Wraithwood Botanist

Hadrian made eye contact with Kal’s mother as she screamed, "Well? Are you going to explain yourself?"

"Leeka," Reasan growled.

His wife trembled and quieted, but she didn’t calm down.

Typhus looked at Hadrian, so he spoke.

"Your son broke the trading alliance by attempting to kill our business partner," Hadrian said.

Leeka scoffed.

"Then," he continued forcefully, "his guard returned and proclaimed that Mira had assaulted the other Melhans and poisoned Kal, but then later stated that he requested to heal Kal but she refused. Why would he request aid from someone who tried to kill your son? It didn’t make sense. Many such inconsistencies proliferated his testimony. I pointed out each and told him not to take action, pending interrogation, but he chose to disregard my order and launched an assassination attempt in front of every family at the harvest."

"And so you killed him without a trial?" Leeka asked.

"No, I killed him for breaking our alliance not once but twice, and potentially a third time, as his shameful attempt to kill Mira failed," Hadrian said.

"You keep saying that, that doesn’t make it true," Reasan said. "From what I hear, you demanded that no one speak of what you did."

"Correct. I told them not to speak of what happened, and did so for your benefit. Or would you have rathered hundreds of harvesters spreading rumors that a little girl who integrated mere months ago bested the Melhan family?"

Reasan’s face folded with disgusting creases. Hadrian felt the sight was unbefitting of the glory of the legacy families and turned away in disdain. Reasan prepared to snap when Typhus intervened.

"Listen Reasan," he said. "The Melhan broke our agreement the moment they attempted to confront Mira in the woods; what happened afterward is irrelevant."

"It is relevant!" Leeka snapped.

"No, it’s not," Typhus said chillingly. "It’s also shameful that you would openly advocate a conspiracy that your entire family fell victim to a petty trap. It’s disgusting."

Leeka stood, but Reasan yanked her back into her chair and then turned to Hadrian coldly. "What trap?"

"Are you dense?" Hadrian asked.

"Watch your tone," Typhus scolded.

Hadrian nodded and then glared at Leeka. "The Melhan followed Mira into the woods to confront her. Likely in self-defense, she led them to a location with nearan eaters, or simply released spores she collected up north as a weapon."

"So you admit she killed them," Leeka said.

"Have we said anything to the contrary?" Hadrian asked. "We have not. We have only pointed out that your family provoked Mira Hill, then broke our arrangements by following her into the woods. The fact that Mira Hill genuinely bested the Melhan family by any means, motives, or purposes is another matter, and I recommend you deny it and make no allusion to it, with your actions or otherwise."

"You recommend?" Reasan looked at Typhus. "Are you really going to let him speak to us like this?"

"I will not chastise my son for words I would’ve spoken myself," Typhus said.

Reasan’s lip curled and he sent a warning glare to keep Leeka silent, then shifted his gaze to Typhus. "You won’t get in our way next Harvest, will you?"

"If you’re referring to retribution on Mira Hill, then yes," Typhus said. "We will stop you—and there will be severe consequences."

Leeka’s eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Mira HIll is a strategic asset," Typhus said, "not just to us, but every family. Since Mira Hill has broken no laws, cultural or otherwise, we will not permit you to seek vengeance upon her for a problem of your own making."

Reasan narrowed his eyes. "Strategic? Your contract forbids you from doing business with our competitors."

"Our contract forbids us from doing business with a list of competitors," Hadrian said, "a list that lacks the name ’Heath and Roe Enterprises.’"

"You’ve gotten cocky, haven’t you?" Reasan asked.

Hadrian laced his fingers.

"You’re allowing this?" Reasan asked Typhus.

Typhus leaned back. "Allow what? Him to tell the truth?"

Leeka trembled like a possessed tea kettle, then exploded, screaming, "Out… Out. Out! Get out of my house!"

"As you wish." Hadrian stood and examined her one last time before leaving. Her face was plum red, and she was hysterical—as it should be.

Leeka lost her son, and there was a century, by law, before she could give birth again, and Reasan would discard her long before that, stripping her of her wealth, influence, and prestige—if not her life. It was possible that she would revert to a lowly concubine or even an exalted maid.

People so desperate would do anything—

—and her husband would soon join her in such desperation.

2.

"You need to see it, Aiden," Everen rocked back a glass of amber liquor. Aiden was in a back room of the Nest with him after their latest auction, listening to the feverish music of the club blaring through the door. "It’s ten stories already—and it’s all full," Everen said, speaking of the new Heath and Roe Enterprises headquarters. "Hell, we’re paying for warehouses for the storage."

"Uh huh…" Aiden said, sipping on his drink.

"Ah, come on," Everen said. "You have to be at least a little excited. You’re a millionaire. Eight digits off one Harvest and the numbers are climbing. And shit, you don’t gotta do a damn thing." He took another drink and snorted lightly. "At least look a little pleased."

Aiden swirled the ice in his glass, then looked up. "I am pleased. Just not about you taking a cut off Mira’s sales."

Everen narrowed his eyes. "You’re still on about that?"

"Yeah. Because this whole business is predicated on our relationship with her."

"So what? We’re just supposed to tank the costs of the auctions? The organizing? The bribes… the whole lot. We’re supposed to tank that… for nothing?"

"For nothing…" Aiden drained his glass and leaned back. "Ten stories… full. Warehouses. If you asked me, we’ve profited rather handsomely. The least we can do is treat her requests."

Everen pointed at him. "Now that’s funny." He stood and mixed a drink at the private bar, then turned around. "You get that her family’s loaded right? Her… victims… or whatever they are have teachers. She needed that done—and I did it. Without me… without us… she would be shit out of luck for money."

