescuers: ¡°Why didn''t you help me sooner?!¡± Not offended, and not accusing, Diavla answered quietly, ¡°Someone should have. They should have.¡± She sighed. ¡°Two weeks ago, we were still in a cage ourselves. We got to town two days ago, and Tom only found out you existed a couple of hours ago. He basically dropped everything and headed right out to rescue you the minute he heard.¡± Eubexa stared at her, finally pausing in her crying. Diavla passed her a water skin, and gave her a sad smile. ¡°Would you like to hear a happier tale? One that you will join and share with us?¡± Eubexa paused for several seconds, then whispered, ¡°yes.¡± Diavla sat up on the bed, holding the new elf gently, and began. ¡°Well, we all come from Kilder Vald, a fishing village in Velsunona¡­¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Later, after Eubexa had cried herself to sleep, Diavla spoke softly with Varga as she cleaned herself fastidiously. ¡°I hope she gets a lot of rest. It''s been a happy shock, but still a big one for her. She''ll probably have trouble trusting us for a long while yet, so we''ll have to be patient with her.¡± ¡°Can you do anything for her?¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°Not really. I can help her be clean, but there''s a lot wrong with her. She needs a Healer.¡± For just a moment, a vision of fire flashed through Diavla''s soul. She shook her head to dismiss the image. I''m getting tired. ¡°Can Sheema fix her?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don''t know. She can certainly make it hurt less, and fix the minor things, but¡­I don''t know if the red pains can be halted at this point. It''s been advancing unchecked for a long time. If we don''t do something, she''ll probably be dead in a year or two. Most of the other problems, any good Healer can fix.¡± ¡°What about her face?¡± Diavla shook her head. ¡°I don''t know that anyone could help her with that. I could be wrong¡ªSheema''s the expert. But we should get a Healer to look at her, and the sooner the better.¡± ¡°Tom will probably insist on taking her in the morning. Bet you a silver he pays out of his own purse for it, too.¡± ¡°No bet.¡± Diavla smiled, just for a heartbeat. ¡°Dee¡­¡± There was a serious tone to Varga''s voice, and Diavla paused in her cleaning. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It''s Tom.¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°He was almost running, when we first left to go to the brothel. He had to make himself slow down, even though she was there for years. Another day, another month wouldn''t have made much difference to when we rescued her. But Tom couldn''t wait.¡± The redhead seemed to struggle for the right words. ¡°It was¡­I mean¡­it''s just that he''s young, right? If he were older he wouldn''t care so much, be in such a hurry.¡± ¡°?¡®Be active in youth, before you forget how.¡¯?¡± It was an old, old saying. Every young elf looked with some amount of dread at the stubbornness and reluctance to change typical of their elders who had been around for a few centuries. Diavla looked at the ceiling a moment, imagining. ¡°Although, I get the feeling that Tom will still be like this a few decades from now.¡± ¡°But, what about after a century¡ª? Saa, I''m an idiot. He''s not going to be around in a century.¡± Varga thumped her forehead lightly with her palm. Diavla felt a wave of melancholy herself at the thought. Then, she turned over what Varga was saying. ¡°So, he''s likely to be this way for his entire life,¡± Diavla guessed. ¡°What about it?¡± Varga actually squirmed a little. ¡°I guess¡­I''m starting to see why you fell for him.¡± Diavla gave her a sympathetic, conspiratorial smile. ¡°He''s quite a catch, isn''t he?¡± Varga nodded, then grinned. ¡°So are you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Diavla checked that she looked clean, then took a breath. ¡°Give me a minute, I''m going to do a spirit exercise and look for the sickness so I know I got it all off of me.¡± ¡°Sure. You should practice, Dee, if you''re going to keep trying to call on the spirits. Gently,¡± Varga stressed. ¡°Don''t hurt yourself. I''ll be across the hall.¡± She carefully got up and moved quietly out of Eubexa''s room. Diavla regarded Eubexa''s sleeping form for a few moments, then closed her eyes and willed herself into a meditative state. It took a while, but eventually she found her soul''s center of peace. Next, she sought to listen for the spirits. That took a lot longer. Minutes passed, before a ghostly impression reached her, like a single distant candle on a moonless night. Gradually, she felt the nearby spirits more strongly. She listened for their natures. City spirits were often less common and an odd mix, compared to the countryside. Far fewer spirits of elements, more of Curiosity and Passion, for example. She focused her soul, and did her best to aim her request to spirits of Healing and Curiosity, and not Passion in particular, though she wasn''t foolish enough to insult them. She gently focused her thoughts on the sickness in the room, and on her skin and clothes, and Eubexa. HEALTHY? She felt the spirits moving around, sniffing at her, her clothes, the room, and Eubexa. Over half of the spirits hovered over Eubexa, sending their tidings of woe. Next to none of them were spirits of Healing, and Diavla radiated gratitude at the few who deigned to answer her call. Yes, she was clean. She had certainly expected that much, after all her scrubbing. She let her perception range over the cloth, noting a spot or two contaminated, and then the riot of echoes coming from poor Eubexa herself. While I am meditating, I should do the spirit cleansing exercises, for my general health. At the thought, a wave of tiredness hit her. I''ll do it later. This much was enough effort for one night. Yawning, Diavla moved quietly out of Eubexa''s room, taking one of the room keys with her. We should keep watch over her tonight. She''ll need reassurance. Diavla asked Orvan to look in on the sickly elf occasionally, while she took a break. She joined Varga in their dark room. For a minute, they just held each other in silence. Then her friend spoke. ¡°That could have been us.¡± Diavla felt the weight of it. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I thought it was funny when Kervan turned courtesan on us, but¡­¡± ¡°He might have second thoughts once he sees Eubexa,¡± Diavla finished. ¡°I guess we shouldn''t be surprised that he went. Kervan wants us both, and we''ve turned him down and made a lot of noise with each other in the wagon. It makes sense that he would jump at the chance to bed a human woman, especially for gold.¡± ¡°Kervan does love his coin,¡± Diavla agreed. ¡°I wonder when he''ll get back?¡± ¡°No telling. They might keep him until morning. Get their coin''s worth.¡± ¡°I hope Kervan lives up to their expectations. Do you suppose he''s any good?¡± ¡°He knows enough to be careful with a virgin, at least.¡± ¡°Do you think they''ll be disappointed? By, um¡­well, human males are bigger all around, right?¡± Diavla thought about the glimpses she had had of Tom. ¡°Well, Tom seems to be bigger than average¡­¡± ¡°So, you''ve seen him?¡± Varga pounced, amused. ¡°Overall, you rutter. No, I haven''t gotten a good look¡­but if he''s proportional¡­¡± Diavla rubbed her jaw absently. ¡°¡­He might have some nice equipment.¡± ¡°Mm. There''s such a thing as too much, though.¡± ¡°I''d find a way to cope,¡± Varga opined, earning an elbow to the ribs. There was quiet for a minute or two. Diavla considered their benefactor, or Master. She started to feel a bit warm and wiggly but tamped down the feeling with effort. Not the time, she told herself. Varga broke the silence. ¡°If anything happens to Tom¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Just the thought gave Diavla chills. ¡°Speaking of, do you have any idea where he went?¡± Varga sighed. ¡°He probably went back to The Floating Duck to get drunk. Spirits know, I''m tempted.¡± Then her breath caught. ¡°I hope he isn''t an angry drunk.¡± ¡°He must have seen cruelty before, he was a town guard for a while. But seeing Eubexa really upset him. I think¡­he might be angry, but he won''t be angry at us.¡± ¡°That''s a fine line to walk,¡± Varga observed. ¡°Tom does a lot of that.¡± ¡°True.¡± Varga paused. ¡°I think I''ll go check on him.¡± She made as if to get up. ¡°You''ll have to put a collar back on,¡± Diavla reminded her. ¡°But¡­go ahead. I''ll be your Mistress for tonight.¡± ¡°Spirits, woman, now I don''t want to leave this bed.¡± ¡°No, no, you have a good idea. We should be very protective of Tom.¡± Diavla fended off her friend gently. ¡°Go. But, don''t stay out too late yourself unless you''re watching over Tom, all right? I don''t want to feel like I''m in a ghost story where everybody vanishes, one by one.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Varga lit a lantern and got herself together. Diavla helped her into a slave collar and clutched the token. ¡°I''ll guard it with my life,¡± she told her friend. ¡°Thank you for trusting me.¡± Varga sighed. ¡°It''s¡­still hard to put it on, but it''s easier knowing that this thing is coming off again later. All right. See you soon, Dee.¡± ¡°See you soon.¡± Chapter 31: Drinks with Lily Tom stared into the bottom of his mug of rum. Takes this much for me to feel it, he mused. Not sure it''s an improvement. He frowned. Maybe I shouldn''t have another. I need to think about something else. He had taken a small table in one corner of the tavern, and most people seemed to sense his mood and steered clear. Edge stopped by again, briefly. ¡°Left the ladies at home, Tom?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Hey, Edge¡­I got one more request for you. Information.¡± Edge grinned. ¡°That''s what I''m here for. What do you need?¡± ¡°I want information on any other elves in Rivermarch. Not the advisor in the Keep, I already know about that one. I''ll pay you a silver¡ªno, two silver¡ªfor every elf you find for me.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡ª¡° ¡°But not tonight,¡± Tom interrupted the informant. ¡°I just¡­not tonight. Tell me tomorrow or whenever.¡± ¡°Sure thing, my friend. You doing all right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I mean, no, but I''ll be all right. I just need to drown my sorrows and anger and stuff. Sorry, I''m not good company tonight.¡± ¡°Not a problem, Tom. You relax and drink in peace. I''ll leave you be.¡± ¡°Thanks, Edge. You''re a good guy to know.¡± ¡°Happy to help.¡± Edge went away, and Tom brooded about Eubexa and his promise not to retaliate for her condition with Madam Louisa. Grimacing, he ordered a second rum. He was about halfway through it when his solitude was disturbed by a familiar-looking woman. ¡°Hey, there, big fella.¡± Tom blinked up at her for a moment before he remembered. It was the woman Edge had brought to take Kervan to his client. ¡°Oh. Hi. I owe you dinner and some drinks.¡± ¡°Right you are.¡± She sat down so that they shared a corner of the table. ¡°And I owe you this.¡± So saying, she discreetly slid a gold coin to him. Tom nodded and put the coin away. He caught Debbie''s eye and gestured. The barmaid nodded at him and continued to take someone''s order. ¡°I''m sorry, I forgot your name.¡± ¡°Lily Rose. What''s yours?¡± ¡°Tom Walker.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, Tom.¡± ¡°Likewise. Thanks for helping out. I didn''t want to leave the others alone in here.¡± ¡°Sensible. Some people like to look for trouble to get into. You take the rest home already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lily Rose regarded him for a few heartbeats. ¡°Bad news?¡± Tom grimaced. ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡± ¡°I figured. You look a lot more down than you did earlier.¡± Debbie came over. ¡°Hi, there, big guy!¡± ¡°I got a name,¡± Tom grumbled. ¡°You do?¡± Debbie did a good job of sounding astonished. A moment later, she sobered as she realized Tom wasn''t in a joking mood. ¡°May I know it?¡± she asked politely. ¡°Tom.¡± ¡°I''ll remember that, Tom. You already paid for Lily''s dinner and drinks earlier. So, Lily, what are you drinking?¡± ¡°I''ll have what he''s having.¡± ¡°I''m drinking rum,¡± Tom warned her. ¡°Then, so am I.¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°It''s your life.¡± He stared at his half-finished drink, then looked at Debbie. ¡°I think I''ll give Northern Ale a try next.¡± ¡°You''ll get it, Tom.¡± Lily stayed at Tom''s table and had her dinner. She took her time drinking her rum, and for the most part just sat quietly, which Tom appreciated. He wasn''t in a very talkative mood. Finally, she finished her mug and slouched in his general direction. ¡°Better or worse?¡± she half-mumbled. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Your mood. Better or worse?¡± Tom considered that, swirling his second Northern Ale around in his mug. ¡°A little better, I guess.¡± ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡± Tom grunted noncommittally. ¡°Beggin'' your pardon, but¡­how in the demon hells did you end up a slaver pimp?¡± A moment later, she was leaning back with her hands up in surrender, watching his face. ¡°Sorry, sorry, it''s just¡­you''re built like you do honest work for a living. What happened?¡± ¡°Fucking bandits is what happened. Killed off my entire crew while we slept, and by the time I woke up and killed the killers, I was the only one still standing.¡± ¡°What did they steal? Oh¡­slaves, huh?¡± ¡°And other stuff.¡± Tom ended up telling most of the story of his adventures of the past two weeks. He had to concentrate to remember that he needed to say there were only four elven slaves in the wagon, and later, that he couldn''t name Madam Louisa per their agreement. Lily Rose was a good listener. She looked fascinated by the tale, asked smart questions, and even bought a couple of rounds. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. They drank a toast to each of Tom''s fallen comrades, and then one for Mr. Whistler, too. Then Lily Rose started telling Tom her story, and they drank to the memories of three of her friends as well. A fair bit of drinking happened. It passed the time and Tom was glad of the distraction. But eventually the dark thoughts returned. ¡°I just don''t get it,¡± Tom complained. ¡°I mean, kill people and take their stuff, sure. They''re wrong, but it makes sense. There''s, you know, a reason for it. But something like cutting up a slave who can''t even fight back? That''s just¡­sick. Sick!¡± ¡°Sick!¡± Lily Rose agreed loudly. ¡°Sick bastards.¡± ¡°Right? I ever find the guy who did it, I''m putting him in the ground. In the ground,¡± Tom swore. ¡°I''ll help!¡± Lily Rose called, raising her hand like a kid trying to get her parents'' attention. ¡°Thanks! And¡­and I''ll help you with your bad guys. But, you know, only if they''re bad.¡± Tom wagged a warning finger at her and had to concentrate a little to get his aim right. ¡°Thanks! You''re a good friend, Tom.¡± ¡°You''re a good friend, Lily.¡± ¡°We''re good friends.¡± ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°We''re good friends.¡± ¡°Goooood¡­ friends¡­¡± Tom attempted to sing, but ended up sounding like a foghorn. Lily Rose snorted and tried to harmonize with him, but it sort of fell apart. They both snorted for a few moments more after that. ¡°That''s¡­¡± Lily blinked and took a deep breath. ¡°That''s¡­better.¡± She rested her chin on her palm and looked at him. ¡°Hey, Tom?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°How are the elves in bed?¡± Tom growled in frustration. ¡°Gods curse it, I wish I knew.¡± ¡°Wait¡­you haven''t fucked them yet? What, are they sick?¡± ¡°Huh? No! No, they''re all healthy.¡± ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Then why haven''t you taken one of them to bed? Hell, why haven''t you taken both of them? Or¡­?¡± ¡°Not that side of the barn.¡± ¡°What? Oh. You like men?¡± Lily''s voice had gotten quieter. ¡°Huh? No. No. This side of the barn.¡± Tom pointed over his shoulder. ¡°I don''t like men that way.¡± ¡°Oh. Good!¡± Tom furrowed his brow, sure that he was missing something. He frowned at his mug. ¡°I probably have had enough for tonight.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­me too. I''m the¡­the right amount of drunk. The right amount of drunk. The right amount of drink got drunk. The right amount of drunks got drink. Two. Two is a good number of drunks to drink. I like two.¡± Lily stared over his shoulder for a few moments, then blinked and looked at him with a smile. ¡°Three''s good, too.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Tom wasn''t really following the conversation any more. ¡°I gotta¡­necessary.¡± ¡°Me, too. I''m gonna¡­I''m¡­don''t go without me, all right? I mean, don''t go before I get back. I mean, don''t leave before I get back.¡± ¡°You¡­same.¡± Fair is fair. Tom didn''t understand a lot at the moment, but he knew that much. The cool night air helped to clear his head a little. By the Tom walked back inside, he was alert enough to spot Varga leaning against one of the posts holding the roof up. Uh-oh. He headed right over to her. ¡°Varga? You all right?¡± ¡°What?¡± Tom heaved a great sigh and concentrated hard on translating to Elvish. ¡°You are good? Yes, no.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Elves good? I mean¡­¡± ¡°No bad, Tom. I watch you. Are you (something)?¡± ¡°I don''t know what (something) is.¡± ¡°Are you good?¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°I am all right. Um, I am good.¡± ¡°You go (something) Lily?¡± ¡°I no understand.¡± Varga gave a frustrated grunt. She looked about to try again when there was a crashing sound behind him. Tom turned around, familiar with bar fights, looking for the action. Lily Rose was standing over a man on the floor. She looked down at him and pointed a thumb at her chest. ¡°I say who gets to touch me, ass. And it''s not you.¡± ¡°Why, you¡ª!¡± ¡°Want me to break it?¡± Lily asked, taking a half step closer. ¡°Please, say yes.¡± ¡°Sorry, miss,¡± another customer called out. He bent over the fallen one and helped him up. ¡°Let''s go, Hal. You picked the wrong girl to get grabby with this time. It happens. Let''s try the Salt and Pecker. Let''s go, Hal¡­¡± The second man half-dragged Hal across the room and out the front door. Lily Rose stood still and watched the whole time, fists on her hips. Tom looked around. He could see a bouncer who had moved closer but stopped, and Miranda was watching Lily closely. Gave her a chance to clean up the mess herself. Good. Lily strutted over to where Tom and Varga were standing. ¡°Hey, Lily. I should probably go home. The elves are worried about me.¡± ¡°Oh, hey, no, not yet¡­¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Well¡­um¡­could you walk me home first? I don''t want to have a second round with Hal and maybe some buddies in an alley.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, sure. Of course.¡± Tom glanced at Varga. Varga was staring at Lily with respect¡ªfor defending herself well, Tom guessed. ¡°We go,¡± Tom told Varga. ¡°I understand. Good Tom.¡± ¡°Wow, Tom, you sound like you''re good at Elfish already. Elvish?¡± ¡°Elvish,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°Thanks. Come on, let me settle up and we''ll walk you home.¡± ¡°Great!¡± One generous tip later, Tom, Lily and Varga headed out. Lily led them down a couple of narrow streets crowded with apartments, and little shops closed for the evening. She stopped at an old oak door set underneath an overhanging second story, making a sort of rain shelter. Lily fumbled in her pouch for a few moments before producing a key. ¡°Are you good?¡± Lily Rose blinked at him. ¡°Almost. I wanna say good night first.¡± She moved closer. Tom was about to step away when he felt Varga''s hands on his back, giving him a firm shove forward. Before he could sort out his thoughts, Lily was kissing him. It wasn''t his first kiss, and Varga had kissed him more than once, recently. But it was his first serious kiss in a long, long time, and he hadn''t had very many of those, either. Tom had been holding himself back from kissing Diavla for weeks, and his frustration finally boiled over. His arms went around Lily instinctively and he kissed her back. A few moments later, Lily jerked her head to one side. ¡°Sorry.¡± She reached up and wiped her mouth. ¡°Sorry. I just¡­not so¡­um¡­¡± Tom blinked, slowly realizing that he apparently had done a bad job kissing. ¡°Sorry.¡± He let go of Lily and tried to pull away but Varga was still pushing hard on his back. In a heartbeat, he was going to shrug the elf off of him and turn around, but he was distracted. He had desperately needed that kiss, and he had gone and messed it up. ¡°No. No, I wanna try again. It''s just¡­ smaller moves. Slow down.¡± ¡°I''m sorry.¡± Lily went to kiss him again, but Tom stumbled backwards, then tripped and fell. He landed on Varga and heard her gasp, then wheeze. I''m on top of Varga, Tom thought. Screwed that up, too. Hearing her wheeze again, Tom did his clumsy best to hurry up and get off of the smaller elf so she could breathe. ¡°Sorry, Varga.¡± ¡°Hey¡­hey¡­I still wanna kiss¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. Sorry, Lily.¡± For some reason, ¡°sorry¡± was all he could think of to say, and he felt as if he were starting to drown in embarrassment. He helped Varga to her feet while she said something in Elvish he couldn''t get. She didn''t let go of his hand. ¡°I don''t understand.¡± ¡°Tom, you kiss her.¡± ¡°I do bad.¡± ¡°Tom, you kiss her now.¡± ¡°I do bad!¡± Tom jerked his hand away and started stalking off back towards Vinder Hall''s, humiliated. He''d gone a fair ways and rounded a street corner before he realized that Varga wasn''t with him. Scowling, he stomped back and looked. Varga was just leaving Lily''s doorway. Lily stepped inside and closed her door, and Varga started to jog to catch up to him. Were they making fun of me? Was Varga laughing at me? Or¡­ Tom shook his head. It was too hard to think with his soul muddled with alcohol. He turned around and stomped off towards home, ignoring Varga the rest of the way except to check and make sure she hadn''t disappeared again. He used the necessary, then trudged upstairs. Stupid, Tom, stupid. You shouldn''t have kissed her. You should have tried again. You should''ve¡­shouldn''t have¡­ He gave up trying to think, went into his room, locked the door and fell onto his bed in despair. I''ll never drink again, he promised himself. Then he welcomed the darkness as it claimed him. Chapter 32: The New Girl Eubexa woke in pain, like always. She was something of a connoisseur of pain at this point. Years of cataloging an ever-increasing list of ailments and places that hurt did that to a person. So, when she woke, the particular pattern of pains she felt told her immediately that something was different. She wasn''t very hungry. That was a big one. She couldn''t remember the last time she had gone to bed with a full stomach and woken up with only the normal hunger to break her fast. Parts of her guts felt offended by the change in routine, even if it was a good one. Eating differently always took some adjustment. She had slept on her back, as usual, and a few new places ached because the bed she was currently in had not been adjusted dozens of times by tiny amounts to minimize her pain from lying down. Slowly, she flexed her fingers, then her arms, then her neck, in her daily ritual to find out what was working and what was not. Her neck¡­ Eubexa felt her eyes widen and blinked them hard. I''m not wearing a slave collar. I''m not wearing a slave collar. Immediately, she was torn between joy and terror. Being found without her collar on was a death sentence. Yet all three of the elves she had seen were not wearing them, either. Just the redhead had put one on before going out. As if it were just for show. As if it were just for show. Eubexa started to get choked up and forced the feeling down. Wake UP, girl, you''re in danger. Figure out what''s going on before you get yourself killed. Drop the fantasy, face reality. What do I know? She grit her teeth as she adjusted her position slightly, feeling the strain on her skin as stinging flared along a certain trouble spot. The familiar pain helped her focus. What do I know? she repeated to herself. I''m not in Madam Louisa''s. She sold me. I have a new Master. Tom¡­Tom Walker, I think it was. He was disgusted when I showed my face, but he didn''t turn away. It was a stupid risk to take, Eubexa. Stupid! What if he had backed out of the deal? Eubexa was very angry with the small part of her that kept trying to reclaim shreds of dignity. Wanting things¡ªwanting anything¡ªis asking for trouble. It''s just a weakness to exploit. I''m going to get myself killed one of these days. Then she snorted faintly. Not as if I have a lot longer to live, anyway. If he had found me years ago, then maybe it might have been different. I hope he''s not too angry when he figures out I''m dying. I saw him pass more than one gold coin to the Madam. Even if he is rich, that''s a lot of money to go to waste. She thought about the fantastical tale Diavla had told her. She wasn''t sure how much of it to believe. Diavla seemed to think Tom was doing this out of the goodness of his heart. Eubexa knew better. Everyone had an approach, a plan. She just had to figure out what Tom''s was. She had to admit, he was doing a masterful job of looking good, no pun intended. When he let the elves out of the cage, it was really because he knew that it was his only hope for survival. Eubexa had a lot of experience reading people, and she could tell that the other elves were not being completely truthful. Diavla had gotten evasive about the extent of Tom''s injuries and how they had nursed him back to health. The man had carried her across town in his arms. Either he had been hiding the strain he was under, or he hadn''t been as injured as Diavla had claimed. Everyone had an agenda. She needed to know what the other slaves thought, what they wanted. She''d gotten the impression that Diavla was the head slave, not that they called it that yet. They were still getting used to their new existence. They''d figure it out, eventually. I''ll have to watch them carefully, see how they react to each other. Tom will say one thing and mean another. They always do. I''ll have to read him and figure out what he really wants, what will please him, and what will encourage him to treat me well. Her body intruded on her thoughts, as it often did. Eubexa grimaced. She thought about the three flights of stairs down to the waste room. That was going to be very inconvenient. Many things had been terrible in the Den but at least there had been only two stories and a single flight of stairs to worry about. I''ll need a chamber pot at the least, if there isn''t one already somewhere. I''ll still have to lug it up and down myself, but at least I can save up my energy. The air was a bit stuffy in her room; there wasn''t enough ventilation. It was a common problem when so many buildings were mashed up together without room for windows. Eubexa wondered what would be expected of her on her first day, and debated getting up versus resting more. She decided to get rest while she reasonably could. If that was a mistake, then hopefully she would be forgiven. It was only a few minutes later that she heard other people stirring. They weren''t the only people living on this floor, but she caught snippets of quiet Elvish, which she hadn''t heard in years, beyond the words she had taught Heather for her elf act. They were saying something about breakfast. Eubexa wondered what their standard fare would be. They were new to the city, and she didn''t know whether they had any routines set up yet. There was a soft knock at the door. Eubexa braced herself, then carefully pulled her veil closer and put it on. ¡°Yes?¡± Diavla stepped in. ¡°Good morning. How are you feeling?¡± Eubexa considered how to answer. ¡°Happy to be out of the brothel.¡± ¡°I can only imagine. I mean physically. Do you need anything?¡± ¡°A chamber pot, eventually. But I need to be the only one to touch it.¡± ¡°We can take precautions.¡± ¡°My sickness is nothing to scoff at.¡± ¡°I''m aware. I have physicker training. You''re still being overly cautious, though I certainly understand why.¡± ¡°How should I serve, now?¡± Diavla raised her eyebrows. ¡°Resting, and telling me what you need.¡± ¡°Is that an order from the Master?¡± ¡°I''m sure it will be, as soon as he wakes up.¡± ¡°When do you expect that?¡± Diavla looked thoughtful. ¡°Normally he''s up by now, but he went out drinking last night and came back fairly late.¡± ¡°If I may make a suggestion, you could make sure to have water and bread ready for him.¡± ¡°I do. I''m returning the favor. He was very considerate when I had a hangover.¡± Stolen story; please report. Eubexa digested that for a moment. Is she serious? What is this man like? I know what she said, but she can''t be reading him right. There''s no way he is what she says he is. Their naivete was maddening. They''re like a bunch of children. She heard a door open, then after a pause, a man called out in heavily-accented Elvish. ¡°Good morning.¡± It was the Master. Eubexa was still getting used to the sound of his voice, but it sounded extra rough from the hangover. Now we find out how much of a temper he has and how much he will take it out on us, she thought grimly. ¡°Good morning, Tom,¡± Diavla said quietly. She quickly brought him water and bread, or so it seemed; it was happening in the hall and Eubexa couldn''t see it. She listened closely but couldn''t make out enough of the conversation to understand. They had to be talking very quietly for that. Then the Master raised his voice. ¡°Eubexa and I go temple now. Who go temple?¡± The temple? Eubexa fought down a bit of panic. He''s not going to spend a fortune uselessly on me. He''s just evaluating the merchandise, getting a diagnosis and a prognosis. He''s got to be. ¡°I go,¡± Diavla said at once. ¡°Varga sleep. Kervan is no here.¡± ¡°I''ll stay here to meet Kervan,¡± Orvan declared. Diavla rendered that into Elvish baby-talk for the Master. I can help with that, if they would come a little closer. ¡°Orvan, you have coin? You and Kervan eat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Finally, the Master entered her room, followed by Diavla. ¡°Good morning, Eubexa. We go temple.¡± ¡°Master, I am fluent in Western, you can speak normally to me.¡± The Master blinked at her a couple of times, then gave a weak grin. ¡°My apologies, Eubexa. I''m a little slow this morning. I''ve gotten into the habit of trying to speak Elvish first. I know I must sound atrocious in your language.¡± ¡°No apology needed, Master, of course. Your Elvish is amazingly good.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I know I still have a long way to go.¡± ¡°Master, you said that we are going to the temple. May I ask why?¡± The Master blinked again. ¡°To do what we can for you. I want to know exactly what is wrong with you and how much it would cost to fix it all. I can''t promise to do it right away¡ª¡± Her fear actually drove her to interrupt her Master. ¡°Master, no! It would cost a fortune! Far more than I am worth.¡± At that, he finally showed anger. Shit. I should have waited until he finished speaking. Stupid, Eubexa, stupid! His words surprised her, though. ¡°You are a hum¡ªexcuse me, you are a person, I mean to say. Any person is worth more than all the gold in the kingdom. Don''t ever say you aren''t worth it.¡± Eubexa was momentarily stunned into silence, so he continued, ¡°The questions are whether we can afford it, and how long it would take. But you have worth, Eubexa.¡± Eubexa chose her next words carefully. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Master. I mean to say that financially, it makes no sense to heal me.¡± ¡°By that logic, all generosity makes no sense,¡± the Master countered. It was Eubexa''s turn to blink. He''s intelligent. That could be very good or very bad, possibly both. I need to tread cautiously with him. ¡°I see your point, Master.¡± He still looked annoyed. ¡°Call me Tom, Eubexa.¡± Eubexa froze. Is this a test? It has to be a test, to see whether I will disrespect him. ¡°I cannot do that, Master.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It would be unseemly, and would be seen as a show of disrespect.¡± The Master groaned, then muttered to himself. ¡°And if I make it an order, I''m contradicting myself¡­gods.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Fine. Call me Master in public if you must, but in private, I don''t want to be called that¡ªbecause of the slavery,¡± he finished quickly. Hidden behind her veil, Eubexa raised an eyebrow. Was that a hint? Interesting. If he likes that, maybe I can give some advice to the women. ¡°Understood, sir.¡± The Master winced. ¡°I suppose it''s an improvement, at least.¡± He sighed. ¡°Is there anything you need before we go? It''s past sunup, so we should be able to find a healer or at least a healer''s aide.¡± Eubexa quietly explained again about the chamber pot. Once she had been left alone and had dealt with her nature call, she warned Diavla repeatedly not to let anyone touch the chamber pot but her. ¡°We''re locking your room behind us and taking the keys,¡± Diavla assured her. ¡°I''m sorry, I''ll be a few minutes getting down the stairs.¡± ¡°Tom can carry you.¡± Eubexa was horrified at the presumption, but sure enough, her Master insisted on picking her up and carrying her down to the street, and didn''t stop there. He carried her to a city wagon lot and up to a pair of wagons. As they approached the empty one, the Master swore. ¡°I forgot, I already made an agreement to meet a scholar here this morning!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Eubexa asked. ¡°To evaluate the last cargo. I don''t know what to do with it, and hopefully, I can get the temple to take it off my hands.¡± ¡°Is it valuable?¡± ¡°Presumably, to the right person. Apparently, the cargo was being shipped to High Pass Temple. That''s why I want a temple to take charge of it. Fortunately for us, we''ve got the spare wagon as a place to let you rest. Eubexa, I''m afraid we''ll have to wait here for a while.¡± ¡°Of course, Master.¡± The Master set her down carefully in the empty wagon bed. It was extremely uncomfortable, but Eubexa disciplined herself not to make a sound. ¡°I apologize. Please translate all that for Diavla.¡± Eubexa winced at the apology. ¡°Right away, Master.¡± Quickly, she switched to Elvish and filled the other woman in. Diavla actually tapped her forehead for a moment. ¡°That''s right, he told us, and it completely slipped my mind, too. Good thing we were coming for the empty wagon and got the reminder. It''s been a very busy couple of days.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Eubexa concentrated on breathing evenly to manage the pain. After a bit, Diavla distracted her by asking the Master about breakfast in their Western pidgin. ¡°Tom, we eat?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± The Master winced. ¡°I''m not thinking too well this morning, am I? Um, Eubexa, are there any special foods you want or need? I''m probably going to have to send Diavla to grab food for us.¡± ¡°Anything you give us is fine, Master.¡± The Master gave a grunt of annoyance at that. ¡°Diavla, food Eubexa need?¡± ¡°Big food. All food,¡± Diavla replied. ¡°All right. Diavla, you get¡­five breakfasts. You have coin?¡± ¡°Breakfasts?¡± ¡°Breakfasts,¡± Eubexa supplied. ¡°He wants you to buy five meals. I hope he doesn''t mean for me to eat two of them.¡± ¡°No, it''s two for Tom, and three for us to split. All of us have been eating a portion and a half at meals ever since we got out of the cage. And I''ve been stuffing myself with sweets, besides.¡± Diavla turned to the Master. ¡°I have coin. I go, I buy five food, five breck¡­¡± ¡°Breakfasts,¡± Eubexa reminded her. ¡°Breakfasts. Breakfasts.¡± Diavla repeated the word to herself as she started to leave. ¡°Eubexa, please tell Diavla to be careful and yell if she gets into any trouble.¡± Eubexa did so. Then it was just her and the mysterious Tom Walker. ¡°Master?¡± Eubexa could actually see him gritting his teeth at that form of address. ¡°What is it, Eubexa?¡± ¡°May I ask what my duties are as your slave?¡± He appeared to be getting angry at the question. Eubexa was worried. Am I supposed to figure it out on my own? Should I ask the head slave instead? Fortunately, the human closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he no longer looked angry. Instead he looked¡­sad. Pitying, even. Eubexa felt a churn of emotions at that. Outrage threatened to bubble up, but she squashed it back down with the ease of long practice. The Master''s expression cleared before Eubexa had time to get too worked up with stress. ¡°Well, first of all, we are going to revisit this later. Please remember that.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°Your duties¡­¡± He seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment. ¡°Your first duty is to take care of your health to the extent that it is possible to do so. That includes telling me if you are in discomfort or have important needs not being met.¡± Eubexa cynically took that under advisement, but answered, ¡°Yes, Master,¡± as was obviously expected of her. ¡°Second, you are to translate as needed between Western and Elvish for myself and all the elves.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Third, I want you to teach me more Elvish and the elves more Western.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°Fourth, I will need you to read for me¡ªah, are you literate in Western? I should have asked.¡± ¡°Yes, Master. It''s not quite at the level of my spoken Western, but I can get through the runes when I need to.¡± ¡°Excellent. And¡­ah¡­fifth¡­¡± Eubexa waited, curious. ¡°I would like to learn a bit about Elvish culture and society. Particularly¡­¡± He paused to look for Diavla, then turned back to Eubexa again. ¡°Courtship rituals.¡± Eubexa blinked, hard. Wait, is he talking about him courting Diavla or Varga? Before she could ask clarifying questions, a man called out to them. ¡°Tom Walker?¡± ¡°That''s me.¡± ¡°We spoke at the temple yesterday. I believe you have a cargo you want to be magically examined?¡± Eubexa listened carefully as Tom began to recount a version of his story. This should be interesting. Chapter 33: Crystals Tom recognized the scholar after a moment. ¡°Welcome. Thank you for coming.¡± Tom shook his hand briefly. ¡°All right, Mr. Walker, what do you need examined?¡± ¡°They''re in this wagon.¡± Tom climbed up in the back, then stuck his head out. ¡°Eubexa, call out if you need anything, or if there''s any trouble.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Tom gave the scholar a hand up into the wagon. ¡°I''m sorry, I forgot your name¡­¡± ¡°Winfried Goodman, Temple curate. You can call me Winfried or Goodman, as you like.¡± ¡°Thanks, um, Winfried. You can call me Tom.¡± Winfried pulled out a rock light. ¡°Rock light flash,¡± he warned, and Tom closed his eyes. Once the glow through his eyelids stopped, he looked around. The magic-user did the same. ¡°Eight black cases¡­what are the contents?¡± ¡°Some kind of crystals, in padding, very, very old.¡± ¡°How did you come across these?¡± ¡°A Mr. Sashen was the owner of this wagon. He was killed in a bandit attack on a caravan. Recovering his personal effects, we only found a few papers in some strange language, and an envelope addressed to High Pass Temple.¡± ¡°Do you have these papers?¡± Tom cursed himself, mentally. ¡°Um, let me check.¡± Fortunately, a minute of rummaging in his pack produced the pages. Tom knew which ones because of the odd kind of paper used: it was a darker tan than most, and felt sort of scratchy. Scholar stared at the pages under the rock light for a minute. ¡°Well, that''s a strange language, all right. It''s not Elvish or Dwarvish. Could be Highlander? I''d have to check at the Library. May I keep these?¡± ¡°Ah, I''d rather hold on to them. Do you have copyists at the temple?¡± ¡°One, but there are several at the Library. It would be faster to go there.¡± ¡°I keep hearing about this place,¡± Tom observed. ¡°I''ll have to go check it out.¡± ¡°It''s worth the visit; the Library is one of the gems of Rivermarch.¡± The man looked around. ¡°So, what do you need?¡± ¡°Well, seven cases are intact; the last one was damaged by bandits. I want to know if any of these things are dangerous, first of all. I suspect the intact cases are fine, but I''d still like to know anything you can tell me about them without cracking them open. Then we can look at the opened one, if that plan is all right?¡± ¡°Sensible enough. Sure. Let''s see what we have here.¡± Goodman looked over the intact cases from all angles, then sat down cross-legged in front of one of them. He poked and prodded for a minute, ran his fingers over the engravings, and hummed to himself. Finally, he cleared his throat. ¡°Well, from the look of it, assuming the patterns continue on the underside, this could well be a sealing formation.¡± ¡°To protect the cases?¡± Tom asked. ¡°No, that would be a warding formation. A sealing formation is the opposite. It''s meant to keep magic in, not out.¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± Tom wasn''t sure what question to ask. ¡°I can check to see whether there''s active magic, easily enough.¡± The man fished in his robes for a few moments, then pulled out a small glowing stick. Tom frowned in confusion. ¡°Is that like a rock light?¡± ¡°This? No, this is a wand. A simple one. All it does is light up in the presence of active magic. As you can see, it lights up just from being in my hand, because I''m a devout of Barsel and get a few spells from the goddess. Which makes this tool mostly useless for me, so I''ll need your help.¡± Tom was curious. ¡°All right, what do I do?¡± ¡°It''s easy enough. Just take this and wave it slowly over the runes, and we''ll see whether it lights up.¡± Goodman held out the wand, and Tom reached out and took it. The light dimmed, but didn''t go out, though. ¡°I guess it takes a minute? Do I need to squeeze it off and back on?¡± Tom looked at Goodman, who was staring at the wand in surprise. ¡°Are you a mage, Tom?¡± That startled a big laugh out of Tom. ¡°HA! Me, a mage!¡± The thought was hilarious. Tom shook with laughter that he did his best to contain, then sobered enough to answer, ¡°No, no chance at all of that.¡± ¡°A devout, then?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°I give at Temples, and I''m grateful when good things happen, and I pray a little, but I''ve never gotten any spells or blessings or¡­¡± He trailed off, thinking about the dream with his comrades. After a pause, he asked, ¡°Dreams aren''t magic, are they?¡± ¡°They certainly can be. Sometimes, the gods send us messages that way.¡± The thought discomfited Tom a bit. ¡°But gods don''t appear in my dreams.¡± ¡°Do they ever tell you things you didn''t know before, but then they turn out to be true?¡± Tom thought back. ¡­Well, he''s got a great chance to get started right¡ª Julio! Nothing he doesn''t know already! You know the rules¡­ Tom swallowed, and shook his head. ¡°Um, I guess it''s not important. Right now, I need to know about these cases.¡± He handed back the wand, eager to be rid of it. ¡°Well, I can improvise here.¡± Goodman bent down and leaned the wand against some of the carvings on one case, and stepped back. ¡°I really should get a stick to hold that thing out on¡­¡± the magic-user muttered. ¡°Would that work? Maybe a string¡­¡± His mumbling trailed off as he observed that the wand was glowing brightly. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°So¡­it''s active magic?¡± Tom guessed. ¡°Very.¡± ¡°Is that the magic on the box or in the box?¡± ¡°On the box. It''s saying that the sealing formation is working,¡± Winfried explained. ¡°Can you tell anything about what''s inside?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­I could set something up, but the seal is so strong it basically doesn''t matter. You said one of them was broken¡­?¡± Tom pointed. Goodman moved closer and crouched down, staring at the damage. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Ouch?¡± ¡°This is a elaborate formation that took a lot of work to put together. It''s definitely busted, but I''ll double check.¡± Winfried set the wand against the runes and stepped back again. The wand was still glowing, although not quite as brightly as for the other cases. ¡°Well, that''s odd. Um, have you opened this case?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does the lid come off?¡± Tom frowned. ¡°I''m not sure.¡± He checked, and it turned out that the lid was held in place by intricate hinges that nonetheless could be slid apart by removing a couple of wooden dowels. However, he dreaded the thought of trying to neatly and gently separate wood that had been sealed together for many years. ¡°This thing is ancient, and I do not want to bump it around.¡± ¡°Hm, well, give me your pack, just for a minute?¡± After some fiddling, they got the wand to rest on the pack behind the crate, and when the crate was fully opened, the wand nearly touched the lid right where the formation engravings were. When they stepped back, the wand was dark. ¡°Yup, like I thought. The sealing formation is completely dead,¡± Winfried concluded. ¡°Not surprising. The things have to be perfect to work right.¡± Tom pounced on that. ¡°So, if it was already scratched up and a little bit gouged out, that would be enough to break it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tom breathed a small sigh of relief, and Winfried eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Did you break this after it was already broken?¡± Tom grimaced and nodded guiltily. ¡°I figured it was already busted and I wanted to see what was inside.¡± ¡°Well, you were very lucky.¡± The scholar shook his head. ¡°It never ceases to amaze me how many people will screw around with magic when they have no idea what they''re doing. Don''t do that again,¡± he scolded. Tom held his hands up in surrender. ¡°I''m just trying to figure out how to get rid of these. I was hoping the temple would take them.¡± ¡°Well, that depends on what they are. We''re not necessarily going to clean up your mess for free, but let''s see what we''re dealing with. Something inside the case is radiating enough magic to set the wand off. You mentioned crystals. Can I see them?¡± Tom explained about the dust and how he found it itchy. Then he went through the steps of removing the padding and the upper tray, so that Goodman could see everything, and stepped back. ¡°Now, I got a really, really bad feeling when I was about to touch one of the intact crystals, so I didn''t do it. I hope you know better than me how much danger there is and what kind.¡± ¡°I''ll see what I can learn. This will take a few minutes.¡± ¡°Shall I give you space to work?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Tom climbed out of the wagon and walked over to Eubexa. ¡°Everything all right, Master?¡± ¡°He''s just confirmed my guesses, so far. Hopefully in a few minutes, he''ll be able to tell us more.¡± Just then Diavla returned, carrying a small board with five meat sticks standing up in holes along the top. ¡°Breakfasts,¡± she announced, proudly. Tom was about to correct her Western, then realized that she was right, so he didn''t say anything. Instead, he grabbed a stick, feeling oddly ravenous. He hadn''t done very much yet all morning, not even his sword drills. The chicken had too much pepper on it, but was good enough. After a minute, Diavla asked Eubexa something in Elvish, then pulled out a small dagger and handed it hilt-first to the sickly elf. They argued for a few moments. Eubexa is a stubborn one, Tom noted. Finally, Diavla took one of the sticks and cut the meat up more finely, then put it back. Eubexa picked it up carefully in one gloved hand. She''s going to ruin her gloves like that. Diavla seemed annoyed, which surprised Tom. He hadn''t gotten the impression from her that she would be impatient with sick people. They ate in silence. Tom gobbled down two meat sticks. Diavla had one, then got fidgety and kept staring at the crystals wagon. Eubexa didn''t quite finish one stick. Tom thought about eating the untouched stick, but decided he was rich enough to give it to a street kid, instead. Suddenly, Winfried yelled wordlessly. Diavla startled at the same moment. Tom rushed forward and pulled back the flap to see inside. The scholar was staggering away from the broken case. ¡°What happened?¡± Tom demanded. ¡°Get the guard. Now. I need¡­ four guards!¡± Winfried climbed quickly out of the wagon, dropping a couple of items in his haste. Tom was already moving. ¡°Going! What for?¡± ¡°We need to get this to the temple now and we need to keep everyone away from it.¡± Demon shit. What in the demon lands did he find in there? Tom darted out to the exit of the lot, and ordered the watcher there to call the guard. Tom stepped out into the street himself, put fingers to his mouth and gave a piercing whistle four times, then yelled, ¡°GUARDS!¡± I don''t know if they use the same code here, but it''s the best I can do. He looked around, waited a few more moments, then started another four whistles. Partway through, he spotted a guard and waved to him with his free hand while he finished the signal. The guard ran up to him. ¡°Where?¡± He was a man of medium build and brown hair, dressed in leathers and carrying a staff. ¡°Dangerous escort, here to the temple. Winfried Goodman asked for you.¡± ¡°What kind of dangerous?¡± ¡°Something magic. I rode with it for days, but apparently, I was lucky. We need to keep people back from it.¡± The guard pulled out a wooden whistle and blew four blasts. ¡°How did you know the signal?¡± ¡°Four months as a guard at Peter''s Crossing. I took a chance that the codes were the same. Four is ¡®Backup Needed¡¯, right?¡± ¡°You got it. Where''s the trouble?¡± Tom pointed. ¡°That wagon. The one with the scared curate in front of it.¡± ¡°You rode with it for days? Is there a reason it''s about to go off now?¡± Tom shrugged, and the guard relaxed a fraction. ¡°Better safe than sorry, but sounds like we can cool our blood.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°I think so, too.¡± ¡°I''ll be in as soon as backup arrives. Yell if anything happens.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Tom jogged back inside. Winfried was snapping together some wooden blocks with runes carved into them. ¡°That''s two¡­¡± He fished more blocks out of his packs and seemed intent on putting them together in a specific pattern. There were two sticks of four blocks each on the cobblestones beside him. Seeing Tom''s puzzled look, he explained, ¡°I''m going to put up a very simple sealing foundation in the corners of the wagon. It''s not much, but every little bit helps. Guards are coming?¡± ¡°On their way.¡± The scholar nodded and kept working. Tom turned to the elves. Eubexa looked no different, and Diavla was helpfully picking up items that the curate had dropped. Tom saw her pick up the wand that detected magic, and it immediately began glowing¡ªmuch brighter than it had for Winfried. Tom raised his eyebrows. Diavla noticed his gaze, and held her hands protectively under her breasts. The gesture made the wand glow even brighter. Put out the fires, Tom told himself, and hurried over to Diavla, putting himself between her and Winfried. ¡°Guards no see you is good,¡± he murmured in Elvish, then dropped back into Western. ¡°Eubexa, translate. I want you both to stay here and not be noticed, if possible. After a little while, Diavla should drive this wagon to the temple. They should bring you in. I want a full report on your health, and if there''s anything easy to fix, I want them to fix it.¡± ¡°Master¡ª¡± Eubexa started to protest. ¡°Diavla. Temple see Eubexa. Temple see Eubexa sick. Temple say Eubexa sick. Temple maybe heal Eubexa some. You see, you listen. Eubexa no say no. Understand?¡± Eubexa cursed in Elvish; Tom ignored it. ¡°Yes. Where you go?¡± Diavla asked, not yet up to speed. ¡°I go slow to temple. Magic danger. People back. Guards. No see you. You wait, you go temple. Give me that,¡± he hissed in Western, reaching for the brilliantly glowing wand. She held it out and the light dimmed somewhat. Tom took it and it dimmed a lot farther. Diavla looked confused. ¡°See magic,¡± Tom explained, gesturing with the wand. Now it was her turn to raise her eyebrows, looking a question at him. Tom frowned in annoyance. ¡°We''ll talk about this later,¡± he half promised, half warned. Quickly, he fished some silver out of his coin pouch, then handed the pouch to Diavla. There were three gold coins and plenty of others in it. ¡°You pay temple. If I''m not there when you are finished, you can wait or go home. I go now. Good luck.¡± ¡°I will translate, Master,¡± Eubexa murmured quietly. ¡°Good luck.¡± She murmured quickly in Elvish, and Diavla echoed the sentiment. Tom gave them a somewhat forced smile, then turned to distract Winfried. This day just keeps getting busier. Chapter 34: Human Magic Tom is spirit-touched. Diavla didn''t know what to make of that. She watched him go over and talk to the other man. Is he an untrained Healer? Or something else? What are his affinities? That must be how he knew not to touch the crystals, she realized. But why would he hide that? Diavla grimaced at her hypocrisy. I didn''t have a good reason to keep my abilities from Tom, but I did it, anyway. That''s going to be an interesting conversation, later¡­ ¡°So,¡± Eubexa said very quietly, ¡°you are spirit-touched.¡± ¡­and an interesting conversation now, Diavla realized wryly. ¡°Yes.¡± They both kept their voices down, taking advantage of the humans'' bad hearing to stay unnoticed. Diavla had her hood up, and stood behind the empty wagon, near Eubexa''s head. The sickly elf was staying very still, and in her gray clothing was fairly boring to the eyes. ¡°The Master did not know this?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see. You''re a Healer. That''s how Master survived the bandit attack.¡± Diavla paused, uncertain of Eubexa and wondering how much of the truth to reveal. ¡°Close enough,¡± she conceded. ¡°We thought it unwise to let any humans know there was a Healer among us.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Diavla arched an eyebrow. ¡°Good?¡± ¡°You were smart. I was beginning to think that the lot of you were hopelessly naive. What are you going to tell him later?¡± Diavla thought for just a second. ¡°The truth. That''s I''m half-trained and don''t have strong affinity for Healing. If Tom didn''t have a magnificent constitution, he''d have been dead anyway.¡± They both fell silent when the city guards showed up. Diavla watched, fascinated by the rune blocks the spirit-touched human was setting up around the edges of the wagon bed. After a few minutes, Tom got the ox ready and very slowly drove the wagon out of the lot, with guards on all sides and the scholar fidgeting nearby. They waited until the last guard was out of sight before resuming the conversation. ¡°So, the cargo is dangerous.¡± ¡°We suspected, but didn''t know. That''s why Tom hired the man from their temple.¡± ¡°He''s going to get hauled up before the Lord of the City. Possibly arrested,¡± Eubexa observed, calmly. ¡°City Lords don''t take kindly to people who bring dangerous magics into their cities. Where are the slave tokens?¡± ¡°Hidden.¡± ¡°Do you know where?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you bring another human to them within a week?¡± ¡°If it proves necessary.¡± Diavla did her best not to snap at the sick elf. ¡°Just wondering if I''m going to die in a week, is all. Nothing important.¡± Diavla held onto her temper with effort. ¡°You''ve been through ten times, no, a hundred times, the demon lands we''ve gone through, and I know you''re in constant pain. But please don''t speak of Tom as if he is disposable. He is not.¡± ¡°I''m not the one who might dispose of him.¡± ¡°Let us not ask the moneylender to loan us trouble. Tom is a good man and a good speaker. He will talk his way clear.¡± ¡°And if he doesn''t?¡± ¡°In that case, I have access to enough gold to buy his freedom¡ªone way or another. We would not find a better Master than Tom, if we searched half the continent. I''m not giving him up.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Eubexa fell silent after that. Diavla sat down on the wagon bed near her. The veil did an excellent job of hiding Eubexa''s expressions. It was hard to know what was going through her mind. A few minutes later, Diavla sighed. ¡°I guess we can head to the temple now.¡± ¡°No.¡± Diavla turned to stare at Eubexa, who was shaking her head. ¡°We should wait at least an hour. It will take that long for the mages to run around in circles figuring out what to do, and we don''t want to drive up when the same guards are still there, or they will remember us and wonder why we are following them.¡± Diavla took a deep breath. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°The Master said that one of my duties was to teach the rest of you Western. Would you care for a lesson to pass the time?¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Eubexa was a mediocre teacher, but grudgingly admitted that Diavla was a quick learner. By the time an hour had passed, Diavla had corrected a couple of dozen mistakes in her vocabulary and gained some more simple sentence structures, along with scores of new words. She recited them dutifully, until she was fairly sure she would remember them. Seeking a break, she asked, ¡°Have you seen much of Rivermarch, Eubexa?¡± ¡°Yes, but not since I got sick four years ago. In the early days, I was sometimes rented for outings. It''s a fairly nice city, as the human lands go. The Library is beautiful, the South Playhouse had some amazing performers, Sally''s Sweets¡­¡± Eubexa fell silent. Diavla waited, but she didn''t finish her sentence. It''s a tender spot in her soul. Diavla turned that over in her thoughts, then nodded. ¡°Are you all right where you are, when I move the wagon?¡± ¡°Yes, but it''s too soon to go to the temple.¡± ¡°We''re not going to the temple yet. Hang on, back there. I''ll drive slow.