Mortal Gods (Mantles of Power Book 2)
Author: Medrano, Benjamin
Date: 2019-07-08

Mortal Gods

Benjamin Medrano

Contents

The Story So Far

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Epilogue

Hell’s Ascendant Prologue

Mortal Gods by Benjamin Medrano

© 2019 Benjamin Medrano. All rights reserved.

Contact the author at BenjaminPMedrano@gmail.com

Visit the author’s website at benjaminmedrano.com

Sign up for the author’s mailing list at http://eepurl.com/cGPT-b

Cover Art by Nguyen Uy Vu

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For my family and my beloved.

The Story So Far

Violently betrayed and stripped of her wings, the angel Isalla was cast down into the hells by Haral, a woman she’d believed a friend. Isalla was saved from death by Kanae, a demoness and healer in the hells, who nursed the injured angel back to health and taught her about the hells, which was a different place than Isalla had imagined. Many demons in the hells lived normal lives, though it was still a dark and dangerous place.

Over time, the two women grew close, then their relationship blossomed into a hesitant romance over the course of weeks, at which point Isalla confided in Kanae that she’d been betrayed because she’d found signs of a conspiracy in the heavens, one that seemed to have designs on overthrowing the current ruling council. Concerned about the plans of the conspirators, and the likelihood that a radical faction would destroy the fragile peace between the heavens and hells, Kanae agreed to help Isalla contact her old commander and lover, an angel named Roselynn, who Isalla had informed of her investigation.

Unfortunately, Haral had learned that Roselynn was making inquiries of her own after Isalla vanished, and the angel had acted swiftly and ruthlessly, drawing Roselynn into an ambush by demons, who then sent Roselynn into the hells for interrogation. Roselynn woke in the comfortable Spire of Confession, and the unwitting angel was slowly, gently brainwashed by another angel and two succubi into effectively abandoning the heavens and making herself more beautiful. A visit by the demon queen Estalia caused Roselynn, now going by Rose, to fall almost entirely.

Meanwhile, Haral had sent assassins to finish off Isalla, as she had learned that the angel had somehow managed to survive the fall. As Kanae brought word that Roselynn had been captured in a demon raid, one of the assassins attempted to kill Isalla. The attempt failed, but the assassin perished as she tried to flee, leaving the two with unanswered questions. With few other choices, the two women chose to seek out Roselynn and attempt to rescue her, despite Kanae’s deep fear of Queen Estalia.

Their rescue attempt brought them near the Spire of Confession, where they waited to strike once Roselynn was being taken to the capital of Estalia. Their attempt worked nearly flawlessly, despite one of Rose’s guards managing to break free of the hypnosis that Kanae had inflicted on them. Kanae teleported the three of them to near her home, and her explanations managed to raise questions in Rose’s mind, and also prompted her to guess that Kanae was Queen Estalia’s lost daughter. While Kanae didn’t confirm her guess, her lack of response told Rose that she was correct.

Kanae distanced herself as Isalla and Rose rekindled their relationship, the demoness avoiding being drawn in due to worrying that any relationship couldn’t last, and believing that, soon, Estalia would come for her. Unfortunately for Kanae, Estalia had already known that she lived, and immediately set out to meet the three at Kanae’s home.

Estalia’s arrival threw all Kanae’s plans into disarray as the queen revealed that Kanae’s true name was Kitania, and the two managed to somewhat reconcile, though Kanae revealed that Estalia’s goal was to end the war by manipulating angels and demons alike to worshiping her. Estalia soon departed for her palace, leaving behind armor and Ember, the legendary weapon that belonged to Rose, as well as a few guards to keep the angels safe while the plot in the heavens was unraveled.

Before the group of women could come to a final decision on what to do, and even as Kanae was disposing of the last of her things, Haral’s third attempt on Isalla’s life arrived, an attempt which was also intended to kill Rose, and even Estalia if she was in the way. A group of angels attacked Kanae’s home, and the demoness fought a delaying action as the guards left by Estalia and the angels alike prepared themselves for battle. Just as Isalla and Rose came to her aid, the attackers shot Kanae with an arrow that had been intended for Estalia. The arrow teleported her to a fortress in the mortal world, where Kanae was torn apart by a hail of magical arrows.

Enraged by the apparent death of Kanae, Isalla and Rose fought desperately, heavily injuring several of the attackers, but would have lost if Estalia’s guards hadn’t reached them in time. Their grieving was interrupted by the information that Kanae had been teleported, and the guards took custody of the assassins and transported all the angels to Estalia’s palace, where the two angels hoped to learn what had become of Kanae.

In the palace, Estalia informed the two that Kanae doubtlessly lived, for Kanae was truly immortal, capable of regenerating from any known attack. Bolstered by the knowledge that even the angels couldn’t kill Kanae, the two angels vowed to rescue her and to drag the conspiracy that had been trying to kill them into the light.

Far away, Kanae woke in a cell, chained to a wall, and with the transmutation that had disguised her for centuries broken, revealing her original body. With an elven guard nearby, she decided that it wasn’t worth hiding who she was anymore and introduced herself as Kitania. Then she settled in to wait for the mortal god who ruled the land to interrogate her.

Now their story continues.

Prologue

“What do you mean, you can’t find her?” Isalla demanded incredulously, and Rose’s worry spiked as she saw her beloved’s fingernails biting into her palms. “You don’t mean she’s dead, do you?”

The two angels were standing in a small but ornately furnished room, with Estalia nearby, distracting as always, and the tall, imposing figure of the demon queen’s archmage in the middle of the room. Veldoran was handsome, Rose admitted to herself, though she didn’t care for the demon’s almost blood-colored skin, and it was more of an academic appreciation for her. She just wasn’t that interested in men, and never had been. Veldoran also looked slightly annoyed by Isalla’s interruption, which helped Rose focus on the conversation.

“Calmly, Isalla. Please give Veldoran time to explain, he has my full trust.” Estalia interrupted gently, stepping forward to place a hand on Isalla’s shoulder, her pale blue skin glowing from within, her presence distracting beyond belief as everyone looked at her, and Rose felt herself relaxing at the sight of Estalia’s smile. “He wouldn’t say something like that without good reason.”

“I… you’re right, I just…” Isalla began, then took a deep breath and bowed her head. Rose smiled in relief as Isalla’s right hand slipped into her own, and she gave Isalla’s hand a gentle squeeze as her friend raised her head and spoke to Veldoran apologetically. “My apologies, Sir Veldoran, I’m just… anxious. Kanae… no, Kitania, saved my life, and I’m very worried about her.”

“Your apology is accepted,” Veldoran replied after a moment, nodding as his expression softened slightly. “However, please don’t call me sir. Archmage is my preferred title. Now, as for Kitania… it isn’t that I’m not getting a response from her. She’s obviously among the living, but despite that, I can’t find where she is.”

“May I ask what that means?” Rose asked softly, frowning as she tried to recall her old lessons on magic. It had been so long that she was rusty, and she hated that she’d forgotten so much. “While I have some grasp of magic, my training was in fire, not in divinations. I remember being told that divination is among the more difficult types of magic to learn.”

Veldoran smiled slightly, obviously pleased at the praise as he nodded at her in approval. “That’s very true, it is a difficult field of study. I see only three possibilities, two of which are quite similar. One is that she was deposited in an area where divinations are unreliable. While rare, such places do exist. Another possibility, far more likely considering the nature of her departure, is that she’s in an area warded against divinations. Unfortunately, defending against divinations is easier than casting them, and it takes a significantly more powerful diviner to defeat well-crafted shields. Kitania is only of moderate skill, nowhere near an archmage, and she was capable of giving me trouble on occasion.”

“That means that there are hundreds of places she could be, if not more,” Estalia murmured, squeezing Isalla’s shoulder gently before letting go as she frowned, sparking a bit more worry in Rose’s mind. Fortunately, the queen continued a moment later. “What’s the third option, Veldoran?”

“That is the one I consider least likely, Your Majesty, but it must be said. She may have been transported beyond the borders of the heavens, hells, or mortal world,” Veldoran said, his smile fading entirely, and Rose’s anxiety spiked at the unfamiliar idea. “I don’t believe such is likely, as there are only two locations in the mortal world where travel beyond is said to be possible, but it is within the realm of possibility.”

“That… would be truly unfortunate,” Estalia murmured, and Rose’s tension grew even more as Isalla’s hand tightened around her own, feeling much like a coiled spring.

“What’s beyond the borders?” Rose asked, struggling to keep her voice from trembling. She didn’t want to make Isalla’s worry even worse. As much as she’d come to like Kitania, they hadn’t had much time together. “I mean, I’ve heard a few bits and pieces about the borders, but no one really talks about what’s… beyond.”

“A world that is enormous beyond imagining, Rose. Multiple worlds, really, some of which would swallow all of our own inside them like they didn’t exist. They’re vast, and home to the rumored Ephemeral Gods… but no one knows much,” Estalia said, her voice soft and musing, and she shook her head as Isalla inhaled sharply. “No, I don’t think she was transported there. Even if she was, it would only be a matter of time before she found her way back.”

“I believe that you are correct, Your Majesty,” Veldoran agreed, to Rose’s relief.

Rose felt herself relaxing again slowly, opening her mouth to speak, but Isalla beat her to it, taking a small step forward to draw their attention. “Well, if Kitania probably isn’t there, how can we find her?”

Estalia looked at Veldoran and tilted her head slightly as she asked. “Is there a way to do so, Veldoran? You’re the one who found her to begin with, after all.”

“There is, though it is… extremely difficult,” Veldoran admitted, frowning unhappily as he stroked his chin. “I’ll need to do some research first. I have a ritual which is supposed to empower locating spells to pierce almost any barrier, but such will be difficult to perform.”

“Is there anything we could do to help, Archmage?” Rose asked, looking at him in concern. If she could help, she’d certainly do so, but she doubted she’d be much use.

“No, I’m afraid not. The preparations will take most of a month, I’m afraid, perhaps a bit longer. I’m going to have to look over the ritual and refresh my memory first,” Veldoran explained, then grinned as he straightened, his eyes flashing with enthusiasm. “I’m not going to let some paltry barrier prevent me from finding Kitania again, though; don’t you worry about that. The difficult part is going to be some of the ritual components.”

“They aren’t going to bankrupt me, are they?” Estalia asked, a smile playing across her lips as she looked at Rose and Isalla, adding in a gently teasing tone. “I do love my daughter, but there are limits to what I can afford to spend on her.”

“No, not that difficult, Your Majesty,” Veldoran said quickly, his smile widening. “They’re going to run about, oh, half my annual stipend.”

“Ah. In that case, let me know what you need and I’ll have them found for you,” Estalia said, and looked at Isalla sympathetically, adding softly, “I promise, we’ll find Kitania. It’s just going to take longer than I’d hoped.”

“Alright. I just… worry,” Isalla murmured, looking down as she shuffled her feet. Rose wished that she could do something to ease Isalla’s worries.

“You aren’t the only one, Isalla,” Rose assured her quickly, letting out a nervous breath. “Now, let’s go. I’m sure that the Archmage and Her Majesty have things they need to be doing.”

“Alright,” Isalla agreed, and nodded her head to Veldoran and the queen as she said, “Thank you for everything.”

Rose gently escorted Isalla out, and as she did so, she saw a brief, uncharacteristic look of worry cross Estalia’s face. It worried Rose as well, but she wasn’t going to tell Isalla about Estalia’s concern. Her friend didn’t need more reasons to worry, after all. Rose did hope that Kitania was safe, though.

She may not have had much time with Kitania, but Rose had enjoyed Kitania’s steady, soothing personality. She just wished that they’d had more time to learn about one another.

Chapter 1

Kitania stretched as much as she could, then frowned at her arms in annoyance, murmuring. “Well, that’s going to be awkward.”

A large part of Kitania worried about Isalla and Rose. She hadn’t been able to see her mother’s guards before she’d been shot, but she had sensed her wards go off to the south, so it was likely that they were safe. It relieved her, at least somewhat, but there was no telling whether either of them had been injured. Guilt at how she’d pushed them away ate at Kitania, but she couldn’t change the past. And since she couldn’t change anything, she was trying to distract herself by examining the changes she’d undergone. Not the least of which was abandoning the name Kanae, since that version of her looked like it’d been destroyed.

After centuries being four inches taller, abruptly returning to her original body was something of a shock, and Kitania could already tell that she was going to have to take a few more days adjusting her sense of balance. That wasn’t the only problem, either. Her arms and legs were both shorter, which made figuring out what she could reach more of a conscious decision than it had been. Not that there was much to reach in her jail cell.

The guard was studiously ignoring Kitania, which amused her, since the elven woman was also blushing. Obviously, Maura’s replacement was somewhat prudish or easily embarrassed since she was so put out by Kitania stripping naked to look herself over. Part of Kitania took some glee in embarrassing the woman. In any case, it was just as well they seemed to have destroyed all the enchantments on Kitania’s bones, since having some of them intact without the others could have caused significant problems.

Kitania’s skin was now a soft pink rather than the pale white with a tinge of purple that it had been, and her figure had adjusted a bit and now took more after her mother’s voluptuous figure. It relieved Kitania that she hadn’t lost all the muscle she’d spent years building up, which would have been distressing in the extreme. Kitania wasn’t absolutely sure, but she thought her face was back to normal, which meant that she had a finer, more delicate bone structure again, along with ears that were similar to an elf’s, though they were at more of a horizontal angle than vertical. At least her hair had regrown quickly and was the deep purple she remembered, though it now reached her waist instead of the middle of her back. Her tail, though… it was longer than she liked, long enough that a foot or so of its length would drag on the ground if she didn’t hold it up, and the tip swelled outward before turning to a spear-like point, much like it had originally.

Finally satisfied that her body seemed to be correct, Kitania picked up the clothing she’d been given and slipped into it. It was something like a brown cotton toga and had a clasp that hooked behind the neck. She suspected the reason the garment had been given to her was so she wouldn’t need the chains removed to put it on. Once she was dressed again, Kitania shook out her hair and took a seat, curling her tail up on the cot that was the only furniture in her cell, aside from a narrow shelf bolted to the back wall.

“Pardon me, but would you mind telling me what color my eyes are? And whether they have slit pupils or round ones?” Kitania asked, looking at the guard curiously, hoping the woman would answer. Kitania was getting terribly bored.

“What? Why does that matter?” the woman asked sharply, looking over at Kitania in obvious suspicion, though her cheeks were flushed. “Haven’t you had enough of flaunting yourself?”

“I wasn’t flaunting myself. I was checking to see if everything reverted after the spells changing my body were destroyed.” Kanae corrected, smiling thinly in return, relieved to have someone to talk to. “It isn’t like I had any privacy to look at myself, and I grew up around succubi. I’m used to people wandering around naked. As for why I’m curious, my eyes are supposed to have white sclera, a nice modest purple for the iris, and round pupils. If that’s right, it means that my body is essentially back to what it’s supposed to be. I’m just curious.”

“Oh. You… changed your body?” the elf asked, her suspicion turning to confusion.

She was a pretty enough woman, Kitania thought distractedly, with blonde hair that had just a tinge of green to it, hazel eyes, and a tall, athletic figure. Considering the woman was a guard, the athletic part wasn’t a surprise, and neither was the leather armor or sword at her side. Or the whistle hanging from a cord at her waist. A second later, Kitania firmly stepped on her instinctive examination of the woman. After everything she’d been through the last few days, Kitania didn’t need to potentially cause more problems by flirting with one of her guards.

“Yes. I was hiding from my family, so took the rather drastic measure of altering my body. I grew a few inches, changed my face and figure, changed my coloration… it was rather dramatic, on the whole. I had the spells embedded in my bones, so when I was…” Kitania paused, frowning for a moment, then continued in seeming calm that she didn’t quite feel. It distracted her from her confused emotions, which was helpful, but Kitania’s stomach churned a little as she thought about how she’d arrived. “Was torn apart by the defenses here, they were likely damaged, and I’m told that my bones were destroyed in an attempt to keep me from regenerating, which finished off the enchantments. I’m just trying to make sure they’re completely gone, as a partial shapeshift can be worse than a malevolent one.”

“Oh. Your… eyes are what you said they should be,” the guard said, looking a little intrigued and repulsed at the same time, though she sounded more fascinated than anything else. “You seem rather calm about being hurt like that.”

“It’s been a while since I was injured enough to fully regenerate, but I’m unfortunately used to it.” Kitania said, sighing and shrugging as she spoke, trying to play it off as being less of a shock than it had been. In truth, it wasn’t that bad, but the loss of Isalla, Rose, and everything else… that was a shock. “It was painful, briefly. Much like the other two dozen times I can recall offhand. After a certain point, I grew mostly numb to the experience, since most of the time I lose consciousness after a bit.”

“Really? What was the worst one you remember, then?” the woman asked, and Kitania couldn’t help smiling thinly at the woman’s rapt expression. She didn’t really blame the woman for asking, as she supposed it’d be morbidly fascinating to most people.

“I don’t really want to talk about them much, but I suppose it’d be a close run between being caught in a rockslide, mostly waking up afterward, mind you, and the time I got hit by a ballista,” Kitania mused, shaking her head slowly as she thought about the incidents. Neither experience had been pleasant. “There are others that were worse, but they generally led to unconsciousness far more quickly. Like the other day, I remember my shield breaking, some pain, then everything went black. It was very, very quick.”

“Considering the power of the defensive formations, I’m unsurprised,” a man interjected levelly, and Kitania blinked as the source of the voice stepped into sight.

The guard quickly stood and saluted, placing a clenched fist against her chest. “Captain!”

Kitania studied the man as he stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as he studied her in turn. The elven man was of modest height, only an inch or two taller than Kitania was, and he had reasonably broad shoulders and looked quite fit, at least for an elf. He was wearing a simple chain shirt, leather breeches, and a surcoat that was green with gold trim. Kitania wished that she could identify which kingdom he might be from, but the number of elven kingdoms that used green and gold was far too large for her to have a clue, especially after the centuries she’d spent in the hells. The man had brown hair and eyes, and was reasonably handsome, in her opinion. Not that she suspected he’d have any interest in her, considering the barely concealed loathing in his gaze. He also had a hand on the sword hanging from his belt, which didn’t bode well for her.

“So you’re Kitania, are you? You’re in much better shape than you were the last time I visited,” the man said at last, then glanced at the woman as he added, “At ease.”

The woman relaxed somewhat, though she didn’t sit again. For her part, Kitania smiled thinly, not happy about the man’s attitude. It didn’t bode well for her future when she compared it to the ambivalence of the guards. “You must have heard my name from Maura. I’m not surprised that I wasn’t in good shape, though. If my body is destroyed, from what I’ve heard, it generally takes three days or so to put itself together again. I’ve never seen it, obviously, but I’m told it’s rather disgusting to watch.”

“That’s an accurate description,” the man agreed, pausing for a moment, then said, “I am Lord Commander Hanrith Northwind, Captain of the Royal Guard. Do you possess a surname?”

“Not one which I care to acknowledge, no. I wasn’t given one at birth, and my family considered calling me the Undying, but decided that making it obvious that I couldn’t be killed wasn’t a good idea,” Kitania said, then paused, considering before adding, a bit reluctantly, “I have gone by Darkshade before, though, so I suppose you might consider that my surname.”

“I see,” Hanrith said, still watching her, then asked, “Why did you intrude into My Lady’s palace?”

“I didn’t, or at least I didn’t intentionally intrude,” Kitania replied, frowning abruptly as she looked at him, wishing that they’d at least tell her where she was. It made her a little angry, but she didn’t see how refusing to answer questions would help, so she continued. “I’ll have you know that I was scouting around my home after someone set off wards I’d set, and then I was ambushed by angels. I’m rather skilled at defensive magic, and was doing tolerably well, at which point they decided they’d had enough. They shot me with an arrow that pierced all my shields and armor, then it teleported me into the courtyard where I set off your defenses. Tell me, do you honestly think a single demoness with modest gear would intentionally teleport into the courtyard of a goddess? I can’t imagine anyone being quite that foolish.”

“Ah, but that would be a likely story, since the wards redirect anyone who attempts to teleport into the palace to the courtyard,” Hanrith retorted, smiling thinly as he added, “Also, there wasn’t enough left to even be certain of what gear you might have had. Mostly scrap metal was scattered over the area, along with a few pools of melting steel.”

Kitania winced, shaking her head slightly as she muttered unhappily, surprised at how much the loss of her gear hurt. “Really? Brimstone. I had that armor and sword for over five hundred years… I hoped at least the sword would’ve survived. As to the question of the teleportation… what else can I say? It’s the truth, so it’s not like I’m going to have any other answer. I don’t even know where I am, aside from in the mortal world. I’m guessing rather far from Hragon or Zintas, but I don’t know.”

“Hm. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to submit to truthtelling magic, would you?” Hanrith asked, and Kitania saw the guard shift slightly, looking rather uncomfortable. The troubled reaction made her think she was probably near the Kingdoms of Light, or whatever they were called these days. Those areas tended to have some issues with magic that forced people to tell the truth when they spoke.

