The Lantern blazed in a bright blue sky above the cliffs and caves of the Porpoise Clan. Gulls and sparrows soared overhead. The bay was filled with porpoises, dolphins, and narwals. And a stolen Rennon cutter tied up to the dock.
As celebrations went, Gamble was pleased with the one he walked through. The music had all the notes of the scales and the kites had all the colors of the rainbow. He held Spark's hand, pleased she had not died on the floating fortress. In his other hand he held a large heavy canvas sack. He walked and smiled, returning nods and shouts of joy from the rest of the clan. The losses on the raid had been surprisingly minimal; only eight deaths in a strike force of over 200. The plan had worked perfectly.
Now he passed through the jubilation and walked with his lifemate up a path to the clanhall. The large opening cut into a cliff and reached back about a hundred paces. The entire clan could fit inside it for important occasions. For now, the entire clan was outside and Gamble had a meeting to complete.
The two of them walked into the back reaches of the clanhall. Spark drew a heavy curtain aside. Gamble led her through. At the other end of the small room stood a tall, silver skinned Malkin female. She was dressed in plain green travelling clothes with a serene yet expectant look about her.
Gamble reached into the bag and took out Dorsitt's severed head. "Next time do your own killing." He put the head back in the bag and tossed it at her feet. She said nothing. "We used every last bit of Arcanum we had on this raid. It's time to fulfill your promise."
The Malkin smiled and picked up the bag. "Don't worry, you'll soon have more Arcanum Crystals than you can imagine."
Gamble cursed under his breath. "I don't know, I can imagine--"
Spark squeezed his hand harshly and stepped forward. "Thank you, Shann. Our agreement is satisfactory."
The Malkin smiled, closed her eyes, and disappeared.
Gamble stood there for a moment, waiting to see if anything else would happen. He shook his head with a quick exhale. "I don't like that witch."
"She's useful," said Spark. "We can finally bring the Tormangi together. Unite all the clans and control our own destinies."
"She'd better deliver that Arcanum quickly. We'll need it for the reprisal that's sure to come." Gamble turned and the two of them drew back the curtain. What they saw in the clanhall froze them to the core.
Row after row of wooden crates filled with Arcanum crystals extending all the way to the entrance. The high ceiling dazzled with rainbow reflections as the crystals caught the light. Gamble hadn't thought there was that much Arcanum in all of Creation.
Now he had more than he could have imagined right at his fingertips.
