Consorting with Enemies

[Adrian Kane]

Arikan

He disliked her tone; verging on dismissal as it was. For a moment Arikan considered forcing her to be more deferential. The barest squeeze of his eyes betrayed the consideration before he opted against it. A willing accomplice was always more useful than a coerced one, and between the two, he was the greater player of the game, and Nythadri was already beginning to trust him. So he let the offending tone slide on account of the trying night, and filed away the tight control she wielded of her emotions. Though by the time she declared their departure, Arikan assumed that the tighter her control, it was because she was fighting it all the harder.

As the couple passed the threshold, he called out after them.
“Your time is running out, Aes Sedai.”

Her deadline approached, and despite the apparent absence of a threat, the reminder itself was all the more sinister for the casual utterance from Arikan’s lips. Then he smiled to himself and thought of the new resource she guessed he’d acquired. Valtin was busy himself, somewhere in the fortress. When Arikan explained the relevant details of his plan to his lieutenant, Valtin was more than eager to participate. The promise of overthrowing the Chosen practically made the younger dreadlord salivate with anticipation. For when the Chosen were gone, new lords of the earth would rise to take their place. Arikan had no desire to serve the Great Lord any longer, but Val need not know that. In the end, he was a tool just like the foolish, talented Asha’man traipsing after a beloved; just like Elsae would soon become.



Continued at Hiding in Plain Sight