Chapter 274: Party Crasher
Raelia’s posture got defensive. “I can make my own decisions. And if Maveith needs help, I am helping him,” Raelia said haughtily to me. Baldo hissed at me as if reinforcing her assertion.
I put my foot down. I wouldn’t let the elf dictate to me. “I am in charge of my adventurer team.” I looked to Maveith, who nodded in support. “I choose who we take on. Besides, you can’t take the griffin.” I pointed at Baldo and he lunged to bite my finger. I snatched my hand back and he got only air, confused that he had missed.
“Baldo is already flying and hunting small animals,” Raelia retorted as she stood in front of me defiantly. Baldo chirped in support and eyed my digits.
“And what if an orc warlord thinks he would make a good trophy or tasty jerky?” I countered smugly and maybe a bit harshly.
She puffed up her chest in her green dress. It didn’t really work well, as she was a head shorter than me and had to look up. “The Esenhem treaty with the Caliphate would prevent them from doing anything to Baldo. Orcs have honor, unlike the Telhians!”
My mind was surprisingly clear during this argument. I pressed on her fallacies. “You are a Bartiradian and not of Esenhem. You are just an ambassador to Esenhem.”
Raelia’s eyes showed her mind working as she thought up a response. Her words still came out heated, and Maveith got uncomfortable with the yelling but did not intervene. “I am an elf, and they won’t know the difference.” A little more conciliatorily, she continued, “Besides, I am more of an ambassador in training and do not have the true support of Bartiradia. I am just a pawn to bring my estranged Glavien family branch back into the fold of the Esenhem greater family.” Her anger evaporated as she finished, and I could see the frustration on her face. Why was I always a sucker for a pretty face in distress?
I tried a new tactic to get her to change her mind and see reason. “They aren’t going to let you leave. They need you for that purpose.”
She exhaled hotly. “I can’t go back to Bartiradia because I am a disgrace there—I lost my griffin over Macha and then my charge, Vaeril. Now they are trying to blame Traeliorn’s disappearance on me.” I played a role in all three of those things. Did the Bartiradians think Traeliorn was still alive?
“I don’t want to spend the next two decades under the thumb of my aunt, playing dress-up in the courts and pretending to be interested in what everyone is saying.” She had calmed considerably, and I could tell she was trying a different tactic with me—pity. Her eyes widened and her hands trembled slightly. “Please, may I join your adventuring team?” Even Baldo seemed to be mimicking her deferential disposition, no longer trying to snack on my fingers.
Maveith looked over at me, and his face was easy to read. He wanted Raelia to come with us despite the danger. I tried to fuel her anger to bring it back. Could I even rely on her not to betray us? “You hate Telhians. You despise me.” I searched her eyes for her genuine emotions as she responded.
Her eyes locked on mine. “You are not Telhian. And I don’t despise you.” She paused. “I just find you infuriating.” Is there a difference?
“You are trying to use me to escape a life of luxury and safety?” I countered.
Our eyes still locked on each other, she continued, “I am a skilled Ranger. I can speak and read the language of the orcs. I have been schooled in their customs and traditions. I can aid Maveith and you in your quest to find Maveith’s sister.” I got an inkling that she was stretching the truth.
“You are not an adventurer,” I hedged, but I felt myself giving in, trying to rationalize her joining us. How am I conceding so easily?
She made a dismissive gesture. “Ten minutes in the Guild Hall and I will have my medallion.”
I heard Blaze talking to Mateo as they climbed the stairs. “I will consider your offer,” I said before the others reached us. An elf attendant entered the room, my companions following.
“Look, it is the miniature griffin!” Benito shouted, causing Baldo to hiss at him. Benito didn’t care, approaching dangerously close and not doing a proper threat assessment. “Can we ride it? I mean, when will it be big enough to ride?”
“Benito, stand back. Even that small, its beak can break bone,” I warned him. He reluctantly stepped back.
Raelia moved to protect Baldo, stroking his crown feathers to calm him as he grew antsy with all the people crowding around him. “Griffins rarely take more than one rider in their lifetime. Baldo has chosen me,” Raelia stated with finality.
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Benito looked disappointed, and I could see the griffin was overwhelmed by all the people. I produced a shred of bloody dungeon bear meat and tossed it at Baldo. He instinctively snatched it out of the air, and his beak worked the meat into a paste to swallow. I wasn’t good at reading griffin body language, but I definitely think he liked it. His eyes were focused on me, not as a snack but as a dispenser of tasty snacks.
“What did you feed him?” Raelia said accusingly. “He is on a strict diet, Eryk,” she added, concerned.
“Dungeon bear meat. It was fresh.” I said unconcernedly.
