Chapter 287 - A Name is a Nuisance (2/2)

”I am not loyal to Reishin Irons, frankly I wouldn't care one way or the other if he lived or died if he wasn't paying me 500 gold a day to keep him on the living side of the equation,” said the warrior, ”I don't mean to scare you, I just don't particularly like the idea of slavery”.

Of course he didn't. If rumour was to be believed, he was one of the reasons that Herguard Island, the place where all slaves went at one point or another, burned to the ground. Now that had been a hit to the Shin's profits.

As Rima risked a look up into his eyes, she watched as they seemed to dim from red to a sparkling violet. They were so much softer, more playful. Nothing like the cold-hearted warrior she'd seen barely a minute beforehand.

”Tigin and Rima are your names, yes?” he asked.

Rima nodded.

He smiled, ”Call me Aegin, please. I'm not overly fond of the name Bloodthorn. Now, would you like to tell me why you were out this late?”

Rima looked at Tigin who had straightened up, then back at Aegin, ”You haven't been here long, have you?”

Aegin raised an eyebrow, ”4 days, why?”

”The West is not like other continents, Aegin. There they have established governments and systems for law. Here, where Tribes ruled all lands up until a hundred years ago when the Triad Cities were built for Trade purposes, there is no ruler but they who are the ric.h.e.s.t, and it is rare that they become that way without a foot in both sides of what you would consider the law,” explained Rima.

Aegin sighed, ”I suspected as much from what I'd seen”.

He stood, then turned and walked back over to the unconscious Reni.

”I'm sorry to say this, Aegin, but if you are under Reishin Irons, even with your rumoured skill I doubt you will be able to leave his side any time soon,” said Rima sadly, ”The Reishin are not to be trifled with”.

To her surprise, Aegin chuckled darkly as he picked up Reni's body.

”I'd worry about yourself, Rima,” said Aegin, ”After all, one day someone's going to find out your a girl, and then Tigin massive body won't be nearly enough to make them think twice”.

Then, his eyes turned red and two of his top teeth slid forth like long needles and punctured Reni's throat.

Rima gasped in shock, reeling back, but Aegin did nothing but stare at the both of them as he drank. Tigin didn't move, neither did Rima. Finally, Aegin pulled back, licked along Reni's neck, then dropped the body. With a sigh, he used his thumb to wipe away a drop of blood from his lips, then turned towards the alley entrance, ”Come on, where are you holed up, I'll walk you back”.

Something told her that Reishin Irons had severely underestimated his sway over this warrior, and that once he took it too far, he'd pay the price for it. Rima stood, looking over at Tigin. After only a second of hesitation, the big guy stood too. They'd promised to stick together. Clearly the fact that she was female didn't bother him in the slightest.

”We're just a few blocks east,” Tigin stated as he walked after Aegin.

”No problem. So what were you doing out this late...”

The conversation was surprisingly easy. Her nerves were still jittery, but Aegin had this way about him. She could tell that he didn't completely trust them. That he was using the conversation to fish for information. But she also figured that he seemed somewhat at ease. Like a burden had somehow been lifted from his shoulders.

He was not overly impressed by the tiny apartment with the roof half torn open that they lived in, but he let them be. Even throwing them a gold coin each on the way out, ”Don't get into trouble”.

”Feel free to drop by,” Rima said.

She didn't know why, only that she didn't think she'd ever regret inviting him.