"Will he betray us?"
Blom had never quite let down his guard around Jerry.
It wasn't just Jerry. He distrusted all Ratfolk, Broken Fang included...
Most humans felt the same way.
After thousands of years of hatred, it was easy to extend that feeling to the entire race—especially when the Ratfolk were hardly innocent.
Annan replied, "Most Dark Elves go their whole lives without seeing sunlight. To them, it's a curse, a disgrace, the thing they hate most. But one Dark Elf was born in darkness and longed for the light. One day, she wandered out of the darkness and stood beneath the sun. She discovered a beauty she'd never known..."
As if he'd missed the point entirely, Blom said, "Are you talking about Della?"
Annan shrugged. "I made it up."
Jerry had already vanished into the mountains with the Grayfur Rat Priest on his back. Annan turned to business. "We need to tell the Empire about the Ratfolk Hive City in the Northern Mountains as soon as possible."
"The Empire already knows."
"That's good."
Only then did Annan notice something wrong with Blom's voice. He turned to find Blom looking terrified. Beside him stood a figure in a black cloak, a Bone Sword Badge pinned to his chest.
"Is he an enemy?" Annan quietly gripped his Talisman.
"Sort of..." Blom said through gritted teeth.
The cloaked man shot Blom an irritated look. "I'm an inquisitor of the Tartun Empire's Bone Edge Legion."
"What's that?"
Annan relaxed a little. An imperial Legion... Then there was probably nothing to worry about.
Had he appeared because of the Ratfolk Hive City, or because Annan had made a deal with the Ratfolk...?
"The Bone Edge is also known as the Bone Eye. It's how the Tartun Empire keeps watch over its territory."
Annan