Page 34

Tashi and Lily's Story

Alliances

T ashi Yal sat behind his desk. He'd filled out over the years, and despite being chair bound, his upper body was fit. He would never have his father's imposing stature, but he had his father's gray skin and direct orange stare.

He was idly toying with a pen as he regarded his guest.

Lily sat in front of him, apparently at ease. She was poised, and she'd gotten prettier over time. At sixteen, she was lovely. At twenty-one, she was a knockout.

She was wearing a dark blue dress and expertly applied makeup. She'd also shown up at the gates of his house that morning and asked for sanctuary.

“I heard about Hurdle. I know he was dear to you,” he said finally. “My condolences.”

“Thank you. It was painful,” she said politely. She'd gotten in the habit of keeping her emotions to herself. The old Lily had been more open, easily flustered.

“Today was his funeral, and you’re here. How did that come about? I assume your uncle had you watched?” Tashi inquired, feigning idle curiosity.

Her eyes sparked with evil mischief. “I had the largest, loudest funeral hat you could imagine, with huge purple feathers and stuffed songbirds. My maid and I wore similar dresses. We switched hats, I escaped, and then she ditched the hat and also took off. She's fine, by the way.”

He smiled. “An elegant solution. And what brings you to my house?”

She gestured to the pen. “I now have one loyalty: myself.”

There was a lot left unsaid there. Now wasn't the time to unpack it.

He set the pen down. He needed to be careful now. “And what would you like from me?”

“Short-term, I’d like to avoid the husband Zul Kan picked out for me.”

“Makes sense. You could do better.” Zul Kan had chosen a thug to run his empire. Hegah was a pure gang boss who'd educated himself and acquired a thin shell of sophistication. Underneath, he was all violent criminal.

“Long-term, I would like to marry you.” She said it confidently, her tone practical.

His brows rose. “You're direct.”

“Life is full of unpleasant surprises. I found it's best to avoid as many as possible.”

He pondered that, trying to decide if he preferred her direct approach. “Your uncle will try to kill you for this. You know that, of course.”

“My uncle isn't going to live much longer. His successor will be the bigger problem.”

“True. Do you think you'll be safe if you ally with us?”

“My chances of living will definitely go up,” she said firmly. She'd always been a practical girl.

“I see. Why should we trust you?” Because the old Lily had been a gentle girl, but this one had been under Zul Kan's thumb for years.

Even though Zul Kan was dying, he'd been a crafty monster.

“You shouldn't, of course. You'll need time to evaluate me. It's the reasonable thing to do,” she said frankly. She wasn't upset by his suspicion, or worried about what he would find.

“Meanwhile, I don't come empty-handed. I have assets, and I'm worth the risk.”

It was depressing, that she viewed her assets as the most valuable thing she had, but he had a role to play. He remained business-like. “And in exchange, you want to take down your uncle? What happens then? Do you want to take his place?”

“No. I want to eliminate his place. I want it to cease to exist.” Her tone was vicious. There was a lot of rage there.

It looked like she wanted to say more. Instead, she visibly stomped the urge to spill her guts. It must have taken a lot of willpower, because she had just come from her guardian's funeral, and she had to be boiling with grief and fury.

It would have been a perfect time to push, if it had been a hostile negotiation, but that's not how he wanted this to go. He remained quiet to see what she would do.

She used the moment to calm herself. “I aspire to a quiet life.”

He laughed. He couldn't help it. She'd built up all this tension, stomped down all that emotion, and then she said primly that she wanted a quiet life. Ha!

She ignored him. “As you know, my foster father was very different from his brother. We had a quiet life before he started listening to Zul Kan.” The thought of the long road she traveled as a result was depressing...and enraging. It kept wanting to break through.

She closed her eyes briefly. Not now. Not now .

He contemplated her, tapping the pen. He didn't remember picking it up. “Are you aware you were followed?”

Her instant alarm was answer enough.

He nodded slowly. “I'm afraid you're at a disadvantage. I hope you've wrapped up your affairs,” he said gravely. He needed to play up this moment. He had her in the palm of his hand. Right now, he could ask for the moon and get it.

She glanced at the window. “Whether I have or not is irrelevant, now.” She smiled brightly at him. “Shall we make a deal?”

It was the smile. She'd learned that she was going to die, and she smiled. His chilly old heart gave a thump.

Silly woman. She was done for, now.

Silly woman. She was done for, now.

“Would you like to start with a formal alliance? I can draw up a draft. Under the circumstances, I'm afraid the terms won't be very favorable.”

“Keep it simple, then. We can renegotiate later.” Her tone was light, but she gripped the arm of her chair.

He tsked. “You know better than that.”

“Just get on with it,” she said impatiently. He was making her lose her cool.

He wrote in silence for a little while. Her fingers tapped silently against her thigh. The poor girl was wound tighter than a clock.

Finally, he slid the contract to her.

She glanced at it, but it took a moment for her eyes to actually focus. She scanned the page. “This is a marriage contract!”

He leaned back. “You did say you wanted one.”

“It puts all my money under your direct control for three years!”

“I thought about making it five years, but decided three would be enough. You did say you expected an evaluation. I'm curious to see just how much you trust me.”

She stared at him, speechless.

“Don't look at me like that. Goblins go to war with drums and fire. If I'm coming for you, you’ll know it.” What he meant was, he wasn't gunning for her. This wasn't a direct attack.

Her mouth moved, but no words emerged.

He pressed his advantage. “You expect me to battle a crime lord for you. I know exactly what that entails; I watched Artur Bloodhand do it for years. It's ugly and it drags on. I'm going to lose people and money on it, and what will I get in the end? A loving wife? That remains to be seen.”

She winced.

“Do you object to me using your money to fight him?”

“No, but...”

“Do you trust me to provide for you in the meanwhile? It's an important question. Marriage gives us both a lot of power.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know that.”

“And then there's the question of children. if you marry me, there will be some.” He certainly wasn't settling for a marriage in name only nonsense, not with this kind of risk.

Her expression flattened. “I'm aware. I just wasn't expecting this discussion to go...” She took a deep breath. “One year.”

“Two.”

She ground her teeth. “Eighteen months, plus a stipulation that you leave a basic sum untouched. Say, one third. You can’t spend it all.”

He didn't need her money, but he wanted her to feel like she'd worked hard on this contract. He wanted to see how committed she was. “One third,” he said thoughtfully.

Her face hardened. Clearly, she wasn't going to budge.

“Very well. Mind you, your businesses will remain under your direct control.

Although I will be in charge of the finances, you can manage them however you like.

One third of the profits can be added to your savings account.

I won't touch it.” This really was a ridiculously unfavorable contract for her.

He would amend it later, but it was all about testing her loyalty and commitment.

She relaxed. “Very well. I agree.”

She really was desperate. “Excellent! We can get married next week, if you like. I have an opening in my schedule.”

An opening in his schedule. Lily could hardly believe it. She dreamed about this day for years and he had an opening in his schedule.

The nerve! Her eyes narrowed. Patience. He wouldn't remain cool for long.