Chapter 48: A Comfortable Conversation
The Heirs took their seats, examining Sarya while they did so. She wasn’t an imposing woman, dressed in a somewhat battered leather jacket and without any obvious adornment apart from a nose stud and an unobtrusive necklace holding a multicolored stone. Nathan wouldn’t have looked twice if he’d spotted her in an coffee shop back on Earth.
His magical senses put the lie to that particular impression. She wore nearly a dozen enchanted items that meshed with each other well enough to present a united front of magical signatures. He avoided narrowing his eyes as he habitually started figuring out what the various enchantments did.
Her jacket would shrug off blows better than Aarl’s armor and could change into almost any type of garment she desired. The tiny rings in her ears would dramatically enhance her senses, and the stud in her nose carried potent healing magic. She carried daggers up each sleeve whose signature reminded Nathan of the black-bladed sword Aarl had taken from Brox, and small dimensional bags with potent enchantments rested at the small of her back and in each boot. The real treasure seemed to be the stone on her necklace, which carried the signature of a divine protective enchantment that reminded Nathan of the shielding magic Khachi and Kia used, but as powerful as the artifact that had destroyed the Ascendent Academy. There were a dozen other effects on her person, but he didn’t have time to go through them all.
Luckily she hadn't been waiting waiting for him to speak. As soon as the Heirs finished adjusting themselves, Sarya gave them an acknowledging nod. “I'm glad for your presence. Eolinne spoke of your journey, and it was more exciting than my prophecy would've said. But you triumphed nonetheless. You pushed through Badud’s revenge to stand before me, and he further weakened himself in the attempt. Assassins from Zhark mean that he begged agents from Amoh, and ships from the Maelstrom are expensive purchases.”
Her attention narrowed from the Heirs more generally to Nathan in particular. “But you, Nathan Lark, are a treasure amongst a dragon’s hoard. You carried the battle after Brox was slain. You slayed Badud to avenge him, and destroyed the slave-state of Giantsrest.” She wrinkled her nose at the mention of Giantsrest as if it gave off a foul odor. “Truly a victory worthy of any questor.”
Nathan dipped his head to accept the praise, but spoke up to correct the record. “I didn’t kill Badud to avenge Brox. I did it because he was trying to conquer Gemore. My team was involved in bringing down Giantsrest.” He gestured to his friends sitting on either side.
Sarya’s gaze remained fixed on him, a polite smile on her face. “Eolinne tells me you have many advanced Insights. Tell me, where are you from, Nathan?” The question was quiet, but spoken like it carried a great weight.
She knows there's something there. It's time to take the leap. It's not a giant secret anyway, all she'd need to do is ask around Gemore.
The Heirs tensed, but Nathan smiled back wryly. “I’m not from Gemore. Heck, I’m not from Davrar.” He let that hang for a moment, drawing a shocked look from Eolinne and a raised eyebrow from Sarya.