“I wouldn’t answer any question under magic like that, but I’d happily explain how I got here. Well, maybe not happily, but I’d do it,” Kitania said, shrugging helplessly as she looked at Hanrith challengingly, her frustration growing stronger. “If it gives me even a threadbare chance of getting out of this cell, or back home, it’d be worth it. I’m not sure if my friends survived the attack, even if I know we had others coming to help.”

“Interesting,” Hanrith said, then fell silent, watching her curiously. After a few moments, he smiled thinly. “Well, I’m afraid you’re going to have to wait for now. My Lady is the one who will make any decision, and she’ll make it at her leisure.”

“Fine,” Kitania replied, sighing and shaking her head unhappily. She hated not having any control of her life, so she grasped at straws as she asked, “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me where I am, or who she is?”

“No, I won’t,” Hanrith said, then nodded to the guard, adding calmly in a tone that only worsened Kitania’s mood, “You’re not to tell her, either.”

“Yes, sir!” the woman replied promptly, saluting again.

Watching Hanrith go, Kitania sighed and murmured irritably. “Of course they won’t tell me. Just… typical.”

Instead, as the guard settled down on her chair again, Kitania laid back on the cot. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was better than the floor.

At least the food in the prison was better than what she’d had in the hells, even if the locals wouldn’t be impressed. Unfortunately, that did nothing to keep her from wondering what had happened to the others, or if anything she’d owned had survived.

Holding back her tears was hard, but Kitania refused to let the elves see her cry.

Chapter 2

Estalia gestured to a seat, smiling as she gently spoke. “Please sit, both of you.”

Standing in the same room as Estalia was incredibly distracting, Isalla thought, almost unconsciously slipping down onto the sofa beside Rose. The room was gorgeous, like much of the palace was, made of smooth, beautiful stonework, elegant wood paneling, tapestries and carpets with breathtaking designs… and all of it paled beside Estalia. She drew attention like she was the center of everything, and Isalla felt bad about doubting Kitania’s description of her mother. It took effort to draw her attention away from Estalia, but the memory of Kitania usually sufficed. Usually.

“Thank you,” Rose said, slipping an arm around Isalla’s shoulders as she smiled gently at Isalla, helping steady the younger angel’s nerves, then turned her attention back to the demon queen.

“You’re most welcome. First, would you care for anything to eat or drink?” Estalia asked, sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the table, one designed to let her wings extend comfortably.

“No, but thank you,” Isalla said, smiling despite her worries, and she glanced at Rose as she added, “I had an excellent breakfast, thank you. The staff here has been incredibly accommodating.”

“Agreed,” Rose said, nodding happily. “Even more than at the spire, in my opinion.”

“They should be. I told them to do everything they could to make you at home. The circumstances may not be the best, but there’s nothing to be done about that,” Estalia said, and she sighed, shaking her head, her deep blue eyes darkening with sadness that was riveting. “I’m sorry we don’t have better news about Kitania, but I can only wait, much like you.”

Isalla fell silent, looking down at the fine wooden table unhappily. It’d been four days since they’d reached Estalia’s palace, and only a day since they’d learned that Veldoran couldn’t find Kitania yet. The palace was fascinating in many ways, filled with beauty, and with numerous gardens filled with exotic flowers from each of the three worlds, along with streams, steaming baths, and luxuries that Isalla had only ever imagined. Even more startling was how she’d met humans, elves, dwarves, angels, and demons alike in the halls of the palace, almost all of them beautiful or handsome, and most of them friendly. Beyond the palace, she’d seen a large city of beauty below, and farmland beyond its walls, something Isalla had rarely seen in the hells. The only problem was the pall that Kitania’s absence cast over everything. How it simply felt like something was missing.

“True, but… what of the prisoners? I believe that Qorr said that they’d be interrogated for information?” Rose asked, frowning thoughtfully. “I was rather upset with him at the time, but they might be able to tell us where she was sent.”

The thought of the angels who’d attacked them made Isalla inhale sharply as her rage surged abruptly, rather than seething like banked coals. She forced down her anger hard as it tried to take over. She knew Rose was almost as angry with the angels as she was, and the two of them were determined to wreck whatever plot Haral and her mysterious patrons had in mind. Isalla had never felt such motivation to succeed before, which helped her focus.

“I believe such is likely, yes. Especially since each of them had poison pills on them, and their leader had a spell in place that she or another far away could use to kill herself,” Estalia confirmed, her smile fading slightly, a steely look flickering across her face. “I had it removed, of course, but we’re quite fortunate that they were captured so quickly, or we might not have had any prisoners at all.”

“But they were captured, so that means they’re an option, right?” Isalla asked eagerly, her anger at the angels subsiding slightly. If they had information that could help find Kitania, she might forgive them a little.

“They are, but there’s a problem. I have to get the information out of them. I don’t believe in torture, and it isn’t even a reliable source of information, so that isn’t possible,” Estalia said, sitting back in her chair and letting out a soft, frustrated sigh. “I have several immediate options, each with its own disadvantages. I could have truth magic used on them, but that requires them to speak, and compelling people to speak while magic like that is in place is… difficult. Even then, you have to ask the right questions. That would make it difficult to get all the information we might want out of them. Why, their leader has even refused to tell us her name, instead spitting out curses at the hellspawn and traitors around her. Based on that, I have my doubts that it would work, at least not in the short term.”

“That… does sound like a problem,” Rose agreed, looking troubled.

“What are the other options?” Isalla asked, growing more worried now. She hated the idea of having information so close, yet not being able to access it.

“The second option is something similar to what Rose went through. Coaxing them gently around to understanding that they’re in the wrong, and that they should tell us what they know,” Estalia said, looking at Rose calmly, and Rose’s lack of apparent concern helped reassure Isalla somewhat. “That isn’t without its disadvantages, either.”

“It’ll probably take too much time,” Rose said bluntly, frowning as she added, “As much as you say the leader hates you and traitors, I suspect she would be difficult to bring around. Veldoran is likely to be a more reliable source of Kitania’s location, though not for any other information.”

“Precisely, which leads to the last option. While it would be extremely effective and swift, I have some misgivings about using it,” Estalia said, frowning at them for a long moment, tilting her head. It took Isalla a moment to realize that the queen looked a little unhappy, and there was just a hint of anger in her gaze.

“Why is that?” Isalla asked, blinking in confusion. If it would get the information that they all wanted, she didn’t see why Estalia would be hesitating. Sometimes she felt the faintest resentment toward Estalia for how calm she was with what had happened to Kitania. Her unhappiness confused Isalla.

Estalia studied Isalla for a moment, then spoke again, her tone calm and measured now, without any of the anger or unhappiness that Isalla had seen. “Kitania doubtlessly told the pair of you that I’m the Demon Queen of Desire. My mantle is the Mantle of Desire, and it is an unusual mantle. I’m the third member of my family line to bear the mantle, and we’ve studied what it’s capable of over the years. I am… the kindest of the line thus far, and I’ve generally avoided using the most dangerous of the powers it grants me.”

“What do you mean, it’s unusual?” Rose asked quietly, sitting forward a little as her hand squeezed Isalla’s shoulder for a moment. Isalla could feel her own curiosity rising as well, wondering what Estalia meant.

“Most mantles of power increase the strength and toughness of the demon who bears them, or otherwise increase their power in battle immensely. Mine does not. I have almost no magic, and all my personal power comes from millennia of training,” Estalia said, raising her hand into the air and making a fist, smiling thinly at the shock Isalla knew was on her face as Estalia added, “It has caused some others to underestimate my family before. However, that isn’t to say that my mantle isn’t powerful. It is, and what it can do is dangerous. If I weren’t so angry about what was done to Kitania, I wouldn’t even consider using it for this purpose, even if my mother would tell me I’m a fool.”

“You’re… angry?” Isalla asked, almost surprising herself with how incredulous her tone was. “I haven’t heard you so much as raise your voice since we got here. I mean, I thought I saw a hint of anger in your gaze, but…”

Estalia looked at Isalla for a moment, then slowly she began to laugh, her voice low and soft, and something about her tone of voice made the hairs on the back of Isalla’s neck stand on end.

“Of course you haven’t, Isalla. Taking my anger out on inanimate objects, or those who were at no fault for what happened… what would the point of that be?” Estalia said, grinning at last, her eyes glittering with something that felt almost like madness to Isalla, yet it was glorious despite the terror it sent through the angel, forcing every bit of her attention to fix on the demon queen. “No, I’m bottling it up, Isalla. I’m saving my anger and rage for those who deserve it. They’ve intruded into my domain, attacked my daughter, and threaten to undo everything I’ve been working on for longer than either of you have lived. I’m not ignoring my anger. I’m channeling it for a purpose.”

“I… I see,” Isalla whispered, trying to focus her thoughts instead of simply being enraptured by Estalia. She did faintly wonder why Rose hadn’t said anything, and managed to look away to see Rose staring at Estalia with a look of fascination on her face, one that might mirror Isalla’s expression.

“Now then, I should explain what I can do. I can get the information out of our… guests, but there is a price to such,” Estalia continued, the enrapturing anger fading from her eyes and smile, and the woman sat back in her chair as she spoke, almost back to her old self, and a tiny part of Isalla missed the sight. “If I do so, however, it will destroy them. Their minds will break and become subservient to me, chained to my words and desires. I would have but to ask and they would throw themselves into lava for me, or tear their own wings from their backs. They would become shadows of their former selves, and such is… a dangerous step. While I’m seriously considering it, I could send them to the Spire of Confession and be sure that Anna would bring them around in the end.”

Isalla flinched at the description of what the prisoners would do if Estalia acted and she looked at Rose, her lips parted for a moment as she saw Rose’s eyes clearing. Rose paused, then spoke softly. “Why are you telling us this? I’d think that the nature of your power is something that you would prefer to keep private.”

“It is, but at the same time, many people know. My mother yet lives, and many demon lords lived in fear of her and my grandmother. Memories of what they did die slowly,” Estalia explained, her smile fading slightly as she added, “Beyond that, I decided to let the pair of you make the choice of whether to spare the angels or not. They attacked you and Kitania, and in the end, it’s a question of whether you wish to spare their lives. If you ask me to spare the angels who attacked you, I will send them to the Spire of Confession. If you do not…”

Isalla froze for a long moment, then looked at Rose again. Making a decision on something that would break another woman’s mind… it was enough to pierce through her anger and make her hesitate. While Isalla was angry, it shook her a little. Rose looked taken aback as well, and her friend looked over, worry in her eyes as she pursed her lips, obviously thinking.

“What will you do with them afterward?” Isalla asked at last, her pity warring with the memory of the sneer on the woman’s face as she shot Kitania. The memory was almost enough to make her tell Estalia to do it.

“They’d become servants here in the palace, most likely. I might give them to Kitania after we find her, but she might not accept them,” Estalia said, her voice almost back to its normal, pleasant tone. It was somewhat at odds with the subject, but Isalla did her best to ignore that.

“Ah,” Isalla said, swallowing as she asked hesitantly, “Rose? What do you think?”

“They would have had no mercy on us, Isalla. They’d have killed all of us without a thought if they’d had the chance,” Rose said softly, and for a moment Isalla felt her heart sink. Fortunately, Rose continued a moment later. “However, that doesn’t mean we have to be as merciless as them. Their leader is the most likely person to have vital information, and she would be the most difficult one to question. Is that right, Your Majesty?”

“Most likely, yes. I have confidence they could convince her in far less time than you might think, but it wouldn’t be guaranteed,” Estalia agreed, her smile sending a surge of relief through Isalla.

Isalla considered, then slowly nodded, looking at Estalia as she asked hopefully, “Then… could you send all the others to the Spire? If they aren’t likely to have the information we need…”

“Very well, I’ll do as you ask,” Estalia agreed, and Isalla heard Rose let out a soft sigh of relief. Then she stiffened as Estalia continued firmly. “There’s another matter I need to speak about as well. This one isn’t up for negotiation, sadly, and primarily involves Rose.”

“Oh?” Rose asked, her tone showing her concern, and Isalla tensed nervously. “What is it?”

“It’s unfortunate, but the battle near Kitania’s home had a great many witnesses. Rumors that angels attacked my domain have already spread far and wide,” Estalia said, a pensive look on her face that worried Isalla more. “That is… problematic. It means that I cannot let the attack go unanswered.”

“But… you defeated the raid and captured the angels who attacked,” Isalla said, frowning again as she tried to figure out what the problem was. “Isn’t that enough?”

“Not for other demon princes and princesses. If I don’t strike back, they’ll believe that I won’t do so if they raid my territory,” Estalia explained, a hint of unhappiness in her voice. “As such is the case, I have little other choice but to retaliate. Unfortunately, there’s only one place within easy striking distance, and only one place the angels could reasonably have come from. Firewatch.”

“What? But I didn’t recognize any of the angels who attacked, they couldn’t possibly—” Rose began speaking hotly, only to have Estalia interrupt with a raised hand, an apologetic expression on her face.

“You’ve been gone for some time, which has given ample time for others to arrive, Rose. However, I’m going to question the leader before making any final decisions,” Estalia said firmly, her gaze fixed on Rose. “If the people in Firewatch are not at fault, my forces will do everything in their power to take the soldiers there captive, and they’ll be returned here and placed in a prison camp. I will not give the same guarantees if they knowingly chose to attempt to send you, Isalla, and Kitania to the grave.”

“I… but…” Rose began, and Isalla quickly reached up to squeeze her hand, her other hand on Rose’s knee. She was a bit horrified by the idea but wanted to comfort her lover as well as give Estalia the benefit of the doubt.

“Would it really be that bad, where the other demons are concerned?” Isalla asked, looking at Estalia nervously.

“Unfortunately, yes. Many demon lords are simply waiting for one of their neighbors to show weakness before choosing to strike. My neighbors are wary because, despite seeming like I don’t take many precautions, I’ve always defended my realm,” Estalia said, shrugging slightly, looking a little unhappy with the situation. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing else I can safely do.”

“Very well,” Rose said unhappily, nodding slowly as she reached over to pat Isalla’s hand on her shoulder. “If there isn’t any other way, I suppose there isn’t any choice.”

“I give my word, I’ll be as polite as I reasonably can be, depending on the circumstances,” Estalia said, and she stood gracefully, glancing at Isalla as she smiled. “Now, just as a reminder, Isalla? Tonight you’ll have your wings regrown, so please don’t go missing, hm?”

“Oh, right!” Isalla said, her eyes brightening at the reminder, a surge of happiness overwhelming much of her worry. “Thank you, I’d almost forgotten about that!”

“Soon we’ll be able to fly together, and that’ll make things much easier,” Rose said, looking at Isalla and smiling, though Isalla could see that Rose’s worries weren’t gone.

“Agreed. Now… I know you have other things to do, Your Majesty,” Isalla said, standing up and smiling at the demon queen as she gave a gentle curtsey. “Thank you again.”

“You’re welcome, Isalla. I just wish I was able to bring better news,” Estalia said, then nodded at each of them before heading for the door.

“Well, we’d best go ourselves,” Rose said, sighing softly as she stood up.

“Are you going to be alright, Rose?” Isalla asked in concern, resisting the urge to fidget, and instead smoothing her dress. “I mean, you’re obviously worried about Firewatch, and…”

“I… I’m torn. I was probably abandoned after being captured, which gives me mixed feelings, but I hate the idea of my old subordinates being injured,” Rose said, pausing before she shook her head, a pensive expression on her face. “I just don’t know. At least she’ll try not to hurt those who weren’t involved, but… she’s right, she doesn’t have much choice. I’m just not happy about it.”

“I can’t say as I blame you,” Isalla agreed, taking Rose’s hand again to try to reassure her.

As they left, Isalla tried to avoid wondering what Estalia was going to do to the angelic leader but failed. The simple way that Estalia could utterly fascinate Isalla with a look was incredibly dangerous all on its own, and yet Isalla couldn’t find it in her to dislike it. If Estalia tried to use it… it was no wonder that Kitania had said that Estalia could use her power as a weapon.

* * *

“I must say, whoever did the healing on your back did an excellent job. I’ve run into over a dozen angels who’ve lost their wings before, and you’re the first who healed this cleanly,” Verrine said, her hands tracing the muscles along Isalla’s back gently. It was particularly strange since the woman was one of the demons with four arms, so it felt like two people were touching Isalla at the same time. After a moment, the priestess continued, her voice oddly soothing. “You said you were dosed with warrior’s end as well?”

Isalla was in a private room in the palace, one set aside for healing, based on the beds and other items in the room, such as the various bottles of potions, reagents, or medicinal herbs. She was laying face-down on a table and felt a little nervous. She’d been told that they’d have to re-open the wounds to regrow her wings, after all, and she hated the thought of how much it might hurt.

“That’s what Kan—Kitania said, yes,” Isalla replied, mentally cursing herself for starting with the wrong name again, but continued. “She said that it was weakened because they put it in contact with iron, but she had an antidote. She’s also the person who healed my injuries. I think she said it took about a week, including the time I spent unconscious. A week until the bandages came off, anyway.”

“Did she? That’s quite impressive, using only alchemy,” Verrine murmured, pausing for a long moment. “And she’s correct about warrior’s end. I wish I could speak with her about how she helped you recover. I must say that your condition is quite remarkable after such a short time. I’d have expected you to only have become fully mobile a couple of weeks ago, let alone having participated in a battle.”

“I… is it really that impressive?” Isalla asked, a little taken aback. Kitania had been so indifferent about the effects of her elixirs that Isalla hadn’t thought it was that unusual in the hells. “She made an elixir that she said helped rebuild my muscles. It was foul-tasting, but…”

“Yes, it is. I know of a few spells which can help in mere moments, but such spells are difficult to cast,” the priestess explained in admiration, pulling her hands away as she spoke. “Being able to do this much with alchemy is new to me. I’ve heard rumors that alchemists could create wonders, but this is my first time seeing it.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize that… I guess I should’ve thanked her more,” Isalla said, feeling guilty that she hadn’t realized what Kitania had truly done for her. She shifted in place, then asked, “So, um, how are you going to do this?”

“It’s going to be fairly quick, though I’ll warn there will be some pain,” Verrine said, stepping away and picking up a scalpel, which Isalla looked at with a wince. The demoness had pitch-black skin, which was offset by the white robe she wore, and was almost seven feet tall and spindly. She had a lovely voice, though, and her touch had been gentle so far, which reassured Isalla. “I’m going to make an incision where each of your wings should be. Normally, that’s enough to allow the regeneration magic to regrow them, if there’s an injury still in place. If it doesn’t, I might have to make a few more. Regrowing your wings should take no more than a minute, but it will hurt, Isalla. There’s nothing I can do to prevent that.”

“Alright. I… can handle that, I think,” Isalla agreed, taking a deep breath again. “But I’ll be able to fly afterward?”

“Most certainly. Your muscles might not be up to it, though, so be cautious about overdoing it. We wouldn’t want you to fall in midflight,” Verrine said, smiling down at Isalla with a mouth full of fangs. “Would you like me to begin?”

“Yes, please,” Isalla said, closing her eyes as she braced herself for the cool touch of the blade. She didn’t want to be injured, but if she was able to fly again, it’d be worth it. In fact, the thought made her almost as happy as the idea of being reunited with Kitania. Kitania, Rose, and herself… something about the thought just made Isalla almost giddy inside.

* * *

Eziel struggled against the chains again, seething with anger as she bit into the gag. If she had the power to do so, she’d burn the entire building to the ground, along with every hellspawn, traitor, and mortal within it. Even if it cost her own life and those of her companions, Eziel would do it in a heartbeat. Being taken alive galled her more than anything else, and she was frustrated beyond belief at how the demons had found and disabled the enchantment which was supposed to end Eziel’s life if she was captured.

Now Eziel was chained up in a tiny cell, her arms, legs, and wings restrained as she hung from the ceiling, and unable to even curse at the demons since they’d finally chosen to gag her. She should’ve tried to bite her tongue while she’d had the chance, but Eziel hadn’t thought of it at the time. For the most part, she’d been left alone since then, and despite the slight gnawing sensation of hunger, Eziel remained defiant. The demons wouldn’t get anything from her.

The door opened so abruptly that it surprised her, and the light from the halls made Eziel wince after the darkness of the cell. She could see even in near-total darkness, but it wasn’t easy to transition from one to another. Then her eyes went wider and she froze as a woman stepped into the cell, her light blue skin glowing with internal radiance. The demon’s presence hit Eziel like a hammer, and she tried to breathe, tried to pull her gaze away, but she couldn’t. Not as those deep blue eyes swallowed her whole and Eziel began to drown in them.

The demon queen, it had to be the demon queen, looked at Eziel in disdain, glancing up and down her body briefly, then focusing on Eziel’s eyes. The sheer weight of her presence weighed on Eziel like nothing she’d ever experienced in her life, though after a few moments she was at least able to breathe again. Pulling her attention away, though… that was an entirely different story, because nothing could manage that, no matter how hard she tried.

“I am Queen Estalia,” the queen said, her voice seductive and perfect despite how cold the tone was, every word striking Eziel’s will like a boulder hitting a castle wall, and it felt like her mind was cracking. She was staring at Eziel, and the demon queen took a step closer as she continued at a slow, steady pace. “You have harmed my daughter. You’ve intruded into my domain, and your belligerence is… upsetting. So, this is what is going to happen. I am going to speak to you. You will listen. And when I am done… I’ll ungag you, and you will tell me anything I desire to know. Is that clear?”

