Page 2 of Blood and War
And so, it begins.
She’d heard about other communities paying off a clerk to help with sales. Offering them goods or services to raise prices and greatly upping the revenue for both. It surprised her as this particular clerk had never done so in the past. The traders had their fair share of scum, but this was a new one. Their luck was due to run out at some point though, and today seemed to be that day.
The air left Jace’s lips in a rush as he stopped before the men. “We’re here for the medical supplies we were promised two weeks ago, nothing more.”
“So is everyone else, get in line.” To their left, what looked to be the oldest of the men, Augustus, chimed in. The corners of his eyes creased with age, lips set in a tight scowl as he gave them both a once over.
Demitria knew the type. They were the youngest there, and these men would use that to their advantage.
“My people are suffering. This is no place for petty teenagers to get their fix.” Augustus said. He carried himself with an air of importance that made Demitria’s blade hand twitch.
“Surely you aren’t that stupid.” Demitria couldn’t help as the words quietly slipped from her mouth. They hadn’t met often, but enough times that he knew exactly who they were. Knew they had a community to look after. Jace’s hard stare stopped her before she could say anything else.
“These are hard times, and the merchandise is in high demand.” The man standing within arm’s reach directly to her right piped up. “As if it wasn’t already.”
“I have what you’re looking for, but not for the price I know you’re willing to pay. Not anymore.” The clerk sighed, shaking his head.
Pain medicine, bandages, antibiotics. Demitria watched as the clerk set a small amount on top of the table. It was significantly less than last time, and she knew they’d ordered double—triple the amount to be here today, had stood beside Jace as he’d bartered for it.
“What’ll you do?”
“That’s not what we agreed upon.” Jace’s voice rose to meet the clerks. He would stand his ground for his people, unwilling to back down. They needed the supplies, no matter what it cost them.
“The recent attacks have sent everyone into a frenzy. What makes you think you get special treatment, boy?” Augustus snapped, his deep voice harsh.
“What do you mean attacks?” They’d all been suffering from various attacks since the Ascension. That was why they were in this mess in the first place, but it was the first she’d heard about anything new. Their community hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary, and due to their small numbers, they were usually one of the first ones hit during a raid. “What kind of attacks are we talking about?”
“Andorra, Serenity, and Ashton were all hit this week.”
The blood in her veins grew cold, turning to ice as her stomach tumbled to the floor. The clerk watched them with a sharp gaze, brow raised as her face paled, knowing Jace’s expression must have mirrored her own.
“A whole pack of demons. There’s hardly anything left.”
The bile rose to the back of her throat. Aside from Valencia, they had been three of the biggest communities. Just… gone.
“Those that survived came here, bought up most of my supplies. They need it more than the lot of you. This is all I got left.” The clerk held his arms out toward the product, showcasing that what was on the counter was all he had.
“How much?” through clenched teeth, Jace’s voice was quiet. “What do you need?”
“Who says it’s yours?” Augustus chirped. “We deserve it just as much as you, if not more.”
She clenched the hilt in her hands, fingers aching against the metal. “The influx of attacks isn’t something to take lightly. If we’re on their path, we need them.” Demitria said.
Jace ran a hand through his hair once more. Something she’d often caught him doing in an agitated state. “Our community cannot go without. My people need their supplies just as much as everyone else.”
The mention of the demon attacks had pulled her from the current situation, scattering her thoughts. She knew they needed the supplies, but the attacks took precedence. While the attackshad been common, this was too frequent. Too severe. Three communities obliterated in two weeks was terrifying. Horrific.
The men in the room were silent as they exchanged tensed glances. No one wanting to make the first move. Despite it being their time to trade, another community leader, Augustus, had shown up. And while she may not have cared enough to know who the others were, she could only guess they held similar positions. They were no longer playing fair. They now had to play the game their way, bidding for supplies.
She’d accompanied Jace for backup, but after ten minutes, Demitria lost track of the back-and-forth banter between the men around her. It could have easily been longer, but she needed to take a breath, her head spinning as the men argued over one another. She was useless during a trade, her demeanor too hostile to gain any favors.
The outside hadn’t changed since they’d gone in, and she made sure to walk just far enough out that she could still keep a watch on Jace, keeping him in her peripheral should anything go wrong. None of them seemed to be carrying any sort of weapon, and Jace was more than capable of taking care of himself, but she worried nonetheless. She inhaled a large breath, the breeze still crisp as it nipped her face despite the sun glaring high in the sky. It was early spring, but the landscape around them said otherwise. It had been years since the world was covered in an array of lush green foliage. She couldn’t remember what grass felt like beneath her bare feet. Only the cool dirt beneath her boots remained. Another thing the creatures had taken from her. From them all. Everywhere they went they left death in their wake.
Filling her lungs with one last cool breath, she returned to Jace.
In the dimly lit room Jace was rummaging through his pack before clipping the bag closed. He still hadn’t mentioned whathe’d be trading for the supplies, and she wondered what it was he’d just given up. The medical supplies still sat on the counter and she didn’t know if they’d gotten what they came for. His eyes met hers for a brief moment where she caught the slight nod of his head, the only inclination that they’d succeeded. She didn’t let herself smile. If they truly did get the supplies, that meant several communities now went without them. She never wanted to take away from anyone, despite knowing it was going to happen no matter what, knowing they didn’t have a choice.
“What do you want for the horse?”
