The shop smelled of pine resin, linseed oil and wax, with a hint of new leather drifting in and out in the wake of the employees passage. Puffs of sawdust rose whenever anyone took a step.

  “You didn’t need to go all out like this Riselia but it is magnificent.”

  Rich, golden-brown wood dominated the workfloor in the form of a two-wheeled cart - cushioned driver’s seat high at the front with a flat bed behind, bench-seats currently folded up to show the full cargo space but ready to pull down for half a dozen passengers if so required. Wei ran his hand along a carved sideboard. When he’d commissioned it, he’d imagined something far more rough and ready, even with what he was paying them, but the carpenters under Riselia’s oversight had made every individual piece a functional work of art.

  “We don’t make substandard products, Master Wei, and we pay extra special attention to what we produce for our patrons, or their associates in this case.”

  Xian’toth might currently have been coin-poor, but he certainly wasn’t lacking for friends. It seemed like the irathian knew half the merchants and vendors in the city, whether they’d catered for one of his auctions, been hired for discreet deliveries, purchased some specialty goods from him, or simply from his being one of their most valued customers. The many-eyed man truly had strings attaching him to people in all walks of life.

  Two strapping young men - the sons in Riselia and Sons - hefted a large box up to shoulder height… and the dimensional chest landed on the backboard with a thud that made their mother glare. The younger of the two grimaced and pulled out a cloth to polish the wood as his older brother slid the chest into place in an alcove that perfectly fit under the driver’s seat. When it was in place, Wei could either pull it out into the back of the cart for normal storage use, drop a thin sheet of wood into place to disguise its presence, or open the driver’s seat to access it in secret from above. It was one of the few over-engineered aspects of the whole thing, but once he'd decided to become a travelling trader, it had been like a switch had flipped in his head, and he'd made a conscious decision to go all-out.

  If this is to be my life now, I may as well enjoy it.

  “It’s well balanced,” Riselia said, resting one hand on the frame, “but at the same time, don’t ignore how you load it. There shouldn’t be a problem unless you do something like sit a pair of fat goliaths on the very back. Just be sensible and put anything unusually heavy over the axle.” She patted the centre of one of the six-foot wheels. “Having said that, if you get a big enough beast, you won’t need to worry at all. Have you picked out what’ll draw it? And have you decided on one or two creatures? That’s the last information we need before we install a yoke or shafts and rig up the rest of the harness to finish.”

  “Not yet - that’s my next task.”

  He’d gone over a few ideas with Xian’toth but without seeing them he couldn’t judge.

  “Well it’ll take us a day to complete after we know, so the sooner the better.”

  “With any luck I’ll have chosen by this evening.”

  “Grand. Now, the wheels are larger than I’d normally do so I’ve made some adjustments that should help.” The middle-aged woman gestured to Wei to join her as she bent down and pointed out the undercarriage. “The bed’s as low as it can be given the axle height, but I’ve added additional storage beneath the main body to keep the centre of mass low. That, along with the wider frame, should prevent tipping unless you’re actively trying to turn it over. You’ll get good momentum, but without a stopping Skill I’ve taken the liberty of utilising a special brake of my own design…see here.”

  Wei nodded as she talked him through the numerous other features she’d added to his admittedly-loose design requests, including a back-board that folded down to provide steps for loading or for shorter passengers to gain access, and a better (in the sense that it worked) method than he’d come up with for rapidly attaching a cover that would protect both him and any cargo or passengers from the elements - and how to stow it again after. There was a lot to take in.

  The past week had been a whirlwind of activity as Wei had struggled and failed to meet Xian’toth’s end-of-the-month deadline, even when he’d given up his scavenging sessions in the junkyard. The irathian hadn’t made an issue of the delay, and had even admitted being a bit overzealous in the wake of the robbery on the auction, but with everything beginning to come together, Wei couldn’t keep his excitement contained.

  As Riselia demonstrated how to adjust the supports that keep the cart steady when it was unhitched - without requiring his anchorstones - and pointed out the rings they’d attached for slinging a hammock underneath if he needed a place to sleep, he pulled out a pouch. It was one of Xian’toth’s old but serviceable accessories he’d purchased for a steal, which was ironic as it was ensorcelled to prevent theft.

