Chapter 13 – Power Broker
White Fang by TomatoRoux
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Chapter 13
 
 
Tracing my fingers along the inside of Willow's wrist, an unbearable self-hatred began to bubble up in my chest. According to Alex she'd acted normally, and hadn't complained of any pain or discomfort, but I'd changed her. Willow's veins were no longer blue like those of normal humans, they were now golden.
 
Gazing down at my own wrists I found that my own veins, difficult to spot despite my pale skin, were blue. Perhaps catkin people like Mayra had different colored veins? I couldn't know, much like how I was suddenly able to use Margaret's minstrel abilities without shapeshifting into her, Mayra's abilities were similarly usable without shifting.
 
Thankfully, other than the change in vein color, Willow hadn't taken on any other strange characteristics. There were no cat ears on her head, and no tails growing from her spine. Chances were most people would never notice the change. Once she woke from her nap I'd have to ask a few questions, for now, I decided to let her sleep. As panicky as I felt about what I'd done, we'd just have to live with it now, I didn't have any clue how to fix it.
 
“I'm really sorry Alex.” I'd apologized at least a dozen times, it still didn't feel like enough. I was an adult, appearances be damned. To act rashly just because my sister got angry at me was juvenile, I was ashamed of myself.
 
“I understand why you did what you did,” Alex sighed. “You can stop apologizing Liz, Willow is fine. Next time, just talk to me before you do something. I could've helped you experiment with this power transfer of yours. We could've verified it was safe on someone else.”
 
“That was my original plan... I just lost sight of it.”
 
“What's done is done. But what we do next is still open to discussion. Would you be willing to empower another person? I'd like for them to test using this power before you have Willow using it. I want to make sure your magic won't hurt her when she tries to call upon it.”
 
“Using Mana Transference made me really sick, so I'm a little apprehensive, but you're right... I'd rather not turn Willow into a test subject. Did you have someone in mind?”
 
“Several. Tomorrow you and I will take a trip together, you'll have your pick of the litter.”
 
“Umm... you are suggesting human subjects right?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Shouldn't we just worry about whether they're trustworthy or not? I mean... I don't know anyone, so I don't know that I'd be the best judge. All I could do is pick someone based on their looks, and that's a bit rude isn't it?”
 
“Not at all. It'll all make sense tomorrow, now get some sleep. I know you're probably not tired, but we still have several hours before daybreak.”
 
The next morning, Ange dressed me in a hat and one of her old cloaks that'd she'd sewn so it wouldn't drag on the ground while I walked, then Alex and I left the house.
 
“Look after Willow for me, Goldie.”
 
“Yes, Master!”
 
“I never imagined there'd be a day where a lightning wolf would stand guard over my home,” Alex chuckled as we walked. “My father's corpse is turning green with envy I'm sure.”
 
“They're that special huh?”
 
“They're the protectors of the north, and Atlary's messengers. More than that though, they're part of my family's coat of arms. We'd always closely aligned ourselves with them, after our founder, who had a lightning wolf companion just like you.”
 
“Is it common for merchant families to have coat of arms?”
 
“Any established family might have one,” Alex smiled. “Though of course, I don't worry about that stuff anymore. I probably shouldn't have even mentioned it.”
 
“I dunno, I'd like to hear stories about my grandfather someday.”
 
“He was a complicated man. So tell me Liz, are you more interested in having a maid or a butler?”
 
“Do we have the money for that?”
 
“I may have dug up a few floorboards to pay for it, but it's an investment worth making. We don't want someone with powers like yours running around freely. The safest thing we can do is employ them and keep them close.”
 
“Yeah? So that's where we're going... the maid and butler shop?”
 
“No. We're going to the orphanage.”
 
“I feel bad enough experimenting on my own sister, I really don't want to go harming kids, Alex.”
 
“When an unadopted child gets too old to stay in the orphanage, where do you think they go, Liz?”
 
“To work?”
 
“With no backing, no family, no home, no money to buy clothing, many of them end up on the streets. It's not uncommon for bandit gangs to be comprised of several orphans angry at the world, trying to survive the only way they know how.”
 
