The Mercenary's Bounty

by Kristen Banet

  “Not too much. A hundred silver.”

  Not too much, he says. Liar. He’s trying to buy himself into her good graces. Alchan thought about that. It’s not going to work, but I’m going to laugh as he tries.

  They were escorted back out of the building, carrying way too much money. At least they would be blowing it all quickly.

  “We’re going to the nicer places,” Alchan ordered. “We might get less, but I don’t want to deal with low quality items in unsafe areas with this much.” He didn’t like that Luykas was carrying a small fortune. It would get them three carts of supplies that the village would store for them. It would all be for community use, because that’s what the Andinna did, and it would show that the Company wasn’t just a drain on resources when it passed through. Not that the Company was ever accused of that, but they never wanted it to happen.

  “I can agree with that.” Luykas nodded. “Thank goodness we didn’t bring Bryn.”

  “He’s wily, that one.” Alchan chuckled. “He doesn’t like when we force him to go to the nicer areas. Which inn did he choose, by the way?”

  “Hornbuckle place, like he always does.” Luykas began to chuckle as well. “Love those dwarves.”

  “Same.” Alchan knew they would remind him of his responsibilities and his place, but they never made it seem too big, not like the Andinna in the mountains did.

  The brothers walked shoulder to shoulder towards the rich district of Namur. The streets were cleaner as they went and so were the buildings, less bombarded by the sea salt and grime.

  He let Luykas loose in the market and went to the stables run by an Elvasi mutt he knew well. “Han,” he called out, walking into the main building. “You here?”

  “Is that Alchan Andini I hear?”

  Alchan wanted to wince at his last name. Dragon-child. The family last name. Thanks to his father’s bloodline, he was given his father’s last name and not his mother’s, like Andinna custom normally pointed to. Luykas took the last name when he came to Anden from the Empire, since he had no other options.

  “It is!” Alchan waited, looking over a few of the horses near the stable’s entrance. None of them were the Company’s.

  The Elvasi mutt walked out grinning. The Empire despised mutts. The idea that one of their people would breed with another race was disgusting to them, so most ended up in Olost, free from the pressures of their long-lived side. This one, with his delicately pointed ears and dancing hazel eyes, was half-human and had worked with the Company for seven hundred years.

  “It’s good to see you alive. Rumors hit Namur that some of your men were captured. Then more rumors hit us just a few days ago that you did some crazy-ass shit right in Elliar. Legendary Champion of the Colosseum is now free. Empress Shadra is pissed off. Know anything about that?”

  “I might,” he answered, smiling. “It was fun. I hated every second of it, but Han, it was really fun shoving the middle finger at that bitch.”

  “I bet it was!” Han laughed, walking closer. Alchan dared to hug the male when it was offered. They were old friends now. Han was a rich merchant, normally the type Alchan avoided, but Han was too down to earth. He should despise the Elvasi heritage, but Alchan could also remember a time when the Elvasi weren’t the enemy the way they were now. Han was evidence that the Empire was being pointed by a bitch, but their people weren’t all that awful. Captain Sen was the same.

  Off the top of his head, Alchan could think of nearly a dozen Elvasi or Elvasi mutts that weren’t out to destroy his people.

  “How are the horses?” he asked cautiously. They had been left in Namur for a long time. He hoped his gelding even recognized him.

  “Good. I let Luykas’ stallion mount a few mares for the breeding operation. Fine foals should come from those.”

  Alchan smiled as Han led him to a particular stable on the back end of the mutt’s property. The Company’s stable. Being long-lived meant they tried not to get too attached to their mounts. They didn’t use horses for any travel, except when the distance was too far to fly or they couldn’t for secrecy. They hired Han, who had the privilege of saying he bred the horses used by the Ivory Shadow Mercenary Company and had for seven hundred years. Before him, they were constantly buying new horses.

  Alchan knew his gelding was a distant descendant of a stallion he once rode. That’s how far back their breeding operation went.

  “How many do you need from the herd?” Han asked.

