Sweep of the Heart (Innkeeper Chronicles #5)(101)

“I find it hilarious that he didn’t even try to pronounce their proper name,” Caldenia said. “You have to admire a man who knows his limits.”

Kosandion stared down at the trees, his face glacial. “The Dominion thanks you for your participation in the spousal selection. We are saddened by your departure. What do you ask of the Dominion?”

The Dushegubs didn’t respond. Seconds ticked by.

Gaston stepped forward. “You lost. State your ask and leave.”

Sometimes simplicity was the best policy.

The Dushegubs flailed their branches. The largest tree stretched its limbs toward Gaston like a nightmarish, menacing octopus, then pivoted toward the throne.

“Statement: Our candidate is the best. Proposition: chose our candidate and send others away, or we destroy the Dominion. Do you wish to discuss?”

As controlled as Kosandion was in his Sovereign persona, he failed to hide the flicker of irritation that crossed his face.

“The Dominion fears no enemy. Our military, technology, and resources are superior to those of your civilization. Attacking the Dominion means the extinction of your species. Leave peacefully, and I will grant your minor ask. Declare war, and you will die now, and your planet will die tomorrow. Make your choice.”

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Kosandion meant every word, and it mattered very little to him which way they chose.

The Dushegubs braided their branches, creaking and hissing. Unessa stood alone, a hint of uncertainty on her lovely face.

“Proposition,” the largest Dushegub announced. “We leave, and Dominion builds a gate to Ugobuh. Do you wish to discuss?”

A green planet appeared on the screens with a description flashing by it. The Dushegubs wanted to colonize the other habitable planet in their system. Their spaceships were clunky, so an interplanetary gate would be the best way to do it, but what would the Dominion get out of it? Kosandion didn’t do things without a reason. He had permitted them to progress this far, so there had to be something he wanted out of this interaction besides their entertainment value.

“The Dominion will build a gate to Ugobuh if your civilization agrees to mine and supply the Dominion with all pulsar requarzite found there. Do you wish to discuss?”

Pulsar requarzite was an essential component of most energy weapons. Now it made sense. According to the description, Ugobuh was hot, swampy, dangerous, and generally inhospitable to most humanoid life. Mining on it would have been an expensive nightmare.

For the first quarter of their lives, Dushegubs remained stationary, their roots burrowing deep into the soil. They were organic miners, pulling the minerals out with their roots. They also took everything literally. If they said yes to this, they would dig in that planet until every last ounce of requartzite was extracted and safely stowed away in Dominion warehouses, because Kosandion didn’t want some requartzite. He wanted all of it. No sane creature would ever attempt to steal any of it with the carnivorous trees prowling the planet.

Not only would he get his mineral, but the Dominion would control the gate. They would be able to shut it down at will, severing all travel between the two planets. They would hold it over the Dushegubs to keep them in line.

There were times I was very grateful for Earth’s special status.

“We agree,” the Dushegub leader announced.

And they had gone for it.

The Dushegubs turned to leave.

“Wait!” Surkar’s voice rang out.

“What is he doing?” Dagorkun growled under his breath.

“What happens to her?” Surkar pointed toward Unessa.

“She has failed. We will consume her to recoup our resources,” the leading Dushegub said.

Unessa went white. The arena snarled in outrage.

“Statement: she is ours!” the Dushegub hissed.

“I wish to purchase the female.” Surkar held out a sack.

“Inquiry: what do you offer?”

Surkar tossed the sack to the Dushegub leader. The tree snapped it out of the air, ripping it in half. Golden spheres, fuzzy like dandelions, tumbled out. Baderi fungus, filled with rare nutrients. The Dushegub equivalent of the rarest caviar, a delicacy. He just dropped enough of it to ensure the survival of an entire acre of young Dushegub saplings. To the Dushegubs, it was nearly priceless.

“Statement: she is yours.”

The Dushegubs exploded into action, snatching the fungus and stuffing it into the cracks in their bark. In seconds it was gone, and the trees slithered their way to the portal and out of the inn.

Surkar looked at Unessa. “You are free. You can come with me if you wish. You will be safe. No one will abuse you.”

“Do you wish to go with him?” Kosandion asked.

Unessa gave Surkar a long look.

“Are you strong?”

“Yes,” Surkar confirmed.

“Are you rich?”

“Yes.”

“Do others serve you?”

“Yes.”

Unessa looked at the Sovereign. “I wish to go with him.”

“The Dominion has no objections. Does the inn?”

“No,” Sean said.

The arena erupted in applause. Surkar offered Unessa his uninjured arm. She held on to him. They made a victory lap around the stage, followed by the shaman.

“Damn it all to all known hells,” Dagorkun swore. “He was beaten and humiliated, and now he’s a hero again. That lackwit couldn’t come up with that move in a million years. Who helped him? Who? When I find out…”