Origins of the Tainted Bloodline by Rosie Scott

Author:Rosie Scott [Scott, Rosie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-08-29T16:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

Patrick introduced Koby and me to a few partners he often worked with in Scirocco, and we were present for all his dealings. I paid special attention to the way he spoke, the questions he asked, and the methods with which he dealt with last-minute changes or requests. As Patrick once told me, I had a mind for mercantilism; understanding the benefits and detriments to two sides of a deal came naturally to me, and the more I learned about supply and demand, the more it fascinated me. Koby was in over his head, but he attended these meetings without complaint.

Two of Patrick's partners wouldn't agree to future contacts with us once Patrick retired. One, a government-funded alchemy concoction supplier for Eteri's military, glared down his nose at Koby and me from the moment he noticed the cool tones of our skin. The second partner ran a ship construction company and accepted a shipment of lumber from Patrick before telling us to revisit her in a few years when we had some experience under our belts. The first partner I didn't respect; I understood the second's reasoning and told her I looked forward to working with her in the future.

We returned to the Ollie and joined the rest of the crew as they unpacked cargo for deliveries. This process alone could take days, but we stopped for the night once the sun hid its helpful light behind the tallest structures in the west. Mere seconds after the crew split up to go our separate ways, Hassan waltzed by Koby and me and said, “Let's get drunk and pick up women.”

“Let's try to get drunk,” I clarified, since I'd never been able to get more than tipsy.

“And let's not pick up women,” Koby lamented playfully. “I'm sore from carrying heavy crates all day.”

I sighed dramatically at the terrible joke, but Hassan only laughed.

Thousands of stars twinkled overhead, unimpeded by trees or clouds. Koby and I followed Hassan through a predetermined route he seemed to know from experience. He led us away from the harbor via a stone road that etched a path between multi-story businesses and traders. We passed prestigious Eteri soldiers in yellow and black armor as they lit sconces and oil lamps with fire magic. The lesser magics were illegal in Eteri, so the Vhiri didn't rely on illumination spells. All light here was fire, giving even the darkest stone a golden flickering glow. I'd never witnessed an elemental mage in action before; though I knew alteration spells, I could only manipulate energy, not create something tangible. It intrigued me to witness mages create fire out of thin air. Then again, shapeshifting was rare in most of the world; I would intrigue or frighten many of these same people.

Already, the Vhiri civilians and soldiers watched us with a careful and suspicious eye. Even from afar, our trio was noticeably different from the populace. Not only were the cool tones of our skin unique in a sea of cream, gold, and bronze, but many of the high elves were taller than us.

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