“So... we're going to hire a kid who's about to age out of the system?”
 
“We could. Though the orphanage tries to keep many of these would-be vagrants around. As long as they have the food and funding to do so, they'll keep these unwanted adults and task them with caring for the children. It works, but it is a burden. They'd be happy to see any of them find gainful employment elsewhere.”
 
“So we're hiring an unwanted adult... and turning them into my personal maid slash test subject? You know Alex, I'm starting to feel like we're doing something evil.”
 
“The way I see it, you're about to line someone's pocket with silver, and turn them into a demigod. That seems like a pretty good trade-off for someone without any other prospects in life.”
 
“Yeah... but what if something happens to them?”
 
“What if the orphanage can't feed them anymore and they end up on the street? Do you think they'll have a better chance as beggars and bandits? It's true that we're acting in our own interests here, but I think the offer is a compelling one. You can leave the final decision in their hands. We'll lay the offer out, tell them the risks, and let them decide their own fate. If they say no, we'll look for someone else.”
 
“I guess that works.”
 
Not like I really have a choice at this point. I can't risk something unexpected happening to Willow now that I've already given her my mana. We have to test this on someone.
 
“You said maid earlier, so you've settled on wanting a female attendant?”
 
“Would you really be comfortable leaving a young man with your daughters?”
 
“One of my daughters is you, Liz. There isn't a man alive that can do anything you don't want him to do.”
 
“Yeah, and what if I want him to do something?”
 
“Guess I'll have grandkids a little earlier than expected,” Alex smirked.
 
The orphanage was a massive building, far larger than I'd expected it to be. It rose three stories into the sky, with stone walls for the lower two, and wooden walls for the third. It lacked the ornamentation I'd expect from a noble's manor, but otherwise appeared well-tended.
 
“Alex!” A woman dressed in a simple tunic dress and blouse called out to us as soon as we stepped inside. “It's been so long since I last saw you, and who's this?”
 
“It's good to see you too Louise. This is my daughter Liz, I picked her up from her mother on my last trip. Liz, this is Louise, she's the director of the orphanage.”
 
“I expected someone older to be running this place.”
 
Louise gave me a sad smile. “If you'd visited two years ago, that would've been the case. I inherited this place from my grandmother after her passing.”
 
“I'm sorry for your loss.”
 
“Where's Willow?”
 
“It's just the two of us today. Actually, we'd like to hire one of your assistants, as an attendant for Liz.”
 
“Was your last shipment that profitable?”
 
“Her mother sent along the money for this, I'm just fulfilling a promise.”
 
“Understood. I assume you brought Liz along so she could select them herself?”
 
“That's the plan.”
 
“Well then Liz, what kind of caretaker would you like?” Louise asked, crouching forward to make eye contact with me. “I have all sorts of kind older sisters who'd love to look after you. Would you rather have someone who can help you with your schoolwork? Someone who can make you delicious cookies?”
 
“Can't I just meet everyone? I'm not going to school, and Ange is already an amazing chef.”
 
“You heard her Louise, mind giving us a chance to interview everyone one-on-one? I'll reimburse you for the tea and cakes.”
 
“We don't just have cakes lying around for guests to eat, Alex.”
 
“I can pay for someone to get some. I'll throw in enough for you to treat all the kids too.”
 
“Was Liz's mother a noble?”
 
“She is in a situation where she could never be with me, that's all I can say.”
 
With Alex bankrolling the orphanage's supply of tea and cakes, we began our interviews. All of the candidates were decent people, though none of them really stood out. Being former orphans, now caretakers, none had skills anywhere near what one would expect from a traditional attendant. Admittedly, I was probably subconsciously comparing them all to Ange, which wasn't the least bit fair.
 
“That's everyone,” Louise announced after Alex and I had finished our thirteenth interview. So far we hadn't revealed my power to anyone, we were saving that little nugget of information for the candidate I chose.
 
“Anyone you liked Liz?”
 
“They were all nice people,” I sighed. “But... I dunno, I didn't really feel a connection with anyone.”
 
