Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 57

Alister was a savvy businessman and an even better thief. In many people's eyes, he was a serious contender of the Prince of Thieves title. He looked at the green eyed young man whose face he wanted to punch. Suddenly, he had a better, more devious idea. 

He lead the group of men up the stairs, past the second floor of the vast gambling house and towards the exclusive third level where only the most important clientele and highest spender burned their money.

This scheme of his had been going on for months, and it had made him a very rich man. With enough time, he was sure that he would become the richest man in the realm. Alistair gestured to the walkway elevated twenty feet above the rocky earth.

The temperature had dropped in the space, attendants walked softly by as they offered refreshments to the people sitting in the different enclosures. All the materials on the platform were made for the rich, no expenses spared.

But below, was another story. Giant boulders and ten foot tall columns of rocks were spread out across a maze field of rocks the size of a soccer field. It overtook the entire floor. Here dwarves toiled in chains, as customers picked a rock and the dwarfs used their precious magic to retrieve and break open metal like rock that would have been impermeable by any other means.

Cybelline looked around curiously at the large rock field and at the dwarves. Stocky with bushy beards, their large fists were covered in black dust. Many were in rags smeared in blood and perspiration. Human overseers cracked their whips ominously if they saw any creatures who were too slow to satisfy a customer's wishes.

Above the toil, richly dressed men and women dined on snacks as they waited eagerly for the prizes.

"Impressive, Lord Garlic." Cybelline said. The man's face seemed to turn a shade of purple most would recognize as eggplant. 

"It's Garlish." He said through a smile that was more of a grimace. He took a deep breath. 

"This is a simple game, my lords." Alistair said, he gestured, a man came towards him with two leashes, tugging two dwarves up to the platform. He kicked them so they knelt in front of the group.

"What you see below, is a field of stones I imported from the Crystal Caves of the Silver Tribe. These are the most valuable caves, I lost nearly forty men to get them back here." Alistair smiled, "These caves produce some of the purest crystals, filled with ancient and powerful magic." He took out a bag and took out a pale pink firestone. "Rare and fabulous magical finds like this one, designed specifically to increase a Fire Mage's power at least by ten years."

An audible murmur sounded in the arena as people looked their way. Alistair took out three more, "These are priceless, of course. All found within these rock fields."

He held up blue, grey, and yellow crystals each no bigger than his thumb. "Pure of power, and priceless. The last one sold about, I believe, twenty thousand gold pieces."

Killian crossed his arms and smirked. Cybelline saw him from the corner of her eyes. He saw her glance and leaned over, "This is nothing. Tell me what I want to know and I'll give you more than you'll ever need."

"Do you know the term, stranger danger?" Cybelline said quietly, "I don't talk to stranger, my mother taught me that. Especially ones who won't leave me alone." 

"Perhaps you know me." Killian whispered back. Cybelline took a small step away, trying to get away from the strange, persistent lord.

Killian, the genius of the battlefield, who could predict the movement of troops just by movement of the wind, definitely did not get the hint.