NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Zedd clutched his aching cheek, his patience with Elara wearing thin. The fiery redhead crossed her arms, looking sheepish but still defiant. "Look, I'm sorry for kicking you, okay?" she said, her tone softening.
"Whatever," Zedd muttered, rubbing his jaw. "Let's move on. Do you know a place where I can exchange gold for silver without any questions or ID?" He locked his cold gaze onto her, refusing to let her dodge the question.
Elara hesitated, biting her lip. She glanced at Reina, who stood nervously by her side. Reina clearly wasn't going to be any help—too scared and shy to even meet Zedd's eyes. Elara sighed and finally spoke, "Yeah, I know a place. But I'm warning you—it's sketchy, and they won't go easy on you if you mess up."
"I'll take my chances," Zedd replied coolly.
Elara rolled her eyes. "Fine. There's a shop on the outskirts of the village, south side. It's run by a guy named Farlan. He does exchanges, no questions asked."
"Now, was that so hard?" Zedd said with a smirk, enjoying how annoyed she looked. "Thanks for the tip, Elara." He turned and began walking away, deliberately adding, "By the way, nice kick. You could take down a cow with that."
"Asshole," Elara muttered under her breath, but Zedd only chuckled as he headed off.
The shop Elara mentioned was at the edge of the village, far from the bustling main roads. It reminded Zedd of his own cabin, though his was tucked away in the northern outskirts. This place, however, was in the south, hidden among dense trees and rocky terrain.
The building was a small, dingy shack with peeling wood and a rusted tin roof. A faded sign above the door read, "Trading Post." The area was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves. Zedd's instincts told him to stay alert—places like this always came with risks.
He pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside. The air smelled musty, and the interior was dimly lit by a single oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. Behind a wooden counter stood a wiry man with thinning gray hair and shifty eyes.
The man glanced up, his expression unreadable. "What do you want?" he asked in a gravelly voice.
Zedd reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. He placed it on the counter with a soft clink. "Ten gold coins. I need silver."
The man's eyes gleamed at the sight of the pouch. He opened it, letting the coins spill onto the counter. He examined them briefly, then looked back at Zedd. "You know there's a fee, right?"
Zedd nodded. "What's the cut?"
"Two silver coins per gold exchanged."
Zedd raised an eyebrow. That was higher than he expected, but he wasn't about to argue—yet. "Fine. Let's see it."
The man scooped up the gold coins and disappeared into a back room. Zedd leaned against the counter, taking in his surroundings. The shop was sparse, with shelves holding various trinkets and a few sacks of grain. A single window let in a sliver of light, casting long shadows across the room.
Moments later, the man returned with a smaller pouch. He set it on the counter and slid it toward Zedd. "Here's your silver."
Zedd opened the pouch and counted the coins inside. There were 80. His eyes narrowed.
"Problem?" the man asked, feigning innocence.
Zedd smirked. "Yeah, there is. I gave you ten gold coins. With your fee, I should get 90 silver coins, not 80."
The man shrugged, his tone turning defensive. "Must've been a mistake."
"A mistake," Zedd repeated, his voice dangerously calm. "Right."
The man's hand twitched, moving subtly toward a drawer beneath the counter. Zedd's sharp eyes caught the motion immediately. He straightened, his imposing frame casting a shadow over the smaller man.
"Let me make this clear," Zedd said, his voice low and menacing. "I'm not some clueless idiot you can scam. You give me what I'm owed, or we'll have a real problem."
The man hesitated, clearly weighing his options. Zedd's icy gaze didn't waver. The tension in the room was palpable.
Finally, the man sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out another pouch. He tossed it onto the counter. "There. Ten more silver coins. Happy now?"
Zedd picked up the pouch and counted the coins again, ensuring the total was correct. Satisfied, he tucked the silver into his coat. "Pleasure doing business," he said with a smirk before turning to leave.
As he reached the door, the man called after him, his voice laced with bitterness. "Don't come back unless you're buying something else!"
Zedd didn't bother responding. He stepped outside into the fresh air, the faint sounds of the forest greeting him. As he walked back toward the village, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"Nice try, old man," Zedd muttered. "But you'll have to do better than that to fool me."
The pouch of silver coins jingled softly with each step. It wasn't much, but it was enough to cover his needs for now. And if this place turned out to be reliable, he might return in the future—though he'd be keeping a close eye on the shifty shopkeeper.
For now, his focus was on the next part of his plan. Whatever lay ahead, Zedd was ready.