Season notes: traumatized people people triggering each other, abuse, torture, fictional slavery, con noncon*, (attempted) blackmail

Jahlene arrived early. The small room held three chairs, and Jahlene immediately claimed the largest. Let Oeloff come before her like a petitioner.

Falthro arrived shortly after and, rather than taking a chair for himself, moved to stand at her shoulder. Before she could ask what he was up to, Oeloff swept in. He graced Jahlene with a glare, then ignored her, leaning against the door frame and saying, “Well, Falthro? Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

Falthro didn’t reply, though Jahlene caught the taste of his amusement. After a few moments of silence, Oeloff scowled and crossed the room to sit in a chair across from Jahlene. A hint of fear teased her hunger and made the male’s elegant fingers twitch.

“What a pleasant surprise!” Falthro declared, “No bluster, no threats to leave if we don’t play your game. Why Oeloff, I do believe you are growing up. My most sincere felicitations.”

Jahlene resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Maturity includes playing by the rules, Falthro. Let’s stick to the day’s topic, shall we?”

Oeloff sniffed. “No refreshments? No polite chit-chat?” He sighed. “If you are going to blackmail me, at least be civilized about it.”

“I’ve never noticed you caring about civility, and I have no intention of pretending to like you.” Jahlene kept her lips smooth with an effort, though she knew he could taste her contempt.

“Let’s get down to details.” Oeloff straightened his cuffs and leaned back in his chair. “You want something, or you’d have already gone to the Emperor. You’ll need to be offering something in return. Something more than not laying charges before the Emperor. After all, if I start giving you concessions for nothing, people will notice. Neither of us wants that.”

Jahlene hesitated, but she tasted Falthro’s agreement. She nodded. “Very well. I want three things. I want duty-free passage of my goods down the Lavis River, I want you to give me one vote on the council this year, and I want the girl.”

Oeloff’s eyes widened, and his shock reverberated through the room. “The girl?” He stood and glowered down at her. “You threaten to expose me for meddling in your household, then demand one of my slaves? You’re out of your mind.”

“No.” Jahlene tented her fingers before her face, declining to let him egg her into a confrontation. “I’m furious. As long as you hold the girl, you have a lever to use against my slave. Release her from her collar. She won’t enter my household, so her agreement isn’t necessary. Not that I expect she’d object, given your…reputation. I’ll settle her somewhere far from South Tarn, so you can’t use her against my household again.” She leaned back in the chair, crossing her legs. Falthro remained a silent shadow. He was playing a game of his own, and she hated not knowing what it was.

Oeloff gave up glowering and shrugged, “You do realize the boy still has a father in South Tarn.”

Jahlene waved away the threat. “Bren Innkeeper recently received an invitation to take over the running of an inn whose previous owner died without heirs. I expect he’ll have relocated to Erida before you return home.”

Oeloff’s fury was a delightful snack. Falthro was clearly savoring it as well. Finally, Oeloff nodded. “The tariff,” He made a brushing away gesture with one hand, “I’ll give you five years. And the vote in the council can’t harm me or my county.”

Jahlene nodded, “Done. And the girl?”

For a moment, Jahlene almost thought she tasted a faint strain of triumph. Had she imagined it? Perhaps she was mistaken and it had come from Falthro.

“I’ll have her sent to your suite when we are done here.”

Jahlene smiled.

“Now, what will you be offering me in return, my lady?”

“Direct access to the mountain traders. Your factors can come to the trades fair in Erida where my people deal with them. Make whatever bargains with them you can.”

Jahlene fought to keep her emotions quiet as he leaned forward, licking his lips. “Done!” What she was offering was near in value to the concessions he was giving her. He had every reason to think he was coming out ahead in this deal.

He stood and favored her with a slight bow. “It has been an unexpected pleasure, n’Erida.” And Jahlene was sure the way Falthro was fuming behind her didn’t go unnoticed. “I will take my leave and see the girl on her way.”

“A moment,” Falthro said.

Oeloff stopped and glared at the other male. “What?”

“I believe I am owed a debt for my silence in this matter.”

Oeloff stared, then nodded. “Yes, yes, what do you want?”

“A favor, to be called in by this time next year.”

Oeloff nodded again and left the room.

Jahlene burst out laughing, allowing her delight to flow through her. Falthro was not so pleased.

“I thought you bargained with me in good faith, n’Erida.”

Jahlene shook her head, “Of course I did. For your help, my factors will provide you with two chests of the mountain trader’s rarest goods next year. At cost. And getting rid of the tariff through South Tarn will keep the cost low, a benefit you should be pleased with.” She smiled and waited to see if he would walk into the small trap she laid.

“And how does this small break in your monopoly benefit me when you allow n’South Tarn full access to the mountain traders and their goods!”

“Why Falthro, you disappoint me.” Jahlene stood up and swept towards the door. “I promised Oeloff access to the traders to make whatever bargains he can.

“I never promised he’d be able to make any.”

Falthro’s delighted laughter echoed down the corridors after her.

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