Return of the Runebound Professor

Aylin couldn’t help it. His eye twitched. The emotion gripping his chest had been twisted and warped so many times that he couldn’t tell what it was anymore. There wasn’t even any relief. There was just a heavy weariness that should have come with hundreds of years of age — a weariness he’d managed to completely develop in the span of a day.

Kneeling at his feet was someone who should have been one of the strongest demons he ever met in his life. Just a few short hours ago, he would have sprinted in the opposite direction as hard as his legs could have carried him if he’d gotten wind that someone like this was so much as looking in his direction.

Now, he just wanted to ask Lee if she’d saved any extra food for him. His emotions were numb and completely shot through. He just didn’t have anything left to give.

“I politely request that you respond,” Vrith said, still prostrated before him. There was a line of taut anger in her voice that spurred him back into motion.

“I — uh, sure,” Aylin said in what was likely the lamest possible way to accept a surrender in the history of the Damned Plains. “Sorry. I don’t really do this much. Am I supposed to say something else?”

Vrith ground her teeth in frustration. She definitely hadn’t meant for him to hear that, but Aylin didn’t blame her. He couldn’t even imagine how it had to feel to be in her situation. Judging by Lee’s presence beside them, he got the feeling that her surrender hadn’t been entirely voluntary.

“It is typically customary to offer terms of surrender.” Vrith chose each word carefully, speaking with humility so false that he could quite literally taste it. “The alternative would imply that you mean to take my entire gang as servants rather than members. I do not believe they will take kindly to it.”

Does that imply she would? What did Lee do to the Ravager gang? Spider’s entire group is just something else. I’m just glad they aren’t pissed at me, but I’m going to have to make sure it stays that way.

“Right,” Aylin said hurriedly. “Maybe we should do that somewhere more private, rather than in the middle of the street?”

“That sounds like a splendid idea.” Vrith’s words were still clipped, telling Aylin he’d evidently missed something.

“Oh. Uh… you can stand now,” Aylin said through a wince. He probably should have started with that.

Vrith rose to her feet in a fluid motion. She brushed her knees off and sent him a pointed look. “Thank you, streetlord. Please feel free to lead the way to where we will continue our conversation. I will follow.”

“Uh, just Aylin is fine. You’re a streetlord too, aren’t you? It seems weird to keep using titles.”

Vrith arched an eyebrow but inclined her head. “Very well. Aylin, then.”

Lee gave him a thumbs up. Aylin turned stiffly and started back toward the market square. Leaving his back open to Vrith made every single one of his senses scream at him in warning, but Lee was right beside them. She probably wouldn’t let Vrith just kill him for no reason.

Also, no self-respecting demon would prostrate themselves all for the sake of a sneak attack on someone that should be way weaker than them. Especially not a streetlord.

His ears twitched as the spotters on the roofs shot off, doubtlessly running to report the news of what had happened to the camp — or other camps. It wouldn’t surprise him in the slightest if some of the other gangs had sent spotters to figure out what was going on in Golon’s territory.

That was a problem to deal with later. He was a bit too concerned with the one walking behind him at the moment.

They soon made it back to the market square. Almost every demon that had been milling about had vanished, but Aylin tasted them behind the cover of their tents and heard them shifting nervously as they watched him and Vrith walk through the camp.

After all that talk, nobody was bold enough to stick around and see what would happen when Vrith actually shows up. Just how scary is she? I don’t know anything about her or Vroth’s gang other than the fact that she’s a Rank 3. I should really try to learn more if I don’t want to get blindsided every single time Spider tosses me into something.

Aylin automatically made a path back to Golon’s tent before he properly thought about who would be waiting inside it. He pushed the flap open and held it for Vrith. She sent him a slightly surprised look as she stepped inside, but her gaze quickly flicked over his shoulder.

“We are not alone,” Vrith observed. “There are others in your throne. Should I be rid of them?”

Oh, shit. I sent Violet back here with Torick and Edda.

The three of them were huddled on the throne, staring at Vrith with wide eyes. Violet managed to plaster a confident expression over her face, and a flicker of relief mixed with the fear in her expression when it became clear that Aylin hadn’t managed to get himself killed yet.

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“No!” Aylin barked, terrified that Vrith would move before he could stop her. “They’re allowed to be here. These are my siblings.”

“Your… siblings?” Vrith asked, her brow furrowing as she looked from him over to the others. The confusion was evident in her tone. As to what she was confused about, Aylin was uncertain. “I see. Will they remain for the discussion of the terms of surrender?”

“You surrendered?” Violet exclaimed.

“No,” Aylin said. “She did.”

Vrith’s eye twitched. She clearly didn’t love being reminded of that, especially in the presence of a bunch of Rank 1 demons. Somehow, Aylin found himself sympathizing with her.