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Eubexa helped her talk to the lot attendant, and within a few minutes, they were on their way. ¡°Where are we going?¡± the sick elf asked. ¡°You''ll see.¡± Diavla didn''t need to ask for directions; between her memory, and orienting based on the Keep and the river, it wasn''t too hard to find the right spot. She brought the wagon as close to the entrance as she could without blocking foot traffic. ¡°What¡­what are you doing?¡± Eubexa asked, staring up at the shop front for Sally''s Sweets. ¡°I want some cheesecake,¡± Diavla declared. ¡°What would you like?¡± ¡°You can''t¡­you can''t just¡­they''ll throw you out!¡± Eubexa protested. ¡°No, they won''t. We''re giving them plenty of custom, and they know us.¡± Diavla settled the animal, climbed down, and walked around to the back. ¡°Now, do you want me to help you inside, or shall I bring you descriptions of what they have on offer?¡± ¡°I¡­you can''t just spend that kind of money, can you?¡± ¡°I assure you, in Tom''s eyes I own fifteen gold and I have access to all of it at their bank, if needed.¡± ¡°Their bank¡­the Treasury, you mean? You stored your coin there?¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°And you have access to Tom''s box?¡± She nodded again. ¡°How much¡­?¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Diavla said, cutting her off. ¡°At any rate, I have plenty on my person to pay for as much indulgence here as we like. So, shall I help you down?¡± ¡°No, getting back up would be very difficult.¡± ¡°All right, then, I''m going to bring you something, so you might as well tell me what you would prefer.¡± ¡°Saa¡­butter cookies?¡± Diavla started to nod, then caught herself. ¡°Did you just pick the cheapest sweet they have?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± The veil was a perfect gaming face, but Diavla was suspicious. ¡°All right, then, I''ll bring you butter cookies, but I am also going to bring you their most expensive dessert unless you tell me something else.¡± Eubexa didn''t answer at once. Diavla shrugged and turned to enter. Then the sick elf''s voice grew a bit louder. ¡°Could you see¡­if¡­they have apple tarts?¡± Diavla turned and gave her an encouraging smile. ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It turned out that they did have apple tarts, and Eubexa did her best to hide her emotional reaction. She also ate two entire tarts, which was more than she had eaten of the bird meat sticks. Diavla pretended not to hear the sniffling. Finally, Eubexa cleared her throat. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said in a broken whisper. Diavla swallowed a mouthful of cheesecake, and was about to eat another spoonful, when she made herself pause long enough to answer. ¡°You''re welcome.¡± She bit down on the delicious wet softness, and let the flavor spread through her mouth, the sweet heaviness easing a desperate craving. ¡°Diavla, I''m not objecting, but¡­isn''t that a lot of cheesecake to be eating in one sitting?¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Diavla mumbled around a mouthful. ¡°I''m not feeling full. Though I am craving more meat, oddly.¡± ¡°It''s considered a heavy dessert, and possibly a tenth part of that is a large serving for most.¡± Diavla paused, looking at the more than half-eaten cheesecake in her lap. ¡°Hm. I ate this much yesterday, too. It didn''t spoil my dinner, either.¡± She took another bite, this one more thoughtfully. ¡°Didn''t it upset your solids?¡± Diavla quirked an eyebrow, then placed a hand to her stomach. ¡°No. Which¡­is odd,¡± she conceded. ¡°The last I checked, I was totally healthy.¡± ¡°You can check health?¡± Diavla froze for just a moment, then admitted, ¡°Yes. It is wearying, but I can at least identify sickness. That''s why I''m not worried about catching your disease: I can tell when I have cleaned enough.¡± ¡°But then, we don''t have to waste money at the temple, since you can identify everything.¡± ¡°I already did, while you were asleep. There is a lot wrong with your body, Eubexa. And I can do nothing to fix it.¡± ¡°No one can fix my body. Let''s not waste the gold at the temple.¡± ¡°Eubexa, why are you so concerned about the cost?¡± ¡°Because Master is eventually going to realize how useless I am and that I am not worth the expense! And then what happens to me? The more I cost him, the sooner he will tire of me!¡± Eubexa was almost hissing. She sounded angry, bitter, and frightened. Diavla set her spoon down and faced the other elf squarely. ¡°You misjudge Tom.¡± ¡°You have known him less than two weeks, and no disrespect to you, Diavla, but you have lived a fairly sheltered life. I have seen what people are really like.¡± ¡°You have seen the worst of people,¡± she corrected. ¡°The worst is who they are, in the end.¡± Diavla shook her head. ¡°You know better than that. Your recent horrible suffering has clouded your eyes.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say; Master looks on you with desire. I am hideous.¡± ¡°Tom is hewn of stronger wood than that.¡± ¡°You don''t know that. You see what you want to see.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°Give it time. You''ll learn, if you are willing. For the moment, we will follow Tom''s instructions. I want to see how human Healers work, and you are a perfect opportunity for that. I also want to listen and see if we can find out what happened at the temple with the crystals without asking too many questions.¡± Diavla looked at the cheesecake, and reluctantly set it aside. After considering a moment, she went back into the shop and bought a big bag of beet cookies for herself, for later. Provisioned with that, she climbed back onto the wagon seat and got the ox moving. It wasn''t far from Sally''s Sweets to the temple, and when they arrived, there was no sign of the crystals wagon. Diavla hurried into the temple, and looked around for someone who worked there. It didn''t take very long to find a Wise Woman who said something elaborate in Western. Diavla waved her hands for the human to stop talking. ¡°I am sorry. I speak very small Western again. I have sick elf. Very sick, big time. I want you see, maybe you heal, please?¡± ¡°Where is your Master?¡± the Wise Woman asked. ¡°He is ¡­not¡­ here now. He will go¡­no, he come here soon. I have coin. Please help.¡± ¡°Where is (something) sick elf?¡± ¡°In wagon, out the side. Foot bad, very slow. Help go in?¡± The Wise Woman summoned an aide, who followed Diavla outside, called a boy to take care of the ox, and then carried Eubexa into the temple and into a small room lit by three rock lights. Diavla had to squint hard against the glare, and wondered whether Eubexa had it easier behind her veil. The aide spoke to them for a minute, and Eubexa answered. Diavla only caught a few words of the exchange, but it sounded like polite conversation. Then the aide brought in a few buckets and left them alone. ¡°He said the Healer needs time to recover from his last patient and we will have to wait a while,¡± Eubexa translated. ¡°When the Healer comes in, please explain that I am a physicker in training and eager to learn all I can. I''m going to sit back and meditate; hopefully, the spirits will help me see what''s going on.¡± ¡°If the Healer is a powerful one, won''t he notice you calling on the spirits?¡± Diavla hesitated, then shrugged. ¡°Another thing to learn. I have to try something to make progress. We tried talking with Tom about magic, but language was too much of a wall. I have no idea how humans do magic.¡± ¡°I know a little. Humans divide their spirit-touched into different groups. They have mages and devouts.¡± ¡°What''s the difference?¡± ¡°Devouts worship groupings of spirits they call gods. Mages think that there are no spirits in their magic. Put simply, the humans think that spirit-touched elves are all devouts and spirit-touched dwarves are all mages.¡± ¡°What does that translate to in human magic? Which kind call on spirits of Healing, for example?¡± ¡°Usually the devouts, but there are exceptions.¡± ¡°So, humans restrict themselves in what spirits they call on?¡± ¡°I think it''s more that the ones with certain affinities come to believe they are mages, and so forth. If spirits of Healing listen to you, for example, they call you a devout, usually of Barsel or Dalath.¡± ¡°So, humans would call me a mage, then? Not a devout?¡± ¡°I¡­ think so? I''m not completely sure of any of this, mind you, it''s just what I picked up from random bits of conversation over the years.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Diavla mulled that over. ¡°I wonder if I could get lessons, pretending I''m just curious and not spirit-touched at all.¡± ¡°I could ask, but I''d have to translate for you the whole time and I don''t know very much about magic.¡± ¡°Well, please ask them about the price, at least.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°I hope, at the least, that they can make you more comfortable, Eubexa.¡± Eubexa was quiet for a long time. Diavla was about to settle back and meditate when the sickly elf finally murmured, ¡°Thank you,¡± in a soft, broken voice. Chapter 35: Lord Rivermarch Tom sat in the waiting room. His soul had well over an hour to walk in circles. He didn''t bother the guards, once it became clear that secrecy about the cargo was important. He still didn''t know what it was. Winfried had refused to tell him during the careful trip to the Temple. The damaged case had been lifted out the wagon with extreme care and carried inside to a work area well behind the Room of Altars, out of the way of most people. Then High Priestess Anara insisted that Tom sit still, while she and two other clerics did some kind of ritual around him. Tom went along with it because he figured they were checking if he were sick or poisoned, and he was going to ask them to do that, anyway. Apparently, the result was not bad news, but they still wouldn''t tell him what was going on. Afterwards, the High Priestess declared that they were going to see Lord Rivermarch. Again, Tom went along without protest. If it is this important, it only makes sense that the City Lord be informed. I''ll have to answer questions. Hopefully, the fact that I hired Goodman to tell me whether or not it was dangerous will be enough to make clear that I didn''t know that it was, and I certainly didn''t know how dangerous. Waiting in the Keep, he looked around the nicely appointed waiting room. It''s not a cell, at least. Tom wondered whether the Lord of the City was sleeping in this morning, or actually busy with other duties. Tom hoped that his fate was not being discussed without him. He didn''t know the City Lord, and a lot depended on the noble''s personality. If Tom had known that it would be important, he would have asked Edge ahead of time for that information. Meanwhile, he had a few things to think about. Diavla is a Devout. I think. A magic-user, at any rate. She didn''t appear to be a Mage, because he''d never seen her working with magical tools of any sort. Then again, she hadn''t had a way to get any such things before now. Does she need spellbooks or scrolls or tools? I wonder if she was planning to sneak off and go shopping for those, at some point. Maybe all she needs is to pray. It''s not as if I know how any of this works. If brightness of that little wand is any indicator, Diavla''s actually pretty powerful. He could understand why she wouldn''t tell him. After all, elven spell-casters were known to be both more common and more powerful than human ones. That would make her a valuable prize to be fought over, just like Sheema. I wonder what Diavla''s abilities are? I never saw her do more than dress wounds, when it came to healing me. He had noticed that Diavla had flinched at the same moment Winfried yelled, not afterward. As though she were already magically sensing whatever the curate was doing. After thinking it over, Tom realized two things. First, he had no reason to be annoyed with Diavla. Second, he was annoyed with Diavla. His soul churned over that, until he told it to shut up. The weird thing is, Diavla might be wondering why I didn''t tell her. I don''t know¡­ that wand did not light up very much for me at all. I think she noticed, though. She''s going to ask me about it. What do I tell her? What can I tell her? I don''t know what, if anything, is special about me. Maybe the stupid little wand was broken. Maybe the crystal dust is still magic and I didn''t get all of it off my fingers. Yeah, that makes much more sense, actually. False alarm. But¡­Barsel, if you have spoken to me, I apologize for not hearing you clearly. Tom tried to blank his mind; it was important to pray separately to different gods, lest one take offense. Doujan, if you have spoken to me, I apologize for not hearing you clearly. Tom took a deep breath. I''m going to have to spend more time in the Room of Altars soon. Just in case. The door to the room opened, finally. Tom took a deep breath and stood. The guard who stepped in didn''t look overly hostile. ¡°Follow me, please.¡± He turned and walked right back out and Tom followed. They bypassed what looked like the main hall, where the City Lord would usually hold court, and went through a few rooms to end up in a much smaller hall. Several people were waiting inside. The Lord of the City sat at an elevated desk, looking slightly down at everyone else. He appeared to be about forty years old, with unremarkable brown hair and eyes, and was dressed in typical court finery. He was currently frowning, which accentuated the lines on his face. Beside the City Lord, stood a tall elf. He had black hair with a strand of white, his tanned skin very different from that of the pale elves Tom knew. He wore a thin golden collar that looked more ornamental than functional. Jalvan Gessa, I suppose. Captain Hayward was present, standing near one wall and watching everything. There were a couple of courtly people Tom didn''t know, a clerk with his own little desk off in a corner, and to Tom''s surprise, Francesca Whistler, wearing a black veil. What is she doing here? The last two people were Winfried Goodman and the High Priestess. She had walked to the Keep along with Winfried, Tom, and the guards. Tom was led to the space directly in front of the Lord, so he stepped neatly forward, as if reporting to a senior in the guard. He bowed, guessing at the protocol. ¡°Raise your head.¡± The Lord sounded impatient, and Tom straightened. ¡°You are Tom Walker?¡± ¡°I am, Lord.¡± ¡°You are the owner of the cargo in question?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Behind him, Tom heard the door open and close. With a corner of his soul, he wondered who had come in. He was listening to everything, trying to figure out how this would go. ¡°Ah, Simon, good of you to join us,¡± Rivermarch said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°My apologies, my Lord.¡± Tom recognized the voice of Simon Law even before he came into view. He walked over and stood next to Francesca Whistler. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Lord Rivermarch''s frown deepened as his eyes bored into Tom. ¡°Mr. Walker, would you care to explain how you came to bring this dangerous cargo into my city?¡± ¡°In brief, or in full, Lord?¡± ¡°Start with the brief.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord. I was the newest caravan guard. The wagon with the crystals belonged to Mr. Sashen, who didn''t speak to anyone, and apparently, had been with the caravan for several stops. The only papers he had were addressed to High Pass Temple, I found out later. After losing our caravan to bandits, I pursued them and killed the four still with the wagons. This left me the only person able to claim the caravan goods. I found elven slaves in one wagon, and used them to drive the caravan to Rivermarch. I still don''t know what the crystals are, but I was wary of them. The bandits had already damaged one case, and eventually, I took a look inside. The crystals seemed delicate, so I padded them as best I could, and determined to ask someone from the City Temple to inspect them. The inspection happened this morning, and now, I am here.¡± Tom waited for a reaction. Several heartbeats passed. ¡°Now, in full,¡± Rivermarch replied, finally. ¡°As you wish, Lord.¡± Tom began to describe the past two weeks in detail, starting with his hiring in Middleton. Whenever he hesitated, Captain Hayward or Simon Law pressed him with a question, so he had to spell everything out. They seemed particularly interested in his description of the one bandit whom Tom had observed wandering away from the bandit camp. Tom gave them his best impression of the person''s behavior, as far as he could recall. When he got to the part where he freed the elves, Jalvan Gessa interrupted. ¡°Why did you let them out of the cage? You were alone and wounded. Why did you think they would not simply kill you?¡± ¡°Mr. Gessa,¡± Tom answered, hoping he was using the correct form of address, ¡°I honestly thought I was about to die, anyway. If I had, the elves would have been trapped. We were out of sight of the road, on a little used path, and the elves might easily have died of thirst before anyone found them.¡± ¡°So, you claim it was compassion?¡± Gessa pressed. Tom pictured the memory. ¡°Mr. Gessa, the seven men I worked with, whom I liked, had just been killed, along with all the people I had been hired to protect. I was in pain, and very angry. I killed one bandit in that first fight, then pursued, ambushed, and killed Davis the Knife. I didn''t know who he was, at the time. I then slew three more bandits in their sleep. After that, I was sick of killing. I was grievously wounded, and about to lay down to die. So, when I found helpless elves who were doomed to die in a cage, yes, I felt compassion, Mr. Gessa.¡± ¡°And apparently, that decision saved your life,¡± Francesca Whistler said. Tom glanced her way. He still had no idea what she was doing there, but he nodded politely. ¡°Yes. I unwittingly became their Master when I picked up the pouch holding the slave tokens, and while they could have let me die, they need a Master, so that the collars don''t kill them in eight days, apparently. So, they worked to save me.¡± ¡°So, that mysterious healer you told me about¡­?¡± Captain Hayward prodded. ¡°He was actually one of the elves, wasn''t he?¡± Tom hesitated, trying to think of a way out of admitting it, but gave up. He nodded. ¡°Elvish healers are very valuable,¡± Simon Law observed. ¡°It''s not surprising you wanted to keep that a secret.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I want to keep all the elves, but especially that one. I thought that if more people knew about them, the elves would be in greater danger.¡± ¡°We have a great hazard far more important than the fate of an elf to worry about. How many elves were in the cage?¡± Rivermarch demanded. What hazard is that? Tom wondered, trying to think of how to reply. He was on very dangerous ground. ¡°I brought Diavla, Varga, Kervan and Orvan to Rivermarch, Lord, and I have acquired one more since arriving in the city.¡± Tom raised his fingers as he counted them off. ¡°You bought another slave?¡± Mrs. Whistler asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, ma''am. I was hoping to buy clothes for her from you, later.¡± Next to Mrs. Whistler, Simon Law was staring at him, frowning. Tom recalled that Law had seen the manifest listing the prices of eight slaves. If he remembered, which he probably did, he knew Tom was avoiding mentioning four of the elves. Law wasn''t pointing it out yet, but his expression was giving Tom fair warning that he would. ¡°So, this wagon of crystals traveled through city after city without incident. Then, when bandits stole the caravan, they broke into one of the cases. At least one man behaved strangely, and fled the area afterward.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord. According to the elves, two of the bandits had disappeared between the time they first inspected the elves and when I killed the remainder.¡± ¡°Two bandits. Not three? Are you sure?¡± Tom held himself back from shrugging. He did not want to look as if he were treating this casually. ¡°Somewhat sure, Lord. I killed four, and the elves said that they saw six bandits in all. There easily might have been a seventh on sentry duty they just didn''t see, however. They could only view out the back of their wagon while someone was holding up the cover.¡± ¡°You opened the damaged case yourself, later, did you not?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord. I gave in to curiosity, and the case had already been damaged.¡± ¡°And what did you find inside, exactly?¡± ¡°As I showed Winfried Goodman, there are three intact crystals in the bottom half, and three broken ones in the top half. The first was reduced to black dust. The second was gray flakes. The third was a broken crystal, red like a ruby, in three or four pieces. All three were crumbling to the touch.¡± ¡°And did you lay a hand on any of the intact crystals?¡± ¡°No, Lord. They gave me a bad feeling, so I packed them up again as best I could, and determined to ask the first Devout or Mage I found what to do with them.¡± ¡°When did you inspect the crystals?¡± Tom thought back, counting days on his fingers. ¡°Threenight, Lord. Just a few days ago.¡± ¡°Is it your impression that the three broken crystals all broke at the same time?¡± The High Priestess asked. Tom thought it over. ¡°I suspect that the black and gray ones both broke at roughly the same time, and the red one later.¡± ¡°When would that have happened, exactly?¡± ¡°The wagon in question broke a wheel while on the road, the Fourday before last. It lurched badly. I suspect it happened then, though I can''t be sure.¡± ¡°How many people were nearby at that time?¡± Simon Law asked sharply. Tom looked back at the lawyer evenly. ¡°Just the five of us. Myself, and the four elves.¡± Simon Law stared at him thoughtfully, then nodded, ever so slightly. He believes me. The other four elves were not nearby when the red crystal broke, so he doesn''t feel compelled to mention their existence¡­at least, not yet. Thank you, Mr. Law, Tom thought fervently. ¡°Where are your elves now?¡± Rivermarch demanded. ¡°Diavla and the new elf should be at the City Temple, seeing to their health.¡± ¡°And the others?¡± ¡°By now, they should all be gathered in our rooms, unless they have gone to get breakfast.¡± ¡°Where are your rooms?¡± ¡°Vinder Hall''s building, on the fourth floor.¡± ¡°Hayward, send someone to collect the elves and bring them¡ª¡± ¡°To the Temple, please, my Lord,¡± Priestess Anara interrupted. ¡°It is easier to test them there.¡± ¡°So be it.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord,¡± Hayward replied. He pointed at a guard by the door, gestured for him to leave, and snapped his fingers. ¡°Lord?¡± Tom asked, finally. ¡°If I may be so bold¡­test them for what? What is that cargo? May I know?¡± ¡°Tom Walker, you will keep this information to yourself on pain of death,¡± Rivermarch demanded. Tom blinked, then slowly nodded. ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Lord Rivermarch entwined his fingers and leaned forward, glaring. Tom waited. Finally, the noble announced angrily, ¡°Young fool, you casually brought forty-five demons into my city!¡± Chapter 36: Healing and Hunting Diavla slipped into meditation more easily this time. She reasoned that she must have been helped by either familiarity from recent practice, or the environment of the City Temple, or both. From meditation, she moved onward to listening to the spirits, becoming familiar with the area. It was a strange mix. There was a little of everything, it seemed¡ªall the Ideas she knew of, and more. No one of them seemed to dominate the area. The effect extended well past the Temple itself, but the kinds of spirits grew gradually less balanced a few buildings farther out. Diavla also felt stronger, more focused than usual. She wondered whether she could actually continue sensing while carrying on a conversation or doing simple tasks. She decided to try. Inside the Temple, there were a few bursts of activity, places where the spirits were called or drawn. Those would be the spirit-touched, the mages and devouts, using their skills. If she sent out a call for aid from the spirits, Diavla would be noticeable to them, as well. So, she refrained. There was a slight stirring of spirits coming their way, and a moment later, a man stepped into the room with them. Interesting. Can I sense the spirit-touched even when they aren''t calling spirits, now? Perhaps it is a lingering effect from their last call. The human had brown hair and blue eyes, and was only slightly taller than Diavla. ¡°Hello. My name is Adam. How (something) I help?¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Eubexa answered in fluent Western. ¡°Thank you for (something).¡± She hesitated, so Diavla spoke up, trying to call on her limited Western without losing her grip on her spirit-sense. ¡°Hello. My Master is Tom Walker. I am Diavla. She is Eubexa. I speak a small Western, and Eubexa is ¡­very good speak Western.¡± ¡°Fluent,¡± Eubexa supplied. ¡°Thank you. Our Master did buy Eubexa yesterday. Eubexa is sick. Our Master¡­give coin, ask how Eubexa sick, ask, how much is that, heal Eubexa.¡± ¡°For five silver, I can see and say what is wrong with Eubexa.¡± The Healer seemed to be simplifying his speech a bit, so that Diavla did not need a translation. ¡°Ten silver if I need (something something).¡± ¡°One (something) will be fine,¡± Eubexa answered. ¡°Do all,¡± Diavla corrected. ¡°Eubexa no want spend coin. Our Master say spend coin.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The human Healer nodded at Diavla in understanding. ¡°First, (something) me see.¡± Eubexa said something elaborate in Western. It sounded like she was listing her ailments and warning the doctor about contamination. Their conversation continued too rapidly for Diavla to follow, but it became clear that Eubexa needed to strip for the examination. ¡°Diavla, will you help me?¡± It clearly cost Eubexa something to ask, so when the sick elf proceeded to give very specific directions, Diavla did her best to follow them, even when Eubexa snapped at her for each mistake. I don''t know how much of that is pain talking, Diavla reminded herself. Be patient with her. Perhaps five minutes later, Diavla removed Eubexa''s human-style underwraps and stepped back. The Healer was clearly shocked by Eubexa''s appearance. Red welts covered much of her arms, legs, and torso. Her right foot was misshapen, and she had many scars, especially on her back. And of course, her face was terrible. ¡°Who did this?¡± the Healer almost growled. Eubexa calmly gave him a long answer. The Healer hissed air through his nose. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Diavla asked, quietly. ¡°I told him that my Master promised not to say as part of the deal to buy me. However, I may have dropped a hint or two.¡± Something in her face twitched; Diavla wondered if that was how it looked when Eubexa tried to smile. The Healer asked several more questions, and Eubexa answered with barely any hesitation. Diavla could make out things like four years but not much else; she simply didn''t have enough vocabulary yet. ¡°Diavla, I told him that you were a physicker back home and that you want to learn from him. He''s asking me to translate some things for you. I''ll do my best.¡± What followed was a lesson on bandaging and washing that left more than a few things to be desired. Diavla frowned, but nodded along. Do humans not know basic hygiene? Surely, their Healers can see sickness, and know when things are not yet clean enough. They seem to understand enough not to spread disease, at least, but their version of physicker treatment seems¡­inadequate. They don''t seem to know how to prevent new sickness from entering the body. Diavla resolved to come back another time to discuss the advantages of washing clothes in water that was actually boiling. For the moment, though, Adam was very busy. She was fascinated as she watched him use magic. She stood mostly behind Adam, so that he wouldn''t see her reactions. He was doing something called praying and it was sort of half meditation and half spirit-calling. It looked strange, but what was stranger was that it worked¡ªnot terribly well, but after a fashion. She could see several kinds of spirits converging on Adam, but not in great numbers. She heard various bits of conversation in Western from other parts of the Temple, but couldn''t translate much of it at all. After one conversation, Eubexa stiffened. ¡°Diavla,¡± she murmured. ¡°Some guards are asking where the elves are.¡± Less than a minute later, a guard stuck his head in the door. He got one look at Eubexa and cursed loudly. Adam yelled at the guard to get out, and after a few more words, the guard left. ¡°They''re waiting until we''re done. They don''t want us leaving,¡± Eubexa muttered. ¡°Well¡­it is the world.¡± Eubexa nodded slightly in response. Diavla could see Adam lose focus, and the spirits nearby went back to wandering. Adam prayed again, and some of the spirits returned, but not as many. Diavla stared, and shook her head. I have so much to learn. Finally, Adam stepped back. He provided some fresh linens to bandage the worst of Eubexa''s wounds. He asked Diavla to do it while he supervised, and seemed satisfied with her work. Eubexa translated some of his comments. ¡°He''s saying to use thistleroot on the bandages when possible, and sap from a local plant called aloe can go directly on the sores. I''ve seen it a couple of times.¡± Then, Adam gave his report. ¡°He says¡­that I have between three and six months left to live.¡± Eubexa translated with barely a hint of emotion. ¡°He can possibly give me a few more weeks for¡­a gold!? Are you a fucking (something)?¡± The sick elf started to rant in Western, so Diavla got Adam''s direct attention. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Eubexa pain. Now, say more. Eubexa, tell him to finish his report.¡± Eubexa subsided, then complied. Adam gave Diavla a lesson in how to care for Eubexa, and what sorts of rough treatment would hurt her the most. ¡°He''s actually doing a good job of this,¡± Eubexa conceded. ¡°I can repeat the details for you later¡­now, he''s talking about my foot¡­Saa, I figured as much.¡± Eubexa listened for a minute. She summed it up by saying, ¡°It''s not worth it to work on my foot.¡± ¡°Eubexa.¡± Diavla was getting used to staring into those blue eyes in the ruined face. ¡°Do you wish to be important to Tom?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You serve as a translator. That is your primary value right now, would you agree?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then don''t diminish your value by making me think we can''t trust your translations. I will check.¡± Eubexa took a deep breath and was quiet for several moments as they had a brief staring contest. Then she sighed, and looked away. ¡°Fine. He says that he can fix my foot, but he has to re-break it, painfully rearrange it, pour a lot of Healing in, and then I won''t be able to walk at all for a month. And he says that would cost eighty silver.¡± ¡°Can he do that now?¡± ¡°Diavla, please, no¡­¡± ¡°You do now, foot good?¡± Diavla asked the man directly. ¡°No, foot bad one month,¡± Adam answered very simply. ¡°I say bad. You do foot now?¡± Diavla couldn''t follow the reply. ¡°He says he can,¡± Eubexa admitted. ¡°I know what Tom would say, and he gave me enough coin to cover it. Adam, please do foot, and please do¡­all.¡± ¡°Diavla, please, it''s not worth it! Even if my foot were fixed I would still walk very slowly because of the disease, and he can''t fix that!¡± ¡°It''s Tom''s money to spend. And mine.¡± Diavla set her mouth in a grim line. ¡°And we are slaves, so, we do what Tom says.¡± Eubexa stared at her a few moments, then bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Head Slave.¡± Diavla felt a bit sick. Now that the argument was over, Adam began treatment, explaining what he was doing as he worked. He fetched a small bottle, and poured three drops of something in a small cup of water. Eubexa drank it, obediently. ¡°I''m going to sleep for an hour or two, he says. Ugh, that''s vile.¡± ¡°Understood. Good luck, Eubexa.¡± A minute passed, and then Eubexa started crying. ¡°Eubexa?¡± ¡°It¡­it doesn''t hurt,¡± she sobbed, sounding completely undone. ¡°It¡­it doesn''t¡­it¡­¡± She sighed deeply and her eyes closed, tears tracking a wandering path between her scars. Diavla pressed one hand to her mouth as her own eyes grew wet. She shook with a couple of silent sobs before she got herself under control. ¡°Diavla?¡± ¡°Do,¡± she told him, her voice thick. ¡°Do all. Help her all.¡± Adam nodded slowly, then got up and left the room. A minute later, he was back, speaking rapidly to another Healer who had come along. Together, they started to work. Diavla had lost her focus some time back, but with nothing to do except wait, she started meditating again. It took a fair while to still her soul enough, but eventually, she got there. Carefully, she listened for the spirits once more. What she saw was strange and new to her. Diavla had never seen two Healers collaborate before; normally, one elven Healer would call all the spirits of Healing in the area, but with the inefficient way humans did it, there were plenty of spirits for both of them working at once. The newcomer took a small, sharp, thin knife, and cut into Eubexa''s foot. Diavla was dreading the result, but her fear subsided as she watched. It took remarkable skill and a very steady hand, but the second Healer appeared to have both, as well as enough knowledge to cut in the right place. Eubexa moaned and whimpered, but didn''t wake. Diavla held her very gently, wary of hurting her further, but felt that Eubexa needed some simple elven contact to help her soul through the ordeal. Adam looked at Diavla approvingly, during a brief pause in his work. It seemed to take forever, but was actually less than an hour before the Healers stopped, both exhausted. They actually called for a third Healer, briefly. This one, a young woman, made some sort of call to spirits of Cleanliness, not something Diavla would ever have attempted. Without calling to spirits herself, Diavla couldn''t be sure, but she guessed that the third Healer was making sure that Eubexa''s sickness did not take root in anyone else. She even ran her hands over the pieces of fabric. Oh. Maybe they don''t need to boil water, if they have the means to do that, instead. Adam thanked the other two, who left. He picked up a slate and wrote runes for a couple of minutes. Then he got out a jar of something, and set it before Diavla. He explained how much to use and how often, to help Eubexa with pain. He warned that giving too much would give a different sickness, and Diavla promised to be careful. He also set out two pouches of different herbs, and gave more instructions in their use. Finally, Adam picked up the slate again. He was totaling up numbers, then showed her. Diavla was able to read it without difficulty. Eighty silver for her foot. One gold for general Healing. Ten silver for seeing, five silver for cleaning, and forty-five silver for herbs. Two gold forty silver in all. Diavla pulled out Tom''s coin pouch and fished out the required amount, then added twenty more silver. Adam was grateful, and bowed to her. She returned the bow. Adam left, and Diavla was alone with a sleeping Eubexa. As she thought about the elf''s suffering, anger at her abusers flared up, and for a moment, her eyesight was blocked by a vivid image of fire. I want to burn something. Diavla shook her head. She was almost calling on the spirits, and needed to calm down. Looking at Eubexa''s sleeping form, Diavla thought, I wish I could burn the sickness out of her. Frustration at her helplessness gnawed at her soul. A minute later, a guard stuck his head in, then disappeared again. Diavla waited. Then she heard Elvish out in the hall, and hurried to see. Varga, Kervan and Orvan were all being marched into the Temple, with four guards surrounding them. Varga spotted her. ¡°Diavla! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± she called back. ¡°What happened?¡± One of the guards walked over to Diavla, and she held up her hands in surrender. The guard looked wary, but not angry or menacing. ¡°These guards showed up at our rooms. Kervan tried to talk with them, but they just ordered us to come with them. Where are Tom and Eubexa? What''s going on?¡± ¡°Eubexa''s asleep after surgery, in the room behind me. I''m watching over her.¡± Diavla turned to the guard before her. ¡°Eubexa in. Sick elf. I stay. Yes?¡± The guard told her something she couldn''t follow. ¡°I am very sorry. I speak very small Western. Say simple, please?¡± The guards argued back and forth a minute, then the near guard turned back to Diavla with a grimace. ¡°You¡­stay¡­here. You¡­no¡­go.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand. Thank you, guard sir.¡± ¡°Diavla, where''s Tom?¡± Varga pressed. ¡°He went with guards to bring the crystals here, because they are dangerous. They won''t say how. He might be here, or in the Keep.¡± Diavla grimaced. ¡°Just do what they say. I''ll watch Eubexa. I''m sure they''ll tell us what''s happening, soon.¡± ¡°Good luck, Diavla,¡± Kervan called. He looked tired and grumpy. The guards motioned, and the group proceeded deeper into the Temple. Diavla backed up under the watchful eye of the guard who stayed behind, then stepped back into Eubexa''s examination room. She sat on a stool, and thought. What''s going on? Bringing us all to the dungeon would be one thing, but bringing them here means they need Healing or other magic. It must have something to do with the crystals. A sickness? Disease? It''s not just an injury, I don''t think. They would have left that as our problem. So, they must be concerned about it spreading. For the third time that morning, Diavla set out to meditate. At first, she was too worried and distracted, but the presence of the sleeping Eubexa was calming, and eventually, she managed it. She spent a few minutes just in meditation, checking that her soul was well-centered before going further. Once she was sure she was calm, she tapped into her spirit-sense. There was a swirl in the spirits, elsewhere in the Temple, as if someone had just finished a call. Diavla wondered what she had missed seeing, but with nothing better to do, she kept watching. She was rewarded a minute or two later when the same spirits stirred again, and in the same place. Diavla listened as closely as she could to what the spirits were telling her. What an odd mix, she mused. Whoever it was, they were calling on spirits of Healing, Protection, Curiosity, Combat, and¡­ Diavla frowned. This isn''t humans being sloppy. This is an elaborate casting. I can feel the pattern in it. I almost recognize it¡­ Diavla''s eyes widened. They''re testing for demonic possession!? What in the world and sky? They think there''s a demon on the loose? A powerful thought rose unbidden in her mind. I have to hide. Chapter 37: Making His Case ¡°What?¡± Tom couldn''t think. The statement was so outrageous that his soul couldn''t get a grip on it. You can''t imprison demons. You have to banish them. Everybody knows that. ¡°Forty-five imprisoned demons,¡± Lord Rivermarch elaborated. ¡°But, that is not the worst of it.¡± Tom stared. What could be worse than¡­? He sucked in a breath. Three demons on the loose? The very thought was terrifying. There hadn''t been a demon outbreak on the surface in years. Banishing a demon was a job for an army backed by a large team of Mages. Fighting three demons¡­ Lord Rivermarch nodded slowly. ¡°Three demons, free for as much as thirteen days. In my domain, no less.¡± ¡°Those fucking bastards,¡± Tom growled, trembling with mounting anger. ¡°It''s not enough that they killed my entire team and all the merchants? They had to go and let fucking demons loose!? I''m glad I slit their fucking thr¡ª¡± He stopped. Took a breath. His voice got quiet. ¡°Those are the ones who got away.¡± Tom was trying to hold onto his temper, but he wanted to punch something, badly. There was no wall close enough and he didn''t dare walk away from Lord Rivermarch. Captain Hayward spoke up. ¡°We have three problems. Three kinds of problem, rather. First, there are the sealed cases. Second, there are three crystals in a broken case and liable to break easily, if the others are any indication. Third, the three escaped demons.¡± ¡°We will send word to High Pass Temple, so that they know we are coming,¡± Rivermarch pronounced. ¡°We will muster a large guard and protect that accursed wagon at every step, but I want those seven cases out of my city as soon as humanly possible.¡± ¡°The three intact crystals are a big problem,¡± Hayward continued. ¡°We could try to transport them with the others, but one bad bump in the road¡­¡± ¡°¡­and you''d be hunting and fighting a demon amongst your own troops,¡± Simon Law finished. ¡°Can we deal with them here, then?¡± ¡°We don''t have the power,¡± High Priestess Anara answered. ¡°But we don''t dare move the crystals more than absolutely necessary. We''ll have to put out a call for Mages, bring them here, and perform the banishings in the Temple.¡± ¡°Can we move them outside the city at least? Do it in another Temple?¡± ¡°I would rather not, Lord,¡± the Priestess replied. ¡°It would bring hazard to those who live there if we took over the Temple of a smaller town. Consecrating new ground is a long and arduous process, plus the lower security, when we know there are demons in the forest now that would want to disrupt us¡­I''d feel much better performing the ritual in the City Temple.¡± Rivermarch scowled at her, then reluctantly nodded his acceptance. ¡°That leaves the demons on the loose.¡± Everyone turned and looked at Tom. ¡°You and your elves are the only ones who have seen the bandits we believe are possessed,¡± Captain Hayward pointed out. Tom nodded. ¡°Ah. I''ve got a translator now, so we can talk to the elves and get them to describe them in as much detail as they remember.¡± Tom wondered whether Kervan''s excellent memory extended to faces. ¡°A translator?¡± Jalvan Gessa asked. ¡°I would normally perform that function.¡± ¡°Oh! Thank you, Mr. Gessa. I''ll be sure to call on you if Eubexa isn''t up to the task.¡± The advisor stiffened. ¡°Did you say Eubexa?¡± Tom raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°I did. Do you know her, Mr. Gessa?¡± The elf looked a bit discomfited. ¡°I believe I met her¡­a long time ago. Where did you find her?¡± ¡°Regretfully, I am not at liberty to say. My silence was part of the price of her f¡ªher purchase.¡± Tom was going to say freedom, but knew he shouldn''t in front of these people. ¡°As soon as the elves have been tested for possession and cleared, I want those drawings of the bandits, Mr. Walker,¡± Captain Hayward demanded. ¡°Bring them to the City Guardhouse; I''ll make sure Ginger is available to draw.¡± ¡°Sir, you shall have them,¡± Tom promised. His soul churned as he tried to think of how best to protect himself and the elves in the middle of this mess. Sheema and Arven and the others are out there in the woods with at least two demons, probably three. I need to find them and warn them. How do I get Rivermarch to let me go? He thought of and discarded several ideas, then paused as the beginnings of a plan formed in his soul. ¡°Mr. Gessa, are elves more resistant to possession than humans?¡± ¡°Somewhat, yes, I believe so. But not immune, so we do have to test all the elves just as they tested you, Mr. Walker.¡± ¡°What are you thinking, Tom?¡± Mrs. Whistler asked. ¡°I''m thinking of taking my elves and going demon hunting,¡± Tom told the tailor. ¡°That''s madness!¡± Lord Rivermarch declared. ¡°No, Lord, begging your pardon, but I don''t think it is. You''re going to send riders to warn all the towns nearby that we have a demon outbreak. The messengers will be using the roads. We can go explore through the woods, starting as close to the trail as possible.¡± ¡°The heavy rains this week will have obliterated most traces,¡± Captain Hayward pointed out. ¡°Besides, you need an army backed by spell-casters to beat a demon.¡± ¡°Only after it has had time to get established,¡± Tom countered. ¡°If we hunt it before it spreads too far, it will be a lot weaker. And I''m not proposing we kill or banish the demon ourselves, just that we find it before it gets too far, and then signal the city. My elves are skillful in the woods. They faced down wolf packs, among other things, just with improvised weapons.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°And slaves won''t get possessed,¡± Captain Hayward added, beginning to warm to the idea. ¡°The slave collars should prevent it. What demon would want to become subject to death of its host at the Master''s whim? You''d be the most at risk yourself, if you did this.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°I''ll see if there''s some kind of charm I can wear for protection.¡± ¡°There is. You look too young to remember the last demon outbreak in these parts. I''ll get the ones from storage, though they''ll probably require fresh blessings. We might be needing all of them before the year is out,¡± Hayward declared, grimly. ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡± ¡°I think the idea has merit, My Lord,¡± Simon Law spoke up, eyeing Tom thoughtfully. ¡°Obviously, we should send a number of scouts to seek information, in addition to warning the towns, but a group of protected slaves, good in the woods, and the only ones to have seen the possessed?¡± He nodded. ¡°You might as well make good use of them.¡± ¡°The one I saw was headed east,¡± Tom mused. ¡°Is there a large town southeast of here, on the far side of the forest? Maybe a bit north of Middleton?¡± ¡°Oak Mill, though it''s more to the center of the forest than the far side,¡± Mrs. Whistler spoke up. ¡°Are you thinking of using it as a base, Tom?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Or, at least, a place to bring news if we find one of the demons. Does Oak Mill have a signal stone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lord Rivermarch answered, looking thoughtful. ¡°Then, that''s perfect,¡± Tom said. ¡°If we search the area around Oak Mill and find anything, we can inform you right away.¡± Tom hesitated, then took a breath. ¡°My father taught me to always clean up my own messes when I can, Lord. May I have your permission to proceed?¡± Lord Rivermarch frowned at him again. ¡°You brought over two score of demons into my city¡­but that is better than leaving them on the road, to escape by happenstance. You were also not the one to release the demons. You hired the Temple to test for danger, which shows responsibility. Too, you killed Davis the Knife, and avenged Sir Kurt. ¡°I am disinclined to shoot the messenger, in this case. Assuming your elves are cleared by the Temple, I will not stop you. Coordinate with the Guard. For now, you may go.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord.¡± Tom backed away cautiously, then got out of the room as quickly as he could with decorum. Behind him, he could hear the others starting to discuss the time it would take to gather Mages. Not my part of the problem. Tom did not breathe easily until he was outside the Keep and around the first corner. He stepped into the first alleyway he found, then bent double, shivering and breathing hard. He didn''t know why he had to do this after stressful situations, but he was just grateful that he didn''t have to do it during times of danger. It was only a few moments before he was able to straighten up again, as usual. Some deep breaths helped to steady him. He glanced around to see whether anyone was watching. He had been mocked before, so did his best to hide for these moments. But he''d done it in front of the elves, and Diavla had not laughed. Diavla would just tell me something encouraging, if she were here. Tom thought about Diavla''s goodwill. That made him think of her smile. Then that made him think of kissing her. Which made him think about how she filled out the blue dress. Which led to the memory of Diavla throwing her hair back, baring herself to him. This led his soul to¡­other places. Tom sighed. She''s wonderful. I wish¡­ Tom shook his head, cutting off the dangerous thoughts. He had to concentrate on cooling his blood before he felt composed enough to leave the alley. The elves should all be at the Temple, by now. I should head there right away, since they might be very worried, rounded up by the guards. Once they all get a clean bill of health, what do we do next? Tom considered. He knew that they would need a wagon to transport Eubexa; she was light, but he couldn''t carry her all the time and needed his hands free, in case of a fight or other things. He''d already gotten some clothes for the other elves, but could stand to get more. Maybe I can wait and buy some things in Oak Mill? His soul filled with lists of supplies, and he started a mental list of tasks to complete before leaving Rivermarch: provisioning, getting Eubexa as much healing as possible, buying a bow for Arven and good armor and weapons for everyone, saying goodbye to Miranda, getting a last update from Edge. Oh, right. He wanted that ruby ring from Davis the Knife, if I have it. And there was that merchant, what was his name? The curios shop? What was the name¡­Marcus? Tom resolved to look for it that afternoon. We also need to visit the Library. I need to make copies of some things, and get Diavla to buy maps. Then, before we leave, I need to stop by the Guardhouse and pick up defensive charms for everyone. Make sure to settle up with Vinder Hall¡­Buy some clothes for Eubexa and see if anything else will be ready before we have to leave¡­ This is going to get expensive. It might take more than my share to get everything we need. I''ll have to ask the elves what they are willing to spend. I also need to decide how we are going to transport all the gold. I''m not sure we want to leave any behind in Rivermarch, because we might not be back. Tom stopped as another thought struck him. I need to ask Diavla whether she needs magical supplies. Those can get very expensive. And we should have a long talk through Eubexa about what her abilities are. And maybe, some personal things, too¡­ Tom felt both excited and nervous at the prospect of a long, serious talk with Diavla. There''s so much I want to ask her, that we just haven''t had the words for. I want to learn all about her, and find out what she really wants, from this situation¡­and from me. Tom approached the Temple and straightened his shoulders. I have to look like a Master. He tried to get his soul into the role again. He walked up the steps and into the building, looking for guards. It didn''t take long to find one. His face was familiar; Tom knew he had seen the fellow around somewhere, even talked to him. What was his name? ¡°Hello, again,¡± he said quietly as he walked up. ¡°Tom Walker.¡± He offered his hand and the man glanced around, then shook it. ¡°You''re the one with the elves, right?¡± Tom grinned. ¡°Exactly. I keep not finding them where I put them. Do you know where they are?¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± The man pointed. ¡°Down the hall, four doors on the left.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Tom paused, deliberately. ¡°I''m sorry, I forget your name.¡± ¡°I don''t think I told you, but it''s Ralph. Me and Finch were at the south gate when you rolled into town.¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± Tom shook a finger. ¡°I won''t forget again, Ralph. Thanks for your help.¡± ¡°No problem with helping. Good luck.¡± Tom walked to the room Ralph had pointed out. Two guards stood outside it, one man and one woman. He didn''t recognize either of them. He gave them a smile. ¡°Hi. Tom Walker. I just came from the Keep. Ralph said you''ve got my elves in here?¡± ¡°Some of ''em, yeah. These ones are all right. You can go on in.¡± Tom took a step and paused. ¡°These ones?¡± ¡°Oh, not to worry, they just haven''t finished checking the others yet. You know how spell-casters run out of magic at inconvenient times.¡± ¡°Oh. Sure. Thanks¡­.¡± ¡°Gwendolyn Guard. Call me Gwen.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Thanks, Gwen. Call me Tom.¡± He walked past. Behind him, the other guard muttered, ¡°Why does he get to call you Gwen and I don''t?¡± ¡°He didn''t hide my underwrap for laughs yesterday, Horace.¡± ¡°I told you, that wasn''t me!¡± The door had no lock, so Tom worked the latch and walked in. Varga, Kervan and Orvan got up from stools next to one wall. Varga beamed at him. ¡°Tom! I (something) you (something) come! What (something)?¡± ¡°Did they tell you anything? Ah¡­They say?¡± ¡°No, Tom,¡± Kervan answered. ¡°They no say.¡± ¡°Um¡­they are scared. They think you are sick. They see. You are no sick. Now good. Soon, they see Diavla, maybe Eubexa, then we go.¡± All the elves breathed sighs of relief to hear it. ¡°I go see Diavla now. You wait. I come soon.¡± Varga bounded over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Thank you, Tom.¡± Tom patted her arm, then left the room again. ¡°Be right back, Gwen.¡± That triggered another short conversation between Gwen and Horace. Tom ignored it and went to find Diavla. Maybe we''re going to get out of here without a problem, he dared to hope. Chapter 38: Things to Do Diavla risked calling to the spirits just before the magic-users came in. CONCEAL. It was a gamble. If any human were listening to the spirits at that moment, they would know that someone in this room had made a call¡ª¡°cast a spell¡±, in their terms. Then she nodded and smiled, and followed directions as they took her to a ritual room with intricate carvings in the stone floor. She sat in the center and waited. Boring, she thought. I am boring. I am empty. Ignore me. She tried to look indifferent as the human spell-casters examined her, even as she kept her focus on the spirits nearby. Her spirit-sense was passive, so just looking around with it should not be detectable. Or so she hoped. She watched the spirits gathering around the humans. Interestingly, she found it hard to detect her own call, which was a good sign. I am boring. I am empty. I am nothing. The humans did not look as tense as they might. If they had examined the others already and the elves all showed free of possession, then hopefully the human spirit-touched would be relaxing somewhat. Diavla had to remind herself not to hold her breath. I am boring. I am empty. I am nothing. A small number of spirits were swirling around her head and around her core. Diavla was tired. She had felt more powerful lately, but that strength was nowhere to be seen while the humans chanted. I am boring. I am empty¡ª The chanting stopped. Diavla blinked and refocused on the room. The humans were smiling. I passed. Good. Diavla didn''t know why she had been so worried. It would not be the end of the world if they had detected that she was spirit-touched. Tom knew, her friends knew, Eubexa knew. She sighed with relief. She didn''t want to admit it even to herself, but for a moment there, she had begun to wonder what possession felt like from the inside, and whether she would know it if she had been possessed. I''m quite happy not needing to find that out, thank you. A minute later, a guard escorted her to another room where Varga, Kervan and Orvan waited. Then things moved quickly. It wasn''t long before Tom showed up to get them. He brought them outside the Temple, set Kervan to retrieving their empty wagon, then went back inside. Diavla followed him. He spoke with the human Healers for a couple of minutes, then scooped up a still-sleeping Eubexa. Diavla packed up the medicines, and followed Tom back to where the wagon was just arriving. Everyone got on or in the wagon. Tom took the reins, but before he started them moving, he turned to face them and spoke in Elvish. ¡°Kervan, Eubexa sleep one hour, two hour. I ask you. You did see bandit¡­?¡± He gestured at his face. ¡°Face,¡± Kervan said, pointing. ¡°Yes. I see bandit faces. Why?¡± Tom looked upward for a moment as he translated in his head. ¡°You see face very good? You know face, very good?¡± Diavla nodded to herself. That''s why he''s asking Kervan directly. He must have noticed Kervan''s special memory. ¡°Yes, Tom.¡± ¡°Good. We go Guardhouse. You say face, guard¡­¡± Tom held up his left hand as if holding up a paper or board or something, then gestured wildly with his right hand. Diavla didn''t understand, but Kervan saw it. ¡°?¡®Draw¡¯, Tom. Yes. I say, guard draw bandit faces. Good.¡± Tom nodded his approval, then faced forward and started them moving past the late morning foot traffic. Varga threw up her hands in exasperation and leaned forward. ¡°Tom! What happened back there? What''s going on?¡± Diavla thought she knew, but didn''t want to reveal how she knew, so she kept quiet and waited. ¡°Tom, Varga ask what we did, what guard did, why guard did get us?¡± Kervan simplified. ¡°Stay Elvish. Very big. Stay Elvish, yes?¡± The elves looked at each other. ¡°Yes, Tom. We will not say in Western.¡± ¡°Good. Human¡­magic? Human magic person see wagon, see crystals, yes?¡± They all nodded. ¡°Human magic person¡ª¡± ¡°?¡®Spirit-touched¡¯, Tom.¡± ¡°Spirit-uch?¡± ¡°Spirit-touched. Touch.¡± Kervan demonstrated. ¡°Spirit-touch.¡± ¡°Close enough.¡± Tom assented to setting aside working on his pronunciation for the moment. ¡°Human spirit-touch see crystals, is very scared. Crystals and I go Temple. Human spirit-touch say, in crystal is¡­oh, (something), I don''t know the word for (something)¡­¡± Tom stopped, took a breath and tried again. ¡°Very bad. Very, very, very, very bad. We need help¡­(something)¡­ How do you say something in Elvish?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°People. Not humans. Not elves. Not big, big.¡± A couple of gestures got his point across. Not tall, but wide people. He means dwarves. ¡°?¡®Dwarf¡¯, Tom. ¡®Dwarves¡¯,¡± Kervan told him. ¡°We need dwarves, fight very very very bad things.¡± The elves fell silent. They all knew what that meant. Kervan cleared his throat and said quietly, ¡°?¡®Demons¡¯, Tom.¡± ¡°Demons,¡± Tom repeated. ¡°I say Western word, no now.¡± ¡°There are demons¡­in the crystals?