Consorting with Enemies

[Adrian Kane]

Arikan

Once the Aes Sedai declined the goblet of wine, Arikan simply thrust the glass before the Asha’man, who readily accepted it on her behalf. He downed it as quickly as the first, and Arikan smirked when he left him to it.

He returned to the seat that he occupied when she found him in this very room not half an hour ago. He sat at his leisure, one leg crossed over the other and studied the pair absently. He was little interested in gleaning more information from their interaction. The fact the pair gripped one another’s hands was more than telling. The damsel in distress rescue said the rest.

“You made sure you were seen,” she declared. One brow lifted, betraying Arikan’s amusement.

“You miss nothing do you,” he replied with the sort of overt sarcasm that Talin never found humorous.

“I made sure I was seen, and made sure you weren’t. We should not have left the Dedicated alive. It will muddy the story, but he’s unlikely to be taken seriously... if he’s remembered at all by his superiors. Or they might kill him to cover up the embarrassment of a break in; either way, they’ll attribute the opening of the store room to me. Which only betters my reputation for how magnificent a feat that was.” As he paused, the weight of Arikan’s attention turned to Jai. The Asha’man was studying their surroundings with an air of caution mixed with delayed acceptance for questions clearly unanswered. Undoubtedly the lingering effects of the compulsion continued to slow his thinking.

Regardless, Arikan posed his questions. “How did you manage to do that? In my experience, brilliance was usually mired with madness. Were you always that way or did the taint bring it out in you?” That hooked his attention firmly back to the dreadlord. The pieces began to put itself together in his mind. Between their distinct power-level difference, the resolute fact that Arikan was in currently in possession of a sa’angreal that he intended to use to challenge the strongest of the Chosen, and that the Aes Sedai was reigning him in more than any of them combined, Arikan wasn’t concerned. He continued.

“Because it’s a hell of a gift. I will be able to use it going forward.”

The intrigue over news to be shared lifted an eyebrow. Momentarily, his attention shifted back to the Aes Sedai. Whether she did it to siphon his attention away from the vulnerable man at her side, or if she was playing another game, she successfully distracted him, though all he did was shrug in response.

“Talin said she had something to do. You can decide what that means.”

He gestured that they take a seat.