“Whoa. You beat her up?” Edda asked. “That’s so co—”

Torick clapped a hand over Edda’s mouth, silencing the rest of her sentence before it could escape. Judging by the look on Vrith’s face, that was probably the right move. Aylin swallowed.

“Violet, could you take Torick and Edda to another tent? If anyone bothers you, tell them that I’ll… uh, rip their heart out and feed it to them, I guess.”

The threat sounded lame as soon as it left his mouth. Vrith lifted a hand and coughed into her fist, but not nearly fast enough to hide the corner of her mouth twitching upward. She thought he was an idiot.

Great. Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter what she thinks of me so long as she remains terrified of Lee.

“Are you sure?” Violet asked as she sent a look at Vrith.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

Violet nodded and hopped down from the throne, bringing Torick and Edda with her. “We’ll be close. If you need anything, just call. I’ll bring Spider.”

She herded the two younger demons out of the room, sending one last glance over her shoulder at him before letting the tent flap fall shut, leaving Aylin and Vrith alone in the room.

“Do they hide their power?” Vrith asked as she lowered her hand.

“No,” Aylin said. His chest clenched and his eyes narrowed. “Please don’t pay them any attention. Any insult they may have given definitely wasn’t intended. If you do anything to them, I’m taking it as a declaration of war.”

Vrith tilted her head to the side, studying his features intensely. “You actually care about them? Not siblings, then. No matter. What are the terms—”

“Hold on,” Aylin said. “What do you mean, not siblings?”

“You care,” Vrith said flatly. “You will need a more convincing lie as to their identity if you wish to protect them. Siblings are a threat. A tool to be leveraged, but not something to be cared for. Calling them family will not stop them from being leveraged against you.”

“They are my siblings,” Aylin insisted. He wasn’t sure what gave him the sudden burst of confidence, but Vrith’s insinuation that he shouldn’t be allowed to care for the only family he had ground on him in the wrong way. “We don’t have the same parents, but they’re my brother and sisters.”

Vrith’s expression was unreadable for a second before she responded.

“You show more steel now than you did when you came to meet me on the street.” A flicker of amusement, so restricted that it may as well have not even been there, flashed across her lips. Her expression then grew weary. “The terms of surrender, then.”

What do I even ask for? I don’t know the faintest bit about how this is supposed to go. How much am I meant to get? Am I supposed to offer something back in exchange for avoiding a fight?

“Right. The terms of surrender.” Aylin cleared his throat and nodded. “Er… no attacking my gang, I guess?”

“That would generally be the definition of surrender.” Vrith squinted at Aylin. “Are you making fun of me?”

“What? No,” Aylin said hurriedly as he tried to think of what else terms of surrender would involve. “How big is your camp? Do we need to consolidate our groups?”

“It is large, but perhaps we could handle logistics after we determine the actual terms,” Vrith ground out. She was definitely stressed, there was no doubt about it. Something told Aylin he was completely missing something. Unfortunately, had no idea what it was.

“Just follow any orders Spider gives you, I guess. Keep running your gang normally aside from that. He hasn’t really given me any orders beyond that.”

“That’s it?” Vrith asked, blinking.

Did I miss something?

“I think so? I’ll be honest, I’m more lost than you are. Just do what Spider says to if you want to live. That’s it. As long as you don’t cause trouble or anything like that it should be fine.”

“Those are the terms?” Vrith’s eyes narrowed, poring over Aylin’s features with such intensity that he nearly flinched back.

“Yes,” Aylin said. “Just don’t try to find some weird loophole to hurt us and we’ll be fine.”

Vrith extended her hand, still watching him with suspicion. Aylin lifted his own. She clasped the top of his arm and he did the same to hers.

“I agree to your terms,” Vrith said. She released his hand, then shook her head. “Now that I have agreed — tell me. What is Spider going to do? Why would you offer such a deal?”

“I have no damned idea.” Aylin threw his hands up. “Spider does whatever he wants to, but I haven’t seen him hurt anyone that did what he told them to do. What is it that I missed in the terms? You’re acting like I completely passed over something really important.”

“I watched Vroth accept several surrenders during his time as streetlord. The defeated streetlords that got away in the best shape had Vroth’s symbol branded across his face and chest. The others were lucky to leave with both of their arms.”

Aylin’s face twisted in distaste. “That’s vile. You thought I’d require something like that?”

“I will not seek to change your mind now. The terms have already been agreed upon,” Vrith said quickly.

“I have no plans of trying to do that to anyone.” Aylin shook his head, somehow feeling even more tired than he had before.

Vrith’s features twitched for a second as she fought an internal battle. He wasn’t sure if she won or lost, but she eventually managed to force a pair of words from her mouth.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah,” Aylin muttered. He massaged his forehead.

Can I please just sleep? I’m so tired. I can’t deal with anything else today. There shouldn’t be —

“We should discuss logistics now,” Vrith said. “The new chain of command and my place in your gang must be determined.”

Gods save me.

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