  “It’s amazing Riselia.” He withdrew the balance of the coin he owed the [Carpenter]. “Worth every gold piece.”

  All in all, the project had cost him almost as much as he’d made selling the Everkeen axe to Borgrim, and that was without the creatures to draw it, but Xian’toth had assured him the money to keep him and his sister in lodgings for a year, as well as paying Chyrannia’s healing bills for the duration, would be coming.

  The woman grinned as she swept hundreds of coins into a chest and directed her sons to store it under lock and key.

  “Honestly, it was a joy to work on. Not many people look to innovate wagons; they want cheap and reliable. If you’ve got other ideas in the future I’ll give you the same rates I give Xian. And remember - we’ll repair any reasonable damage it takes in the next year for - no charge. Though with the combined Skills of me and my boys, I’d be worried if you did anything that would seriously damage it. Not planning on riding it into a nest of hydra or anything are you?”

  Wei shuddered.

  “Not likely.”

  “Good. Well then, we’ll finish up a few bits and pieces, and wait to hear from you.”

  Waving his thanks, Wei exited the [Carpenter]’s compound into the streets not far from The Dented Helm. Debating whether to return there for lunch or to peruse the market stalls and vendors, Wei chose the latter, drawn to a miniature blizzard localised above a handcart, sending down flurries of snow that a gnome was using to make fruit sorbet. The Helm was fine, and the food was filling but it didn’t have the variety he could find in the streets. Besides, by all accounts his sister had been doing well with the simple daily tasks she’d been given around The Helm without him getting in the way.

  And that wasn’t just a selfish excuse to spend more time exploring this amazing city.

  …wasn’t it?

  Letting the question vanish amidst a mouthful of sickly-sweet ice that tasted like mango, Wei searched for something more filling before he headed off to meet with his [Arcane Broker] benefactor.

  —

  Boxes thudded onto the warehouse floor with a weight that belied their size, and Wei jumped back as one threatened to crush his toes.

  Strips of steak fell out of - well, he’d forgotten what the cook had called it, but it looked like a bánh mì - but before they hit the ground they stopped in midair and slowly floated up and returned to what was left of the baguette. An iridescent-skinned, many-eyed man that Wei was now entirely comfortable around berated his lumbering employee.

  “Easy there Kapi! Sorry Wei. I’ll have this all sorted before you come by to pick it up, I promise.”

  Wei mumbled his gratitude around the end of the crispy sandwich as it disappeared into his mouth, and wiped himself down with a handkerchief he’d purchased a few days ago; it was rapidly becoming his most treasured possession.

  Heaven forfend they give out napkins with their meals here. Is there an opportunity there?

  Xian’toth waited for him to finish, but Wei could sense the irathian’s excited impatience, and he couldn’t deny his own, though it was tinged with nerves.

  For the first time since he’d arrived in Trosten, he was going to leave its walls.

  Okay, so it was only to the animal exchange outside the north-western gate, but it was outside.

  Half an hour later the sights and sounds and, most notably, the smells of Troston’s Drover’s Market washed over him.

  Horses, cows, sheep and pigs were mixed in with other creatures he’d never seen before, though he recognised some from listening to the Vanguard and other adventurers and patrons of The Helm talking - not to mention a couple Xian’toth had described to him. But he had to admit that even his own limited knowledge was further lacking, as he passed a paddock of what he’d throught were simply colourful horses, and saw one hulking, dense grey mare crunch down on a rock as though it were an apple, and in another enclosure a trader caused an uproar chasing one of his horses that was evading him by galloping tens of yards through the air before gliding back to the ground.

  “The animals here are… different to the ones I know from back home.”

  Wei’s admission brought the attention of the irathian’s main eye, which glanced down at him as the others surveyed the options available to them. The [Arcane Broker] had asked of his background but hadn’t pushed the vague answers Wei had given him…yet.

  “It’s not the largest I’ve been to, but you’ll find a good selection. Troston’s a major hub of trade for anyone moving up from the dirgeplains to the capital. Sometimes from even further south if there’s a break in the unpleasantness between whoever’s currently fighting there. Made it an ideal spot for me to settle in when I retired from adventuring. Don’t worry if it’s overwhelming; I can show you the ropes.”

