The One after my Heart

Brianna walked inside and walked towards the duo, and stood in front of Aiden.

"Are you done here?" asked Aiden with a no-nonsense tone that indicated he was impatient to leave.

"Yes. Everything here is settled." nodded Bree. She's already pacified and assured the anxious crowd outside. They were in safer hands for now.

"Good."

Aiden then turned to the lean old merchant who had a beaming smile on his wrinkled, bruised face. Clearly, whatever was inside that he had found on his 'raid' was worth getting captured.

Zohar Klinestone took out a dull bracelet that seemed to be made out of some faint purple stone from his gunny sack and gave it to Brianna with an amiable, friendly smile. It looked as though it was crafted like an interlocked bangle.

He said to her, "I earlier sensed that we shared the same elemental powers. This is something I found in the treasury room just now. Consider this a token of thanks from me for letting us free. It seems to be made from a rare laxrune stone which helps boosting an earth element user' powers especially for witches and amplify it by ten percent."

Brianna could feel her body respond to the dull bangle and instinctively felt the need to take it though she politely refused and tried to give it back. How could she take something that was definitely precious and valuable?

Zohar shook his head and pushed it forcefully into her palms as he said, "You'll find more use for it than I do, young girl. Keep it as a token of friendship from one earth element user to another. You can test it out alone later." His old eyes winked as they looked at Brianna, who seemed surprised and shocked. He seemed to want to say something more but then shut his mouth and just smiled like an old man.

"Please call me Brianna or just Bree, Sir. And thank you. I will definitely cherish this.", she gave him a grateful bow and replied with a grateful look and a rare smile, which radiated on her beautiful face.

Aiden at the side gave a small nod approving Zohar's actions and felt amused to see Brianna fondle with the bangle as she wore it.

"Alright, it's time to leave. I suggest that you all leave soon from here before the higher ups or the so-called Raegan appears.", said Aiden as he bade the merchant Zohar goodbye. He went and put his right arm on Bree's shoulder.

Zohar looked at the duo and knew they were about to leave his eye of sight any second. For some reason, his shrewd business mind immediately felt as if he was losing out on a huge opportunity.

No! There has to be a way to establish a good relationship between us! He fiercely thought of what he could do until something flashed across his mind.

It was one of his most prized possessions. One that he hadn't even gifted his own wife despite how many times she'd openly asked for it. Even his two daughters-in-law had their eyes set on them. But somehow, he always felt it wasn't fated to anyone he'd come across yet also couldn't find it with himself to part with the necklace.

But over the recent years, his business was not faring so well. Hence upon the insistence and persuasion of his nagging wife and family, he'd come here to start a trade exchange and perhaps expand his business. He'd even thought he'd trade it for a favour with the leader of the witch-alliance who was said to be a beautiful woman herself.

"Please wait!" Zohar hurriedly stopped the two from vanishing away. "I've something for you that was taken away by this wretched witch on the floor when I was previously captured. Originally it was intended as a gift to the Alliance-head on my trip this time as goodwill, but I'm sure it is more fitting if I give it to you."

Saying so, Zohar hurriedly went to the body of the woman whom Aiden had choked to death and started to frisk her.

They saw the old merchant run over to the witch's dead body on the platform and frisk her clothes, whom Aiden had just strangled to death.

Aiden was just about to refuse politely and disappear when Zohar immediately rushed over and thrust a small box into Aiden's palms.

"A gift best suited for your loved one. Consider it an old man's goodwill.", Zohar said with a serious expression on his face.

Aiden was taken aback and opened the box curiously. He took out the item and held it up in the air. It was a simple silver chain, but the pendant that hung over which took his breath away. It was a dark red coloured stone shaped like a shard. Redder than red, deeper than the colour of blood.

The stone pendant that hung on the simple thin silver chain seemed to give out a fain-red light as the light hit its surface, which increased its exquisiteness and enhanced its beauty even more! Especially the way red light bounced off its surface, giving a mesmerizing sheen that could capture one's soul. Aiden seemed to have his eyes fixed on it for a few moments and had trouble taking his eyes off it.

Even Bree was transfixed by the gorgeous necklace and had to forcefully tear her eyes away from the gorgeous pendant with difficulty.

'How pretty! That necklace is the nemesis of all women! Who wouldn't like it?!  I can also sense that it's a very powerful, strong elemental stone. Though I don't know which one,weird', Brianna thought to herself as she fondled the stone bangle unconsciously that she was wearing now.

Aiden looked at the silver necklace with the red stone hanging down in the air from his palm in surprise and then looked at Zohar.

He gave a small bow with his head and then said in a serious tone," This is too precious and it seems now I owe you a favor. You're most welcome to trade in our domain anytime. The Black family will anytime welcome the Klinestone family and their business, Zohar Klinestone."

Zohar nodded with satisfaction as he seemed secretly delighted. Looks like the young lord seems to sense the value and rarity of this stone. 'Hmm, I better share the treasures looted today fairly among others so as to maintain my good impression', the old merchant secretly decided.

As for the Alliance-head, he was sure that Nihaiya Greenwood would have a good impression of him and perhaps favour him once he took the women and children to the capital. One arrow, two targets! His old merchant eyes twinkled in cunningness.

Zohar looked at the necklace in Aiden's hand and looked into Aiden's eyes that'd unknowingly turned blood red. Those red eyes gave him the shivers, and his heart seriously palpitated. He immediately turned his eyes away instead to look at the necklace in Aiden's palm.

"I call it the heart stone. I assure you this is one of the rarest gemstones, you'll find across all three domains. In all my years I have never heard or come across a similar one. I am glad you like it. Farewell, young lord."

"For my loved one', murmured Aiden as his blood-red eyes seemed to glow fiercer as it seemed to compete with the ferocious colour of the pendant he was looking at.

Sure, this would look good on any beautiful woman's neck, Aiden thought as he looked at the necklace in his hand, feeling the cold red stone against his bare fingers.

And as Aiden thought of this, he somehow couldn't stop recalling that gorgeous figure and her soft slender neck that he had just laid his lips on and kissed a few hours earlier ago.