I try to sneak in the warehouse, but Leeda stares me down the length of the hallway from the shop counter.

  “You okay? Didn’t see you come home last night.”

  Instead of turning up the stairs to shower and hide, I take a few steps closer and lean on the door jam. “Yeah, I couldn’t make it back before dark, so I hunkered down in the cave I conquered. Turned out okay.”

  Her eyebrows raise, “Uncontested land?” I nod, she whistles. “Find anything fun?”

  I pat my bag, “I need a consultation. I took samples but I don’t know what I’m looking at.”

  “Oh? Samples you say? Let’s go to my workshop and you can show me?”

  I stand up and gesture for her to lead and she hops and skips down the hall. I might even call it frolicking. Not to her face of course.

  I dump my spoils on the counter and she quickly sorts them by type. “Dirty copper, gemmed aggregate like a granite, some iron, also dirty as hell, woahoh! It’s got some rarer impurities that are good for steel. Nice find. Tiny bit of silver, and a smidge of electrum. Now we’re talking: proof that there’s gold down there. Was this all in the same cave?”

  I nod. “Same network. Spread over a few kilometers.”

  “Goddess save me, this is strong evidence that an Earth Elemental lived there at some point before the network was made.”

  I notice some samples missing and check my pack. Two got stuck in the flap. I show them to her.

  “Now I guarantee there was an elemental there. Titansteel and Platinum? Zhantsa, you need to take me there. I will train you in blacksmithing, just take me there.” She’s grabbing the shoulders of my shirt now, her face very close to me.

  “This low key feels like if I take you there, I’m going to die there.”

  “What?” She pulls back, “No, no. I can’t titansteel here, and I need some to advance in my craft. And beyond that, electrum helps channel aether in weapons and jewelry. The other metals speak for themselves. Now, if you found some crystals that can store aether, we’d be able to print money.”

  I summon my glowing rock into my hand. “When do I start being rich?” She tries to grab it from me and I zap her. Her hair even frizzes and it’s freaking adorable. “No, bad Leeda.”

  “The goddess must smile on you blue. Not only are those rare, but that one is full. You are holding ten gold easy. Any more where that came from?”

  She’s eyeballing me like a loot pinata and I’m not sure how I feel about it. “Yes, but not full.”

  Leeda jumps and spins and cheers. “The Goddess finally sent me a sign I should get out of the arms business!” She stops, turns and looks up at me while she collects herself. “Assuming you need a manager, or a merchant to capitalize on your sudden wealth of resources.”

  “I’m game, but . . . you’re the only weapon smith I know. And I am woefully ill prepared for the dangers of the wild.” I lean my head back and put the back of my hand across my forehead in despair.

  “Hah, a Troll that conquered a lair higher level than herself. Underprepared, sure. Let’s assume that I’ll fall prey to your wiles. What are you thinking?”

  “Well, I want something durable that can conduct aether. Is a titansteel dirk with an electrum core possible?”

  She alternates between considering and scoffing for about five minutes. “You know what? If you supply me with the materials, I’ll give it a shot. Worst come, we burn off a few kilos of electrum. Best scenario, I get a few levels and you get something truly special: My autograph.”

  How could I not laugh at that? I keep laughing until I see her start packing a satchel.

  “Leeda, I’m sleeping in a bed tonight and we’re going to need to pack for meals and water, get an animal to hitch to the cart, and tools?”

  She looks down at her pack and then at me. “Perhaps a few days from now?”

  “Yes please. I need to talk to the baker and whomever makes soap around here to see about their sources for soda and lime.”

  “Do you have a plan for a forge that I don’t know about?”

  “You said that Bart the Blacksmith had a pup smelter, I was going to ask if I could try to get it working enough for glass.”

  “What, am I not good enough for you anymore?”

  Are we still talking about glass. “What are you talking about Leeda?”

  “I said I would set you up in the corner of the warehouse, did you not believe me?”

