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I walk over, each step loud and assertive. Confidence is key here.
“Elves and humans…” I stop at his altar and gaze until he peers up at me. “Mating.”
“Ha!” He laughs, concentrating on his potions once more. “King Rylon would be very shocked by this question.”
“I think it may be a key to defeating some of our enemies.” I say sharply.
“How?” He asks, chuckling and looking at me.
“That’s classified.” I say, peering down on him. “Is it possible?”
He nods his head and turns to walk to his bookshelf, running his fingers over his tomes. “It has been done in Vhoig and Pyrthos…rarely.”
“How does it work?” I ask, folding my arms over my chest. Damn this tight robe.
“That, I cannot tell you.” Elder James says, pulling out a tome and bringing it back to the altar. “I am an elder of Orthani, not Vhoig or Pyrthos. Also…” He places the book on his altar and begins to flip through potion recipes.
“King Ryfon would be appalled at the conversation.”
“Again.” I say, deepening my voice. “It could be a battle strategy.”
Elder James shrugs and opens his mouth before Unkine, the Great Healer of Orthani, enters the chambers.
“What a pleasant surprise!” Unkine bellows, walking over to bow to me. I bow back graciously.
“Unkine. My pleasure.” Unkine held a great deal of power and could be useful in my future endeavors as King if I could win his trust.
“What brings you to Elder James?” He asks, leaning on James’ table. James looks disgusted, and I rack my brain for the correct answer.
“Battle strategies.” I answer, standing firm.
“He wants to know about elves and humans.” James says, chuckling.
“Ah. How we can better use them? Avoid them?” Unkine asks with a smile on his face. I feel my chest burning thinking of himusingDiane.
“Mating!” James says, breaking out in laughter.
A look of shock crosses Unkine’s face. “Mating?” he shouts.
“Keep it down,” I order, stepping closer to him. “This is confidential.”
Unkine throws his hands up and smiles. “As you wish.” He says mockingly. His face falls from a grin as he turns to James.
“It has been done, though, hasn’t it?”
James nods. “In other cities, yes.”
“And they have lasted?” Unkine asks.
“That I would not know. If their mating process is the same as ours…”
James drops an herb into a cauldron on his altar. “The process you can not fight…”
I watch as he drops a bat wing in alongside it. “The process that will bend your will…”
Lastly, I watch him add a liquid to the cauldron, making it smoke. “The process that determines your fate…then yes.” He says, looking up at me. “They have certainly lasted.”
I look in his eyes, scanning for any sign of suspicion or skepticism. I realize it is better to take what I have now than give him time to assess me more.