Eziel let out a soft whimper into the gag, barely able to feel terror as her mind shuddered under the weight of Estalia’s words. She almost lost control of her bowels, and her anger had vanished, to be replaced by fear and… something else. Something that was too fascinated by the demon queen.

“Good,” Estalia said, smiling thinly.

Then she began to speak.

Chapter 3

“Your Grace, I’d like to suggest that instead of merely keeping the demon prisoner we make use of her,” Oriah said calmly, the mage sitting forward in her chair as she smiled, her fingers tapping on the table in front of her. “If the demon is truly immortal, it would make her ideal for testing the various anti-demon weapons that I’ve been developing.”

“Are you insane? I’d never condone someone harming a prisoner like that!” Hanrith almost snarled, glowering across the table as he continued angrily. “I don’t care if she’s a demon, she’s still a prisoner.”

“Is it really harm when she recovers from anything? She intruded into the palace without leave, and you’re the one who told us that she barely seemed to care about having to regenerate,” Oriah countered, the brunette’s eyebrows rising. She obviously was annoyed by his objection.

“No,” Alserah interjected calmly as she decided to stop the argument before it could fully begin, and her statement instantly silenced both elves.

For a moment, the room was quiet, then Moira spoke, the priestess’s voice more tranquil than either of the other two had been. “While I don’t believe that Oriah’s request would be wise to grant, I will say that I find myself very concerned about the demon’s intrusion, Your Grace. Her claims are unlikely in the extreme.”

“Anything that could teleport a demon from the hells near Hragon to here would be… extremely powerful,” Ethris agreed, the mage frowning unhappily. “I wish that I’d been able to examine the emanations after her arrival to be certain, but too much power was expended in her destruction.”

“Unfortunate, but there is nothing to be done about that,” Alserah said, her tone calm as she watched her followers through lidded eyes. She paused for a moment, seeing Oriah’s impatience, Hanrith’s frustration, Moira’s tranquility, and Ethris’s curiosity. Then the goddess spoke further. “While unlikely, I believe that the demoness’s claims are most likely accurate, or at least partially true.”

“Ah, may I ask why you believe that, Your Grace?” Hanrith asked, looking a little startled by her explanation.

“While you may not have been aware of such, I’ve analyzed the aura of this… Kitania. The chains that hold her have the measure of her magic, and she is not powerful enough to be a threat. She is skilled, but I would be surprised if she could face a full magister of the realm,” Alserah said and smiled thinly as she looked at Moira, nodding slightly. “Incidentally, Moira’s subordinates examined her while she was regenerating, and were able to determine a great deal about Kitania’s physique. She’s trained heavily, and has a durable, strong body… but she is no demon lord. While I’m uncertain of how much skill she possesses, she would fall before enough of your guards, Northwind. Such an individual attempting to infiltrate my palace alone is a laughable threat, and we have detected no other attempts to intrude.”

Most of the others looked at Moira, and the priestess nodded slightly, smiling warmly at Alserah’s regard. “Her Grace is correct, at least so far as what we learned. I do not have her certainty on the strength of the demon, but I believe she is correct.”

“I see. That does ease my mind somewhat,” Hanrith said, nodding slowly as he sat back. “The cell she’s in could hold some demon lords, let alone someone who is weaker than that.”

“It still doesn’t answer what’s to be done with her, however,” Oriah said, frowning unhappily. “I still believe that she would be useful in my tests.”

“Such is unbecoming of you, Oriah,” Alserah said, allowing just a hint of warning to creep into her voice as a flicker of pain ran through Alserah’s mind along with her irritation, and she saw almost everyone flinch at her tone. Only Moira seemed unconcerned, and Alserah looked at Oriah, watching the woman squirm as she spoke. “While I appreciate your zeal in pursuing new ways of defending our nation from invasion, you should take care to not become that which you claim to oppose. It certainly wouldn’t please me.”

For a long moment, everyone was silent, then Oriah looked down as she spoke apologetically. “My apologies, Your Grace. I will strive to keep your words in mind for the future.”

“Excellent,” Alserah said and smiled thinly. “As for the demon… leave her be for the moment. I will meet with her eventually, and we will see what can be learned.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” the four agreed, bowing their heads respectfully.

“Ethris. What is the state of the border wards? While I believe it unlikely, it is entirely possible that this is a distraction, and I want to be prepared for a potential invasion,” Alserah said, looking at the mage curiously.

“Of course! I’ve requested their status, and all the wards appear to be at full strength and functioning correctly,” Ethris replied promptly, her expression brightening as she continued. “If an attack occurs, I promise that the magi will be prepared.”

“Excellent,” Alserah said, turning to Oriah as she continued. “Oriah, how is the ballista project doing?”

Oriah’s dismay seemed to lift a bit, and the woman smiled. “Very well, Your Grace! We have forty complete so far, and another ten under construction, and I believe we’ll be able to complete ten every two weeks at the current rate. They…”

Alserah listened closely, her hands steepled in front of her. While she didn’t think her kingdom was going to come under attack, she wasn’t going to underestimate the cunning of demons.

She’d done that once already, and it’d left lasting consequences.

* * *

“Um, what are you doing?” Maura asked, and Kitania nearly lost her grip on the chain due to the distraction.

Looking up, Kitania saw that Maura was in the hall again, the brunette guard looking perplexed as she looked between Kitania and the guard on duty.

“Don’t ask me,” the other guard said, her voice dry enough that Kitania was amused. “She just started doing that a little while ago. It doesn’t look like she’s trying to pull the chains out, so I didn’t bother raising the alarm.”

Kitania currently had her feet planted against the wall above her bed and was holding the chains taut to press her feet against the wall. It was difficult, with how gravity was trying to pull her downward, but Kitania was starting to run out of ideas on how to keep herself distracted from her worries.

“I’m bored, so I decided to try walking on the wall. If I thought there was any way to do it without falling, I’d try to walk on the ceiling,” Kitania replied, trying to shrug, but instead nearly lost her grip on the chain, and she swayed a little as she adjusted the position of her hands slightly, focusing on sticking to the wall. “It isn’t easy, but it’s a distraction.”

“Ah. That… makes a sort of sense, I suppose,” Maura replied, looking dubious despite her words. “I’m just not used to prisoners doing things like that.”

“I doubt you get many prisoners at all, if this is the domain of a goddess. Not many people would be foolish enough to intrude, and I don’t see it being worth transporting most prisoners to the palace,” Kitania said, turning her attention to the wall and slowly easing her way back down it. The trickiest part was when she got to have too much of an angle, but she jumped and managed to land on her feet, which was good. She’d hate to crack her skull, even if she’d recover soon enough. After a moment, Kitania continued, focusing on her explanation. “On the other hand, I’ve been extremely active for centuries. My morning routine usually involved quite a bit of exercise, then I would either perform alchemy or go about my duties as a healer. Being trapped in a cell is an enormous change, and I’m restless.”

“You’re a healer?” the other guard asked, a note of skepticism in her voice. “I didn’t know demons had healers.”

“Even demons have small towns, and not everyone has magic available,” Kitania said, considering for a moment before continuing, slightly displeased by the woman’s attitude, but she wasn’t about to make her situation harder by snapping at her. Kitania’s position was very different than it had been when she’d chided Isalla, so she continued patiently. “I went by Kanae at the time. Right up until I was teleported, in fact, but that’s beside the point. I taught myself to be a healer and just settled down in a small town for a while. For longer than I originally planned, in fact, but that’s just how things turned out. No one knew about my ability to regenerate. I could do what I wanted… I was content.”

“Huh,” Maura said, then nodded at the other woman politely. “Come on, Yain, your shift’s over.”

“Alright,” the woman agreed, then looked at Kitania curiously as she stood. “Why are you being so open, though? It doesn’t seem like you’re going for pity… do you think you’re going to get us to underestimate you or something?”

Kitania laughed incredulously and shook her head, a bubble of amusement rushing through her. “Underestimate me, after you shoved me in this cell? Hellfire, no! I just don’t see the point to lying, not when all it’d do is prompt your leaders to be even more suspicious of me. What I want is to get this over with and go home, if that’s possible. I’m worried about my friends, though I’m sure my mother’s guards did their best to rescue them.”

“I suppose I can understand that. Not that I think that your chances are good, of being released, I mean,” Maura said, taking Yain’s chair, a hint of apology in her voice. “You did intrude into the palace.”

“I know,” Kitania replied, and sighed, shaking her head. “Honestly, I’d rather that a decision was made quickly, one way or another. At least then I’d have some idea of what I was going to have to deal with. All the waiting just… chafes.”

“You’re just going to have live with that,” Yain replied, heading down the hall as she waved at Maura.

Sighing in return, Kitania nodded glumly as she took a seat on her bed. “I know I will. I don’t have to like it, though.”

Maura surprised Kitania by giggling, which prompted a smile from the demon in turn.

After a minute, Kitania asked, slightly hopefully, “I don’t suppose I could get a book, or even a board game or something?”

“Sorry, but I think you’re just going to have to deal with what you have,” Maura replied, smiling warmly despite her refusal. At least she was friendly enough.

“I rather figured,” Kitania said, then settled back to think. There wasn’t much to think about, being perfectly honest, but it was better than nothing.

Mostly, anyway. She wondered how Isalla and Rose were doing frequently… and a part of her wondered if they missed her at all. Considering how close the two were when she was there, probably not much. That hurt to think about.

Chapter 4

Ceriax, Queen Estalia’s blademaster, wasn’t what Rose had initially expected. The thin demoness had a few unusual bone ridges along her arms and legs, as well as a pair of more elaborate horns atop her head, but her black hair was cropped short, and she otherwise looked almost human, save for her forked tongue and bright yellow eyes. She also was astoundingly skilled with the sword she favored, which was almost an oversized scimitar that she could wield equally well in one or two hands.

Falling back after their most recent clash, in which Ceriax had deflected Ember without apparent effort before closing in suddenly, Rose tried to catch her breath, only barely dodging Ceriax’s follow-up strike, shocked at how quick the woman was.

“Come now, Lady Rose, you can do better than this,” Ceriax said, flipping the sword to her off hand as she smiled and gestured for Rose to approach, obviously taunting the angel. “I’m told you did quite well against the angels.”

“They were trying to kill me,” Rose replied, and lunged forward, attacking furiously, though she was trying to make sure not to attack vital points. Unlike Rose, Ceriax wasn’t wearing armor, even though Ember hadn’t come anywhere near hitting the demoness yet. It was a little frustrating, though she admired Ceriax’s skill.

“True, true… but you’re never going to beat me at your current rate. Not without decades of practice, and with everything I’ve seen and heard, you don’t have decades,” Ceriax replied, casually deflecting some blows and dodging others as she kept up the conversation. “You’re strong and fast, that’s for certain. What you don’t have is practice anticipating your opponents, or quite as much endurance as I’d prefer.”

“What?” Rose asked, pausing her assault, still breathing hard and with Ember clasped in both hands. She blinked curiously at Ceriax, startled by the woman’s suggestion. “Is that how you’re avoiding my attacks, by predicting them?”

“In large part. Your attacks aren’t entirely predictable, but I’ve fought with plenty of angels before and I ensure that every move I make allows me to deal with most of the other attacks which could follow it,” Ceriax explained, smiling thinly. “Experience is an excellent teacher, especially for those of us who don’t have powerful magical weapons. I’ll have you know that Her Majesty is even better than me with a sword, and I’m constantly working to provide her with a challenge. It isn’t easy.”

“She’s really that good?” Rose asked, her thoughts drifting back to the sight of Estalia in armor, which had been an oddly pleasant sight. “I know she wields a rapier, but…”

“Her Majesty rarely has need to wield her sword in anger, but I’d pit her in a melee against fifty of the Royal Guard and bet all my coin on her,” Ceriax said, pausing as they rested, the dull brown sands of the training salle warm beneath their feet. The blademaster’s expression turned thoughtful as she added, her tone musing, “Half that if she didn’t use her power, but why wouldn’t she? Her Majesty is a master swordswoman. She has to be, to have achieved what she has without possessing a great deal of magic.”

“I see… then, did Kitania take after her?” Rose asked, lowering Ember to the ground and letting her breathing stabilize, curious what Ceriax could tell her. “I saw her using a sword, and she was quite good.”

“Her Majesty’s daughter? You must understand, I wasn’t the blademaster when she was here; I was still rising through the ranks,” Ceriax said, frowning as she seemed to debate for a moment, then continued. “With a sword… no, you are better. Or at least were. But a sword wasn’t Kitania’s chosen weapon. She was quite resistant to taking after Her Majesty, as I recall, so chose something else. In fact, I find it more surprising that she used one at all.”

“Truly?” Rose murmured, frowning slightly. She’d only seen Kitania, Kanae at the time, in black armor and with a sword at her side. The demoness had seemed incredibly comfortable with the weapon and surviving through the attacks of as many opponents as she’d faced in the last battle had been impressive. After a moment, Rose asked, “What was her chosen weapon, then?”

Estalia’s voice rang out at that moment, and her presence startled Rose slightly. “Kitania preferred to wield a particular type of long-bladed glaive… I believe that angels call them cloudpiercers.”

“Your Majesty!” Ceriax said, turning and bowing instantly, followed a moment later by Rose turning, though the angel didn’t bow entirely, instead admiring the queen.

Estalia was accompanied by Isalla, who was also looking at Estalia in surprise. Rose’s friend now bore the beautiful white wings that Rose remembered her possessing, and was wearing a pretty blue dress, though it was simpler than what many people in the palace chose to wear, at least of those that bothered wearing clothing. It didn’t surprise Rose, since Isalla wasn’t fond of elaborate clothing most of the time, but their arrival was a little startling. She also firmly put the incident where Isalla had first seen a naked incubus wandering down the hall out of her mind, since Isalla had firmly insisted that nothing had happened that evening.

“Stand, Ceriax,” Estalia said, smiling warmly as she looked at the blademaster, then at Rose. “How is your training progressing, Rose?”

“Quite well, thank you. I’m regaining my skill quickly, though I’m nowhere near a match for the blademaster. She bears the title for good reason,” Rose replied, raising her head and smiling, even if she did ache all over. Ceriax had also straightened, and sheathed her blade, prompting Rose to follow suit. She was happy to see the others, and even happier around Estalia.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Estalia said, nodding in satisfaction as she gave Ceriax a warm smile that made the blademaster perk up.

Isalla shifted slightly, tilting her head, and her actions drew Estalia’s attention. At her questioning look, Isalla cleared her throat, then asked, “If I may, Your Majesty… why would Kitania favor a traditionally angelic weapon? I mean, cloudpiercers are rarely used even in the heavens, and primarily by guardians of the Holy Council.”

That, Rose reflected, was an excellent question, and one which had almost been driven from her mind by Estalia’s radiance. Rose had only seen a few hundred cloudpiercers in her life, even in the army. That Kitania had wielded one was somewhat puzzling.

“That would be Anna’s fault,” Estalia replied, her smile widening even more, almost more radiant than Rose had seen before, and it dazed her for several long moments.

“Anna?” Ceriax asked, blinking in some surprise. “The Lady of the Spire?”

“Yes, Ceriax, the very one,” Estalia said, smiling even more. “Kitania didn’t wish to follow in my footsteps at the time… she truly was a rebellious young woman, and she spotted Anna practicing with a cloudpiercer and was enthralled by the kata. She always did love to dance as a child, and begged Anna to teach her. So she did, and Kitania… she had a gift for it. That she’d abandon the art for a sword in order to hide more thoroughly tells me just how much she wanted to be lost.”

“I… I see. I didn’t realize that Anna knew how to wield a cloudpiercer,” Rose said, a little startled as she thought back to her time in the spire, and to Anna’s quiet confidence with her sword. “She sparred with me a few times with a sword, and she struck me as at least as good as Ceriax.”

“If anything, Anna is more skilled with a cloudpiercer. It was her favored weapon before she left the heavens,” Estalia explained, her smile widening at Ceriax’s look of shock. “I would not care to face her in battle, not even with Archmage Veldoran at my side. She may not appear to be powerful, but I trust Anna more than anyone else in the world. I’d trust her with my life or Kitania’s, or even with the fate of my domain itself.”

“Oh,” Isalla said, her voice soft and her eyes wide with the shock that was running through Rose as well. “Why did she choose to leave the heavens, then?”

“For much the same reason as Rose, in the end. She was tired,” Estalia said simply, and her smile slowly faded as she continued more soberly. “However, discussing Anna isn’t why I came here. Rose, I would like you to come with me and Isalla. I have the information which we needed, or at least part of it.”

“Oh?” Rose asked, her eyes lighting up as she straightened, but Isalla shook her head quickly.

“I already asked, Rose, but it isn’t something we can act on yet,” Isalla said, dampening Rose’s mood somewhat, but she quickly continued. “However, it’ll likely help set us on the right path, once we can get started.”

“Oh. Well… my apologies, Ceriax, but it appears I need to go,” Rose said, bowing her head to the blademaster gratefully. “I’d like to spar again soon.”

“Certainly, Lady Rose,” Ceriax said, bowing her head as well and smiling warmly in return. “I entirely understand why you need to go, however. We all have demands on our time.”

“Thank you,” Rose said, but her smile faded slightly, but only slightly, as she turned to face Estalia. The queen was just too mesmerizing for her to be truly dismayed. “I’m at your disposal, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, don’t I wish?” Estalia said, her voice teasing as Rose blushed, and she made a beckoning gesture. “Come along. I’d like you to hear this as soon as is possible.”

Rose nodded and followed the beautiful succubus, glancing at Isalla as they stepped out into the beautiful hallways of the palace. Isalla had been exercising her wings, as Rose recalled, and after a moment she asked. “How are your wings doing?”

“They’re sore, mostly,” Isalla said, reaching back to brush the leading edge of one wing, a wry smile on her face. “I thought having them back would solve everything, but their muscles didn’t recover nearly as much as the rest of my body. I can manage about five minutes of flight right now. The healers think that’ll rapidly recover, though, since our wings are meant to recover from damage quickly.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Rose said, relief rushing through her. “I was afraid it might take you longer to recover, to be honest. I’ve heard of angels who couldn’t fly for months after a regeneration.”

“Really? I hadn’t,” Isalla said, looking startled. They were passing into the nicer parts of the palace, Rose noticed, where she knew that Estalia’s private chambers were. She only knew that because it was where she and Isalla were staying at the moment.

“It’s common because some people get the thought in their head that they can’t fly after they’ve lost their wings, and it becomes something of a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Estalia replied absently, startling them with her interjection. “I’ve run into it before, and it’s why I made certain to have the healers tell you that you could fly from the beginning. Better to try and not get far than to have you cripple yourself.”

“That’s… interesting. I hadn’t heard of that before,” Rose murmured thoughtfully considering the different perspective, which prompted a laugh from Estalia.

“I’m speaking from experience, sadly. My mother, though… she had no patience for my whining,” the queen said, her voice a bit playful. “I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but I remembered how to fly quite quickly when she threw me off a tower. She did have a mage ready to arrest my fall if it turned out I couldn’t fly, but it wasn’t necessary.”

“That’s terrible!” Isalla exclaimed, her eyes widening with shock that Rose felt echo through her.

“Take care not to say that to her face, if you have the dubious pleasure of meeting her,” Estalia cautioned, glancing over her shoulder. “She is far, far less forgiving than I am. Even if she agrees with my goals, Mother is… a product of her time. And her time was filled with warfare.”

“I see,” Rose murmured, a little unsettled by the idea. She remembered that Estalia had said that she was the third of her family to bear her mantle, but she hadn’t really put thought into her mother being alive.

“In any case, now we have information to share,” Estalia said, opening a door to a sitting room and stepping inside, holding the door for them. Rose stepped inside and almost stopped, staring at the woman in the room.

Inside the room was the leader of the angels who’d attacked them, the same angel who’d shot Kitania with the arrow that had taken her away. The angel was wearing a supremely simple shift, but she wasn’t in chains or restrained in any way. That startled Rose, but not as much as how the angel was kneeling, her head bowed so her dark hair obscured most of her face and her wings pulled in close. Rose would have expected the woman to have tried to escape, yet all she was doing was kneeling there, instead of spitting curses like she had been the last time Rose had seen her.

“This is Eziel. She was the leader of the angels who attacked all of you… and she deeply regrets what she’s done,” Estalia explained gently, closing the door and walking over to the angel, gently brushing a lock of hair behind the woman’s ear, who shivered at the touch. “She told me everything she knows, though sadly it wasn’t nearly as much as I’d like.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Eziel said, her voice trembling with anxiety. “I wish I could have told you more.”

Rose approached slowly, and didn’t even consider sitting, not when she was in armor and under circumstances like these. Isalla seemed to have the same opinion, since she stood next to Rose nervously, her arms crossed. Rose didn’t feel comfortable, and Eziel’s attitude unsettled her.

Glancing at Isalla, Rose asked quietly, almost dreading the answer, “So, what did you learn?”

