"ENOUGH!" Aelayah's voice rang out, steel in her tone as she slammed both hands on the table, rattling the dishes.

  Surprised by this uncharacteristic display, I fell silent. I hadn’t expected the noble lady to act so forcefully.

  "She," Aelayah continued, regaining her composure, "is a Magister of the Silver and a great asset. As I was about to say, Salahaem must, through military force, compel the Council to come to Arbitration. The Alim are likely pressing for the removal of Salahaem from its position as one of the Great Houses of Al-Lazar. They may succeed, but it will take time."

  "So, you want us to fight seven of the Great Houses and the Council Guard in urban combat? That will endanger the lives of the citizenry, not to mention cause widespread disruption," I remarked.

  "That is of little concern. The Contest of Knives will begin at sunset," said the bookish man at Aelayah's side, adjusting his spectacles. "This is customary in a civilized city." He leaned in to whisper something to his Lady.

  Aelayah offered us a small, confident smile. "While they may allow the vote to proceed, two of the Great Houses have declared neutrality in this matter. It is the only way to draw the other side into open battle."

  Damien stifled a childish giggle behind his hand. "This is all rather like a game, isn’t it? And what about the division of booty and plunder?"

  I couldn’t help but appreciate the irony in his words.

  Lady Aelayah frowned, annoyance writ plain across her features. “Am I not paying the Mercenaries Guild enough already? It is against your charter to change the terms of a contract halfway through.”

  “Calder is a stickler for the rules, but I find on this occasion that I agree with him. And with our Dragon Leaders indisposed...”

  “Yes, why is it that the Dragon Leaders are not here? Do I not command enough respect for such a courtesy?” asked Aelayah in a prickly tone.

  “Still, the odds would be against us would they not? Four Houses against one. It is not that, Lady Aelayah... there has been a problem,” replied Damien in a conciliatory tone.

  Calder snorted. “There's no point beating around the bush, boy. They are dead, and we are the senior officers of our Dragons—which says a lot about your unit.”

  I felt annoyed at their bickering that held notes of worn banter. “I believe as professionals you're supposed to at least present a professional and united front, are you not?” I commented.

  “The lives of nearly two thousand fighting men and another thousand in logisticae are at stake here. Honesty is what everyone deserves,” Calder replied in a no-nonsense tone, putting down his cutlery.

  Lady Aelayah began the negotiations in truth. “We will allow you half of whatever plunder and the value of land and property you can claim from the other seven Houses...”

  “We’ll also need extra hazard pay throughout this little operation you’re planning,” added the older man, Calder.

  “And you will leave the stores of Dust untouched. That’s non-negotiable,” I cut in. “Consider it payment for me sparing your life.”

  I needed large quantities of the narcotic to create Distilled Dust, an ingredient for the potion that would grant immortality. This show of strength might also bring me closer to gaining Charisma.

  “But—” Calder started to protest.

  “But nothing,” I interrupted, shutting him down. He shot a glance at Damien, but the younger man just shrugged.

  “Very well,” Calder conceded weakly. Despite my success, there was no gain in Charisma.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Sensing an opportunity, Aelayah moved in. “I see no reason to add hazard pay. You’re simply doing the job we hired you for, and we’re already providing most of your supplies,” she countered.

  “There’s also the matter of the Sleepers,” the beautiful man commented. “They say a single Sleeper is worth a hundred men in the field—more in an urban setting like this. They present us with a rather unique challenge.”

  “How many Sleepers can Salahaem field to counter this?” he asked, his tone curious.

  “I won’t deploy them unless absolutely necessary. Gilgamesh is more than a match for a Sleeper. He’s already slain one of the Alim’s,” Aelayah responded smoothly, avoiding a direct answer.

  “Is that so?” Damien mused, rubbing his chin.

  "The Alim are without honor. They’ll send assassins and killers to eliminate me—it's a common first move now that the lines are drawn in the Contest of Knives. Or they’ll try to neutralize Gilgamesh, their first attempt being through the Adventurer’s Guild," Aelayah said, pursing her lips. "Though they must have misjudged him. From your words, it seems you’ve chosen someone else to fight in your stead?"

