For a long moment, no one said anything. Silence reigned over the tent, thick and invisible as the smoke from the guttering candles. Perhaps it was insensible of Alpheo to extend such an offer to a man who had just spent weeks opposing him, but it was a core facet of his nature: when Alpheo saw something that shined, he felt a primal, irresistible urge to grab it and never let go.
He had done so with Lucius,with Marcus and Talek. He would do so now with Willios. It was, in its simplest form, human nature to be attracted to brilliance, and Alpheo was more dragon than human in that regard. He didn't just want servants; he wanted a hoard of the finest minds and sharpest blades the world could offer.
There was no hidden political ploy behind the offer, no layered trickery. It was born of pure, unadulterated respect for the fight Willios had put up, even if that struggle had been aimed at Alpheo's own heart.