“First of all, the arrow which struck Kitania wasn’t meant for her. Originally it was intended for me,” Estalia explained, and Rose saw Eziel flinch and cower a little lower at the explanation. “She wasn’t told much about it, unhappily. Apparently, it’s something one of their artificers had been working on, to pierce almost any defense, then to teleport the victim into the defenses of a mortal god. She simply doesn’t know which god. Isn’t that right, Eziel?”

“That… that’s correct, Your Majesty. They didn’t want me to have too much information, just to be safe,” Eziel admitted softly, looking up, and Rose almost recoiled at the tears in the woman’s eyes, along with obvious regret. “I’m sorry I shot her, Your Majesty. If I’d known what I know now… I never would have fired the arrow. I’m sorry.”

“I know you are,” Estalia said, patting the woman on the head gently, almost like a pet.

There was something horrifying about the situation, Rose realized. Estalia… she was going through the motions of comforting Eziel, yet there was a slight distance that Rose hadn’t seen in Estalia’s actions before. Her sincerity was usually palpable, and yet now… now the queen seemed to barely be tolerating the fawning attention and sorrow of the angel. She really was upset about what happened to Kitania, Rose realized. On the other hand, what had happened to Eziel was almost worse now that she saw the result. Rose hadn’t believed Kitania when she described how Estalia could use her power as a weapon. She hadn’t really believed Estalia either, not fully. But the difference between the fiery, angry angel that had attacked Rose and what Eziel was now… it brought home just how deadly Estalia could be. Rose didn’t hate Estalia, but it made her wonder a little.

“Now then, explain to Isalla and Rose what you were told to do to them, and what you know about your superiors and their plots,” Estalia directed gently. “I want you to explain yourself properly. Then I’ll consider forgiving you, Eziel.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, right away!” Eziel replied quickly, then took a deep breath as she looked at Isalla and Rose almost desperately, beginning to speak. “I was a member of the Society of Golden Dawn, a group of angels who believes that the Holy Council has become corrupt, and too willing to allow the influence of the hells to continue existing. I… was a fervent believer, until Her Majesty taught me how wrong I was. I was willing to do anything to wipe out the denizens of the hells, as well as any angels or mortals who stood in our way. I was told that we had multiple archangels in the society, as well as a minority of the council, and a new deity on our side, an archangel god called the Lord of Light.

“I’d never met him, of course. I was a former guard captain on Haven, and worked to quietly recruit others to the cause, at least until I was contacted by Sorm.” Eziel paused to take a breath, her gaze lowering to the ground again. “Sorm was one of the two superiors in the Society that I knew personally, and he was in charge of military matters. He’d just returned from the Evergardens, I know that much, and he gathered together sixteen of us and gave us our orders. We were sent to Firewatch to get information about you, Roselynn, and when we had a good idea of where you were, we were to enter the hells and assassinate you, retrieving Ember if possible. Along the way, we were to kill Isalla as well, and if… if Her Majesty got in the way, to use the arrow to eliminate her.”

“Sixteen? I only saw fifteen of you,” Isalla interrupted, her eyes narrowing slightly, focusing on a detail that Rose had missed. “Was one of you hiding?”

“Hiding? No, no!” Eziel’s gaze rose quickly as she shook her head vehemently, and Rose relaxed slightly at the protest. “No, when we realized that we wouldn’t have to enter the palace, after some discussion we had the items which would have allowed us to breach the wards returned to the heavens. They were too heavy and bulky to transport easily, and it wasn’t worth the risk of them being found if they weren’t necessary. I kept the arrow just in case.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Your group was fairly powerful, but it wasn’t strong enough to face an elite guard of demons. Four of them took your group down,” Rose said, tapping her knee restlessly as she tried to make sense of what Eziel was saying. She was also tamping down her anger at the sinister plot. It was bad enough that they were planning to murder her and Isalla, but Estalia as well? That made it even worse. “Even then, escaping would have been incredibly difficult.”

“We weren’t prepared. The plan was for us to let the demon who was scouting leave, then we were going to use spells to help ensure our success and properly coordinate. Instead, Bradien attacked her when we weren’t prepared and threw our plans into chaos,” Eziel explained guiltily, lowering her gaze again. “As for escaping, we were to send a message to Sorm and they were going to open a portal to the heavens directly above the gate between Hragon and the hells. Choris was the one who knew how to message them, though, and you killed him.”

“To be fair, their skill didn’t have to be perfect to have a chance of success, Rose,” Estalia spoke softly, looking at Rose in obvious concern. “If they had arrived in the city and stayed hidden, then waited for you to visit one of the outer gardens without your armor, they very well might have been able to strike and flee successfully. Oh, we’d have pursued, but there’s no guarantee that we’d have caught up, if they had spellcasters who were prepared. An assassination is far different than a full-scale assault.”

“True,” Isalla said, chewing her lower lip nervously for a moment. After a few moments, she looked at Eziel angrily, asking bluntly, “Why did they want us silenced, anyway? What is it that they’re planning?”

“I… I don’t know,” Eziel said, looking down at the floor again. “I was just told that we couldn’t afford to have anyone who might know something dangerous out there, so you two were to be eliminated. That was it.”

“Of course it was,” Rose said, feeling a little sour as she scowled. “No wonder you said that none of the information could be acted on, Your Majesty.”

“None can be acted on now, but Eziel has contacts among the Society. She knows a few names, and that… that is something to investigate,” Estalia said, smiling thinly as she looked up at Rose. “It also means that I don’t have to unleash my full wrath on Firewatch since they weren’t directly involved. I’ll do my best to have them captured, Rose, and if at all possible, they’ll remain unharmed. Now, you have a decision to make.”

“What’s that?” Isalla asked, her eyebrows rising as Estalia’s statement drew her attention.

“As I said, Eziel has some contacts who you could use to investigate. There are a handful of people that I’d trust to guard you should you decide to follow the leads, and the sooner you follow up, the more likely you are to reach them before the Society thinks to clean up loose ends,” Estalia said, and brushed Eziel’s hair with her fingers again as she added, “I’m going to ask Veldoran if he can ward Eziel so she seems dead to divinations, but there’s no way to know if it will work. In any case, the other option is to wait until we’ve found Kitania. It would give the two of you more time to prepare, and me more time to get Isalla’s new armor completed. Each has their advantages, I will not lie. What you choose is up to you.”

“We wait,” Rose said promptly, looking at Isalla to ensure she agreed before continuing. “Acting without properly preparing was what got our enemies into this situation. We need to be sure we’re ready before we act. There are simply too few of us in comparison.”

“That’s true. But what about her? If you’re going to fake her being dead…” Isalla asked, looking at Eziel. Rose couldn’t blame Isalla for the mixed feelings she could see on her lover’s face. She both pitied and hated Eziel herself, after all.

“She has information that can be useful, and if they think she’s dead, they’re less likely to try to get rid of her contacts,” Estalia explained, then added with a wicked smile, “Also, as recompense for her extremely displeasing actions, once I’ve found and freed Kitania, Eziel is going to be her loyal servant for as long as they both live. Unless Kitania doesn’t want her, in which case she’ll return to me for my judgment. Which will be far less forgiving if she manages to alienate Kitania.”

“I’ll do my best not to disappoint you, Your Majesty,” Eziel said quickly, her head bowing still more. “I promise, I’ll do everything I can to make her happy with my service.”

“Good girl,” Estalia said almost absently, and Rose winced internally at Estalia’s tone.

“I think that we’d best try to put together what information we can. Is there any way we can get the help of your spymaster or such, Your Majesty?” Rose asked, frowning thoughtfully as she focused on the more important matter. “We’ll also need what names Eziel can provide, to see if we can figure out anything more.”

“I also know the names of some of the members of the Holy Council who were visiting the Evergardens,” Isalla offered nervously. “That might help correlate things a little.”

“An excellent idea. I’ve had Eziel write down the names she has, but before going any further I wish to ensure she’s as undetectable as we can manage. I don’t want to lose what leads we have at this stage,” Estalia said, her mood obviously improving. “Why don’t the two of you go get changed, or at least Rose, and I’ll send someone to find you?”

“Sure, I can do that,” Rose agreed, and Isalla nodded.

“That seems like an excellent idea,” Isalla said, looking at Rose with a bit of relief in her gaze.

“Good. Come along, Eziel. We have precautions to take,” Estalia said, gesturing at the angel.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Eziel replied, hopping to her feet and following Estalia from the room obediently. Rose watched them go, not entirely happy about the situation.

“That… was a little terrifying. She made it look so easy to do that to her,” Isalla said, her voice quiet.

“I’m not sure how easy it was, but you’re right about it being frightening,” Rose replied, shaking her head with just a bit of sorrow. “Remember, we’re only seeing the aftermath. On the other hand… remember how Kitania told us that she could use her power as a weapon?”

“Oh. Of course… that makes a lot more sense,” Isalla said, sounding a little subdued. Then she turned to look at Rose, worry in her eyes. “But… that also means she could do that to us, Rose.”

“Could, yes. But do you really think she would? She doesn’t seem to like the result, if you didn’t notice,” Rose replied, nodding at the door the two had passed through. Her feelings were mixed where Eziel was concerned, but she still trusted Estalia. Her faith in the queen was simply less absolute now.

“I suppose not, but… it worries me,” Isalla admitted softly.

“For good reason,” Rose agreed, and she hesitated before drawing Isalla into an embrace. It wasn’t the most comfortable hug, considering her armor, but at least it allowed her to be there for Isalla.

Chapter 5

Kitania resisted the urge to hum to herself, since she’d noticed it irritated Maura. Most of the other guards weren’t as friendly as Maura was, so she didn’t mind annoying them a little, but Kitania didn’t want to antagonize a person who wasn’t mean to her, like a few of the others could be. The day that one of them had decided to leave her food tray just out of reach had been… annoying. Fortunately, the woman hadn’t counted on how flexible Kitania was, and she’d been able to drag it into reach without spilling any of the water.

Fortunately, that hadn’t been long before Hanrith had arrived with a mage in tow, and the two had used truthtelling magic on Kitania before doing their best to interrogate her. She’d kept her answers short and to the point, and had ignored the probing questions that went beyond how she’d gotten to the courtyard and what her intentions were. If they wanted to know where she was from, they could damned well ask. It felt strange to realize that had only been the previous day, but Kitania was doing everything she could to avoid going out of her mind from boredom. Or from showing weakness in front of the guards, for that matter, which was getting easier, almost like her emotions were going numb.

“Hm?” Kitania looked up as she heard the faint sound of footsteps, but these were different than normal. Most of those who came into the hall wore boots, though the mage had worn slippers. These had the distinct clicking sound of heels, which was new, and possibly meant an end to her boredom was coming.

A moment later, Maura looked up, and her eyes went wide as she stood quickly and saluted, then bowed her head as she spoke. “Your Grace!”

Kitania hesitated, then began to stand, curious just who the goddess whose domain she entered was. Then the woman stepped into sight, and Kitania’s thoughts came to a gibbering, screeching halt as she blanched and took a step back against the wall, whispering softly. “Ah, hellfire and brimstone…”

The woman who had stepped into sight was an elf, like those that Kitania had seen so far, but she was taller than they were. Even without her heels, which added an inch or two to her height, she would’ve been about six feet tall, and the elf had wavy red hair that fell to the middle of her back, while her eyes were a glowing leaf-green. The woman was pale-skinned and beautiful, with the slim body type of most elves, but she wasn’t quite as slim as Maura or the others Kitania had seen. She also was wearing a tight green dress that would allow her to move easily, embroidered with extensive copper patterns across the surface of the dress, and a belt at her side held a slim sword and a horn.

Kitania knew better than to underestimate the woman, though, because she could feel the aura around the woman, the mortal goddess. And she recognized her, which made the situation even worse as more than a little terror rushed through her.

“At ease,” the goddess said to Maura, who relaxed only slightly. Then the goddess turned her cool gaze on Kitania and arched an eyebrow curiously. “This must be our uninvited guest. Interesting… and your reaction makes this even more intriguing. Everything I’ve heard about you has indicated that you’re relatively carefree and never afraid. Why are you afraid now? Do you recognize me?”

“You’re Queen Alserah, the Divine Archer and Queen of the Forest of Sighs,” Kitania replied instantly, tearing her gaze away from the beautiful, terrifying elf to look at the floor, swallowing as she felt her heart pounding. “I had no idea where I was, or I wouldn’t be so carefree, Your Grace. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you, though I suppose it’s far preferable to the circumstances from last time.”

“Indeed? You’re rather better informed than I believed… at least somewhat,” Alserah murmured, reaching out to tap a bar experimentally, causing the metal to chime softly. “Where have you seen me before?”

“Rosken,” Kitania replied simply, keeping her gaze fixed on the goddess’s feet. She remembered seeing her in full battle dress, a glittering bow in hand, as she rained arrows on the defending demon lords and their allies.

Maura choked softly at Kitania’s statement, and even the goddess paused for a long moment. Then Alserah asked, her voice even softer, “Indeed? You were on the outskirts, then?”

“Oh, how I wish I’d been on the outskirts,” Kitania replied, giggling almost maniacally, her body taut as a bowstring by this point, with both terror and the knowledge of where she was. The Forest of Sighs was on Dolia, the second continent from the north, and two full continents away from Zintas and Hragon. She was well behind enemy lines. After a moment, she continued. “No, my unit was assigned to hold the central walls. I was right below the seven of you when the end came. It took a month and a half before I regenerated on the edge of the crater.”

“Ah. That… would be an unpleasant experience. Rosken was painful for everyone involved, and for the bystanders… well. It does explain your trepidation,” Alserah murmured, still watching Kitania with calm interest. “From where do you hail? You seem a touch too shocked to have come from the nearest demonic realm. I have some suspicions but would rather hear it from you.”

“I was in Estalia,” Kitania said, pausing for just a moment, then continuing, closing her eyes so she didn’t have to see the goddess at all. “Near the base of Hellmount… I suppose, just in case you don’t know, Estalia is below a portal in Hragon, on Zintas. I’m far, far from where I thought I might be.”

When she opened her eyes a crack, Kitania saw that Maura’s expression of shock had grown even more pronounced at Kitania’s explanation, and Kitania could understand why. Traveling more than halfway across the mortal world in a single teleportation was incredibly difficult, and rarely done. It did explain how unpleasant the teleportation had been, too.

“Estalia? That’s certainly a surprise. Perhaps not quite as much of a surprise as it might have been, considering your appearance. However, I don’t believe I’ve ever had someone from there end up here. Not outside of the exceedingly rare prisoner exchange,” Alserah said, crossing her arms as she looked at Kitania speculatively, and Kitania felt a lot like a mouse being watched by a hawk. “I don’t suppose you’re worth ransoming? I doubt that there are any prisoners in Queen Estalia’s domain that I could trade you for, unfortunately.”

“I have no idea what my mother would do. Probably be very annoyed with the angels who shot me… assuming they survived,” Kitania replied, hesitating for a moment before she admitted, “I’m Queen Estalia’s daughter. She might want me back, but I’d been in hiding since the war, so… I have no idea.”

“From the choking sound the guard is making, I take it that you haven’t told anyone about your heritage before this. Otherwise, the gossip would have spread through the palace like wildfire,” Alserah said, not even looking at Maura, who did her best to regain her composure at the goddess’s statement.

“I was in hiding for a millennium, until she found me… last week? Close to that,” Kitania replied, feeling completely miserable by this point. “So no, I didn’t tell anyone. Considering my situation, and that it’s you, I thought that sharing might improve my odds of getting home. Maybe.”

“I see, most interesting,” Alserah murmured, her eyes slightly narrowed now, and she reached up to tap her lips, a smile playing across them as she continued after a moment. “You know that your odds of reaching Estalia are poor if I were to release you, yes?”

“From here? I probably wouldn’t reach the coast. I don’t know what kingdoms are between here and there, I’ve been out of touch for too long, but I remember human kingdoms would happily torture stray demons for information,” Kitania said, shivering as she added, “Regeneration isn’t a gift, not in my opinion.”

“You aren’t wrong about the reaction of some locals. Why, one of my researchers requested that they be allowed to test some of their weapons on you,” Alserah agreed, shaking her head in disapproval. “I didn’t approve, of course. I don’t approve of torture, and there isn’t another appropriate term for that.”

“Thank you,” Kitania said, the tension in her shoulders slowly easing. No matter what she’d been expecting, Alserah wasn’t it. She wasn’t anything like the wrathful goddess who Kitania remembered killing a demon lord. She was too calm, for one thing.

“You shouldn’t thank me. I don’t trust you,” Alserah replied bluntly, causing some of Kitania’s tension to return suddenly. The goddess paused for a moment, then continued in the same tone of voice. “On the other hand, I also don’t consider you a threat. You submitted to truth magic, and I have the measure of your power. You aren’t capable of harming me, outside of exceptional circumstances. The question comes down to, what do I do with you?”

“I have no intention of hurting you, or anyone else here. Except maybe in self-defense,” Kitania replied, licking her lips nervously. “I’m tired of the war. It’s part of why I learned to be a healer afterward, so I could help some people, even if it was only in small ways.”

“Indeed? Well, then. Tell me, are you willing to wear a restraint collar, should I release you from this cell?” Alserah asked, finally unfolding her arms and reaching out to tap one of the cell bars again, causing another soft chime. “You would not be allowed to leave the palace, and many places would be off-limits to you. The question is, what are you willing to do for your freedom, however limited?”

Kitania winced unhappily at the thought. Restraint collars weren’t pleasant, though it wouldn’t be her first time wearing one. They were more effective when used on someone who willingly put them on, but they used the wearer’s own magic to restrict their actions. The problem was that the restrictions often varied based on who made them, which could make them even more unpleasant. The one Kitania had worn when she was young hadn’t had many restrictions, it was mostly to keep her from straying out of the palace after one escape attempt too many. Still, if it would allow her out of the cell, it was probably worth the discomfort.

“I would,” Kitania agreed after a minute, looking down to study her feet, her tail flicking nervously behind her. “I don’t like restraint collars, but it would be better than sitting in a cell.”

“Very well. I will make arrangements, and in a few hours I’ll see about your release,” the goddess replied, and she smiled thinly as she added, “I’ll also see about having an emissary sent to Estalia. It likely will take some time to reach her.”

“As you say, Lady Goddess,” Kitania replied, letting her gaze drift upward to Alserah’s face for a moment, then back to the ground. Kitania just hoped that she wasn’t making a mistake.

The goddess didn’t say anything more, and instead turned away, walking down the hallway with the same distinctive clicking of her heels. Only once the sound of her footsteps had faded did Kitania relax slightly, and Maura let out a breath of relief.

“How can you talk to her that easily?” Maura demanded, turning to Kitania incredulously. “She’s a goddess!”

“Yes, she is. So is my mother, effectively, and her presence is far more overwhelming,” Kitania replied, slowly easing over to the cot and sitting down, slightly pleased that her legs weren’t shaking. “If it weren’t for how dangerous I know your goddess is, I wouldn’t have been even as nervous as I was. She’s far from the first deity I’ve met, or demon lord for that matter.”

“Oh really?” Maura asked, her voice almost scathingly skeptical. “How many of them have you met? Have you met an archangel, too?”

“An archangel? Not unless you count the two over Rosken,” Kitania replied, laughing bitterly as she shook her head and sat back against the cool stone wall. “No, excluding this meeting, I’ve met five mortal gods… though admittedly, all of those meetings were in passing. I’ve also met fourteen demon lords, three of whom bore the same mantle, but only four of them were demon lords I actually got to know. I’m not stunned by the power they radiate, not anymore. Especially not compared to my mother.”

“Really? Then what’s she like?” Maura asked, some of her disbelief fading as she studied Kitania. “I mean, if you’ve met multiple gods…”

“Most gods are incredibly powerful, physically or magically. My mother’s power is different, because she’s… she’s like the sun dawning. She draws the eye of everyone, and her power is like a whirlpool that you can’t resist,” Kitania murmured, smiling sadly as she looked at Maura. “She could enrapture you, toy with you, and break your heart in a night, and you’d thank her for it. It’s just who she is, and I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count. Compared to her, as powerful as Lady Alserah might be, her presence just… isn’t the same. It can’t be.”

“That… is kind of terrifying,” Maura said, frowning deeply. “And that’s your mother?”

“Terrifying? I suppose that’s one way to put it,” Kitania replied, smiling in amusement as she looked back at Maura. “Regardless… yes, that’s my mother. Estalia is also benevolent compared to my grandmother.”

Maura stared for a long moment, then murmured, “I don’t understand demons.”

Kitania laughed, grinning as she nodded in agreement. “Me neither.”

Then she sat back to wait. Even if she was going to have to wear a restraint collar, she was looking forward to getting out of the cell.

* * *

“This is your room, at least for now,” the maid said, opening the door of the room. Kitania noted the lack of a lock and that the door opened inward with interest, since she’d half expected the room she was assigned to be more like a prison cell. No one would want a prisoner to have access to the hinges of their cell, so it surprised her.

They’d passed through pristine, beautiful hallways to reach the room, several of which opened to lush gardens surrounded by the palace, and the sheer amount of greenery felt alien to Kitania after a millennium in the hells. Eventually they’d passed through a door into smaller, less elaborate halls, and the numerous servants had made it obvious to Kitania that she was in the wing intended for servants and soldiers. Not that she minded, considering her clothing.