  “I’m sorry? I was just looking around. I didn’t think I’d offend you. I thought I was getting out of your way.”

  She almost snarls at me, but she reigns it in. After a deep breath and tousling her own hair, she looks at me again. “You’re right. I didn’t’ promise anything and it wasn’t my priority.” A sigh of frustration deflates her. “Can I get back to you next week?”

  “Sure! Sure Leeda, I didn’t mean to make you feel pressured. It’s just you and the people I’ve met have been so helpful, I feel like a bit of a bum relying on all of you.”

  “Alright, bum. Go get clean and we can have a longer conversation about what you want and what I want and how we get there.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  “I’d like that.”

  ***

  “Melody. Fancy seeing you here.” I say to the receptionist while I’m watching the shop for Leeda. She gave me a cheat sheet for the items on display and what I should start at for bargaining.

  “Oh? Did you miss me?”

  Kind of yeah, “I saw you yesterday for like half the day. Are you cashing in that lunch already?”

  “I was hoping to. Ideas about this and that, some that should be socialized. Care to be social?”

  I can’t tell if she’s hitting on me or just trying to get into my business pants. She knows about the land claim after all. I owe it to her to hear her out. I sigh with indescribable burden. “Yeah. Somewhere reasonable please. I’m not rich yet.”

  “No, but you have this kind of providence hovering over you. I can feel it and I want in.”

  “Do you have some kind of seer class?”

  “Not so fast, cutie.” She pokes my shoulder. “We do business over lunch. Not in your friend’s parlor.”

  “Fine. As soon as she gets back, we can head out.”

  About half an hour later of Melody chatting about how ridiculous some people can be, Leeda comes back covered in soot, sweat, and is bleeding from a gash in her side.

  “Leeda, you look like you got in a fight in a coal mine. Especially with the . . .” I gesture to her side.

  She looks down and scoffs. “That steel wire’s a right bitch. Came loose from it’s anchor and whipped me. I’ve got a kit underneath the counter if you’ll see to it.”

  I look for anything resembling a first aid kit and see a basket with some pads and a tin of something. Ooh, an analgesic and oil-based sealant, nice. When I look back I am greeted with abs and more muscle definition than I’ve seen on a person in person.

  “I am bleeding, so if you could get to it.” I blush and look up to apologize, but I see the fool grinning at me. Asshole is showing off.

  In retaliation, I dab a cloth with the bottle of alcohol and rub it on the wound. The ginger hisses but doesn’t move. I slather a pad with the medicated goop and stuff it in and over the gash, then wrap it with some strips she has rolled up. Surprisingly well-prepared kit, she probably uses it regularly. I may or may not trail my hands along her middles more than necessary during the process.

  “That was quickly done. You get a lot of practice with this one?” Melody asks.

  “No, I lived at the healing house for a while after I was mauled by the wolves I most recently got my revenge on. Had quite a bit of practice there.” I turn back to Leeda as I stand up. “Try to keep that clean, would you?”

  I lift the counter and step through the passthrough. “We’re going to have lunch, you need anything while I’m out?”

  Leeda shakes her head, “But you should see Bart while your out and see if he can source your sand. We generally pool our shipping orders together.”

  “Thanks for the reminder, I need to see about the other additives as well.”

  Melody leads me to a restaurant overlooking the fountain at the edge of the central square in town. The hostess waves, making me think that the bubbly receptionist frequents this eatery. The more time I spend with Melody, the more I think her demeanor is a weapon, not just a coping mechanism. I realize that she’s probably been playing me the whole time, but she’s been perfectly pleasant about it?

  When our food comes out, I realize I never ordered, nor have I said a word since we sat down. I look up to see an amused but caring smirk.

  “That was a lot of worrying you were doing there. I ordered my favorite for you since you weren’t responding.”

  “She was talking to me?” I didn’t even notice I was so lost in my own thoughts.

  “She was trying to. Is there something I did to upset you?”