Baldo clearly liked it, and his taloned feet were carrying him closer to me, looking for more. “Baldo, sit,” I commanded in Elvish, holding up another sliver of the meat. Baldo followed the hand holding the morsel, and I repeated the command. He sat and puffed out his chest obediently. “Good, Baldo.” I tossed him the meat while Raelia was processing that her griffin had just obeyed me, abject horror on her face. Food is a powerful motivator. I noticed Blaze intently studying my and Raelia’s interaction, trying to puzzle out our familiarity.
“We are heading back to the Adventurers Hall,” I told my companions abruptly. I no longer felt the need to answer Regent Maeralya’s questions about the Shimmering Labyrinth. The others’ answers should have been more than sufficient to detail the location of the dungeon. Maybe the elves had another way to dispose of the specters guarding Caelora. Anything that made Octavian’s life more difficult was a bonus for me. As we walked, I confirmed with Blaze that the Regent had gotten what she wanted.
“We told her the location of the dungeon, but didn’t reveal the library or how we approached through the undercity. Is that what you wanted? You didn’t leave us with instructions,” Blaze said as we walked the glowstone-lit streets.
I realized I had left them hanging and would need to be a better leader in the future. “Yes, you did the right thing. The Adventurers Guild is already aware of the dungeon. With Esenhem and Bartiradia knowing, Octavian should have a massive headache to deal with.”
Blaze seemed reluctant to speak for a moment but finally asked, “You said Maveith knew the elf girl Raelia, but you seem to have a lot of—familiarity with her as well.”
Why did Blaze have to be so damn observant? Raelia and I had certainly looked at each other with familiarity during the meal. Maveith was trying to keep the secret, but by doing so was making it more obvious. Thankfully, Benito was oblivious, and Mateo was focused on every pretty woman—and some not-so-pretty ones he saw. I was unsure what to tell Blaze. We were trailing the group and out of earshot.
I wasn’t going to lie to him, and came clean. “She was the Bartiradian Ranger with the summoner. The first summoner Konstantin and I killed. Master Mage Sebastian attacked her with his drake and nearly killed her. Maveith and I healed her.” Blaze remained quiet while we walked, and it concerned me.
“I have let more than one enemy go who was in the sights of my bow,” Blaze said quietly to me.
I exhaled slowly. “She was the Griffin Rider you grounded in Macha.” Seeing the shock on Blaze’s face was worth telling him. “Twisted fate seems to keep putting her in my path.”
“How did she escape Macha?” Blaze questioned. Of course he would want to know that.
I switched to one of Konstantin’s favorite tones he spoke with when he didn’t want to talk about something any longer. “I left her for dead, but their healers got to her. It is best not to mention Macha around her. She is still bitter about losing her griffin, Moonclaw.” Thankfully, Blaze nodded.
Halfway back to the Adventurers Hall, I added, “She has asked to go with us.” Truthfully, I was planning to sneak out of Artiria with our merchant caravan in a few days and not look back.
Blaze didn’t respond for a long time, and I thought my decision was correct. But he eventually formulated a response. “Without Konstantin, we do need a good scout. I am sure with your Hound training you could do the job, but it is hard to lead us and be the scout. The Bartiradian Rangers are some of the best forerunners on the continent.”
He did make a good point. We did need a scout for our little group. Maveith was capable but also very large. Being a good hunter was much different from being a good scout. One of the orcs I planned to interview could do the job. We arrived at the Adventurers Hall, and I paused at the entrance, my companions doing likewise, all of us confused. Raelia was at the counter in commoner’s clothes, clearly registering to become an adventurer.
“How did she get here before us?” Mateo asked dumbly.
I was grinding my teeth, and Blaze may have noticed. I had a strong feeling that Raelia was not going to take no for an answer. She glanced back at us with a slightly mischievous smirk on her face. “Did she just smile at me?” Mateo asked hopefully.
Blaze patted Mateo on the back, holding in a laugh. “No, Mateo. I think she was declaring victory.”
“Victory in what?” Benito asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
Blaze somehow understood I needed him to serve as the group’s intermediary. He explained to the others, “I think she plans to join us and help Maveith retrieve his sister.”
As we talked, I saw Raelia pointing at our group, which was still clustered near the entryway. After a discussion with the elven clerk, she sauntered up to us. “Looks like you already accepted an assignment as a merchant guard. You need to add me to the job’s registry,” she said confidently, as if the matter had already been decided.
I controlled my temper and looked her up and down with a stern gaze. “I don’t think Baldo can carry your weight. You will have to purchase your own horse,” I said flatly, and walked away. It was such a small victory after being cornered into accepting her, but I would take it.
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