I Can't Get the Vampire Rogue to Romance Me

Chapter 51 - Need a Touch of Sun-gem

"Where did you get that?" Valerian asked, his charming, lyrical voice dropping a whole register into his chest. He snatched the letter from her and she didn't fight him, refolding her arms once he took it.

"Hagor found it in the goblins' possession and he stashed it away before anyone else saw it."

"So Hagor knows?"

Evangeline huffed in annoyance. "Yes, safe to say Hagor knows."

"Dear Dark Lord," Valerian muttered, as he turned the page over his eyes scanning it.

"So you can read it?" she asked, attempting to look at the letter and getting a fresh ache behind her eyes.

"Yes, of course," Valerian said, softly, distracted by his reading. He flipped the letter back over to the front and reread it, slower this time.

"Okay, what does it say?"

He looked up at her with such haunted eyes it took her aback a second. They were filled with fear but also pleading. Those eyes seemed to beg her not to hate him.

She licked her lips. "I have only one Meta point left. I can burn it if you don't feel you can tell me, but I won't remember it later, so..."

Valerian sighed as he folded it back into its envelope. "It's a communication with someone in the Two Tree Grove, or whatever it's called."

"Who?" Evangeline asked.

Valerian eyed her and licked his lips, like he was debating whether to lie to her or not. "A contact inside the Tree of Twilight. It doesn't name them."

Rogue Skill: Insight. Success.

He was telling her the truth. At least, if his Rogue Skill of Legerdemain hadn't beaten out her Insight.

"Does the letter say who it is from?" she asked.

Valerian sighed, shaking his head a little as if to himself, even as he pulled out the amulet under his shirt. "It is from the one who gave me this," he said, showing her the precious item that allowed him to walk in the sunlight.

More pressure from her unspent Meta point, but Evangeline ignored it.

Let me play the damn game, she thought at the insistent god, though she had no idea if he could hear her. She didn't need to spend it to get this information.

Instead, she took the amulet, still connected to him by its chain. He allowed her to touch it. To her surprise, it felt quite warm.

"So this letter is to you?"

He shook his head, "No, it's not. I'm not supposed to be here."

"Valerian, what is going on?" she asked.

He measured his words carefully. "The one who gave me this, wants it back and I have no interest in giving it back. I'd rather be far far away from them at all costs and getting this damn collar off me is my highest priority. Which is why I'm more interested in not involving myself in the contents of this letter or whatever machinations it's involved in. I know I don't inspire a lot of trust, but you can absolutely trust that. I want what's best for me."

"Does that mean the contact in the Tree of Twilight might know who you are?"

Valerian snorted. "Absolutely not. The reason we don't even know their name is because the one who gave me this amulet is far better at keeping his assets and plans from stumbling over each other. For that reason I am not his favorite person. I just don't want to be around whatever he's planning, any longer than I have to."

"Then what does he want this contact to do?"

"Acquire a sun-gem and bring it to a courier at—"

"Hey Evangeline!" Harrowheart's voice interrupted as she bowled her way through the willow branches. "I think I can still make a Mage's Chisel."

She paused as she saw that Evangeline wasn't alone. Evangeline glanced to the letter, but it was already gone from Valerian's hands, which were now planted on his hips as if they had been there the whole time.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just an excited colt on their first lump of sugar, I just charge right into places without thought," Harrowheart said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"It's alright," Evangeline said, giving the orcess a smile.

Rogue Skill: Legerdemain. Success.

"We were just working out some tactics for our synergy," she added, gesturing between her and Valerian.

"Oh!" Harrowheart said, her eyebrows rising. "That's an adventurer's thing. I've heard of that. Well, I can come back later."

"What did you figure out about the Mage's Chisel?" Valerian asked, not letting her go.

"Oh, well..." Harrowheart only hesitated a moment longer, then jumped forward her hands both up in shaking fists of excitement. "The Phoenix. They can provide a hot enough fire for me to forge it. I just got to convince them to, you know, share a little with me and I think I know what it will take."

She leaned in closer, as if it were a secret. "We need to acquire a sun-gem."

Both Valerian and Evangeline's eyebrows popped up.

"Why not just get a diamond while we're at it?" Valerian scoffed, crossing his arms.

"I'm guessing you know where one is and how to acquire it?" Evangeline asked, giving Valerian a warning look that he only smirked at.

"Yes. There are actually several in the Tree of Dawn. I've worked with them before, making rods of light for druids and clerics there," Harrowheart said.

"There are several?" Valerian asked, his tone more respectful now.

"Yes, there is some ritual the druids can do in the Tree of Dawn. Both trees can do it actually, The Tree of Dawn can produce sun-gems and the Tree of Twilight can produce moon-gems. They both have their uses. And as you can imagine, both productions are highly restricted by the druids and the clerics, in order to maintain their value."

"So why would they give one to you?" Evangeline asked, since Harrowheart wasn't getting to it.

"Well, they wouldn't of course, but I don't see what it would hurt to ask and see what they want in exchange for one."

"Oh sure," Valerian laughed. "Why not? I'm sure they'll just like the cut of our jib and hand one right over to us."

"Are you saying that you're not charming or persuasive enough?" Evangeline jibbed back, crooking her own smirk.

"Oh is that a challenge, lady rogue?" he asked, with a twinge of teasing in his voice.

"I think so my lord rogue. The first to acquire a sun-gem wins," Evangeline countered. "By any means necessary."

And Evangeline burned her last Meta Point for the day.

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