  I poke at the fancy salad with my fork while I formulate an answer. “Your demeanor changed and it made me feel uncertain as to why? Do you have a habit of this?”

  “That’s . . . a viewpoint I never considered. I’ll admit that some of my chipper eagerness is a role I play as a receptionist. With some new folk, that come by us innocently and honestly, it’s a genuine pleasure to help you.”

  “I sense a but or a however coming.”

  She sighs, “Yes. I noticed some things about the wolves you brought in. The higher levels, the accurate yet brutal wounds: There’s a bit of luck and legend clinging around you and I’m curious about where you and that aura is going.”

  “And it has nothing to do with the land I claimed and the resources on it?”

  She quirks her head and holds my eyes for a moment before grinning. “You didn’t register any resources, but I suspected.”

  “Some. I don’t know what I’m looking at, so I took several samples and brought them back for Leeda to look at. When you showed up with a sharper, more confident way about you, I thought you knew.”

  “Nope! It’s like I said. I want to be involved in what you’re starting. Seems that I’m a bit early, as nothing is started, but keep in mind that I know a lot of people, mostly in the working class mind you, and as a job poster and people wrangler, I know I can help.”

  “You sound accomplished. Is this where we share secrets?”

  “I don’t think I care for that tone, missy. Why don’t you stop tormenting your salad and I’ll share some. Afterward, we can go to a less crowded place if you feel like you actually want to use secrets as a trust security.”

  My eyes widen and I shrink a little into my seat. I upset her and her ‘no-nonsense’ voice is intimidating. I nod. Then, as directed, I skewer some food onto my fork and put it in my mouth.

  The meat is tender, with fragrant earthy seasoning, covered in a light citrus and nut dressing. This is good! So good.

  “A bit about the Guild first. Adventurer is a job and part of our ranking system. Every new member spends time as an adventurer, and by the time they reach the silver rank, most fall into thrill seekers or job hunters. Job hunters further separate into combat and domestic. Starting with a bit of both like you have, is a great way to test what role you want to fill in our dysfunctional family.

  “There are three employee groupings in the Guild: Management, staff, and adventurer. You have to reach gold to qualify for a staff position, and you have to have performed well in a staff position to become management as well as achieving a platinum ranking.

  “I won’t lie, if I mentor you and you perform well, it will look good on my future management application. That said, mentoring you takes your buy in as well, and it would be a short-term goal for the two of us.” She pauses, for what effect I’m not sure.

  “Why short term? Isn’t mentorship like a decades-long thing?”

  She smiles at me, “Well yes, Zhantsa, but as a Troll, decades will be a footnote in your life. I don’t have as long on average, but as an elf a thousand years is not uncommon.”

  Holy crap, what? Okay, maybe an education is something that I need help with. I know noting, comparatively, about this world, and even as a 19-year old, I am embarrassingly ignorant.

  “Sorry, it’s not that I can’t see the benefits of working with you, it’s just . . . I don’t have the resources to do more than survive right now, and I feel like I’m barely doing that. Part of it has something to do with something quite sensitive. I think someone in the Guild should know, and despite whatever today was supposed to be, I can tell you’re not trying to hurt me or take things from me.”

  “Zhantsa, that was never what this was supposed to be.”

  I shrug, “Sure, but no one I trust has vouched for you, so I’ll need some time.” Melody deflates visibly.

  “Yeah, alright. Hope and reality are often at odds. Keep me in mind?”

  I snort, “I’m still going to see you all of the time, and I still want to be your friend; but that’s how I want this to go. I want to be friends before I involve you in a part of my life that makes me feel vulnerable.”

  “Like Leeda?”

  “She took me in, because Maddie asked her to. She was making a space for me in her life before I had a cave or a wolf contract to complete, and that says a lot, you know?”

  It might seems a little thankless after her helping me around the bank and some of the Guild bureaucracy, but it’s hard for me to trust someone without sacrifice.