¡± Orvan sounded very uncertain, which was understandable. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°What in the world and sky?¡± Varga moaned, looking lost. ¡°How demons go in crystals?¡± Diavla asked. Tom shrugged. ¡°I have no (something). I no know how.¡± Kervan''s voice was quiet. ¡°So¡­there are three demons on the loose.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°That''s why they want to know what the bandits look like.¡± His red eyes flicked back and forth as he thought furiously. ¡°Were the people in the temple testing us to see if we were possessed?¡± He looked at Diavla. ¡°We were right to be worried. Two bandits, three demons. No wonder they checked us. Who did the third demon take? It wasn''t any of us, right? So, where did it go?¡± Diavla shrugged. ¡°Into a wolf, maybe? Maybe we didn''t see one of the bandits?¡± Varga slapped her forehead. ¡°I knew the animals were upset at something! But, I¡­Demons aren''t common in human lands, right? They know how to stop outbreaks, right?¡± Diavla leaned forward. ¡°Tom. Humans stop demons?¡± Tom''s worried expression only lasted a moment, but gave her a good idea. Then he straightened up, and controlled his face. ¡°Humans stop demons.¡± ¡°You''re a bad liar, Tom,¡± she told him in his language. Tom shook his head, firmly. ¡°No. I no lie. Is will go very bad. Big, big humans, big, big, spirit-touch, all go, fight. Big, big humans die. Then, yes, humans stop demons.¡± ¡°What about the others? Sheema and Arven and Brallik and Rillik?¡± Varga asked. ¡°They''re out there in the same forest as three demons. What are we going to do?¡± ¡°We go will get Sheema and,¡± Tom declared. ¡°I and you go. We go to Oak Mill. We¡­see, see, see. We get elves. I say yes. We get elves. We help.¡± He sighed. ¡°Very big say. I wait. Eubexa translate good. You understand, I understand, we choose.¡± Everyone stopped talking, and thought about that for a few minutes. Tom drove them to the Guardhouse. It took a little while for Tom to find the right people, then he brought Kervan and Diavla inside with him. They spent a long time describing the two bandits to a very short woman with red hair and little brown spots all over her face. She kept drawing and redrawing using chalk on an impressively large piece of slate. Kervan went first. He kept getting frustrated, but the artist was very patient and seemed happy to draw again and again, until the two pictures looked right to him. Diavla checked, and shook her head in amazement. ¡°It''s as if they sat for the portraits, Kervan. Your memory is amazing. Well done.¡± ¡°Thank you, but it isn''t a thing I earned, just a gift from the spirits.¡± Once each image was done, Tom took Diavla outside and brought Varga and Orvan in, just in case that they had seen something Kervan hadn''t. Diavla came in to check the second drawing, and once she did, the artist took a precious piece of paper and carefully replicated it in ink. Tom seemed to be dallying, and finally asked one of the guards about something. Diavla couldn''t quite follow the conversation, but the guard left for several minutes, eventually returning with a dusty crate. Then there was an argument. Kervan whispered that Tom wanted a lot of something, and the guard wanted to give them only six. After a lot of talk back and forth, the guard finally opened a small box inside the crate, rummaged through it, then sighed. Tom heard them out, and then his shoulders slumped for a moment and he put a hand to his forehead, before giving a little laugh and shrugging. The guard gave Tom the entire box, and with several thanks and farewells, they all left the building. ¡°Tom? What did you get?¡± Diavla asked once they were back at the wagon. Eubexa still hadn''t woken. In answer, Tom opened the box and pulled out a small amulet, passing it to her. ¡°I did want ten, I did get eight. They no have and.¡± ¡°?¡®More¡¯,¡± Diavla taught him. ¡°Saa¡­three is more than two. Ten is more than eight. You have four, I have five, I have more.¡± ¡°More. More. (Yes.) Thank you, Diavla.¡± Tom used one of a dozen expressions that all meant yes, according to him. Diavla looked forward to learning from Eubexa how they were different, at some point. ¡°Gotcha¡± sounded like a casual version, but she would have to check later. She turned the amulet over in her hands, wondering what it was for. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They returned to their rooms on the fourth floor of Vinder Hall''s building. The strangely short human was there to greet them. Diavla wondered how he knew, but guessed that the person''s own room probably gave a view of the street and the entrance. Tom talked to the little person, polite as always. Diavla wondered if Tom realized how braced for hostility Vinder Hall was, each time he started speaking with someone, and how he slowly relaxed while talking to their human. Finally, they made it up to their rooms. Diavla laid out some of the medicines near Eubexa, but kept the most potent one in her pack, just in case. Then, everyone but the sick elf crowded into Tom''s room. ¡°We talk,¡± Tom began. ¡°I talk now. You want, you talk. Tonight, Eubexa translate, we talk more.¡± He sighed. ¡°Very big choose. I am no Master, I am leader. I say I want. You no like, we no do. All understand?¡± Everyone nodded. Tom drew himself up. ¡°I want, we all go. We get all gold, we buy big things, more things, we go, no Rivermarch. We go Oak Mill. Eubexa and more stay Oak Mill. I go forest, want see Sheema, Arven and more. Some you go forest, want see Sheema and more. We see, we see, we go Oak Mill, we sleep. We go more, day, day. We see elves, we get elves. Where we go¡­next? Next. We get map here. Map say, we go elf boat.¡± He looked around. ¡°Dangerous. Demons in forest. We see demons, we go! Some you maybe want stay Rivermarch, I find good person, good person buy you. Maybe Mrs. Whistler.¡± ¡°Maybe Miranda,¡± Diavla suggested. ¡°She say.¡± Tom raised his eyebrows, then nodded. ¡°Maybe Miranda.¡± Diavla thought he looked impressed with the bartender. He smiled, grimly. ¡°Big, big do. We do more today.¡± He started counting on his fingers and listing aloud. ¡°(Something), buy food, buy armor, buy¡­¡± Tom tapped his dagger, then resumed counting. ¡°Go Library, go Temple, go Floating Duck talk Edge, go Mrs. Whistler get Eubexa clothes, go Guardhouse¡­¡± Tom was almost out of fingers. ¡°What I no say?¡± ¡°Go kiss Lily Rose,¡± Varga suggested. Tom rolled his eyes. ¡°Tom,¡± Diavla suggested, ¡°maybe we do one, two, three, then we think what we do next?¡± Tom stared at her a moment, then beamed at her. ¡°You are very smart, Diavla. I very like.¡± Diavla felt warm, like a small flame was lit in her soul. She smiled and looked away. ¡°Awwwww¡­¡± Varga began. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã After some discussion, Diavla chose to stay in and watch over Eubexa while Orvan, Kervan and Varga went shopping. They were about ready to depart, when Tom held up one finger. ¡°Soon. Diavla?¡± He beckoned for Diavla to join him in his room, then closed the door. ¡°Yes, Tom?¡± ¡°You use magic.¡± Diavla felt her stomach clench a bit from nervousness. ¡°We wait, Eubexa translate?¡± she asked, hopefully. ¡°Yes,¡± Diavla started to relax before Tom continued, ¡°and some we talk now.¡± She swallowed, then nodded reluctantly. ¡°You need magic things?¡± Diavla blinked. That was not the direction she had expected the conversation to take. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You magic. I do not understand you magic. You need paper?¡± He pantomimed opening a book. ¡°This? Um¡­¡± He waved his hand around. ¡°(Something?)¡± Diavla wondered if that was supposed to be waving a wand. Tom paused. ¡°You need things? Or you do,¡± and he pressed his hands together and closed his eyes just for a moment, ¡°¡­and no need things? Magic things very big coin, Diavla. I need know.¡± Diavla smiled and had to suppress relieved laughter. ¡°Thank you, Tom. No, I no need magic things. I do.¡± She tapped her temple. ¡°I am good.¡± Then she squinted at him. ¡°You need magic things, Tom? You do magic?¡± ¡°No! (Something something something!)¡± Tom waved his hands in vehement denial. ¡°I no do magic. Small stick is stupid.¡± That surprised a laugh out of Diavla. It felt good, if a bit jarring. Tom beamed, looking extremely pleased that he had gotten her to laugh. Diavla regarded him a moment. ¡°You make my face tired from smiling so much,¡± she murmured. Then, a thought struck her. ¡°Tom, no collar, please? I want to flirt.¡± Tom opened his mouth to argue and froze, looking confused. Diavla almost laughed again. ¡°Yes,¡± he said finally, using a completely different word for yes. He sighed, looking like he couldn''t decide whether to strangle her or kiss her. Both would be good, she thought wickedly, for a moment. ¡°You¡­¡± Tom couldn''t figure out how to continue talking and shook his head. A couple of minutes of fumbling later, Diavla was out of the collar. Immediately, she threw her arms around him. ¡°I love you, Tom Walker.¡± Chapter 39: Bilingual Flirting Tom froze. I love you, Tom Walker, she said. Tom tried hard not to react. It''s a language problem. She doesn''t mean it. Does she? Did Joan teach her the word ¡°love¡±? No. Maybe. No. Wishful thinking. Tom was struggling to think with the blood roaring in his ears. Diavla seemed to realize that Tom was stressed by her words. Her face fell. Tom took her wrists and, gently but firmly, pulled her hands away from him. ¡°Eubexa no sleep, we talk, Diavla. I like you. I like you very much. Big, big words. We wait. Eubexa help.¡± ¡°I say bad?¡± Tom hesitated. ¡°Maybe? I don''t know. We wait for Eubexa.¡± ¡°Tom¡­¡± Diavla paused, then nodded. ¡°You are right. We wait for Eubexa. I say bad, I am sorry.¡± Tom nodded back, and took a deep breath. ¡°We go now. We come back here soon. Uh, we go here soon.¡± ¡°I understand. Good¡­good get,¡± Diavla tried. I think she means ¡°good luck¡±. ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± Tom tried to smile for her so that she wouldn''t worry, and from her expression, he failed. Nothing for it, for now. He opened the door and walked out. The other elves were waiting. ¡°We go now,¡± he told them, and led the way down the stairs. Varga seemed puzzled at his expression, but Tom didn''t look back until they were out of the building. He walked over to their wagon, still outside from when he had carried Eubexa in. He tossed the little girl watching it a copper, and she snatched it out of the air. ¡°Thank you, little one.¡± He made sure she was looking, and tossed her a second copper. This time she dropped it, but immediately dove for the coin. ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Tom pointed at the wagon. ¡°We use wagon, we go to Oak Mill. We need what?¡± ¡°Blankets,¡± Kervan said at once. He gave a rapid translation in Elvish for the others. ¡°Food,¡± Orvan added. ¡°Wine,¡± Varga suggested. ¡°No wine,¡± Tom told her. ¡°You drink in Oak Mill.¡± Varga scowled at him, but didn''t reply. After a bit of discussion, they went in search of a wheelwright, and got the wagon maintained, including buying a spare wheel in case of another mishap. They also got a nice new replacement cover to protect them from the elements. Tom paid extra¡ªa lot extra¡ªto get one that was waterproof. Next, they went for general goods like blankets, ropes, and a new hatchet for chopping firewood. Tom was careful to avoid Hooper and Drum, but they were not the only general store in the city. When they started shopping for provisions for the trip to come, Orvan took charge, with Kervan translating and reading the prices. A casual question asked of a merchant in the food market told him that Oak Mill was twelve days away on the roads. They got plenty of food, since Tom didn''t know yet whether all of the elves would be coming along or not. They also avoided foods that spoiled very quickly, since they weren''t sure exactly when they were leaving, yet. On the way back to the rooms, they bought a meal from vendors. Tom cautioned himself to be aware of how much he was spending; freeing Eubexa alone had taken nearly five gold out of his seventeen, and he had plenty of other things to buy. I''d really like to treat the elves to a fancy dinner before we go, but I don''t know whether that will be possible. When they returned, Eubexa was fighting with Diavla over taking her medicine. ¡°You need (something something) pain,¡± Diavla was saying. ¡°I need (something something) translate (something something).¡± Eubexa''s veil hid details that might have been helpful for him to understand. She held herself fairly still as she sat up in bed, propped up by a small bundle. Tom didn''t know how long they had been fighting, but decided to step in. ¡°Hello, Diavla. Eubexa and I talk, please? You wait, please?¡± Diavla looked ready to argue with him for a moment, then lowered her gaze and nodded. ¡°I go here soon,¡± Diavla promised in Western, getting up to leave with a jar of medicine. ¡°?¡®Come¡¯, Diavla,¡± Eubexa reminded her. ¡°Yes. I come soon,¡± Diavla tried again. Tom blinked, then did his best not to smile at the quirk of language. Eubexa said something quickly to Diavla on her way out, and she nodded in acknowledgement before closing the door behind her. For a moment, they looked at each other in silence. Eubexa actually spoke first. ¡°Hello, Master. How may I serve you?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Tom began, sitting in the room''s only chair, ¡°I want you to answer a few questions for me and translate for a minute, then I want you to take your medicine. I invested in you, and I don''t want to lose my investment. Don''t undo the healer''s good work.¡± ¡°As you wish, Master.¡± Tom repressed a sigh at the title. The sooner I get this done, the sooner she takes her medicine. Not worth fighting over right now. ¡°First, I should tell you. Within a day or two, I will be leaving on a journey south. I would like all of you elves to come with me, but I will not insist upon it, because it is dangerous. There is a new, serious hazard in the Great Oak Forest these days.¡± Tom decided to go slowly while revealing the facts, since he knew almost nothing of Eubexa''s nature yet. ¡°What would we do, if we stay?¡± Tom took a breath. ¡°I would do my best to find someone to take care of all of you who wish to stay. I''ve met a few good people since coming to town. It''s risky, because I don''t know them as well as I''d like to, before offering to sell you to them.¡± Eubexa didn''t react, and Tom wondered if that was because she was alarmed, or secretive, or what. ¡°If we go, what would we be doing?¡± ¡°I''m going to travel to Oak Mill, and set up a place there. I will be searching in the woods for something, making day trips, along with any of the elves who want to help. If you come along, you will be staying in town with one or more of the other elves. Once I find everything I need, I suspect we will be moving on, though I need to figure out our next destination.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°You will not be returning to Rivermarch, Master?¡± ¡°Not if I can avoid it. I''ve drawn too much attention already.¡± Eubexa''s head tilted slightly. ¡°May I ask how?¡± ¡°I had to speak with Lord Rivermarch and a few prominent people in the city. I''d rather avoid some noble taking an interest in you elves and taking you away from me without my consent. That''s why I want to get moving sooner rather than later. Also, there''s some urgency to my search of the wilds. I''ll tell you more details when I can.¡± ¡°Understood, Master.¡± Not worth arguing about the title right now, he reminded himself. ¡°Anyway, when you have the opportunity, I''d like you to explain that much to the other elves; they know a bit more than I''m saying now. I want you to make clear that no one has to come and I will respect their wishes, and take them into account when finding them a new home, if need be. That said, I hope they choose to come along because I will be better able to protect them, and I still have the goal of getting you all safely on a boat to Salathin.¡± ¡°I will, Master.¡± Tom tried to think of his most urgent translating needs. One popped up in his soul right away. ¡°On¡­another matter¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Master?¡± ¡°Diavla has learned a lot of Western, but we still have a long way to go. Earlier¡ªplease keep this in confidence between Diavla, me and yourself¡ªDiavla said, ¡®I love you, Tom Walker.¡¯?¡± Eubexa stirred slightly at that. Tom swallowed, a bit uncomfortable. ¡°I don''t know whether or not she understands what that can mean in Western. I''d like you to explain the language issue, and help her to express whatever she did mean, later.¡± ¡°Certainly, Master. I see that that is very important.¡± Tom nodded. He took a deep breath. ¡°There''s one other thing I''d like to know, before we leave the city. Um, it''s about elves, and the way you do things.¡± ¡°Yes, Master?¡± ¡°I, um¡­I am wondering whether giving a small gift¡­I mean, a man giving a woman¡ªa woman elf¡ªa gift¡­um¡­well, whether it means something very significant. I don''t want to accidentally say something with a gift that I didn''t mean to.¡± ¡°I¡­see. If I may ask, Master, what do you want to convey with the gift?¡± Good question. Tom took a deep breath, thinking. ¡°I want to give a symbol of¡­friendship. One that doesn''t¡­rule out¡­someday¡­um¡­romantic interest.¡± Eubexa was quiet for several moments. ¡°This¡­has some subtlety to it, Master. Elven courtships have a number of different forms, with different goals in mind. Some are aimed at dalliance, others at what you might call marriage among humans, and others at procreation.¡± Tom furrowed his brow. ¡°What''s ¡®procreation¡¯?¡± ¡°Babies.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Tom grinned a little. ¡°Not relevant in this case.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°So¡­what would you recommend?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Eubexa paused. In the silence, Tom heard a little gasp, and looked at Eubexa more sharply. ¡°Are you in a lot of pain, Eubexa?¡± ¡°Master, I can¡ª¡± ¡°I didn''t ask what you can do, I¡ªyou know what, never mind, it''s obvious. You need your medicine for the pain.¡± ¡°Master, I¡ª¡± Tom held up a hand. ¡°No arguments, Eubexa. I didn''t mean to push you too hard. With the veil, I can''t see as easily when you are hurting. I''ll get Diavla.¡± ¡°A silver ring,¡± Eubexa said quickly, as Tom stood. ¡°What?¡± ¡°A silver ring, with either engraved knotwork, or a small¡­ stone to match her eyes. That''s¡­ my recommendation.¡± She was clearly having more trouble speaking through the pain. ¡°Thank you, Eubexa. You did all the most important things I wanted. Rest now. I''ll need you more later, but for now, focus on healing.¡± ¡°Yes, Master¡­¡± A couple of minutes later, after a brief Elvish conversation, Eubexa was asleep again and Diavla carefully packed up the medicine. While she was doing that, Tom searched through his packs. Speaking of rings¡­aha! He found the correct pouch and sure enough, Davis the Knife''s ruby ring was there. Tom put it on, rather than drop it into a pouch that might get pickpocketed. We''ve got a lot to do, yet¡­ Tom tried to think of how to be efficient. ¡°Who stay here?¡± he asked in Elvish. Kervan raised his hand. ¡°I sleep.¡± The elf looked dead on his feet. That''s right, he had an all-night adventure. I''ll have to hear about that later. ¡°I will stay,¡± Orvan declared. ¡°I will watch Eubexa.¡± Tom looked around. That leaves me and the lovely ladies. Split up? Tom didn''t like the thought of the women wandering around Rivermarch without him. We''ve been lucky so far, but¡­better to stay together. Tom fumbled his way through freeing Kervan and Orvan from their collars, then turned to the other elves. ¡°We go?¡± Diavla and Varga both smiled at him and nodded. For a moment, Tom got distracted, looking at the two of them. Varga''s green eyes twinkled, and she playfully preened for him a bit in her green dress. Diavla''s amber eyes shone and her smile lit her face like a sunset. When she mimicked Varga, turning sideways to show off, Tom''s mouth went dry. They let that dress out. I know they did. Diavla''s been eating extra, and apparently, it has all been going to the best of places. Gods above, the fabric is straining and it is a beautiful sight. And, for all of that, her smile hits me just as hard. And the wit behind those eyes of her is¡ª Varga cleared her throat loudly to get Tom''s attention. He looked at her face, guiltily; she wore a slightly sour smile. ¡°Saa, I can''t (something) your (something), Tom. Diavla is very (something something) dress.¡± She put her palms over her modest breasts. ¡°Dee, you (something something) me how you (something). I am no good.¡± Tom couldn''t leave that be and call himself a gentleman. He had been rude, and he should fix it. He stepped closer, looking her in the eyes. ¡°Varga, you are beautiful and.¡± She furrowed her brow. Tom tried again. ¡°You are beautiful more.¡± ¡°What?¡± Diavla exclaimed, mildly shocked. Varga covered her mouth and snorted a laugh. ¡°I no remember the word!¡± Tom exclaimed, realizing he had messed up. ¡°Diavla is beautiful. Varga is beautiful. Diavla is beautiful and Varga is beautiful. Varga is beautiful¡­too!¡± he finished in Western. ¡°TOO, Tom,¡± Diavla reminded him, sharply. ¡°Varga is beautiful, TOO.¡± Varga was still covering her mouth with one hand, but her eyes were dancing with gleeful mischief. ¡°Thank you, Tom. You are beautiful, too,¡± the redhead teased. ¡°Humans say a man is handsome, and a woman is beautiful. Both mean ¡®beautiful¡¯.¡± Diavla lowered her voice and added, ¡°(Something something something) sexy.¡± ¡°Saa,¡± Varga murmured in a tone of understanding. ¡°Tom, you are very sexy. Is Diavla very sexy, toooo?¡± ¡°Varga¡­¡± Tom growled. Diavla''s eyebrows went up and she started looking hurt and disappointed. Tom sighed, exasperated. ¡°Yes, Diavla, yes, you are very sexy. You know I see you are very sexy.¡± Diavla smirked contentedly, dropping the act. ¡°And yes, you are sexy, too!¡± Tom snapped at Varga before she could get farther into her own pretend outrage. He shook his head. ¡°You two are going to drive me crazy,¡± Tom declared. ¡°Come on!¡± He stalked towards the stairwell. When he got to the first step he glanced back, and saw that Varga and Diavla were passionately kissing in the hallway. Tom missed the next step and fell down half a flight of stairs. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Both of the women were horrified and apologetic, at least, until they found out that he had escaped serious injury. Then Varga doubled over, laughing. Tom was so tempted to shut her up, somehow, but the collars they were wearing were a stark reminder of why he shouldn''t. So, Tom led them outside and started up the street, determined not to look at them again for a minute or two. His soul scrambled to figure out where they were going next. Not wanting to look indecisive, he kept going in the direction he had started. After a couple of minutes, they were in a part of Rivermarch Tom hadn''t explored yet. He looked around at the buildings and realized that it was probably Crafter''s Row. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he asked a man passing the other way. ¡°Is there a¡­curios shop around here?¡± ¡°Morgan''s Curios, you mean?¡± Tom recognized the name Edge had given him. ¡°That''s the one.¡± ¡°You want to turn left into that alley, and it''s the shop with the green door. Keep a good hold of your coin pouch, mind you.¡± ¡°Understood, and thank you for the warning.¡± Tom nodded and walked on, slowing as he approached the alley. ¡°Varga, Diavla,¡± he murmured, ¡°dangerous. Man get you coin. Watch. We go.¡± Tom led the way into Morgan''s Curios. Chapter 40: Black Market Tom stepped into the dimly lit shop, and moved to one side at once to make room for the women to follow him. He looked around at crowded shelves and counters, piled high with a wide variety of things. Piles of fabric, stacks of arrows, artwork, elaborately decorated knives, even a shield mounted on one wall that made Tom itch uncomfortably just standing near it. There were jars containing unknown materials, some with written labels and others not. He even saw one of those stupid little magic wands. The aisles were narrow enough that Tom had to be careful not to knock over shelves or piles whenever he moved. It was an amazing assortment of junk and treasure. Diavla and Varga started talking in Elvish when they saw some items that apparently were of elven make. They didn''t seem terribly impressed with most of it. Tom actually enjoyed this sort of shop, though he had never had money to spend in one, before. The prices ranged from dirt cheap to numbers that would make a noble pale in shock. He liked poking through things, wondering where in the world some of them had come from and how they had ended up in there. When you had to pinch coppers, the lure of a potential bargain was strong. The women were clearly a bit surprised, and wondering why he had brought them in here. Still, Tom took his time, perusing the strange wares, gradually working his way to the back, where shelves holding more valuable items were set behind a counter. A wiry man with a perpetual frown and thinning brown hair slouched over the counter, idly spinning an odd little toy over and over. Tom made his way over. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The man lifted his head and briefly looked Tom up and down. He didn''t seem impressed. But then his gaze fell on Diavla, and he straightened up at once. ¡°Ah! Good sir, welcome to Morgan''s Curios. My name is Turner.¡± His glance jumped from Diavla to Varga, and back to Tom. Tom nodded. ¡°Walker. I heard from Edge that I should come speak to you.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Edge was asking about equipment for slaves. Do you have particular needs in mind?¡± Tom hesitated. ¡°What do you have to offer? Some items in here are obviously worth far more than others.¡± ¡°I might have something for a man with special tastes and deep pockets.¡± Tom fought down a sense of revulsion. Better find out what he''s talking about. ¡°I will admit to some curiosity.¡± ¡°Excellent, good sir. I wonder, though, if I might impose on you to have your slaves wait outside while we discuss matters? Some topics are not meant for their ears.¡± Tom frowned. ¡°Will they be in trouble standing around in this neighborhood?¡± ¡°Oh, fear not, good sir, I will attend to that at once.¡± Turner actually came out from behind the counter and led the way to the entrance. He opened the door, stepped out and gave an odd whistle, somewhat like the call of a silverbird. Tom followed, and the elves trailed outside with his gesture, playing along. From where he stood close behind Turner, Tom could see a rough-looking man step out from some shadows a couple of doors down the street. Turner pointed to one side of his storefront, and the enforcer nodded. The man''s eyes raked over Tom and the elves, then he turned to stand guard facing away from them, watching the rest of the cul-de-sac. ¡°Clement will keep trouble away, good sir, while we conduct our business.¡± Turner headed back inside, and Tom gestured to the elves where to stand. ¡°You two stay here,¡± he said harshly. In the barest mumble, Tom added, ¡°Please,¡± in Elvish, confident that the women could hear him. Diavla gave him the barest nod, and moved meekly to obey. Varga followed Diavla''s lead. Grateful to them both, Tom turned and headed back inside. What followed was a lesson Tom could well have done without, on different tools for punishing slaves, but nothing was particularly shocking. Some of them were likely illegal in Baria, given the rules for decent treatment. Tom was about to excuse himself when he recalled the comment about ¡°deep pockets,¡± and decided to probe a bit. ¡°I''m sure your wares are fine, Turner, but these are ordinary items, in the end. Is this all Edge sent me to you for, or was there something special he had in mind?¡± ¡°Ah, good sir, Edge is a fine fellow to make friends with, but he does not need to know the details of private transactions. I did not tell him about the special item that I have for you.¡± ¡°And what might that be?¡± Turner leaned a bit closer. ¡°A slave collar from the Eastern Empire.¡± Tom frowned. ¡°They are already wearing collars from the Eastern Empire.¡± Turner gave him a smile that was equal parts bragging and sadistic. ¡°Ah, but sir, there are collars, and there are collars.¡± He scurried off behind a curtain, and there were a number of noises like mechanical locks working. Tom braced himself, ready for whatever he was about to see. Probably something that inflicts horrible pain, magically. Turner returned with a box of wood so white it looked like ivory, and laid it on the counter. Releasing the catch, he opened it with a flourish. Tom squinted, trying to see better. The collar revealed looked far more like a rich woman''s necklace than a torture device. Resting on velvet, it appeared to be mostly crafted of silver, made of scores of pieces wired together with four gems running down the centerline. A silvery wand also lay on the velvet, as if it belonged there. The wand had four gems, matching the ones in the necklace. Tom could just barely make out that much, and only because he had gotten good at seeing fine gradations of color when nothing else was clear to his sight. The gems looked like tinted pearls, and the metal wasn''t uniform. Most of it had the luster of silver, but¡­ ¡°Is part of that mithril?¡± Tom asked in astonishment, dropping his voice instinctively. ¡°Indeed it is, good sir. But far more than what it is made of, is what it can do.¡± Turner''s face twisted a bit into a nasty, hungry grin. ¡°Now, of course, discretion is of the utmost importance here. This kind of device is rare even in the Empire, and its use is somewhat frowned upon here. Most of the slaves around here are humans, and no one would turn a blind eye to such a thing as this being used on them. But elven slaves, on the other hand, like the ones you possess, good sir¡­I''m sure the right coins in the right palms would clear away any difficulties that might occur.¡± Tom''s soul raced as he tried to weigh options for warning the City Guard about this thing immediately, but he needed more information first, and he definitely needed not to spook Turner lest he hide the item somewhere. ¡°All right, let''s say I''m interested. What does it do?¡± ¡°The more important question, good sir, is what the slave does.¡± Turner leaned even closer and lowered his voice further. ¡°When you wield the wand, and the slave wears the collar, the slave is magically compelled to obey your every order.¡± ¡°Command magic.¡± This thing was what Tom had feared when he wore a slave collar to earn the elves'' trust. While probably not completely illegal, its allowed victims were likely restricted to prisoners and criminals. ¡°Oh, yes, good sir, but that is only the beginning. The crafter of this item was a true connoisseur. Do you see the four gems on the wand and their matches on the collar?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Tom was exerting his will, acting appropriately to get through this conversation. ¡°The first gem compels obedience to commands. The second gem, oh, that one gives any physical sensation you command. Pleasure, pain, heat, cold, and more, in any combination you wish. You command them to feel it, and they feel it as if it were actually happening to them.¡± So, it is a torture device. Not surprising, but this thing is powerful. Tom knew the man wasn''t done. As expected of him, he prompted Turner to continue. ¡°And the third gem does what? Both?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Oh, the second gem does both, good sir. The third does both, and also enables you to command their reality.¡± Tom''s blood ran cold. It took him a moment to find his voice. ¡°Meaning what?¡± ¡°Meaning, you could tell them that there was a bear in the room about to eat them, and they would truly believe it! You can change their very world around them, toy with them endlessly in countless ways.¡± The evil man was almost giggling at the thought, and Tom had to hide his desire to plunge Sir Kurt''s dagger into Turner''s throat. Would Lord Rivermarch or Captain Hayward even mind if I ended this worm? Tom controlled himself, mostly for the sake of protecting Diavla and the other elves. ¡°And the fourth?¡± Tom couldn''t stop the harsh edge from slipping into his tone, but Turner apparently mistook it as eagerness or lust. Gods, release me from this nightmare. ¡°The fourth, good sir, is the final treasure. The goal all who work with magical control dream of. The highest fantasy. The fourth, oh, good sir¡­the fourth commands their soul.¡± Tom''s eyes widened. ¡°How?¡± ¡°You can command them to love you¡­and they will. You can command them to hate their closest friend, and they will. You can demand they give themselves to you utterly, body and soul, and they will. This masterpiece is the finest work by Kwelkorm the Mad.¡± Kwelkorm the Mad. Even Tom had heard of him. He had hoped that the legend of the insane dwarf artificer was only a fable¡­ Tom pulled back and squinted at Turner. ¡°You are a skilled storyteller, Turner, but you do not persuade.¡± Turner smirked as if he had expected the reaction. ¡°No story, good sir, no fable. I have seen it work with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Kings would fight over such a thing¡ªeither to destroy it, or keep it for themselves. How could someone like you obtain such a twisted treasure? A man could conquer an empire with such a device, if it were real.¡± ¡°You are a man with vision,¡± Turner said with admiration in his voice, and Tom repressed a shudder. ¡°Alas, you force me to reveal the weakness. The changes end when the collar is removed. So, no, you cannot enslave man after man, woman after woman, and amass a loyal army. No. You would need one of these for each person you controlled. As for how I obtained it¡­let us say that I saw an opportunity, and had the nerve to seize the moment.¡± ¡°And you have used this?¡± Tom asked, almost calmly, as he stood in judgment over Turner''s soul. ¡°Oh, yes. Foolhardy, I know, but it was a matter of sweetest revenge. I haven''t dared take it out again for years. I decided to leave such adventures to younger men in the future, and to sell this incomparable treasure when opportunity arose. Are you that opportunity, good sir? Do you see the incredible value of what I am offering?¡± ¡°Yes. I do.¡± Tom had barely started to reach for his dagger when Turner lifted one finger in warning. Tom stilled, instincts screaming at him to be cautious. ¡°I have, of course, taken precautions ¡­good sir.¡± The title was mocking, this time. He thinks I want to kill him out of greed. Tom smirked, and moved his hand away from his dagger again. ¡°I was wondering how you had managed to live this long while holding such a thing. How much for it?¡± Turner''s smile got perhaps a touch more genuinely respectful. ¡°Three times I have shown this, good sir, and you are the first to have the wit to deal.¡± And the others ended up dead. Tom trusted his instincts. Turner wasn''t bluffing. It would not be so simple to kill Turner¡ªnot here and now, at least. ¡°This is, of course, a unique and exquisite treasure. It is worth hundreds of gold pieces, if not thousands.¡± ¡°But you could never sell it for that much.¡± Tom started haggling instinctively. ¡°True. Can you offer me enough to convince me to part with it?¡± ¡°And how could I use such a thing?¡± Tom said in a slightly accusing tone. ¡°Not in front of anyone I want to live.¡± ¡°Oh, but you could, young sir. You could walk down the street with one of your lovelies wearing it, and everyone would think you simply an indulgent Master gracing a favorite slave with a gift.¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°The other slaves would know.¡± ¡°You have power of life and death over them.¡± ¡°Yes. But some might choose death, so long as it brought me down with them. I have not survived this long by luck, either. And since the effect is temporary, I would have to dispose of any slave I put this on, lest they warn others. Your ¡®treasure¡¯ is a treasure for a king only.¡± ¡°Could you not keep one slave separate from the others?¡± ¡°I am traveling.¡± ¡°You will someday stop traveling.¡± ¡°And until then, be at risk, every day, of the item being identified by a thief or a nosy Mage? No. Limited enjoyment, and a small chance of a very high cost. I can see why you have not been able to sell this item. How long did you say you''ve been holding this? Years?¡± Another thought occurred to Tom. ¡°Does this need to be recharged by a spell caster?¡± The sour expression that flickered across Turner''s face gave Tom his answer. ¡°It does. Another liability.¡± ¡°Some men would sell their body and soul for a single night of using this on their chosen victim.¡± ¡°I am not one of those men. Being found with this could cost me my head, or you, yours.¡± ¡°If that is a¡ª¡± ¡°It is simple truth,¡± Tom cut him off. ¡°Let us not lie about the dangers. I am interested.¡± Interested in taking this thing and destroying it at the earliest opportunity. ¡°Would good sir grace us with his bid?¡± Tom frowned in thought. ¡°In the worst case, I might have to throw it into the fire to escape discovery. The materials alone would be worth¡­what? Five gold?¡± ¡°Ten, at least, good sir! Remember the gems!¡± ¡°Gems I might not be able to salvage. You''re trying to hand me an unstable magic formation that could explode in my face. Yes, it has its appeal, but I am not a fool.¡± Tom pursed his lips, eyeing the magic collar and wand. ¡°Ten gold.¡± ¡°Good sir! I could get a thousand in the capital¡ª¡± ¡°Then, why haven''t you? Hm?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°Make a reasonable ask and let us negotiate.¡± ¡°Two hundred.¡± ¡°Nay! I am traveling, I don''t carry that kind of coin on my person. Try again.¡± ¡°One hundred gold.¡± ¡°Better, but my point stands. Twelve gold.¡± ¡°Ninety.¡± ¡°Let us not take all day. Twenty gold.¡± ¡°Eighty.¡± ¡°You reach too far. Let us be frank, you will take much less and be happy and relieved to be rid of this item.¡± ¡°Seventy.¡± ¡°Not even close.¡± ¡°Sir, you shall bankrupt me.¡± ¡°No, I will not. Nor will you bankrupt me. Twenty-four gold.¡± ¡°Sixty gold. Good sir, you know the worth of this treasure!¡± ¡°It isn''t worth the risk and that kind of price. How many times will I get to use it? Once? Twice? And then melting it down to recover perhaps ten gold of the cost?¡± ¡°I cannot sell for twenty-four gold, good sir. Better for me to keep it.¡± ¡°No, it isn''t,¡± Tom said confidently. ¡°And you know it.¡± ¡°I could part with it for fifty gold.¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°Twenty-five gold.¡± ¡°Forty.¡± ¡°Twenty-five.¡± ¡°Good sir! I cannot sell for that.¡± ¡°Then our business is concluded. Worry not, I believe we both are interested in discretion here. I will not mention your trinket, when I have my next discussion with Lord Rivermarch.¡± Having dropped the name and seen Turner''s eye twitch in alarm, Tom turned and headed out of the shop. ¡°Wait!¡± Tom stopped, and sighed dramatically. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you give thirty, good sir?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tom started walking again. ¡°Wait! Twenty-five gold, here and now.¡± Tom stopped, and considered. ¡°I don''t have twenty-five on my person,¡± he admitted. ¡°And I don''t spend that kind of money on a whim. I''ll think it over, and if I haven''t reconsidered, I''ll bring you twenty-five gold within a week.¡± ¡°Then the price goes back up,¡± Turner warned. ¡°No. It doesn''t,¡± Tom told him confidently, and left the slimy man behind. Outside, Tom snapped his fingers as he walked past Diavla and Varga. ¡°Follow.¡± He heard their footfalls as they hurried to catch up. Tom exchanged nods with Clement, who stepped back into shadows again. He stalked out of the alley and started uphill towards better neighborhoods. He didn''t stop until they were blocks away and had turned another corner. Then he stepped out of the way of foot traffic, faced the nearest blank wall, and shuddered with his eyes shut. ¡°Tom?¡± Diavla murmured. ¡°What is twenty-five gold?¡± As he had expected, the elves had heard the last part of the negotiation. Tom grimaced. ¡°A slave collar.¡± ¡°Twenty-five gold?¡± Varga asked, incredulous. He opened his eyes and turned to face them. ¡°Bad, bad magic.¡± He counted on his fingers. ¡°I say, you body do. I say, you body feel. I say, you soul do. I say, you soul want. Kwelkorm the Mad make.¡± He looked for their reactions. Diavla''s expression was blank, but her face was already pink and rapidly shading towards bright red. Tom expected her to explode into an angry rant in another heartbeat, but it was Varga who spoke up first. The redhead let loose with a torrent of Elvish, her tone carrying amazement, outrage, and confusion. Tom waited until she had calmed down enough to use words Tom''s soul could reach. ¡°Tom, you get guards?¡± ¡°No. Turner very smart. I very think. Maybe, when we go no Rivermarch, I tell Captain Hayward. I think.¡± Diavla was still staring at him, an odd expression on her crimson face. ¡°Maybe¡­not all bad,¡± she murmured. ¡°Diavla?¡± Varga prodded, sounding confused. Diavla is smart, Tom reminded himself. What is she thinking of? What good use could the collar have? That isn''t completely immoral, even? His soul turned it over as he stared at the wall, ignoring the byplay between the women, who were having a quiet and emotionally charged discussion in Elvish. Force someone to feel things¡­? Force someone not to feel things¡­? OH. Tom sucked in a breath. ¡°You''re right.¡± He turned and looked at the elves, who were both staring at him now. Diavla''s soul was racing behind her amber eyes, and Varga was clearly shocked. ¡°But, I no have twenty-five gold,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I help,¡± Diavla said at once. Varga turned her shocked expression on her friend. Tom nodded, impressed. ¡°That''s very generous of you, Diavla. But we should think hard about it before we spend that much gold. Um¡­Good. We think. Maybe buy, no now. Now, we go.¡± Tom led them towards their next destination, feeling nervous about the magic collar. There were advantages besides the obvious. The collar would be well-hidden, and they would be carrying less gold on the road. It might also be an important trump card to play at the right moment, if his guess was right. Balanced against that was the expense and great risk. So many things could go wrong with this. Tom thought about the horrible things someone might do with the magic item. I''d have to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. But it would be so easy to abuse it when I try to use it. Are my hands even the right ones? Chapter 41: Uses of Power Diavla was still stunned, as Tom started leading them toward their next destination. Her face was hot and her soul raced, as she imagined different possibilities. She was embarrassed even thinking about some of them while walking down a city street full of strange humans. ¡°He can''t be serious,¡± Varga argued. ¡°He got the Elvish wrong. Right?¡± ¡°Maybe. We''ll have to ask Eubexa later, if Tom trusts her with this, at least.¡± ¡°We''re talking about a totally evil, really powerful magical work, Dee. How is Tom getting it for only twenty-five gold?¡± ¡°It must have restrictions, or weaknesses. Also, you know that Tom has a spine of mithril when it comes to negotiation.¡± ¡°For a moment there, I thought Tom was going to puke,¡± Varga observed. ¡°Then I thought he was going to punch a stone wall, and I wouldn''t have bet coin on the wall winning.¡± ¡°He''s unelvenly strong, Varga, but his strength isn''t¡­magical¡­¡± Dialva trailed off as a wild thought occurred to her. ¡°Wait. Is it?¡± Varga asked, surprised and curious. ¡°I don''t know. I''ll have to ask him.¡± I need to observe Tom with spirit-sense when he''s training. Maybe that''s what he uses magic for. Maybe it''s instinctive. Come to think of it, what do spirit-touched humans do, if they never receive any training? ¡°Saa, don''t distract me. What passes with you? What are you thinking of doing with that collar if you get it?¡± Diavla felt her face heat again. ¡°Who are you imagining wearing it?¡± Varga pressed. Diavla pressed her lips together and said nothing. ¡°Not me, right?¡± Diavla''s eyebrows went up and she looked at her friend and lover. ¡°Would you?¡± she asked, curious. It was Varga''s turn to get a red face. ¡°No! Not for anyone!¡± After several heartbeats, she mumbled, ¡°¡­anyone, but you¡­¡± Diavla took a sharp breath. She was about to answer when Varga added, very quietly, ¡°¡­and you wouldn''t even need it, for me.¡± Now, Diavla stopped short and stared at Varga, stunned by her confession. Varga stopped too, eyeing the ground, unwilling to meet her gaze. It took Diavla a few moments to find her voice, so instead, she hugged Varga hard. Swallowing, she whispered in her lover''s ear, ¡°I don''t deserve the honor of such tolanor, but I will try my very best to be worthy of it.¡± ¡°You already are, my tolanor.¡± After a few more seconds, they broke off the hug and hurried to catch up to Tom before he could notice that they were lagging behind. Varga wouldn''t let the topic of the collar go, though. ¡°So, if it''s not for me, who is it for? You''re not going to try to put it on Tom, are you? He wouldn''t ever accept it. You saw how terrified he was just putting on a normal collar, and he only did that once to earn our trust¡­¡± She trailed off. Diavla could sense the moment Varga put it together. ¡°Dee¡­¡± Diavla stared straight ahead at Tom''s back and didn''t say anything. ¡°But, Dee, I thought you liked being in command¡ªespecially lately.¡± ¡°No! I mean, not normally, at least. I''ve only been the leader of our group because someone had to.¡± Diavla had felt the weight of leadership and didn''t care for it, but having one of the others as leader would have been worse. ¡°But, with me?¡± ¡°With you, I was hungry for it. Desperately hungry. I don''t know why. But, that''s not me, I don''t think. It''s ¡­strange.¡± They walked a bit in silence, as they each digested the conversation so far. ¡°I''m not saying I would actually do it,¡± Diavla claimed, finally. ¡°I mean¡­it''s just¡­something to think about. Interesting to imagine. I can imagine things and not do them, you know.¡± ¡°Saa¡­¡± ¡°I can! You''re the impulsive one!¡± ¡°Mm. So, you like to imagine things like that, huh?¡± ¡°Can we change the subject, please?¡± ¡°Mm. For now. Maybe. There''s a very important question to think about, though,¡± Varga continued, uncharacteristically serious. ¡°What does Tom want to do with it? Melt it down? Turn it over to the City Guard? Use it on one of us?¡± ¡°I''m not sure. I mean, I was wondering if he had the same idea I had, and how he felt about it.¡± Varga shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Because he didn''t turn red as an apple when he was talking about it. He''s got something less¡­playful in mind. And he probably thinks you do, too.¡± Diavla''s soul churned that, for a minute. Then her eyes widened. ¡°Spirits, he could command Eubexa to feel one-eighth the pain¡­!¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. A heartbeat later, Varga was nodding. ¡°Now that sounds like Tom. But, it won''t work.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because there is no way in the world and sky that Eubexa would ever consent to wearing it. Ever.¡± Diavla felt disappointment on Eubexa''s behalf. ¡°You''re right. She wouldn''t.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Varga mused, ¡°we could just tell her it''s a pain-control device and then never use it for anything else¡­¡± ¡°Assuming that would even work, would you want to be tricked into wearing that thing?¡± Varga sighed, sounding annoyed. ¡°No, of course not. You know, I really hate it when you think too much, Dee. I liked it better when you just made Tom kiss you while he was wearing a slave collar.¡± ¡°Varga, that was wrong of me. I don''t even know why I did it!¡± ¡°I can explain, if you need a drawing¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. Obviously, I wanted to kiss him.¡± ¡°And he wanted to kiss you. And you two are just piling shit between you. It was nice to see you get past that, at least for a moment. Even if you think you can''t lie together, you should at least be kissing each other whenever you both want!¡± ¡°We can''t¡­¡± Diavla protested weakly. ¡°Yes, you can, you''re just both being stubborn in a stupid way. If I ever got that collar on Tom, I''d order him to pin you down and ravish you until you both got your heads on straight.¡± Diavla was suddenly having trouble breathing and felt something stir in her core. ¡°Don''t ever tease me again with that,¡± she pleaded. ¡°If this is the only way I can get you warm and wiggly, Dee, then I''ll tease you until you see stars and metals,¡± Varga threatened. ¡°Do I want to know what you two are saying?¡± Tom called back to them. ¡°No!¡± Diavla answered, at once. Tom turned and raised an eyebrow. Varga cleared her throat, apparently having mercy on her tolanor, at last. ¡°Where we go, Tom?¡± ¡°We go to Whistler''s,¡± Tom answered. ¡°We get clothes for Eubexa. And, I ask questions.¡± It was a lot easier to recognize what Tom was saying in Western, than to replicate it herself. When either of them spoke in the other''s language, they sounded like a small child. Little words like to and for constantly tripped Diavla up. So far, they had focused on getting their ideas across, more than on speaking correctly. With Eubexa''s help, she might be able to speak Western properly, someday. It wasn''t much farther to Whistler''s. When they arrived, Diavla saw that the building was still decorated in black. Tom walked around to the side door they had used previously. But before he could knock, the door opened. Instead of Vanity Taylor, as Diavla had expected, Mrs. Whistler was there, wearing a black veil, and escorting a tall, thin man with white hair. ¡°Oh, hello. Mr. Law, I (something something) see you here.¡± Apparently, Tom knew the man, but he appeared to be surprised. ¡°Mr. Walker,¡± the man replied. Diavla didn''t understand the rest of what he said, but Mrs. Whistler jumped in with some sort of explanation, just a bit too quickly. Diavla did her best to keep her expression from changing. Someone has a secret. ¡°And who have we here?¡± Law asked. The man looked them over rapidly, then focused on their faces. ¡°Mr. Simon Law, may I (something) Diavla Urula and Varga Morovel, formerly of Kinder Vald in the Elf Lands. Diavla, Varga, this is Simon Law. He is the lawyer I asked for (something).¡± Diavla was proud of herself for remembering the word lawyer. Tom repeated himself in Elvish as best he could. ¡°Um¡­He is man I ask, slaves, elves, I go Rivermarch one.¡± Law said something short that sounded polite, and inclined his head, respectfully. Diavla copied the motion, and answered, ¡°Hello, Mister Law. I am happy I see you. Thank you, you say Tom good and bad.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Varga said, then grinned and added, ¡°Sorry, that''s about all the Western I know.¡± The humans looked amused. Diavla marveled at the way Varga could put people at their ease, just with her smile and obvious goodwill. Simon Law excused himself, exchanging words with Mrs. Whistler, briefly. Diavla had no idea what they said, but she could hear from the way they slightly stressed certain words that they were communicating on more than one level. It didn''t sound like secret talk between lovers, either. She supposed that it might be easier to hear the tone without understanding the words. A glance at Tom didn''t make it clear whether he had noticed or not. Mrs. Whistler spoke with Tom a minute, then invited them into the workroom. Tom didn''t take a seat, so neither did Diavla, and Varga followed her lead. Sure enough, Mrs. Whistler only rummaged through some small pieces of cloth for a few moments, then pulled out a couple of veils. One was white, and the other gray. The older woman eyed both pieces critically, then moved to a worktable. With a few deft motions, she fixed some small defect in the white one, then put both in a bag and handed it to Tom. He made as if to pay, and she scolded him. Diavla missed most of it, but understood part at the end, said quietly and fervently. ¡°¡­kill the (something something) for me.¡± Tom nodded, thanked the tailor again, and made to leave. ¡°Diavla?¡± Mrs. Whistler called, then beckoned. Diavla glanced at Tom, who raised his eyebrows, then shrugged and stepped outside along with Varga. Diavla approached the tailor. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Whistler?¡± The woman waited a few moments, as if making sure Tom had left the building and couldn''t hear. ¡°Is Tom good to you?¡± Diavla sighed in relief, and nodded. ¡°Yes, Tom is very good ¡­to¡­ us.¡± Mrs. Whistler smiled a bit, but pointed at Diavla. ¡°No, is Tom good to you?¡± Diavla felt herself smiling more. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Whistler, Tom is very good to me. I like Tom very much.¡± ¡°Did Tom tell you where you (something)?¡± ¡°Yes. He say dangerous. He ask elves, we stay with Rivermarch, we go with Tom. I want go with Tom. I think all want go with Tom. Maybe Eubexa, no. She is very sick.¡± Mrs. Whistler said something that sounded sympathetic. Then she narrowed her eyes and frowned, thoughtfully staring at Diavla''s chest. ¡°You need¡­?¡± and gestured at the seam under Diavla''s left arm. ¡°No, and thank you. Tom like see me. I like Tom like. Very good dress.¡± ¡°I see. I am (something).¡± Mrs. Whistler smiled. ¡°Thank you, Diavla. Go with Tom.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Whistler.¡± Diavla opened the door, and Tom looked up from a conversation with Varga. ¡°Oh! Mrs. Whistler.¡± Tom apparently had forgotten something. He stepped back inside, and the door closed. Diavla listened closely, holding up two fingers to her lips so Varga would stay quiet. Tom seemed to be telling the tailor some kind of story. She heard the Western words for ¡®dream¡¯ and ¡®magic¡¯ somewhere in the middle. Finally, he told the woman, ¡°I dreamed I heard your husband. He said, ¡®Tom, tell my wife I love her.¡¯?¡± When she heard Mrs. Whistler crying, she stepped away from the door to grant her more privacy. She chatted with Varga in low tones, explaining as much as she understood of the conversations. When Tom finally stepped out to join them, he blinked his eyes hard a few times, his face grim. They exited the alley and resumed their walk uphill without conversation, leaving Diavla alone with her thoughts. So. Tom is a dream-talker. Soon, they were approaching the area around the Keep. Diavla couldn''t help but hope they were going back to Sally''s Sweets, but Tom turned in the opposite direction, away from the wonderful shop and asked a passing woman for directions to the Library. Diavla nodded. Saa, now we will finally find out what this place is about. She looked forward to it with curious anticipation. Chapter 42: The Rivermarch Library Tom stopped and gazed at the front of the building holding the Library. There were three stone steps leading up to the front door. The sides were stone, and the roof was made of wood. The front wall facing the square had a large door in the center and a few simple carvings. One was a picture of a book, another appeared to be a map, and the last was a quill. There were also some runes as well, carved above the door. Tom took it all in for a moment, checked that the women were right behind him, and headed up the steps. The large door was open to the street, and a couple of people walked out just before Tom and the elves got to it. Tom stepped aside to make room and Diavla and Varga followed suit, at once. The strangers nodded their thanks, and Tom stepped through the doorway. The first space was an entrance hall. It was well-lit with rock lights even in the daytime, which seemed a bit extravagant. There was a counter blocking the way forward, with a gap in the middle for visitors to enter through. Beyond the counter were three closed doors, each with one of the pictures from the outside wall. Before they could go in, however, a woman sitting on a stool next to the opening in the counter greeted him. ¡°Hello, young sir, and welcome to the Rivermarch Library. Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± He walked up to the woman, who seemed to be middle-aged, with brown hair heavily seasoned with white. She had a friendly-enough smile. ¡°Very good, sir. The cost to enter is ten copper per person.¡± ¡°All right. Can you tell me what this place is, please?¡± The woman beamed at him. ¡°Certainly! This is the Library of Lady Rose Thornhill. She had this building put up, and decreed that after her death, all of her large book and map collection be placed on display, for everyone in the city to enjoy. She claimed that books grow lonely without people to read them, and set aside a fund for people to work here." She pointed at the left door, then the right. "This room has books, and the one on the far right has maps. The copy room is in between them, producing books and maps, many of them for sale in the other rooms. We are interested in buying new books if you have any, or renting them to copy.¡± ¡°Do I have to pay per book I want to see?¡± ¡°Not at all! The ten copper covers access to all the books and maps in the Library.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± Tom repeated in disbelief. ¡°There are rules, of course. Let''s see¡­ People do have to share. Fire of any sort is forbidden, as are food and drink. All the lights in the building are magical, to protect the books. If you damage a book or map, you will have to pay for a copyist to repair or replace the item. We ask that all readers be careful handling the books and scrolls, and you must have clean hands to enter. There are usually one or two readers available for hire in the book room, but sometimes there is a wait. There are even reading classes every Eightday for those who wish to learn their runes. Those are five copper per lesson, I believe.