141 The Sponsor (1/2)

\”Muddamit!\” Qwipps growled as he plopped his butt on the chair. \”That was a stupid way to fail… losing to Rosalind Roselle of all bloody people…\”

The fairies and humans gathered around the table shared his frustrations. At least to those of us who'd served under the incompetent former commander, this felt like a slap in the face.

Zephyra walked into the room we'd turned into our war room during our stay at her inn and laid out a tray of food for us to munch on.

\”Best to eat and get your strength up,\” she said, turning a sidelong glance at me. \”Shall I bring your guest here when they arrive?\”

I nodded my head. \”Thanks.\”

After our failed attempt at rescuing Ty, our party along with Thom's party escaped the Wailing House via the catacombs underneath the city. We hooked up with Ashley's group outside of the Gold Quarter.

We returned to the Bone Quarter and to our lodgings in the Nowhere Inn in sour moods and even worse tempers.

The post-mission briefing was especially frustrating as there was very little to be happy about.

Luckily, Ashley reported that there were zero fatalities on her end although a lot of our troops were injured and some of the wounded would be out of commission for the rest of our stay.

\”You don't look more frustrated, Dean,\” Aura noted.

\”I'm definitely frustrated… Ty was right there in the same room with us and I still failed to save him,\” I corrected her. \”But, this was never our only plan… we still have a chance.\”

\”It's not?\” Luca asked.

\”Care to enlighten us then?\” Ashley added.

\”The auction starts tomorrow on the Night of Samhain which means we've lost our chance to rescue Ty before then,\” I said. \”That leaves us with only one choice… we've got to outbid everyone else and win him at the auction.\”

\”Um, I hate to break it to you, Commander, but we don't have nearly enough in the coffers for an auction like this one,\” Varda explained.

Everyone turned their gaze on Aura.

\”I… I'll need to ask permission from—\”

I held up a hand to stop her. \”It's okay… we can't keep running to your brother whenever a problem like this crops up.\”

\”Then how do you plan to finance this endeavor?\” Aura asked.

For the first time since our earlier failure, I actually managed a smile. \”I've found us a financier.\”

That financier arrived not an hour later.

Zephyra guided Kallista into the war room, her red cloak billowing behind her as she walked in.

\”So, it seems you have need of my services yet again,\” Kallista said smiling at me and Aura, the only two other occupants sitting around the table.

Pleasantries were exchanged, an inquiry to each of our journeys was given, and when we were finally done with the opening act, the real discussion finally began.

\”In essence, you would like me to sponsor your undertaking to win the auction of your friend, and in exchange,\” Kallista began.

But I finished for her, \”In exchange, we'll give you exclusive trading rights with the Foolhardies for three years plus provide you with space to set up an auction house at Hoodwink tower that'll be excluded from taxes we plan to charge merchants trading in the tower grounds.\”

\”This is assuming you make something out of the tower more than the derelict fort that it currently is,\” Kallista added with a smile.

\”You've seen our capability to make the impossible possible, Kallista,\” Aura continued, smiling back at the salamander auctioneer. \”And you'll also continue receive the favor and patronage of house Trickhaven for more than the year we'd previously agreed on.\”

Kallista picked up the teacup that Zephyra had left for her and took a sip of elf tea. She spent another minute or so with the cup in her hand, ruminating the deal we'd just given her.

\”The investment required to purchase a chosen one would be considerable,\” she explained.

Both Aura and I agreed.

\”That's why we're offering you a three-year exclusivity contract plus a thirty-five percent share of any items we auction through your outfit,\” I reasoned. \”You should see your investment return within that time frame.\”

\”Assuming you fulfill your end of the bargain and rise to the level of a rank close enough to general,\” Kallista countered.

\”Dean will make general in three years,\” Aura said with a conviction that made me want to blush.

\”Indeed,\” Kallista smiled her merchant's smile. \”I have no doubt that your unit is talented, and their commander has shown remarkable growth in the span of months you've been active in the Fayne…\” She put down her teacup. \”But you offer me promises that may not come to pass. War, after all, is never a straight path.\”

Inwardly, I couldn't fault her logic. She was right. We were promising her something that may not happen after all. I could very well die tomorrow night.

My brow furrowed due to my brain racking itself for a way to push the conversation where I needed it to go.

\”What do you want?\” I asked.

Dammit, I didn't want to sound desperate but I was. There was no chance to free Ty after he'd been sold as that would mean going to war with a third party I knew nothing about.

\”You wouldn't have come knowing what I would ask if there wasn't something you knew I could give in exchange for your sponsorship,\” I reasoned.