Gabb haggled with the merchant. The hawkish man sneered and insulted in his attempt to pay less than asking price. Gabb laughed and threatened to take business elsewhere. The negotiations went on for half an hour before Gabb consented to take the merchant to the cargo.
The group made their way through the busy streets. The merchant strode ahead of the pirates. He bulled his way through the crowd, full of his own importance. The man struck a dirty street boy with a riding crop when the boy stumbled trying to get out of the way.
Gabb stopped and looked at the boy, who glared at the merchant’s back. When the kid turned, Gabb tossed a silver piece to him and walked on.
The docks were no less busy than the streets until they reached Haven’s pier. The ship was docked alone at the end of a long walk, the other ship gone quickly after Haven’s arrival.
Bry sat on top of a crate on the dock. He rubbed oil into the wood of his new bow. He didn’t look up when the merchant walked by, or say anything when the man started up the gangplank. Three steps and the man was frozen in place.
“You could have warned him,” Gabb said, a chuckle in his voice.
Bry shrugged. “Wouldn’t have listened.”
Gabb came up behind the merchant and helped him back to the dock.
The merchant sneered and knocked Gabb’s hands away. “How dare you. I have mind to -”
“To what?” Gabb asked. “Walk away from unique and rare commodities? Let your competition have something you can’t compete with? Be thankful I was here to stop you. Uninvited persons are killed on sight.”
The man’s throat worked, his face blanched. The sneer melted from his features. He cleared his throat. “Well, I see no reason this should stop our business. I’ll see the cargo now.”
Bry stood and hooked his bow across his torso. He put a foot on the crate lid and pushed. The sun sparkled off of metal, and shone from jewels.
The merchant gasped.
“As I said, like nothing you have seen before,” Gabb said. “Ceremonial weapons of Heran origin, jewelry from the Rim Kingdoms, Mer Cones of Power, all for your inspection.”
“I’ll take all. At half price.”
Gabb shook his head. “Triple the price.”
The sneer returned to thin lips. “Fine at price.”
Gabb rubbed his chin, and looked into the crate. “Now that I see this again, I think we could get more than triple. Yes. I think we should ask around.”
“Price and a half, but no more. I’ll never make a profit.”
Gabb reached in and picked up a Cone of Power. He turned it in his hand. The iridescent shell shimmered in the sun. “No sale. This cone is worth price alone.”
A visible tremor ran through the man. “Double,” he gritted out through white teeth.
Gabb looked at Bry, Matty, and Jak in turn. He smiled. “Sold.”
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