¡± Tom absorbed all that, blinking. ¡°That is amazing. I''ve never heard of such a thing before.¡± ¡°We''re very proud of the Library here in Rivermarch. It is growing famous throughout the kingdom, and the Lord of the City is a patron.¡± ¡°Well, I can hardly wait to see it.¡± Tom fished three large coppers out of his coin pouch and held them out to the woman. She looked at the coins in surprise, then eyed Diavla and Varga uncertainly. ¡°Ten copper per person, you said,¡± Tom reminded her, pressing the payment into her hand. ¡°Are my hands clean enough?¡± He showed her his palms, then the backs of his hands. ¡°Ah¡­yes, young sir.¡± Tom had Diavla and Varga show their hands, as well. The woman looked as if she might want to object, but the elves'' hands were noticeably cleaner than Tom''s. He started to head in, but the woman called out again. ¡°Young sir, your pack, please. We keep them here.¡± The woman gestured behind herself, where Tom could see a number of bags and packs. ¡°You can pick it up on your way back out.¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± Tom mentally reviewed what was in his pack, and couldn''t think of anything irreplaceable. He turned his pack over to the woman, who set it down with the others, placed a wooden disk on it, and handed Tom a matching disk. ¡°So we don''t give your pack to the wrong person.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Finally past the last hurdle, he led the elves over to the door with a book drawn above it, pushed it open, and stepped inside the book room of the Library. It was very nice. Tom could readily admit that. The room was clean and well-lit, and the sheer number of books was enormous. Hundreds at least. Tom did some sums of sums in his head, and revised that estimate upward to thousands. He''d never even heard of such a large library before. Unfortunately, he wouldn''t be able to make use of any of it unless he hired a reader. Or, he might manage to bring Eubexa in here to read and translate. Tom waited a minute to let Diavla and Varga ooh and ahh over the collection. It was the first thing besides Sally''s Sweets that really seemed to impress them. The copy room was next. There were eight tables in use, each holding a book propped up and illuminated by its very own rock light. Scribes toiled away, carefully drawing each rune with precise movements. Tom thought about the papers in the mysterious language, but the Temple had confiscated them. He couldn''t think of anything else he needed copied at the moment. Finally, they moved on to the map room. Tom stepped through the door to find another space much like the book room, in that there were many sets of shelves, only most were filled with rolled up scrolls rather than flat books. He stepped to the middle of the room, looking around automatically to see exits and potential threats. Finally, his gaze rested on the wall to his left, and his eyes widened. Wow. The entire wall had been painted with a mural that formed a map of the entire human continent. That alone was impressive, but the quality and detail were exquisite. The colors were vivid and the runes were written in shrinking symbols when read left to right. But the most important fact was that the wall was nearly twenty feet tall and over twenty feet away. Tom could see it. He could see it. All the details were sharp and clear. The little curls on the corners of some of the runes, the little whitecaps drawn on the waves, each small wiggle and bend in the rivers¡ªall of it. Tom stared in awe, drinking in the sight. ¡°Are these the wonders that others see?¡± he murmured. As he gazed at the mural, taking in detail after detail, he found he had to blink a few times to keep his sight clear.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°It is beautiful.¡± That was Diavla, standing beside him. She took his left hand with a gentle squeeze. Varga started to ask a question, but Diavla whispered quickly to her in Elvish, and the redhead fell silent. A few moments later, she appeared on his right, leaning against him. The women gave him time, which he appreciated. Small pictures of a setting sun on the left edge and a rising sun on the right edge told the orientation. North was toward the ceiling. The human continent was roughly triangular, surrounded by three seas: The Elven Sea on the right, the South Sea at the bottom, and the Sea of Storms to the west. Each had stylized sea serpents drawn scattered in the blue regions between the island chains. Actually, I wonder what name the elves have for the sea between us. Do they call it the Human Sea? Tom put aside the thought for the moment, and set himself to memorizing as much of the map as he could. The north and southeast corners of the continent were decorated with small amounts of white. Mountain chains slashed across the land in a few directions. The largest ran northwest to southeast. The elves probably crossed over those mountains about a month ago. Searching the center of the map, one country had a bolder outline than the rest, and its name was drawn slightly larger and more ornately. That must be Baria. Those runes signify ¡®Baria¡¯. Tom committed them to memory. Baria was southeast of the center of the continent, but not by much. It would be hard to get much farther from the sea than we are now. Tom looked for waterways. There were two large lakes in the continent''s north central region, and two major rivers emptying into each of the three Seas. There appeared to be one decently large river running through Baria, and Tom traced it to the west coast. Ugh, Captain Weller was right, of course. Going downriver would get us even farther from our goal. If they went that way, it would be necessary to hug the coast whenever possible because of the greater sea serpents, going all the way around the continent. The northern way around would be shorter, but too cold, and the lands too inhospitable. Most of the southern coast was warmer, with the exception of the southeast point. But which of these countries allow elves to be free, if any? Which way should we go, which part of the coast would be a safe place to find an elven¡­what was that word? Ember-something? Embassy. That''s what we need. Now, would a map tell us, or do we need a book? And how do we find the right one? Tom reluctantly tore his gaze away from the beautiful map. He looked down at the kind women on either side of him. ¡°Thank you,¡± he told them both. Diavla smiled at him and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Varga pressed her cheek to his bicep a moment, then patted him and stood back. ¡°We need person. Person know books,¡± he told them in Elvish. They all looked around, and Varga pointed at a small counter where a Library worker sat waiting, with books to sell on display. Tom nodded. ¡°Thank you, Varga.¡± Asking there for help sent them back into the book room, where one woman with white hair sat at a desk and answered questions from people. Tom actually had to wait a few minutes, but eventually, his turn came. He stepped up and nodded politely. ¡°Hello, ma''am. I''m Tom Walker. I am looking for elven embassies.¡± ¡°Hello, Tom. My name is Sage Booker. Call me Sage,¡± she told him with a grin. She glanced at Diavla and Varga, and her eyebrows went up. She turned her gaze back to Tom''s face. ¡°Elven embassies? How interesting.¡± Sage leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers, obviously thinking hard. ¡°Hm¡­elves¡­elf-human relations¡­politics¡­law¡­geography. Yes, geography. Coastal kingdoms¡­ Alliances of the Coastal Kingdoms, by John of the Tor. I would start there.¡± Tom recited the title and author back to make sure he had it right. ¡°Thank you, Sage. How would I find that book, and how would I find someone to read it to me?¡± ¡°One moment, please. Oscar!¡± Sage called. A young boy came running, almost tripping in the brown robes he wore. ¡°Yes, Miss Sage?¡± ¡°This gentleman needs Alliances of the Coastal Kingdoms, by John of the Tor. It should be in the geography section.¡± The boy ran off at once. Perhaps half a minute later, he ran back. ¡°I''m sorry, Miss Sage, what was the title again?¡± The woman sighed. ¡°Oscar, what have I told you about running off half-full?¡± ¡°¡­Not to?¡± ¡°That''s right. And this is why. Now, the title is Alliances of the Coastal Kingdoms, and the auth¡ª¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Oscar bolted off. Sage started muttering to herself. Tom realized that she was counting in Elvish, and tried to hide his grin. The elves exchanged amused glances, as well. Sage noticed, and abruptly cleared her throat, her face reddening a bit. ¡°Please excuse me.¡± For a few moments, she stared off in the direction Oscar had disappeared, then Tom heard Sage saying something akin to chanting. He suspected she was counting in Dwarvish. Oscar returned, hurrying not quite so quickly, with a book in his arms, and slowing down dramatically as soon as he caught a warning glare from Sage. The old woman took the book from the child, examined it for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Here you are.¡± She handed the book to Tom. ¡°Thank you very much. Where are the readers for hire?¡± Sage pointed at three different tables set in alcoves along one wall. One table was unoccupied. The second one had two people seated, one of them reading to the other. The third had four people gathered, one of them reading. This might take a while, Tom mused. Could I get Eubexa to read this? But she''s recovering from tough healing, I understand. Besides, we don''t really have time to bring her in and have her read the whole thing. A thought occurred to Tom. He almost dismissed it out of hand, but reconsidered. I''m rich, sort of. I might as well ask. He realized that Sage was already helping another visitor, and stepped away from her desk. Carrying the book, he returned to the small counter Varga had pointed out, and got the woman''s attention. ¡°Pardon me. I was wondering, is it possible to buy or rent this book, and take it out of the Library?¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± The young woman took the book and examined the cover. ¡°I will be back shortly.¡± ¡°T¡ª¡± Diavla caught herself and shook her head slightly, frowning. ¡°Master, what are we doing?¡± ¡°I want book. I ask, I give coin, I get book?¡± ¡°You want to buy the book?¡± Varga asked. At least, Tom was pretty sure that was what she was saying. ¡°Maybe. Maybe give coin, get book, give book.¡± ¡°You ¡®rent¡¯ the book,¡± Diavla taught him. ¡°What is the book?¡± ¡°Maybe book say, where we go, get elf boat,¡± Tom explained. ¡°Eubexa read. We find person, read.¡± ¡°Maybe book (something) say?¡± Varga asked. ¡°Maybe book no say, Varga ask,¡± Diavla explained. Tom shrugged. After another minute of waiting, the young woman returned. ¡°I am sorry, but we don''t have a spare copy of this book made at the moment. If you wish, you may pay two gold¡ª¡± Tom flinched, and bit back an instant protest only with effort, ¡°¡ªand take the book out of the library, then return the book in good condition to receive your two gold back. The usual cost of a book is one gold, you see, so this way, people are discouraged from paying the fee and then keeping the book.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tom couldn''t help but sound relieved. ¡°Sorry, it''s just that two gold is a lot of coin.¡± ¡°I quite understand. Generally, only nobles borrow books.¡± Tom had the needed coin, but it was stashed in his secret belt pocket, and he didn''t see a private place to fish them out. Diavla had spent nearly all of the coin in his pouch on healing Eubexa. He debated what to do for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Will you please hold this book for me, then? I can return shortly with the two gold, but I have to visit the Treasury.¡± ¡°Oh! Certainly, my lord!¡± Tom shook his head rapidly. ¡°I''m not a lord, I just have enough coin for this.¡± ¡°Oh. Are you a wealthy merchant, then?¡± Tom was about to deny it, but then thought it over a moment. Actually¡­I suppose I am a merchant now. Life is strange sometimes. Aloud he answered, ¡°Wealthy enough for this, at least. Thank you. I will return soon.¡± He stepped away from the counter and bowed his head closer to the elves''. ¡°I go Keep, get gold, go here. You stay? You go?¡± Diavla looked around longingly. ¡°I want to stay, please.¡± ¡°I will stay with Diavla,¡± Varga said. Tom nodded. Diavla leaned closer. ¡°You get my gold, you get collar?¡± Tom thought it over quickly. ¡°Maybe. Now get gold, get book.¡± Diavla nodded back. ¡°I will (something) Elvish books.¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± he murmured in Western. At her puzzled look, he tried again. ¡°Dangerous bad. You no do dangerous.¡± ¡°?¡®Be careful,¡± she taught him. ¡°We will be careful.¡± Tom looked around the book room warily, eyeing visitors, looking for danger, before turning and leaving the Library. I''ll only be gone a few minutes, he told himself. I''ll only be gone a few minutes, he repeated nervously as he hurried towards the Keep. Chapter 43: Maps and Decisions Diavla wandered through the map room while Tom was gone. When she looked for help, she found the tallest human she had yet seen. He had a thin face and a long nose, and squinted at faraway sights. She summoned her memories of all the places she had heard Tom mention. ¡°Please, sir, I have very small Western. I ask map Rivermarch, Oak Mill, Middleton, Lasha River?¡± The man nodded as if he had expected the question. ¡°(Something) maps of Baria are thirty silver.¡± He led her over to a sort of dresser full of large flat drawers. Pulling out the second one from the top, he opened the big square lid, to reveal a small stack of maps. Carefully, Diavla pulled out the top one, and saw that the next looked nearly identical. She took a moment to admire the artwork. Humans are sometimes crude in places, but their crafters have skill. She looked the map over, noting features of terrain, and small drawings of towns labeled with Western runes. Tracing a large river, she found a large city and pointed at it. ¡°Rivermarch?¡± The man shook his head, and pointed at another city further to the right on the river. ¡°Rivermarch.¡± Then he said something else, pointing at the first city. Diavla missed most of it but gathered that the name of the larger city was probably Capital. She set the map down carefully on a table, and Varga started looking it over. Diavla went back to the man, looking for more things to buy. More gesturing ended up with her being led over to a shelf holding leather pouches that were long and slender¡ªmap cases. They were fifteen silver, so Diavla got one of those as well, to add to her shopping pile. She sat down with Varga at the table, set the map case down, and puzzled over the map for a while, arguing about details and making guesses. ¡°You know, Tom''s not going to be able to read this at all,¡± Varga pointed out. ¡°I know. We''ll have to do it.¡± ¡°You can''t read Western, though, can you?¡± ¡°Only numbers. But we have Eubexa, and she does read Western.¡± ¡°She''ll probably be really happy to be useful,¡± Varga commented. ¡°We''re going to need more maps for our journey, and this seems to be the best place to get them. Only, I don''t know our path, so I don''t know which maps to get.¡± ¡°Well, we know where we want to end up, right?¡± Diavla blinked. No matter what path we take, we have to end up somewhere on the coast, and of the three, the southern coast of Durathin is the only logical choice. The west gets us farther from home and the east is the Empire. She smiled at her friend. ¡°Remind me to kiss you for that, later.¡± Varga beamed, then leaned closer. ¡°Why n¡ª?¡± Diavla cut her suggestion off before she could finish voicing it. ¡°Tom''s not here to protect us if humans object, Varga.¡± The redhead rolled her eyes but nodded. ¡°Keep an eye on these, please?¡± ¡°All right,¡± Varga agreed with exaggerated patience. Diavla returned to the tall human, thinking about how to ask her next question. He squinted down at her. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Come, please.¡± Diavla led him over to the mural. ¡°Very beautiful, sir. My Master very like.¡± ¡°Yes, we are very (something something). What did you need?¡± With her very limited Western, Diavla hardly had any of the words she would have wanted, but she made do. She swept her hand across the middle third of the southern coast of Durathin. ¡°How much is this all? I see maps?¡± ¡°I''ll show you what we have.¡± First, they returned to the dresser and pulled out the third drawer. Within was a pile of maps that closely resembled the mural. They depicted the entire continent and were very well done. ¡°Fifty silver.¡± Diavla smiled and carefully pulled out the top one out of perhaps a dozen copies. ¡°Very yes. Wait, please?¡± Diavla hurried over to Varga and set the second map down on the table over the first, then easily dodged a couple of humans wandering past, stepping lightly across the room to land neatly before the map keeper again. ¡°And more, please?¡± Off they went, to a different dresser full of map drawers. These maps were far more disappointing. There were only two or three copies of each, and they held fewer details, as well as having inferior artwork. Diavla doubted that their accuracy was much to brag about, either. There were six maps that seemed most relevant, and they were fifteen or twenty silver each. Much of that was probably the cost of the materials. Finally, she asked him for a map of the country directly south of Baria. Apparently, the land was called Redhill. This new drawer yielded high-quality maps with a lot of small towns and waterways marked. She pulled one out. Surprisingly, it had more detail than the map of Baria did. It looked fairly dense, but readable. Still, Diavla found herself almost wishing for an expander. The thought brought her soul up short. Her mouth fell open. An expander. That would be perfect. Eagerly she smiled up at the map keeper, who was already pleased at her interest in buying so much. ¡°Please, sir, you have¡­I do not know the word. I buy.¡± She gestured while trying to piece together words well enough. ¡°Rock. Help you see.¡± ¡°Rock lights are¡­¡± Diavla didn''t catch the rest of the sentence. She shook her head. ¡°I am sorry, no. I say wrong. Small. Bad see. Rock. Big. Good see. Rock, water same? What is word in Western, please?¡± ¡°I don''t understand.¡± A few more tries convinced Diavla that the map keeper had never heard of an expander, which was surprising. I''ll have to ask Eubexa what the word is later, and where to buy one. She apologized, bowed, and retreated with the map of Redhill. Together she and Varga pored over the items she wanted to buy. It seemed that there would still be a sizable gap between Redhill and the coastal maps. So, probably at least one more country we would have to pass through, but there are two or more strong possibilities and we probably can''t afford to buy every map I would want. She was well aware that they barely had enough gold to cover the fare home¡ªnot even that, if they brought Eubexa. They had a lot of expenses, too. We''ll need to earn more money along the way. It''s going to be an interesting journey. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Finally, Tom returned. Varga jumped up and ran over to him at once, so Diavla stayed with the maps and waved. Tom walked over, and there was something different about his stride. She couldn''t put her finger on what, though.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Tom stayed a few paces back from the table so he could see. Diavla explained what she wanted to buy and the cost, then Tom offered his opinion. He was happy with the maps of Baria and Redhill, less so with the map of the whole continent. ¡°Beautiful, but we no need. This but more small, more small silver,¡± he said in Elvish, pointing at it. Diavla looked at the map, considered, and shook her head. ¡°I buy, Tom. I like, I want. I think this map will help.¡± Tom looked at her, then shrugged. ¡°It is you coin.¡± Tom added something else in Western, then looked around before coming closer and crouching next to where Diavla was sitting. She liked his closeness, the way their faces were at the same height, for once. It would be so easy to kiss him like this¡­ Tom fumbled with a pouch, and the mystery of his odd gait was solved as he pulled out three gold coins and passed them to her under the table. ¡°You coin, yes?¡± Diavla accepted the coins and put them in her own pouch. He''s carrying a significant amount of gold, and he''s both coping with the weight and being more protective of his coin pouch against pickpockets. ¡°You choose maps, Diavla. You see maps. I no see maps. I trust you.¡± Diavla felt warm and her cheeks started to ache a bit. They spent a few more minutes looking over maps. Tom asked, and found one specific to the Great Oak Forest. I should have thought of that, Diavla scolded herself. Varga spotted something interesting as well, and called Diavla over. ¡°Hey, Dee, this seems like it would be handy.¡± It was a book¡ªbut instead of writing, the book was full of maps. Simple, cruder versions of all the maps Diavla wanted and more. She compared carefully, and the maps of the southern coast were nearly as good in the book as in the larger separate maps. In the end, Diavla bought the map case, a book bag, the atlas, and the larger maps of Great Oak Forest, Baria, Redhill, and the continent. She handed over all three of the gold coins Tom had just given her, and received three large silvers in change. It is very easy to spend money quickly, but we pretty much have to have these if we are going to cross the continent. It was still a lot of coin, but Diavla decided it was definitely worth it. Before they left, Diavla asked, ¡°Tom, we will buy collar?¡± Tom gave a grimace. ¡°I think¡­ no.¡± Diavla felt a wave of disappointment come over her. ¡°Why no?¡± ¡°I think Eubexa no like.¡± ¡°Eubexa?¡± ¡°Collar give no pain, but collar is scary. I will ask Eubexa. If she want, I buy.¡± Diavla shook her head. ¡°Eubexa no like to give coin. Eubexa no want give coin to heal her foot. She say no. If we have collar, maybe Eubexa say no, maybe Eubexa say yes.¡± Tom frowned again. ¡°Is very big coin.¡± Diavla frowned, thinking. ¡°If we no buy, maybe bad person buy.¡± Tom said something she couldn''t follow, and seeing her expression, he tried again. ¡°Probably no. Years, bad person no buy.¡± Diavla sighed. She really wanted them to get that collar, but it would take all the coin Tom and Diavla had left from their shares. She pulled out her last argument. ¡°Tom, maybe¡­we see demon, we give demon collar.¡± Tom didn''t look surprised. ¡°I think, too. Maybe big help. Probably no.¡± ¡°?Probably no is more good no.¡± Then she realized that she knew the word in Western, having learned it from Joan. ¡°Tom, ¡®probably no¡¯ is better than ¡®no¡¯.¡± Tom mused aloud in Western for a moment, but it sounded as if he were considering the idea more favorably. She waited, and he put it into Elvish as best he could. ¡°Maybe we break, get silver¡­metal better than gold, and¡­¡± Tom curled his fingers to indicate something small and round. Seeing that Tom was still uncertain, Diavla turned to Varga. ¡°This is a lot to ask, but¡­can you help pay for it?¡± Varga frowned at her. ¡°Are you sure you want it this badly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Diavla blinked. She''s worried about me. She turned that thought over in her soul a moment. It is a very dangerous magical work. In the wrong hands, it is almost as bad as a demon. And maybe she''s worried about what will happen to me, how I might change¡ªhow Tom might change me¡ªif I ever work up the nerve to wear the thing. Do I really want to do this? If I don''t get this now, I will very likely never see another one for the rest of my life. Now, Diavla was sure of her answer. ¡°Yes.¡± Varga stared at her for several long moments. ¡°I hope this isn''t a terrible mistake.¡± She fidgeted for a few more heartbeats. ¡°All right. For you, Diavla. Is ten of my gold enough?¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°Thank you, kanashim,¡± she murmured. She turned to Tom. ¡°Varga give ten gold, I give ten gold, you give five gold, Tom?¡± Tom blinked, looked at them both, opened his mouth as if to object, then closed it again. Finally, he sighed. ¡°Yes.¡± It turned out that Tom had taken enough gold out of the human bank to pay for the collar, even though he had been against it. He respects our decisions. He is a good leader, and chooses not to be Master to everyone. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They returned to the shady cul-de-sac where the shop with the collar lay. This time, they stayed with Tom while he had another argument with the shop owner. Diavla wasn''t sure exactly what they were arguing about, because it didn''t sound like haggling. But in the end, Tom handed over twenty-five gold coins, counting them out carefully, and received a white wooden box in exchange. He opened it and examined the contents closely, and Diavla got her first look at the magic item. It was elaborate, finely worked, and beautiful. It doesn''t even look like a slave collar. When she realized that it was partly made of mithril, Diavla blinked in surprise. It made sense, since it was a powerful item, but it hadn''t occurred to her that the materials alone would be so valuable. She held her breath as the deal was concluded. Tom closed up the case, carefully placed it in his pack, and tied the bag shut. He was obviously on edge, alert as they left the cul-de-sac, and didn''t stop watching everyone and everything closely until they got near the Keep. Tom left them at Sally''s Sweets again while he went to stash the collar in his box in the human bank. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla found the desserts just as delicious as before, but this time her stomach finally started protesting. ¡°Ugh, no more cheesecake for me,¡± she declared sadly. ¡°I was wondering when that was going to happen. I don''t know how you lasted this long,¡± Varga commented. ¡°You''re lucky that it all went straight to your chest. Even back in Kilder Vald, you weren''t as busty as you are now. I''m envious.¡± Diavla glanced down. I do look pretty good in this dress, she admitted to herself. She''s right. Fancy eating apparently agrees with me. ¡°Maybe you should eat more cheesecake.¡± ¡°Cheesecake is good, but I like the lighter stuff, too. This cake is so fluffy.¡± Varga took another bite of white cake. ¡°Honestly, what I really want is to gorge myself on meat and get a serious workout. In the other order, though.¡± Diavla nibbled on a beet cookie and watched the street for Tom. Varga followed her gaze, then mused, ¡°I wonder why Tom put the collar in the bank?¡± Diavla frowned in thought. ¡°Possibly, because it''s illegal, and unless they have a reason to suspect it''s there, the bank box is the best hiding place.¡± ¡°I thought he was going to offer it to Eubexa, though.¡± ¡°He probably plans to talk with her about it first.¡± Diavla tapped her chin. ¡°Also, the dealer Tom got it from is plenty shady. Tom might be worried about foul play if he walks around town with it. Even melted down it''s probably worth ten or fifteen gold.¡± They ate in silence for a few more minutes. Diavla nibbled at another cookie, and Varga ate a few tiny treats after finishing off her white cake. Diavla made sure to buy apple tarts for Eubexa again. ¡°So,¡± Varga began, ¡°do you think everyone is going to come along when we leave town?¡± Diavla smiled. ¡°I guess I know where you stand.¡± ¡°Next to you, Dee. Always.¡± Varga smiled. ¡°I know Tom''s going, and I know you''re going with Tom, so that means the three of us are going. Not sure about the guys.¡± Diavla nodded. ¡°They could take jobs as a courtesan and a chef, or they might want to help rescue the others. Eubexa''s a mystery. I wouldn''t be surprised if she wants a good woman to buy her so she can stay in the city. The wilderness is rough on the sick.¡± ¡°Did Tom tell her about the demons?¡± ¡°I''m not sure. He probably will.¡± ¡°Did he tell her about Sheema and the others?¡± ¡°I don''t know. He might not. I''ll check what Eubexa knows when she wakes up again. Speaking of which, we should head back soon. If she''s awake and in pain, she will probably need some of the medicine I''ve got in my pack.¡± Varga was quiet for a minute, then asked, ¡°Dee¡­did you ever know anyone who fought demons?¡± Diavla thought back. ¡°A couple of people. I never asked them for their stories, though. It seemed private.¡± Varga sighed. ¡°I''m kind of scared. I want to rescue Sheema and the others, but after that, I want to get out of this kingdom as fast as we can. I don''t want to stick around for a demon fight.¡± ¡°Me, either. Tom is going to be torn, I think. He''s the sort to want to join the fight, especially given how it started, but he also takes our safety seriously. He''s not deciding just for himself, so if we tell him we want to run, I think he will.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess that goes both ways, doesn''t it? He''s not going to want to leave you.¡± Diavla''s heart lifted a bit to hear that, and then more when she spotted Tom crossing the road on his way over. ¡°Here he comes now.¡± She thought about what they were going to do next. Interesting conversations ahead. Chapter 44: Lost in Translation Eubexa wandered through a series of strange dreams. In each one, her foot was injured: a stab of a dagger, a horse stepping on it, a rock falling and crushing it, or falling into a fire. And, of course, memories of how it actually happened. Of all the dreams, the one where her foot was getting eaten by a wolf was the worst. When she woke up, she only knew that it wasn''t simply another dream because the pain kept getting worse. She tried to roll over onto her side, and discovered that was a bad idea. She turned her head, and by the dim glow of a nearly extinguished rock light, saw the old elf sitting on a stool, leaning back against the wall. What was his name again? Orwen? No, Orvan. That was it. Eubexa flexed her fingers, her arms, her neck, testing. Everything was marginally better than that morning. She meditated for a couple of minutes with the familiarity of long practice. It is only pain. Pain is life. I am alive. I am more than just pain. I have work to do. That last thought felt different, now. Her new work was translating. All she had to do was listen and talk. Her ears were not what they once were, but most days her voice was still good, at least. She thought back to Master''s instructions. Your first duty is to take care of your health, he''d said. And later, I invested in you, and I don''t want to lose my investment. She mentally shook her head. Investment. He wasted how many gold on me? Eighty silver for the foot, a gold for general healing, more for the bandages and medicines, at least two gold to buy me, possibly three. She sighed. So much wasted effort. Well, I''ll have to do my best to be useful. If he gets angry at wasting so much on me, he might take it out on the others, and¡­ Eubexa stopped, annoyed with herself. She had automatically started thinking about protecting her fellow slaves. They''re not Belva. You don''t owe them anything, she reminded herself. ¡°Awake, I see.¡± Orvan was regarding her through narrowed eyes. He was a hard one to read. He seemed to have that ¡°accepting and sad¡± approach to life. She''d heard that he''d had a fairly happy life for a long time, and then three months ago, his beloved wife had been killed in front of him as he was taken off and made a slave. In some ways he was naive, but Eubexa knew better than to knock the experience of elderly elves. You never knew what else was going on in one of those souls. She cleared her throat. ¡°Hello. Has the sun set?¡± ¡°No, there''s an hour yet. The others should be back soon, and we''ll probably go to dinner at the Floating Duck again.¡± Eubexa felt a pang of regret that she wouldn''t be able to go. It would be nice to be around people¡­if I were not so deformed and diseased. She cut off that thought. Where is that coming from? I haven''t been out and about for years, why is it bothering me now? Her soul suspected that she knew the answer, but Eubexa buried it deep. Hope was too painful to contemplate. It weakened a person. She couldn''t afford any more weakness than she already had. She did her best to not even have those thoughts. A moment later, both of them caught the sounds of Elvish, muffled by halls and stairs. ¡°Speaking of, here they come,¡± Orvan added. Time to sit up, she thought with alarm. She wasn''t in her old bed, so she didn''t have the handholds she needed. She gathered herself. This is going to hurt. A sudden thud just above her made her flinch. There''s a wooden pole there? Eubexa''s eyes raced back and forth until she had taken it in. Orvan had thrust the butt of a spear against the wall a short distance above her and was holding it in place. ¡°Get a grip on it, and I''ll lift you.¡± How could he possibly know? Eubexa stared at him. ¡°This chance is riding past,¡± he chided her. Is this a trick? Will he drop me once I lean on him? Eubexa''s soul raced. If so, better to find out quickly. She reached up and carefully grasped the shaft of the spear with both hands. ¡°Three, two, one, up.¡± Orvan lifted smoothly, pulling Eubexa until she was sitting upright on the bed. ¡°Do you need more?¡± Eubexa let go of the spear. ¡°No, I''m¡­thank you.¡± The worst was over; from here she could get out of bed without too much trouble. She hated sounding so awkward, but it was very strange to have people being nice to her; she hadn''t had cause to thank anyone for much in a very long time. It would probably take her a while to relearn some proper manners. After all, less than a day ago, I was still at Madam Louisa''s. ¡°Be careful to clean that,¡± she cautioned the old elf. ¡°I know, I know.¡± The sounds of the others returning had reached their floor. Eubexa could hear Varga calling. ¡°Oh, hey, Kervan, you''re awake. Ready for your second night as a courtesan?¡± ¡°We''ll see.¡± Eubexa stiffened. Kervan is becoming a courtesan? I should warn him. Eubexa actually had yet to meet Kervan. He hadn''t been around during the times she was awake. I have some interesting conversations to translate. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Master was first, of course. He asked to be alone with her, and the other elves agreed. Eubexa wondered whether the human understood just how good elven hearing was, and that they did not have anything like privacy from her fellow slaves. She decided not to tell him until she could see some advantage in doing so. They conversed in Western, which felt just as natural to Eubexa as Elvish, at this point: ¡°Eubexa, I have news.¡± ¡°Yes, Master?¡± ¡°I¡ªwe¡ªhave obtained a powerful magic item.¡± Behind her veil, Eubexa frowned. ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°It is a slave collar.¡± Eubexa felt a chill. ¡°It is an evil thing, but I have possibly a good use for it.¡± Here is where he shows his true soul, isn''t it? What rationalization is he coming up with for what he''s going to do? And who¡­? Eubexa closed her eyes. Demon shit on a spit. She forced her voice to sound normal. ¡°What is it?¡± Master took a deep breath. ¡°It is an extremely powerful mind-control device. It allows the owner to command the slave to obey, on one setting.¡± I can work around that, I expect. It''s not as if there''s much he could order me to do anyway, that I wouldn''t already prefer to death. But I''m sure it gets worse. ¡°On one setting?¡± ¡°Yes. There are three more settings.¡± Three?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°The second setting is the one I am interested in. It allows the owner to control the physical sensations of the slave. I''m sure it originally was meant for torture, but¡­I could use it to turn off your pain.¡± Eubexa''s soul involuntarily flashed back to those moments before she went under the drugs for surgery. To be free of pain¡­ The temptation was almost overwhelming. It''s too good to be true. It has to be. ¡°And the other settings?¡± Master grimaced. ¡°If the seller isn''t lying, the third setting commands belief. I could tell you something is true and you would believe it.¡± ¡°Anything?¡± Master shrugged. ¡°Supposedly.¡± What in the world and sky does the fourth one do, then!? ¡°And the last?¡± ¡°It''s suppose to command your soul.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°The guy said I could make you fall in love with me, or hate your best friend, or truly want whatever I tell you to want.¡± Eubexa started to relax. ¡°Master, that''s¡­I''m afraid that you may have been taken in by a con man.¡± ¡°He said it was crafted by Kwelkorm the Mad.¡± Well, it would make sense that a story would have to include one of the few beings in history who might have been able to craft such a thing. Eubexa was surer than ever that it was a fake. Now she started to worry about Master''s reaction when he figured out he had been tricked. ¡°Master, the man would say something like that.¡± ¡°It''s partly made of mithril, and it is incredibly elaborate.¡± Mithril? Oh, no, this is bad. He must have lost an absolute fortune. ¡°Master, how much did you spend¡ª?¡± ¡°Never mind the price. If it is a con, I will get my revenge on the man, don''t worry about that. I''m not a complete fool. The point is that we have the item now. If it does nothing, so be it. But if it works¡­if even just the first two settings work¡­I could order you to feel no pain, for as long as you want.¡± Eubexa frowned again. ¡°Why tell me the rest, then? I wouldn''t have known.¡± Master sighed. ¡°It would be wrong to trick you into wearing it. You deserve to know the full risk you would be taking.¡± Eubexa was stunned. This is either an elaborate sadistic torture, or he actually means what he says. Eubexa felt betrayed by her own soul, as she realized that she was leaning towards believing Master actually meant what he said. He''s just a boy. He really could be this naive. Gods and spirits know the rest of this crew are. Her soul turned that over for a moment. The rest of this crew are this naive because Master¡­because Tom Walker has been so nice to all of them. Consistently. More than necessary. He asked about courtship¡­if the human thinks he is in love with Diavla, that is an incredible opportunity. If he thinks of us as people¡­if he actually wants to get us to freedom and this isn''t just some elaborate scheme¡­ She eyed the boy from behind her veil. He seemed to realize that she needed time to think. He wasn''t asking her for a response, he was settling down, waiting patiently until she spoke. How can he be this insightful and this naive at the same time? What do humans use for souls? The collar has to be a fake. This is ¡°change the world¡± power he''s talking about. Even if he spent over a hundred gold on it, there''s no way he could afford it, if it were real. If it were real¡­ No, it can''t be. Sure of that now, Eubexa thought about the next step. If I volunteer to wear it, and it does nothing¡­then what? Should I pretend that it works? No, it would be too hard to pretend not to be in pain all the time. There''s only so much I can hide with the veil. But, if it doesn''t work and I tell him, he''s going to be angry, and it would only be natural if that anger spilled over onto me. Spirits, I hope he didn''t go out and buy this thing specifically for me. The money he wasted on me might have just gotten multiplied a lot. If he''s this bad with money, we''re in real trouble. Eubexa''s soul was starting to spin. Too many possibilities, I can''t hold them all. Should I ask him to try it out on someone else, first? Then if it doesn''t work, it won''t be me that he gets mad at, at least initially. ¡°Master,¡± she began, tentatively, ¡°do you want to test it out on someone first, before you make it unclean putting it on me?¡± Master stirred. ¡°Would it make you feel better? I suppose that''s fair. This is a really big request.¡± Master mused, ¡°It wouldn''t be fair to have you try it if no one else was willing. I''ll talk to people and see if someone would volunteer. I don''t blame you for being nervous about it. I¡­don''t know if I could put it on, myself. But I''m not in constant pain, either.¡± Master seemed to mull it over a few more moments. ¡°All right. If I go retrieve the collar, bring it back here, try it out on someone, and it works, would you be willing to put it on?¡± ¡°Master, would you give me your word that you would never use any but the second setting on me?¡± His word might not mean anything to him, but it was something to test. ¡°The second setting includes the first, you understand, but given that, yes. I give you my word.¡± Eubexa did her best to sense any deceit in him, and came up empty. Either he''s a magnificent actor, or he really means it. She shook her head. He needs an answer. ¡°Yes, Master. Given all that, I will wear it.¡± Eubexa knew it would never come to that, of course. The collar had to be a fake. It probably wasn''t even real mithril. But this way, she managed to deflect at least some of his eventual anger elsewhere. Agreeing was her best option, in this insane hypothetical situation. ¡°All right. I''ll ask the others for a volunteer, and if I get one, I''ll go fetch it. Meanwhile, you can have those conversations with the other elves. How are you holding up?¡± ¡°The pain is getting worse, but I should be able to fulfill my duties before I need to rest again. I know you''ve been waiting.¡± ¡°Just do your best, and if that''s not enough, I can wait.¡± Master sighed. ¡°Thank you, Eubexa.¡± ¡°Of course, Master.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Eubexa tended to her body for a few minutes, then overheard Master bidding farewell to the others and his heavy footsteps going down the stairs. He actually found a volunteer already, so he''s leaving now to retrieve it? Well, it''s not my problem¡­until it is. Soon after, Diavla knocked, and Eubexa let her mind relax back into Elvish, and told her she could come in. The black-haired beauty closed the door behind her, and spoke softly enough that the other elves would have trouble hearing her. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Eubexa matched her volume. ¡°The foot hurts a lot, but everything else hurts a little less than before. What can I do for you?¡± Diavla chewed her lip a moment and fidgeted, then sighed. ¡°I need to know a bit of Western. I may have screwed up while talking to Tom earlier.¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°He told me you said, ¡®I love you¡¯. First of all, what did you actually mean to say?¡± ¡°Well, I thought I was telling him that I really, really, really like him, but he acted as if I said something very different.¡± ¡°Where did you get the idea that love means ¡®really, really, really like¡¯?¡± ¡°From Tom! I told him that I really, really, really liked beet cookies, and he told me that I love beet cookies.¡± Eubexa sighed heavily. At moments like this, she really missed the ability to press a palm to her forehead. ¡°It''s not your fault,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Western is¡­a defective language in some ways. The same words get used to mean very different things.¡± ¡°So, what did I actually say?¡± ¡°Well, it depends a lot on context. Were you flirting with him at the time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Romantically or sexually, primarily?¡± ¡°Well¡­primarily romantically, but sexy flirting was definitely part of it, or I meant it to be.¡± ¡°In that case, he thought you were declaring you were tolanor to him.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Diavla''s hands flew to her mouth, as if she could prevent the words she had said hours earlier from getting out. ¡°Western doesn''t have different words for kanashim, erotalsh, and tolanor, or even fellithi. All of them get translated as ¡®love¡¯.¡± ¡°That''s insane,¡± Diavla breathed, eyes wide. Eubexa snorted a little. ¡°Just wait until I tell you how many different things friend can mean. One version means ¡®friend¡¯, but there are lots of others. Six years I''ve been in Baria, and I''m pretty sure I still don''t know them all.¡± ¡°How do humans talk about relationships, then?¡± ¡°Badly,¡± Eubexa answered shortly. ¡°Really badly. Though to be fair, they''ve got something like a dozen different languages on this continent, and not all of them are as bad as Western on this topic.¡± ¡°How do I talk with Tom, then?¡± ¡°Through me. Or, if I''m not available, make sure you use lots and lots of Western words and describe what you mean in detail.¡± Diavla seemed taken aback. ¡°I think we''ll want some of these conversations to be private.¡± Eubexa tilted her head a bit, since shrugging was painful at the moment. ¡°Diavla, remember that I''ve been a sex slave for nine years, six of them in a brothel. I''ve seen and heard everything. You two cannot possibly surprise me or shock me, no matter how kinky you get.¡± ¡°What is ¡®kinky¡¯?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­call it ¡®creative or unusual with erotalsh¡¯, kind of like zadakim, but not quite. Human culture has more of an emphasis on not varying the details of sex much, so the ¡®unusual¡¯ part is more relevant.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°I think you two might want me around when you want to flirt privately. I can sit in the corner and only speak up when you need help.¡± ¡°Well¡­if you keep our privacy, I suppose.¡± ¡°I expect it will be much harder to convince Master,¡± Eubexa commented wryly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It''s a Baria thing¡­a lot of secrecy around sex is the norm for humans, here. They''re not usually interested in witnesses¡­or at least, they''re not supposed to be.¡± Diavla furrowed her brow. ¡°This sounds complicated.¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°And you thought just learning the language was the hard part. The culture of humans, particularly these humans, is a whole other challenge.¡± Diavla seemed to be realizing the enormity of what she was facing. ¡°In that case, I will be grateful for your help.¡± ¡°Of course. This is exactly what I am suited for.¡± And just about the only thing I am suited for, at this point, Eubexa thought, bitterly. But I''m grateful that I might find ways to be useful to this group. Maybe Master won''t end up considering me a huge waste of gold, after all. Chapter 45: Stay or Go? The other important conversation had to wait on Eubexa getting a small dose of anesthetic herbs. She needed to be alert, but her foot was throbbing too fiercely to fully ignore, even with her long experience. Once the pain had been reduced to a manageable level, all of the elves crowded into Eubexa''s room to discuss plans for the future. Eubexa faithfully relayed everything Master had told her to tell them. Then she added, ¡°I''m sure that Master didn''t tell me everything, so it''s up to you whether to fill me in on the rest. I''m not offended¡ªyou people haven''t even known me a day, yet. I''d certainly like to make an informed decision, though, if I can.¡± The elves looked at each other. Diavla took a deep breath. ¡°You should not tell anyone else about this, Eubexa. It might get Tom in a lot of trouble with the Lord of the City.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± This ought to be good. ¡°Apparently, that cargo Tom had a human spirit-touched inspect? It is a load of crystals, that apparently have demons trapped inside of them.¡± There was silence for a moment as Eubexa echoed that in her head. It didn''t make any more sense the second time. ¡°I''m sorry, could you please repeat that?¡± ¡°We have no idea how, but someone, very long ago, managed to capture demons instead of destroying or banishing them. And not in a host, either¡ªin a crystal. Forty-eight crystals, in fact.¡± Eubexa still was having trouble, but didn''t want to appear slow in front of the others. ¡°All right, so¡­you were traveling around with forty-eight demons?¡± ¡°Until a few of them got loose, yeah,¡± Varga put in. ¡°They tested all for us demonic possession while we were at their City Temple.¡± All of us? Oh, they don''t mean me. I wasn''t traveling with them. Who knows? While I was unconscious they probably tested me as well, just because I''m another elf. Wait. Eubexa echoed Varga''s comment in her head. She blinked. ¡°Saa¡­you don''t mean¡­demons, right? This is a metaphor?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°How many demons¡ª!?¡± Eubexa forced herself to lower her voice, even though almost no one in the city could possibly understand her words. ¡°How many demons got loose? Where and when? Where are they now?¡± ¡°Our best guess is that thirteen days ago¡ªthe same night Tom found us¡ªthe bandits broke the magic containment on one of the cases, and at least two of them got possessed and ran off into the woods. A third crystal has broken, probably more recently, which is why they were worried that one of us had gotten possessed. But apparently, we''re clear. Either there was another bandit we missed, or the demon settled for a wild animal or a monster for as a starting host.¡± ¡°And people found this out this morning. Was Tom tested?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And all of you?¡± ¡°Yes. Apparently, we were lucky.¡± Eubexa turned that over in her soul. ¡°And the city just found this out this morning¡­ This is bad.¡± ¡°Yes. Tom says humans will have to fight a war to stop the demons, and many will die.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Eubexa shook her head, thinking hard for a few moments. ¡°So. My first option is, get sold to someone who might be a kind Master, and stay in Rivermarch, while a demon war rages out in the forest. Then, I have to hope that the war doesn''t spread into the city, if they get powerful enough wards ready in time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And my second option is to travel through that forest where the demons were last seen, and stay in Oak Mill, surrounded by that forest, while Master goes demon hunting.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That''s crazy. Is there an option where we get our asses out of here, immediately? And go somewhere far, far away?¡± ¡°We''re going to discuss it with Tom, with your help, but we probably won''t be able to dissuade him from searching.¡± Eubexa squeezed her eyes shut a moment. ¡°Why would he do this? I thought he felt protective of us.¡± ¡°He does! That''s exactly why he''s doing this,¡± Varga declared. ¡°That doesn''t make any sense.¡± ¡°There''s another reason,¡± Diavla said, then stopped. Here it is. Eubexa latched onto it. ¡°What aren''t you telling me?¡± The other elves exchanged looks. Eubexa growled in frustration in the privacy of her mind. All right, no idea what their secret is. Can I figure it out, though? They just came out of that forest, and are going right back into it. And it''s not just because demons are out there. It might even be despite there being demons out there, if Master is actually protective of us. She couldn''t remember the exact wording of what Master had told her, but suspected that she had missed a clue somewhere. What could possibly make Master want to go back into a demon-infested forest? You don''t run back into a burning building once you''ve made it out! Unless¡­ ¡°There''s someone in the forest he wants to rescue, isn''t there?¡± Eubexa declared. ¡°Someone he has to search for.¡± The pause before anyone replied told her that she was right. ¡°Yes,¡± Diavla admitted. ¡°That was well-reasoned.¡± ¡°And you don''t want to tell me who?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Not yet.¡± Eubexa sighed. ¡°How long do you think it will take him to find this person?¡± ¡°We''re not sure. Depends on how many of us go out searching, I suppose. I''m hoping it will be a matter of days. After that, we will exit the forest to the south, and keep going south, until we are well away from here. At least, that''s what I think will happen.¡± Diavla looked around at the others. ¡°Varga and I want to go with Tom. Kervan, Orvan, what do you think?¡± Kervan sighed. ¡°Eubexa''s right. Staying in Rivermarch isn''t really safe. Going with Tom is more dangerous in the short term, but gets us away from the demons, eventually. Plus¡­well, you know. Sure, I''ll come along. Someone has to keep track of the finances, after all. Orvan? What about you?¡± Orvan heaved a big sigh. ¡°I could spend a long time in Rivermarch teaching these humans how to cook properly, but not if the city gets overrun. I will stay with the group.¡± Diavla looked at Eubexa. ¡°I understand that you barely know us. Tom will back you whichever way you decide.¡± Eubexa snorted. ¡°Really? After he poured how much gold into me? He will want to reap a harvest from it.¡± ¡°He rescued you because it was the right thing to do, not because he needed a translator,¡± Diavla told her. Thinking about that made Eubexa uncomfortable, so she stopped arguing the point. ¡°Still, I''m very sick. I''ll be nothing but a liability on the road.¡± ¡°Teaching us Western is very useful, you know. Tom understands that you will need help, and still wants you along, if you''re willing.¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± No point in fighting it. ¡°If we can convince Master to get us away from the demons as soon as possible, that would be best. If Oak Mill is infested with demons, we turn and run, I hope?¡± ¡°Yes. Tom has no interest in fighting demons.¡± ¡°When do we leave?¡± ¡°Possibly as early as tomorrow, but I''m guessing that it will take another day to get everything prepared.¡± Eubexa took a deep breath. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°Well, for starters¡­what''s the Western word for ¡®demon¡¯?¡± ¡°Demon.¡± ¡°Is there a way to find out what humans actually know about fighting demons? How they fight?¡± Kervan wondered. ¡°Something to ask Tom. Oh! Wait a beat.¡± Diavla hurried across the hall to her room, and returned at once with a bag. She pulled out a book. ¡°Can you read this?¡± ¡°Can you cleanse it after I touch it?¡± Eubexa asked warily. ¡°Mmm¡­no, but I can check that your gloves are clean before you handle it, and make sure the book is clean after. If we have to, we can always take the book to the Temple for cleansing before we return it.¡± They spent a few minutes sorting out precautions, then with a brighter light, Eubexa examined the book. ¡°Alliances of the Coastal Kingdoms? Why do I need to read this?¡± ¡°We want to know where elven embassies are. That''s our goal; we want to get on a diplomatic ship back home. Also, if we knew which countries allow free elves, we would prefer to travel through those.¡± Eubexa frowned. ¡°This might not have any information on that.¡± ¡°I know. It''s our best lead at the moment, though.¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°All right, now that I know what I''m looking for, I''ll start reading.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Knowing that they would be traveling to one of these places made the book more interesting. Eubexa struggled a little with the Western runes; it had been a long time since she had been called upon to read anything, and she was very much out of practice. Still, the book was written neatly, and it quickly started coming back to her. There were a lot of pages, so Eubexa simply looked at each one, hunting for the words ¡°slave¡±, ¡°elf¡±, and ¡°embassy¡±. Slavery was mentioned occasionally, as it was sometimes a sticking point in treaty negotiations. Eubexa read about different kingdoms. When she needed a break, she asked for a private conversation with Kervan. ¡°Hello, Eubexa.¡± The sandy-haired elf was a bookish sort, not particularly handsome or strong. Of course, humans usually couldn''t tell the difference. He looked at her, curious. ¡°Hello, Kervan. Thank you for speaking with me. I hear that you tried out being a courtesan yesterday.¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± Kervan colored slightly, looking a bit defensive. ¡°Kervan, I''m not judging. I''ve been a sex slave for the past nine years, and I was good at it. I''m curious as to how your night went. Did the Jane leave satisfied?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, female customers for sex workers are called ¡®Jane¡¯ in Western, while male customers are called ¡®John¡¯. To preserve their anonymity.¡± ¡°I see. Well, yes. Both of the ¡®Janes¡¯ were satisfied when I left, I think.¡± ¡°Two at once? Impressive.¡± ¡°Actually, they took turns. They were splitting the cost.¡± ¡°How much did Master charge them?¡± ¡°I said, mostly as a joke, that I would be a courtesan for a gold a night. Someone actually took me up on it, but wanted to split the price.¡± Kervan seemed annoyed at the thought that Master would set the price. Eubexa took note. ¡°Congratulations, that is a princely sum for your services. It''s as much as Madam Louisa herself charges.¡± ¡°Well, I''m the first elf in some time to be available.¡± ¡°Did you enjoy your work?¡± ¡°Of course. It''s expected, I should think. It had been quite a while for me, so I was pretty hungry for it.¡± ¡°Human males tend to be¡­larger than elf men, all around. Any problems there?¡± ¡°Well, the experienced one looked a little disappointed at first, but I made up for it with skill. She left happy.¡± ¡°Good. It sounds as if you had a good experience then.¡± ¡°I did. I wouldn''t mind doing that again, once in a while.¡± ¡°There are downsides, you know.¡± ¡°I''m sure there are. But I can always say no, if someone is difficult or unappealing or something.¡± Eubexa shook her head. ¡°No. You can''t. Not always.¡± ¡°I don''t think Tom''s going to force me.¡± ¡°I''m not talking about Master. I''m talking about a John or Jane getting angry and violent. Some people do not take it well when someone tells them ¡®no¡¯. This is especially true for people being refused sex service.¡± ¡°I suppose that''s a bigger problem for female sex workers.¡± ¡°True, but you never know when a jealous husband is going to show up. Plus, there are thieves¡­¡± ¡°Well, I''m not going to be doing it all the time.¡± ¡°Kervan. You haven''t seen what I look like, yet.¡± Kervan froze. ¡°No, I haven''t. You always wear the veil.¡± ¡°There''s a reason for that. Brace yourself.