  “Keep the stallion, and give Luykas a spare gelding. He needs to keep breeding. Do we have any other stallions or do you need to get new stock?”

  “I’ve got stock for the next three decades, don’t worry about that.” Han chuckled. “You know that.”

  “All right. Well…” Alchan began to explain their needs. Individual mounts for seven. Him, Luykas, Zayden, Rain, and Matesh, with spares, just in case. Three for carts of supplies. He figured Bryn, Varon, Nevyn, Leshaun, and Mave could handle those. He knew the female wasn’t experienced with it, but it was safer than putting her on her own horse for now. Varon and Nevyn would just want to sit together. Han promised to get it all worked out and meet them the next day. It was a rush, but they could make it all work.

  With that, Alchan took his leave and went to find his brother. Luykas was talking with a merchant in the square. They looked like they were concluding their business, which was good.

  “Do you want to do her stuff now or tomorrow, right before we leave?” Alchan asked as he drew closer.

  “Tomorrow. I’ll need her to look at things, smell things. All of that.”

  “You don’t really intend on making this all happen in one day, right?” Alchan frowned.

  “No!” Luykas shook his head quickly. “Not at all. But she needs stones for the jewelry. There’s a few females in the village who can make the final pieces - they just need the materials. And the fabrics. She can’t wear leather all the time. She needs fabrics so they can make her a wardrobe for her downtime.”

  “Understandable.” Alchan ran his hand over some fabric as his brother spoke. He was glad Luykas wasn’t asking him to join in on this. He understood the need for all of it, but he wasn’t the best person for the task. “Take Leshaun.”

  “Good idea, but I’ll just talk to him. He knows the most about what females need. I want her alone...” Luykas snapped his fingers and pointed at him as he spoke. “The supplies…The merchant here says that Han will need to bring the carts over at dawn to load up.”

  “Run and let Han know who you picked. Three carts, right?”

  “Yup.”

  After so many years, they were good at guessing these things. Alchan took the chest from Luykas, who jogged off to see Han. It wasn’t too long before he was back and they were ready to leave the marketplace.

  “Have fun tonight with the Company,” he said before they made it back to the lower district.

  “Of course. Let me take that. Be safe on your own. I’ll send someone to get you in the morning.”

  “Thank you.” Alchan waved as Luykas walked away.

  Now it was time for him to deal with his own needs. He wished he could go out with the Company, but he needed this. He hated it, but he needed it.

  He turned back into the richer district and went to a small townhome, well-maintained and pretty. It was unassuming and didn’t stand out. He knocked twice and waited.

  The door opened to reveal a tall Elvasi mutt with two tiny horns in his forehead. Somewhere, he had a tiny bit of Andinna in his bloodline, but not enough to make any difference. His parents continued to breed back to Elvasi instead of Andinna. He didn’t get the wings and always said he didn’t miss the need to fly. His horns, easily hidden by his hairstyle, were the only sign that he had even a drop of Andinna blood in his veins.

  “Alchan…”

  “Keyit,” he replied. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “No…I’ll send out a messenger to cancel my appointment tonight. Come in.” The mutt opened the door fur
ther.

  Alchan took the chance to look Keyit over as he stepped in, noting the somewhat revealing and transparent clothing he was wearing. It was shades of purple that complimented Keyit’s brilliant brown eyes and his mahogany skin. It even went well with the thick, black hair that cascaded down his shoulders and back.

  Alchan’s mouth nearly watered, even though he normally didn’t care for the fancy clothing.

  “You were expecting someone. I know it wasn’t me. I hope it’s not a trouble.”

  “You’re only going to be here tonight, I’m guessing?” Keyit closed them in.

  Alchan walked behind him to a small sitting room. “Yeah.” He normally booked a later day when he arrived in the city. It was rare that he just dropped in on the mutt. He waited patiently as Keyit wrote a note and ran it outside to send off.