Taking a step into the room, Kitania made certain to pull her tail fully through the door. She’d almost gotten it caught in a door once already, and she mentally cursed having lost her changed shape yet again. One of the changes had been shortening her tail, since it was far too prone to getting caught in doorways if she wasn’t careful.

“I see. It’s more elaborate than I was expecting, to be honest.” Kitania replied, turning in place to look things over, and ignoring the guards looking into the room after her as she examined the room, pleasantly surprised by the sight. “I also expected a lock, but I suppose this makes that unnecessary.”

She tapped the gold collar around her neck absently, thankful that the metal had warmed to her body temperature already. It was mostly plain, with a small emerald in a copper setting on the front and was far prettier than most restraint collars Kitania had seen.

The room wasn’t large, but it was at least as big as her room in the hells. There was a small bed, large enough for a much taller person than Kitania, a modest wardrobe, a cloak rack, and a vanity, though the last didn’t have a mirror. The floor was wood, with a single plain carpet by the bed, and a narrow window looked out onto the palace stables and a field inside the walls. The room looked like it’d been hastily cleaned not too long ago, including changing the bedding. That didn’t change the fact she could see a fair amount of dust and dirt around the room. Admittedly, it was about as clean as her cell had been, but it irritated her for some reason.

“I believe so. You will be responsible for cleaning up after yourself, and you can use the servant baths down the hall, as well as the privies,” the maid replied, a severe-looking brunette who looked quite unhappy with Kitania’s presence. “Meals will be delivered to your room, unless you are requested to attend one elsewhere. Do you have any questions?”

“Of course I do. First, will I have any other changes of clothing? I’m afraid I’ve been wearing this for a few days, and it’s in need of laundering,” Kitania said, looking down at her clothing as she did so, her nose wrinkling slightly as she continued briskly. “Second, where can I take care of laundering it, and where are the cleaning supplies?”

“I beg your pardon?” the maid asked, looking slightly taken aback by the barrage of questions.

“I want to clean the room properly so that I’m comfortable with it, and I’d like to change into something that doesn’t stink like I doubtlessly do,” Kitania replied, looking at the woman calmly. “A bath is also in order, but it can wait until I’ve cleaned up the room.”

Kitania saw the two guards exchange perplexed looks but suppressed her urge to smile at their reactions. She didn’t want to get off on completely the wrong foot, even if she’d obviously confused the maid. Likely a head maid, come to think of it. Kitania hoped that she hadn’t displaced one of the higher-ranking servants, as that could make her time here far more unpleasant than she’d like.

“I see. More clothing will be provided, I’ve been informed, and should arrive shortly,” the maid said at last, regaining her poise. “As for cleaning supplies, if you would follow me? I’ll also show you the laundry room.”

“Thank you,” Kitania replied and proceeded to follow the maid as she left the room, and the two guards followed her.

Kitania really hoped that Alserah wasn’t planning to have two guards assigned to her constantly. She’d already been warned that the collar wouldn’t let her attack anyone on the palace grounds, so all they’d be doing was keeping an eye on her and making those who might attack Kitania hesitate.

Before too long, Kitania had been shown to a room filled with cleaning supplies, which was conveniently near the large laundry room. It was quite a bit different than any laundry room Kitania was familiar with, but at least the water from their boiler didn’t smell like sulfur. Kitania thanked the maid, then gathered the supplies she needed and went back to the room, a large bucket of steaming water in one hand and a basket of brushes, a sponge, and soap in the other, while she held a broom close with her tail. The last got a lot of strange looks and double takes, she noticed.

Setting things down, Kitania looked around the room and smiled, gently closing the door, then picked up a rag to dust first, murmuring, “If I’m going to live here, I want it to be clean.”

So she got to work. It was going to take a while, she expected, but when she was done, she wanted the floor to shine. It was good to be able to do something productive at last.

* * *

“What has my newest guest been up to since being released from prison?” Alserah asked, looking out the window at the palace grounds. A small part of her was tempted to go hunting the next day, just to get out of the palace.

Hanrith shifted, then spoke, his voice a little annoyed. “I feel I need to reiterate my opposition to this Kitania being released from her cell, Your Grace. Even with the restraint collar, I’m not comfortable with a demon being given the freedom to move about the palace.”

“Your opposition is noted. Not ignored, but… I feel that I can trust her to remain true to her word,” Alserah replied, turning to look at Hanrith steadily. “She survived Rosken, and no others in her position could have. I saw the fear in her eyes, and sincerity. Beyond that, if she truly is Estalia’s daughter… she’s a demon lord who I believe can be negotiated with in good faith.”

“If you say so, Your Grace,” Hanrith agreed, bowing his head deeply in acquiescence, even if he didn’t look happy about the answer he’d been given. “As for Kitania, according to my reports, she’s been cleaning.”

“Cleaning?” Alserah asked, a hint of surprise rippling through her. Of all the answers she’d expected, that certainly wasn’t one of them. So after a moment, she asked, “What do you mean, she’s cleaning?”

“From what I was told, she didn’t like how her room had been cleaned, so she’s spent the last four hours cleaning it again. One of the guards says that she’s never seen the floor in the servant wing shine like that,” Hanrith said, looking incredibly puzzled, and possibly unnerved.

“I… see,” Alserah said, and for just a moment she felt her brow furrow, and she felt a stab of pain sear through her. Then she shook off the pain, calming her mind as she sighed, smiling thinly. “She certainly does know how to surprise me. Cleaning, of all the things. Continue keeping watch over her, Captain.”

“As you wish, Your Grace,” Hanrith said, then turned to leave the room.

Once he was gone, Alserah reached up to rub her temple, wincing slightly as she reminded herself, “I don’t trust demons. Their injuries can last too long.”

Chapter 6

The maid paused, gaping as she looked around the bedroom, obviously almost forgetting that she had the tray of food in her hands, and Kitania resisted the urge to sigh. She hadn’t realized that cleaning the room would get this kind of reaction, but even if she had, it wouldn’t have dissuaded her.

The walls were pristine, which had taken nearly three washes, the dust was gone, as was the dirt in the corners, even under the bed and wardrobe, and she’d ensured that the carpet and bedding were perfectly clean. She’d also polished the wardrobe, table, and bedposts until they practically glowed in the light through the window, along with the floor and door itself.

It’d taken hours of exhausting work, but after being cooped up in a cell for days, Kitania had welcomed the work. It was something to concentrate on and do, which had helped exhaust her for the first time since coming to the palace. So she reached out to take the tray, speaking calmly. “Thank you for the meal. I’ll return the tray and dishes shortly.”

“Um, alright…” the maid replied, tearing her gaze from the sparkling glass in the window. “How did you get your room to look like this?”

“It took several hours of work, and a few centuries of practice,” Kitania replied dryly, setting the tray on the table and noting the food it held looked rather good, which caused her stomach to rumble impatiently. “I’m used to keeping my living space quite clean, as I’m a healer. I don’t want someone’s wounds getting infected due to a lack of cleanliness.”

“I… see,” the maid replied, nodding slowly. “Well, I suppose… enjoy your breakfast?”

“I will. Thank you very much,” Kitania said, closing her door once the woman had stepped back, then moved over to the tray and smiled.

Maybe the residents of the mortal world wouldn’t be too impressed with the meal, but she wasn’t them. Blueberries, oatmeal, and a small portion of what looked like cooked ham were all that made up the meal, along with a mug of water, but all of them were rare treats in the hells. Considering that, she quickly began to eat, savoring the blueberries, though she dropped some of them in the oatmeal to add some flavor to it.

The previous night hadn’t been that bad either, aside from all the work. It’d taken Kitania enough time to clean that she’d been given a few more outfits, these ones even in colors that weren’t brown. Green might not be her favorite color, but she could handle it. One of the pairs of trousers had been adjusted so it wouldn’t try to go over her tail, while the skirts would simply have to bump it. Most of the tops were normal tunics, which also pleased her.

Kitania had taken a bath in a small bathing stall with a large basin she barely fit in, but which she could fill from the boiler. It’d been amusing when one of the maids had accidentally drawn aside her curtain, as Kitania was fairly certain that the woman hadn’t turned so red purely from the heat and steam, but otherwise the bath was uneventful. Then she was able to put on clothing that fit reasonably well for the first time in what felt like ages.

Once she finished her meal, Kitania put on a close-fitting shirt and the trousers, then the pair of shoes she’d been given. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than the clothing she’d had in the cell, and it would be far more pleasant to exercise in.

Gathering the dishes, Kitania opened the door and glanced over at the two guards, tilting her head as she spoke. “I’m going to deliver this back to the kitchen, then I wanted to exercise. Is there an exercise yard or something that I can access? I was told that the collar grants me access to most of the areas of the palace that aren’t exclusive to the royal family.”

It was a different pair of guards today, but they were still female. That puzzled Kitania a little, since the guard obviously had male guards, and she’d seen a fair number on her way here. It was possible that they thought female guards might be more resistant to any persuasion, though, which felt like a reasonable explanation to Kitania. Regardless, she waited patiently as they looked at each other for a moment, a little amused at the thought. She preferred women, after all

“What sort of exercise are you meaning?” one of the women asked, sounding a little dubious.

“Primarily jogging and running, but I’m also likely to do some acrobatics. I haven’t been in this particular shape in a long, long time, almost a millennium, and I’d like to get used to my body again,” Kitania replied, bouncing up on her toes as she stretched, ignoring how a servant down the hall stumbled at the sight. “I did what I could in the cell, but it was rather limited. I wouldn’t mind sparring, either, but I’m not sure the collar would even allow that.”

“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t be out of the question to take you down to the exercise yard,” the other guard said, a slight smile of amusement playing across her lips. “I’m not sure if the sergeant would be willing to let you onto the sparring ground, but watching someone else work up a sweat wouldn’t bother me. It’s better than being indoors.”

“Plus, it gives you a better idea of what I’m capable of. I’m sure that your commander would be far happier knowing that,” Kitania said, smiling and starting down the hall, then pausing at their blank expressions, blinking as she asked, slightly incredulously, “What, was I not supposed to realize that?”

“Uh…” the first woman began, looking hesitant, and a bit chagrined.

“Look, I’m older than either of you, I know that much. Unless anyone in the palace is the recipient of life extension, I’m likely older than anyone short of your goddess herself, and I’m not sure how old she is. I’m not asking, either,” Kitania said, and she saw a couple of servants a short distance down the hall slow, looking like they were listening. She kept her tone as patient as possible as she continued, fighting down her frustration. “I fought in the War of Decimation, and I didn’t start as a common soldier. I know how suspicious people will be of me. I’m expecting you to report on everything I do since I’m a prisoner in the palace. I just don’t really care about it. I want to get back in shape, figure out how to use my body properly, and hopefully get released in the future. That’s it.”

“You were in the War of Decimation?” the first woman asked, sounding shocked. “What was it like?”

“Bloody, brutal, and it led to the deaths of all but two people who’d been in my unit,” Kitania said flatly. “Those two weren’t present at Rosken when the final battle commenced. I remember seeing Alserah kill one of the demon lords, and then, just as a god was about to die, he used all his power to compete with an archangel… and everything went black. Everyone in the fortress died except me, and it took me weeks to regenerate. I suspect it just took what was left of me that long to make its way to the edge of the pit. I’ve pretty much lost my taste for war.”

Neither replied, and Kitania started down the hallway toward the kitchen again. She figured her story would spread through the palace quickly, but she didn’t much care. She wanted to deliver her tray and get outside.

“If you’ve lost your taste for war, why do you want to spar?” the second guard asked at last, sounding honestly curious.

“Just because I don’t want to fight doesn’t mean that other people will leave me alone. There’s also the likelihood of something deciding it wants to eat me or a friend… the hells are a dangerous place,” Kitania told her, stepping around a manservant with a basket of laundry. It was so strange being in a place where all the people looked similar to one another. She was used to the incredible variety of the hells. “If things haven’t changed here, I suspect that in most kingdoms of the mortal world, you can go days without being attacked when traveling.”

“Well… yes? You’re saying you can’t in the hells?” the same guard asked, sounding even more puzzled.

“Let’s see… on my last trip, I think we averaged being attacked by wildlife about twice a day, and ran into bandits three times during the three-week trip,” Kitania replied, a little amused by the choking sound the guard made. “Some of them were really desperate, since I was in full armor at the time, and wasn’t quite as short or delicate-looking.”

“That’s insane!” the first guard exclaimed, and Kitania just laughed softly.

“Another day in the hells. You defend yourself or you die. Mind you, settling down in one place is usually safer, as is traveling in a larger group. It was just me and Isalla at the time,” Kitania said, then her smile faded as her worry spiked again, along with a little depression. “I really hope she’s alright. She should be… Mother left guards nearby, so they should’ve arrived in time to help. Her and Rose both.”

That didn’t get a response, and Kitania shrugged internally as she spotted the door to the kitchens. She’d found out where dishes went the previous night, so at least she wasn’t floundering around this time. Soon she’d be able to go to the training yard, and that would be better. She wouldn’t have time to answer questions. She didn’t want to answer questions, either, especially not about Isalla and Rose.

* * *

“Is that the demon you were guarding?” Amden asked, and Maura rolled her eyes, sighing at his question.

“Is there another demon in the palace?” she asked, glancing over at the taller man in annoyance.

Maura grew even more annoyed as she saw his expression. Demons were reviled for the most part throughout the kingdom, but some people still found them interesting, especially succubi. While Kitania might not be a succubus, she was close enough for most people, and the demoness stood out.

Kitania was near the edge of the training ground, her purple hair tied back as she did multiple handsprings in a row, revealing a sense of balance and flexibility that Maura could only envy. The demoness had messed up several times earlier, prompting some laughter from the others around the training yard, but instead of getting disgusted, the demoness had calmly brushed herself off, reset the dislocated shoulder in one case, and tried again. That had silenced most of the laughter, since most of the other soldiers would have been visiting a healer instead of continuing. Her pink skin was almost like that of a pale rose or other flower, which made the demon stand out even more than her activities or tail would have to begin with.

“Of course not, but… I had to ask,” Amden replied, giving Maura an annoyed look himself. “Do you know anyone else who can do flips like that? In the guard, I mean.”

“Nope. Performing troupes might be able to, or maybe some members of the infiltration squads, but I haven’t seen anyone that flexible before. Or strong,” Maura added, watching in disbelief as Kitania paused in a handstand, then did a one-handed push-up before springing to her feet.

“There we go… I think I’m back to old form. Finally. It only took, what… two hours of tripping over myself?” the demoness said, glancing at the sun and wiping her forehead. Her voice was barely audible due to distance, and Maura shook her head again.

The demon’s guards looked even more perplexed, which amused Maura for some reason. She wasn’t sure when she’d be on guard duty for Kitania again, but it made sense to rotate through the guard. Kitania was rather good at putting others at ease, Maura had noticed, and that meant giving her less time to work on any one person was probably wise.

Sergeant Marigold was also near Kitania, and had been watching her for some time, Maura noticed. The man almost looked impressed, though at the moment he was scowling. A moment later, he started approaching Kitania, and Maura’s smile faded.

“Uh, oh… that look doesn’t bode well,” Maura murmured, and she saw Amden looking more apprehensive as well.

“Yeah… that’s the look he has when he’s about to put someone through training hell, isn’t it?” Amden asked hesitantly, dread in his voice. When Maura nodded, he continued. “The sergeant isn’t going to put a demon through his training… is he?”

“I have no idea,” Maura said, but she continued to watch from what she thought was a safe distance. She hoped it was, at least.

* * *

“Pardon my intrusion, Your Grace,” Hanrith said, stepping into her office and bowing.

“Captain,” Alserah murmured, looking up from the book that discussed Estalia. It was out of date by nearly four centuries, but fortunately the demon queen hadn’t changed significantly in that time, based on what she’d heard lately. That made it a more reliable source than it might have been otherwise. On the other hand, it also concerned her, since none of the information mentioned that Estalia had a daughter. After a moment, she asked, “What is it this time?”

“Ah, one of the sergeants in the guard sent a request to me. It appears that the demon is exercising in the training yard, and as he’s aware she fought in the War of Decimation, he wishes to use her to train his soldiers,” Hanrith explained, looking extremely uncomfortable. “I’m told she discussed sparring with them, but I believe the restraint collar will prevent her from doing so. What would you have me do?”

“Is that so?” Alserah asked, her eyebrows arching in curiosity. She suppressed the emotion as much as she could, but smiled despite the slight pain that rippled through her mind. She had a decent line of sight to the training yard from the balcony, and her sight was better than that of any normal elf. Considering that, she pulled out an orb and laid a hand on it, channeling mana into the control sphere carefully. She adjusted the restrictions on Kitania’s restraint collar with a mere thought, then put the orb away again.

“There. I’ve adjusted the restrictions, and Kitania is now able to wield weapons in the training yard without difficulty,” Alserah said, her chair scraping across the floor as she stood. “Understanding her capabilities will be good for all of us. The sergeant’s request is to be granted, so long as he does not force her into participating.”

“As you wish, Your Grace,” Hanrith replied, a faint look of surprise on his face. He bowed, then quickly left the room.

Once he was gone, Alserah opened the door to the balcony. She wanted to watch the display. It might even be amusing.

* * *

“You want me to spar with a couple of the guards?” Kitania asked, her eyebrows rising a little. The sergeant looked entirely serious, so she shrugged and replied. “I was rather hoping to be able to spar, but… I don’t know if I can. It’s entirely possible that this collar will keep me from so much as picking up a practice blade.”

“I asked my superiors, and they’ve informed me that your restrictions will only keep you from using a weapon outside of the training grounds,” the sergeant said, and glanced over at the numerous soldiers who were watching them. “I believe it would be good to give my soldiers some practical experience of what it’s like to face demons.”

“I see. Well, I do need to get back into shape, so I can’t say that the offer is unwelcome,” Kitania replied, glancing over at the few people who she could see sparring. There were less outside than she’d seen before, but almost all of them were using a sword of some kind, and about half were using shields. That was normal for elves, from what she knew, so she looked at the sergeant and asked curiously, just a hint of anticipation building inside her, “Using a sword, I assume? It’s what I’ve used most recently.”

“That depends. Is that what you want to use?” the man asked, glancing at her guards as what almost passed for a smile crossed his face. “I want to give them experience, not coddle them.”

“In that case… do you have a long-bladed glaive? A practice one, I mean?” Kitania asked, slightly smiling at the response. She hadn’t been expecting to have a choice of weapons. “I used to use one, and it’d need to be balanced so it can be used like a staff as well.”

“A glaive? Well, that’s a touch more unusual, but we have a few practice glaives around,” the sergeant said, and glanced over at one of the nearby soldiers before barking, “Private! Go get three practice glaives and bring them out here. Good ones.”

“Right away, Sarge!” the woman replied, and quickly trotted off toward one of the buildings.

The sergeant grunted, then looked back at Kitania, sizing her up before asking, “You want padding? I wouldn’t want you to end up with something broken. I’d be a bit more concerned if I hadn’t seen them scrape you off the courtyard, but that tells me you can heal well enough.”

“Thank you, but no. If I had my old armor, maybe, but anything else is liable to slow me down,” Kitania replied, shaking her head gently. “Besides, my bones are tougher than normal to begin with. If something does break, unless it’s pulverized entirely, I’ll be fine in a half hour or so.”

“Hm. Being able to recover like that seems awfully convenient,” the man replied, his smile fading slightly. For her part, Kitania laughed softly.

“Convenient? If you don’t mind the pain, I suppose,” Kitania replied quietly, folding her arms and looking away, thinking back on some of her injuries. “I feel pain as much as anyone else. The only difference is that it doesn’t tend to last, and I can’t die. That isn’t always a gift.”

“Perhaps so,” he replied, not looking terribly impressed by her claim. Kitania didn’t bother replying, since she knew he’d made up his mind. It simply wasn’t worth arguing with him about it.

The soldier returned, and Kitania blinked as she saw the three practice glaives. All were made of wood, which didn’t surprise her, but their design wasn’t quite what she’d been expecting. The type of glaive she knew had a longer blade, almost like a sword, and the cloudpiercers she was more skilled with had even longer blades than most of those. These glaives were a little more like an axe blade on the end, though they were reasonably long. Even so, it should suffice for practicing with.

“Here they are, Sarge,” the woman said, panting.

“Good work. Now, see if any of them suffice. If they don’t, we’ll have to go with a quarterstaff or some such,” the sergeant said, looking at Kitania again, his arms crossed. She could almost see him biting back orders. That was fortunate, since she wasn’t willing to let him order her around. She was cooperating, not obeying her captors utterly.

“Indeed. Definitely not the style I used when learning, but I didn’t expect that,” Kitania replied, taking one of the glaives and testing its balance. The first one was… poor, to put it mildly.

Wincing, Kitania handed it quickly back and took the second one. That one was much better, and she took a step back to give it a few practice swings. It had an excellent balance, and she nearly got the butt caught in her tail in her distraction. She handed it over to take the third, and while it wasn’t as poorly balanced as the first, it was definitely worse than the second. She handed it back and took the second glaive again, nodding slightly.