“Oh dear,” Louise frowned and began to make another pot of tea. “I'm sure everyone will be disappointed to hear you weren't interested in them.”
 
“There are other places we can conduct our search,” Alex patted the top of my hat. “Perhaps a mercenary would've been better.”
 
The way Alex said that last line made it seem like he knew exactly why I hadn't been enamored with any of the candidates. From the questions I asked, to the way I reacted, it was probably obvious that I was looking for a second Ange.
 
Louise placed a pair of fresh teacups in front of Alex and me right as a knock sounded on the door. “Who could that be?” Louise muttered as she called for whoever it was to come in.
 
“Hey teach,” A young man with rusty red hair and a goatee he must've spent a great deal of effort on slipped into the room. “Is that the girl looking for an attendant?”
 
“Cain...” A conflicted look appeared on Louise's face as Cain sat down oppose Alex and me with a shit-eating grin on his face.
 
“From what I heard, it sounds like you're looking for someone willing to take an arrow for you, is that right Lil' Missy?”
 
“I don't have many enemies, but one can never be too cautious.”
 
“Cain, feet down!” Louise started to look a little panicked as her eyes darted from Alex and me to Cain who wasn't even trying to pretend to be a bit respectful.
 
“Then the one you're looking for is me. I'll be your knight in shining armor, assuming you buy the armor.”
 
“If I buy it, you'll polish it up and keep it looking good?”
 
“Of course. I know valuable things don't grow on trees.”
 
“And you can fight?”
 
“Better than most. I was positionin' myself to join the guard, but you got here first. Lucky you.”
 
As full of himself as Cain was, I couldn't help but find it somewhat charming. Perhaps that was just because I knew something he didn't. After all, against me he was just a yappy chihuahua, and I happened to find chihuahuas cute.
 
“Miss Louise, I'd like to talk to Cain alone, do you mind?” I asked sipping from my teacup.
 
“Alex,” Louise looked to Alex as if she expected him, as my father, to put his foot down. Cain was uncultured and crass, no normal man would want a boy like that around their daughter.
 
“It's fine Louise. You know he wouldn't be able to get up to anything with Ange around. I want to let Liz pick who she wants.”
 
“Very well. Cain, behave yourself.” Louise glared at Cain for a second and then left the room.
 
“Now then,” I stood up and took off my hat. “First things first, I'm not human.”
 
“Shit... you're the herald girl? I've started to hear rumors about you.”
 
“I'm no herald, Cain. I am, however, very powerful, and what I need most right now, is someone willing to take on some of my power. If you choose to come work for me, you'll be able to use magic unlike anything this world has ever seen. Of course... you might get really hurt in the process. We really don't know what effect my power will have on your body once you start using it.”
 
“You're like a reverse devil huh?” The lurid look in Cain's eyes as he said that made me second-guess choosing him.
 
“I'm not inviting you into my bed. I can poke your forehead with a finger, I don't need to make any more contact than that.”
 
“Don't look so offended,” Cain sneered. “It was just a joke. So you're offering me a paying job and untold power, where's the drawback?”
 
“I already said, we don't know what my power will do to your body when you start using it. You could hurt yourself, or even...”
 
“Die? That just makes me want to do it even more. I'd be pretty pissed if you took one of my siblings home and hurt them, but nobody's going to care what happens to me. If you don't want to make a few new enemies Lil' Miss, I'm the only option you have.”
 
Is that why he's here? Is Cain really just worried that the others might get hurt if I take them?
 
“Well... I need more than someone who won't make me new enemies. I need someone who'll be loyal to me. I don't want to go giving you power and then have you run off and do something terrible with it.”
 
“Rumor says the herald turned one of the guards of Northpost into her personal lapdog. You could do the same to me, couldn't you?”
 
“Are you seriously suggesting I use mind control on you?”
 
Cain shrugged. “I'm just saying my loyalty isn't something someone like you should worry about. That is... if the rumors are true.”
 
“Alex, what do you think?”
 
“I think he's a complex young man. We probably couldn't ask for a better test subject.”
 
 
 
 
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