  As they Xian’toth began to lead him round, Wei forced his attention away from sleek, feathered panther-like creatures as tall as he was, and a giant bird that looked nothing quite so much like a particularly vicious battle-chicken, and tried to listen to his mentor. It was hard though.

  Is that some sort of dinosaur?

  He gave a scaled quadruped with gigantic horns a wider berth than others.

  They’re domesticated. Or at least, they’re under control…

  “-est to start?”

  The irathian raised an eyestalk in his direction and Wei realised he hadn’t been listening at all.

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t worry.” A hundred needle-like teeth showed as the man smiled. Okay, so maybe Wei wasn’t entirely comfortable around him. “A lot to take in. I was saying if we’re still agreed that a balance of speed and stamina is preferred, with enough weight behind it that even a heavier load won’t cause a strain, then we could start with horses, or something more rugged. Honestly I know I recommended a single creature before, but two is an option. If we can find a few suitable candidates, taking one that can defend itself wouldn’t be a terrible idea as well, though I know you’ll be running from trouble if you encounter it - and quite rightly.”

  “What about an ironback boar?” Wei spotted a sty of the familiar creatures, each twice the size of any pig he’d ever seen back home. “I’ve got some experience with them.”

  Xian’toth was shaking his head before Wei had even finished speaking, his many eyes darting over the collection of animals around.

  “They don’t have the endurance you need. Not at the pace you’ll want to go anyway. Every other category they’re solid, but you want something that can keep up a trot for four to five hours whilst pulling a ton behind them. And that’s the minimum I’d look for. Unless the breeder has some very specific Skills, an ironback won’t keep up speed for more than ten minutes or so. They’re best when you need explosive power, not reliability. No, let’s have a look at this lagauros.”

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  A lagauros proved to be something that looked like a cross between a rabbit and a kangaroo, with a thick layer of quills covering its back and a propensity to flee from danger. It would have been a great fit if its gait hadn’t been too awkward for drawing a cart. Even the thought of lurching forward every time it loped ahead made him feel vaguely nauseous.

  The next creature Xian’toth took them to view was not quite as quick or nimble, but it was a hell of a lot stronger. The pyrokine, or ‘volcano-skinned ox’ as Wei thought of it, would have been an excellent candidate if the breeder hadn’t been left with only the most ornery of his stock. Wei made a mental note to look into them for the future, but until he developed his animal-handling capabilities he wasn’t keen on trying to control that one. At least, not on his own.

  “How about we look at some of the horses?” We backed away as the pyrokine pawed the ground and left a glowing line of broken earth. “I know them a bit better…”

  Xian’toth bid goodbye to the current trader and looked down with one eyestalk before patting Wei on the back.

  “Sure thing kid. I know just the person. I’ve dealt with Belvedos before - he’s got a spot a bit further round. Follow me.”

  They wended their way between market-goers and traders and beasts alike, stopping only for the irathian to greet an acquaintance or to let a particularly large or dangerous creature pass.

  A long line of colourful pennants that magically drew the odours from the air as they fluttered marked the domain of Belvedos, with Xian’toth pointing out the crest and colours, and as they entered the pocket of relatively fresh air and comparable calm on the northern side of the market, Wei looked around in appreciation.

  “He must be doing well if he can afford all this! I thought it would all be tents and paddocks.”

  A full stable building ran from Trosten’s town wall for almost a quarter of a mile as best he could make out, rising to more than twenty feet in height in most places. A fence separated the crowds from the structure and men and women were leading a variety of horse breeds round the yard it created, displaying them for interested parties - and there were many of those leaning on the railings to watch. Xian’toth however, led them straight in though.

  “The bigger and more successful traders all have permanent fixtures here,” one of the irathian’s eyestalks remained focused on Wei whilst the others searched for his friend amongst the stalls, “and Belvedos’s family has been here for generations. We’ll definitely find options, but we should take the whole afternoon to scope out the rest of the fair. Until sundown at least. Don’t let Belvedos pressure you, though he shouldn’t whilst I’m here.” One of his eyestalks fixed on a point in the middle of a solid wooden wall and the irathian grinned and shouted out a greeting in a language Wei didn’t understand.