  Alchan untied the pouch of gold coins and dropped them on a small table. This was the part he hated. Keyit once told him he didn’t have to pay. Even though he was mostly Elvasi, he understood that Alchan had no one else thanks to being a bedru. Alchan paid the escort, though, refusing to use him for free. Someone deserved something for being with him, even for an occasional night.

  “Is the word still ‘sun?’” he asked softly as Keyit walked back in.

  “Yes it is,” the male answered, shifting into a role Alchan knew well. Keyit spent centuries perfecting the act, something that would make Alchan let go of his tightly-reined control. “Sit down, sir, and I’ll get you some wine.”

  Alchan growled. No one ordered him to do anything. It was part of the game. Keyit wanted Alchan to break past thecontrolled act he put on. Alchan would get nothing from this if he tried to hold back.

  It wasn’t that he hurt anyone, not purposefully. Alchan needed control. He needed to give orders and demand things. He pushed people to their limits and he made them like it as he got everything he wanted out of them.

  That’s why they had a word that would stop the game if it was needed. It was the one line Alchan would never cross. It was a signal he was doing something he would hate himself even more for. Many Andinna used them to protect their relationships when things became rough.

  “Strip and get on your knees. I’ll drink wine later.”

  He didn’t care for fancy clothing.

  15

  Mave

  “They’re back!” Matesh called. “Time to get out of bed.”

  Mave sighed, pushing her face into the pillow. A large hand ran over her ass. They spent the afternoon loving on each other. She felt like it was the best way to celebrate being off the ship after such a nice bath.

  “Mave,” he crooned. “I’m more than willing to stay here all night with you, but the guys want you to come down and have a good time with them.”

  She felt the bed press down and he moved over her. Oh, she could tell he was more than willing. She lifted her hips to tease him, eliciting a growl as she pushed his control.

  I love that I can be this way with him.

  It was a nice change of pace from the centuries of trying to have a quick fuck without getting killed. Or just being whored. For once, she enjoyed the bedroom and the male in it. She always came back to that thought when she was with him. He’d given her this ability to relax and trust.

  “Mat!” Rain called. “Mave! Come on! We’re done and want to start drinking!”

  She groaned as Mat got off her. She pushed up from the bed and watched him get dressed quickly. “Let’s go, amanra,” he said patiently, smiling. “We can come back up here later tonight.”

  “We will be, that’s certain.” She swung her legs off the bed.

  It only took a few moments to get presentable, and they walked out of the room to find Rain waiting on them. He looked nearly normal for the moment, smiling with a brightness she had missed.

  “Hey, illi bodyr,” she greeted him. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better. The ship was getting too small for me.” Rain shrugged. “Hoping to just have a good night. How are you?”

  “Haven’t felt this good in a very long time,” she answered. “Or this clean.”

  Rain laughed, nodding. “We got everything here and went to the bathhouse next door. The ship was dirtier than the pits. I didn’t think it was possible.”

  “Right?” She chuckled, wrapping an arm over his shoulders. They were the same height, so it was a little awkward, but she wanted to touch him, show him some real affection. She didn’t want him to think she was going to hold his attitude on the ship against him. He deserved to be upset, and he would have to figure out how to handle it on his own.

  Mat followed behind them, a large, silent observer. She glanced back at him once, only to find him smiling and looking down at her ass. She flicked her tail’s tip near his face, making him look up, realizing he’d been caught.

  They made it back down into the tavern area, where she saw that several tables had been pushed together and most of the Company was sitting around. She noticed that Alchan wasn’t there and it reminded her that he had said something about it earlier in the day on the ship.

  “Where is Alchan going to be tonight?” she pondered out loud, not really expecting an answer.

  “With Keyit, probably.” Matesh made it sound very casual and simple. “If we’re only here for one night, he needs to work some shit out of his system.”

  “I like Keyit,” Rain commented lightly. “He’s a good male and was really nice when I saw him once. Offered me a drink and everything. Mave, he wouldn’t be your type.”

  “Why would I care if he’s my type?” She frowned, not understanding Rain’s point.