“It isn’t the best I’ve used, but this one will suffice, I think,” Kitania said, taking a step back and giving the glaive another practice twirl, using her body as a fulcrum around which to swing the glaive. It almost startled her how easy it was to wield, after so many years using a sword. The only problem with using a glaive, or cloudpiercer, was that she lacked the wings which most users possessed, so Kitania couldn’t use the full training that Anna had given her. That was why she’d developed her own version of the martial art, one which didn’t rely on being able to fly.

The sergeant was frowning at Kitania, looking almost confused, and she smiled at him as she brought the glaive to a stop, ignoring several skeptical looks as she nodded, her mood improved at the thought of Anna. “I may be out of practice, but the best way to recover is to just jump into things, I think. So, who do you want me to fight?”

Grunting softly, the sergeant nodded to a soldier nearby, one who was in the padding that the elves used to protect against blows. The man blinked, and the sergeant scowled as he barked. “What, do you need an engraved invitation? Come on, show her what you’re made of!”

“Yes, Sarge!” the man replied, and he quickly took a position opposite Kitania, while others stood back, including the sergeant.

Looking between them, the sergeant spoke sourly. “Now then. No head blows, no groin shots, and try not to break anything on either of you. We don’t have the ability to regenerate, so don’t try to do lasting damage.”

“Right, I can do that,” Kitania agreed, smiling slightly. At least the man was wearing a helmet, in case she couldn’t hold back perfectly. The man nodded as well, preparing his shield and sword.

“Alright… begin!” the sergeant barked, and he stood back.

Kitania whipped around her glaive and smiled as the man charged toward her, obviously trying to get inside her reach. Her glaive hit his shield, staggering the man for just a moment, long enough for her to take the recoil and spin, the butt sweeping the man’s feet from under him before he could react.

The soldier hit the ground with a grunt, obviously stunned, and the next moment she had her practice glaive at his throat. Kitania smiled at him as she calmly asked, feeling slightly gleeful now. It’d been too long since she’d wielded a polearm. “Care to try again? Preferably without underestimating me, this time.”

* * *

“That… is unusual,” Alserah murmured, watching as Kitania defeated her tenth opponent.

The first one hadn’t proven much of a challenge, but the demon had quickly improved still more, while her opponents learned from the defeat of their fellow soldiers. She’d lost three times already, but the demon had quickly gotten back up and tried again, learning at least as fast as the soldiers did.

What Alserah hadn’t expected was the style that Kitania used. The glaive was odd enough as it was, but it was the way Kitania moved that truly drew her eye. She used her glaive to pole vault, as a counterbalance to move more quickly, and as part of a beautiful, spinning dance of death. It reminded Alserah of some of the styles she’d seen angels use, and it brought to mind a similar scene from the Siege of Rosken.

That time, the battle had been ongoing, and it was just before Alserah and the others had joined what proved to be the final assault on the demon-held fortress. She only barely recalled seeing a figure using what had looked like an angelic cloudpiercer to fend off the mortals surging up over the walls. The figure had worn midnight blue armor, as Alserah recalled, and while the style meant that she couldn’t hold close formation with allies, the defender hadn’t needed to.

“She was telling the truth, it seems,” Alserah murmured, slowly nodding to herself. She hadn’t entirely believed Kitania’s claim that she’d been on Rosken’s central wall, but the fighting style wasn’t something she could fake. Besides, the demon couldn’t know that Alserah had seen her and remembered it, or that she’d see it now.

“A riddle, indeed,” Alserah murmured, then shook her head and turned away. “No matter; what comes, comes. I’ll deal with it when I must.”

She didn’t bother watching further. Either way, even if the combats helped Kitania grow more skilled, they’d also help the soldiers. In the end, that made it worth allowing the demon to practice. Unless she managed to hurt someone, that was.

Chapter 7

“Eziel is dead, Sorm,” Haral said, her voice flat with anger, though she wasn’t upset with him.

The angel looked up from his pack and frowned as he looked back at her. “Is she? I… find that startling. She was rather skilled, as I recall.”

“That’s what you said. However, due to the lack of word about their task, I had one of our magi perform divinations,” Haral said, her voice grim. “Of the sixteen, one is accounted for, because she brought back the most sensitive gear when Eziel discovered that Roselynn wasn’t in the palace, but was near Hellmount instead. Six more are dead, including Eziel, and the remainder are alive and well. The mage who was to contact us when they retreated is among the dead, and while their exact location is impossible to narrow down from this far away, they aren’t near Hellmount. Worse, both Isalla and Roselynn are alive and well.”

“Archangel tears,” Sorm cursed, his frown growing deeper. “Something must have happened outside our expectations. Either they ran into a hazard that could kill six of them, which doesn’t seem likely from what I’ve heard, or the defenders were a lot tougher than Eziel anticipated. I wonder… could the demon queen have decided to move toward Hellmount?”

“That would be incredibly out of character for her, according to all the reports I’ve seen,” Haral replied, pausing as she thought about the reports she’d looked at after the mercenaries had sent Roselynn to Estalia for interrogation. “Everything I’ve seen about Estalia indicates that she’s selfish and prefers not to get involved in the war between the heavens and hells. While she does take prisoners, it appears that she primarily does so for the wealth that prisoner exchanges can bring her. That and expanding her cult inside her territory.”

“Odd. I believe it would be worth inquiring of Firewatch whether they’ve heard anything about her movements,” Sorm said, turning away from his pack and looking at Haral seriously. “Most of those who could be dangerous to our cause are dead, from what you’ve told me, but I am still concerned. However, I don’t believe it’s worth sending additional people into the hells at this point. We’ve lost enough as it is, and further attempts are likely to draw the attention we’re seeking to avoid.”

“True enough, I suppose,” Haral agreed, frowning unhappily. After a few moments, she asked, “Would you report on the events to the circle when you return? While I’m unhappy with the results, it’s best to give them what information we have.”

“Agreed. In the meantime, I suggest you check to see if the arrow was used,” Sorm said, growing still more solemn. “I can’t imagine Eziel falling without at least attempting to use it, so if it was used, it would provide a little more information. I believe that the Forest of Sighs wouldn’t be able to conceal word of an attack on Alserah’s palace for more than a few hours.”

Haral nodded, realizing he was right. She hated to think of the arrow being used in any way that didn’t involve killing a demon lord, but she couldn’t blame Eziel if she’d used it in an attempt to live. Fortunately, it was far, far easier to get word from the area around the Forest of Sighs than it was to get word from Zintas. She had to use too many cutouts to contact anyone on the southern continent safely, where it was easy in the northern kingdoms.

“I’ll do that,” Haral agreed and smiled warmly as her tension eased. “May you go in light.”

“And bring doom to the shadows,” Sorm replied, smiling in turn. “Even if they have a few clues, none of our opponents know enough to stop us. We simply have to be wary, love.”

“None that we know of,” Haral corrected gently, shaking her head. “I should have just killed Isalla and been done with it. The risk of someone using a divination to realize she was killed in the heavens was too small compared to the risk she is now.”

“True enough,” the man agreed, finishing packing his clothing and letting out a soft breath. “Still, there’s nothing she can do from the hells. To be any danger, she has to return to at least the north. And if she comes to the north…”

“Then she’s within our reach,” Haral finished, smiling. “I’ll make sure that arrangements are made. Travel safely.”

“I shall,” Sorm agreed, and hefted his pack, adjusting his armor before leaning forward to give her a kiss. “It was pleasant seeing you again. Perhaps we’ll have time to truly settle down in the future.”

Haral returned the kiss and smiled warmly as she nodded and replied. “I’d like that. Once the world is properly ordered at last, we’ll have plenty of time for it. Until next time.”

He smiled and left the room, at a much more sedate pace than he normally took. Haral watched Sorm go, and her smile slowly faded as he vanished. She really did wish that he could spend more time with her, but she couldn’t have everything. Even a retired member of the Council Guard had his duties.

“I’ll just have to make sure he can settle down sooner, rather than later,” Haral murmured, smiling more enthusiastically. “Now, let’s go get those letters of inquiry drafted, hm? The sooner I get started…”

Haral laughed softly and turned to head into her office. At least running a supply company gave her plenty of cover for traveling and sending frequent messages. Soon enough, she’d have more information, and from there she’d be able to work on securing her future.

Chapter 8

“What did you say?” Cecilia asked, almost spinning around, the handmaiden’s eyes widening in shock. Cecilia really was rather pretty, Niadra admitted privately, with blue eyes, strawberry blonde hair, smooth skin, and an elegant figure, one which had initially intrigued Niadra. It was part of why Niadra had chosen the lower-ranking noblewoman as her handmaiden. On the other hand, she was also prone to minor outbursts like the one she’d just made. It could be tiresome on occasion, and combined with Cecilia’s lack of interest in women, had ended any hope of a surreptitious relationship. It really was a little disappointing.

“I want the demon, Kitania, invited to the ball this coming weekend,” Niadra said, turning to examine herself in the mirror, admiring how the black silk looked against her skin, matching her unusually dark hair. She smiled, her lips bright red in the mirror, and met her own dark blue eyes as she continued. “She’ll need a dress, but that’s easy to arrange. I’ll take care of the expense, of course. Should the ball go well, I’d like her to be invited to the next ball as well.”

“But… may I ask why? She’s a demon!” Cecilia protested, gesturing in the vague direction of the servant wing.

“That’s exactly why, Cecilia,” Niadra replied, smiling broadly as she glanced at the woman, delight bubbling up and threatening to make her laugh. “Do you know how few of the nobility have seen a demon in a peaceful environment? Let alone one they can safely examine, collared as she is by my beloved ancestor? I’m told that Kitania is strong, at least compared to the majority of the Royal Guard, and she is beautiful in an exceedingly exotic fashion. Bringing her to the ball will be something spoken about for years, even if there’s an incident. If it goes well, it could shape the gatherings for decades to come.”

“I… perhaps so, My Lady, but what if something goes wrong? If she misbehaves, might that not reflect on you?” Cecilia asked, obviously grasping at straws for a reason to object. “I just worry that it could be more trouble for you than it’s worth.”

“Mm, I really don’t think so,” Niadra replied, shaking her head as she turned away from the mirror, refusing to let Cecilia’s fears sway her. “I just want her invited.”

“If you say so, My Lady,” Cecilia replied reluctantly, and Niadra smiled still more as the handmaiden continued. “I’ll ensure that she has a dress as well.”

“Excellent,” Niadra said, and started for the door as she continued. “Now, I believe I’ll begin the day with breakfast by the pond. Come along, Cecilia. I’m sure we’ll have company before long.”

“Of course, My Lady!” Cecilia said, obviously more enthusiastic now. Niadra resisted the urge to roll her eyes, since she knew Cecilia’s enthusiasm was due to the numerous princes and nobles that might wander by. Aside from one of the candidates to replace the current king, Niadra wasn’t interested in any of the men who might express interest in her.

No, Niadra smiled to herself as she thought about Kitania. Niadra had always had somewhat more exotic tastes, and had long since come to terms with the fact that she’d likely never have a position of power due to them. She preferred women, and someone as exotic as Kitania… she piqued Niadra’s interests quite firmly. The question was simply how receptive the demon might be, and how easily Niadra could avoid anyone catching them together. She couldn’t afford to ruin her reputation.

It wouldn’t be easy, Niadra was certain. On the other hand, that had never stopped her before.

* * *

Kitania looked up from the book as someone knocked on the door. She tilted her head curiously but set the book aside as she stood, speaking loudly. “One moment, I’ll be right there.”

She’d been pleased that she was allowed into one of the palace’s lesser libraries, as Kitania’s attempt at going into the main library had resulted in a firm shock from her collar and the inability to take a single step beyond its doors. Fortunately, she’d been able to find a book that included a fair number of medical treatments that she hadn’t encountered before, and she’d started putting together lists of herbs that would work adequately for different treatments in the mortal world. Kitania was also happy to notice that some of the more common herbs were available in both worlds, which would make most of her treatments usable even here.

She’d already had the opportunity to help treat a couple of soldiers as well as a single servant, and Kitania was building up grudging respect from the palace staff. The soldiers didn’t look down on her anymore, and she often found herself matched against the more elite soldiers, or against two or three of the less skilled members of the guard. As good as she was, she lost more than she’d like, considering her previous experience. Anna wouldn’t be pleased with Kitania, but she wasn’t using a weapon quite like she was trained for, and she also didn’t have proper armor.

All that being true, a small part of Kitania was expecting it to be one of the guards when she opened the door. In a way she was right, since her usual pair of guards was across the hall, but what she wasn’t expecting was the better-dressed servant standing outside the door, holding a letter. The woman was looking Kitania over critically, and she spoke both promptly and disdainfully.

“Kitania Darkshade, you’ve been invited to the ball three days hence by Princess Niadra Sellis the Fourth,” the woman said, offering the letter to Kitania, who looked back in just a bit of surprise. Or maybe more than a little, to be honest with herself.

“I’m being invited?” Kitania asked, taking the letter and looking at it skeptically, more than a little shocked. If the woman hadn’t spoken to her by name, she’d have thought it was a case of terribly mistaken identity, though her appearance should make that nearly impossible. After a moment, she continued. “I wouldn’t think it was common practice for prisoners to be invited to balls.”

“I don’t inquire as to her reasons when my princess chooses to extend invitations,” the maidservant replied promptly, though Kitania could practically hear her wondering if the princess had gone mad. Kitania had to agree with the maid.

“Well, far be it from me to attempt to sway her, then. There’s only one problem,” Kitania replied, glancing down at her skirt and bodice before continuing. “I’m quite certain that none of my clothing is appropriate for a ball.”

“That is no issue. Her Highness has arranged for suitable clothing, and a seamstress will arrive tomorrow,” the maidservant replied, then sniffed. “Do ensure that you’re available in the morning.”

“As you say,” Kitania replied, and watched the woman turn and leave, her back straight as an arrow. After a moment, she turned to the guards and raised the letter, asking, “I… hope that was the best response?”

“How should I know?” one of the guards replied, shaking her head in disbelief. “Royals. I don’t understand them.”

“Fair, I suppose,” Kitania replied, looking down at the letter, then sighed and shrugged. “Would you mind letting your superiors know? If I’m supposed to stay away, just let me know and I’ll do my best to get out of it politely.”

“Sure,” the other woman agreed, smiling thinly. “I’m pretty sure we’d have done that anyway.”

“Yes, but it’s best to be certain,” Kitania replied, then bowed her head and retreated into her room, wondering what in all the hells was going on.

Once safely out of sight, Kitania examined the letter in just a bit of askance. Despite what she’d said to the guards and handmaiden, Kitania wasn’t quite comfortable with the idea of attending a ball. Considering her situation, the invitation couldn’t be entirely benevolent. The chances of someone having a specific goal in mind for her attendance were too high, and yet she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, which… chafed.

“The only thing I can do is try to keep from getting used too badly,” Kitania murmured, then snorted and shook her head as she thought about Estalia’s palace, and the balls she’d attended there. They were almost certainly different, considering the nature of the Forest of Sighs, and she softly mocked herself. “Am I missing Mother’s palace? Really? Will wonders never cease?”

She opened the letter just to be certain, since she didn’t want to rely purely on the explanation of a maid. It wouldn’t do to try to attend a ball when she didn’t have an invitation, after all. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Kitania couldn’t decide which, the letter held an invitation to the ball as well, though in significantly more flowery language.

“Well, this is going to be awkward,” Kitania replied, but her lips quirked in a smile as she shrugged and tried to look on the bright side. “At least I’ll be getting a decent dress, I suppose.”

Setting the letter aside, Kitania picked up her book again. The next day would come when it did, no sooner and no later. In the meantime, she might as well learn what she could. Maybe she could even find someone to teach her a couple of the local dances so she didn’t embarrass herself too badly, but that was something for the next day.

* * *

“This is ridiculous. Completely, utterly ridiculous!” Barria Estheim exclaimed dramatically, the woman all but throwing her hands up in the air as she circled around Kitania. “How am I supposed to do something with you in two days? Two weeks would be more appropriate, but Her Highness expects me to have you ready for court two days hence? Preposterous!”

Kitania calmly raised her eyebrows, allowing Barria to continue her venting. The seamstress was a slightly plump elven woman with ruddy skin and an impeccable wardrobe, and the brunette had the sharp-eyed gaze of someone who knew what they were doing, in Kitania’s opinion. The issue was that she also was the high-strung type, or at least the type prone to exaggeration and being melodramatic.

They weren’t in Kitania’s room, which was fortunate, considering everything that Barria had brought with her, and the woman’s two assistants were calmly arranging a variety of tools on a table as they snuck glances at Kitania. Instead, they were in a larger, nicer sitting room, one that Kitania suspected was frequently used for precisely this purpose, from how familiar with it the two assistants seemed to be.

“I sincerely doubt I had much more warning than you did,” Kitania said at last and looked down as she added quietly, “Had I had some idea that this was coming, and a less violent arrival, I’d have brought a few dresses from home. Unfortunately, that’s just something that could have happened, not what is.”

“Precisely! The problem is that I don’t have nearly enough time to do this right. You’re a demon, and your tail certainly causes problems of its own,” Barria snapped, giving the tail a sharp glare. “I’ve never had to make clothing for someone like you. At least you have close to an elven figure, because, otherwise, this would be a disaster. Besides, I have no idea if your old dresses would even suffice for a ball like this one! What colors did you wear, anyway?”

“My mother’s colors were varying shades of blue, so I wore those most of the time, and I’m partial to purples. However, most of my dresses were turquoise or yellow,” Kitania replied promptly, looking at Barria with a slight smile. “I preferred turquoise when I couldn’t have purple.”

Barria paused for a moment, looking at Kitania, then gestured at one of the assistants, demanding briskly, “Turquoise swatch.”

The assistant promptly pulled out swatches of several colors of turquoise fabric, and Barria took one and placed it against Kitania’s shoulder, eying her critically for a long moment. Then she nodded and pulled it away.

“Not a bad choice, and at least it’s striking, with your eye and hair color. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right,” Barria said firmly, handing the swatch back to the assistant. “I have a dress I can modify to fit you, but the style will need to be adjusted. You’re too different from the locals to wear the same type of dress. With your tail, is it always swaying about like a cat’s?”

“It is.” Kitania said, glancing back at her tail reflexively, surprised at how quickly Barria had changed from being dramatic to businesslike. “It’s longer than most, so otherwise it’d drag on the ground. Fortunately, keeping it in the air is a reflex by this point.”

“Very well, that means I need to give it a bit more mobility. Now strip, please. I need proper measurements if I’m going to do this right and turn a disaster into a work of art,” Barria ordered, extending her hand, and the other assistant placed a measuring string in it.

“As you wish,” Kitania replied, relaxing just a bit more. She promptly started undressing, ignoring how each of the assistants flushed a little.

Barria didn’t blink at the lack of underclothes, on the other hand, and quickly began measuring Kitania, snapping out measurements and instructions to her assistants. Kitania supposed that it was better than the alternative. At least the woman was getting things done. She did like professionals.

Chapter 9

“No matter how she might have protested, Barria does excellent work,” Kitania murmured, giving her tail an experimental flick as she looked down at herself, surprised at how good the dress looked on her.

The dress was made of several shades of turquoise and it was beautiful, leaving her back exposed like some others she’d owned, yet showing a fair amount of cleavage as well. Kitania had been a bit surprised, but apparently this was the current style in favor. The skirt was far more sensible, flowing in a way that made it swirl around the legs without impeding her too much. Kitania’s greatest annoyance was the shoes, since she’d never liked heels much, even if she could walk in them. While she might like the additional height they granted, she always felt like she was going to fall over, and she’d have to kick them off to stand a chance in a fight. Not that she should be fighting at a ball.

A couple of pieces of costume jewelry had come with the dress, each of them expertly made, to the point that Kitania had almost missed that they were fake. It was only a pair of bracelets and a ring, but the gold matched her collar, while each used fake emeralds as well. At least it did blend in with the dress well.

“That she does,” Lady Cecilia said, her voice cool but pleasant. Kitania didn’t quite know what to make of the elven noble, a sentiment that she thought was returned. Cecilia had been sent by the princess to help Kitania prepare for the ball, which was useful, if a little worrying as well.

“So, I think you said that I’d be accompanying the princess into the ballroom, Lady Cecilia. Is there anything in particular that I should expect?” Kitania asked, glancing over at Cecilia as the woman adjusted Kitania’s sleeve a last time before seeming satisfied. She’d arranged Kitania’s hair in an intricate braid down her back, but one that was far simpler than Kitania had expected.

“There’s a great deal, and Her Highness will go over some of it with you,” Cecilia replied, glancing up and smiling thinly as she continued. “I suppose you should be warned that there will be a great many royals at the ball this evening. I believe that there are at least thirty princes and princesses who will be attending, including Her Highness.”

“What?” Kitania asked, slightly taken aback. “I know that elves are long-lived, but isn’t that a lot of royalty, even so?”

“All direct descendants of Alserah are considered princes or princesses, within certain limitations, and as she’s had multiple children over the years, the number of princesses and princes has grown with each passing generation,” Cecilia replied, smiling even more now, obviously amused at having startled Kitania. “It has also led to some of the older rules about proper comportment being relaxed, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid offense.”

