Dragonvein - Book Three by Brian D. Anderson Read Free Book Online Page B

giving a sharp nod, Lotheri strode back toward the trolls.
    Once the message had been conveyed, the troll elder’s gaze fell squarely on Halvar. The king struggled to meet his eyes. Though he was certain that his decision was correct, it pained him to think that they were forced to continue bringing anguish to these gentle creatures. He had always imagined that the dwarves were protecting them from the world outside by keeping their existence a secret from those who might seek to harm them. Yet all the while it was the dwarves themselves who were inflicting the most damage.
    These thoughts had barely passed through Halvar's mind when the troll elder let out a series of high-pitched whistles. A few moments later a bare breasted troll female carrying a large, vine-woven basket pushed her way through to the front. She handed this to the elder and then slipped quietly back into the crowd.
    Halvar could see a smile growing on Lotheri’s face as the basket's contents were revealed to him. The elf then beckoned him over.
    On drawing closer, Halvar could not drag his eyes away from the line of massive figures towering over him. They were impressive enough from a distance, but up close they were absolutely terrifying. He was forced to constantly remind himself that in all of their history, an adult troll had never once attacked a dwarf.
    Only when he was a mere couple of steps away from Lotheri was he able to catch sight of what the basket held. It was rajni stones. Dozens of them. Uncut and pure, they glowed softly with a faint green light. Any sense of menace from the trolls was instantly forgotten.
    “He told me they will provide you with as many as you require,” Lotheri said with a satisfied grin. “They know you covet these as well as other gems and metals found in the mountain, and will ensure you have all that you need if you agree to their terms.”
    Try as he might, Halvar couldn’t imagine how these creatures were able to mine. Though their ways were mostly a mystery to him, he was certain they possessed no tools or equipment.
    “How…how did they get them?” he asked.
    “What does it matter?” Lotheri replied. But it was clear to him that this response was unsatisfactory. “Trolls have unique gifts,” he continued. “Their connection with the Mother enables them to manipulate the rock without tools or craft.”
    “So they just use their hands?” asked Halvar incredulously.
    “In truth, I don’t know. I’ve never seen it done. But it seems to me that if they are willing to give you what you need, then there is no reason to reject their offer.”
    Halvar considered this. “Only one thing bothers me. Why are they suddenly willing to fight? They have never been violent before. We assumed it just wasn’t in their nature. Even though we were the cause of their young becoming feral, they never sought to stop us. What has changed?”
    Lotheri scanned the faces of the trolls in front of them and smiled. “Nothing has changed. They are as they have always been. The thought of doing harm is repugnant to them. They would sooner end their own lives than kill another living being.”
    “Then how exactly will they protect our home?”
    “There are more ways to fight than with fire and steel. If they say they can help you, I believe them.”
    Halvar looked directly into the troll elder’s eyes. He had never been this close before. Very few dwarfs had. He expected to see a glint of intelligence, or at least a slight indication that the being before him was something more than a dumb beast. But there was nothing. Lotheri’s words echoed in his mind. Not all intelligence manifests as you would expect . Perhaps I just lack the wisdom to see it, he thought.
    “If they will provide us with the materials we need, I will gladly agree to their terms,” he announced in a clear, strong voice.
    Lotheri gave him an approving nod, then told the elder of Halvar’s decision. The troll sniffed and grunted twice before letting