145 Any Number Can Win (2/2)

\”Two-hundred thousand and five Leprechauns,\” Kallista finished.

Roselle, who had seen me pull off my mask, showed mixed feelings on his face, and I could guess what was going on through his mind.

He loved the idea of me paying that much for Ty but he hated that I would get what I want. Still, it wasn't up to him to decline such a big offer and he knew it too.

Perhaps that was why his face turned sour when he finally yelled, \”Sold! To Madam Kallista and her… companions.\”

\”You realize this is just the beginning, right?\” Aura asked as the auction ended and we began to leave our balcony.

\”Are you referring how interested parties will come after Ty once we've got him, you mean?\” I guessed.

\”Indeed,\” Kallista laughed. \”It'll be quite the battlefield the moment you step out of Undercroft…\”

\”Why wait?\” I asked.

\”The laws of Undercroft forbid stealing from a legitimate sale while in the city,\” Shanks explained as he opened the door for us. \”Failure to comply comes with very strict sanctions against the transgressors.\”

He glanced outside toward the hall.

\”Huh, perhaps some people wouldn't mind the sanctions,\” he said in surprise.

Waiting for us in the hallway were two groups of people, Chancellor Kairon and his lackeys as well as Ardeen Spellweaver and the general of the Scarlet Moon.

\”Well played, Dean Dapper,\” Ardeen called in greeting. \”Getting the Lover's Embrace and Rings of Fortune to back you tonight… well played.\”

\”I didn't expect to see you so soon, Ardeen,\” I answered in greeting.

\”Well, I found something interesting enough to require a trip back to the central region,\” he smiled. Then he nodded toward his companion. \”I don't believe you've met General Morrigan Ravencroft of the Scarlet Moon.\”

The general stepped forward.

\”So… you're the child that gave my lieutenant a good thrashing the other night,\” she said, eyeing me from head to foot.

General Morrigan let loose her killing aura, no doubt intending to scare me, but I stood my ground despite the biting chill rising up my spine.

Warning bells sounded off in my head, a clear message that this drow was very dangerous.

Then she smiled in that teasing way Darah often gave me.

\”I like this one, Ardeen,\” she said with a glance behind her. \”Perhaps you're right and we should try to recruit him to our side.\”

\”I did tell you he was interesting,\” Ardeen Spellweaver replied.

\”Wait… what?\” I asked confused.

Morrigan focused her icy gaze back on me.

\”What about it, visere? Wouldn't you rather be on the winning side of this great war?\” she asked.

I was dumbfounded. I expected threats to hand Ty over but not a recruitment offer. I was so dumbfounded by her question that I failed to give a proper reply, and it took Kairon stepping in to save me.

\”Enough with your jokes, General Morrigan,\” he said in a cold tone. \”Commander Dapper serves the Trickster Pavilion.\”

The two parties glared at each other, and the tension rose a few notches up. Thankfully, Ardeen continued to be levelheaded.

He whispered into his fellow general's ear, and what he said must have convinced her as she turned away from Kairon.

But as she stepped away, she turned one final glance on me and said, \”When you've grown tired of losing, child, I will listen to your request.\”

Then she walked away.

Before following her, Ardeen sent me an amused grin and said, \”I imagine we'll be matching wits again very soon. I can't exactly have you acquiring such a gift so easily, can I?\”

As he turned away to follow his companion, I wanted to scream to him that none of the things that led up to tonight was easy at all.

Sadly, someone else demanded my attention, and I turned to face the Chancellor of the Moon who gazed back at me with narrowed eyes.

\”You will hand over the chosen one to me now,\” he commanded.