¡± Slowly, giving him a chance to look away or leave, Eubexa reached up and lifted her veil. Kervan seemed reluctant to watch, but curiosity drew him in. His eyes widened in horror. He swore vehemently for a few moments, before calming down enough to speak properly. ¡°Spirits! What demon fought you?¡± ¡°It was a John. One who got pleasure from inflicting pain on others. He paid handsomely for the privilege, I gather. Do you think it was worth it?¡± Kervan took a moment to find his voice. ¡°But why? How many gold would he have to pay to make it worth it to your Master to disfigure you and make you unable to work?¡± ¡°I was already sick with the red pains, by that point. I was fairly limited in what I could do, that people would pay for. I''m not sure whether Madam Louisa expected the John to kill me. Hoped, probably.¡± ¡°But¡­couldn''t they have cured you?¡± ¡°Human Healers aren''t as good as elven ones, and Madam Louisa didn''t want to waste the money.¡± Kervan closed his eyes. ¡°Stupid, foolish woman,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°I quite agree.¡± Eubexa drew a deep breath as she shifted slightly, feeling a throb of pain from her foot. ¡°At any rate, I wanted to caution you about the dangers of this line of work. I recommend that you avoid it, if at all possible. Eventually, sickness is inevitable. With the way Master spends money, we might reach a point where he wants to cure you, but can''t afford it.¡± Another wave of pain seemed to travel up her leg for a few seconds. ¡°I''m sorry, Kervan, but I''m about done talking for the moment. I''ll be happy to answer questions for you when I am feeling a little better.¡± The last words came out as a bit of a groan, despite her best efforts. ¡°Of course. Shall I send Diavla in?¡± ¡°In¡­in a few minutes.¡± I need to endure as much as I can, reduce the time that I am useless to Master. Eubexa tried to read more of the book, but there was no mention of slavery for many pages. Eubexa started having trouble concentrating, but pushed on¡­until her throbbing foot got too distracting to let her focus. Reluctantly, she set the book down. She was about to give in and ask for drugs when Master returned. Chapter 46: Testing the Collar Diavla''s heart began to race when she heard Tom coming up the stairs. Does he have it? Are we actually going to do this? She had expected to have more time to think it over before wearing the collar, but Eubexa wanted someone else to try it out first. It''s just for a minute. Just to demonstrate. Calm down, Diavla. ¡°Dee, are you sure you want to do this?¡± Varga asked for probably the third time. Diavla simply nodded. Everyone was looking at Tom when he arrived. ¡°Hello, everyone. Um¡­ hello, all.¡± Since Eubexa''s door was open already, Tom simply leaned in and knocked on the door frame. ¡°Hello, Eubexa. May we come in?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, Master.¡± Tom entered the room and Diavla followed, bringing the rock light she had picked up back when they were still on the road. Tom had abandoned it, but it hadn''t taken very long for Diavla to refill it once she spent a while meditating on the thing. Varga followed, and the men had to hang out in the hallway, because there wasn''t space for all of them. Tom set his pack down, and pulled out the white wooden case. He set it on the small table by the bed and opened it, so Eubexa could see. ¡°This is it. I''m (something something something) mithril.¡± Eubexa said something Diavla couldn''t parse, but it sounded like surprised agreement. ¡°It really is mithril,¡± Eubexa murmured in Elvish. ¡°At least, it''s not fake metal. And it is quite beautiful.¡± ¡°Diavla, you are good?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I''m ready.¡± ¡°She''s ready,¡± Eubexa echoed in Western. ¡°Eubexa, please tell her¡­¡± Tom kept speaking, then Eubexa translated. ¡°¡­If you want to stop at any point, you are under standing orders to say so¡­ This way we will test out standing orders, too¡­ We need to learn exactly how this thing works¡­ Go ahead and take it out of the box, Diavla.¡± Diavla carefully picked up the necklace and held it in front of her, peering at it. It was a little heavy, which was only to be expected given its size. An intricate spiderweb design was meant to hang down, draping over much of the chest. She examined the clasp, but it looked like a perfectly ordinary arrangement. How does it lock? Tom spoke, and Eubexa translated. ¡°He wants to know whether you can tell if it is filled or not, and whether filling it is something you can do.¡± ¡°Tell him that checking would take me several minutes. I can do that first, if he wants.¡± ¡°¡­He says it''s up to you.¡± ¡°Well, I''ll put it on, and if it doesn''t do anything, then I''ll check to see if it is empty of magic.¡± Diavla took a deep breath, and pulled the collar against her throat. Reaching behind her neck, she worked the clasp by feel. ¡°I''m not sure how to¡­¡± Something clicked into place. Oh. Diavla relaxed with a sigh, her arms falling to her sides. She was¡­done. She could rest. There was nothing she needed to do. She wasn''t focused on anything, thinking about anything, she was just¡­blank. She felt nothing, except a vague, faint sort of contentment. < ¡­ > She didn''t feel compelled to do anything, so she didn''t. She just stood there and breathed. < ¡­ > Diavla sort of woke up, and realized that she was just standing there. She collected herself mentally for a moment. ¡°I''m¡­ awed. That was really interesting.¡± ¡°What did you feel?¡± Varga asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Diavla told her friend. ¡°I just completely and utterly relaxed.¡± A moment later, she made a discovery. ¡°Wait. I can''t move.¡± She couldn''t even turn her head to look at Varga, just her eyes. < ¡­ > ¡°Tom says, try now.¡± Diavla thought about that. ¡°Saa, I still can''t move. I mean, I can, but I can''t make myself do it. I can think about it, but I can''t make myself want to do it, if that makes any sense. I''m¡­not actually hearing any commands. Is Tom saying anything?¡± ¡°Not out loud.¡± < ¡­ > Diavla moved a bit. She blinked at that and looked around. She lifted her hand and examined it back and front just to demonstrate that she was able to. ¡°All right, now I can move.¡± Everyone had gathered around her as best they could in the limited space. Tom was a couple of steps back, holding the white wand that came with the collar. ¡°Tom, what did you tell me to do?¡± It took a minute of back and forth before Eubexa felt confident she correctly understood Tom''s answer. ¡°He says¡­he didn''t do anything at first, you just stood there. So he told you, ¡®Diavla, you can think and speak normally.¡¯ But that didn''t seem to do anything, so then he ordered you, ¡®Diavla, think and speak normally.¡¯?¡± Tom asked through Eubexa, ¡°Do you feel all right?¡± Diavla thought. ¡°I¡­think so? I mean¡­¡± She hopped on one foot for a moment, spun in a circle, and ran her fingers over the many pieces of the jeweled necklace. Then she felt the back of her neck. ¡°Hm. How do I take this off?¡± ¡°Let me see,¡± Varga offered, stepping close behind Diavla and putting her hands on Diavla''s shoulders for a moment. There was a pause, and Diavla could feel Varga''s fingers poking at the collar. ¡°I don''t¡­see a hook or clasp, or anything. It looks like an unbroken chain.¡± Diavla''s heart began racing again. Is it stuck? Am I trapped? When Eubexa translated, Tom stepped forward. ¡°Let me.¡± He tapped at the necklace with the wand in a few different ways, then discovered that pressing directly on the back of the collar with the tip of the wand caused the clasp to reappear and release. Diavla caught the necklace before it could fall. She felt a little shiver, imagining what might have happened if the collar had been stuck on her permanently. Following Tom''s every order, forever¡­ It was frightening¡­and stirred other feelings, too. But when she remembered Tom''s short lifespan, and imagined the wand falling into someone else''s hands, the prospect was horrifying. ¡°Tom wants to know whether you feel back to normal now.¡± Diavla rubbed her neck, and did her best to calm her racing pulse. She was sure she was blushing furiously. After a bit, she gave Tom a reassuring nod, and told Eubexa, ¡°Yes, I think I''m fine. I mean, I thought I was fine as soon as he told me to act normally, but I guess I was fully under his command. Which gems did he use?¡± A moment later, Eubexa relayed the answer. ¡°Only the first one.¡± Spirits, what will the others feel like? Diavla took a deep breath. ¡°All right. We need to test the other gems. I''m¡­¡± She took another breath. ¡°I''m putting it back on.¡± She did so. All her emotions faded away, all her needs, her wants, her desires, her thoughts, everything was gone. There was only waiting, and breathing. < ¡­ > Diavla blinked a couple of times, quickly. She checked that the collar was still in place. ¡°Are you back with us?¡± Eubexa asked. Responding took her a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± Diavla considered. ¡°How long was I unaware?¡± ¡°Only a heartbeat or two.¡± ¡°Did Tom order me to ¡°Think, speak and act normally¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­That''s correct.¡± < ¡­ > Diavla suddenly felt very warm. She immediately began fanning herself and sweating. It was as if she were just outside a smithy and walking closer. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Tom asked, through Eubexa.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Hot. Sweltering.¡± < ¡­ > Abruptly, she felt a strong chill. She wrapped her arms over her chest and began to shiver. It took a few heartbeats to shift all the way from hot to cold. ¡°Brrrr¡­¡± ¡°I take it you feel cold now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± < ¡­ > The strange feelings of heat and cold faded. She tilted her head. ¡°And¡­ I''m back to normal. Well, that certainly worked.¡± ¡°Tom, tell her to feel no pain,¡± Varga asked. ¡°Don''t hurt her,¡± he warned. ¡°I won''t.¡± < ¡­ > A moment later, Diavla felt Varga spank her bottom, hard. ¡°Hey!¡± She took a small step forward as she regained her balance. She felt it, but it didn''t hurt at all. She turned and glared at the redhead, anyway. Varga just shrugged, trying to hide a smile. ¡°What? We had to test whether it turned off pain or not.¡± She added, ¡°I don''t want to slap your face, because it would be all red after.¡± Diavla held out her arm. ¡°Try here.¡± Varga promptly slapped her arm hard enough to knock it down a bit. ¡°It''s just a touch sensation. A little intense, but no pain.¡± She observed that her arm was starting to get red. ¡°Hm, I wonder if you could command my body not to be hurt, or to heal faster.¡± < ¡­ > Diavla suddenly sat down on the floor. Varga frowned. ¡°Dee? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Meditating to try to summon spirits of Healing. I''m really bad at it, but¡­¡± < ¡­ > Diavla stopped. ¡°What happened?¡± A pause. Eubexa paused to listen to Tom, then translated. ¡°He says that he commanded you to ¡®Heal faster¡¯, and then said, um, ¡®Cancel the last order.¡¯ Or something like that. I''m not quite getting every word, sometimes. How are you understanding him? Is he thinking at you in Western or Elvish?¡± Diavla thought about it. ¡°I''m not aware of the commands, but I''m also not feeling any ambiguity. Perhaps it is soul-to-soul, communication without language.¡± She got back on her feet. ¡°He''ll still have to be careful with commands. Sometimes, the reaction won''t be what he was expecting.¡± ¡°¡­Tom agrees.¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± Tom declared in Western. < ¡­ > Diavla obediently closed her eyes. < ¡­ > She could feel Tom''s arms going around her, hugging her tightly, pinning her arms to her sides. < ¡­ > Diavla shivered as Tom planted a string of kisses on her neck. So bold. In front of everyone? < ¡­ > Tom''s fingers slid down her spine, leaving tingles behind. Diavla flinched as his fingers slid lower, and felt his hands grip her behind firmly and give a slight squeeze. Her breath hitched and she did her best not to squirm. < ¡­ > The sensations of Tom playing with her body vanished. Her eyes stayed closed. She swallowed. ¡°That¡­saa¡­that was very¡­¡± A thought struck her. ¡°¡­realistic. That didn''t actually happen, did it? Tom didn''t touch me?¡± ¡°He hasn''t moved, Diavla. Did he tell you to feel something pleasant?¡± Eubexa asked quietly. Diavla nodded vigorously. ¡°So, he could do that to me whenever he wanted,¡± the sickly elf mused. Diavla couldn''t tell from her tone how Eubexa felt about that. He could do that to me whenever he wanted. Diavla knew her face was heating but didn''t care. He was bolder than I thought he would be. At any moment, he could do that. He could¡­ Tom asked Eubexa something, and she answered him in Western. < ¡­ > Diavla''s eyes opened. ¡°Did he tell me to open my eyes?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Diavla nodded and returned to her own thoughts. Her imagination started to run a little wild with ideas for things Tom might do to her. She didn''t pay close attention to know what they were discussing. Finally, Eubexa asked, ¡°Diavla? Are you all right?¡± Diavla urgently tried to push those interesting thoughts aside and focus on the conversation. ¡°I¡­believe so. I was just ¡­thinking. Unless, Tom gave me some sort of command¡­?¡± ¡°No. Are you sure you''re all right?¡± Diavla thought a moment, then nodded firmly. ¡°Yes. I''m fine, as far as I can detect.¡± ¡°Tom asks, are you ready for the third gem?¡± Diavla hesitated, then nodded again. This one supposedly commands my reality, she recalled. < ¡­ > Diavla abruptly lost her vision entirely. ¡°I''m blinded,¡± she announced nervously, feeling more alarmed by the moment. Instinctively, she raised her hands, wary of something bumping into her. < ¡­ > Her vision returned. Diavla couldn''t quite help sighing in relief. ¡°My sight is back.¡± Tom and Eubexa argued for a moment. ¡°¡­Tom says that wasn''t a good test of the third gem because he could probably do that with the second one. He''s going to try something else.¡± < ¡­ > Diavla glanced at Eubexa, and a black cat was trying to climb into Eubexa''s lap. ¡°Saa, saa! Off, cat! No!¡± She darted forward. Eubexa didn''t react to the cat at all, but did flinch away from Diavla. < ¡­ > The cat vanished. ¡°I lost it,¡± Diavla warned, looking around. ¡°I must have blinked. Sorry, Eubexa. I didn''t mean to startle you. Where did it go?¡± ¡°Where did what go, Dee?¡± Varga asked. ¡°The black cat! The one that was just¡­¡± A suspicion entered her soul for a moment, but then she shook her head. ¡°No, I know there''s a black cat in here, somewhere. It''s not Tom playing a trick.¡± ¡°Actually, it is, Diavla. There''s no cat,¡± Eubexa corrected her. ¡°I know there''s a cat. I saw it.¡± ¡°Diavla, I didn''t see any cat,¡± Kervan confirmed. Diavla glanced that way, and Orvan was also nodding. < ¡­ > Diavla stopped short. She was suddenly, absolutely certain that there had never been a cat. ¡°Demon shit.¡± She stared around at everyone. ¡°I was utterly convinced. Even knowing that Tom is standing right there with a magic item mind-controlling me, even though Eubexa told me that there wasn''t a cat, I was still totally certain that there was a cat in here.¡± Diavla shuddered. ¡°Please, don''t do that one again.¡± Eubexa translated, Tom replied, Eubexa translated back. ¡°He says the last one might feel even worse afterward, but he''ll try it when you''re ready.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Diavla held up a hand. ¡°Tell him to do another thing like the cat, but don''t undo it. Then, when I take off the collar, we can check whether I still believe it.¡± A quick babble of Western later, Eubexa answered, ¡°He says the seller told him it should all wear off.¡± ¡°We should still check. Maybe it takes a while.¡± < ¡­ > Tom seemed to be thinking hard about something. While everyone waited, Diavla wondered how Simon was doing, and if he would be joining them for dinner. It would be interesting getting the perspective of another elf who lived in Rivermarch. Eubexa said, ¡°Tom wants to know where Simon is.¡± ¡°He''s waiting downstairs,¡± Diavla told her promptly. ¡°Who''s Simon?¡± Kervan quietly asked Orvan. Tom was still thinking. Finally, Varga asked with a wicked gleam in her eye, ¡°Does Tom want suggestions?¡± Diavla glared at her friend, feeling a bit stressed by the experience. ¡°Don''t you dare.¡± In a low voice, she muttered, ¡°I think he''s doing just fine without help.¡± If this last gem works, he''s going to tell me to want something, or love or hate something. Wait¡­is he going to tell me to feel tolanor for him? Diavla found that alarming, and started wondering how she would be able to tell. < ¡­ > While she was waiting, a distracting thought occurred to Diavla. She tapped her forehead. ¡°Everybody, do you know what we forgot? Hats! When we were getting clothing. We absolutely should all buy hats that can cover our ears, to draw less attention. Plus, in the colder weather, it will really help us to keep from freezing so badly. Varga, did you see any hats at Whistler''s? I didn''t. ¡°We should find a place that sells hats and get a bunch of them. I want a pretty hat. But it should have a string to keep it from blowing off in the wind. What color do you think would look best on me? I''m thinking blue, to match this dress. Varga, I''d like to see you try on a bunch of hats. I¡­what?¡± Varga was staring at her strangely. < ¡­ > Diavla stared back at her friend in confusion, then dismissed it for the moment and with growing excitement, she turned and lifted her chin. ¡°What do you think? Imagine a hat from this side. I''ve seen some human women have their hats attached with some kind of pin. Some of them wear their hats far to one side, which looks ridiculous to me, but I guess it''s creative. I prefer¡ª¡± The magic released her, and Varga caught the necklace as it fell from Diavla''s neck. ¡°Oh! Thank you. I wonder how that happened?¡± She looked across the room, but Tom wasn''t where she had last seen him. ¡°Where did Tom go? I thought we were going to test the last gem.¡± ¡°Diavla, are you very interested in hats for some reason?¡± Eubexa asked. ¡°What? No, it was just a thought. I suppose cloaks with hoods are better in a lot of ways. We don''t know how much rain we will get on the road, so we should use whatever works best. ¡­Wait, what were we talking about? Sorry, I got distracted talking about hats, of all things.¡± A flicker of motion caught her eye, and when she turned to see what it was, she discovered that Tom had gotten behind her, somehow. Oh, that''s how the collar came off. Why didn''t I notice? ¡°Diavla?¡± ¡°Yes, Tom? Did you want to test the fourth gem?¡± Eubexa translated into Western. ¡°I did. It works.¡± ¡°How do you know? Did you¡­I don''t feel any mad compulsions to kiss Orvan or anything. Varga, what did you do?¡± She glared at her friend. ¡°I didn''t do anything! Why are you accusing me?¡± ¡°Because when trickery happens, you either made it or you helped.¡± That wasn''t quite fair to Varga, but Diavla was feeling edgy. Tom spoke for a few moments, then Eubexa explained that apparently Tom had caused her to want to talk about hats. Then he had told her to ignore him, while he moved around behind her. Clearly, it had stopped working almost the moment the collar came off. It was fairly disconcerting, though. Diavla absently rubbed her neck. ¡°Diavla, do you know anything about an elf named Simon?¡± Eubexa asked. Diavla nodded. ¡°Yes. I met him in town earlier. Like I said, he''s waiting downstairs.¡± ¡°What''s he like?¡± ¡°He''s¡­¡± Diavla was about to give a generic description, but made herself stop and think. ¡°Wait¡­¡± She tried to remember what Simon looked like, or where exactly they had met and when. She came up empty. ¡°Tom! Did you make me forget about Simon?¡± A few moments later, Eubexa replied, ¡°There is no elf named Simon, Master made him up. All Master commanded was, ¡®There is an elf named Simon who you met in town. He is waiting downstairs.¡¯ None of us could hear it, but that''s what he says that he sent to you.¡± Diavla needed a minute to sort out that Simon didn''t exist, first. ¡°Wait¡­Simon isn''t real?¡± ¡°So, there are lingering effects,¡± Eubexa pointed out. Diavla sighed. ¡°I was so sure. But obviously, I''m wrong¡­right?¡± ¡°What, Simon? He and I are drinking buddies!¡± Varga declared. Diavla quickly turned and focused on her, scared and uncertain. Varga''s face fell as she took in Diavla''s expression. ¡°I''m kidding. There is no elf named Simon, Dee. I''m sorry.¡± She swallowed, and repeated, ¡°I''m really sorry, Dee. That collar can really mess you up, huh?¡± Diavla shuddered. ¡°I''m glad Tom bought it, because I''m horrified to think about what some other human would do with it.¡± Tom spoke for a while, then Eubexa translated, ¡°Apparently, anything you are told using the third gem just gets added to the things you believe, but once the collar is off, you can figure out that they aren''t true. Filling someone''s head with lies that they believe still holds potential for wreaking wide havoc, even after the collar is removed,¡± the sick elf mused. Tom and Eubexa had a long discussion. Diavla guessed that Eubexa was having second thoughts after seeing the collar in action. Eventually, though, Eubexa asked in a strained voice, ¡°Diavla, would you please put the collar on me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Diavla took the collar and squeezed past people until she could reach behind Eubexa. As she lay the necklace against Eubexa''s chest and gripped the clasp, she heard the faintest whisper in Elvish. ¡°Please, don''t let him hurt me.¡± Diavla''s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded firmly. ¡°I won''t,¡± she promised, quietly. ¡°Ever.¡± The clasp locked. Chapter 47: Confessions Tom gripped the control wand in his hand, and waited a few moments, watching Eubexa. There was nothing to see, because of the veil. Diavla said the first thing that happened was that she relaxed completely, and Eubexa probably needs that badly. I shouldn''t stall, though, so hopefully this is enough to be of some benefit to her. He pressed the first gem on the wand, and concentrated. < Eubexa, think, speak, and act as you normally would. > Then he spoke aloud. ¡°Eubexa, how is that? Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. That¡­was interesting.¡± Tom might have been imagining it, but he thought Eubexa''s voice had started calm and was very rapidly becoming anxious. Best to hurry up and put this away, he thought. ¡°I''m going to turn off your pain now.¡± ¡°Master, please, don''t!¡± Tom froze in confusion, his finger not quite touching the second gem of the wand. ¡°What? Why not?¡± ¡°Please reduce the pain. I need to know when I am injuring myself.¡± Tom grimaced, then nodded and touched the gem. < Eubexa, you will only feel half as much pain from now on. > Eubexa gave a little moan¡ªof relief, hopefully. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. Thank you.¡± ¡°I cut your pain in half. I''m going to cut it in half again, if that is acceptable to you.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± < Eubexa, you will now only feel one-fourth as much pain as you otherwise would. > The sick elf heaved a sigh, and then started gingerly touching parts of her body. ¡°This is much better.¡± ¡°Shall I cut the pain in half one more time?¡± Eubexa hesitated. Tom gave her time to think it over. The other elves waited quietly, as well. Finally, she answered, ¡°No, thank you, Master. I think I would rather get used to this amount of pain. I still need to be aware when I am damaging my body, or if it is giving me warning.¡± ¡°All right. The offer is open. Now¡­¡± Tom hunted for words, and Eubexa seemed to tense. ¡°It''s nothing bad, Eubexa, I''m just trying to figure out security. I don''t want this wand to ever get lost. I realize that I don''t know whether this collar has the same effect as the others, where I must touch the control at least once every week so that it doesn''t kill you. If that wasn''t the case, I''d probably leave it in my box in the City Treasury for safekeeping. I welcome your suggestions, but my inclination is to always leave someone here with you, and have them keep the wand, in case of emergency. That way no pickpockets have a chance to steal it.¡± ¡°No, please, Master. I would greatly appreciate it if you kept it on your person. I don''t want such control over me passed around like¡­like¡­¡± Tom frowned at his stupidity, and nodded. ¡°Of course. My apologies. I will guard it with my life.¡± He looked down at himself. ¡°I''ll need to figure out how to hide it while I carry it¡­ I''ll never need to get at it quickly, at least, so I can make it very hard for a pickpocket to do so, either.¡± After a moment, he mused, ¡°Maybe I could ask Mrs. Whistler about a special holder.¡± They talked for a few more minutes, then Tom said, ¡°I have to go out shortly to the bathhouse, but don''t want to take this thing along and risk it getting stolen. Eubexa, you ought to be safe for the moment. May I leave the wand here, just for a short time? It seems safest.¡± Eubexa clearly didn''t like the idea, but after a few minutes, Tom convinced her. He couldn''t stay by her side at all times, and he wanted to escort the other elves to the bathhouse. Tom knew that he could have simply commanded Eubexa not to worry about it, or even not to know the wand was there, but that was exactly the kind of well-intentioned evil deed that could ruin a soul. Tom brooded about that the whole time they were in the baths. When they returned, Eubexa was busy reading. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± The elf lifted her head and looked in his direction. ¡°Much better, Master. I''m making progress through the book. If I could have something to write notes with, it will be easier for me to find what you need, but if that is difficult, I will manage without.¡± ¡°I''ll see what I can do. No problems with the collar?¡± Eubexa took a deep breath. ¡°None, so far. Master, I am¡­very grateful for this respite from pain.¡± ¡°I''m glad. Could you spare a few minutes to translate a private conversation between me and Diavla?¡± ¡°Of course, Master.¡± Eubexa carefully closed the book and set it on the table. ¡°Good. I''ll be right back.¡± Tom went out and explained to the others that he would be delayed in taking them to dinner, called Diavla into Eubexa''s room, and shut the door, giving the three of them some privacy. Diavla sat down somewhat nervously, and Tom leaned against a wall in order to look a little less imposing. He considered how to begin. Eventually, he decided to leave the relationship issues until the end. Instead, he said, ¡°We need to talk about magic.¡± Eubexa translated everything, and it didn''t take long to get used to the rhythm of speaking a few words at a time and waiting for her to catch up. Conversations still took some patience, but hopefully things would go much more smoothly now that they had someone fluent in both languages. ¡°Yes, Tom. I am curious about your magic.¡± Tom snorted. ¡°Me, too. Nobody ever told me I had any magical ability.¡± ¡°Didn''t your people test you when you were a boy?¡± ¡°No. That only happens for rich people. I grew up in a small farming village. We didn''t have any spell casters in town. Honestly, it never even occurred to me to check. I can''t do any magic. Gods know that I can''t read anything, so I never tried to learn spells from a book. And none of the gods ever gave me a clear-enough sign for me to get the message.¡± ¡°Do you speak with the dead?¡± Tom stiffened. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± ¡°I overheard you giving Mrs. Whistler a message from her dead husband.¡± Tom frowned. ¡°That''s¡­I had a dream. It happens sometimes. I thought¡­it might help Mrs. Whistler to hear what I heard in my dream, that''s all.¡± ¡°Have you ever done any other kind of magic?¡± ¡°I haven''t done any magic,¡± Tom insisted. ¡°It was just a dream.¡± Until I hear otherwise, at least. I do need to stop by the Temple again and pray, just in case. ¡°If you want, I could test you for your Affinities.¡± ¡°My what?¡± Eubexa and Diavla went back and forth for a bit. Eubexa finally said, ¡°Master, I apologize, but some things do not translate very well. The closest I can come is¡­¡®Which spirits like you.¡¯?¡± ¡°What are ¡®spirits¡¯? Are they like demons? Or gods?¡± ¡°No, no¡­¡± Eubexa gave a little groan of frustration. ¡°We do not look at the world and magic the same way humans do¡­ Closer to gods, but more¡­pure? Simpler, maybe. A spirit is an Idea. A living, aware form of a thought or concept. There are spirits of Healing, spirits of Fire, spirits of Water, spirits of Curiosity, many kinds.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Tom still was wondering if they were like ghosts, or maybe just little bits of magic floating around? He knew so little that he didn''t know what to ask. ¡°Well, sure, if she can tell me anything about¡­ me and magic¡­ of course, I''d be curious. But, more to the point,¡± Tom continued, trying not to get distracted, ¡°what can you do, Diavla? Do you cast spells? Did you study magic?¡± Again he had to wait as Diavla and Eubexa talked for a while. ¡°I studied at Temple when I was young. I have a little bit of Affinity with spirits of Fire and Curiosity, and less for some other Ideas.¡± Tom furrowed his brow, trying to understand. ¡°So¡­fire spells, and¡­what do they call it? I don''t know the word. Seeing things far away?¡± ¡°No. It''s more like¡­I can diagnose illness, but I don''t have much Affinity with spirits of Healing, so I can''t actually do any Healing.¡± ¡°What else?¡± The translations took a lot longer now, partly because Diavla was struggling for words, and partly because Eubexa was. ¡°I can sense magic being used, and sometimes magic in people and things. It''s complicated. I don''t always get clear information.¡± ¡°So, you''re a what-do-you-call-it¡­a diviner? Do you know which gods help you?¡± ¡°Ugghhh¡­¡± Eubexa moaned. ¡°Are you in pain?¡± Tom asked, concerned. ¡°No, Master, it is just really hard to translate these things. We elves do not follow gods. We ask spirits for help.¡± ¡°Maybe it''s Dalark, the god of Nature, then? I don''t know much about him.¡± ¡°No, Master, it''s not like that.¡± ¡°I don''t understand.¡± Eubexa lifted her gloved hands, helplessly. ¡°I don''t know how to explain. I''m very sorry, Master.¡± Tom rubbed his forehead a moment. ¡°It''s all right, Eubexa. Let''s stick to practicalities.¡± He gathered his thoughts a moment. ¡°Oh! Diavla, can you tell whether Eubexa''s collar is draining magic right now, and whether it needs to be refilled with magic?¡± ¡°I can, but it takes several minutes. It is like¡­prayer,¡± Eubexa translated. ¡°I cannot throw fireballs like in the stories. If I try for several minutes, I might be able to light a candle. I am not powerful.¡± ¡°That little stick says otherwise.¡± ¡°We should buy one of those, by the way. It is useful and doesn''t take a long time.¡± ¡°You''re right. We''ve spent most of our gold, though.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eubexa broke in, sounding alarmed. ¡°Of our shares, Eubexa. The group still has¡­over a hundred gold, I think. Don''t worry, we''re not broke.¡± ¡°Shares?¡± Tom started to explain how he was dividing all their gold up evenly between them, but caught himself before revealing that he was dividing the total nine ways instead of five. He wasn''t sure what the other elves had told Eubexa yet. He could certainly order Eubexa not to reveal secrets, but that would be a breach of trust and Tom refused to do that. ¡°So¡­you spent most of your share of the gold on this collar? And buying me? And the care at the Temple?¡± Eubexa paused. ¡°Master¡­why!?¡± ¡°Because I could afford it, and you''re worth it, that''s why.¡± Tom really wished he could see Eubexa''s expressions. Then he had a thought. ¡°Eubexa, are you more comfortable with your veil on or off?¡± ¡°On, Master.¡± Eubexa''s reply was immediate. ¡°Even when you''re alone? Or do you take it off, then? I wouldn''t want to surprise or upset you if I accidentally barged in.¡± Eubexa paused. ¡°I¡­do take it off when I am alone.¡± ¡°Then, if Diavla is also all right with it, I would like you to remove your veil when it is just us.¡± ¡°Master, I am hideous.¡± Tom looked at her, hiding behind her veil. He thought about how to approach this, and decided to take a gamble. ¡°Eubexa, your face is horribly scarred, but it is your face. I''ll be honest¡ªthe first few times I see your face, I''m likely going to be very disturbed. But I want not to be, and the only way to do that is to practice.¡± ¡°But, Master, you need never see my face¡ª¡± ¡°But I want to.¡± Tom gave her a moment, then continued. ¡°I care how you feel, Eubexa, and I can''t see your expression when you''re wearing that veil. Besides¡­¡± He hesitated. He wanted to tell her that she had beautiful blue eyes, but some instinct warned him not to. She won''t believe me, he realized. Or, she''ll take it as pity. Or¡­yeah, better not. I should talk that over with someone else, first. ¡°Master, please¡­I don''t want to, please¡­¡± Tom sucked in a breath and waved his hands. ¡°All right, all right! I''m sorry!¡± Eubexa flinched, and he forced himself to speak more quietly. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± he repeated, much more softly. ¡°You don''t have to. It was¡­it was just a thought.¡± Tom put a hand over his eyes a moment, trying not to make things any worse. How can I make her feel better? ¡°Eubexa, you are concerned about your expenses, yes?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°And you don''t seem to realize just how valuable you are as a translator. Would numbers help?¡± ¡°How do you mean, Master?¡± ¡°I mean¡­¡± Tom considered. ¡°I think four silver per day would be a fair rate for hiring a translator. If you consider that you''re saving me four silver per day, does that help?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± When she didn''t answer, Tom pressed, ¡°That''s one gold every three weeks. That''s how much you''re earning.¡± ¡°Master, that''s¡­very generous¡­¡± ¡°How many people in this city are fluent in both Elvish and Western, Eubexa? Two? Three, maybe? You have a rare and useful skill.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Tom really couldn''t tell how she was taking it. Between the veil and her neutral tone, she could be thrilled, or upset, or anything in between. Not knowing made him dissatisfied, but he had to set it aside for the moment. ¡°All right. I have a couple more questions for Diavla about magic, if you please.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Diavla, can you refill magic items?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°How long does it take?¡± ¡°¡­I refilled the rock light we''re using, last night. It took me about half an hour.¡± ¡°How many times a day can you do that?¡± ¡°¡­It depends on the magic item, but I could probably do four or five in a day. It would be pretty tiring, though.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Good to know. Do you still have the amulet I gave you?¡± ¡°Yes. What is it?¡± ¡°Apparently, it is a charm to prevent demonic possession.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eubexa asked, sounding surprised. Tom nodded. ¡°It''s old. It''s been sitting in a box since the last demon war. I got eight of them, and I assume that they all need to be refilled. Can you do that while we travel?¡± ¡°¡­Certainly,¡± Diavla answered after a minute of translation. ¡°But if Eubexa''s collar needs refilling, that is the most important thing. Do that first.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Thank you, Diavla, I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°Of course, Master.¡± Tom raised an eyebrow. ¡°Eubexa, I heard her. Diavla said ¡®Tom¡¯, not ¡®Master¡¯.¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± ¡°I really hope you start to call me Tom eventually, Eubexa, but I won''t push it. Just, please don''t encourage others to call me Master.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Tom hesitated. That wasn''t actually a ¡®yes¡¯. Well, I won''t press unless it gets to be a bigger problem. Diavla spoke up with a question of her own. ¡°Tom, may I test your Affinities tonight?¡± Tom didn''t know what that involved, but didn''t want to drag the talk on any longer while the others were waiting for them so they could get dinner. ¡°Fine. Yes.¡± Diavla spoke for a minute with Eubexa. Tom waited. Eventually, Diavla said, ¡°I apologize for my poor Western earlier, Tom. I said, I love you, and what I meant by that is, I very, very, very like you. I did not mean to upset you.¡± Tom waited until Eubexa had carefully repeated all of that fully in Western. He took a breath. ¡°That''s¡­what I thought. Good to know. Thank you. Um, no, I''m not upset. I mean¡­¡± Tom realized that might sound bad, and tried again. ¡°I mean, I very, very, very like you, too, Diavla. I am happy that you feel the same way.¡± ¡°Master? This is one of the points where I need to do my best to translate something vague. I apologize if I make a mistake. I will do my very best not to. May I ask a personal question or two? I won''t necessarily translate everything you say. I just don''t want to give her wrong ideas.¡± Tom was wary, but couldn''t think of a reason to say no. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°You are fond of Diavla, yes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If Diavla were not a slave, would you like to be friends with her?¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely!¡± ¡°If Diavla were not a slave, would you¡­like to try courting her? Have a private evening together with dinner, or a walk, or things like that? A date?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I would.¡± ¡°So, you would like her to know that if the situation changes in the future, and Diavla is no longer a slave, you are interested in courting her, at least a little?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Would you be interested in having sex with Diavla?¡± Tom''s eyes widened and he could feel his face heat. Diavla was sitting right there. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Master, I have been a sex slave. You can talk about anything with me. I want to know so that I can communicate the right amount to Diavla, so that she knows how you feel.¡± ¡°I don''t want to pressure her at all.¡± ¡°Respectfully, I think we are all aware of that, Master. I will be careful in how much I say. Do you find Diavla physically attractive?¡± ¡°¡­Definitely.¡± ¡°So, if you both are amenable, you would like to bed her? Circumstances permitting at some point in the future, I mean?¡± Tom swallowed. ¡°Is it¡­rude to answer that?¡± ¡°Not to elves, Master. It can only help. Am I correct in thinking that your answer is yes?¡± Tom took a deep breath. ¡°Yes. Very much so.¡± ¡°Is there more to your feelings than that?¡± ¡°What? Of course! Diavla''s amazing. I love how smart she is, and how kind she is to me, and¡­um¡­¡± Tom stopped, feeling embarrassed. ¡°Well, I could say lots of things like that.¡± He glanced her way, nervously. Diavla was listening with rapt attention and smiling at him. ¡°Master, my last two questions are close, but not the same. Please listen carefully. And it is fine if you don''t know the answers yet.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Do you love Diavla? And, are you in love with Diavla?¡± Eubexa shifted slightly. ¡°Do you understand the distinction?¡± ¡°I ¡­think so. I''m¡­not ready to say.¡± ¡°I won''t translate, then. But knowing would help me choose the right Elvish words for the part I will discuss with her.¡± Tom took a deep breath. ¡°I¡­um¡­¡± He paused, and Eubexa said nothing, simply waiting for his answer. He thought about it. ¡°I think¡­I do love Diavla. And¡­I think I could easily fall in love with her. But we haven''t known each other very long and I would need time together with her to get to know her better. I just¡­I haven''t had time to fall in love with her, yet. I mean, we haven''t been able to talk enough, yet.¡± ¡°But you can see it happening?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. Yeah, I really could.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master. I will translate very carefully and not tell her more than she needs to know right now. When you want to tell her more, I will be happy to translate. Is that what you would like, Master?¡± Tom let out a sigh of relief that the interrogation was over. ¡°Yes. Thank you very much, Eubexa.¡± ¡°Master, I am happy to be of service. This is another way I can be useful to you. This will take me a little while. I will tell her a little now, and more after dinner, if that is all right.¡± ¡°Great. Thank you. I''ll¡­go wait with the others.¡± Tom got up and left, feeling nervous, embarrassed, relieved, and¡­hopeful. Chapter 48: Bar Bet Diavla smiled at Tom until he closed the door behind him as he left, then turned to Eubexa. ¡°How much of that did you understand?¡± Eubexa asked. ¡°A lot, but not all of it. You asked him how he felt about me, in detail, yes?¡± ¡°Yes. The human concept of love just doesn''t correspond well to anything in Elvish. In terms of relationships, their culture is still very primitive in some ways.¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°He wants to be kanashim with you, he desires you, and in a matter of days or weeks, I''m pretty sure he will be completely tolanor for you.¡± Diavla''s breath caught. ¡°So soon?¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°It''s actually impressive self-restraint for a human male of his age. Master tries to think about what he feels. If I asked detailed questions about kanashim, erotalsh, and tolanor of most human men, they would have no idea what they felt, even if they were willing to answer honestly.¡± Diavla felt herself smile a little. ¡°Tom is a very impressive human, after all.¡± ¡°There''s more to him than the meat,¡± Eubexa agreed. ¡°He''s smart. Tread carefully, Diavla. If you break his heart, remember that all our lives are at his mercy. He''s still young, and young people are impulsive.¡± The reminder sobered Diavla. ¡°I know. Varga keeps pushing me to seduce Tom, and doesn''t really seem to grasp how dangerous it is. Tom understands. He''s very wary, and very responsible.¡± ¡°Well, sexual frustration can also lead to impulsive behavior, so it might end up a good idea for you to seduce him. I don''t know yet, though. I need a lot more time around him to get to know his soul. It might be better to have someone else satisfy his body''s needs. Varga, possibly, or we could find him a human woman.¡± Diavla pursed her lips, then admitted, ¡°I feel jealous.¡± ¡°Jealousy? Really? Of others bedding Tom?¡± Diavla scowled. ¡°I know. It''s incredibly immature of me. What am I, twenty? I''m sure I''ll adapt, it''s just that our situation is so strange¡­¡± ¡°He''s your hero.¡± ¡°He is. He really is. For all of us, but¡­I feel strongly about him.¡± ¡°Erotalsh?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Diavla almost moaned. ¡°I''ve rarely had any interest in sex before, but Tom truly lights my fire.¡± ¡°He''s a big one,¡± Eubexa agreed. ¡°Fit, a fighter, very strong¡­¡± ¡°Those blue eyes¡­¡± Diavla murmured. ¡°Sometimes I can read him like a book. Other times, when he decides to act, to pretend, to lie, he''s good at it.¡± ¡°Hm. Something to watch out for.¡± Eubexa put a hand to the mind-control necklace as it hung down over her flat chest. Diavla noticed. She''s so thin and frail. I need to remember that she doesn''t have long to live, and to be very gentle with her. Even the weight of that necklace might be a burden in her current state. ¡°So, does Tom understand now what I meant earlier?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Diavla paused. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Terrified!¡± Eubexa answered instantly. Then she took a breath. ¡°Terrified,¡± she continued in a much lower tone, ¡°but I''ll get used to it.¡± ¡°Is the lower pain a good trade?¡± ¡°Spirits, I hope so. I really do. A large part of my soul is screaming that putting this collar on was the stupidest choice I''ve ever made in my entire life. And I''m scared that it was also the last choice I''ll ever really make.¡± ¡°Only time will help that, I suppose.¡± ¡°Or prove me right.¡± ¡°Eubexa, I promise you, I won''t let that happen.¡± ¡°Don''t make promises you can''t keep.¡± ¡°I will do my best. I would not have put my own coin towards buying it if I thought Tom would abuse the power.¡± ¡°Why did you? Master, I can just about believe is naive and noble and did it out of the goodness of his young, foolish heart. Why did you help him?¡± Diavla hesitated. Eubexa gave a little grunt of understanding. ¡°I see.¡± Diavla flushed, and Eubexa nodded. ¡°You are plotting to use this on Master at some point.¡± Diavla felt her eyes open wide. ¡°What!? No!¡± ¡°It''s a bold move.¡± ¡°No! I''m not¡ªTom¡ªsaa, no!¡± ¡°I''m grateful for the relief from pain, and happy to have provided you with an excuse for the purchase.¡± ¡°Well, I¡­am grateful for the excuse, and happy that you are getting pain relief. But I''m not planning to betray Tom.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Diavla growled in frustration. ¡°Please do not mention this theory of yours to anyone else.¡± ¡°Of course. I am completely at your mercy, Head Slave. I will comply with your instructions.¡± Diavla put her head in her hands. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã After a few more attempts at clarifying the situation, Diavla gave up and left Eubexa reading the Library book. That poor woman has been forced to become devious. Who knows, though? Maybe she was always this way. Everyone else followed Tom to the Floating Duck for dinner. Sevennight was apparently very busy and loud there. They claimed one of the last tables, fortunately located against one wall near the kitchen. A dark-haired, older barmaid named Sally came over to them and took their drink orders. Diavla considered sticking to water, but after that conversation with Eubexa she wanted wine. Orvan excused himself to the kitchen after a brief discussion with the humans. Tom ordered five dinners, to be served once Orvan was done helping. It wasn''t long before Edge showed up at their table. Tom had a lively conversation with him as usual, and bought him two drinks while they talked. Diavla picked up bits and pieces but overall the conversation was moving too quickly and the room was too loud for her to understand much. It''s too bad Eubexa''s not healthy enough to join us here. She could probably make sense of this. She was surprised to see Tom remove the ruby ring from his little finger, and hand it to Edge. Edge passed Tom three gold coins in exchange. I''m not sure, but I think that''s a fairly generous price. I wonder what prompted that trade? Edge clearly looked as if he thought he had gotten the better end of the deal, and proudly slipped the ring onto his own finger. Then the men switched topics. Tom listened to Edge for a couple of minutes, then held up a hand to ask Edge to wait. ¡°Kervan,¡± Tom called in Elvish. ¡°You want, again? Go, get¡­eight tens silver?¡± Kervan looked torn, and paused for several moments, then shook his head. Tom relayed that to Edge, and a moment later Tom continued, ¡°You want go, get one gold?¡± Several moments passed. Finally, Kervan sighed. ¡°All right, yes. Yes, Tom, I do.¡± ¡°It is a princely sum,¡± Diavla conceded, when Varga started teasing Kervan again. ¡°Someone has to be good with money,¡± Kervan muttered. He had not been happy when he learned about the purchase of the slave collar. Tom, Edge, and Kervan discussed logistics, then Edge summoned Lily Rose again to escort Kervan to his new customer. Tom looked evasive and embarrassed when Lily Rose showed up, Diavla noted. She was pretty sure Lily Rose was flirting with Tom, but the woman didn''t push and just looked disappointed when she left with Kervan in tow. Varga whispered an explanation to her, detailing how Tom had kissed Lily on Sixnight, but was really bad at it and got embarrassed. He wasn''t a bad kisser when we kissed, Diavla thought with some satisfaction. Although¡­I''d bet that Tom would improve quickly, if he wanted to. And while she felt a pang of childish jealousy that Tom had kissed Lily, she was glad that he wasn''t pursuing the human woman to try again. Why am I such a fool when it comes to Tom? I''m almost acting like a human.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The Floating Duck was busy enough that Tom decided to get their drinks from the bar when it was time for a refill. While Varga defended their table, Diavla came with him to help carry drinks. As she passed people seated, she had to dodge a few wandering hands trying to grope her, but that wasn''t very hard. A glance back showed surprise on one man''s face. She raised her eyebrows at him and kept moving, with Tom none the wiser. They always underestimate my agility, she thought with amusement. The crowd was very loud at the bar, but Minerva took their order almost as soon as she spotted Tom. As she was filling the mugs, a lot of people let up a roar of excitement, as if they were watching a sports game. Tom peered over that way. Miranda asked him a question Diavla didn''t catch. Tom opened his mouth but didn''t answer. He watched something off to the left, and Diavla thought he looked¡­tempted. Tom has been working hard for us and taking care of all of us from the moment we set foot in Rivermarch, she realized. I don''t think I''ve ever seen him doing something just for fun, aside from that time we got him to sing on the road. He has certainly been enjoying himself at times, but he''s always been working, too. I don''t even know what he normally does for fun. ¡°Tom? You want go?¡± Diavla pointed in the direction of the noisy people. Tom wavered, then shook his head. ¡°No, thank you, Diavla. I am good,¡± he answered in Elvish. Miranda said something that sounded encouraging. Diavla grinned and added her voice. ¡°Varga here, Varga say you go.¡± ¡°See?¡± Miranda pointed at Diavla while looking at Tom, seemingly grateful for her support. Tom snorted, and commented in Elvish, ¡°Varga see, Varga¡­ give coin, maybe get coin.¡± Diavla was intrigued. A bar bet? Varga will be sorry to miss out on this. Tom paid Miranda, passed Diavla her wine and Varga''s, then took the two ales himself. They headed back to their table, and Diavla had to twirl at one point to dodge the aggressive hands. This time Tom noticed. He stepped right up to the seated man, then leaned forward, looming over the fellow. ¡°Is there a problem with my elf?¡± Tom made his voice deeper than usual. Diavla found her blood heating as she watched. ¡°Uh¡­no¡­no problem,¡± the man half-squeaked. Tom paused for a beat or two. Then he smiled and said, ¡°Good.¡± He put an impressive amount of polite menace into his tone. Then he straightened up slowly, and resumed walking back to the table. Diavla gave a satisfied little shiver without spilling the drinks. At their table, Varga looked amused as she fended off another human male¡ªwithout words, and without using force, either. The man took two looks at Tom, and cleared out. ¡°Varga,¡± Diavla reported, ¡°there''s some kind of gambling going on over there to the left of the bar. Tom wants to play. I thought you might choose to go along.¡± Varga''s eyes lit up. Just then, Orvan arrived with Sally and their dinners. Again, Kervan wasn''t around to get his, but that was scarcely a hardship for the rest of them. This time, it was a soup, and a different kind of bread that came in swirls of two colors. Diavla wasn''t particularly fond of the flavor, though it did pair well with the meat in the soup. When Tom ordered seconds, he spent a while talking with Sally about something Diavla couldn''t follow. It got clearer soon after. When the food came out, it included a small bucket with a lid and a couple of spoons. Orvan volunteered to take the soup back to Eubexa while the others finished eating. Tom saw him to the door, and Diavla noticed that the big human stayed there for a minute or two before rejoining them. He was making sure no one harassed Orvan on the way home. I feel very safe with Tom. Once they finished eating, Diavla and Varga teamed up to convince Tom to go see the excitement in the corner of the room. It turned out that there were games and gambling available. One game involved throwing darts at a ringed target. There were card games at two tables, and dice at another. And two men were arm-wrestling, while others bet on the result. ¡°Dee, you learned how to read their numbers, right?¡± Varga asked, eagerly. ¡°You don''t know the rules. The cards probably aren''t even the same.¡± ¡°How hard can it be?¡± Diavla smiled. ¡°All right. But first, let''s watch Tom.¡± Sure enough, Tom spoke to a couple of men, then nodded and stepped back, grinning, to wait his turn. They watched the current match, between one man with yellow hair and another one with black. The blond was losing, but put up a good fight. When he finally lost, there was a roar¡ªsome people celebrating and others bemoaning their losses. Coin changed hands rapidly. A skinny woman with brown curly hair began shouting to the crowd. Diavla couldn''t made out many of the words, and Varga pestering her for translations didn''t help. But it was clear that she was introducing Tom. Diavla did catch the word elves, as it was pretty obvious when most people turned to stare at her and Varga. The woman issued a challenge to the crowd. It didn''t take long for a brawny man with reddish skin to step forward. They sat down on opposite sides of a small table. People started making bets. Diavla made eye contact with Tom, who smiled and nodded. Varga pulled out a couple of silver coins, so Diavla did as well. More than a day''s wages for a basic laborer, but it''s not as if Tom''s going to have a dozen of these contests. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She held up her coins and called, ¡°I have two silver! I say my Master Tom do good!¡± A number of people stared, but a man with a patch over one eye, called something out to her. She glanced at Tom, who asked the man a question. The man answered, ¡°Three to two.¡± Tom nodded with a grin. ¡°Me, too!¡± Varga called in Elvish. She made her meaning clear by waving two silver coins at the man. This time, the man asked Tom a question. He answered something with a grin, and a lot of the crowd laughed. Tom turned to Varga. ¡°I do good, you get three silver. I no do good, you give two silver. Yes?¡± ¡°Yes! Thanks, Tom!¡± Hearing that, Diavla elbowed her friend quickly. ¡°What?¡± Varga demanded. ¡°Don''t say his name, even in Elvish,¡± Diavla hissed. ¡°Oh. Right. Thanks, Master!¡± Varga concluded loudly. Diavla met Tom''s gaze, and he rolled his eyes with a small grin, just for a moment. Diavla liked the connection she felt at their shared feelings. ¡°All right, all right, let''s get started,¡± the man with reddish skin grumbled. It was a sentence Diavla recognized, since she had heard it from Tom a few times now. Quickly, she bent over to whisper in Tom''s ear. ¡°You do good, I very like¡­¡± she teased, taking a deep breath and watching Tom''s gaze predictably slip downward. Her human swallowed hard, then tried to glare at her. He wasn''t able to make it convincing, though. Feeling smug, Diavla straightened up and backed away. The men gripped hands. The curly-haired woman placed her hand on top of theirs and counted up, human style. ¡°One¡­two¡­three¡­GO!¡± She pulled her hand off and the men began to struggle. Diavla enjoyed the show very much. Tom''s muscles bulged, but he made no sound. It wasn''t a very long match, though; Tom won fairly easily, wearing a small smile. The men nodded to each other respectfully, and the reddish man got up. The risk-man with the eye patch approached Varga and asked something. Still seated, Tom explained, ¡°He ask, you want coin now, or you do again?¡± There was a murmur in the crowd when they heard Tom speaking Elvish. ¡°You do again, Tom?¡± Varga asked. ¡°Maybe,¡± Tom hedged, looking off to one side. A huge, heavy man with a big gut and bright yellow hair and beard plodded over and landed on the barrel opposite Tom, making it creak. That''s a dwarf and a half, Diavla couldn''t help but think. ¡°I''ll do it again,¡± Varga said. ¡°Diavla?¡± Tom checked. ¡°I take coin, please. Varga do again.¡± She felt a little bad for not showing full confidence in Tom, but she was trusting his judgment, especially seeing Tom''s new opponent. The risk-man handed Diavla three silver coins. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± she told him. The man said something complicated to her, and she shook her head. ¡°I am sorry, I do not speak Western well yet,¡± she recited. ¡°Ten silver on Tom!¡± A familiar voice called out from the crowd. Edge grinned at Tom and held out his fist with his thumb pointing up. It looked like a rude gesture to Diavla, but apparently it meant something different to humans. ¡°Three silver on Tom!¡± A woman called out. Diavla had to squint to pick Lily Rose out of the crowd. Diavla fidgeted, then gave in. ¡°One silver on Tom!¡± ¡°Oh, you cuddle-cat, you,¡± Varga teased. ¡°Shut up.