94 Help (2/2)

”You want me to take this order?” said Li as he looked at Azhar. He could not see any hints of resentment or hesitation on his face.

”If that rich bastard's payin', I ain't one to shirk free supplies.”

”Didn't expect you to cash this in.” Li shrugged. ”Honestly, didn't expect you to even show up here today.”

”Why not?” Azhar laughed. ”Ain't like this spot's cursed or nothin'. Prettyboy beat me fair and square, and I ain't got a problem bout' admittin' the better man when I see it. So, gonna take the order?”

Li took one more glance at the note before nodding. ”I have most of the recovery elixirs in stock. The strength boosters will take a day. Have to forage in the woods for ingredients. But you know these won't do anything for your arm, right?”

”I know, but free stuff's free stuff.”

Li considered Azhar for a moment. ”If you truly want to recover, then I can think of one solution provided you have the resolve for it. I'll tear off your arm and regrow it.”

”Mighty temptin' offer.” Azhar glanced at his dead right arm before shaking his head. ”But nah. I'm gonna' take some to time reflect on where I went wrong and improve myself. Figure the time it'll take my arm to get back is enough time to get my head straight.”

”You're not worried about the rest of your party?”

”Nah. Knew the prettyboy and his gaggle of girls were way more useful than me from the start. Was just feelin' a little worked up yesterday, I guess. But Jeanne and Sylv's gonna' be safer with him than with me. Besides, they already left.”

”Fair enough.” Li took Launcelot's order for Azhar and went back to the working table, handing it to Iona. When he came back to the counter, he found Azhar looking eye to eye with the wyrm.

Li instinctively reached out to calm the wyrm, but she was not attacking him, merely staring at him with an almost hypnotic stillness.

”Interesting,” said Li. ”Considering she tried to bite Jeanne's hand off, this is quite a surprise.”

Azhar broke his stare with the wyrm and looked to Li with a smirk. ”Ain't no animal ever taken a likin' to Jeanne. Probably somethin' to do with her mutant blood and all. But more than that, I know how to talk with dragonkin. All bout' the eyes – how ya open em', how ya stare, and all that. So long as you don't close em' or look away, it's pretty safe.”

He took a step back, analyzing where the wyrm lay. He cocked his head. ”Ya know, why's she up here? She's probably scarin' off customers. Ain't it better to have her in the stall?”

”Worried the fumes will hurt her,” said Li.

Azhar waved his hand. ”Ain't a little fumes gonna' harm her. In fact, breathin em' in will probably get her stronger. Adapt her to em'.”

Li nodded in understanding. ”You know an awful lot about wyrms.”

”Bout' dragonkin in general. When I took a few years to reconnect with my people, I learned bout' their wyrm and wyvern ridin'. I'm probably one of few people out here that knows how to train em', too.” He paused, his casual expression stiffening into a more serious one. ”Hope that was enough to convince ya of my qualifications.”

”For what?”

”I…I came here to ask for your help.” Azhar took in a deep breath. ”What ya said to me before got to me, and I still remember it. I ain't askin' for a handout. I'm askin' you to train me. Some kinda martial art, beast tamin', whatever it is. I wanna' get stronger somehow, even if just a little.. As thanks, I'll help ya train your dragonkin.”