  The person that walked out from the room behind the wall turned to see Xian’toth, and then a barrel-chested giant of a man strode up to greet them, each footfall ringing out as buckles and bracelets clanged. He towered over the two men as he approached, wearing an open shirt and an even more open smile.

  He must be part goliath.

  And then the horse trader was throwing his arms around Xian'toth, and Wei by proximity. The musty scent of mares and hay and leather was overwhelming, but it only lasted a second as his breath was crushed from him.

  “Xi, my friend. What am I about to do for you this fine day?”

  Half the irathian’s eyes were focused on the trader whilst the other half appraised some of the stock being led past by men and women in his family colours.

  “For me? Nothing. For my associate…”

  With a flawless shift in posture, Xian'toth directed the huge bear of a man to Wei.

  The horse dealer held out a hand and Wei took it with the solemnity it warranted, feeling the heat in the man’s breath and catching a scent of… grapes?... as he boomed out a greeting.

  “A pleasure, I'm sure. Any friend of Xi is welcome here. I'm Belvedos - what horse am I providing for you today?”

  It was all Wei could do to keep his train of thought going under the barrage of the man’s personality. It was like being clubbed over the head with a smile.

  “I'm… looking for a horse. A draft horse? I'm a trader. I will be trading… with my wagon”

  The purple-hued irathian took pity on the boy he'd put in the spotlight of his friend's presence and stepped in before Belvedos could dismiss him as a simpleton.

  “Tune it down, Bel. Long distance haulage. Specialty cargo. Unlikely to be more than a ton in weight though we wouldn’t say no to more, and with an eye for endurance. Preferably a single creature. The ability to get out of trouble fast would be a bonus.”

  The barrel-chested man nodded, and the receding mop of black curls atop his head bobbed in response as he considered Wei and cast a brief glance towards his livestock.

  “I've certainly got a couple that could fit the bill.” He focused on Wei. “Want to see them?”

  —

  They were definitely impressive - the horses that Belvedos bred. He’d taken them round half a hundred as Wei described the cart he’d had built. There were the better part of a dozen that would potentially fit his needs, even if some of them would require two working in tandem, but something in the back of Wei’s mind pulled away every time the horse trader offered a new option.

  They were good. Great even. But they weren't perfect, and with what he was planning to spend, he wasn't looking for anything less than that…

  …or at least, as close to ideal as possible.

  On some level, Belvedos seemed to sense it, and as the minutes accumulated and began to turn towards the hour, Wei realised he was being led in the direction of the exit.

  It was fine. This place was top tier quality, but it wasn't for him.

  And that was when he saw them.

  “Is that…”

  Belvedos glanced towards a stall that was more of an indoor paddock, complete with grass and flowers and small trees making up the fence posts… not to mention some sort of magical sun that hung from the rafters two storeys overhead.

  “A unicorn? Yeah. Don’t go for one of them. Too light for your needs and too proud anyway; you won’t get a day’s work out of ‘em. Besides, they’re rare as anything and obnoxiously hard to breed, but every princess from here to Anakali wants her own. Makes them the most expensive thing I sell. King Jameth’s stables shelled out for a foal a few months back and I paid more in taxes on the sale than I spent on the gallons of melted silver I needed to wean her. Glad I didn’t have to arrange transportation.”

  Wei dragged his eyes away from the impossibly graceful silver-haired figures, and the ivory horns protruding from their foreheads. After everything he’d seen - everything he’d been through - the sight of those creatures of legend was what left him reeling.

  I’m lost, and I’m not going home.

  Xian’toth took over as Wei found himself temporarily mute.

  Is this what Xiaoling feels like?

  The irathian gave his thanks, with Wei mumbling his agreement, and led them over to the first non-animal tent they came to. A few moments later the [Arcane Broker] held out a mug.

  “Here. Get this down.” He waited for Wei to take it and start drinking. “Don’t worry - I get it. Comprehending that amount of coin can be a bit much, but give it a few years and you might not blink at five- or even six-figure sums. Especially if you deal with royalty like Belvedos does.”

  Pouring the hot beverage down his throat, Wei said nothing and let the many-eyed man make his assumptions. It was easier than explaining the truth.