¡± More bets were called, the curly-haired woman counted up, and the match began. Tom immediately lost a little ground. He was clearly struggling against the blond giant. Varga cheered enthusiastically. No one in the room needed to understand the Elvish to know exactly how Varga was feeling. Diavla could see the moment the huge man got serious. He started turning redder and redder, and forced Tom''s hand back another finger width or two. Then someone in the back of the crowd called out something that sounded like an insult, and had the word elf in it. Tom''s expression changed, and Diavla shivered. Abruptly, she was reminded that the night they met, Tom had hunted and killed four men while mortally wounded. He looked angry, but he was focusing that anger. Diavla never wanted to be on the wrong side of that anger, but it stirred something in her to see it flare up on her behalf. Her own heart pounded, and she felt warm. Tom made his move, and slowly started pushing the blond giant''s hand up and back. The big man''s face was so red now that Diavla hoped there was a Healer in the room. Both men started snorting air through their noses, breathing hard. Tom drove the other man''s hand closer and closer to the tabletop while the crowd got louder and louder. Finally, the giant''s knuckles touched the wood, and he called out something in surrender. There was some clapping and a lot of cheering. Many people looked disappointed in the outcome, and those who had bet on Tom were grinning hugely. Tom''s eyes searched the crowd for a couple of moments, then he returned his attention to his defeated opponent and smiled with an effort. He chatted with the giant for a minute, then they both stood and clasped left hands in a friendly gesture. The giant was managing a grin despite being disappointed. It wasn''t until Tom turned away from the big man that his expression grew cold again, briefly, as he scanned the crowd. He gave up searching after a few moments, and visibly forced himself to let it go for now. Diavla was handed three silver coins, and Varga received fifteen, a point she was happy to gloat over. The redhead immediately handed twelve of them to Tom for safekeeping, which showed more wisdom than Diavla expected of her friend. Then Varga dashed off into the crowd, returning a few moments later with Lily Rose in tow. Varga called, ¡°Dee, I need a translator. Can you ask Lily Rose to keep me company and protect me tonight? I want to play cards.¡± ¡°Hey, Tom.¡± ¡°Uh, hi.¡± Diavla turned to the woman and did her best. ¡°Varga ask, you stay, watch Varga, Varga do¡­¡± and Diavla waved her hand vaguely at the gaming tables. Lily Rose grinned. ¡°What''s in it for me?¡± she asked. That was an odd arrangement of words but Diavla believed that she got the gist. ¡°She''s asking what you will give her.¡± Varga looked at the woman, grinned, and made a very loud kiss in the air. Lily Rose''s eyebrows went up, and she snorted a laugh. ¡°Why not?¡± The human said, looking at Tom. ¡°I like kissing. Is Tom staying?¡± ¡°Um, no,¡± Tom answered, awkwardly. He asked Lily Rose something about Varga that Diavla couldn''t follow. Lily Rose agreed. Then she said a bit more, and handed Tom something. Diavla saw a brief glint of gold before Tom''s hand closed on it, and he thanked the woman. Ah. Kervan''s payment, Diavla remembered. I hope he''s all right. ¡°We go,¡± Tom told Diavla, and they headed for the door. As Diavla took a last look around, she saw Edge grinning and talking to a man, handing him some coin. The man glanced nervously at Diavla and Tom. Edge said something reassuring, it looked like, but the man retreated. Diavla''s eyes narrowed. Did he pay a man to shout an insult to elves, to get Tom worked up? She made eye contact with Edge and he winked at her, one finger to his lips. Well aimed, Mr. Edge. You''re a dangerously clever man. Diavla followed Tom home. Chapter 49: Sevennight Diavla checked on Eubexa as soon as they got back. The sickly elf was still eating. Right, it takes her a while to feed herself. Eubexa started to set the food aside, and Tom directly ordered her to keep eating until she felt full or finished the pot. Or so Diavla surmised from the result. Then Tom turned. ¡°Diavla, come with me.¡± She nodded and followed Tom into his room. Tom pulled out a working rock light and set it on the table, then shut the door. He stepped towards his bed, then shifted to the chair, offering Diavla the bed. She sat down directly facing him. Tom''s gaze drifted down and lingered there, until he seemed to realize, reddened, and turned to look at the door, taking a deep breath. Diavla swallowed. He wants me. I want him. This stupid collar¡­ ¡°Tom? No collar, please?¡± ¡°What?¡± He turned to face her and blinked. ¡°OH! I''m sorry! Uh, I am very sorry.¡± He reached down and pulled his belt off. Diavla felt her face heat a bit, even though she knew perfectly well he was just fetching the slave tokens to unlock the collars. As usual, it took him more than one try to find the right token. When it finally clicked into place and Diavla pulled the collar off, Tom seemed reluctant to let go of her neck. Diavla leaned against his hand. For a few moments, they stayed like that. Diavla worked up her nerve, then whispered, ¡°No collar now. We flirt, please.¡± Tom stared at her, emotions warring in his eyes. ¡°Small more flirt, Tom. Please. Small more.¡± She reached up to keep his hand against her neck. ¡°I like.¡± She loved that he was so strong, yet sometimes let himself be moved. Other times, he was a mountain, his grip like iron bands. Even without the collar, he could have his way with me and I wouldn''t be able to stop him. The thought excited her. Slowly, not sure how much would be too much, she turned her head and pulled his hand up so that she could kiss his palm, very gently. That small motion¡ªthat he accepted it¡ªinflamed her passion more than much greater actions by others ever had. It was so tiny, so slow, teasing at an unimaginably wonderful future, that it lent the moment a weight and power that had her holding her breath with its intensity. Tom moved closer to her, lifting his other hand to cup her cheek. She tilted her head, welcoming him, willing him to kiss her. Then, something shifted in his eyes. She thought she saw shame, and embarrassment. He pulled back, letting go of her. She held on for a moment more, then released her grip. Tom cleared his throat, his face red. ¡°I am s¡ª¡± Diavla''s hand shot out and pressed two fingers hard against his lips. ¡°No. No.¡± She didn''t miss that he had reacted to her movements, but then held back from stopping her. I could never touch this man unless he lets me. She made sure to speak Western. ¡°You no say sorry you want me. No.¡± Tom took a breath, then nodded. Gently, he reached up and took her hand, and started to pull it away from his mouth. Suddenly, Tom gripped her hand firmly. Diavla gave a little gasp and held very still. Tom bent over slowly and kissed the back of her hand, very gently. Then he straightened up, and let her go. Clearing his throat loudly, Tom stood and tried to pace, but there was hardly room for him to take more than a couple of steps before turning back. ¡°Diavla,¡± he said, a bit loudly, ¡°you get Orvan''s collar, please?¡± Diavla nodded, trying to clear her head. ¡°Yes, Tom.¡± She picked up the tokens and left Tom''s room. After greeting the old elf, it took just a minute to remove Orvan''s collar. She turned to go. ¡°Diavla,¡± Orvan called for her to wait. She turned back, curious. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you¡­happy¡­ with Tom?¡± Diavla stared at him, then found herself nodding. ¡°Yes. I think I am. Very much.¡± ¡°That''s good.¡± Orvan said nothing else. Diavla lingered in case he had more to say, then excused herself. I wonder what was going through his head right then. She knocked on Tom''s door. ¡°Come in.¡± Diavla stepped inside and closed the door. ¡°Tokens.¡± ¡°Thank you, Diavla.¡± The human conscientiously tucked away the slave tokens and put his belt back on. Then he nodded, and took a deep breath. ¡°Diavla, you say you want see my magic?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°I say yes. What I do?¡± ¡°You¡­meditate.¡± Diavla winced, aware that Tom didn''t know that word in Elvish. This might have to wait for Eubexa, but we can try. ¡°Like¡­you think slow. Your soul is slow, like sleep. Maybe your gods?¡± ¡°You want me to (something),¡± he guessed, then nodded. ¡°I will do.¡± ¡°I will do, too. I will see you.¡± To her surprise, Tom got down on one knee, facing the chair, not her. He bowed his head and clasped his hands together, fingers interlaced. He looked as if he were going to meditate, just as he had in the Temple. Diavla took a cleansing breath, and tried to focus her soul on meditation. Seeing Tom in that odd position helped to cool her blood, and because she had been practicing, it was easier than she expected to reach a proper meditative state. From there, she centered her soul, calmed herself fully, and listened for the spirits. There weren''t a great many spirits in this part of the city, and their rooms were far from the City Temple and its strange leveling effect on spirit populations. Diavla cast her soul about, trying to sense anything unusual in the neighborhood, before focusing on Tom. She stared at him with her spirit-sense, and tried to understand what she was seeing. There were a few spirits showing interest in Tom, but only a few. Diavla concentrated, trying to identify the types. There were none of Fire, and very few of Healing. She sensed spirits of Justice the most, then Passion, Curiosity, Protection, and War. It still felt odd to find herself with an Affinity for Passion, and even now some of those spirits were hovering around her as well. I suppose we just stirred them up a bit, she conceded. Tom''s magic clearly was not strong, but it was present. Perhaps Justice gives him his dreams, along with Curiosity. Diavla wasn''t sure what exactly made a dream-talker, as she hadn''t gotten that far in her lessons at Temple. Shall I make a call? What would we most need? Diavla felt the urge to call upon Passion, but suppressed it. I don''t know what that will do to me, or to Tom. It also wasn''t time yet to call upon Protection. I want to understand Tom better. What word to use¡­? She considered, then made the call to spirits of Curiosity. MAGIC? Her call spread out like a wave. A moment later, Diavla''s spirit-sense was almost overwhelmed by the sheer brightness of Eubexa''s collar, right through two closed doors. That really is an artifact. The spirits almost stampeded towards the sickly elf. Diavla did her best to narrow her focus to Tom. She asked further, What is Tom''s magic?Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Most of the spirits had descended on Eubexa, she could tell, but some spirits of Curiosity gathered around Tom. They played around him, frolicked over and around his body, gathering near his head. With her regular vision, she saw Tom''s forehead crease slightly. Does he know? Can he feel their presence? Many of the spirits dove into Tom''s head and almost seemed to take up residence, but they were still moving back and forth. Tom wobbled, and she saw him try to stifle a yawn. Are the spirits trying to put him to sleep? Diavla kept watching, but didn''t get any further insights. I''m just not powerful enough. I should have asked spirits of Passion to tell me Tom''s greatest desire. Eventually, Tom stirred from his meditation. ¡°I need to go to the Temple tomorrow,¡± he muttered. Diavla blinked as she saw the spirits scatter away from Tom again, swirling through the room a bit before departing. ¡°Diavla, you see?¡± he asked her. She nodded. ¡°We need Eubexa.¡± Tom grunted in acknowledgment. ¡°Tomorrow. Eubexa eat, read, sleep. Eubexa no pain¡­ Eubexa sick.¡± ¡°?¡®But¡¯,¡± Diavla supplied absently. ¡°Eubexa is not in pain, but Eubexa is still sick.¡± Tom sighed. ¡°Tomorrow is very big day. I sleep, small now¡­what was the word¡­? I sleep loon.¡± Diavla tried not to smile. ¡°?¡®Soon¡¯.¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Tom answered wryly. ¡°Diavla, you take Varga token, Kervan token?¡± ¡°Yes, Tom.¡± He got out their tokens and handed them to her. ¡°I very want sleep, now.¡± ¡°You are ¡®tired¡¯.¡± ¡°I am tired. I am sorry. Good night, Diavla.¡± I''m not sure what the spirits did to him, but I won''t interfere. If he needs sleep, he needs sleep. ¡°Good night, Tom.¡± She stood up from his bed. As she was about to pass him, she made her intention obvious, then kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Good night.¡± She left his room and closed the door, then heard him lock it behind her. We grow closer, but so slowly. With a sigh, she went to see how Eubexa was doing. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Diavla spent a while meditating and refilling a few of the amulets as Tom had requested. After that, she pored over the maps to pass the time. She was sitting in the room she shared with Varga, trying to give Eubexa space, when Kervan returned in a foul mood. Before Diavla could even greet him, he said tersely, ¡°I don''t want to talk about it.¡± He tugged at his slave collar, paused, then sighed. ¡°Is Tom awake?¡± ¡°No, but he left me the tokens. Come here and I''ll get it off of you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Respecting his wishes, Diavla reined in her curiosity. Once the collar was removed, Kervan headed straight to his room and closed the door. Well, that was interesting. Eventually, she rejoined Eubexa. ¡°I don''t mean to disturb you¡ª¡± ¡°Not at all, Head Slave. What do you wish?¡± ¡°I wish you wouldn''t call me Head Slave, for one thing. My name is Diavla.¡± There was a silent pause. Finally, the sick elf sighed. ¡°As you wish, Diavla. How may I serve?¡± ¡°I want to check on the magic in your necklace, to see if it needs refilling. If so, I would like to work on that.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°If I do need to refill it, you can keep reading, or lie down to sleep, just so long as you hold still so that I can keep in continuous contact with the collar.¡± ¡°As you wish, Diavla.¡± Diavla moved the chair next to the bed so that she could reach Eubexa''s neck easily, if needed. ¡°This will take me a few minutes.¡± At first, she could barely concentrate as her mind flitted between several topics, including Tom, Varga, Tom, the maps, Tom, the demon threat, and Tom. Finally, she managed to focus long enough to slip into meditation. Given how hard that had been, she disciplined herself to deepen her trance for several minutes more. Only then did she reach out with her spirit-sense, opening herself up to magic. The necklace was immediately blinding at close range. Diavla aimed her vision elsewhere for a bit while she adapted. Once she had adjusted her perception, she tried to get a sense of how large and how filled the necklace''s pool of magic was. The answers, briefly, were ¡®enormous¡¯ and ¡®half full¡¯, so Diavla decided that she didn''t need to worry about refilling it any time soon. She pulled herself back out of trance and reported as much to Eubexa. ¡°Do you know how quickly it is draining?¡± the sick elf asked. ¡°No, but I will check it again tomorrow. If I can see any difference, then I will know that I need to spend time refilling it every day.¡± Diavla shook her head in amazement. ¡°If it had been created for a noble purpose, an object that powerful would be worth a thousand gold or more. It may be the only one of its kind.¡± ¡°Master is a gifted negotiator. He has been poor his whole life, you said, and now he is rich.¡± ¡°Well, he has spent much of his gold, now.¡± ¡°Diavla, half of being rich is being seen to be rich. Master is walking around town, with about sixty golds'' worth of elven slaves. People will assume that a man who has all that also has a lot more gold, especially if he spends a single gold here and there to reinforce the image. Master is an elf-made man.¡± It took some effort for Eubexa to explain the pun in Western. After that, Diavla nodded appreciatively. ¡°I''m sure Tom will find a way to make us richer as we travel. Who knows? Perhaps we''ll load up a caravan of goods ourselves, at some point.¡± ¡°It would be an effective way to make our wealth harder to steal.¡± Diavla tilted her head, considering. ¡°You know, that''s an excellent point. I''m pretty sure Tom has been worried about robbers, both in the city and on the road. You should mention it to him tomorrow.¡± ¡°It was your idea,¡± Eubexa protested. ¡°It was an idle comment, and you saw the merit in it. Besides, I know you feel insecure about your place with us. Use this to make Tom pleased with you.¡± Eubexa said nothing, as she absorbed this. Finally, she cleared her throat. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ¡°HI, DEE!¡± Diavla startled, and blinked rapidly, stumbling backwards. Where am I? It was dark. She was standing up somewhere, and she realized that she was nearly naked. What? A wobbling light resolved into a tiny lantern swinging from Varga''s hand. It lit up enough to show that they were in the fourth-floor hallway. Yet, she felt as if she had just woken up. Belatedly, her soul gripped the scene. ¡°Varga?¡± ¡°HI!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Diavla hissed, her head hurting. ¡°It''s late, everybody''s asleep!¡± Varga stopped, and waved the little lantern up and down. ¡°Zada zada, Dee¡­¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Diavla turned and walked back to the door to their room, painfully aware that she had been standing in front of Tom''s door when Varga startled her. I was dream-walking again. And heading to climb into bed with Tom, again. She felt her face heat. ¡°Wow, that was fun!¡± ¡°Keep it down! You''re drunk.¡± ¡°No, Diavla, my tolanor, you are inc¡ªincorrect. I am actually very drunk.¡± Diavla rolled her eyes as she climbed back into bed, shivering. ¡°Any dead bodies to worry about?¡± ¡°Pffffft. No.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Lily Rose is wonderful.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­ Shut the door.¡± With exaggerated care, Varga closed the door, then turned triumphantly to Diavla, clearly proud of her achievement. Diavla stared at her friend, then wrinkled her nose. ¡°You stink of human. Wash before you get into bed.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Clean.¡± Varga started fumbling out of her clothes. Diavla sighed, then got back out of bed and helped her friend. ¡°All right, what happened? Briefly, please.¡± ¡°Oh, it wasn''t brief. It wasn''t brief at all¡­¡± ¡°Congratulations. I thought you were going to the gaming tables.¡± ¡°I did! And I won! A lot!¡± Diavla paused, thinking hard. ¡°Did the humans get mad?¡± ¡°I''m not an idddddddiot, Dee. I made sure to lose a good chunk at the end. An'' I gave most of my windy¡­my windy¡­¡± ¡°Winnings.¡± ¡°That, too. I gave them to Miranda. Miranda''s really sexy, did you know that? She''s like me, but better.¡± ¡°Your human twin,¡± Diavla said, humoring her. ¡°Yeah, but she got all the tits. She stole my tits, Dee! It''s no fair.¡± ¡°Not fair at all.¡± ¡°She doesn''t need tits that big. Although they are really nice¡­¡± Varga fell into bed as soon as Diavla had gotten the green dress off of her. ¡°Dee, ask the spirits of Big Tits to visit me.¡± ¡°I''ll bring it up in our next conversation.¡± Dee cleaned her friend off before she could roll over and stink up the bed. ¡°Tha''s what you always say.¡± ¡°Where is Lily Rose now?¡± ¡°She walked me home. She walked me home after, isn''t that sweet? She said she can handle herself. She''s fun to handle.¡± ¡°I''ll bet she is.¡± ¡°You would win, Dee. You would win.¡± ¡°That''s nice.¡± ¡°Humans¡­aren''t all bad¡­¡± Varga trailed off and started snoring immediately. Diavla put down the washcloth and scowled. I hate it when she snores. She covered Varga so that she wouldn''t get sick from chill, then hugged herself, considering. Saa. Spirits help me¡­ Shivering, she dug out her white shirt and put it on. She glared at her friend, then stamped her foot, decision made. She took her room key, left their room and locked the door, marched up to Tom''s door, and knocked firmly. While waiting, she clung to her annoyance with Varga for courage. She was about to knock again when Tom opened his door, dressed in a towel. ¡°Varga is here. Varga snore.¡± She ducked under Tom''s arm and stepped into his room. ¡°I sleep here.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I am cold, Tom. Come bed.¡± She climbed into Tom''s bed and pressed herself up against the wall, facing it. She could hear Tom sigh. ¡°Well, at least you''re awake this time. I (something) I (something) well¡­¡± Diavla heard the towel drop onto a chair, then Tom climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up over them both. He started to wrap an arm around her, then thought better of it and squirmed away a little. She could hear him turn to face the other direction, so that they were back to back. ¡°Good night, Diavla.¡± Diavla smiled to herself in victory. ¡°Good night, Tom.¡± She thought about turning over to hug him, but fell asleep before completing the thought. Chapter 50: Dreams and Armor Tom added another log to the campfire and returned to the tree stump he was using for a seat. Also gathered around the fire were all the men he had ever killed. The violent drunk in Silverlake. The thief outside the tavern in Valler''s Pass. The second bandit who attacked him at the caravan ambush, nothing but a blur sitting on a small boulder. Davis the Knife. The other three bandits he had murdered in their bedrolls. Seven men in all. The drunk, the thief, and Davis the Knife were the only ones whose voices Tom had ever heard clearly. ¡°You killed me,¡± the drunk whined, the way he always did. ¡°You tried to kill the young lady,¡± Tom reminded him, as usual. ¡°But I died.¡± ¡°We all died,¡± the thief snapped. ¡°You don''t hear me whining about it. I was trying to kill him for his sword and his coin, and he fought better than me. Fair is fair. I never expected to grow old, anyway. Oh, hey, thanks for the drink, sellsword.¡± He lifted the mug in his hand in salute, and Tom nodded. The thief took a swig and frowned. ¡°What the demon is this stuff?¡± ¡°Northern Ale,¡± Tom told him, a bit stiffly. ¡°It''s disgusting. Think I''ll have some more.¡± The thief took another swallow, then looked around the fire. ¡°The rest of you are new. Sellsword''s been busy.¡± Davis scowled. ¡°I was a terror across the country. My name was whispered in fear.¡± ¡°Oooh, your name was whispered in fear,¡± the thief mocked. ¡°Fat lot of good it did you in the end.¡± ¡°I knew I''d get killed someday. I knew it was risky to try organizing incompetents, but I got bored and overconfident. Even with fucking Sir Kurt of fucking Briarwood showing up, I still won! And then, I get taken out by a simple soldier too stupid to know he should be dead.¡± Davis glared at Tom, but there was grudging respect in the look, as well. ¡°Good job sneaking up. Are you a thief?¡± ¡°No. Just stubborn¡­and maybe not too stupid, after all,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Most people don''t have the patience to sneak properly.¡± ¡°You killed my friends. I didn''t have anything better to do with my evening.¡± Davis snorted a laugh, and the thief joined in. ¡°Well, at least I wasn''t killed by an idiot.¡± He looked at the silent men around the fire and glowered. ¡°It took a whole pack of idiots.¡± The others just sat and stared at Tom; he had never heard their voices clearly. They wore their dying expressions: frightened, accusing, bitter. They probably had just been farmers with a bad harvest or bad luck. They were actually the hardest ones to face. Nothing to reason with, nothing to talk with or find peace with, just selfish pain and anger. Tom knew he would get used to them in time. And he knew that he didn''t have a choice in the matter. Whenever his soul decided to come back to this fire, those faces would still be there, petty and pitiful, until their souls finally fell apart or Tom died. Silence fell, if you didn''t count the drunk''s blubbering into his ale instead of drinking it like a sensible soul. The thief and Davis seemed content to sit and drink for a bit. Then Davis sniffed. ¡°Hey, sellsword.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What happened to my ring?¡± Tom gave him a small smile. ¡°I sold it for three gold.¡± ¡°Three?¡± Davis raised an eyebrow. ¡°That''s a weird number.¡± ¡°Too high or too low?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Davis looked like he wanted to say more, but waved a hand in surrender and kept quiet. You know the rules, Kurt''s voice echoed in Tom''s soul. Then Davis looked past Tom and stiffened in surprise. ¡°Sellsword, you killed one of those elves?¡± Tom''s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± He turned and looked behind him. Diavla was standing in the mist, looking around as if she were lost. Tom stood. ¡°Looks like your soul is needed elsewhere. Until next time, killer,¡± the thief called cheerfully as he and the rest of Tom''s dead foes faded away. Tom walked over to Diavla. ¡°Diavla, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°You were having a nightmare, so I tried to help you. But something went wrong.¡± ¡°Diavla, you aren''t dead, are you?¡± Tom asked in rising alarm. ¡°No! No, I''m not. I''m in bed with you. Do you want to wake up?¡± ¡°I guess I''m about to,¡± Tom observed as the campfire faded into mist. Then he raised his eyebrows. ¡°Wait, Diavla, how are you speaking perfect Western?¡± Diavla stared at him. ¡°I''m not. Somehow you''re speaking fluent Elvish.¡± Her mouth made an O and then she smiled hugely. ¡°Oh, we have got to come back here sometime. This is amazing. Say something else!¡± Tom smiled and shook his head in disbelief. ¡°You are the most beautiful woman I''ve ever met.¡± ¡°I don''t think that''s what beautiful is supposed to mean, but I like it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You said¡ªSpirits, never mind. Somehow, I know you meant smart and fun and witty and sexy and pretty and¡­somehow you packed all that into beautiful and I don''t think it''s supposed to fit in there.¡± She gave him an impish smile. ¡°I guess you are a magician. Thank you.¡± Tom blushed. ¡°Just pointing out the obvious.¡± ¡°Tom, I think you''re amazing. I am so, so grateful for your kindness and generosity to us all.¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°No, I mean it,¡± Diavla persisted. ¡°Very few men would be so kind. I feel like the luckiest elf in the world.¡± Tom felt something unclench in his chest that he hadn''t known was tight. ¡°And I''m the luckiest man in the world.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Tom Walker, I think I am fall¡ª¡± There was a loud bang, and Tom''s eyes flew open. Beside him, Diavla jerked her head back, opened her eyes and stared at him. Another bang sounded like it was coming from the room Diavla and Varga shared. ¡°I think I (something something) kill her (something) time,¡± Diavla growled in a disbelieving tone. ¡°VARGA!¡± she yelled. Tom''s soul felt as if it were riding a panicked horse. ¡°SOR¡ªsorry!¡± Varga started shouting, and changed to a whisper Tom could barely hear. She probably has a hangover, he guessed. Diavla was looking at him as if asking him to agree with her exasperation. ¡°Can you (something) her?¡± ¡°Varga is Varga.¡± Tom squeezed Diavla against him in a one-armed hug. He hadn''t thought it through; the act pressed her firm, bare breasts against his skin, and his breath caught. His body reacted instantly. Diavla ran her hand over his chest, and she could probably feel how hard his heart was pounding. She shifted to bring their faces closer together, and rested one leg on him. She froze, her leg pressing against him, feeling his hardened reaction to her body. Tom was torn between fierce desire, worry, and embarrassment. He desperately wished he could see her expression. He wanted to seize her, he wanted to run, he wanted to talk with her¡­ Diavla kissed him. Tom was on the verge of exploding already and fought with his body for control. He also didn''t want to disgust Diavla by slobbering on her. The humiliation of kissing Lily Rose badly was still very fresh in his mind. He flinched away from Diavla''s kiss. Diavla stilled, then pulled away and he let her go. For a moment, she said nothing, and Tom waited nervously. Finally, she muttered, ¡°I am sorry,¡± got up and hurried out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Tom hit the bed with his fist in frustration, grinding his teeth. He was pretty sure his soul had fallen off the panicking horse and was tumbling through a ditch¡­or a gutter. It was a long while before he pulled himself together enough to get up and dress, and even longer before he was willing to face the others. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Breakfast was a fairly quiet affair as everyone ate their porridge. Tom was embarrassed, Kervan was sullen, Varga was hung over, Orvan was as taciturn as usual, and Diavla was avoiding talking to Tom. She did speak up at the end of the meal, to request they buy a couple of servings of meat sticks for Eubexa as well as porridge, since she needed extra food to help with the magical healing. Tom thanked her and did as she suggested. Then, he led them back to their rooms to discuss plans for the day, since they hadn''t done so before breakfast. Eubexa gratefully started in on the generous helpings Tom had secured for her, once he basically ordered her to do so. It still felt strange to speak in plain Western to the elves. Memories of the shared dream with Diavla threatened to distract him. But Eubexa was happy to translate in between bites. ¡°All right, everyone. Thank you for agreeing to come along with me to Oak Mill. I want us to get on the road as soon as possible, but we probably can''t leave town before tomorrow at the earliest; we still have a lot to do. ¡°The first thing I want to happen is get all of you fitted with armor and the weapons of your choice. Gold doesn''t do us any good if we''re dead. Are people all right with spending some of their shares on this?¡± There was a pause as Eubexa translated his statements, and gathered the responses for him that everyone was comfortable with the expense. ¡°Great. I want to head right out and do that, because they might not have everything we need. Eubexa, I am assuming that you didn''t want armor? Or am I mistaken?¡± ¡°I cannot wear armor, Master. Even with the collar muting the pain, it would harm me to wear it.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°My apologies. Thank you for explaining. Do you want a dagger or anything?¡± ¡°A dagger would be good, please. Also¡­caltrops are useful for retreat. I can throw those if needed, at least.¡± Tom was impressed. ¡°Good thinking. I''ll get some for you. Anything else?¡± ¡°That''s all that occurs to me, Master.¡± ¡°Thank you. Are you all right with staying here alone for a few hours?¡± ¡°Of course, Master. I''ll keep reading the book.¡± ¡°Great.¡± After a few minutes talking about what they might like so that Eubexa could translate, they headed out. Tom paid an urchin two copper to lead them to Barron Smith''s Armory. As expected, the forge was hot and Barron was already at work along with two apprentices. Tom exchanged nods with the man, who needed a couple of minutes to extract himself from his work, telling the elder apprentice what to do while he was busy. Finally, the man walked over with a smile. His hair was just as yellow and his grip as strong as they had been the night before at the Floating Duck. He showed no resentment over losing the arm-wrestling match, perhaps thanks to Tom''s graciousness then, topped by a promise to buy from the smith. ¡°Welcome, Tom. I see you are a man of your word.¡± ¡°I am. First question, do you have leather armor as well, or could you send me somewhere for that?¡± ¡°You want Dan''s, over on Tanner''s Row, just outside the city, north side. He''ll do you right. How much metal do you want?¡± ¡°Just for myself, it turns out; I thought some of them would want mail at least, but¡­¡± Tom shrugged. ¡°I''m looking for brigandine, a neck guard, mail shirt, gambeson, and new bracers.¡± ¡°No helm?¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°Much as I hate a crack on the skull, I need my eyes and ears.¡± ¡°The best armor is not being there when the blow lands,¡± Barron agreed. ¡°The second best is coming to me,¡± he added with a smile. ¡°Let me show you what I''ve got.¡± Tom was well-pleased that a ready-made set was easily adjusted to fit him. Kitting him out did not take long, and Tom parted with four gold coins in all. It was worth it. Eubexa had impressed on him on behalf of everyone: if he died, all of their fates would suffer. He led the group on a walk out the West Gate. Tanner''s Row was easy to find by the smell. Leather Armor by Dan was one of the nicer establishments. There was a moment of tension as Dan looked over the elves with a frown, his eye twitching. Tom gently pointed out that he was buying four full sets of leathers, which helped the man''s business sense overcome whatever grudge he held against elvenkind. That wasn''t the end of the discomfort, as all of the elves poked and prodded at Dan''s wares with a highly critical eye. Over half his pieces apparently were not up to the elves'' standards. Tom did his best to smooth ruffled feathers, hoping that they could get the gear they needed and satisfy everyone. ¡°Just think, you''ll be able to brag that even the pickiest of elven wood scouts wear Leathers by Dan,¡± he murmured. ¡°When they say your work is good, it''s good.¡± ¡°That''s true,¡± Dan conceded, reluctantly. ¡°I''d give a lot to study under an elven master leatherworker.¡± Tom considered whether to ask, but his curiosity got the better of him. He lowered his voice. ¡°By the way¡­did you ever do a commission for Madam Louisa?¡± The leatherworker got a smug expression. ¡°I did, indeed.¡± He eyed Tom a moment. ¡°Were you looking to buy something similar? For the black-haired one, perhaps?¡± Dan gestured with his head, and led Tom into the back area of the shop, where Dan pulled out and showed off an exotic outfit all in black leather. Tom''s mouth got a bit dry. It will be too expensive. Besides, there''s no way I could ever ask her to wear it. It''s ridiculous even to consider. ¡°How much?¡± his traitor soul made him ask. ¡°A gold twenty.¡± Tom sighed at that, and nodded in defeat. The leatherworker added, ¡°And it''s fully adjustable, to any proportions, you see.¡± He gestured at buckles, straps and leather cords. Tom found his voice with difficulty. ¡°You are a gifted craftsman, and I wish I could part with the coin for it.¡± ¡°Feel free to come back when you do have the coin.¡± Tom nodded and headed back out to the others. Varga gave him a questioning look, and Tom avoided her gaze. He suspected his face was a bit red. Fortunately, the elves eventually found pieces they liked, and the haggling began. Tom was in a weak bargaining position because they needed to get traveling, but he did his best to hide that. Still, it was a full nine gold for the four sets¡ªa fair price for the high quality, but a painful expense, nonetheless. I''m losing track of our finances, Tom realized. We should really have a serious talk about money soon. But at the moment, we''re preparing for a dangerous trip. We can''t spend gold if we''re dead. And we need to decide whether to tell Eubexa about the other four elves, so I can explain about splitting the money nine ways. Hm, Eubexa doesn''t have a share. She didn''t help with the caravan. Also, gods above and below know we spent a lot of gold on her. I should give her a gold from my share, so she can have spending money of her own¡­assuming there''s anything left of my share, at this point. I''d better talk with Kervan. I get the distinct impression that man loves to count gold. He''ll know how much we still have to work with. Chapter 51: The Temple and the Library Diavla watched Tom negotiate, then hand over several gold coins. Everyone was well-satisfied with their purchases by the time they left. There wasn''t much need to get more armor for the other four elves at the moment¡ªthey could buy supplies in Oak Mill, and Arven already had looted leather armor. Meanwhile, Sheema, Brallik and Rillik would not be fighting if they could help it, so it also made sense to equip the potential fighters before worrying about the others. Since they were headed right back into the city, they didn''t bother putting on their new armor. Not wanting to carry it around for a long time either, they brought it all directly back to their rooms. Eubexa was curious about their purchases, so they showed them off to her. For her part, Eubexa had finished going through the Library''s book. She had taken down a lot of notes in Elvish using paper and ink that Diavla had bought for Kervan. As soon as she told Tom this, he asked for a report. Eubexa started with an apology for Tom, then explained in both languages. ¡°The book does not specifically state the location of any elven embassy. However, there is one nation of interest. The Republic of Kataroche has banned slavery¡ªand yes, that includes elven slaves, not just human ones. It is likely that they would have an embassy, or some way to contact the elven nations, at least. And we would be free as soon as we reached it. ¡°Before we get our hopes up too high, remember that this book is probably twenty years old. The government could have completely changed between then and now. But from what I have read, Karatoche is our best target.¡± Once Tom had digested that, he asked, ¡°Do you need more time with the book? Or would another be better?¡± ¡°More books are always better, Master. I am done with this one. A book specifically about Karatoche might tell more recent news.¡± ¡°All right, I''ll try to get you one. Thank you, Eubexa.¡± Then Tom asked Eubexa to translate for him. ¡°Everyone, we have a lot to do. Does anyone want to try going out without me, or should we all stick together when we go out? I am trying to be careful of your safety, but Rivermarch doesn''t seem bad except for a couple of spots. For example, someone needs to go to Whistler''s and ask them to send the rest of the clothes we''ve ordered to Oak Mill. That''s a very safe part of town. Likewise, for the Library and the Temple. Then, everyone except Eubexa needs to go with me shopping for weapons. After that, what do people think about the general stores? Are there more goods that we need, or other things you want to buy while we''re in the city? Sorry, Eubexa, that was a lot. I''ll shut up so you all can think about it.¡± ¡°What do we need at the Temple?¡± Kervan asked. Eubexa listened, then translated. ¡°Master says that he wants to take me in for more Healing, to get this book cleansed before we return it¡ªjust in case, he says¡ªto pray, and to get a lesson in Demon Hunting.¡± Kervan grimaced. ¡°Why does Tom want to spend more gold on Healing you?¡± ¡°Kervan!¡± Varga cried out, looking shocked. Kervan winced. ¡°I don''t mean¡­Saa, I mean, why doesn''t he just wait? Then we wouldn''t have to spend the gold,¡± he said meaningfully. He means wait for Sheema to Heal her. I see his point, but¡­ Diavla shook her head. ¡°We shouldn''t make Eubexa wait until her foot heals naturally.¡± Eubexa cleared her throat. ¡°Or, you could just tell me that the elf in the woods is the Healer, and they will be able to Heal me for free once we find them.¡± The sickly elf then said something in Western to Tom while the elves all looked at each other. Diavla didn''t pay close enough attention, but heard Tom''s response well enough. ¡°There are four more elves in the forest. One elf is a Healer.¡± Diavla sighed. That settles that. ¡°That makes more sense,¡± Eubexa said. ¡°Hopefully, that''s the last secret you''re hiding?¡± she asked the elves. Varga sighed. ¡°Yeah, that''s it.¡± ¡°Good. I''d rather everyone be comfortable talking to me without dancing around topics.¡± Eubexa switched back to Western. Diavla got the impression she was asking Tom not to spend gold on her. Predictably, Tom objected, at length. Eubexa heard him out, then bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The sickly elf sighed. ¡°Master is taking me to the Temple next, then bringing me back here. What does everyone want to do?¡± ¡°I will stay with Tom,¡± Diavla declared. ¡°I will go buy more paper, since Eubexa has been using mine,¡± Kervan answered. ¡°What are you writing?¡± Diavla asked, curious. ¡°I''m keeping track of our finances, or trying to, at any rate.¡± ¡°I will keep Kervan company going to the store,¡± Orvan added. ¡°Better not to go alone.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°I can run to Whistler''s by myself,¡± Varga declared. Diavla raised her eyebrows. ¡°Do you have enough Western?¡± Varga smirked. ¡°Elf go Oak Mill¡­ Wait, what''s the word for ¡®clothes¡¯?¡± ¡°?¡®Clothes.¡¯?¡± ¡°Right. Elf go Oak Mill. Clothes go Oak Mill, please.¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow. Elf go Oak Mill tomorrow. Clothes go Oak Mill, please.¡± Diavla frowned at her friend. ¡°I suppose that will be good enough.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°What are you up to?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Varga gave her a wicked grin. ¡°Juggling!¡± ¡°Is flirting involved?¡± ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. What time should Tom go out searching for you, and where?¡± ¡°I''ll be back here in a few hours, at most.¡± With that, Varga didn''t even wait for Eubexa to translate for Tom. She grabbed her pack and emptied half of it out, then skipped over to Tom and kissed him on the cheek before dashing down the stairs. ¡°What¡­?¡± Tom stared after the redhead with a baffled expression, then turned to Diavla, who shrugged. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Half an hour later, Diavla and Tom walked back into the Rivermarch Temple, with Tom carrying Eubexa. He immediately hired human Healers to take care of the sick elf, giving her both general Healing for the ravages of her disease, and specific Healing to help her foot mend. There were some tense moments at first, as the Healers seemed to want to blame Tom for Eubexa''s face and sickness, but the veiled elf spoke up for him, fairly loudly and vehemently. One of the Healers who had worked on her the last time showed up and clarified the situation further, which also helped. Tom also apparently had to explain about the collar Eubexa wore. Diavla presumed that Tom wasn''t giving them the whole story. He probably was just telling them it was a punishment collar that he was using backwards to help Eubexa with the pain. At the Healers'' request, and with the sickly elf''s consent, Tom turned off the pain suppression. Aside from a brief hiss of pain, and some stress in her voice, Eubexa gave no further sign of what she was enduring. Once that was settled, the Healers cast a cleansing spell on Tom and the Library''s book, then got to work on Eubexa. Tom excused himself to pray. After checking with Eubexa that she would be all right for a little while without her, Diavla followed her human to watch over him. He knelt before an altar in one of the alcoves spaced around the room. She kept a short distance away to one side and behind him, then knelt as well, so that she wouldn''t look out of place. She stared at the icons above the altar Tom had chosen, wondering at their meanings. Taking a deep breath, Diavla sought a meditative state as well. The environment was actually strangely conducive to it, and she was surprised at how quickly she succeeded. She began to call upon her spirit-sense. There were several kinds of spirits clustered around the altar: spirits of Healing, Justice, and War primarily, though there were others. Some of those spirits were moving over to Tom as she watched, and more were gathering from elsewhere. Again, Diavla couldn''t tell what they were doing. Tom wasn''t casting a spell in the human way; he wasn''t making a call, exactly¡­yet a few spirits were approaching him anyway. When she had woken that morning and sensed that Tom was having a nightmare, she had tried to soothe him. Somehow, she had ended up sharing his dream. The spirits had seemed to decree that she would do the soothing. The interaction of human and elven magic was confusing. Spirits of Curiosity were gathering around her, as she followed those thoughts. Not too many, but enough to be potentially noticeable if someone else were using their spirit-sense nearby. She frowned, struggling. HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND. Diavla hadn''t realized she was calling until it was done. Spirits dove into her head and her core. Diavla grew a bit dizzy. Just as she thought she would lose her focus completely, the feelings abated. She took a shaky breath. In that moment, some thoughts and insights crystallized for her. Elves and humans both view magical ability as something you either have, or you don''t. The theory has evidence: either you can make a call that has a noticeable effect, or you can''t. Either you can cast a spell, or you can''t. Perhaps it is true of elves, as we always believed. When I watch an elf call, either they summon all the nearby spirits of a particular Idea, or they don''t get any, beyond stirring up a very few just by existing¡­ But humans are all spirit-touched. Just¡­not very strongly. They reach out, they call, but feebly. If you took an ordinary human, and put them through training at an elven temple, they might come out able to ¡°cast very weak spells¡±, as they put it. That''s why two of their Healers can work together, because neither one is calling upon all of the spirits in the area. In contrast, two elven Healers working near each other would be competing for attention from all the local spirits, making the two together less effective than one Healer. What does this mean for Tom? Tom is just, and warlike¡ªthose, I understand. He is curious as well. Healing is a strange one¡ªI wouldn''t have expected it of him. He''s not a physicker. He does not seem to have wounds on his soul that need Healing. Perhaps it helps his fitness? I should remember to use spirit-sense on him when he is exercising. Diavla came back to herself when Tom stirred, and stood up when he did. They repeated the entire process in front of another altar. Diavla did her best to memorize the symbols, so that she could ask about them later. Finally, they returned to Eubexa, who immediately asked Tom to suppress most of her pain again. ¡°I''ve already gotten spoiled by it,¡± Diavla heard her mutter in a worried tone. ¡°I''m getting weak.¡± Tom paid the Healers for their services, then went to a different part of the Temple that Diavla hadn''t seen yet. He knocked at an office door, and a partly bald human invited them in. Diavla couldn''t follow the conversation, but she understood when the man handed Tom a small wand in exchange for coin. They chatted for a few minutes. Apparently, Tom was getting a lesson in how to use the thing. When they left the Temple, Tom asked, ¡°Eubexa? Do you want to (something) the Library?¡± ¡°I can''t touch anything, Master. I can''t get too close to people.¡± ¡°Eubexa, you''re exaggerating,¡± Diavla chided. ¡°I am not! People stumble, trip, shove¡ªthere are many ways someone could touch me and get my disease.¡± ¡°Not with the way you are wrapped up like a king''s remains. And your clothes just got cleansed by a spell. Tom, we go to Library.¡± ¡°No, Diavla, please¡­¡± Eubexa begged. Tom stepped over to the wall of a nearby building, waiting while they argued. Diavla hesitated. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don''t¡­I can''t¡­¡± ¡°Would you want to, if you could?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, but¡ª¡± ¡°Then, as Head Slave, I''m ordering you to do this. I want you to have the experience. If I''m wrong, I''ll apologize, but you need to learn that the world will not end if you get close to other people. The Library is a perfect place to try it, easier than the street we''re walking down now, and you won''t ever have better protection than being carried in Tom''s arms. We''re going.¡± Eubexa was silent for a moment. ¡°Yes, Head Slave,¡± she half-whispered. Then she cleared her throat. ¡°Tom, I would like to see the Library, please.¡± Tom looked back and forth between them a moment. Diavla guessed that Tom had missed most of their exchange. Then he smiled and said, ¡°Good. (Something) we go.¡± They entered the Library, Diavla paying the fee for all three of them. They caused a mild stir, but the people in the Library tended to be a bit quieter than elsewhere. Diavla returned the book they had borrowed and collected the two gold for Tom since his hands were full. Then they headed over to Sage, who was again answering questions. ¡°Hello, again,¡± Sage greeted them when it was their turn. ¡°Welcome back.¡± Tom gave Eubexa a formal introduction to the librarian. ¡°Sage Booker, (something) I (something) Eubexa Corvolli.¡± The two women began to talk. At first, conversation was stilted. Sage clearly didn''t know what to make of Eubexa. But once they started discussing the book, the words began to flow. Questions and answers went back and forth. It was all in Western, and Diavla couldn''t follow the discussion. Tom''s expression showed that he was almost as bad off. Tom turned his head so that Eubexa couldn''t see his face, and smiled at Diavla, tilting his head slightly to point out how lively the sick elf was getting. Diavla smiled back. It was heartwarming to see so much life in the long-tormented woman. They both carefully kept quiet so as not to interrupt. Sage appeared to be enjoying the conversation a great deal. Eubexa''s voice grew stronger, less hesitant. Diavla felt tears forming for a moment, but wiped them away quickly, with a smile. She recalled a line she had once heard in a play: There''s a dance or two in the old girl yet. Chapter 52: A Lot of Shopping Tom did his best not to sigh. Eubexa was so paranoid about touching anything, that Tom simply held her. She barely weighed anything. The small elf was having a lively conversation with Sage Booker. Tom wanted to sigh because he was a little bored, but absolutely did not want to reveal that to Eubexa¡ªshe probably would clam up at once. So, Tom waited. Sage called for four different books while they talked. Eubexa was asking about Kataroche, and also about the history of the wars with demons in human lands. Each time a book arrived, they took a break. Tom would sit at a table with Eubexa on his lap, so that Eubexa touched nothing, appeasing her fear of contaminating others. Diavla would open the book and turn pages, holding it up so that Eubexa could see. The elf read quickly, and often had Diavla skip pages while she hunted for information. Tom knew this could take a while. Four times they did this¡ªa conversation followed by Sage recommending another book. The fourth one apparently had the title On Fighting Demons, and Eubexa stopped skipping pages. ¡°Master, if they have any copies of this book to sell, you should probably buy one.¡± ¡°It''s good, then?¡± ¡°It''s a detailed account of the day-to-day work of demon hunting, told to a scribe by Sir Kurt of Briarwood.¡± Tom startled slightly. ¡°Sir Kurt wrote a book?¡± If he fought demons last time, he was older than I''d thought. ¡°You knew him?¡± ¡°Briefly.¡± ¡°Wait¡­Sir Kurt was the leader of the caravan guards that you started with? Your former boss?¡± Eubexa realized, speaking quietly. ¡°Yes. He was a great fighter and teacher. It doesn''t surprise me much that he wrote a good book, now that I think about it. All right, Eubexa, if you''ll read it to me, I''ll gladly buy that one.¡± Tom felt a lump in his throat, just for a moment, at the unexpected opportunity to learn a little more from Sir Kurt, even at a remove. ¡°Of course, Master.¡± ¡°What''s in it?¡± ¡°It''s basically a manual¡ªa handbook for good and bad things to do while fighting demons. I wouldn''t be surprised if they use this book to train young knights in case of future need.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± Eubexa hesitated. ¡°Are we leaving Rivermarch today?¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Tom decided. There was still too much to do. Plus, it will get us time for one more round of healing at the Temple for Eubexa before we set out. ¡°Then, if we could borrow this book, The Lands of the Kataroche, I will do my best to read it tonight.¡± ¡°Are there more books you want to look at?¡± ¡°None that I can find without telling Sage more than we should,¡± Eubexa said, so quietly that Tom had to ask her to repeat it while he listened more carefully. Then he grunted an acknowledgement. Eubexa said something to Diavla about leaving that Tom could almost follow. I need to keep practicing my Elvish. They brought the books in question over to the book seller at the counter. It turned out that they did have copies of On Fighting Demons for sale. Tom handed over three gold, and they walked out with the two books, one purchased and one borrowed. Never thought I''d own a book, Tom mused. Life is full of surprises. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It was past noon, so Tom brought them by vendors for hot food on the way back. Diavla had to carry a large, shallow, woven basket filled with meals. ¡°Sorry to make you carry that, Diavla, but my arms are full.¡± Eubexa translated. ¡°Actually, could you teach me those words? I need to practice.¡± ¡°Certainly, Master. If I may break it down a little more simply?¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°Shorter sentences.¡± She doesn''t mean prison, right? ¡°What do you mean, ¡®sentence¡¯?¡± Eubexa paused. ¡°A statement, that stands alone.¡± When Tom nodded, she continued, ¡°What you had me translate was one big complicated sentence. I want to rephrase it as smaller statements, because those are easier. Putting together a big sentence has some subtleties that we might want to save for when you have more words, Master.¡± ¡°All right. Tell me in Western, then teach me the Elvish.¡± Eubexa cleared her throat. ¡°?¡®Diavla, you carry the food. I am sorry. I want to carry the food, but my hands are full.¡¯ Is that acceptable?¡± ¡°That''s just fine.¡± ¡°All right. First, we say¡­¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã The language lesson lasted the rest of the way back to their rooms. None of the others had returned yet, which worried Tom. It shouldn''t take this long to run a few errands. Eubexa told me that Varga was running off on her own business besides stopping at Whistler''s with a message. That ¡°business¡± is probably either gambling or flirting. Well, if she isn''t back by evening, I''ll ask the guard to keep a look out for her. And possibly Edge. Orvan and Kervan should have been back by now, though. I wonder if I should¡ª ¡°Master, the men are returning.¡± Tom looked at Eubexa in surprise. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I can hear them.¡± Tom listened intently. After a few moments, he could hear someone open the door on the first floor. Their ears really are that good. Soon, he heard one set of footsteps coming up. He got up and walked to the top of the stairs, wary. It was Orvan. He had a cut on his forehead and looked dirty, as if he had rolled on the ground. ¡°Tom,¡± he began, then paused for a breath after the climb. ¡°Kervan. Guard,¡± he got out, and pointed downstairs. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Orvan gave a smile and waved a hand dismissively. He pointed down again. Trusting him, Tom hurried down to the first floor, hearing someone''s footsteps a ways behind him. Outside, he found Kervan, looking much the worse for wear, and a vaguely familiar guard¡­Ralph''s partner. Finch. That''s his name. Vinder Hall was also present. ¡°Hi. Finch Guard, right? Tom Walker.¡± He offered his hand and Finch shook it briefly. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Mr. Walker. Your man, Orville, hollered for help on Market Street. When I answered, he led me into an alley, where this guy was on the ground, and someone was fleeing the scene. I gave chase, but lost them in the crowd on Artisan Way. When I doubled back, a different fellow was starting to shove Orville around, and I made that man clear off once I realized that he wasn''t with the original attackers. I''m hoping you have someone who speaks Elvish, so I can get their side of the story? I was going to take them both to the Guardhouse but they urged me to come this way.¡± ¡°Why didn''t Kervan¡­? Ah.¡± Tom beheld Kervan''s swollen jaw and the way he carefully wasn''t moving it. He also had a black eye and a cut on one cheek. ¡°Gotcha. Thanks for bringing them. I''d better get them to a healer after this. Let me see if¡­¡± Tom trailed off as Diavla hopped lightly through the doorway to land beside him.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Hello, Guard,¡± Diavla said with a bow. ¡°Orvan say, three man, um,¡± she punched one fist into the other palm, ¡°Orvan and Kervan. They,¡± she made a pulling motion, ¡°to¡­,¡± she paused, then held her hands up, flat, and close together but not touching. ¡°House, house¡­?¡± ¡°Alley. They pulled Kervan and Orvan into an alley,¡± Tom interpreted. ¡°Thank you, T¡ªMaster.¡± Kervan started mumbling, and Diavla actually leaned closer to hear him. ¡°Kervan say¡­bad man get¡­one gold, three tens silver, and bag with six tens silver, um¡­in book?¡± ¡°Paper,¡± Kervan managed to mumble. ¡°Paper,¡± Diavla repeated. Kervan mumbled some more. ¡°Kervan think. Kervan say man say.¡± She beckoned the humans closer. Kervan took a deep breath, then said in a gruff tone, ¡°?¡®You say a way fun human women, oral cut your tiny pecker off.¡¯?¡± Tom got it, but Finch needed a moment. The humans shared a grim look. I''ll have to explain it to the elves later, Tom thought. ¡°So, he was targeted,¡± Tom said coldly, thinking. ¡°Not sure how many people knew what Kervan was doing with his nights. Finch, you know a man named Edge, hangs around The Floating Duck?¡± ¡°Sure do.¡± ¡°You might ask him if he has any ideas. Edge has been very helpful, and he would know the most about who was aware of Kervan''s activities.¡± ¡°I''ll do that. Sorry this had to happen to your man. I''ll see who sells paper in the next few days, too.¡± ¡°They''ve cost me a couple of gold, probably three after the healer. That''s not a small amount. I''ll post a reward of fifty silver if it helps.¡± ¡°It often does. Look, you probably don''t want to let your slaves wander around with gold coins in the city¡­¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Lesson learned.¡± ¡°Tom,¡± Diavla cut in, then winced. Apparently deciding not to correct herself, she pressed on, ¡°Kervan need Temple. I and Kervan go?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°I''ll take you.¡± Diavla shook her head. ¡°Tom, you need do things, one, two, three. I want big time Temple, too. Guard help us go, please?¡± Tom looked at Finch. ¡°Are you headed that way?¡± Finch shrugged. ¡°I can walk them there. Least I can do, after I didn''t catch the thieves. Sorry about that.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom turned to the elves. ¡°You go with guard to Temple. You stay at Temple until I come get you. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­Master.¡± ¡°Orvan go?¡± ¡°I think no, Master. He not big pain. I help, physicker, tonight.¡± Tom sighed. ¡°All right,¡± he said with reluctance. ¡°I was going to take you guys to get weapons, next.¡± ¡°You do. Orvan know I want.¡± Tom glanced at Kervan. The beaten elf waved a hand in dismissal, then patted his side, where he had at least one dagger than Tom knew of. He thinks he''s all set. Well, we can always buy him something in Oak Mill, too. It''s not as if daggers were rare. Tom heaved a sigh. ¡°All right. Thank you, Finch.¡± ¡°Happy to help. Come on, you two.¡± The guard walked slowly, checking to see that they were following and Kervan was keeping up. Tom watched them go with misgivings, but he needed to trust people like Finch. There''s too much to do, if I want to get us out of the city tomorrow. Vinder Hall nodded politely to Tom, and went back inside, seeing that he wasn''t needed. Tom appreciated that the little person had made himself available. Upstairs, Tom found Orvan patching himself up and chatting with Eubexa. He explained the situation. ¡°Well, if they trust me to make choices for them, I''m in good enough shape to go weapons shopping,¡± Orvan told him through Eubexa. ¡°Eubexa? Are you all right on your own for a while?¡± ¡°Of course, Master. I''ll be reading The Lands of the Kataroche.¡± ¡°Good. If Varga comes back, tell her not to go anywhere without an escort. We''ll be back as soon as we can.¡± ¡°Very good, Master.¡± Tom and Orvan headed for a weapons shop Barron had recommended. However, on the way there, Tom spotted a sign with a drawing of a gemstone on it. He reached for his poor Elvish, since Orvan had little Western, as far as Tom knew. ¡°Orvan. First, we go here. Next, we go get weapons.¡± Orvan looked unbothered and simply nodded. Tom led them inside. A short, balding man sat behind a counter. All the wares were behind him. A beefy guard stood in one corner, watching them carefully. Tom gave him a respectful nod, then approached the jeweler. ¡°Hello, and welcome to Gold and Son Jewelers, sir. How may I assist you today?¡± ¡°I have a simple request, I hope. A silver ring with a small amber stone for a lady.¡± ¡°Silver ring with amber. One moment.¡± The man got off his stool and picked up a tray, bringing it to the counter. He moved a partially shaded rock light to shine brightly on his wares. Tom was a bit dazzled and took a step back so he could see better. He was better with colors than with details, and soon picked one that matched Diavla''s eyes. ¡°A fine choice, sir. A gift for a special someone?¡± Tom shook his head, feeling bashful. ¡°Not yet. Just friends.¡± ¡°Well, if you wish to change that, this might help. Good luck to you, sir.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Can I interest you in any other items?¡± Tom considered. ¡°Actually, if I give only her a token of friendship, V¡ªahem, her friend might kick up a fuss. Would you have a similar small silver ring, this time with an emerald?¡± ¡°Of course. Emeralds are very popular.¡± A minute later, Tom had picked one out almost at random; they all seemed to match Varga''s eyes pretty well, and he couldn''t see any detail work. ¡°Excellent choices, sir. If I may make a suggestion?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Emeralds are generally considered more valuable than amber. If you need to be wary of jealousy in the other direction, perhaps a different stone instead of amber?¡± ¡°Amber¡ª¡± Tom stopped himself from saying ¡°matches her eyes¡±, since that would be an obvious tip-off that the woman in question wasn''t human. Tom saw no reason to advertise farther than necessary, in a world where his elves were getting mugged. ¡°Amber has significance to her,¡± he explained. ¡°Very good, sir, you know her better than I.¡± ¡°I do appreciate the suggestion. You''re very helpful.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir, I do strive to please. Would you like to see any other wares while you are here?¡± Tom was about to say no, but reconsidered. ¡°Actually¡­I might purchase something for a totally different reason.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Transporting wealth.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. Gems are much lighter than gold.¡± ¡°My concern would be the resale value. Do you have something that would fetch a very reliable price in different cities?¡± ¡°Hm¡­what price range were you thinking of?¡± ¡°Roughly one hundred gold coins.¡± The jeweler looked thoughtful. ¡°Hm. Among my wares, your best bet would be a sapphire and gold necklace, then. It is worth ninety gold, and its price would, if anything, be higher elsewhere.¡± Tom raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡± ¡°Are you aware of the mines in the hills to the north of here?¡± ¡°No, I wasn''t.¡± ¡°Well, they have recently found a fair number of sapphires, which depresses their value in these parts somewhat. The farther you travel, however, the more valuable the necklace might become.¡± ¡°But it is unlikely to sell for less than ninety gold?¡± The jeweler shrugged. ¡°There are no guarantees in life, but I would be confident.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°I will consider it. Thank you very much for the information.¡± ¡°You are quite welcome, young sir.¡± Tom paid for the rings and tied them together through a small loop tucked inside his shirt for safekeeping, next to the wand for Eubexa''s necklace. Once done with that, Tom nodded to Orvan and led the way out onto the street. From there, it was a short walk to the weaponsmith''s shop. Once inside, it did not take long for Orvan to pick out three spears that pleased him. Tom asked the proprietor about caltrops, and ended up getting a leather bag full of them. It was heavy, but Tom assumed that Eubexa would be lying in the wagon any time she needed to throw them, so she wouldn''t ever have to lift the bag. He selected a couple of daggers, and looked longingly at a few of the finer swords. His hand practically itched to hold one in particular, that gleamed almost unnaturally. ¡°What about this one?¡± he asked the proprietor. ¡°Ah, that''s good workmanship, that one.¡± ¡°Is it enchanted?¡± ¡°No, but it''s enchantment-worthy. I think that one was actually a failed enchantment.¡± ¡°Not your work?¡± ¡°No,¡± the shopkeeper denied. ¡°Sometimes I will buy a piece if I think it is good enough. Someone passing through from the east sold that to me¡­oh¡­two years ago? That can''t be right¡­¡± The man frowned, then shook his head. ¡°Time slips away, sometimes. Anyway, are you interested?¡± Tom drew it and sighted along the blade, felt the heft and balance, sheathed it again and tested it for flexibility, being careful not to damage it. It was a nice sword and felt right in his hand. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Two gold.¡± Tom snorted a laugh in surprise. ¡°I thought you said it wasn''t enchanted. I''d pay one gold for it.¡± ¡°If it were enchanted, I''d be charging ten gold.¡± ¡°And you''d be right to do so, depending on the magic, but that''s not what we have here.¡± Tom sighed and reluctantly put the weapon down again. ¡°I could part with it for a gold eighty,¡± the man offered. ¡°I¡­probably shouldn''t spend the coin, to be honest. I''ve got a serviceable sword already.¡± ¡°If a blade calls to you, you should listen,¡± the shopkeeper advised. ¡°A gold¡­twenty,¡± Tom offered. ¡°I really can''t meet you in the middle, though,¡± he warned. ¡°I shouldn''t be spending as much gold as I have been.¡± The man eyed him for a long moment. ¡°Let''s cut to the end of the hunt, then. I''ll let you have it for a gold forty and not a copper less.¡± Tom sighed, dithering. He wasn''t just haggling, he really wasn''t sure he should get it. To their mutual surprise, Orvan reached over and picked up the sword, giving it his own examination. The elf drew the weapon, then twirled it expertly for a moment. He frowned, then looked at Tom. He sheathed the weapon and nodded, handing it to Tom. ¡°Yes,¡± Orvan announced. Tom searched the old elf''s eyes, trying to understand the man for a moment. He and Orvan hadn''t really had much conversation yet. The old elf tended to stay quiet most of the time, so when he did speak up, Tom gave it extra weight. The man was calm, and confident. Tom took a breath, and turned to the proprietor. ¡°Sold.¡± ¡°Excellent. Three spears, two daggers, a bag of caltrops, and the sword. Anything else, good sir?¡± ¡°That should do it.¡± Tom parted with nearly four more gold, and they left the weapon shop. A worthwhile expense, but gods, I''ve never spent this much gold in a week in my life. I''ve never had this much gold before. I need to remember that it''s not all mine. Orvan was carrying the spears, and headed to a different shop. Surprised, Tom followed. I guess it''s my turn to follow his shopping. It was a bowyer''s. Oh, right. A bow for Arven. I''m glad he remembered. Tom didn''t know anything about bows, so he left it to the elf, who seemed right at home. He examined a great many before picking one out. It was very polished and a bit ornate. Tom thought it looked too pretty to be a proper weapon, but Orvan apparently had different aesthetics. The bow and a quiver full of arrows set them back another gold and a half. At this point, Tom thought they were finished, but Orvan led him down to the docks. Bemused, Tom followed, wondering what they were doing now. Orvan looked around and found a fisherman''s shop. Inside, Tom watched as Orvan inspected fishing nets, before picking two out and paying for them himself. Tom was curious. I wonder who those are for? Chapter 53: Reel In the Fish Varga was feeling pretty smug as she made her way through the city streets. She could see a lot of people giving her stares, but she just grinned and waved at them, and that tended to win over almost everyone, and for the rest¡ªsaa, they would be out of her sight and her life in moments. Who needs a common language when you can smile? She sang a cheerful tune to herself as she skipped and danced past the slow, clumsy humans. If she wanted to sing louder and stood still, she could probably have some coins thrown at her feet, but she wanted to get her prizes stowed away. Lily Rose had offered to walk her back again, the sweetie, but Varga wanted to roam around town on her own a bit. Plus, some of her shopping was private. Feeling mischievous, Varga did start singing louder, a bouncy little elven tune, one of her favorites. ¡°Saa¡­I am singing in Elvish, and none of you understand, so I can use whatever words I want for¡­lyr-ics, I can tell a good joke or a bad one, say a sweet line or bawdy and lewd, and none of you know what I am say-ing, no, none of you know what I am say¡ªay¡ªing!¡± A couple of bedraggled children were trotting along to keep up with her, shouting questions at her in their human language. Still moving down the street, Varga pulled out a couple of small copper coins, showed them to the little ones, then made them disappear and reappear. ¡°Saa¡­I am singing in Elvish, and none of you understand, because I''m wandering in a city of hu¡ªmans, but small ones are still small, and tall ones are very tall, and round-ears aren''t so very different, af¡ªter¡ªall!¡± With a small leap, Varga landed in a crouch right in front of the small boy, grinning. The boy was startled and leaned back, but didn''t panic. Varga made the copper disappear, reappear, disappear, gently left it on the boy''s shoulder, then pointed at it with a look of huge surprise. The little girl had watched all that with wide eyes, and grabbed at her own shoulder a couple of times before Varga left the other coin there. She patted the little girl on the head, waved goodbye to them both, and resumed her trip to the wagon. The children waved madly to her as she left them behind. At the lot, she saw the same human she usually did guarding the exit. He stared at her in amusement as she spoke to him in rapid Elvish. ¡°Bill! Varga again. Hi, how are you doing? Anybody try to steal our wagon today? No? Good, that''s good. Thanks for watching it. How''s your Matriarch? Glad to hear it, glad to hear it. Yup, Tom Walker''s wagon, same as always.¡± She pointed at Bill, herself, and the wagon as she mentioned each. She expected that Bill would have given her some trouble if she tried to take anything out of the wagon, but since she was clearly just dropping things off, the two of them had a casual, unofficial little interspecies treaty going. This time, he watched as she carefully landed her backpack on the wagon bed, opened it, and hefted the small cask of wine she had bought. She looked at Bill and put two fingers to her lips with a smile, then pushed the cask up behind some of the other supplies that had already been loaded for the trip. She tucked away her other goodies beside it. Then, as she had each time she visited, she showed Bill a large copper, waved it around, and offered him her two closed fists. He pointed at her left this time, and she made a big deal out of acting disappointed but amused when she opened her fist to reveal the coin. She tossed it to him and headed off with a wave, carefully hiding that she had also hidden a large copper in her right fist. Varga was not quite as foolish as she presented herself. She knew that she was constantly surrounded by potentially hostile people in this city, but they were people. Smiling, joking, being friendly, giving to children, and ¡°losing¡± friendly games with the adults were all ways she coped with her situation. Even mean folks were less likely to be nasty to someone who smiled at them and made them laugh. Varga made her way back to the apartment building run by that adorable grouchy little person. She was careful not to tease Vinder Hall, though. She had a feeling he wouldn''t take kindly to it. She bounded up the stairs, refusing to admit that it left her a bit winded¡ªat least until she recalled that she had gotten some fun exercise earlier, and had earned the right to be tired, in her view. ¡°Varga,¡± Orvan called, ¡°you missed weapons shopping.¡± ¡°What''d you get me?¡± She walked over to where Orvan and Tom were piling weapons in the room Orvan and Kervan shared. ¡°A spear and a net.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°If you wanted anything different you should have said so.¡± ¡°Nah, Orvan, I''m just messing with you. Those are perfect.¡± Orvan simply sighed. Varga grinned, then looked closer. ¡°Orvan, did you fall down?¡± ¡°I had help. Three men robbed Kervan and myself.¡± Varga stiffened. ¡°Is he all right?¡± ¡°Diavla''s with him at the Temple getting Healing.¡± ¡°How bad was it?¡± Orvan waved a hand. ¡°Painful, but cosmetic. He''s getting taken care of quickly enough that he probably won''t even have a scar.¡± ¡°That''s good. Oh, I bet Kervan was pissed to get money stolen from him.¡± ¡°That would be a safe bet.¡± ¡°At any rate,¡± Eubexa called from her room, ¡°Master doesn''t want any of us going out unescorted again while we''re in town.¡± ¡°Aww. Careful, Tom, you''re going to make me think you care about me.¡± Tom looked at Varga after hearing her teasing translated to Western. ¡°I''m serious, Varga. I don''t want you getting hurt or worse. We should be leaving town tomorrow.¡± ¡°What about Dee and Kervan?¡± ¡°Master is going to go get them soon.¡± Varga nodded, then paused. Wait. Tom''s here and Diavla isn''t. This is an opportunity. Varga grinned. She already knew what she wanted to do, but took a moment to think about other options. No, this is the best plan. ¡°Eubexa, could you translate a private conversation between me and Tom? Oh, and could he take my collar off?¡± The elf set down the book she held. ¡°Certainly. Master, Varga wants to talk (something). She (something) wants (something) collar.¡± ¡°Oh, of course.¡± They went through the tedious process of finding the right token for her collar, and then Varga was free. ¡°Great. Now we can talk.¡± Eubexa translated. Tom looked at her, a little surprised maybe, and curious. ¡°All right.¡± He came inside Eubexa''s room and started to close the door. ¡°Hold up for two beats,¡± Varga called. She hurried into her room, grabbed the chair, and pulled it across the hall. ¡°We both need to sit down for this¡ªdon''t translate that,¡± she warned Eubexa. She took one chair and gestured for Tom to take the other, facing her. He hesitated, so she did her best cuddle-cat expression. ¡°Please?¡± she asked him in his language. Looking a bit wary, Tom sat down across from her. ¡°All right, good. Translate me now, Eubexa.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Varga twisted her mouth a moment, trying to think of how to begin. She took a breath. Gotta try something. ¡°Tom, Diavla and I have sex.¡± Judging by the hint of color on his cheeks, Tom understood that without Eubexa''s help, but she still translated. ¡°Yes?¡± Tom didn''t know where she was going with this yet, and seemed wary. ¡°Diavla and I do a lot of kissing.¡± When Tom got the translation of that, he looked even more nervous. ¡°I know how Diavla likes to be kissed. I want to tell you how to kiss her the way she likes.¡± When he heard that translated, he started to get up. Varga reached out her hands but didn''t touch him.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Please, Tom? Please wait.¡± She didn''t know the word for ¡°wait¡±, but Eubexa supplied it. ¡°Tom, you are a good man. Diavla likes you. Diavla wants to kiss you. I think you like Diavla. I think you want to kiss Diavla, but¡­¡± Varga paused a moment. ¡°I think you need¡­I think you could use some¡­I want to practice with you.¡± Eubexa only translated the end of her stammering sentence, spirits bless her. Tom sat there and stared at Varga, and his face went through something like half a dozen expressions in a beat or two. Then, Eubexa apparently decided to add her own opinion. It sounded as if Eubexa was telling him that it was a good plan. The poor, stunned human stared at the translator, who spread her hands, gesturing encouragement, and talked some more. When Tom looked disinclined to move for the moment, Eubexa switched to Elvish. ¡°I told him that this is a great idea. He''s nervous about doing it in front of me, and I was explaining that he should just think of me as a tool to translate. The idea of being watched is ¡­somewhat foreign to most humans. Not completely, but it is uncommon. A combination of social pacts and fetishes, I think.¡± ¡°I need to you translate, though! Otherwise, the first time he gets anything wrong, he''s going to bolt.¡± ¡°I agree. Thank you for suggesting this, Varga.¡± ¡°Well, he needs it,¡± Varga answered with a shrug. ¡°And I want Diavla to be happy.¡± Again, Tom seemed to catch her meaning at the end before Eubexa translated. That seemed to settle him more than anything else. Then that busy soul of his started to worry at some other thought, but Eubexa apparently hunted it successfully. The two of them spoke Western for a bit. ¡°I think he''s worried about hurting your feelings,¡± Eubexa explained. ¡°HA! No. No,¡± she told Tom. ¡°I am fine.¡± She waved a hand dismissively with a smile. A tiny little corner of her soul seemed to hesitate at that, but she resolutely ignored it. Not the time, soul. We have a kissing lesson right now. Reel in the fish. She waited, watching Tom closely. Very hesitantly, he gave a jerky nod. ¡°All right. Good.¡± Varga was careful not to sound too eager. ¡°Now, for the first one, I want him to just hold still and not do anything, please.¡± Eubexa translated, and Tom gave a slightly firmer nod. ¡°All right. Here we go.¡± Varga started to lean forward. ¡°Start on the cheek,¡± Eubexa suggested. Good idea. Tiny steps. Reel in the fish, Varga reminded herself. She gave Tom a light kiss on the cheek and made it last a few heartbeats. Then she pulled back. ¡°Very small moves,¡± she explained. ¡°Slow.¡± She waited for Eubexa, then added, ¡°Watch how I kiss you. Just watch. I''m not going to do much.¡± Eubexa rattled off the Western. Varga leaned forward again and kissed him on the cheek, closer to his lips that time. Moving very slowly, she shifted closer and kissed him again. And again. Just slightly firmer each time, just slightly closer to his mouth. Finally, she leaned in and gave him the barest, faintest kiss on the lips, and held it for a few heartbeats. Then she leaned back. ¡°You see how that feels? Don''t rush a kiss. Take your time. Now. You kiss me the way I just kissed you.¡± She sat and waited. It seemed to take a few beats for the man to work up his nerve, but he finally leaned in and planted a faint kiss on her cheek. It took him too long, and he was awkward, but he jerkily planted a few more kisses, then mashed his lips against hers clumsily and pulled back. ¡°Good,¡± she lied encouragingly. ¡°Slower, though. Don''t rush. Try again.¡± Tom kissed her cheek once more, this time a fair bit too slowly. He really hasn''t got the rhythm of this. ¡°That''s good,¡± she praised. ¡°Now, just a tiny bit faster, and try to be a bit smoother. Go ahead.¡± His next kisses were better. He was getting a little less stiff and awkward. ¡°All right. Now, you hold still again, and I''ll kiss you. When I kiss your lips, I want you to kiss me back, but not any harder or faster than I do, understand?¡± She waited for the translation and the nod. ¡°Good.¡± Varga worked at pacing. Slow enough to tempt, but not so slow that he gets bored. Her own instinct was to speed up and she had to fight herself on that. He''s not ready for faster, yet. Eubexa started murmuring encouragement as well, when neither of them were speaking. They continued their practice. Tom tried to draw an analogy to the precision of sword practice and Varga shut that right down. ¡°That''s a terrible analogy. This isn''t combat. Kissing is kissing. It''s supposed to be a joy, not a chore.¡± Eubexa was also getting more and more active with her advice, but she had a delicate touch, so Varga approved. She''s got to be an expert on kissing, especially bad kissing, given her old situation. They took a break to drink a little water, and Varga nodded. ¡°Good. You''re definitely improving. Let''s do that again. Try to feel for the moments to slow down or speed up. If you''re not sure, slow down.¡± Another round of kissing on the cheek and the lips. ¡°All right, you''re getting there. Now, I want you to slowly, slowly, turn up the heat on this next kiss. Actually, I''ll go first, then you.¡± Varga leaned in to kiss him. She put a hand on his shoulder, and let out just a little passion. It was actually a tease, going this slowly, and Varga felt a bit warm. After breaking the kiss, she took a moment to breathe, then nodded. ¡°Now, you.¡± Slow. Firm, but soft. Varga felt the gentle waves of his kiss like the ocean on the beach, and responded in rhythm. His hand was on her back, hers on his cheek. Varga felt the stirrings of desire, and let it out a little more. Then Tom got a bit too hard and sloppy, and she signaled a break. Making it methodical seemed to help Tom accept what was happening. Varga kept giving him encouragement with her corrections. ¡°All right, now hold still. I''m going to kiss you the way you were trying to kiss Lily Rose.¡± Varga deliberately gave Tom a sloppy and awkward and forceful kiss. Then she pulled back to see his reaction. He looked mortally embarrassed. ¡°Was I that bad?¡± ¡°An hour ago, you were. You''re doing much better already, though. Can you tell?¡± Red-faced, Tom nodded. ¡°Excellent. Now, let''s do a few different kinds of kiss.¡± Tom looked curious at the translation. Varga explained. ¡°You can kiss someone like¡­they''re a friend, you care, and a kiss feels right, just then. Or, you can kiss them like you want them to be tolanor with you. Or, you can kiss someone like you want to stoke their heat. Understand?¡± Eubexa translated at length. Eventually, Tom gave a slow nod. ¡°The first kiss, you''re kissing me. Now, give me a kiss to tell me, ¡®Thank you for the lesson, Varga. You''re a good friend.¡¯ All right?¡± That kiss was warm, firm, and deeply satisfying. Oh, he''s much better at this, now. She was smiling naturally after that. ¡°Thank you, Tom. That was really nice.¡± ¡°It was nice. Thank you.¡± ¡°Good. Now, for the second one, I''m standing in for Diavla, here. Kiss me like you want to take Diavla''s breath away, like you want to convince her to be with you always. I''ll start.¡± Varga took a moment to close her eyes and orient her soul. Be with me always, Tom, she recited, pretending. You are my tolanor, and I am yours. Spirits, I should just imagine that I''m kissing Diavla, here. You don''t know what you want, Dee. You want me. Whoever else you also want, you want me. She started kissing Tom/Diavla, feeling the uncertainty her two imagined partners shared, the banked passion they shared, the kindness they shared. Stay with me, Tom. Stay with me, Diavla. Always. I want to grow old with you, Diavla. Tom, I want all the decades you have. You are so amazing. I will be amazing, too¡ªfor you. Being with you makes me happy. You are so¡­ Varga lost herself in the kiss, until the faintest of whispers came from Eubexa. ¡°Ease up, Varga,¡± the sick elf urged, so quietly that it was possible Tom hadn''t heard a thing. Varga gently disengaged. Tom''s eyes were still closed, as hers had been. Quickly, she wiped her cheeks before Tom could see. Eubexa distracted Tom with conversation for a few moments. Varga cleared her throat. ¡°That was good, Tom. Diavla will like that.¡± She had to take a couple of deep breaths, but so did Tom, so that was all right. What was I saying, again? Oh. Yes. ¡°One more kind of kiss, Tom. A sexy kiss will usually grow out of a different kind, unless you are already sex partners with them. So, for example, you could start to give me a ¡®thank you¡¯ kiss like earlier. And, suppose there weren''t any issues with it becoming more. You might want to deepen the kiss and start focusing on giving me physical pleasure. For this, you need to pay attention, because everyone is different. I like a fun tease, so surprising me with pleasure is good. It''s always rooted in friendship, though. ¡°Diavla is different. She''s more¡­¡± She paused. ¡°You can approach erotalsh through tolanor.¡± Eubexa filled in a Western word: ¡°romantic¡±. Varga calmed Tom by giving him half a dozen rules to follow in her own case, with an implication that she would be grading his performance. Not too fast. Not too sloppy. Always mindful of her soul. More rules. With rules, Tom could pretend that they weren''t really doing this, and Varga knew how important that was. She shared several friendly kisses with Tom, until they were both comfortable and smiling. Then she smirked and challenged him. ¡°Now¡ªkiss me and mean it. Try to get me to want to take my clothes off for you.¡± She winked. ¡°A silver says you can''t do it.¡± ¡°If one of you crumbles, the one who is willing to have sex at the end pays a silver to the one who tells them no,¡± Eubexa proposed. Tom snorted, but rose to the challenge in just the way Varga had hoped. ¡°I may lose, but I''ll make you think about it, at least, troublemaker.¡± ¡°Try it.¡± Tom kissed her. At first, one or the other of them was usually laughing a little, breaking the tensions. Varga tapped Tom on the nose when he made a clumsy move, and now he could take it in stride. They paused, and Varga could sense the moment they both got serious. She leaned in and hugged him firmly, letting her hands slide over his muscular arms and back as she did her best to heat his blood. Both of them had slightly ragged breathing when they came up for air that time. ¡°Take off your pants,¡± she told him. ¡°Not yet,¡± the big human told her, giving her a little shiver. ¡°Then seduce me, Tom. Seduce me with a kiss. Make me want you.¡± ¡°Be careful what you wish for.¡± They kissed some more. Varga imagined Tom getting sweaty, his huge muscles¡­ I bet he''d be considerate in bed. Oh, is that passion I sense coming off of you in waves, human? Varga intensified her efforts. Spirits, he''s strong! This could be a lot of fun¡­I wonder how far I can get him to go with me right now? Come on, big boy, show me what you''ve got. Never mind, I''ll find out for myself¡­oh, my. Varga kissed Tom with wild intensity, until suddenly Tom was breaking the kiss. He was pushing her shoulders back. This was made a little more difficult because her legs were now wrapped tight around his waist, and she could feel his heat, his excitement, rivaling hers. ¡°Ugh, don''t stop now¡­¡± she complained, as Tom gently, but firmly, pried her off of him. Eubexa spoke to him for a moment, then explained, ¡°I told him that he won the bet.¡± Bet. Right. We were just playing. But spirits, now I really want some more of that. Varga pushed some hair out of her face and said, ¡°Tell him he has mastered the art. I will take payment for the lesson in kisses, now and then.¡± She thought about what was likely to happen later that night, and felt a pang of envy. Patience, she told herself. It''s only a matter of time, now. Reel in the fish. Chapter 54: Salt Tom felt a complex churn of emotions in his soul as he went to retrieve Diavla and Kervan. He couldn''t help but find Varga exciting, now. He''d always known she was attractive, largely from her enthusiastic and cheerful personality, but also because she was very fit, and her red hair and green eyes were quite pretty. He''d have to be blind not to find her appealing, and he wasn''t even sure that would do it. He tried to remind himself why getting involved romantically with the elves under his protection was problematic, but Varga''s nature worked against that. She was just so¡­obvious. If Varga wanted to have sex with him, it was because she wanted sex with him, not because she was trying to manipulate him. It was as if the thought of taking advantage would simply never occur to her, and if it did, it would be as a joke. Of course, he was still technically in a position of life-and-death power over her, and all the elves. Yet, it seemed clear to Tom that the elves¡ªaside from Eubexa¡ªhad figured out that Tom wasn''t ever going to abuse them, threaten them, or give them orders they couldn''t accept. I''m taking their collars off basically whenever they''re away from prying eyes. Gods, we''re even leaving the city soon, and then they won''t be wearing the collars at all. They might even rethink my role as leader of the group, since they all have better woodcraft than I do. I should follow their lead out there, in a lot of ways. So, all the logical reasons why he should leave the elf women alone felt as if they were on shaky ground, to say the least. I worried in the beginning about becoming corrupted. Am I? Am I being evil, or just practical? Then, there was Diavla. It wasn''t fair to be interested in both of the women. He needed to choose, and he knew he would choose Diavla over Varga. Varga was very sexy, but Diavla was just as sexy and also amazing in a bunch of other ways. That made him feel guilty on Varga''s behalf. Ugh! It''s so confusing! This must be why most people stick to one husband or wife. Now I understand how complicated the plots get in the traveling performers'' shows when one man tries to keep his two lovers from meeting. Tom had to wonder about elven culture. He really didn''t understand it, and it was important, if he wanted to woo Diavla. Elves seemed to have some very¡­odd¡­ attitudes about sex. It would be hard to get details¡ªTom caught himself. No, actually, it wouldn''t. Not any more. I can ask Eubexa for all sorts of details. The thought intrigued Tom. I might be able to¡­to communicate clearly what I want, and find out what she wants, so there isn''t any misunderstanding. It''s still an act of faith, though¡­for both of us. Diavla was obviously smarter and more subtle than Varga. Tom was pretty sure she was a fair bit smarter and more subtle than he was, too. She probably could manipulate him if she wanted to. Similarly, he guessed Diavla might worry about Tom taking advantage of their positions. He''d like to think he''d convinced her of his good intentions, but he knew how hard it was to quell doubts. Besides, what if we had a fight? I know what would happen. Even if we somehow hated each other''s guts after, we are both mature enough to work together to get the elves to safety. That''s more important, both to Diavla and to me. And, I think she knows that. So¡­why am I still keeping my distance? Tom started to feel¡­hopeful, and cautioned himself against it. He looked for more problems. How could this go wrong? The most obvious way would be hard feelings between Varga and Diavla, or Varga and him, if he and Diavla became a couple. Maybe, I should do the exact opposite of what those guys in the plays did? Instead of sneaking around, I could talk to both of them at once, with Eubexa there, and have everything out in the open? As soon as he thought of that, Tom felt better. That''s how he knew he had found the right course of action. That meeting might be horrible to get through, but it''s better in the long run for everyone if there''s no confusion. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã When he got to the Temple, Kervan looked bored and annoyed, and had several bandages on. Diavla seemed to have found her time in the Temple educational. She was smiling happily. Despite Kervan''s grumblings, Tom took a few minutes to pray at the altars of gods he didn''t normally visit. He always felt skittish when addressing a god he hadn''t spoken to before. After all, he didn''t know their personality well, and might give offense despite his intentions. If I am failing a god, I can''t know unless they tell me, though. So, I have to ask. Tom noticed that Diavla was doing her thing to see¡­What was it? ¡°Affinities¡±. That was it. She seemed very interested in watching him that way. Apparently, the possibility that Tom might have some tiny amount of magic intrigued her. As they were leaving, Tom noticed Diavla putting a small book into her bag. ¡°Diavla? You buy book?¡± The beautiful elf looked up at him in surprise, then shook her head. ¡°I no spend a gold, Tom. Five silver.¡± ¡°Five silver?¡± Tom raised his eyebrows. Five silver wouldn''t even cover the cost of the materials to make such a thing, so, why¡­? Tom put it together. ¡°Oh, that''s prosel¡­prosa¡­preaching material. Book teach you gods,¡± he explained. Sometimes, I forget Western words, too, he thought wryly. ¡°Yes. I learn human gods,¡± Diavla explained. ¡°I learn human magic.¡± We''ve got a lot to learn about each other, Tom mused. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They walked back to the apartments without any trouble, and Tom gathered everyone but Eubexa for a trip to the baths. After they returned, everyone laid out their washed clothes to dry in their rooms. Tom took the opportunity to speak with Eubexa.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± he asked. ¡°I have no complaints, Master. I am grateful for all you have done.¡± Tom tried to guess what she might want or need, sensing that Eubexa was very reluctant to ask for anything. ¡°We''ve been doing a lot of shopping. Have I forgotten anything that might help you, Eubexa?¡± The veiled elf didn''t move, and Tom schooled himself to patience. I hate that I can''t see her expressions, but I guess that''s no different from anyone else up close. Since she didn''t respond right away with a denial, there was something, apparently. ¡°Master¡­I apologize, but I¡­really would appreciate extra servings of food.¡± Tom blinked. ¡°Of course! You''re half-starved and you''re recovering from healing spells, of course you need extra food! Have we not been bringing you enough?¡± ¡°No, Master. I mean¡ªyou have been bringing me extra, and it looks like a reasonable amount, and yet I keep having desperate cravings for even more.¡± ¡°Eubexa, I want you to eat until sated. If that means triple portions for you, that''s not a problem. Is your body gaining strength, do you think?¡± ¡°I''m¡­not sure. It might be. The body sometimes does strange things when it grows close to death.¡± Tom sighed. ¡°Eubexa, I don''t want you going hungry. Go ahead and ask for more helpings until you are actually full. Your body needs food to heal itself.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Her head moved slightly. ¡°Master, have you decided how you will transport the gold?¡± ¡°I was thinking of buying jewelry, and hoping to sell it for as much or more at our destination.¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°I was wondering whether you wanted to buy some goods to sell. Become a merchant, in truth.¡± Tom paused. ¡°You know¡­that''s not a bad idea. What goods do you think would be valuable?¡± ¡°We are headed south?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then goods from the north¡­metals, gems, or¡­salt, Master! They always need salt for tanning in the woods. Oak Mill is much smaller than Rivermarch, and known more for forest production¡ªoak, of course, but also hides. Also, and this sounds odd, I know, but¡ªif there are exotic kinds of lumber for sale here, they might find buyers in Oak Mill. The people there will be used to working with wood, and having a different kind of wood from usual might be a big help in places.¡± Tom tilted his head and considered. ¡°We''d have to get another wagon, possibly more, depending¡­I like the salt idea. Salt is always valuable. I''ll check the prices and see how much salt we can afford.¡± He grinned. ¡°Thank you, Eubexa! I wasn''t thrilled about gems since they are small and easy to steal. This could work.¡± Tom stuck his head out of Eubexa''s room. ¡°Everyone? Can I talk to all of you for a minute? Ah¡­elves here, please?¡± They gathered in a matter of moments. Tom had Eubexa explain her idea about buying salt with the rest of the gold, intending to sell it in Oak Mill. Once they had the idea, Diavla, Varga and Orvan all turned and looked at Kervan, who got a distant expression on his face, then recited some numbers. The elves argued back and forth for a couple of minutes. Finally, Eubexa reported, ¡°They all accept the idea, if it is workable. Diavla seems to feel that you will negotiate well.¡± ¡°Thank you, everyone. I want to go out and check prices, see how much I can get.¡± Tom considered a moment. ¡°If you don''t mind, I want to go alone, when buying. Bringing slaves along makes me look rich and they''ll raise their prices.¡± ¡°Smart, Master.¡± Eubexa translated, and none of the elves objected. ¡°Great. I''ll see if I can get some end-of-the-day bargains. I''ll be back as soon as I can, then we''ll go to the Floating Duck for dinner.¡± Tom changed into his more ragged-looking clothes, and headed to the markets. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It turned out that salt in bulk was sold in bags of a standard weight. He found three merchants offering them. Tom engaged each merchant in conversation, looking for hints of opportunities. Ivan Sellers had eighty bags of salt for sale and wanted eighty silver for each. He was happy to gossip at length about the other merchants. ¡°That Hakeem, oh, he makes my hands curl into fists, he does! Undercuts me on hemp every chance he gets!¡± ¡°How much?¡± Tom asked curiously. ¡°Hear this¡ªwhen I sell for forty, Hakeem learns of it and sells for thirty-nine. Thirty-nine, can you believe that? A single silver difference, and people flock to him. It disgusts me.¡± Tom commiserated with Ivan for a while, agreeing that such behavior was deplorable. ¡°And what of salt? Does he do the same to you then?¡± ¡°Oh, I am sure that he would.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Tom leaned closer. ¡°So if I were to tell Hakeem that you are charging only¡­seventy-five, do you think he would drop his price to seventy-four?¡± ¡°Seventy-four is what we buy the sacks for. But I wouldn''t put it past him.¡± ¡°Hmmm. So if I got him to charge less than seventy-four, it would hurt him?¡± Ivan stared at him a moment. ¡°If you could do that, you would have my blessings.¡± Tom grinned. ¡°So, suppose I buy, say, twenty bags from you, at eighty, and then I go past Hakeem bragging about what a bargain I got¡­¡± Ivan leaned closer as well, and lowered his voice. ¡°It sounds good, but I doubt you can convince him that I sold at anything under seventy-five. And if you''re not going to hurt Hakeem, I''d rather you just buy it all from me at eighty.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Let me see what I can do.¡± Tom gave him a wink and walked on. The second merchant was Conroy Trader. He had thirty bags for sale, but wanted eighty-five for them. ¡°Why so much?¡± Tom asked. ¡°The others are charging much less.¡± Conroy sneered. ¡°They can empty their inventories, then. Meanwhile, I will have the only supply for everyone else, and they will gladly pay me rather than do without.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Tom observed. ¡°It must sit around a long time, though. Isn''t that expensive for you?¡± ¡°Eh, it is one less shelf to fill and empty every day.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°You must have the best prices in something else, though, to stay in business.¡± ¡°No one can sell lamp oil for less than me. Everyone needs lamp oil¡ªeveryone but those spoiled rich people with rock lights and pet spell casters to refill them.¡± ¡°That''s a good product. How do you keep Hakeem from undercutting you?¡± Conroy snorted. ¡°He can try, if he wants to bankrupt himself. I have a contract with a good source and get a good price.¡± ¡°Nice. Contracts are good. I''m only trying to buy salt once, so, no special deals for me.¡± Tom made as if to go, but then leaned back in. ¡°Oh, is there anything I could help you get?¡± Conrad raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ambitious?¡± ¡°Of course, but also¡­a new face.¡± Tom pointed at himself. ¡°If there''s anyone who doesn''t want to sell to you, but might to a stranger¡­?¡± ¡°Jasmine,¡± Conrad said at once. ¡°Hakeem has the only supplier locked up. He charges two and a half gold per bottle, can you believe it? And people pay it because they have to. If you could convince Hakeem to drop his ridiculous price, or get some another way, I would give you nine gold for four bottles.¡± Tom nodded slowly. ¡°I''ll see what I can do.¡± Hakeem Uburji was a short man with such an impressive set of teeth that he must have been blessed by a god. Unfortunately, he knew full well that Ivan charged eighty for a bag of salt, and wasn''t willing to go below his starting price of seventy-nine. He also only had fifteen bags. Tom agreed to buy them all, and got a slight discount that way, making the total cost eleven gold and seventy-five silver. Once they had shaken on the deal, Tom asked, ¡°Is it going to inconvenience you, being sold out when others come looking?¡± ¡°Not at all, Mr. Walker.¡± Hakeem gave another wide smile. ¡°I''m getting restocked tomorrow, anyway.¡± ¡°Oh, lucky,¡± Tom said mildly. He promised to return in the morning, with a wagon to pick up the salt and the gold to pay for it. He walked back to the apartments, mulling over what he had learned. He had an idea by the time he got back, but set it aside for the moment. It was time for a very important conversation. Chapter 55: The Talk Diavla stared at her kanashim. ¡°I don''t know whether to have a childish fit of jealousy, or to thank you profusely.¡± Varga wore a smug smile. ¡°Looks like I seduced him before you did. You''re welcome.¡± Then her smile faded, somewhat. ¡°I wouldn''t worry, Dee. I''m pretty sure he was only kissing me as practice for kissing you. At least, that was the excuse I gave him.¡± ¡°Devious,¡± Diavla conceded. ¡°So¡­how is he, at kissing?¡± Varga took in a breath through her nose and tilted her head. ¡°Not bad. He''s definitely not a natural, but he learns pretty quickly. I rescued you from getting slobbered on, at least.¡± ¡°Thank you. I hope he kisses me soon.¡± Diavla hoped that Tom''s worries about his skill were the reason he had shied away from kissing her the last couple of times they had come close to it. ¡°He will,¡± Varga said, confidently. ¡°I''m going to keep him in practice. I told him I would take payment for the lesson in kisses, now and then. I''ll push that as far as I can.¡± ¡°Do you think he wants you?¡± Varga hesitated. ¡°I don''t know. I definitely lit his fire, but I am wondering if he only wants one person for sex, and if so, let''s face it¡ªthat person is probably going to be you.¡± ¡°Pairing seems to be the usual way with humans mating. That''s what I learned growing up. Although, the Carvers were an exception, so other arrangements are possible. I wonder if Tom would be open to alternatives.¡± ¡°I thought you wanted him all to yourself?¡± ¡°I do! I¡ªugh! Don''t encourage me to be childish, Varga.¡± ¡°I was just checking. I don''t want you getting upset if I take him for a ride, sometimes. He''s pretty tasty.¡± ¡°He''s a lot more than that,¡± Diavla countered. ¡°Too true,¡± Varga murmured. Diavla was surprised at the seriousness in Varga''s tone and watched her friend. The redhead seemed to shake off whatever thoughts she was having and refocused. ¡°For that matter, if Tom wants you, is he going to want you to stop having sex with me?¡± Diavla frowned. ¡°I certainly hope not!¡± ¡°Well, then, maybe make it clear before you pounce on him?¡± Diavla sighed. ¡°I''ll ask Eubexa for advice. She knows humans and sex. Unfortunately, I don''t think talking explicitly with Tom is a good way to make anything happen. It has to be indirect, like what you did with the kissing.¡± ¡°It''s not very healthy.¡± ¡°No, it isn''t. Tom''s still fairly young as humans go. Maybe we can work on him and get him to be more open-minded.¡± ¡°Going to try to civilize a human?¡± Diavla shrugged. ¡°It seems worth the attempt. I think I''ll go ask Eubexa some questions.¡± ¡°Ask me what, in particular?¡± Eubexa called. The sick elf was directly across the hall, and the doors were open. Diavla went over to Eubexa''s room and sat in one of the chairs. Varga followed, taking the other. ¡°About humans and mating.¡± Eubexa carefully set down The Lands of the Kataroche. ¡°Yes?¡± Diavla hesitated. Before she could find the words, Varga blurted out, ¡°Is Tom going to want to stick to just one sex partner? How do humans do relationships around sex?¡± Eubexa sighed. ¡°Well, first of all, there''s a lot more variety among the humans than they will readily admit to. The brothel stayed in business in large part because men were not satisfied with their wives.¡± ¡°Wives, plural?¡± ¡°Usually, no. The reason is financial. The richer the man, the better quality of life he can give his partner, and the more room he has to provide for multiple partners. And of course, nobles follow their own rules.¡± ¡°What about women with multiple partners?¡± ¡°It happens, but it''s less common. Remember, there''s no Matriarchy here, and less magic. Back home, magic mostly equalizes power between the sexes. Men here tend to be in charge through brute strength, and as a result, they tend to be the ones earning coin to support the family.¡± ¡°But what do humans prefer?¡± ¡°Well, you know how humans have only one word, love, for several different concepts?¡± Diavla nodded, and Eubexa continued, ¡°They are like that in their lives, not just their language.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Varga jumped in. ¡°Are you saying that humans try to find kanashim, erotalsh, tolanor and so forth, all in a single relationship with a single person?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That''s impossible! Nobody is that lucky.¡± ¡°That''s why they make such a big event out of it when they think they have found their ¡®one true love¡¯.¡± ¡°But, don''t they notice that that basically never happens?¡± ¡°They write a lot of stories and plays about it. And they think it works more often than it actually does. Remember, they only have to make it work for fifty or sixty years, at most. If they manage that, then to them it might as well be ¡®eternal love¡¯, as they put it.¡± ¡°It''s the gods thing all over again,¡± Varga complained. ¡°Lumping together a bunch of Ideas and calling it one god.¡± Eubexa nodded. ¡°That''s actually a fair comparison.¡± ¡°So, what does this mean for Tom?¡± ¡°Well, it depends on what Master is familiar with. Do you know the family structure he grew up in?¡± Diavla thought back. ¡°I hadn''t really seen the importance at the time, but he did say a single mother and a single father. We got sidetracked talking about children after that.¡± Eubexa nodded again. ¡°That''s by far the most common arrangement.¡± She sighed, and her veil stirred slightly in response. ¡°You''ll need to sit down and talk it out with him¡ªpreferably with me there to translate to avoid misunderstandings.¡± They all heard the door downstairs open, and Tom''s familiar heavy tread on the stairs. ¡°And, here comes Master now,¡± Eubexa observed. ¡°We might have to wait on the conversation if Tom has other work for us, or wants dinner,¡± Diavla observed. ¡°I think he''ll be happy to talk now, so long as nothing went wrong out there,¡± Varga guessed. They didn''t have long to wait.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Ah, ladies. Just the three I wanted to see.¡± Diavla was glad Eubexa translated without waiting to be asked. Her own Western was coming along, but she would not have quite gotten that statement fully on her own. ¡°Yes, Master?¡± Tom stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°I want to talk to Diavla and Varga, together, about¡­our¡­ relationships.¡± The women looked at each other. I guess we don''t have to wait after all, Diavla thought, both excited and nervous. Tom also looked nervous, though she might not have been able to tell if she hadn''t seen him facing scary situations before. ¡°Excellent, Master. We were just discussing that we should do that.¡± ¡°Oh! Well, uh, good¡­then.¡± Tom looked surprised, as if he had been expecting an argument over having the talk together. ¡°As the disinterested neutral party, perhaps I could lead the discussion?¡± Eubexa offered. Tom looked surprised again, but nodded. Diavla and Varga nodded as well. ¡°Please do.¡± Diavla was curious about what Tom had expected. Actually, he probably has no idea what to expect, that''s why he''s so off balance. ¡°Thank you, Master. Stating things simply, I believe that all three of you have feelings for each other, and want to have some form of relationships with each other.¡± Everyone nodded, though Tom looked guilty and uncomfortable. We had guessed that he wants us both, Diavla mused. Then, she was startled by a realization. He wants us both, and thinks that he shouldn''t. Does he think that it is wrong of him to have such desires? ¡°Eubexa, could you explain to me how elves handle these things? I don''t know what''s normal for you.¡± ¡°Of course, Master. Put simply, elves do not try to find everything they want in a partner all in one person. It is wonderful when it happens, but it often does not. Instead, elves have separate¡­I suppose you could call them ¡®levels¡¯ of relationship, although that also isn''t quite right. Different kinds of relationships, perhaps.¡± Tom was looking lost, so Eubexa took the short path. ¡°Elves often have multiple partners and different relationships with each, all at the same time. A woman might have three husbands, or a man might have two wives, and so forth. This is completely normal for us.¡± Tom looked stunned. You did ask, Diavla thought at him. Which was nice of you, actually. ¡°I believe we have already discussed how you wish to be related to Diavla. Would you tell us how you feel about Varga?¡± It seemed to take a few tries for Tom to find his voice, but he finally said, firmly, ¡°Varga is a good friend and a very attractive woman. I''m not in love with her or anything, but I like her, and she''s really sexy.¡± Once Eubexa had relayed that, Varga asked, ¡°What does that mean, ¡®in love with¡¯?¡± ¡°It''s complicated. Roughly, erotalsh and tolanor at the same time.¡± ¡°Well, saa, obviously. Tom, I wasn''t expecting that from you, and I don''t feel that way towards you,¡± Varga sounded a bit more relaxed. Tom listened to the translation, and looked¡­both relieved and maybe a touch disappointed. ¡°Would you like to have sex with Varga?¡± Eubexa asked bluntly. Tom got that stunned look again. After a moment, Eubexa dared, ¡°I think if the answer were no, you would have said so.¡± After a few seconds, Tom nodded. ¡°But¡­I don''t know what that would do to my relationship with Diavla,¡± he added. ¡°Told you,¡± Varga murmured, a little sadly. ¡°He likes you more.¡± ¡°He likes us differently,¡± Diavla corrected quietly, then raised her voice. ¡°Tom, do you want to pursue a relationship with me?¡± Tom nodded. ¡°I was going to hold off until we reached somewhere you all are safe¡­but now, I don''t even want to wait that long. If you can trust me to handle challenges we face as a couple, I can trust you to do the same. I promise you, even if we fight, and end up hating each other, I will still work together with you to get you and all the elves to safety. I swear by the gods and my honor. You are safe with me, always.¡± Diavla felt herself smiling. ¡°I feel the same, Tom. I feel the same.¡± She glanced at Varga, and added, ¡°I am eager to spend time with you, and so long as you do not neglect that, I am happy for you both if you and Varga also have a relationship.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Tom looked stunned all over again. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Diavla nodded. She did feel possibly a little twinge of jealousy, but restrained it for the moment. He is just learning. Don''t complicate things for small reasons, she scolded herself. ¡°Well, in that case, later I want to¡­no, wait.¡± Eubexa caught up while Tom was thinking. ¡°No. I promised myself that I would talk everything out with both of you together, so everybody knew how everybody felt and nobody got any bad surprises. So¡­one moment.¡± Tom turned to face the wall and started fiddling with his shirt, probably trying to get at something tucked away. After a minute, he turned back to face them, both hands closed. ¡°I am¡­¡± Eubexa paused, listening to Tom for a few moments, then summarized in Elvish, ¡°farsighted.¡± Tom continued in Western. ¡°So, I cannot see if there are flaws. Still, I wanted to get this for you, Diavla.¡± He knelt down in front of her, and she blinked hard, in surprise. He opened his right hand, to reveal a silver ring. Diavla gave a pleased little gasp. She wouldn''t have thought Tom would choose such an appropriate gift to begin courtship. Did he ask Orvan, or Eubexa, for advice? ¡°?¡®I offer my friendship and my interest in more.¡¯?¡± ¡°Awwww¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Diavla slowly reached out to take the ring. Lifting it from his palm, she turned it and saw the piece of amber, and the lovely wave pattern in the metal band. She tried it on, starting with her smallest finger, of course. It was too loose, so she tried her fourth finger, then her middle finger. There, the ring fit snugly. ¡°Thank you, Tom. It is beautiful. ¡®I accept your interest and offer my own.¡¯?¡± ¡°It is a traditional Elvish response,¡± Eubexa added at the end of her translation. ¡°From here, Tom, you proceed at your own pace. It is acceptable to seek her company the same day, or to wait a decade or two. There are a lot of steps of formal courtship unavailable because we are not in Salathin. For example, you cannot meet her Matriarch or family.¡± Eubexa continued to explain basic Elvish culture to Tom, who seemed torn between grinning at Diavla and listening intently. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Varga murmured, leaning closer. ¡°Thank you,¡± Diavla whispered back, touching her new ring repeatedly and looking at her human. ¡°He seems interested in doing things the elven way. Don''t worry, I''ll explain that I am still with you, as well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Varga''s normally bubbly voice was fairly still and quiet. Diavla took her kanashim''s hand to reassure her. Tom seemed to be checking over and over that courting both Diavla and Varga at once was widely acceptable in elven culture. After a few more moments, Tom turned to face them again. ¡°Man, this feels really weird.¡± He stared at Varga for a while, and she looked up at him curiously. ¡°Varga, I like you. You are fun.¡± Eubexa translated the words he missed, but otherwise he was trying to speak in Elvish. ¡°You smile. You laugh. You joke. And you care about Diavla, and all of us. Thank you.¡± ¡°Why is he thanking me? I didn''t do it for him.¡± ¡°You know I am very interested in Diavla,¡± Tom continued. ¡°You are willing to share her. This may be normal for you, but it is new and strange to me, and I am grateful.¡± Diavla could sense some of the tension leaving Varga, as his words made it obvious that he understood the two women still had a relationship. ¡°I am grateful, too,¡± Varga answered quietly. ¡°I remember, you know, how you saved me from the wolf. I don''t think I ever thanked you for that. So¡­thank you. You''re a good guy, Tom Walker. And¡­you better treat Diavla right.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Tom was staring at Varga as if trying to understand something about her. ¡°I wasn''t sure about this, but¡­you deserve to know.¡± He knelt again, this time facing Varga. The redhead visibly braced for bad news. ¡°Varga, you are¡­a great help to the group. You are cheerful, and bold, and brave, and I respect all of that. You are also a beautiful and sexy woman. Any man would be crazy not to want you. And I do want you.¡± ¡°But¡­?¡± Varga asked quietly. There was a pause as Tom listened, then spoke, and Eubexa reported his words. ¡°But, nothing. Diavla is not the only woman I find wonderful. I look forward to more time with you. And¡­¡± Tom held out his hand, revealing a silver ring with a tiny emerald. Varga''s breath caught. Diavla felt a churn of emotions¡ªchildish jealousy, happiness for her friend, respect for Tom''s courage in doing this, and curiosity about whether he would be able to balance his attention between her and Varga. ¡°?¡®I offer my friendship and my interest in more.¡¯?¡± Varga cleared her throat. ¡°Dee, tolanor, if you object, tell me right now.