  “He’s an escort in the rich district,” Mat explained. “Alchan is one of his patrons. They’re pretty open about it. Everyone in the Company has gone to pick Alchan up from his place at least once. Skies, most of us have gone at least a half a dozen times.”

  “What?” she snapped. Alchan hired a whore? Didn’t he know what that sort of work did to someone? The toll it demanded on the soul or the body?

  I thought I hated him already.

  She didn’t realize she was snarling until Mat put a hand gently over her mouth.

  “Mave, Keyit loves his job. He does it because he wants to. This isn’t like what you went through. He’s trained in it because he wanted to be. There’s a guild for it here, just like blacksmiths or tradesmen. It’s an honest profession and makes Keyit rich.”

  Luykas walked over. “He’s right, Mave. What goes on between Alchan and Keyit is between them. Keyit isn’t being forced into it and he can always turn Alchan or anyone else away.”

  Mave tried to come to terms with that. She tried to hold back the snarls, knowing she was scaring the non-Andinna in the tavern. They were all staring at her. She pulled Mat’s hand from her mouth when she was finally able to stop.

  “Rain, you didn’t hire him, right?” she asked, remembering what he’d said.

  “No!” Rain laughed nervously. “No. Only Alchan sees him. I was in Namur with the Company before and went with Varon to get him. Met Keyit. He and Varon are actually good friends too.”

  She tried her best to process this and decided she would just ignore it. If someone wanted to whore, that was their business, not hers. She couldn’t relate in any way. She didn’t think she could handle meeting this Keyit, even if everyone liked him.

  “Come sit down,” Luykas ordered. “Have a drink. There’s going to be some culture shock.”

  She already knew that, but never had she thought people would actually want to be whores. In the Empire, Elvasi whores were backstreet bitches with nothing else. They were the lowest of society. Being forced to whore in the Empire was a sign that the woman had no worth except her cunt, and it robbed her of any possibility of marriage. It’s why the gladiators were whored the way they were. Slaves had no worth. She’d heard stories about Andinna slaves that were used by their owners even outside the pits. Guards and new gladiators would talk about it.

  With that awful mental image, t
he idea of her new leader using someone paid for sex, she sat down and grabbed the first pint she could. She didn’t like the taste of the ale but she took several swallows.

  “That was mine,” Nevyn said calmly, trying to take it back. When she bared her teeth, he moved his hand away, nodding. “I’ll order another. Togi! We need more drinks!”

  “Coming right up!”

  Matesh sat down on her left, hooking his tail with hers. He pointed at Nevyn and Varon’s tails, showing her they were the same.

  “Our version of holding hands like the humans,” he whispered to her.

  “I like it,” she replied. “Keeps my hands free.”

  “Exactly.” He smiled, kissing her cheek. They were sitting close enough that their wings also touched. Of course, Nevyn was close enough on her other side that their wings were touching as well. That seemed to be something she needed to get used to since Nevyn didn’t seem bothered at all or attempt to move.

  “So, what sort of trouble should we get into tonight?” Matesh asked loudly, looking down the table at someone else. She followed his gaze and saw Zayden nursing a drink.

  “Hopefully none,” he answered, just as loud. “Luykas, anything we’re not allowed to do?”

  “Kill people,” he answered mildly. “Like always.”

  She wasn’t sure what to do. She was already sitting with all of them and drinking, but they had done that on the ship during meals. She continued to sip on her ale. Nevyn and Varon were doing that hand signaling to each other, with Nevyn chuckling every so often. Matesh struck up a conversation with Zayden and Luykas.

  She saw Rain and Bryn chatting softly further away and across from her. She could interrupt them, but didn’t want to and she wasn’t going to talk to Luykas.

  She tapped Nevyn’s arm nervously.

  “What are you two talking about?” she asked.

  Nevyn turned and looked down at her. “Oh, we’re talking about the time Matesh fell asleep outside when we got him drunk. Varon was telling me I shouldn’t do the same thing to you. There’s different dangers involved and everything.” He was grinning as he said it.