“I… see. I’m my mother’s only child, to my knowledge, and I’ve never had children of my own, so I hadn’t even considered how that would change things,” Kitania replied, and at the idea of over thirty princes and princesses, a headache began to form. She’d had some interaction with a few mortal kingdoms during the War of Decimation, and the experiences with them had given her headaches as it was. So many figures of authority in a single room was bound to cause problems, even if they weren’t as stuck-up as she was used to.

“Indeed? I wouldn’t have anticipated that. You’ve been around for longer than even my grandmother has been alive, after all,” Cecilia replied, a faint hint of irritation in her tone. Kitania wasn’t certain what she’d said to offend the woman, but obviously she had, and the demoness suppressed a sigh.

“If I’m going to have children, I want to give them a secure place in life, somewhere that I’m not going to drop them into a war or vanish suddenly,” Kitania replied, pausing for a moment before she continued more softly, a hint of anguish stabbing through her as she thought back on the handful of people she’d grown close to over the years. “More importantly, I want to have them with someone I truly care about. I… haven’t had much luck with that. I’ve thought I had several times over the years, but every time they’ve died or… drifted away.”

That brought the memory of Isalla to mind, and how happy the angel had looked when she was with Rose. Kitania felt her depression grow slightly at the memory. While Rose had indicated an interest in Kitania, she wasn’t sure if she had been serious or not. It was just too easy for things like that to be feigned, in Kitania’s opinion, or for fleeting interest to pass. Now that she was gone… a part of Kitania was certain that any interest on Isalla or Rose’s part had waned as well. It was rather depressing, which was why she’d been trying not to dwell on it.

Cecilia didn’t respond, not directly. Instead, she stepped back and said, “I believe you’re ready. Are you prepared to meet Princess Niadra?”

“As prepared as I’ll ever be, I think,” Kitania replied, trying to shake off her depression. It wouldn’t help when she was going to be stepping into a ballroom where she was certain politics ruled.

“Very well; follow me, then,” Cecilia replied, and led Kitania out of the room, briskly leading the way into the nicer halls of the palace.

It was strange how differently people acted when she was in a dress, Kitania quickly noticed. Before she’d been looked at with a great deal of disapproval and derision. There was still disapproval in the gazes she received now, but the derision was almost entirely gone. It was a minor, but still significant, difference. There was the possibility that it was Cecilia’s presence that made people change their attitudes, but Kitania didn’t think it was likely. For her part, Cecilia led the way through the halls at a quick but not undignified pace.

They were going into a different part of the palace than Kitania had visited before, though she’d been told that the area was where nobility entertained guests, as well as where the ballroom and bigger gardens were located. In short order, they reached a section of the palace where more ornately dressed servants moved through the halls with brisk efficiency, and Kitania thought she could hear the faint strains of music in the distance. Cecilia approached a door and knocked. At a quiet murmur, she opened the door and stepped inside.

“My Lady, may I present Kitania Darkshade? Kitania, this is Princess Niadra Sellis the Fourth,” Cecilia said, standing to the side, the door held open for Kitania to enter.

Kitania stepped inside and looked across the small sitting room at her host. The woman wasn’t sitting the way Kitania had expected, and she suspected that most elves would find Niadra’s attitude to be almost scandalous. However, if she was trying to shock Kitania, she’d have to do far better than this.

Niadra was half-reclining on a divan, and she was wearing a dress of sheer black silk, most of it semitranslucent and with flowing lines. The sections protecting her modesty were opaque, and a second layer of fabric with floral designs made the outfit more ornate, as did Niadra’s silver and sapphire jewelry that matched her deep blue eyes. The princess had lightly tanned skin, bright red lips, and curly black hair down to the middle of her back, which was currently held back by a pair of silver combs set with sapphires. The shapely princess smiled warmly at the sight of Kitania, sitting up quickly.

“Ah, so you’re the much-rumored demoness in our midst! I’d caught a few glimpses from a distance when you were practicing with the Royal Guard, but I couldn’t see you clearly,” Niadra said, gesturing to a chair across from her. “Do come in! We have a time before we’re expected to arrive, so I’d like to get to know my guest.”

“Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness,” Kitania replied, gently curtseying, then took a few more steps into the room. Fortunately, it didn’t take much practice to get used to paying proper respect, though she found her curiosity roused by the odd princess. “I must say that I wasn’t anticipating an invitation. My encounter with Her Majesty led me to believe that I would be left to my own devices, at least for the most part.”

“Her Majesty?” Niadra asked, sounding surprised and a bit puzzled. Kitania paused in turn, wondering what she’d said wrong. Then Niadra’s expression cleared as she exclaimed, “Ah, of course, you don’t know! Alserah is not the queen of the Forest of Sighs, though she’s effectively the ruler. She has chosen to leave the majority of rule to King Rayvan, a former prince of the realm. She chooses the next ruler from all the princes and princesses when the current ruler decides to step down or is no longer able to carry out their duties. So we don’t call her ‘Her Majesty’. If anything, I suggest you address her as ‘Her Grace’ or something of the like. She doesn’t like overly pretentious titles.”

“Oh. That… would explain all the royals, then. I worried that it might cause the line of succession to be rather messy,” Kitania replied, her confusion mostly subsiding, also relieved that she hadn’t made the mistake publicly. She carefully settled into a chair as she continued. “I’ve had a few encounters with nobility, though it’s been a long time, and the idea of so many princes and princesses struck me as… dangerous.”

“I suppose it might be, if she vanishes, but Her Grace has kept a very clear line of succession in that case. While she lives, she prefers to make certain the one in charge is whomever is the most capable,” Niadra said, smiling at Cecilia as she added lightly, “That’s why I’m rather certain it won’t be me. Oh, I have a sharp enough mind, I suppose, but I’d make a terrible administrator. It’d bore me.”

Kitania bit back the urge to ask what the woman would rather do instead. She noticed how the princess was watching her, despite how careful Niadra was to keep her close examination subtle. Perhaps she was for a mortal, but after growing up in Estalia’s court, Kitania had grown used to watching the body language of others.

“I see. May I ask if Her Grace or His Majesty are going to be present at this ball, then?” Kitania asked, taking a slightly different approach instead. She couldn’t help the feeling that Niadra was trying to use her for something, and was trying to figure out what her goal was.

“Oh no, His Majesty is currently busy in one of the nearby cities, so he’s not going to make it to the ball. As for Her Grace…” Niadra paused, then shrugged and smiled, sitting up a little more as she continued. “She’s been known to attend balls on rare occasions, but it’s rarely even once per year that she does. Perhaps your presence will draw her out?”

That helped the situation solidify in Kitania’s mind a little, though she still wasn’t sure what Niadra’s motives were. She looked around the room as she spoke. “I have my doubts on that, but we’ll see. In any case, Your Highness, may I ask what is expected of me at this ball? I’ve attended a few in the hells, but I have no idea what an elven one might entail. Is it a meal, dancing, and socializing, or something more or less than that?”

“You have the essence of it. There will be light refreshments, but the majority of the event is socializing, dancing, and the most essential element of all government, gossip and dealing behind the backs of others,” Niadra replied, smiling thinly as some of her apparent pleasure faded. “That, and I suspect you’re going to be rather popular. I don’t know that there’s ever been a demon at one of our balls before, and it should be interesting to see how the others react.”

“Oh? Am I to be a sideshow, then?” Kitania asked, and heard Cecilia gasp behind her as she continued calmly, tiring of being too subtle. “It isn’t exactly what I was expecting.”

“A sideshow? No, no… I just am the only one who dares sate my curiosity. All the others are too cowardly to dare invite you to a major event,” Niadra replied, laughing as she smiled in return, and Kitania was more surprised that she didn’t seem offended. “No, if I’m curious about you, I think it’s best to seek you out in person. Doing otherwise would take too much work.”

“You consider inviting me to a ball, including having a dress made for me, as seeking me out?” Kitania asked, trying to suppress the growing bubble of amusement welling up inside her, but after a moment, she realized she was smiling anyway.

“Not when you put it that way, but on the whole? It’s much more direct than sneaking glances from the edges of the training yard, or having spies watch you day and night,” Niadra replied, grinning as she finally stopped lounging and sat forward. “Now then, I believe that it’s time for us to head into the ballroom. I suggest preparing yourself to be the center of attention for a while.”

“Very well, Your Highness,” Kitania replied, suppressing a sigh as she stood. She hadn’t much liked balls in the hells, either, but she could handle herself well enough. As the princess offered her arm, Kitania took it, wondering just what she’d gotten herself into.

Chapter 10

Niadra hadn’t been joking at all, Kitania decided nearly two hours later, just after politely refusing another dance. She hadn’t hit the end of her endurance yet, but she’d just about had it with all the men and women who’d used their dances to make veiled insinuations about either her or demons in general, at least when they weren’t ogling her.

Kitania’s first quarter-hour in the huge ball room had been spent being openly stared at, unlike how surreptitious the nobility had been when they passed her in the hallways. Here they obviously felt empowered to examine Kitania to their heart’s content, and she’d done her best to ignore the stares. Niadra had almost preened under the attention and had taken Kitania through a dizzying series of introductions. The introductions had been performed with such speed that the demon suspected she’d only remember two or three of the three dozen or so people she’d been introduced to.

The ballroom was impressive, though, and Kitania admired how the support pillars of the room had been shaped to look like living trees, and the support beams across the ceiling looked like stylized branches. The effort it must have taken made Kitania want to shake her head, but she knew elves. Likely as not, they’d recruited a druid or dryad to create the patterns, which would be much easier than trying to carve them by hand. The rest of the ballroom was just as elaborate, with paintings, tapestries, and a handful of statues around the edge of the room, along with a few guards and a raised platform for the band that was playing music.

On the other hand, the central dance floor was quite solid, despite being made of wood, something which Kitania had determined after spending nearly an hour and a half dancing. Niadra had started the process by requesting a dance, and despite Kitania’s lessons with a reasonably friendly maid, she’d barely managed to keep up and didn’t think much of her attempt at dancing.

Then the others had struck. Unlike the other ladies at the ball, Kitania didn’t have a dance card, and the elves in the ballroom had taken that to mean she could accept any number of dances. The good part was that having so many dances in a row had given Kitania ample time to practice and watch the elves on the dance floor, so by the end she’d managed to become decent with the local dances. She wouldn’t claim she was much good, but she was decent.

“I see you decided to take a break! I suspect a few people are disappointed, though. I heard that some of the others were taking bets on how long you could keep going,” Niadra said, smiling broadly as she waited nearby, looking relaxed as she plucked a grape from her plate and popped it in her mouth. The princess had only danced four times that Kitania had seen, so she hadn’t had people trying to run her ragged, which caused Kitania’s anger to flare, if only a little.

Kitania eyed the grapes jealously, then replied as civilly as she could manage with her mouth almost watering. “I do hope you weren’t in on the betting.”

“Of course not! It would be a conflict of interests, and most of the others seem to think that I know more about you than everyone else does,” Niadra replied, chewing for a moment before swallowing and grinning. “All I know is that you’ve managed to dance for quite a long time without looking like you’ve developed blisters and barely look tired. It’s rather impressive.”

“I never develop blisters,” Kitania replied, shaking her head and crossing her arms as she stepped closer so that a noblewoman wouldn’t accidentally wander into her. She wasn’t sure why the woman was trying, but Kitania was in no mood to apologize. “It’s part of my ability to heal. They never have the chance to form.”

“That simply isn’t fair,” Niadra replied, betraying the first bit of frustration Kitania had seen from the princess, her eyebrows furrowing. “I’ve ended up with far, far too many blisters over the years. You just not getting them is… a tiny bit infuriating, if I’m being honest.”

“It isn’t like I have a choice in the matter, you know,” Kitania replied, keeping her tone mild as she looked at the tables of refreshments. She did rather want something to eat. Even if she didn’t require food, it didn’t stop her from getting hungry, and the food she’d seen was tempting beyond belief. “I’ve had this… gift for as long as I can remember. Believe me, some days I really, sincerely wished that I could just end it all. Especially after Rosken.”

“You truly were there?” a man asked, stepping out of the crowd. Kitania remembered him from the dance floor, a handsome brown-haired man with soft blue eyes. His dance had been about midway through the evening, so her impressions of him were something of a blur, unfortunately. He had a pair of wine glasses in one hand and a plate of food in the other, and he smiled as he said, “I saw the pair of you were without drinks, and Miss Kitania was on the dance floor since the ball began, so I thought it best to bring her refreshments.”

“Oh, thank you, Lord Navian!” Niadra replied, smiling broadly as she reached to take one of the glasses. “I was just thinking about getting something to drink, and you saved me the trip!”

“Not at all, Your Highness. It’s my pleasure to be of assistance,” Lord Navian replied, looking pleased as he turned to Kitania. She hesitated, then took the drink and plate as she nodded, trying to hide how much she was looking forward to trying the food.

“Thank you, Lord Navian. I was debating going to retrieve some food, but have been rather preoccupied,” Kitania told him, and her smile faded as she continued, her hunger abating slightly as she answered his question. “As to Rosken… yes. I remember seeing the archangels and Alserah approaching from above as the deities and demon lords rose to meet them. They strafed the walls first, injuring or killing nearly a quarter of those on the walls in moments and disabling many of the siege engines. That alone likely wouldn’t have decided the battle, but it might have. It didn’t matter in the end, though. The explosion consumed everyone in the fortress, and a large part of the attacking army.”

Pausing, Kitania considered the glass of wine before taking a slow sip, savoring the unusual liquid. It was so different from what she drank in the hells, sweeter and without the smokiness that many wines from below possessed. Finally, she continued, her voice calm as they stared at her. “I woke over a month afterward, on the edge of the crater. I must have… washed up on the shore, as it were, and dragged myself out of it so I could finish healing. It was one of the worst days of my life, I think.”

“I can only imagine,” Niadra murmured, her eyes darker now as much of her pleasure faded. “I’ve never been in battle, myself. I’ve taken some basic training in combat, of course… every princess of the realm is expected to know how to defend themselves. But something of that scale is unimaginable for me.”

“There’s a reason why it was one of the last battles of the war,” Kitania replied, shrugging uncomfortably. “I also decided it pretty much proved that I couldn’t die. I’d tried a number of things before that to see if they inhibited my healing, but when even the wrath unleashed by the equivalent of seven gods couldn’t kill me… well, there’s a certain point where you just give up. I consider my ability to heal more of a curse than a gift.”

“Do you think it might be a mantle of power?” Lord Navian asked, tilting his head curiously. “Like a demon lord’s mantle, I mean.”

“That’s the question, isn’t it? I just don’t know. I haven’t had the chance to try to absorb a demonic mantle before, and I’m not sure I’d want that kind of power,” Kitania replied, shaking her head and adjusting her grip so she could hold the plate with the same hand holding the wine glass. She took a bite of a thin sandwich, one which would only take two bites to finish at most. The flavors exploded in her mouth, and it was all Kitania could do to keep her eyes from closing blissfully, or from instantly inhaling the rest of the sandwich. Instead, she ate it carefully, and when she was done with it, she continued. “I don’t know how it would be passed on, either. My mother told me that the bearer of a mantle instinctively knows how to pass it on to others, if they want to, and I’ve never had knowledge like that. So… I don’t know. I doubt it is, since that would make my life easier.”

“Most interesting, since I would have thought a gift of that power would only be available to a demon lord or—” Lord Navian began, only to be interrupted by a manservant tapping his shoulder, and the noble turned, asking, “Yes, what is it?”

“I’m afraid that Lady Navian has retired for the evening, sir. It appears that something she ate earlier disagreed with her,” the manservant explained apologetically. “She was calling for the carriage. Would you like me to arrange for separate transport back to your estate?”

“She what? No, no… if Trisha is feeling that unwell, I’d best tend to her,” Lord Navian said, suddenly looking concerned. He turned back and bowed his head to Niadra, then smiled at Kitania. She noticed that he really did look unhappy to go, but instead nodded to her as he spoke. “My apologies, Your Highness, it seems I must go. I hope the pair of you have a lovely evening, Miss Kitania. I wish that I’d been able to ask you more questions, but alas, I must depart.”

“If your wife is feeling unwell, of course you should go. I do hope she gets feeling better,” Niadra said, smiling at him as she drank more of her wine.

“Indeed. If she ate something bad, I’d suggest she drink a fair amount of water if she’s able, or some broth. It might help soothe the symptoms,” Kitania told him, then smiled as she added, raising the hand holding her plate and glass slightly, “Thank you for bringing the food and drinks, it’s very appreciated.”

“It was nothing. Thank you for the advice, but I’d best go,” Lord Navian replied, then quickly turned to head for the door at a brisk pace.

“He’s such a nice man,” Niadra murmured softly, watching him go. “It’s a shame his wife is so sickly, though. Otherwise he’d be able to attend court more often.”

“What does he do?” Kitania asked, watching the noble go as she idly continued sampling her food, luxuriating in the incredible flavors. “He didn’t seem like a warrior to me.”

“He isn’t. Lord Navian is an administrator over his family lands. They control a large portion of croplands in specific, and he provides much of the cotton for the Forest of Sighs, as well as a significant amount of food,” Niadra explained, smiling broadly at Kitania. “He’s not the most powerful of nobles, but he has a good amount of sway due to how many people owe him favors. It’s good that he seemed to like you.”

“If you say so,” Kitania said, shifting the plate to her other hand so she could take another drink. For her part, Niadra set her empty glass on a passing servant’s tray, and they were silent for the moment, watching the dancing continue. Kitania felt her tension slowly beginning to fade, which was rather nice.

Kitania continued eating, watching some of the nearby nobles warily. It looked like several were considering approaching her, and only Niadra’s presence was helping ward them off. It really didn’t look like her food was going to slow them down for long, so Kitania regretfully started eating more quickly. She also eyed the doors out of the ballroom into one of the huge gardens speculatively, trying to decide if she could make a brief escape there.

“My, but aren’t you popular?” Niadra said, looking around and smiling as she handed her plate over to another servant. “I normally have some people hovering in the wings, but not this many.”

“I think that it’s more along the lines that they like being able to needle a demon without them being able to do anything in return,” Kitania replied, shaking her head and draining her glass of wine. She noticed that it took her a little longer to find a servant to take the glass than it had taken Niadra, almost like they were avoiding her. Still, she managed to find one, then worked her way through the meal as she continued. “A part of why I left the dance floor was to avoid the thinly veiled observations about demons. Or me, for that matter.”

“Ah, of course, the usual pastime of nobility, trying to take people down a peg. I think they don’t like how you’ve kept your poise even in the middle of a nation that hasn’t been on the best terms with your own,” Niadra replied, sounding even more relaxed as she glanced over at Kitania, her eyes sparkling as she asked, “In any case, care for a walk in the garden? If you don’t wish to dance, the least you could do is keep me company.”

“As you like, Your Highness,” Kitania agreed, polishing off the last of her food while wishing she’d been able to get more. A tiny part of her mind noticed that a fuzzy sensation was creeping over her thoughts, and it briefly let out a warning that she wasn’t quite thinking straight. Unfortunately, Kitania felt good enough about leaving the ballroom that she promptly buried the warning and handed off the plate to a servant. She definitely felt more relaxed.

Niadra offered her arm again, and Kitania took it, heading toward the door with the princess beside her. At least no one was going to stop Niadra from leaving with her, Kitania reflected happily.

Chapter 11

The garden reminded Kitania of the ones in her mother’s palace, if even lusher and with more greenery. The flowers were different for the most part, the product of the different environments, but even so, Estalia had worked to have some plants from the mortal world cultivated in her gardens and built them into incredibly elaborate displays. The elven gardens were no different, there, and the care that had been put into them was comforting.

“You’ve relaxed, Kitania,” Niadra murmured, her pace slow as Kitania looked at a flowering bush. She didn’t know most of the plants in the mortal world, but the white flowers were lovely under the light of the setting sun.

“I’ve never been too fond of balls,” Kitania replied, smiling at the plants, then back at the princess as she continued, a sense of contentment helping her relax even more. “Gardens, on the other hand… they’ve long been my refuge from the rest of the world. I grew up among ones as elaborate as these, and I lost myself in them as a child. I remember thinking that if I came around the right corner, I might find a portal to some wonderful world far better than the palace I lived in… I never found the corner, mind you, but I dreamed of it.”

“Ah, I see. Perhaps the two of us aren’t quite as different as I thought we were at first,” Niadra said, looking around with a smile, then continuing at a sedate pace. “There’s a nice gazebo with a view over the pond to our left, but I’d rather have some privacy. For that, there’s a few places that aren’t frequented in the hedge maze to our right.”

“Very well,” Kitania agreed, feeling even warmer and more relaxed as she looked at the princess curiously, noting how attractive she was. “Why are you wanting privacy, then?”

“Because some people can’t help but stick their noses where they aren’t wanted, and I want to get to know you better,” Niadra said mischievously, glancing behind them as she considered, then continued. “Speaking of which, I suppose I’d best throw anyone following off our trail, hm?”

The princess tapped the bracelet she was wearing, and Kitania blinked as a cloud of amber mist swirled out around them, then they turned semitranslucent as another pair of softly glowing copies of Kitania and Niadra appeared, taking a slightly different path. Niadra turned a corner into a different part of the maze, leading the way calmly.

