That wasn't the story Lyanna had heard. Everything she had ever learned painted the dwarves as the elves' closest allies. She had even read books about dwarf armies fighting alongside elven.
Her mind raced, but she quickly straightened, choosing her words carefully. "Your Majesty, I can assure you—the Ironcrest Merchant Guild will never betray the elves."
Renjiro waved a hand dismissively. "That's not what concerns me." He smiled. "I just care about the gold."
Gorren shot Lyanna a knowing look. 'See? This was exactly what I had been talking about. The Elf King's obsession with gold had reached absurd levels.'
Lyanna chuckled, stepping forward with practiced grace. "Your Majesty, I have good news. This time, I didn't just bring the compensation. I even brought extra as goodwill of our merchant guild."
For the first time, Renjiro's composed demeanor cracked—if only slightly. His heart skipped a beat.
