Page 79 of In Darkness Forged
Power erupted from his body in a terrifying wave. It knocked the guard back a pace and shimmered, almost visibly, in the early morning air, leaving no doubt of either Tal’s willingness or his ability to destroy anything or anyone in his path.
For a single moment, he was once again that otherworldly creature of the forest, a force of nature and an inescapable tower of menace.
And then all of that power simply folded away again, leaving him staring at the visibly stunned guard, having moved not a muscle in his own defense.
“Take us to Vanadar,” Tal said in icy tones, and the guard did not hesitate again.
They moved through the settlement at a brisk walk, Aislin looking about her curiously at a place she knew she’d seen before but had not really noticed at the time. She’d been too busy running for her life, chasing down the night elf who now walked beside her with a long, confident stride.
It was beautiful, she decided, if strange to her human eyes. There was no stonework to be seen, only homes built of some silky gray wood. The smooth dirt paths were laid out as if they’d simply grown there in harmony with the existing forest, lit either by glowing stones or by the trees themselves, which seemed to flare brightly as the three of them passed by.
After a handful of minutes at a brisk walk, they finally drew near the center of the settlement. Aislin immediately recognized the place where her journey had begun—in the round, peak-roofed building ahead.
They entered close at the guard’s heels, and Aislin took a step nearer to Tal as they were met with the pressure of alarmed gazes and shocked stares from every side. The round room was full, despite the late hour, and the mood was somber.
For a handful of moments, no one spoke. But in the midst of that awkward silence, the guard bowed his head, and the crowd parted to reveal the familiar form of the Marlord’s regent.
Vanadar appeared to have aged in the few days since they’d seen him. His dark cloak and long white shirt were wrinkled, and his staff of office seemed to be missing.
“Do not waste my time describing your failure,” he said icily, regarding them with ill-concealed impatience. “I cannot imagine how you dare show your faces here again, but count yourselves lucky that my time is too valuable to be bothered with locking you up. Go now, and I will endeavor to forget that I ever laid eyes on you.” He turned away as if in dismissal, but the crowd did not move. Unlike Vanadar, they seemed wise enough not to turn their backs on the predator in their midst.
Tal removed his pack and handed it to Aislin, his eyes never leaving the regent. “I suspect the only failure that truly disappoints you is my failure to die,” he returned coolly. “You once said I lacked honor, but now you would turn me away when I come only to fulfill the terms of our bargain?”
Vanadar whirled, and the look in his eyes nearly sent Aislin staggering backwards. His face was white, his eyes burned, and in them was something terribly like hope.
“Youwhat?” he whispered, and the words echoed in the silence of the hall. “Do not toy with me, wilding. Did you acquire what was needed?”
“No.”
Vanadar’s brow lowered thunderously, rage clenching his jaw.
“Shedid.” And with that, Tal stepped slightly back.
Aislin’s eyes flew wide with shock, but at Tal’s confident nod, she reached into the pack and then held out her clenched fist. When she opened her fingers, the vial with its single drop of golden venom lay shimmering in her palm.
For the next few breaths, no one moved, as if they were afraid the vision before them might shatter.
Then Vanadar strode forward, eyes wild with urgency, his own hand outstretched as if to take the prize.
But Aislin’s fingers closed.
“Not yet,” she said firmly, holding her ground as she looked up at the looming night elf regent. “I must ask you to consider changing the terms of our bargain.”
A snarl creased Vanadar’s features. “So you would hold us hostage to our desperation,” he growled. “What else should I expect from an honorless human?”
Aislin shook her head. “I am only keeping the promise I made to the one who gave me this venom,” she returned calmly. Her words raised Vanadar’s eyebrows and drew shocked murmurs from the others in the hall. “I could never have gained what you sought through battle, and the Queen was kind enough to spare me only because I swore to negotiate on her behalf.”
“You are suggesting that youspokewith an arantha?”
“If you doubt me, feel free to personally validate the truth of my story,” Aislin said dryly. “But yes. The Queen possesses some strange magic that permitted her to converse with me. And she has tasked me with trading this venom for her clan’s right to dwell in the Darkspring without fear of hostility or attack. They want only to live in peace and for their territory to be respected.”
Vanadar considered her, his head tilted slightly to the side. “And how do I know that you speak the truth? This ‘venom’ could well be fake.”
“I did not take you for a fool,” Aislin replied acerbically. “If I were attempting to pass off a fake, why would I beg a favor for anyone other than myself?”
The regent was silent for another handful of moments before he nodded sharply. “Agreed. Let it be noted that the Darkspring and its environs are now the territory of the wild aranthas, and those who trespass do so at the risk of their own lives. We will guard its borders and notify all settlements of this agreement. Will that satisfy the demands of your honor?”
Aislin nodded.