Page 152 of Ironling
“We want the city and everything in it. That’s what we were promised.”
Aislinn observed her brother and the mercenary, gaze flicking between them. Dirk stared back at her, all swaggering confidence, and with every movement, Jerrod cowered away.
“I’m surprised you’d take promises as payment,” said Aislinn, her mind whirring. It was abundantly clear with Dirk present now that Jerrod wasn’t the person to speak with. Somewhere in his foolish dealings, he’d lost control of the situation.
Jerrod’s eyes flicked up to her, and Aislinn understood the desperation there. Once more, she saw not a man but a boy in trouble, caught in a situation far over his head.
But Aislinn couldn’t and wouldn’t save him again.
“We’ll take more than just promises. A city like Dundúran, it’stoo big of a prize.”
“You won’t hold it for long. The crown would never let mercenaries keep the demesne seat. I won’t let you, either.”
Another set of hooves pounded the earth, and Aislinn’s horse shifted to make room for Captain Aodhan’s mount.
“We wouldn’t be breaking the terms of parley, would we?” sniped the captain.
“Fuck off, knight. I’m dealing with the lady.”
“Now you’re dealing with the lady and her captain.”
Dirk’s look darkened again.
“What would it take to make you and your men go away?” she asked, drawing his attention back to her.
The mercenary smiled an oily smile. “Far more than you can pay, I reckon.”
“A number, please.”
“All your larder, all your coin—” he licked his bottom lip as his eyes trailed down her body “—and your pretty cunt spread for me.”
“How dare you?” Captain Aodhan roared.
Dirk laughed, spreading a grimy feeling over Aislinn at the thought of letting him anywhere near her.
“No,” she said simply. “My terms are these—leave now. Leave with your lives and make for the border, before the crown has you all hanged.”
That earned her only a snort from the mercenary. “Don’t think we’ll be doing that, milady.”
“I warn you, my forces match your own, if not outnumber them. And they aren’t all human.”
That got their attention. The mirth fell from Dirk’s face, and Jerrod’s gaze snapped over her shoulder, his eyes narrowing to try picking out the otherly fighters.
In the silence, she thought she could just hear Hakon, still struggling to get to her.
“Do you see that orc? The one fighting to be free? He’s my betrothed, and he means to rend you all limb from limb. I don’t mean to let him, of course. Unless we can’t come to an agreement.”
Jerrod paled, and both men looked at her with disgust.
“Orc-slut,” Jerrod hissed. “The both of you.”
Aislinn sneered back. “Better than a sniveling coward.”
“There’s a fae and a unicorn, too,” Captain Aodhan announced loudly, enough that the mercenaries in the front lines could hear. “And a dragon. Do you really want to fight against all of that for a little lordling who couldn’t hold his own seat?”
Jerrod shifted in his saddle, his gaze gone nervous as he looked from Aislinn’s troops to Dirk and back again. Dirk himself glowered, reluctantly looking around Aodhan to see what he could.
“Fuck it,” he growled, “just kill her here!”
