32 The Negotiation (1/2)

Thom watched our exchange with mild interest. When we were done, he spoke in the same haughty tone as always. ”You would accept drow as members of your unit?”

”I saw you glide away last night... Imagine having an air-force like that on my side... it's giving me chills just thinking about the possibilities,” I answered truthfully. ”Besides, I''m human. I don't have any fairy prejudice. I hate you all until you prove you're worth liking.”

”We're remnants of the Hazy Moon clan... it has always been our way to prowl the night sky,” Thom said proudly. Then his brow furrowed, and he asked, ”Can you really convince your general to protect my clan?”

I nodded. ”Darah sent me here on a mission to recruit soldiers for the specialized unit she wants me to build... a response team that can react to any situation on the battlefield.”

”Like the Avengers!” Luca blurted out.

The momentary grin on his face vanished quickly when all eyes turned on him.

”MCU still ongoing on Mudgard?” Ashley asked thoughtfully. ”The last one I saw was Civil War... because, you know...”

Not that we needed a reminder of Ashley's very sad circumstance, but I thought to myself that I could use tales from Mudgard as inducement to get her to join my team—and I wanted her on my team. Not just because having a shieldmaiden gave my unit more prestige and give us access to resources only a shieldmaiden had, but also because she was kind of cool. Only, before I could recruit Ashley, I needed to secure my drow air force first.

I coughed audibly to bring the attention back to me. ”As I was saying... you join my team and help me find out where Aura's being held and I'll help you secure a better life for your people. Maybe even move you into a swankier cave.”

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Thom leaned forward. ”And how are we supposed to find your she-elf? Are we expected to conjure out of nothing but shadows?”

”Same way you found out where your drow children were being held... it's proof you have connections in the city,” I raised a finger upward. ”Plus, you've got the sky. You can cover more ground than my unit.”

Thom's grin grew disturbingly wider. His pearl white teeth were a stark contrast to his ebony skin. ”You are a very smart Mudgardian...”

”Humph... too much brain and not enough brawn if you ask me,” Edo's voice was calmer now that he knew why I wanted the drow's help.

I was right in thinking he would never turn down any assistance that led to finding Aura. Even if it meant working with drow.

”He's definitely a wise-ass,” Luca agreed.

”Foolhardy,” Varda added.

Ashley just laughed.

”He's also right,” Edo turned his glower on Thom. ”You help us find Aura and Great General Darah will want to thank you personally.”

”This she-elf is special then?” Thom asked curiously.

Neither Edo or I answered him which in hindsight was answer enough.

”Well? Do we have a deal or not?” I pressed.

Thom looked over at Enna, and I watched their silent conversation of nods and shakes and eye rolls until Enna finally sighed in defeat.

”You are our clan leader, cousin. We will follow you anywhere... even if it means being subservient to lesser beings,” she said.

”Lesser beings..?” Ashley had a hand on her sword hilt.

Enna glanced over at Ashley and said, ”Mudgardians like you who reek of filth and dirt...”

Ashley drew her sword. The shadowblade shot out of it like a lightsaber that had just been activated.

In response, Enna drew her own shadowblade knife from underneath her cloak.

For a moment, I thought negotiations were about to break down thanks to the hot-headedness of these two females, but Thom smack the side of his fist against his throne's arm rest, and ordered his cousin to stand down.

After Enna withdrew her blade and turned away from us, I asked Ashley to do the same. Thankfully, she listened to me, and the situation de-escalated.

With the quarrel finished, Thom raised his hand forward in my direction. ”Very well... we will assist you in finding your she-elf and fight for you in your future battles. In return, you will help raise my people out of the squalor we find ourselves in and protect our women and children from the evil machinations of the Scarlet Moon.”

I took his outstretched hand and shook it. ”It's a pleasure doing business with you.”

After we shook hands, Thom sent Enna to relay his orders to his people. They were to send out spies to their informants in the city for word on Aura's whereabouts while a second group of drow would take to the sky in their gliders and scout the area outside the city because he guessed, and I concurred, that Roselle and his fools wouldn't have been able to get out of the Broken Sellsword's Canyon in broad daylight with Aura in tow. Too many people would notice. No, they were either still hiding inside or only just now beginning to set out.

As soon as Enna ran out of the cave, I glanced over to my companions and relayed my own orders.

”Edo, take Ashley with you and get our recruits ready to move out as soon as we have word,” I said. ”Varda you and Zarz—”

It was only then that I noticed the cherubic face glaring up at me.

”What are you mad about?” I asked.

”Do you have time for me now or aren't you done making deals with everyone else,” he pouted. ”Because I recall you promising to get my master's iron arcane focus working?”

”Uh,” I raised an eyebrow. ”Now's not really the time Zarz.”