¡± Diavla smiled at her and squeezed her hand. ¡°Of course, I don''t mind. I''m glad.¡± They looked into each others'' eyes for a few more moments, then Varga nodded and turned to Tom. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and took the silver ring, which fit on the fourth finger of her left hand. ¡°You wonderfully crazy human. Yes, Tom. ¡®I accept your interest and offer my own.¡¯?¡± With that, Varga leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Diavla watched, in fascination. Tom seemed to be enjoying the kiss very much, but he still pulled away first. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom turned and stared at Diavla now. ¡°And, thank you.¡± As he leaned in to kiss her, finally, Diavla''s heart soared. Where will this go? She wondered. How much can I have with this amazing man? Her joy diminished a bit, a worry of the future giving her a faint shiver of premonition. And for how long? Then, those thoughts were swept aside as they kissed. Diavla melted into his arms. His fingers slid up into her hair and she trembled. She didn''t care about anything else, then. Now is all that matters. Chapter 56: Last Night at the Floating Duck Tom would gladly have continued kissing Diavla, but he was more and more acutely aware that they had an audience, so he reluctantly broke it off. Diavla and Tom stared into each other''s eyes for a moment. Even with his blurry vision, he could see that Diavla''s eyes sparkled and her smile could outshine the sun. Gods, she is beautiful. ¡°Hi,¡± he murmured. ¡°Hi,¡± Diavla repeated. They stared at each other a little longer. Varga cleared her throat, loudly. Tom blinked and took a breath, then nodded and stood up, backing away from the women. ¡°Right. Yeah. Dinner. We should probably go to dinner.¡± ¡°Food is good!¡± Varga agreed, cheerfully. She and Diavla stood as well, both a bit uncomfortably close to him in the cramped room. Tom flushed a bit, then nodded to Eubexa. ¡°We''ll send someone back with dinner for you, Eubexa. Thank you very much for your help.¡± ¡°Of course, Master. Congratulations. Congratulations, Diavla and Varga.¡± The men were waiting in their room when Tom emerged, and he was about to lead them downstairs when Diavla reminded him that they needed to put collars back on. Oh! Right. Whoops. That could have been bad. We don''t need trouble with the city on our last night in town. It just took a minute. Tom did his best to memorize the order the tokens went into his belt pocket this time. Orvan, Kervan, Diavla, Varga, he repeated to himself a few times. Soon after, he was leading the four elves across the street to the Floating Duck. It''s likely to be rowdy on Eightnight, he noted. He was correct. They weren''t quite as early as they usually were, but still, the place was already much more crowded and a lot louder than during previous visits. They actually were unable to get a table right away. We might even have to eat somewhere else, Tom mused, looking around. Suddenly, Varga dashed off, almost bounding like a rabbit as she wove her way rapidly through the crowd. What is she up to now? Tom followed her with his gaze, and found that she was pouncing on a table just as another group was standing up to leave. Several men stared at her curiously as she landed on a bench just vacated. Varga simply beamed at the men, and gestured for Tom and the other elves to join her. One of these days, she''s going to be bouncy and friendly to someone who doesn''t care for it, and I''m going to have to rescue her from some mess or other. For now, though, her boldness worked to their advantage, and Tom quickly led the others over to finish staking their claim. Tom looked over their group to make sure that nobody was being harassed or left behind. Moments later, Debbie arrived like a rock from a trebuchet. ¡°Tom, sir! And the elves! Welcome back! What''ll you have?¡± The elves were familiar enough with things now to place their own drink orders. Debbie recited them back, then said, ¡°Dinner tonight is a beef and tuber mash with gravy, and yes, we have bread. How many?¡± ¡°We''ll start with five, as soon as¡ª¡± Tom cut himself off, reminding himself not to assume. ¡°Orvan?¡± Orvan was already standing up again. ¡°Yes, Tom. I go.¡± ¡°Thank you, Orvan.¡± The others added their thanks as well. ¡°Right, you are! I''ll bring you your drinks, and then five Orvan Specials when they''re ready. If you''d care to follow me, Mr. Orvan?¡± Debbie led the old elf away, making rather more noise than usual as she pushed her way through the crowd. When they approached the kitchen, Tom heard Debbie bellow, ¡°HEY, KEV! ORV IS HERE!¡± A small cheer went up in that part of the tavern, to Tom''s surprise. I guess someone told them where the better food was coming from. He grinned and turned back to the others. Diavla and Varga were showing off their rings to Kervan, their lively Elvish conversation far outpacing the grip Tom''s soul had on the language. Tom just sat back and enjoyed the scene. He liked the way Diavla kept looking in his direction and smiling. Varga, of course, teased Diavla about it, but stole her own glances. The redhead wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. Always the joker. Tom knew he was probably wearing a very smug grin, but couldn''t help it. If life be a game of cards, I hold a winning hand. More than one customer came over to ask him if he owned the elf who was cooking in the back, and to thank him. One fellow even bought him a drink. A couple also asked about Kervan, seeing his bandages, and Tom explained briefly that the elf had been robbed while on an errand for him. It was a while before Edge showed up, which was understandable, given the crowd. The information merchant probably had a lot of important conversations scheduled that evening. When the shifty man appeared, Tom immediately signaled Debbie to bring him a round. ¡°Welcome, Edge. How are you doing?¡± ¡°I''m doing great, my friend, just wonderfully,¡± Edge boasted. ¡°I want to thank you again for this.¡± He gestured at his hand, bearing the golden ring with a ruby that Tom had sold to him. ¡°Happy to help, Edge. I gather that that ring has some significance?¡± ¡°It does.¡± ¡°Well, I don''t need the details, so long as you''re happy with it. I appreciate the coin.¡± ¡°I guess we both walked away from that sale satisfied, then. I was asking around for custom for your¡­¡± Edge trailed off for a moment, staring at Kervan. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Someone didn''t like Kervan''s new hobby.¡± Tom described the attack, including what was taken. ¡°That''s why Finch was asking me those questions¡­¡± Edge trailed off. ¡°I can see why you offered a bounty. If someone used me or mine to do this, I take that personal. I''ll get it cleared up as soon as I can, so your boy can get back to work without fear.¡± Tom winced. ¡°Actually, Edge, that''s one of the things I wanted to tell you. Turns out, I''ve got urgent business in Oak Mill, and the elves and I are hitting the road tomorrow.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Aw, man, that''s bad news. You and your elves liven up the town. I hear you''re getting into all sorts of little adventures. Going to the Temple, going to the Keep, that kind of thing.¡± ¡°As usual, you hear correctly, Edge.¡± ¡°Care to share?¡± Tom lowered his voice and Edge leaned in. ¡°You know, Edge, I owe you, but Lord Rivermarch ordered me not to tell, on pain of death.¡± Edge blinked. ¡°Pain of death, you say?¡± Tom gave a small nod, and considered how much he was comfortable giving as a hint, and how much he trusted Edge''s judgment. ¡°Do you know Sage Booker, at the Library?¡± ¡°Know her? She''s the love of my life!¡± Edge said with enthusiasm, then sighed. ¡°If only she felt the same¡­¡± After a moment, he wrinkled his brow, and his voice took on a suspicious tone. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There were things I wanted to ask her, but couldn''t. You''re a very smart man, Edge. Just¡­be very careful, once you put it together. It''s not something you''d want to spread widely too soon.¡± Tom bit his lip, then gave the short man a little more. ¡°And¡­this is completely unrelated, of course¡­but it might be a fine time to buy jewelry for a woman you care about. I''m only saying that because I got rings for my lady elves, of course.¡± Edge blinked twice. ¡°Of course.¡± Did he put it together already? Maybe I said too much. Edge''s soul was clearly racing, but his voice was calm and quiet. ¡°Thank you, Tom. That sounds like important advice. I owe you one.¡± ¡°Well, I do have one new request¡­¡± ¡°Name it, friend.¡± ¡°Do you know who brings salt into Rivermarch, and where I might find them, tonight or tomorrow morning?¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Orvan returned a while later, along with Debbie, five servings of Orvan Beef Mash, and a basket. Inside it were a pot holding four servings, a spoon, and half a loaf of bread. Kervan volunteered to take the food back to Eubexa, as he seemed uncomfortable in the crowded tavern. Tom actually walked him across the street and saw that he got inside their quarters safely, then returned to the others without mishap. When everyone finished eating, Tom decided to say a quick goodbye to Miranda. This was easier said than done, but eventually, the bartender was free long enough for a brief conversation. ¡°Heading out of town tomorrow? Sorry to hear that. What time?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± ¡°Well, if you''re still around an hour before noon, come on over for a better goodbye. If not, well, it''s been interesting and profitable, Tom Walker.¡± She looked over the elves. ¡°I think the women would like a private word with me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Tom led Orvan a short distance away while the three women talked. After a few minutes, Miranda beckoned, and Tom made his way carefully through the crowd to retrieve the elven women. ¡°You treat those ladies right, Tom.¡± ¡°I intend to. Thanks for everything, Miranda.¡± Varga was apparently sad not to see Lily Rose, but didn''t protest when they headed back to their rooms. Everyone seemed to have picked up the mild tension. They all knew that they would be leaving Rivermarch in the morning, and probably would never return. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom brought Varga and Orvan with him on his next errand¡ªsecuring a second ox and wagon. Varga examined the animals and picked out a good one. The scheming thieves who owned them wanted three and a half gold for the ox and a waterproof wagon! Tom talked them down to two and a half, yet still felt that he had gotten the raw end of the deal. Next, they made their way to North Sparrow Pier, where the Dwarf Lord Swimmer had just arrived, a barge heavily laden with salt and other materials from the north. True to his promise, Edge had passed the word. Captain Orison was happy enough to help an enterprising young buyer who wasn''t afraid to put his back into his work. In exchange for the three of them helping to unload the Swimmer, Tom got a discount on the salt, getting the bags for seventy-three silver, fifty copper each. For seventy-five bags of salt, that came out to fifty-five gold, twelve silver, fifty copper, but Captain Orison waved away the last two silver and change. I guess I am a merchant now, Tom mused, as he, Orvan and Varga finished loading their cargo. They drove to the wagon lot, and stored the new wagon next to the old one. The salt purchase had taken the majority of the gold they had left, and buying fifteen more bags from Hakeem would cost most of the remainder. They had a reasonable amount of gold in cash set aside for expenses, but aside from that¡­there simply wasn''t much left. Their wealth would now be much harder to steal. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They were almost back to their rooms, when Varga started asking to return to the Floating Duck. Tom didn''t want to risk anything when they were so close to departure, but told her in Western-Elvish pidgin that she could go if she found Lily Rose, and if the woman was willing to protect her and bring her back safely. This had the unintended¡ªon Tom''s part, at least¡ªside effect of bringing him face-to-face with Lily Rose again. ¡°Hello, Tom,¡± she called. ¡°Did you lose an elf?¡± ¡°They keep turning up in the oddest places,¡± Tom answered. The two of them looked at each other for a few moments in silence. Finally, Tom cleared his throat. ¡°Hey¡­um¡­I''m sorry. About the other night.¡± ¡°Don''t worry about it, Tom. We were both pretty drunk.¡± ¡°Yeah, we were.¡± Tom fidgeted a moment. ¡°Sorry I was such a bad kisser.¡± Lily Rose waved him off. ¡°I barely remember it, anyway. Besides, I ended up spending a nice time with Varga out of the deal. All things find their place.¡± ¡°All things find their place,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°Well, thank you, for taking care of Varga. We''ve already had one attack today¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± Tom blinked. ¡°Oh, sorry, I forgot you didn''t know.¡± Tom described the fight in the alley as related by Orvan. ¡°Sounds like it was aimed at Kervan specifically, but I''ll be more alert, anyway. Thanks for the lookout call.¡± ¡°I appreciate it.¡± Tom turned to Varga. ¡°When you go here? Hours?¡± ¡°Five or six, if I get (something).¡± Varga grinned. Tom had a couple of guesses what (something) was, but kept them to himself. None of my business. ¡°Good. Be careful, Varga.¡± In response, Varga stepped closer and kissed him warmly on the lips, her hands on his arms. Then, she stepped back with a wicked grin. The redhead turned to Lily Rose and started a wild pantomime that had both humans puzzled. Tom got it first, because he had been there. ¡°Um¡­¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Varga is bragging that she taught me how to kiss this afternoon.¡± ¡°Did she, now?¡± Lily Rose looked at Varga, who struck a smug pose, then gestured as if inviting the woman to try Tom out. ¡°Varga!¡± Tom was stunned into a slow reaction, as usual, by Varga''s surprises. ¡°Well, just one quick one,¡± Lily Rose decided, stepping up and kissing him. Beyond protest, Tom concentrated on doing his best at kissing. Lily Rose is a friend. A kissing friend. I wouldn''t have minded more with her if our circumstances had been different. When Tom focused not on the kiss, but on Lily Rose herself and how likable she was, the kiss grew warmer and more natural. It was easier to get lost in the kiss, knowing that there wouldn''t be another. Finally, they stepped apart at the same moment. ¡°Much, much better,¡± Lily declared with a smile, which salved Tom''s pride. ¡°That was fun. Varga is a lucky girl.¡± Tom grinned. ¡°I''m sure she would make some innuendo here¡ª¡± Lily Rose cut him off quickly. ¡°Don''t say that word¡ª!¡± ¡°Inn-u-en-do!¡± Varga doubled over laughing. ¡°Inn-u-en-do!¡± ¡°What does it mean in Elvish?¡± Lily Rose demanded. ¡°She laughed for ten minutes straight, the first time she heard that word.¡± ¡°I have no idea. That''s just Varga, being Varga.¡± ¡°Inn-u-en-do!¡± Varga giggled. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know, Pointy. Let''s get moving. Tom, it''s been a pleasure.¡± ¡°Likewise, Lily Rose. Thanks.¡± They exchanged nods, and Tom headed back to their rooms, belatedly realizing that Orvan had quietly faded into the background and watched the whole thing. He gave the old elf a glance, who looked at him as if to say, ¡°Finally noticed, huh?¡± My life is so strange and wonderful, Tom mused, thinking ahead to who waited for him upstairs. I am the luckiest man in the world. Chapter 57: Knowing Each Other Tom and Orvan returned; Varga apparently was spending the evening with Lily Rose again. Orvan promptly excused himself and went to the room he shared with Kervan. That left Tom and Diavla alone with Eubexa. ¡°Welcome back, Master. Things went well?¡± ¡°They did.¡± ¡°Congratulations on making your purchase.¡± ¡°Thanks for the idea, Eubexa.¡± Tom sat in the other chair, looking at Diavla. He had a nervous smile. Diavla''s heart started to race. He''s courting me now. Will he kiss me? Are we going to¡­? Her thoughts were a jumble. She realized that she was nervous. All this time, I''ve wanted him, and now that I might have him, I''m scared. Why? Pregnancy isn''t an issue. Sickness isn''t an issue. Rivalry isn''t an issue. So, why? She sighed. Because this is important to me. I don''t want to fail. I don''t want Tom to dislike me. What if I disappoint? What if¡­? ¡°Diavla,¡± Tom said hesitantly in Elvish. ¡°I like you very much.¡± She swallowed, her throat dry. ¡°I like you very much, too.¡± There was a pause. Then, Tom gave up on speaking Elvish for the moment. ¡°Do you¡­want to sleep with me again tonight?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she told him quickly. ¡°Before that¡­can we talk, for a bit?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Diavla wondered what he was going to say. Is he going to tell me what he wants from me in bed? Is he¡­? ¡°I hardly know anything about you, Diavla, and I want to change that. Would you please tell me more about growing up in Salathin?¡± Diavla blinked, and stared at him a moment. Then, she started laughing in relief. That was a mistake, as Tom looked offended and embarrassed, so she reached out and grabbed his arm before he could stand, beaming at him, willing him not to be angry. ¡°I was so nervous,¡± she explained. ¡°Nervous about¡­us¡­kissing¡­or having sex. And you, Tom Walker? You''re just¡­perfect.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Other things can wait. Yes, Tom, I would be happy to tell you about my childhood.¡± Eubexa was translating quickly, and Tom stopped trying to stand up. He stared at Diavla uncertainly, while he eased back down into his chair. Slowly, his smile returned. ¡°Thank you. I just¡­yes, I''m nervous, too. But I really do want to know more about you.¡± He paused, apparently thinking about his next question. ¡°What did you do for fun, back home?¡± Diavla took a moment for her soul to change course, before she answered. Finally, she smiled and said, ¡°The usual¡ªdance, sing, hunt, waveride¡­¡± ¡°What''s ¡®waveride¡¯?¡± Eubexa took a couple of minutes to explain. Tom still looked baffled at the end. ¡°So, you stand on a board and¡­I guess it would make more sense if I were there. I''ve never seen the ocean, though.¡± Diavla blinked again. Never seen the ocean? I take the ocean for granted¡­ I saw it every day for five years. She shook her head, then smiled. ¡°Someday, Tom, I will show you the ocean, and all the fun we can have there. I will show you sunsets, and sand art, and waveriding, and feasting, and boating¡­¡± She trailed off, then shrugged. ¡°There''s so much, I don''t know where to start.¡± ¡°I look forward to learning.¡± Tom grinned at her. Diavla smiled, then marveled at her fate. Being kidnapped and enslaved could have been a horrific nightmare for the rest of my life, and instead, this wonderful man is going to show me the human world and see me safely home and free. ¡°What are your parents like, Tom?¡± The big human''s eyebrows went up. ¡°Well, my dad is a good man. I told you he''s a farmer. We lived in a farming village in a small valley far to the south of here. We''re too small to have a village headman or anything, but we helped each other. My dad worked hard to help others and taught me to help others. ¡°My mom is funny. She tells jokes, and acts out stories, and takes care of all of us. She''s a good cook¡ªnot at Orvan''s level, but good. Sometimes, my dad seems to get¡­sad, and my mom usually is able to cheer him up. They are very happy together. ¡°What about yours, Diavla?¡± ¡°My mother was a scribe when I was little, and she taught me my runes and numbers. My blood father was a little lazy, I think. He spent a lot of time playing with me. I loved him, of course, but my other two fathers took care of me, kept me fed and clothed and bandaged me when I got hurt.¡± Eubexa apparently had to explain some things to Tom, and they had a talk in Western for a bit. ¡°Your mother had three husbands?¡± Tom finally asked. Diavla nodded. ¡°There were four, for a while, right after my mother became Matriarch of the clan. But Tervan died, and then Dorrick left the clan. I don''t know if my mother has picked up a third again, or not. I haven''t spoken with her for five years.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They chatted about several other things, hopping from topic to topic. They had so much to learn about each other! Now, thanks to Eubexa, they could have almost normal conversations. ¡°Were you always farsighted?¡± Diavla asked. ¡°Yes. It''s just the way I am, I guess. When I tried to learn to read, Mom thought I was stupid until she figured out that I couldn''t see like everyone else.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. That must be a painful memory, Diavla thought. She wondered how that had shaped Tom''s soul, to be doubted like that. Then a different thought occurred to her. ¡°Oh, Eubexa, that reminds me¡ªwhat''s the Western word for an expander?¡± Eubexa blinked. ¡°There isn''t one. Humans don''t have expanders.¡± Diavla''s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They don''t have clear glass. Haven''t you noticed?¡± ¡°No, I hadn''t.¡± Diavla thought back over all the sights, the buildings, the people she had observed. Eubexa was right¡ªthere wasn''t any clear glass visible anywhere in Rivermarch that she had seen. She sighed in disappointment. ¡°I had hoped to get one for Tom so he could read.¡± ¡°¡­That would have been a marvelous gift,¡± Eubexa agreed. ¡°Well thought, H¡ªDiavla,¡± the sick woman caught herself. ¡°Should I translate this, or keep it quiet?¡± ¡°Keep it quiet, please.¡± ¡°I''ll tell him we were comparing human vision to elf vision.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã They talked for a long time, and Eubexa did very well as a translator. Diavla was having a wonderful evening, and it looked as if Tom was, too, but they had to stop eventually. Tom looked around and announced, ¡°I just realized how late it is getting. We should stop, so that we can be rested when we leave tomorrow.¡± Diavla nodded in agreement. ¡°I want to keep talking all night, but¡­we''ll get to have lots more conversations like this, won''t we?¡± They both were smiling. ¡°Yes, we will.¡± Tom''s smile faded a bit, and he looked a little nervous again for the first time in hours. ¡°Um¡­I guess we should get ready for bed.¡± Diavla swallowed, then forced her voice to stay cheerful and mostly calm. ¡°Of course. Go on ahead, Tom, and I''ll be with you shortly.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Eubexa, thank you for your help. It''s been a wonderful evening.¡± ¡°You''re welcome, Master. Good night.¡± The human nodded and left, with one last glance at Diavla that she found hard to read. Once he had headed downstairs to the necessary, she drew a shaky breath. ¡°You did very well,¡± Eubexa told her. Diavla gave her a sharp glance. ¡°It wasn''t a performance.¡± ¡°I could tell. That''s why you did so well.¡± Diavla shook her head at the veiled elf and frowned. ¡°Nervous?¡± Eubexa asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Diavla admitted. ¡°May I make a suggestion?¡± Diavla raised an eyebrow. ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°Tell him you just want to kiss, at first. Get comfortable with each other that way. After that, you can stop, or continue a little, whatever feels right to both of you. ¡®Slower is better¡¯ are the words of mithril in this kind of situation. You don''t have to rush anything.¡± Diavla took a deep breath. She was a little surprised that the cynical elf had given reasonable-sounding advice. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I''m always here if you have an issue and need translation.¡± Diavla nodded, got up and left Eubexa''s room. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã A few minutes later, Diavla was dressed in a shift and her underwrap, and knocked on the door to Tom''s room. There was a brief pause, then he opened the door. Just like her, he was more dressed than usual for bed, wearing a shirt and light pants. They smiled at each other. ¡°Come in.¡± Tom stepped back, and she entered. He had a small lantern lit, partially shuttered. As she walked over to the bed, he carefully closed the door behind her, and locked it. Diavla''s breath caught for a moment. He''s just making sure no one barges in on us, is all, she told herself. ¡°Key,¡± he told her, and she heard it hit the small table. She turned to face him, and saw he was pointing at it. ¡°You need go, you get.¡± She nodded, a bit stiffly. He spread his hands. ¡°Is¡­no Varga.¡± At that, Diavla snorted. She could just see the scene¡ªVarga staggering in drunk and deciding to wake them up and join them. Diavla relaxed a little more. Tom regarded her for a moment, still across the room. Right, now he''s far enough away to see me clearly, she reminded herself. Then he sighed. ¡°We are both small scared, I think,¡± Tom told her quietly in Elvish. ¡°I no want you scared.¡± ¡°I am cold,¡± Diavla told him. That wasn''t the only reason she was shivering, but it was true. ¡°I go in bed.¡± Suiting action to words, she climbed into the bed and scooted up to the wall, but this time, she turned around to face him. ¡°You help me be warm, please?¡± Tom said one of the Western words that meant an emphatic yes, and climbed into bed with her. She clung to him at once, hoping his body heat would help ward off the chill, while he arranged the blanket over them both. She lifted herself slightly so Tom could get his arm under her to embrace her, and then he simply pressed her against his chest, rubbing her back with his big hands, his chin against the top of her head. She focused on the sensation of getting slowly warmer, feeling his gentle breath along her scalp as they lay there. Diavla waited, but Tom didn''t start anything amorous. He''s being a gentleman. Sometimes, that''s not what I want, she grumbled. He could at least kiss me. Am I boring him? She pressed herself against him more firmly. He tried to slide away from her a bit, but not before she felt how his body was reacting to her. Oh. Not bored, at least. She pulled back enough to tilt her face closer to his. He turned his head away, leaving her confused. ¡°Tom?¡± ¡°Diavla¡­¡± Tom sounded deep in thought. He spoke slowly, quietly and carefully. ¡°Diavla, I am not you Master¡­ but¡­ I want, I am you Leader. I want do, no ask.¡± He turned to face her, his blue eyes seeming to blaze with an inner fire, tension in every muscle. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Relief flooded Diavla. Relief, and¡­other feelings she couldn''t easily identify. She swallowed hard. ¡°Yes, Tom. Yes. I very like. Please do.¡± Tom grasped her jaw and held her face still, while her blood began to roar in her ears. He didn''t kiss her yet. She held her breath, waiting. ¡°I do, you no like, you say, Diavla,¡± he commanded. ¡°I want I am happy. I want you are happy. If you no say no, I do I want. I no ask you. I do. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered. ¡°Good.¡± Tom leaned in closer, and kissed her at last. It was slow at first, slower than their other kisses. Always so careful not to hurt us with his great strength. Gradually, the kiss gained heat. Tom released her jaw, gripping the back of her head instead. Diavla let her hands slide over his chest, his arms, his back. He feels good under my fingers. Their lips parted and they began to kiss more thoroughly. Doubt and hesitation fell away from both of them as they savored their new intimacy, finding a changing, slowly quickening rhythm. Tom''s strong hands started to slide over her body, sometimes squeezing, with a grip that was gentle, yet as firm as iron. She found herself starting to gasp and whimper. They pressed harder against each other. Tom grunted softly. Eventually, kissing wasn''t enough for them. Tom''s shirt came off first, her silent tug on it a request that he quickly granted. They paused then, blood cooling a bit, and Diavla took the opportunity to slowly trace her fingers along his scars. She planted kisses on his chest, his bicep, working her way back up to his lips, wondering what it was like for him, to feel pleasure where once was great pain. They lost themselves in more kisses, heightened by her hands on his skin. Their breathing got heavy and rapid, and they exchanged quiet, wordless murmurs. Diavla''s shift was getting in the way more and more. Tom gripped it by the hem. ¡°You no say no, I do,¡± he whispered in warning, then pulled the shift up over her head. He''s seen me nearly naked, why is this so much more exciting? Tom appeared to feel the same, from the way he stared at her body with a hungry grunt. They shared kisses and caresses, and Diavla started feeling very warm in her core. The room seemed brighter. Her soul floated, and it almost felt as if she were calling the spirits. She had never known her body to be so hungry for another. She couldn''t get enough of him. The last of their clothing was discarded almost without thought, and nothing seemed to matter except their growing bond of pleasure. By the time they fell asleep in each other''s arms, Diavla knew that Tom Walker was her tolanor. The consequences could wait. For now, her happiness was complete. Chapter 58: Departure Tom woke some time before dawn on Oneday. He lay there in the dark, feeling Diavla cuddled up to him and hearing her gentle snoring. He felt¡­amazing. I knew it would be good. I didn''t know it would be that good. Tom shook his head, still a bit shocked. I can see why some guys like Julio arrange their lives around bedding women. I have to do other things with my life, too, but now I understand a little the road he took through the world. Still, I suspect there is more to it than Julio realized. He smiled tenderly in the direction of his elven lover, feeling her warmth against him. It''s not just our bodies¡ªsomehow, our souls fit well together, too. Julio never talked about feeling like this, afterwards. He never talked about wanting to go back to the same woman again and again. Tom heaved a great sigh of satisfaction. What an amazing¡­ He stopped and thought back, counting up the days. Two weeks? That can''t be right. But it was. It''s been just two weeks since I left Middleton with Sir Kurt and the others. I was already traveling with the elves then, just unawares. How many times did I walk past Diavla and the others without knowing it? For a moment, Tom imagined the bandit attack failing, Sir Kurt and his new friends alive¡­and the slavers, carting Diavla and Varga, Orvan and Kervan, Sheema, Arven, Brallik and Rillik off to the gods only knew where. I would never have known what I had lost. The thought made him shiver. Shaking off the gloomy image, he quietly extracted himself from Diavla''s embrace to go do his necessary, and got back into bed without waking her¡ªor so he thought. ¡°Good morning, my (something) Tom,¡± she murmured in his ear. ¡°Good morning, my fiery Diavla.¡± ¡°?¡®Fiery¡¯?¡± ¡°You are like fire.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°You are.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Her hands started sliding over his body. Tom returned the favor, and soon getting more sleep was set aside for later. ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã Tom woke again, and faint daylight was making its way into the room. He wanted more sex, but Diavla said no. ¡°It is very, very good, but more is pain now,¡± she explained. Was I too rough? was his first thought. Tom almost apologized, but caught himself. She wasn''t saying that he had done anything wrong. He kissed the elf on her forehead. ¡°Then we stop,¡± he agreed. Reluctantly, he left the warm bed and began to feel around for the water buckets and wash cloth. ¡°Light,¡± Diavla warned, then turned on his rock light. She got a distant look for a moment, then smiled at him and tilted her head at the door. ¡°They wait.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Tom cleaned up and got dressed without wasting any time¡ªwell, without wasting much time. In his soul, he couldn''t call it ¡®wasting¡¯ either. Diavla moved briskly, and after one last look at each other, one last caress, and one last kiss, Tom opened the door. ¡°Good morning!¡± Varga sang with a huge grin. Tom felt his face heat. She proceeded to unleash a torrent of fast Elvish at Diavla, who responded, ¡°Shut up,¡± at least three times before finally muffling the redhead with a kiss. Um. Right. He looked around at the others, all dressed and waiting. ¡°Breakfast?¡± Tom asked in the momentary silence. They all nodded. He stuck his head in Eubexa''s doorway. She was sitting up, her legs hanging off of the bed, and fidgeting as if testing what her body could do. ¡°We''ll be back soon with breakfast for you,¡± he told her. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± It didn''t take long to find the same food stall they had used before, set up in almost the same place. Tom bought plenty of breakfast, and this time paid outright for a metal bucket that carried several portions. They returned to their rooms and Eubexa gratefully started in on her own breakfast. Tom discussed with the others the list of tasks left to do, and in what order to do them, while they waited for Eubexa to eat. ¡°May I have more, Master?¡± she asked tentatively after finishing her first bowl of porridge. ¡°Yes, but can you wait an hour or so? We''re taking it with us, and I need you for a few things before we leave town.¡± ¡°Of course, Master!¡± Eubexa dropped her spoon at once. Tom suppressed a wince. ¡°Thank you. Next stop is the Temple.¡± ¡°There''s no need¡ª¡± ¡°We need to have them purify the book before you return it,¡± Tom cut her off. He''d thought of that excuse to forestall argument about another round of healing. Again, Tom lifted Eubexa in a princess carry. Diavla and Varga opted to come along. Kervan declined an offer of more healing; he was already looking much better, and Tom could easily believe his claim that he''d be completely fine without further magical assistance. Orvan stuck with the plan of ¡°nobody goes anywhere alone¡±, and stayed with Kervan in their rooms. As usual, they drew curious looks as they made their way up to the wealthy district. They headed right to the Temple, first. Once he had told the healers to do their best for Eubexa over her protests, he excused himself for a few minutes and withdrew the last of the gold from the Treasury. He left the clerk ten silver in thanks, chatted with the guard briefly, and was back at the Temple before they were finished working their magic. He even had time for a few prayers before he went to hear the report. ¡°Your elf is doing remarkably well,¡± the healer reported. He was called Wiley Goodfellow, and he seemed to take significant delight in his name. Tom hadn''t seen him on prior visits; Goodfellow was a short man with a large beak of a nose and a cheerful disposition.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°For three sessions, this is good progress. So long as she avoids any flexing or strenuous activity, she should be able to walk a few steps on that foot, now. More rest will help, of course.¡± ¡°Thank you, Healer,¡± Eubexa replied. Tom could hear the capital letter when an elf used the word. ¡°Were you able to help with her disease?¡± Tom asked quietly. Goodfellow hesitated. ¡°It''s a very advanced case, you understand.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°They told us that she had a few months to live, last time.¡± The devout looked surprised, then thoughtful. ¡°It''s true that we can''t stop her decline, but the healing has slowed it some. I would say she has six or eight months to live, at this rate.¡± He shook his head. ¡°She needs extra food for that, though.¡± ¡°She''ll get it,¡± Tom promised. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Eubexa''s things and the borrowed book had been cleansed by a spell, so Tom had Diavla carry the book while he scooped up the invalid elf. It wasn''t very far to the Library, and soon they were in the book room again. Diavla received the two gold in exchange for the book. Eubexa was disappointed to learn that Sage Booker was not working at the Library that day. She chatted with another worker for a couple of minutes, then sighed. ¡°I believe I have done all I can here, Master.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Tom scooped her up again, and paused for a few moments in the map room to stare wistfully at the huge mural some more. I would that there were a whole city with walls painted as pages of books. After the Library, they passed close by Sally''s Sweets and Tom sent Diavla and Varga in. He gave them specific instructions to spend enough coin to give everyone multiple treats for the first few days on the road. When the women made some small protest, Tom explained, ¡°You have all suffered enough. I think that the gods owe you some joy. Let me do this for you.¡± The elves took him at his word and emerged with multiple boxes full of sweets. The woman at the counter actually came to the door for a moment, too. ¡°Sir, I want to thank you for your custom. It is nice to be valued and appreciated. The elves clearly enjoy our creations.¡± ¡°I will be sure to tell people about how wonderful Sally''s Sweets in Rivermarch is,¡± Tom promised. ¡°Thank you, sir! And thank you, ladies.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Varga replied cheerfully. Thus loaded down, they headed for their next stop. At the wagon lot, Varga surprised Tom by breaking into a rapid string of Elvish aimed at the guard on duty. He doesn''t know Elvish, does he? Tom looked a question at the man, who shrugged. ¡°She does this every time,¡± the guard reported. Every time? Tom wondered. He meant to think about that more but got distracted with the process of preparing the wagons for departure. He settled Eubexa in the back of the less-full wagon along with the sweets, saw that Varga approved of the condition of the animals, and paid the last two silver owed for storage, plus a bit extra for the guard himself. Varga and Diavla took the wagon that was nearly full of salt, and Tom drove the other with Eubexa. He led the way slowly down the busy streets. He was extra alert, trying to burn the sights of the city into his memory before they left it behind. Finally, they arrived back at their rooms. Tom left the women with the wagons while he headed upstairs to help Orvan and Kervan. They moved their packs, weapons, and a surprising number of forgotten items downstairs. Tom made a final check to make sure the rooms were empty and clean, gathered the keys, and went to see Vinder Hall. The little person answered the knock on his door with a grumpy expression that smoothed out when he recognized Tom. Tom knelt and paid the man the remainder of what he owed, plus a bit extra. ¡°Thank you, sir, for your hospitality. A lot of places around here refused to rent to elves.¡± ¡°Well, we weirdos have to stick together,¡± Hall answered with a snort. ¡°You seem a decent sort, Tom Walker. Take good care of those people.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Tom rejoined the others, to find that they were getting into their new armor in preparation for leaving the city. Tom followed suit, then looked them all over. They made a respectable picture, and hopefully an intimidating one to potential thieves and bandits. Now that they were loaded up, Tom led them to the marketplace, where he drove one wagon up as close as he could get to Hakeem''s shop. He made the purchase he had agreed to on Eightday, spending most of the remaining gold. Kervan and Orvan helped him to take the fifteen bags of salt out to the wagons. Before they left the market, Orvan made the rounds shopping, moving quickly with Tom along as guard. The group had already bought provisions, but Orvan was getting fresh bread and greens and a few other things that would not keep for long on the road. I guess we''ll be eating very well for the first few days of the trip, Tom mused. I''m not about to object to Orvan''s good cooking. They finally had everything they needed to take with them out of the city. Tom thought hard, trying to remember errands. It was still a bit early in the day for a second goodbye with Miranda, which was about what Tom had expected. I guess all that''s left is to report in. They drove downhill and pulled up both wagons across the street from the Guardhouse. Tom looked around, but few people would be foolish enough to cause trouble here. He left the elves behind and asked to speak to Captain Hayward briefly. Fortunately, he wasn''t kept waiting for long. Once he was escorted to the office and the door closed, Tom stepped up to the desk and braced himself. ¡°Thomas Walker, reporting in before departure to Oak Mill.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Walker. Anything new to report?¡± ¡°We''re all packed up and ready to roll out the South Gate, sir.¡± ¡°I''m told you collected eight Amulets of Demon Warding from here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Are you expecting to need that many?¡± ¡°I''d feel better with a couple more, to be frank. I want to be ready for anything.¡± ¡°Well, my men are supposedly digging more out of storage, but they haven''t found them yet. You''ll have to make do with two extras.¡± Hayward eyed him a moment, then nodded. ¡°I was considering demanding two of them back, but you''ll be in the thick of things and more likely to have urgent need.¡± He scowled. ¡°Don''t waste my trust.¡± ¡°No, sir. I''ll find out what I can, and I''ll have the Keep in Oak Mill signal Rivermarch when I have anything to report.¡± Tom tried not to fidget under the Captain''s glare. Finally, the guardsman seemed to rein himself in. ¡°I''m not mad at you, son, I''m mad at this world that forces me to send children to hunt demons, when I would rather be doing it myself and keeping you safe at home.¡± ¡°Understood, sir. I''ve got people to protect now. I won''t take any crazy risks.¡± ¡°I''ll hold you to that.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The Captain offered his hand. ¡°Good hunting, Tom Walker.¡± Tom shook firmly. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã It was time. Tom had run out of things to double-check, and got them moving. Tom, Diavla, and Eubexa were in the front wagon. Varga, Kervan, and Orvan were in the salt wagon behind them. They rolled out to South Gate. There wasn''t any line for people leaving the city, only entering. Tom recognized the two guards on duty. ¡°Hello, Finch! Hello, Gwen!¡± ¡°Hello, Tom! Where are you bound?¡± ¡°Oak Mill next. It''s been a pleasure.¡± ¡°Safe travels to you, Tom Walker.¡± ¡°Thanks. You take care.¡± They continued out through South Gate and onto the main road that would become Forest Road. We''re retracing the path of our adventure together, Tom observed. And then exploring from there. He worried about the other elves, and wondered what troubles they had encountered in the forest. Sheema''s a powerful healer, Tom reminded himself. Hopefully, that means she can defend them from demons. And Arven''s a good scout. With a bit of luck, he''ll be able to keep them away from humans. There''s a good chance they''re fine. Really. Tom frowned, thinking about the possibilities, until he felt Diavla''s hand on his knee. ¡°Tom?¡± Her soft voice brought him back from his dark imaginings. He gave her a smile, which she returned with some relief. ¡°We are good, Diavla.¡± He nodded. ¡°I am¡­very happy that¡­I help you, and you help me. I am with you, so, I am happy.¡± He looked ahead with firmer resolve. Separately, we would have great troubles. But we''re not separate. We''re together. He clasped Diavla''s left hand, feeling his ring on her finger. We are better together. END OF BOOK ONE Chapter 59: Our Story So Far Tom Walker signed on with a small band of mercenaries guarding a caravan from Middleton to Rivermarch. On the second night, bandits attacked, and Tom was grievously wounded. He was the sole survivor. After he woke and bandaged himself, Tom pursued the bandits and the wagons to their new camp, unsure whether he would die before getting his revenge. Lying in wait, Tom managed to kill four bandits, while at least two had gotten away earlier. About to succumb to his wounds, Tom was surprised by a noise. With a final effort, Tom discovered eight elven slaves in a cage. Realizing that they would be trapped, Tom managed to give them the key to the cage before laying himself down to die. Diavla Urula took the key and freed the elves. Sheema was a Healer, and saved Tom. The elves looted the wagons and foraged for clothing and supplies. They still wore magical slave collars, and Tom was their new owner. Lost in the middle of the human continent, the elves desperately needed information. When Tom woke the next morning, Diavla and Kervan attempted to learn some of Tom''s language, Western, while Tom started to learn Elvish. He explained what he knew as best he could. By the end of a long day, they had enough words for Tom to make a suggestion: they should bring the caravan wagons to Rivermarch. Doing so would get them a pile of gold, which Tom proposed to use to get the elves to the coast and on a boat back to the elven continent. After a lot of arguing, the elves agreed to drive the six wagons for two days, because that would bring them deeper into Great Oak Forest, making it easier for them to disappear. Eventually, the elves were forced to admit that Tom had magical control of them. Upon learning that, Tom immediately removed their collars, freeing them. It was an emotional moment, and a big step towards building trust between them. When the time came, four of the elves went with Tom and four decided to take their chances in the woods, still fearing that the human would sell them back into slavery given the chance. Arven led the leaving group, taking care of Brallik, Rillik, and Sheema, three elves unskilled at survival. Tom, Diavla, Varga, Kervan and Orvan drove towards Rivermarch in five wagons, containing fabric, grain, alcohol, ironwork, and a set of mysterious black cases. Along the way they faced mishaps including a broken wheel and a wolf attack. Tom and Diavla grew attracted to each other, while Varga flirted with them both. As they approached the northern edge of the forest, the elves hid with four of the wagons in a small valley. This was the moment of trust. Tom entered Rivermarch alone a day and a half later, and delivered the fabric wagon to the tailor''s widow, refusing any payment. From a lawyer, he learned that he had rightful claim to most of the goods in the caravan, including the elves. Tom decided it would be better to sell the cargo before reporting all the details to the city Guard. After buying clothing and supplies, he hurried back with the news, to find wagons but no elves. While he was away, Mark, Joan and Winnie Carver had found the elves and brought them home. They were treated well, and traded the spare ox for silence. Not knowing this, Tom tried not to panic. To distract himself, he opened the one mysterious crate already damaged by the bandits. Inside, he found very, very old crystals. Two of them were basically piles of sand, but a third was more recently broken, in just a few large pieces. Tom''s instincts warned him not to touch the crystals, so he packed the crate up again, resolving to hire a mage in the city to examine them. With help from Mark Carver, Tom and the elves were reunited. That night, Diavla sleepwalked into Tom''s room and curled up in bed with him. This was just one of several odd behaviors Diavla was showing. On the road the next night, Diavla examined herself magically. This had the surprising effect of making her extremely amorous, and she propositioned Varga. Tom was very confused, not knowing that it was possible for someone to desire both men and women. When they arrived in Rivermarch, Tom set out immediately to deliver the ironwork to the buyer for a finder''s fee, and then sold the grain at market. He haggled with skill. Tom stored the gold at the Keep, bought the elves sweets, and found them rooms, despite local prejudice against elves. Then, it was off to The Floating Duck, a tavern where Tom hired the bartender Miranda to price the booze for him the next day. He also met Edge, an information broker, and asked him to look into elves and slaves in the city. Meanwhile, Orvan couldn''t bear the bad food and went into the tavern''s kitchen to fix it. The next morning, Tom woke to find Diavla in his bed again. Seeing each other mostly naked, they resisted their obvious desires with effort, and set out to sell the rest of the caravan. Stopping by Whistler''s Fabric Emporium, Tom offered to pay for the fabric the elves had taken, and instead the widow Whistler took a liking to Tom. She rewarded him for killing most of the men who murdered her husband, and offered him gold to kill the others. She was also sympathetic to the elves'' plight, and in lieu of more gold, she and her assistant provided clothing for the elves, even sending them to a bootmaker who owed a favor. Tom and Diavla spoke to a riverboat captain, who explained that the only reasonable way to get the elves home was to find an elven embassy in one of the nations on the southern coast. For information, he recommended they visit an unusual Library in the city. Once Miranda had priced the booze, Tom sold it all over town, haggling hard. In the end, they had 138 gold stored safely in the Keep. Only then did they go to the city Guardhouse, where Tom corrected some omissions in his earlier report of the bandit attack. Tom hired a mage at the city Temple to come inspect the mysterious crystals the next morning. At dinner, Edge found Kervan sex work, which he had expressed interest in, and a tough woman named Lily Rose escorted him and brought back the payment. Then Edge mentioned a ¡°ruined elf.¡± After getting the details, Tom took the elves home, then headed out at once to Madame Louisa''s Delightful Den of Iniquity, where he managed to purchase Eubexa, a sick, horribly-scarred, long-abused elf in a veil. Bringing her back for the other elves to take care of, Tom excused himself, got violently sick, then went back to the tavern to get drunk.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Eubexa told her story to the elves, then cried when she realized that she might get better treatment from Tom. Once she fell asleep, Varga admitted to Diavla that she was growing interested in Tom, and went to check on him. She found Tom and Lily both drunk. Lily seemed interested in Tom, and possibly Varga too. Tom and Lily kissed, but it turned out that Tom was inexperienced and didn''t know how to kiss well. Mortified to realize that, he fled home. Varga stayed to chat with Lily before following. The next morning began a very busy day... Tom took Diavla and Eubexa to the wagon lot, Tom carrying the frail elf. There the mage came to inspect the crystals. In the process, Tom learned that he had a small amount of magical ability, much to his surprise. He also learned that Diavla has a great deal of ability, which she had been hiding from him. The mage deemed the crystals so dangerous that he summoned guards to escort the wagon slowly to the Temple. Tom told Diavla and Eubexa to stay clear of him for a while, then to go to the Temple and get healing for Eubexa. Tom was examined by magic users, then told to wait, then ushered in to be questioned by Lord Rivermarch himself. Oddly, the widow Whistler was there as well. It turned out that each of the crystals in the cases contained a captured demon, something commonly thought impossible, which meant that there were three demons on the loose. Two presumably possessed two of the bandits, the ones who broke the seals on the case. The third was unknown, but Tom and the elves were all suspect. Meanwhile, Diavla drove Eubexa to the Temple and ordered all the Healing available, including surgery on Eubexa''s foot, and general healing to stave off the red pains disease, which would kill her in three to six months. Eubexa protested the expense but was overruled. After Eubexa''s surgery, Diavla saw the other elves, who had been rounded up and brought to the Temple. Quietly practicing her magic, Diavla recognized a spell being cast; the humans were testing the elves one by one for demonic possession. She thought, I have to hide. Soon afterward, she did her best to disguise that she had magical ability, and passed the test, as did Kervan, Orvan and Varga. Tom was forced to relate his adventures in detail, hiding only that there were eight elves, not four. The lawyer knew this, having read the slaver''s manifest, but let it slide as Tom made clear that the other four elves were nowhere near the crystals at the time they suspected the third crystal broke. Trying to salvage the situation, Tom proposed that he and the elves go demon-hunting in the Great Oak Forest. They were the only ones who knew what one of the missing bandits looked like, and elves were less prone to possession in general. Given permission to proceed, Tom picked up the elves at the Temple, and quietly explained about the demons. It would likely take a war to defeat one demon, and Tom was not happy about having three on the loose. He asked the elves to decide whether to follow him into a demon-infested forest to try to rescue the other four elves, or to stay in Rivermarch, possibly being sold to a kind buyer. The five elves all decided to stick with Tom. They shopped for supplies for the trip. Tom also ended up visiting a curios shop recommended by Edge, who had been looking for anything related to slaves. It turned out the shady character at the shop had a powerful mind-control slave collar for sale. Tom realized that a collar that could inflict pain could also dull it, and ended up buying it for Eubexa. Tom''s best negotiating skills brought the price down to twenty-five gold, a hefty portion of their total funds. Next, they finally visited the Rivermarch Library. Tom was deeply moved by a giant mural on one wall, a map of the continent. Since he was farsighted, it was the first map he had ever gotten to see clearly. Diavla bought maps, and Tom asked the librarian about elven embassies. She recommended a particular book, but it did not have copies for sale. By leaving a two gold deposit, they were allowed to borrow the book and bring it to Eubexa, as she was the only one in their group able to read Western. In fact, Eubexa was extremely useful, fluent in both Elvish and Western. At last, Tom and the elves could clear up some misunderstandings, some of them very important or emotional. There were still communication difficulties, particularly concerning magic, because humans and elves thought about magic completely differently. Eubexa also made herself useful as a relationship counselor. She prodded Tom to tell her in great detail his feelings for Diavla, and he asked about elven courtship customs. Later, Tom prayed in front of Diavla so that she could use her spirit-sense on him and try to understand. He ended up tired and turned in early. Diavla then talked with Eubexa, who suggested that they buy merchandise to sell at their next destination. Later, Varga came home drunk after a date with Lily Rose. She woke Diavla up in the middle of sleepwalking to Tom''s room again. After putting Varga to bed, Diavla was fed up with the snoring, gathered her courage, and told Tom that she was sleeping with him instead. He agreed. Finally, the busy day had ended. The next morning, Tom dreamt a conversation with the men he had killed. When Tom and Diavla woke together, Diavla wanted to kiss him, but Tom shied away because he was a bad kisser. That hurt her feelings, and she left quickly. After a tense breakfast, Tom took the elves out shopping for new armor. Tom got metal, and all the elves preferred leather. Next came another round of healing for Eubexa at the Temple, followed by the Library, where they returned the book, borrowed another, and bought a third, On Fighting Demons. After lunch, Kervan and Orvan returned, having gotten mugged, with Kervan specifically targeted. By request, a city guard escorted Diavla and Kervan to the Temple so that Kervan could get healed. Varga was out on ¡°errands¡±, so Tom and Orvan went shopping. First, Tom purchased silver rings for both Diavla and Varga. Then they bought weapons: a new sword for Tom, a bow for Arven, spears, caltrops, and a couple of fishing nets. Varga returned, realized that Tom was there and Diavla wasn''t, and seized the opportunity to have a private conversation, with Eubexa''s help. Varga coaxed Tom into accepting a lesson in kissing. He improved rapidly, so much so that Varga wanted sex with him, which he reluctantly refused. When Tom went to the Temple to retrieve Diavla and Kervan, his emotions were in an uproar. He was confused, because now he felt attracted to Varga too. With a moment of insight, Tom decided to have a long, hard, embarrassing conversation with both Diavla and Varga at once, with Eubexa as translator. That way, they could talk about their feelings and relationships openly without any persisting confusion. During the talk, Tom gave Diavla a ring as a first stage of courtship. With Diavla''s encouragement, he ended up giving Varga a ring as well, not quite sure what he was getting himself into. They went to the Floating Duck for the last time. Tom dropped subtle hints for Edge about demons, and found out from him where to buy salt, which Eubexa had suggested they sell in the next town. After dinner, Tom brought Varga and Orvan with him to buy a second wagon and make the purchase. On the way back, Varga darted into the Floating Duck and found Lily Rose. Tom cleared the air with her, and they shared a much better, friendly, farewell kiss. Varga went off with Lily Rose. Tom and Diavla spent most of the evening learning about each other in wide-ranging romantic conversation through Eubexa. At the end, the two of them very self-consciously went to bed together. Unsure of themselves, they began kissing. Slowly they negotiated what they wanted, and finally consummated their passionate attraction for each other. In the morning, the group made final preparations, said their goodbyes, and left Rivermarch, wondering what had become of the other four elves during all this...