  A minute later, Wei gave a juddering sigh and put the empty mug on the nearest counter. Xian’toth gave him a reassuring smile and a pat on the back with a three-fingered hand.

  “All better? Great. Then let’s keep going.”

  —

  As the sun began to fall, Wei’s list of potential draught animals had been whittled down to four. Or three, if he ignored Xian’toth’s insistence on keeping the pyrokine on the cards: one of the many horse breeds from Belvedos (they really were magnificent beasts, and Wei couldn’t articulate why he pulled away from them); a huge lizard that traded maximum speed for inexhaustible stamina; and a ferlin - a creature somewhere between a horse and a deer, with the power and endurance of the former coupled with the cloven hooves of the latter, making them better adapted to different terrain and lower maintenance.

  Of all of them, Wei was leaning towards the ferlin - specifically the antlered male they’d seen, and not just because it looked cool. That was, unless Xian relented on some of the others.

  “Are you sure we can’t keep the giant battle-chicken as a potential option?”

  “What did I tell you?”

  Wei sighed.

  “Anything with nonfunctional wings is wasted potential, and those that can fly aren’t robust enough for my needs.”

  “Precisely. Leave them to the flashy messengers. Different mounts for different routes, as Belvedos would say.”

  Does he have a deal with the man or something?

  He winced at the unworthy thought, and the one tempting him to gripe about whose money it was they were going to spend. The [Arcane Broker] had been nothing but helpful, and besides, even with the avians, the ferlin really was gorgeous and a exactly what he’d been looking for.

  …until they passed round the side of a huge tent and he saw it - in a cordoned-off section with a couple of ponies, a brutish boar and a handful of farm animals.

  Lumbering up from where it had been napping in the shade of an oak, a hulking creature rose, hunched shoulders of powerful forelegs rising up behind its head, ambled over to a trough and began to lap up a liquid with a vaguely familiar scent.

  He he had to stop and ask Xian’toth.

  “Is that dog drinking ale?”

  The iratian’s eyes had already passed over the paddock but he glanced back as the beast guzzled down in excess of two gallons of the alcohol and returned to slump under the tree.

  “An urshund? Probably. You see one every now and then. Good for smaller cargoes - not quite up to what you need.”

  An older woman was approaching as they talked, and clearly had good ears as she jumped in.

  “A great urshund actually Sir. Not quite filled out yet but he’s due a growth spurt, if you’re interested.”

  Wei turned to face the trader as his irathian mentor considered the doglike creature more closely.

  “How big will he get?”

  “Likely around seven feet at the haunches. Strong as anything and can run all day”

  Something about her too-wide smile tickled Wei’s instincts.

  “What’s he like?”

  “Oh he’s a lovable giant, though I’d counsel against assuming that means he’s harmless. Fantastic guardian if that’s what you’re looking for…”

  Whatever she was hiding wasn’t immediately obvious; as far as he could tell, there was genuine affection in her voice. Wei sent a glance Xian’toth’s way but the irathian seemed content to let him handle the discussion, only keeping one eye on the two of them whilst more checked out the dog, who declined to get up from his nap.

  “It’s a good quality. How long have you had him for?”

  “Just under a year - since he was a pup.”

  Wait…that creature is less than a year old?

  The thing was pushing his own height.

  “Do you breed them?”

  “Oh no, I actually found him wandering along by a road last winter, all scratched up. No idea where he came from and no one came for him so I raised him. Trained him up. He pulls the cart with the hens and the geese and such whenever I come to market. Keeps a watch on things too, though it doesn’t look like it.”

  The half-asleep lump in the shade of the tree certainly didn’t look alert, but then again, animal senses were better than human ones…

  “So how come you’re looking to sell him?”

  He kept close watch out of the corner of his eye as she hesitated, straining to sense a weakness to exploit without giving away how much he wanted this urshund.

  This is the best type of battle - wits, not strength.

  It was a pity his [Customer Insight] only worked when selling, and not when he was the client, but he had other Skills, and a mind capable of analysing the situation.

  A weathered hand rose up to scratch her neck and the woman gave little away, but a little wasn’t nothing.