  "Correct. He insisted on it. Enkidu of the Three Bears will carry my honor," I explained. "He is a warrior of peerless skill."

  "You can say that again. I once saw him rip a—" Larynda piped, eager to contribute.

  I gave the half-elven girl a steady look. "We all know Enkidu is strong. He will more than suffice for the task."

  Aelayah, the leader of the Salahaem, unconsciously ran a hand through her hair. "Strange, coming from you. You usually handle things personally, but I digress... Should your Enkidu be victorious, the Adventurer’s Guild will be diminished. Their authority in question."

  Damien glanced at Calder, who nodded in return. "There’s also the matter of payment if you win Arbitration. We still have eight months on our contract, and we expect to be paid in full, regardless."

  "You will, of course, be compensated," Aelayah replied dismissively. "As for the issue of the four Great Houses arrayed against us, the sea will soon recede, and the Mer will undoubtedly come. With a vote against us in motion, we will have no legal obligation to defend Al-Lazar. However, they will," she continued, her smile arching with pride. "For a time, we’ll fight the Council on equal footing. That will be enough to force them to settle this through Arbitration. And I suspect this year’s Mer assault will be particularly fierce," she finished, her voice taking on an enigmatic tone.

  Both men appeared deep in thought, stewing over Aelayah’s words.

  “This campaign is not as hopeless as I thought,” Calder finally concluded. “I see the strategy behind your words. It can be done, as long as we don’t have to worry about the Sleepers... but you only have one warrior who is their equal.”

  “This is a secret known only to the Great Houses,” Aelayah revealed, her tone lowering. “I share it now because of the times we face. Waking a Sleeper is a complex and lengthy process—if one wishes to do so safely. They might risk it, but it would mean fewer of them arrayed against us.”

  “We have at least two who are the equal of a Sleeper,” mused Wing Leader Damien with a devilish grin. “Three, if this Enkidu fellow is nearly as strong as Gilgamesh.”

  Calder looked affronted, but it was the expression of a man who’d heard such declarations before. “You are no longer just a blade in a Claw, de Savant. You can not be seriously testing yourself against one of their numbers. Five hundred men look to you for leadership. What happens if you fall?”

  “The men follow me because I lead by example. That’s how I rose to my rank,” Damien answered primly, taking a sip from a jeweled cup. “They trust me because they know I face the same dangers they do.”

  Calder looked like he wanted to argue but ultimately held his tongue.

  “I’ll remind you all that you will fight alongside the Salahaem regardless,” Aelayah interjected. “And once we win Arbitration and control the Council and the City, I will grant the Mercenaries rights to send exploration parties into the Old City—once the sole domain of the Adventurer’s Guild.”

  The older veteran leaned forward eagerly, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. “For that, the Mercenaries Guild would have fought under your banner without payment!” he exclaimed.

  “And that, Calder,” sighed Damien de Savant, “is why, despite your genius on the battlefield, you should never be brought to the negotiation table.”

  He turned back to Aelayah. “It seems we’ll fight your little war after all, Lady Aelayah. And by the looks of it, we’ll be fighting very hard indeed.”

  Larynda shot me a worried look, the realization dawning that things had grown far bigger than any of us had expected. I offered her my best reassuring smile.

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, I felt a stirring in my loins—the scale of the violence ahead was enticing.

  “I welcome this,” I said, my voice resolute. “Rest assured, gentlemen and esteemed Lady, I will fulfill my duties. I will teach these other Houses what it means to go against Gilgamesh of Uruk. Our victory is inevitable. I have seen it in a vision—the Goddess herself told me so,” I declared solemnly, lying through my teeth. “Allaha Akbara, the Goddess is great, and she will guide our hands.”

  But like all lies, there was a way to make it true: by ensuring everyone had no choice but to accept it.