Page 36 of Clash of Kingdoms
Vine continued. “Rancor, your spine has shortened since the last time I saw you. You walk with a hunch like an old man, succumbed to the power of the man who overruled you with his axe and his dragons.” His eyes stayed on Huntley as he said this. “I judge your weakness, but I’m grateful it happened, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have the pleasure of staring my enemy right in the face. Was that your plan?”
Huntley remained quiet.
“To walk in here and earn my respect through your bravery? Or is it stupidity? I’m not sure yet.”
Huntley still didn’t speak.
Vine didn’t seem remotely intimidated, not even when he was outnumbered by one Teeth, one vampire, and one king. That meant he knew something we didn’t…or he had a better poker face than Fang. “You came here for a reason, Huntley. Now’s your chance to tell me that reason—or try to kill me.”
I still felt nothing from Vine.
Huntley was quiet a long time, trying to gather his thoughts before he spoke, knowing he only had one chance to get this right. “You’ve come to my lands out of necessity because these crystals fuel your power and immortality. I know you must have done this countless times before, destroyed kingdoms and all those who lived there. It would be easy to call you evil, but I know I would do anything to ensure my survival and the survival of those I love, so that would be hypocritical of me to say.”
Vine listened, his chin propped on his closed knuckles.
“But we aren’t like the kingdoms before us. We won’t be conquered easily. There will be many battles, and we’ll keep killing you over and over…draining the clock until you’re out of time and resources and are forced to move on elsewhere. All of that could be avoided if you choose to move on.”
“Pallidum was a mighty kingdom—and they were defeated in a single day.”
“We’re mightier.” Huntley’s voice suddenly rose, mixed with pride and offense, echoing off the walls slightly. “We will not stop. We will not give up. We will not surrender.”
“Your dragons won’t save you?—”
“Our people will save us,” he snapped. “But I would rather not waste lives in battle. I would rather not watch my people anguish over lost loved ones. Take your people elsewhere for what you seek. That is my request.”
Vine remained still, his eyes transfixed on Huntley like he actually cared to listen. “I have a proposal for you. Allow us to dig in your lands for the crystals we seek. Once we get what we want, we’ll leave you be.”
“No.”
Vine cocked his head slightly, as if he expected Huntley to say more.
“Without those crystals, our soil will become as barren as yours. Our crops will be destroyed. Our trees will die. Our game will disappear. It’ll destroy our home, the land of my ancestors, the burial site of all previous generations of my people. I will not leave it.”
“The land will wither, but it’s temporary.”
“It doesn’t matter how temporary it is if we die before it can renew.”
Vine dropped his knuckles from his chin. “That’s the best I can offer you, Huntley, King of Kingdoms.”
“Spare our lands and go elsewhere.”
“Why?” he demanded. “In exchange for what?”
Huntley stared, having nothing to offer.
“You came all the way here to plead for your people, and while I admire that, that’s not reason enough to inconvenience myself and everyone else in this kingdom.”
“There are a million other crystals out there?—”
“Yes, but there’s one crystal we need above all else. We can’t leave your lands without verifying it’s there.”
“The odds are slim to none?—”
“Even so.” He stared Huntley down, his patience waning. “You’ve spoken and I listened. Now, go. And thank me for allowing you to leave with your head.”
Huntley remained seated.
“Huntley.” We shouldn’t squander the generosity Vine had just offered. I moved to rise from the chair.