27 Mortal Ques (2/2)
Li put his drink aside. ”Then what about you? When are you letting go?”
Old Thane smiled. ”To be quite honest, I don't know. Before you came, I thought I had let go, was ready to rot, aye. I had my regrets, not being able to honor Aine, but what could a blind old man do? But now, with you at my side, lad? Why, I feel more life than ever! You've already honored Aine's memory, and yet I wish to live more and more to see just how far you can take this.”
”How far I can take this, huh?” Li smiled. ”I mean, I've already gotten my herbalist's license. Just need to get it delivered, but that'll come here tomorrow. We're on step one of a long and grand journey ahead, old man.”
Old Thane nodded his head with delight. ”And whatever years I have left in me, I'll spend on seeing your efforts bloom like flowers in the spring. I've got plenty of years working in this body of mine, so you best be ready to put up with me, hah!”
”Trust me, I'd be ashamed if I couldn't keep up with you and your creaky old bones,” said Li.
They shared a laugh together before Li became serious. Old Thane sensed the mood shift and cocked his head.
”Old man, this…contract of the grasses nonsense,” said Li. ”We're not going to get it. Black Vine will, realistically, snatch it up, but I wanted to promise you that no matter what happens, I will not stop working. I will make sure that Aine's legacy is respected. I will make sure that nothing gets in the way of this farm, even if it's the crown itself.”
Old Thane chuckled. ”Come now, lad, I didn't take you to take defeat lying down, eh? Why don't we snatch this contract from those big pharmacy bastards?”
He also put his drink aside. ”I know the thoughts running through that head of yours. How can you, as one man, compete with all of Black Vine? But I'll tell you, lad, it's possible. I've seen it. When Aine was alive and her elixirs and herbs the talk of town, all the highest ranked adventurers, the lads and lassies with the coin and the clout, would scramble to come here. What do you think came to Black Vine? The dregs. The nobodies.”
Li nodded. ”I mean, I guess it's worth a shot. I'm just telling you if it doesn't work out, that you shouldn't worry.”
A sudden thump sounded outside the cottage. There was a solid weight behind it – the weight of a human body.
Li immediately stood up. ”I'll handle it.”
Outside, he found Zagan, fiery black fur glistening under the moonlight. At his paws lay the corpse of a man, mangled and burned beyond recognition. In Zagan's jaws a freshly torn jugular vein still beat with dying life, its slick redness starkly visible under the pale moonlight.
Zagan swallowed the vein. ”It would seem that even non-humans have been drawn to you, my master. This was a vampire, and one of lesser breed at that. Why he dared to ever approach your territory is beyond my reasoning, but when my jaws held at his throat and I commanded him the reason for his insolence, he claimed to have come from the Black Vine, whatever filthy den of night creatures that is.”
”Thank you, Zagan. You're always a help.” Li looked towards Riviera, his fists balling. ”They've sent a visitor to me, is that it? Well, I think it's time I repaid the favor and gave them a visit.”