  “It’s been a slow year, and beyond talks of orcs roaming there’s been no trouble out my way. And if it’s orcs, nothing short of a small army is gonna make a difference. Besides, the ponies are big enough to draw the cart now.”

  He was still new to it, but he could put the pieces together.

  A slow year. A creature that drank vast amounts of ale and probably ate its weight in meat. One that was about to experience a growth spurt.

  It wasn’t hard to work out that she couldn’t afford to keep it.

  Which made her eager to sell.

  Which gave him the advantage.

  …however…

  “Xian’toth, I’m not familiar with a great urshund. Would it be an option?”

  The irathian rolled his shoulders as he straightened up from where he’d been leaning on the fence, surreptitiously listening in, and strolled over.

  “Hard to say, especially without knowing the pedigree or any history to draw on. I’ve heard tell they can develop health problems.”

  “What living thing can’t.” The trader shot back. “He’s been well cared for and no issues to speak of so far.”

  A subtle bob of one of the [Arcane Broker]’s eyestalks told Wei she was telling the truth.

  I really need a Skill like that.

  “If it’s healthy it should be capable when it’s fully grown; you could harness it now provided you didn’t push its limits or load the cart to the max. Personally I’d go for the pyrokine but it’s your money - your choice.”

  That was his cue, and he turned back to the trader.

  “What sort of price are you looking for?”

  He had a budget, and he wouldn’t go over it, no matter how tempting it w-

  “A hundred and fifty gold pieces?”

  “Done!”

  He didn’t even wait for his [Basic Appraisal] to go off - if it even would for this kind of creature.

  Reading the hint of dismay in her eyes he reached out a hand and waited a moment for her to grasp it with her much more callused one. She muttered a curse under her breath, then asked.

  “How much would you have paid?”

  “Honestly?” Wei shrugged as he pondered the huge ball of fur and muscle. “I’m not sure, but the other options I was considering were over two hundred, although that was with saddle and tack and the rest.”

  The woman’s nose wrinkled.

  “Bah. Those’d cost you barely a few gold, and that’s only if they was ripping you off. Well, make the most of your savings whilst you can; he’s an appetite to rival a troll.”

  “Best make friends with some brewers,” Xian’toth interjected with a grin, “or take it up yourself.”

  Wei eyed the barrel that sat on the back of the woman’s own cart and realised his cargo space might have to take a hit, or else his dimensional chest was immediately going to be put to good use.

  “What does he take? Besides ale?”

  “He’s not so fussy on the solids, but you’ll want plenty of fish in his diet, or, if you can’t get any fresh - and he won’t take them if they’re old - then a goodly amount of red meat. But fish is his favourite.” The annoyed twist to her mouth disappeared for a while as it quirked up in fondness. “He can catch a fair bit himself if he’s got the time. I’d’ve had to have gotten rid of him months ago if he’d relied on me alone.”

  Nodding along as he took mental notes, Wei began to count out the coins. The woman counted every one with him, then raised her eyebrows as he added five more.

  “For your helpfulness,” he explained, “and I’d add… another one for the rest of the ale?”

  That got him the first genuine smile he’d received from her. Few of the traders had Belvedos’ friendly and carefree approach when money was on the line.

  “Sure, but if I’m to earn it and not let it be a charity, I’ll give you this advice: go buy the largest fish you can around here - raw. When you come back I’ll take you over to introduce him. He’s smart enough to understand and that’ll get you on his good side, and he’s not one to forget.”

  Shaking her hand again, with equal enthusiasm returned this time, he left Xian’toth to keep an eye on things and ran for the nearest fishmonger.

  Ten minutes later he was back, and out of breath, a fish that had cost another six gold and weighed the best part of fifty pounds in a cloth wrap over his back.

  As he approached, the front-heavy mass rose and stared in his direction, looking like a cross between a bear and a dog as two floppy ears perked up in expectation, which made his choice of buying a catfish seem appropriate.

  Shifting the weight as it pressed into his shoulder, Wei realised he’d forgotten one of the most important things in all the rush, and stopped to ask before the woman took him over.

  “Sorry - what’s his name?”

  She grunted as she helped him maneuver the heavy load into his arms.

  “Rohi.”

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