Radiance - The Alight Archives Book #1

8. Perfect Instincts

He was a lanky fellow with dark-toned skin, dark, unkempt hair, and a pair of black eyes. The smile spread upon his face made his cheeks dimple ever so slightly. He wore a baggy, long-sleeved linen shirt with a green-colored sash tied around his waist, as well as some trousers and a pair of boots.

Elaine pinpointed the wand from within its holster by his side. He was a mage, like them. The only question remaining was if he was a student attending Glyph as well. No, scratch that. There was another question she had: what motivation was there for him to help her? They didn't even know each other.

The boy shot her a smirk, and subtly mouthed something. "Let me handle this," Elaine read from his lips. 

He then cut his glance back toward the vendor, who was just as puzzled as she was. He fostered a bit of frustration, however—his brow was furrowed and his nose wrinkled. "The same applies to you, kid. If you're not here to buy something, then buzz off."

The boy snickered. "Come now, where are your manners, my good sir? Surely you don't intend on running a business with that attitude. Why, with such a horrid scowl, and the foul manner in which you speak, well, you're not to win the favor of these girls any time soon."

The vendor shrugged. "Don't really got any interest in caring for the likes of folk that can't even fork over three rubies."

"Three rubies? And for what?" The boy recoiled a cringe at the holster in the vendor's hands, shortly before welcoming another humored snicker. "You don't seriously expect me to believe that you're charging them so much for a plain ole wand holster. I've seen noble coats sold for much less."

"Well, then," the vendor said, shoving the holster into his back pocket. "If you're so offended by my offer, then why not just point your little friends here in the direction of a different stall, one with lower prices? A fair bit of warning though, you won't find much better than mine."

Elaine deflated at that. She knew that this vendor, sunder him, was telling the truth. She'd spent over two hours wandering the Shopping District. But she realized in the first thirty minutes alone that she didn't possess nearly as many tokens as she otherwise needed; she hadn't anticipated the prices being so steep. Just another cruel reminder of her commoner heritage.

The stranger laughed to himself. He fetched a dul from his pocket, flicked it with his thumb into the air, and then caught the brown token between two of his fingers. "You've made it apparent, friend, that you're quite the determined businessman. I'm sure there is honor in that, some way, somehow. But I warn you, you're treading in dangerous waters."

The vendor snorted. "Come again?"

"Why, isn't it obvious? How long have you had this shop of yours, huh? No, forgive me. If I might ask, how long have you lived in this town in general? Don't you know where you are? Aren't you aware of the kind of audience this place attracts?" 

The stranger leaned his elbow onto the stall table, tying his other arm behind his back. Quite plainly he had planned something in advance. As to what, well, Elaine kept quiet, more than intrigued as to where he intended on taking this unorthodox argument. 

"Nobles these days are terrifying animals, I swear," the stranger smirked. "Not just because they have the power to seize your entire livelihood with a flick of the wrist. Oh, no. That's far from the worst of it. If you ask me, based on my personal experience, I've come to find that nobleings are the be-all, end-all in this day and age. Trust me, you do not want to cross them. I mean, can you imagine the repercussions? A nobleman's daughter, running into her father's arms sobbing that the meanie vendor in town unfairly overprices his products.

"What position does that leave you in, friend? I'll tell ya. You'll be at the mercy of a miffed noble, struggling to rationalize how someone in their right mind would even think about pestering his daughter." The boy nodded to Elaine. "That one there, she's of third cule. Some might even call her a royal. And here you are, trying to swindle her, and all over a worn-out wand holster. Not the brightest move there, pal. Just saying."