A Practical Guide to Sorcery (Books 1 & 2)

Chapter 43 - Alliance With the Nightmare Pack (Part 2)

"Yes. In addition to stopping their current persecution of your people, I have no doubt some of their operations would be better managed in your hands. The fighting arena, for example. I'm sure you could provide voluntary participants, and I hear the income from the betting is quite high. They have control of Avery Park, which would seem a welcome addition to your territory. Perhaps a portion of their shops in the Night Market could do with a different owner?"

Lynwood stared at the fire for a long moment, but when he turned back to Oliver, his expression was still firmly unimpressed. "Be that as it may, it would require this operation to be successful. We might be larger than the Morrows if you count only the size of our territory and the number of people it contains, but we do not share their monetary resources. I am loath to conscript my people to fight and throw away their lives for an ally that cannot even manage to protect themselves without our help."

"You'd be mistaken to think the Verdant Stag cannot protect itself. Surely you've heard of the consequences of the Morrows' last attack on us?"

Lynwood nodded, the intensity of his amber-eyed gaze revealing an increased interest in this particular topic. "Indeed."

"The Stags are merely more interested in supporting our own people and growing our interests than focusing unnecessary resources toward an extended skirmish. Additionally, even were we to take down the Morrows, we are still too small to hold the entire Morrow territory securely. It would be an invitation to others to try and take a piece of it, and the situation would spiral into endless conflict. That's useless to us. I hope instead that we could both benefit from the destruction of the Morrows."

Oliver paused, weighing his words. "Of course, our other option would be to take over only a portion of the Morrows' operation and leave the rest open to the power struggles of the other gangs, which would only serve to destabilize and inconvenience the rest of the city." The Nightmare Pack especially, since their territory was adjacent to the Morrows', but Oliver left that part unsaid, sure that Lynwood knew what he meant.

"I have my doubts that the Verdant Stag could take out the Morrows as easily as you insinuate, at least without outside help. If not us, then perhaps the one who came to your aid recently. I hear she is called the Raven Queen. If we were to agree to this alliance, would she be included in this nonaggression treaty?" Lynwood was obviously fishing, hoping to learn Oliver's connection to the mysterious rogue sorcerer.

"I do not control her, but we are acquainted, and she allows me some minor influence over her actions. The rumors about her are somewhat exaggerated. She is actually rather restrained, when not being harassed. She wouldn't attack the Nightmare Pack without reason, and doubly so if I asked her politely not to."

"The rumors may be exaggerated, but it is clear she is both bold and powerful," Lynwood said, seeming more interested in the Raven Queen than he had been throughout the entire previous conversation. "Would she be adding her efforts to our own against the Morrows?"

"Perhaps, though I doubt she would take a front-line position. Her support against the warehouse attack was impromptu. She is quite busy and doesn't take requests unless she finds them sufficiently valuable or...interesting." He was playing into Siobhan's reputation a bit, knowing that the less he said clearly, the more Lynwood would speculate, with his conclusions undoubtedly being more outlandish than the truth.

Oliver considered that Siobhan, a poor, self-educated young girl, was disguised as a young man with a completely different appearance and background, and secretly attending the University. He had to amend his previous thought. The truth was quite outlandish indeed. It was simply outlandish in a completely different direction than Lynwood would assume.

"How did you come to be associated with her?"

"A series of coincidences," Oliver said.

Lynwood eyed him with some dissatisfaction. "Would it be possible for me to meet her?" he asked finally.

Oliver suppressed his expression of surprise, though a man such as Lynwood might be able to glean it from the responses he couldn't control, like the change in his heartbeat or scent. "I could pass along your request, but I can make no guarantees."

She would want to be paid, no doubt, and they would have to ensure that meeting in person didn't disillusion Lynwood and endanger their alliance. All the rumors about her prowess were fabrications blown magnitudes out of proportion to reality, after all. It might be best to pretend to pass along the request and return with a denial. Or at least ensure the alliance was secure and the joint attack on the Morrows settled first, with the reward for meeting enough to make the risk worth it.

Oliver spoke before he had time to fully think through the idea, because he didn't want his hesitation to be too obvious. "She enjoys tributes. She might be more likely to give an audience to someone who...gently incentivizes her." He raised his eyebrows pointedly.

Lynwood pressed his fingertips together, settling back in satisfaction. "I understand." His eyes gleamed with even more interest. "I agree to your proposal, Lord Stag, pending the appropriate particulars."

"Wonderful." Oliver reached into his pocket and brought out a rolled-up map of the city. "Let us work out the generalities, at least. Details can be solidified over time." He laid the map over a short table. The area of their respective territories was painted with a translucent ink, with the parts of the city currently belonging to the Morrows divided between them.

Lynwood peered at it with interest, then pointed. "We'll want a bit more of this area, all the way out to the canal."

Oliver frowned. "That could be acceptable, if you're willing to give up a little more of this residential district."

They haggled over territory, and then went on to decide on the allocation of their respective combat forces, joint efforts to keep conflicts suppressed in the short term, and what businesses and enterprises each of them would swallow.

When they were both moderately satisfied, feeling that they hadn't gotten a very good deal but not an exceedingly bad one either—which probably meant it was quite fair to both parties—Lynwood asked, "So, I assume you have planned further than dividing up the territory. How exactly do you propose we bring about the Morrows' downfall?"

The edges of Oliver's mouth curled up a little too far in a way he knew made him look vulpine, but Lynwood didn't seem disturbed, his own lips pulling back to reveal sharp-edged teeth.