"No... Mira can make deals with anyone; the same isn’t true in reverse."

"See this? This is why politics gets all fucked up. You’re thinking in ideals and you don’t know shit all about what you’re talking about." He took a drink and coughed, setting the glass down while he caught his breath. Then he looked up.

"Mira’s got two options," he said. "Us or the Melhan. That’s it. No one else can sell. They’re wrapped up in so many deals they can’t even move straight. So it’s us or no one. Make sure she knows that before she starts making crazy demands again."

Aiden took a deep breath, pushing down his desire to play his cards and put Everen in his place. He had researched the subject half a year ago, and he had kept his findings to himself. Someone like Everen could always find a loophole to his loophole. It was best to keep his cards close to his chest.

Suddenly, the door opened, bringing the raucous sound of the betting floor as Brexton strode in. He looked between them and said, "What? I thought you’d be more pleased."

"Oh, I am," Everen said. He looked at Aiden. "Not the same for this one."

"Oh, come now," Brexton said. "I’ve never seen this man happy in his life. The fact that he’s here’s proof he’s about it."

"If you say so…" Everen sighed. "I’m going to get out of here. I have an afterparty with the Shoals. After all, one of us never stops working." He sneered at Aiden subtly. "Come by and see our office. I have a shiny placard on your office door."

He left, and Brexton toasted him, leaving Aiden staring at his empty drink.

"Well, doesn’t do much if it’s empty, now does it?" Brexton traded the empty glass for the one he was holding. It was a multicolored drink, but it didn’t contain common poisons, so far as his guide could ascertain, so he took a risk and drank it.

"There you go," Brexton said. "Few more of those, and you’ll be celebrating with the rest of us."

Aiden laughed. "What’s there to celebrate over? The Melhan are out to kill Mira, I have ten guards outside to protect me from assassinations, and a war’s gonna break out over our company any day now. And to top it all off, I’m still not working with animals. It’s bullshit."

Brexton shrugged. "Well, I can fix one of those… Till then, try not to worry about things you can’t control. Your life’s been out of your hands since you pacted that demi—and that just is… what it is. You made a mistake you didn’t know you were making and the rest is history. Try not to think too much about it."

Brexton poured a rock glass, frosted it with magic, then put it down, drinking from the bottle instead. He pointed at the foggy glass after. "For when you’re done with that."

Aiden looked at his drink and then back. "How are you like this?"

"Like what?"

"So cheery? You’re a degenerate. I’m surprised you’re still functioning."

Brexton grinned. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah, I do."

Brexton approached slowly, then placed the bottle of spirits in front of Aiden. "Then drink up, and I’ll teach you. With any luck, you’ll be halfway appealing by next Harvest."

Aiden studied the bottle. It was the bad option—but at that point, bad was preferable to miserable. So he grabbed it, hoping that a small bit of Brexton’s madness would rub off on him, allowing him to embrace the optimism that always felt so forced and help him to escape one day.

He spared a second thought—then he drank.

3.

I didn’t know what type of scheming was happening in the outside world, but it seemed rather serious, judging by the message I got from Aiden a week later.

"Spared no time using his privileges," I muttered. I had whitelisted Aiden and Felio with my parents, and while I hadn’t heard from Felio, Aiden had already found a message worth a silver request. "Wonder what it is…"

Kline jumped onto my chest.

"You wanna hear?" I asked.

He meowed.

"Wanna know what type of shit storm you caused?"

His mouth curved into a creepy smile.

"You’re ridiculous," I said. "Well… whatever. It reads: Dear Mira,

"I’ll start with the good news, the great news, and the fantastic news.

"The good news is that I managed to sell the resources you gave me. Even with Everen’s fee, it raked in extravagant sums, so the Harvesters have mana vision teachers already, and your family’s moved into a mansion on the outskirts of Theovale. That’s the great news. Just note that they’re rolling in dough now, so I’d prepare yourself. Next time you see them, your mom will be wearing a mink coat and gaudy jewelry, singing your praises.

"God, I hope not," I said as Kline meowed disapprovingly. Then I continued:

"Now for the fantastic news!

"Kal’s a vegetable and the Melhans are getting their asses kicked. Turns out, we made so much money that the families are pulling a coup against them to get a slice for themselves. That’s a great thing because they hate your guts and want to kill you, so it’s good to have allies."

I gulped.

"Even the Dante are on your side. In fact, they have added a dozen more guards to your family and are providing them with resources and trainers. And if that wasn’t enough, they’re making you the offer of a lifetime (to hear them tell it.) According to Hadrian, the Dante are prepared to provide you senior guards next Harvest, if you were to house three guards next year. They would all be women, of course, unless you would like men. They, of course (yes, they said "of course"), would attend to your every desire.

"God, it’s awkward to write this.

"Anyway, you’re one deal away from having the strongest allies in the First Domain. Congratulations.

"Now, I know that you’re probably not sold on it, so I told them I’d ask. Just know, I’m practically at knifepoint here to get a reply, so this would be a great opportunity to see if we’re actually friends. So please write back. Ha ha.

"Save me.

"Aiden… P.S. It’s a heavy cost, but a platinum request will let you send one two-way message a month to anyone you wish for life. Just about any family would send you a platinum request for exclusive rights. Just saying."

I blinked twice when I got a prompt asking me if I would like to reply, but I ignored it and opened my guide. "Lithco. Buy the platinum messaging service."

I got the notification saying it was bought, then opened up a message to my family and found that there was nothing to tell them that they didn’t already know. Tyler was getting training from multiple people now, and their safety was locked in.

The question was whether I should take the Dante up on their offer.

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