“Won’t they notice that the other two were glowing?” Kitania asked curiously, expecting that the answer was no, but having to ask. “Your item made quite a display, too.”

“It only makes a display if you’re within a foot of me when I activate it,” Niadra replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she patted Kitania’s hand. “From the perspective of others, we just kept going and went down the other path, since initially the illusions were over us as we went invisible. It only lasts for a few minutes, and they’ll vanish just after taking a few more corners, more than enough to confuse any pursuit.”

“Interesting, and rather useful. I wouldn’t expect to see something like that used to throw off pursuers at a party, but I suppose it works as well here as in other situations,” Kitania murmured, glancing behind them and not seeing or hearing anyone else. “So why do you want to get to know me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Niadra asked, turning to face Kitania as she smiled widely. “I find you very interesting, Kitania.”

The princess leaned forward into Kitania, and it was no surprise at all when her lips met the demoness’s. In fact, Kitania felt herself melt into the embrace and the warmth of the elf, feeling the other woman’s heat… and a tiny part of her simply sighed in relief. She let go of her worries and fears, and just drifted pleasantly as the kiss went on for several long seconds, and Kitania found her arms wrapping around the princess. At last, Niadra broke the kiss, smiling radiantly as she did so.

“Oh, that was even better than I’d guessed it might be,” Niadra said dreamily, gazing into Kitania’s eyes. “I hope you don’t mind? I didn’t intend for things to get to this point, mind you, but it felt like it was the right time.”

“No, I don’t mind. I find it a little surprising, perhaps, but I don’t mind at all,” Kitania replied, surprising herself by blushing a little. “I had wondered why you invited me to the ball and felt that it couldn’t just be to show me off to the other nobles. I just didn’t expect this.”

“Mm, I take pains to hide my interests. There’s more than one reason I don’t think I’ll ever have a position of particular power,” Niadra explained, grinning as she pulled out of Kitania’s embrace and tugged at her arm insistently. “Come on, I want to get to somewhere a bit more private. We can’t have people seeing us, after all.”

“Sure,” Kitania agreed, pleasure spreading through her quickly. Part of her knew that this wasn’t a good idea. Following a princess into a private part of the garden for a liaison could end horribly for her. Beyond that, she wouldn’t normally be so agreeable, but… she just couldn’t bring herself to care. So, she followed the princess through the garden happily.

Niadra obviously knew her way around the hedge maze, because she rarely stopped long enough to get her bearings, and about halfway in, the magic hiding them faded. Kitania probably could retrace their path if she weren’t so distracted. All the lights seemed brighter, the colors more vivid, and she felt the tension of the last few days falling off rapidly. All that mattered was what was happening right now.

Soon enough, they came to a secluded alcove, one with a bench and flowers all around it. The sounds of the party had faded almost entirely, and Kitania looked around in appreciation. It might not be the nicest place she’d visited, but it was quite lovely, and she couldn’t see any windows in direct line of sight. That was likely on purpose.

“Here we are! I might not be the only one who knows about this spot, but not many people come here. It’s a long trip through the maze, and most people don’t find it worthwhile,” Niadra said, releasing Kitania’s arm at last as she looked her in the eyes. “Do you like it?”

“It’s a lovely spot, I’ll agree. Almost as lovely as you are,” Kitania agreed, smiling and leaning forward to give Niadra a kiss.

“Mm, that’s what I like to hear,” Niadra purred, embracing Kitania and kissing her hard. The elf was much more passionate this time, and while she was significantly weaker than Kitania was, she was still reasonably fit. Niadra’s hands were just reaching for the laces of Kitania’s dress when another voice interrupted.

“And just what do you two think you are doing?” Alserah asked, her voice icy with anger.

Niadra flinched back out of the kiss, and Kitania looked toward the entrance to the alcove to see the goddess, Niadra’s arms still wrapped around her. Alserah looked a bit angry, and in the depths of her eyes Kitania saw the faintest flicker of blue light.

“Um, I—” Niadra began, her voice trembling, but Alserah interrupted.

“Silence, Niadra. I’ll have words with you in a few moments,” the goddess said, her beauty almost enhanced by her anger, and her gaze was fixed on Kitania as she asked, “Is this how you repay my choice to release you from your cell, Kitania? By seducing a princess of the realm?”

She definitely wasn’t happy, Kitania decided, but that didn’t matter much to her, not in her current state of mind. Besides, there was also that intriguing, faintly terrifying flicker of blue in her eyes. If it was what Kitania thought it was, that was a very bad sign.

* * *

The demon didn’t look even slightly apologetic, Alserah noted, and her anger grew, as did the spike of pain rippling through her mind. She tried to suppress her anger, but it was hard, especially since Kitania looked more fascinated by Alserah than regretful. The anger suppressed the odd other emotions that’d been surging through Alserah at the sight of Kitania together with Niadra, which made Alserah slightly happier.

“To be fair, I’m pretty certain that Niadra was seducing me,” Kitania replied, her tone shockingly relaxed as she met Alserah’s gaze. “I just didn’t resist. You also didn’t say that I couldn’t come to parties like this, and since the collar didn’t shock me for daring to kiss her, I just didn’t worry about it.”

The ambivalent tone didn’t improve Alserah’s mood at all, and her frustration grew still more. Especially since she saw Niadra blush and look away, despite how pale she’d gone at Alserah’s initial interruption. It meant that Kitania was probably telling the truth, and that made Alserah even angrier, and caused the stabbing pain to grow stronger.

“That was because I thought that those in the court had better judgment. When your status is unknown, and your claims still unverified, I believed that they would keep their distance,” Alserah replied, scowling at the demon as she crossed her arms. “I also didn’t believe I needed to make so many restrictions on your collar. Obviously, that was a mistake.”

“Mm, perhaps. Niadra, would you let go of me?” Kitania asked, glancing away from Alserah and smiling at the princess, who reluctantly detached. “I’m not upset with you. To be fair, I wouldn’t normally do something like this; I’ve just been feeling out of sorts and—”

Kitania suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Niadra and murmured under her breath. “Wait… flushed skin, dilated eyes, being more expressive than normal… we’ve been drugged, haven’t we? I shouldn’t be this relaxed. And I normally don’t get close to someone this fast, not when I was suspicious earlier…”

“What?” Niadra asked, her eyes widening in obvious shock. “But who would have done that? Why?”

Alserah’s anger cooled slightly at the implication that someone had drugged Niadra, but she wasn’t about to fully believe Kitania or let her off. But as she was about to speak, Kitania interrupted in a surprisingly happy tone. “No, no, don’t calm down, Your Grace! You need to stay angry. Or emotional, anyway… and not just because you’re prettier that way.”

“What? Why does that matter?” Alserah demanded, her anger and the pain surging again, along with the faintest hint of embarrassment that the demon thought she was pretty. “You’re the one who might be in danger, here.”

“Nope, I’m not the one in danger. Niadra, look at Her Grace, please. Her eyes, specifically. Do you see blue inside her pupils? I want to be sure I’m not seeing things,” Kitania said, taking a couple of fearless steps closer to Alserah, which made the goddess uncomfortable. “If I’m drugged, it’s possible that I’m just imagining colors where they aren’t.”

“Ah…” Niadra hesitated, then slowly looked at Alserah, flinching back as she did so, then nodded and looked away. “Yes, I do see blue.”

“That’s what I thought,” Kitania murmured, suddenly frowning.

“What are you going on about?” Alserah snapped out, some of her anger turning to confusion.

“Your Grace, how long have you been having stabbing headaches whenever you get emotional? Also, have you been having frequent nightmares over the years, often centering around webs, being restrained, and spiders?” Kitania asked, ignoring Alserah’s question as she stepped still closer, almost touching the goddess now as she stared into Alserah’s eyes. Her confidence was disconcerting, to say the least.

More frightening to Alserah was that she had accurately guessed about problems that had been plaguing Alserah for centuries. The dreams were annoying, as was the pain, but neither she, nor some of the other deities she knew, or even any magi she’d quietly approached, had any idea what the source was. All Alserah knew was that they’d started right after Rosken and the fight with the demon lords there.

“I’ve been having them for a very long time, ever since a fight with some demons,” Alserah said flatly, her confusion turning to concern, and the pain faded a little more. “Do you know what’s causing it? I’ve approached a number of people over the years, and none of them have ever been able to find the source of it. They thought it might just be natural.”

“I’m not surprised, considering how rare this is. You probably were stabbed by some bastard with a dream spider fang,” Kitania murmured, her gaze fixed on Alserah’s eyes. “Or bitch, I suppose. Unless you remember being bitten by a glowing blue spider that wasn’t entirely material.”

“No, there was nothing like that,” Alserah replied, then hesitated as she thought back, then added, “One of the demons did have a dagger that was glowing blue, though, and it ignored my armor. It didn’t hurt much when he hit me with it, and it broke in the process.”

“It didn’t break. He must have stabbed you with a dream spider fang,” Kitania replied, and she winced, shaking her head unhappily. “I’ve never seen one this big before. In fact, if you weren’t a goddess, you’d probably already be dead.”

“What?” Niadra said, paling still more as she looked at Kitania in disbelief, any embarrassment long gone.

“Explain yourself,” Alserah demanded, her concern turning to fear, and the pain spiked again.

“Dream spiders are native to the uncreatively named Dreaming Jungle far to the west of Estalia,” Kitania explained, stepping back and shrugging as she tugged on a lock of hair thoughtfully, freeing it from her braid by accident. “The natives know how to deal with them, so most dream spiders are spawned from eggs, and they’re about… a foot across, most of the time. Nasty, immune to non-magical attacks, but easily dealt with when you know what you’re doing. The problem is when they bite someone, especially someone who doesn’t know what they’re dealing with.

“See, if the spiders bite someone or their fang is used as a weapon, it creates another spider inside them. It’s not entirely in our world, so no normal examination spots them. They’re sneaky, evil little things. They feed on the user’s emotions and dreams, particularly nightmares they cause, and grow larger and stronger until the victim’s mind collapses and their head just… bursts,” Kitania continued, pausing and shaking her head as a flicker of queasiness flashed across her face. Alserah’s stomach clenched at the description. “The only real way to detect them is when the person is emotional, because you can catch glimpses of the spider through their pupils. This one is so big it can’t really hide anymore. I’m surprised no one has spotted it before this. On the other hand, you are a goddess… I’ll bet that not many people look you in the eye when you’re upset.”

“Oh no!” Niadra exclaimed, her face white as chalk as she stared at Kitania in horror. Her reaction was far more pronounced than Alserah’s was, but despite the goddess wanting to believe that Kitania might be lying about the spider, she had a sinking sensation that Kitania was right. Niadra continued as Alserah was debating what to do, the pain spiking in her head again. “Can anything be done about it? I mean, you said that the people in that jungle know how to deal with these dream spiders.”

“Of course something can be done about it! It’s just that it’ll be dangerous, as big as that one is,” Kitania said, glancing at Alserah again speculatively, then shaking her head in concern. “I had one get in my head, but the locals dealt with it inside a week, so it was pretty small. I know a couple of elixirs that can force it out, and then it’s a matter of killing the horrible thing without letting it spawn more of the cursed things. I’ve seen the ruins of a village that didn’t properly prepare for one being removed.”

“Interesting. Your claims are troubling, Kitania. Do you have any way of proving that the spider is what you say it is?” Alserah asked coldly, slowly forcing her emotions to cool, which helped mitigate the pain. That, more than anything else, had her convinced that Kitania was probably telling the truth.

“Not at all. The most I can do is tell you to get people you trust to look into your eyes when you’re emotional. Believe me, if they’re looking closely they won’t be able to miss that bloated monstrosity. Though it won’t look that big in your eyes, I suppose,” Kitania replied, crossing her arms as she looked at Alserah, then frowned as she reached up to rub her forehead. “Ugh, my thoughts are going everywhere. It must be the drugs… I’m going to have a horrible headache in the morning, I just know it.”

“Do you think it was Lord Navian? I wouldn’t think he’d have drugged me, but… no, no, the spider! It’s more important,” Niadra said, quickly shaking her head as if to clear it.

“I’ll have Lord Navian and others spoken to. Niadra, you’ll visit the Royal Healers once we’re done here to confirm that you were drugged,” Alserah interrupted, keeping her voice level. Despite her misgivings, she looked at Kitania and asked, “As for this spider of yours. If it truly is there, what would removing it entail? This elixir of yours.”

Kitania giggled, shaking her head as she quickly spoke, looking grimly amused. “It isn’t my spider, but the elixir… I’d have to brew one. It’d take a couple of days, but I’m fairly sure the ingredients won’t be too hard to get. It’s partly a draught that lulls the partaker into a waking dream, one that brings the spider to the surface. The other part is poisonous to the spider, but essentially harmless to others. Extract of dreamweed, combined with just a hint of… wait, sunset fruit wouldn’t be available… um, likely a bit of orchid nectar here in the mortal world. That’ll force it out of your head, and then you’d just need people with magic or magical weapons to kill it. Without getting bit, preferably.”

“Interesting. However, at this point I will have to ask you to return to your room and stay there for the time being,” Alserah told the demon, her eyes narrowing as she made her decision. “No matter if what you’ve told me is true or false, you’ve still disappointed me with your conduct.”

“As you say, Your Grace,” Kitania replied, and then she gave a deep curtsey, one that surprised Alserah with its grace and poise. Then she started toward the exit, and Alserah watched her go, feeling conflicted internally.

Once Kitania had left, the goddess turned her attention to Niadra, who was looking down at the ground. Alserah waited a moment, then asked, slightly incredulously, “What did you think you were doing, inviting her to the ball? You’re a princess.”

“I… I just wanted to get to know her,” Niadra replied softly, studying her feet in shame, shame that seemed far more pronounced than Alserah had ever seen from the princess. It was probably the drugs, the goddess realized a moment later, almost guiltily. In a lot of ways, she was barely related to Niadra, with a gulf of seven generations between them, and they’d rarely interacted before this.

Alserah let out a soft sigh and shook her head as she spoke more gently. “No matter. You can reflect on it later, Niadra. For now, you’re to keep your distance from Kitania. Come here. It’s time to get you to the healers.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Niadra agreed, and nervously stepped over to Alserah.

The goddess put her arms around Niadra and tapped into her power to move through the air, quickly ascending so she could bypass the maze and party alike. She caught just a glimpse of Kitania slowly working her way toward the exit before she was out of sight, and a part of Alserah took a bit of grim satisfaction at the idea of the demon getting lost. It unfortunately also reminded her of how she’d first seen Kitania and Niadra, and a thread of envy surged upward once more, causing just a bit of pain to flare through Alserah’s mind.

She’d have to ask others to investigate Kitania’s claims when she reached the healers, Alserah decided grimly. If Kitania was right… well, at least she’d finally have an explanation for her lasting injury. And just possibly a cure.

If she did, she’d have to apologize to Kitania for her suspicion.

Chapter 12

The sound of the alarm caused Seidrel’s eyes to snap open, and he threw off the blankets as he sprang to his feet, shaking off his slumber quickly. The alarm couldn’t be a test, since he hadn’t scheduled a drill, so he grabbed a tunic and hastily shrugged his way into it, getting his wings through the slits for them with practiced ease, then a pair of trousers and shoes in a few moments more. He should have time to get ready, with the watch schedules he’d set up, but Seidrel didn’t want to dawdle.

“What in the heavens is happening? Hragon couldn’t possibly be thinking to attack here, could they? It’s been centuries since Firewatch was directly attacked!” Seidrel muttered, though his thoughts did drift to the abduction of First Sword Roselynn, and the disappearance of the group sent to rescue her. Shaking off the grim memories, he grabbed his sword belt and rushed for the door. If there was an actual attack coming, he could grab his armor quickly, but he wanted to figure out what the situation was, first.

Seidrel stepped out into the hallway to hear the sounds of people rushing about, and he headed for the command room, swearing internally as he regretted moving into the quarters traditionally used by the commander of Firewatch, which were also much further away than the quarters that Roselynn had favored. He’d need to cut through the courtyard to get there, but it wouldn’t take long.

He turned a corner and saw a couple of other angels rushing toward the courtyard, taking the same route Seidrel was. The man and woman quickly opened the door and rushed into the courtyard, and Seidrel was right behind them. Just as he took a step into the courtyard, he heard the man cry out in alarm, and an instant later a net dropped from above, weights on all the sides as it came crashing down on the pair of guards and tangled their wings.

“Archangels above!” Seidrel exclaimed, flinching back as he glanced up and saw dozens of winged demons circling the courtyard, many of them carrying more nets, and at least twenty angels were down in nets that he could see. The sight of a succubus gleefully ringing the alarm bell made him blanch as well, and as he watched, several demons were descending toward the newly restrained guards. Seidrel began retreating, intent on reaching his armor as he wondered how the demons had gotten so close without raising the alarm.

An instant later, he felt an impact from behind as someone bodily kicked him out the door, staggering forward as a man spoke. “No, no, you don’t get to run away after coming this far, handsome.”

Seidrel caught a glimpse of a man melting out of the shadows of the doorway, a fit, armored incubus with a broad smile. Then another weighted net landed on Seidrel before he could regain his balance, and he almost screamed in anger as it drove him to his hands and knees.

“How did you monsters get in here?” Seidrel demanded, struggling to escape the heavy netting, and unable to draw his sword. “The heavens won’t stand for—”

“It doesn’t matter what the heavens will stand for,” the incubus replied, planting a boot on the small of Seidrel’s back, which caused the angel to gasp in pain at how the net pulled on his wings. The man’s weight drove Seidrel to the ground, and the incubus continued. “Your outpost played host to a group of angels who invaded Our Lady’s domain. They attempted to murder those under her protection, including her daughter. You’re simply fortunate that we have orders to take all of you alive.”

“What?” Seidrel asked, his blood running cold. “But they weren’t supposed—”

“No excuses will suffice, not now,” the incubus interrupted, and hefted a heavy sap as he smiled. “Alive doesn’t mean uninjured, and we can’t have you causing trouble, now can we? Good night, handsome.”

Then the sap came down on Seidrel. It took two blows before he lost consciousness, with the alarm bell still ringing over Firewatch.

* * *

Meldrion looked around the angelic redoubt in satisfaction, then looked at his lieutenant and smiled at Qorrith as he asked, “What do you have for me?”

“Firewatch and the surrounding environment are secure, sir,” the muscular blood demon replied, and she smiled in return as she continued. “None of the sentries managed to escape, and based on our investigation all the angels are accounted for. There are reports of some disturbances in the mortal villages, but nothing of note yet. It appears that the outpost is secure and under our control.”

“Excellent. What of our people or the captives? Are any seriously injured?” Meldrion asked, tapping his thigh rhythmically, then stopping as he heard the tapping sound it made. He didn’t want to give the impression of being nervous, when all he wanted was to laugh happily at their success.

“We’ve had seven casualties: two serious injuries and five minor. The healers have already tended to them, and it appears that they’ll all make a full recovery,” Qorrith said, her smile vanishing. “The angels almost all sustained minor injuries, and we’ve received reports of several broken wings, though the healers are confident they’ll recover. Fourteen of the hundred angels stationed here have sustained heavy injuries, and one of them is in danger of death.”

“That’s unfortunate. Her Majesty commanded that we take the angels alive if at all possible, so you’re to use even our most potent healing potions to bring the angel back from the brink if necessary,” Meldrion replied, his smile fading slightly at the information. He didn’t know why he’d been given the order to keep the angels alive, but he’d obey anyway. “If we can’t stop it even then, I’m certain Her Majesty will understand. But we’re to do everything possible to keep them alive.”

“Of course, sir!” Qorrith replied, saluting sharply. Then she hesitated and asked nervously, “Do you think she’ll be pleased with what we’ve achieved, though?”

Meldrion nodded, his enthusiasm bubbling up again as he looked up at the outpost and replied. “I think Her Majesty is going to be very pleased with us. Now then, get the soldiers to work securing the island. We’re going to be here for a while and need to be ready for any counterstrike the heavens may attempt.”

“Sir!” Qorrith quickly rushed off to get to work, and Meldrion nodded to himself.

It might not have been particularly fair to the defenders, with how they’d approached under the cover of invisibility, but it was the only chance that Meldrion’s soldiers had to take the fortress mostly intact and before they could send a message back to the heavens. He wasn’t sure if they’d succeeded at the latter, but the magic they’d expended had been worth it in the end. Firewatch now belonged to Estalia, and the angels within would be sent to the prison camp soon enough.

“A bit of a pity… some of them were rather attractive,” Meldrion murmured, thinking appreciatively of a couple of the men in particular. Then he shrugged and got to work himself. It wasn’t like the outpost would organize itself, after all.

* * *

The sky looked so strange in the hells, at least in Isalla’s opinion. She stared upward at the stars, and shivered as she saw the moon rising, closer to blood-red than white today. It was probably the clouds that did it, she knew, but it didn’t change how it made her feel uncomfortable about the sight. She missed the mortal world and heavens. She also missed Kitania, though Isalla was hesitant to express it too often, not with how Rose’s feelings were relatively unknown. She knew that Rose had liked Kitania, and insisted on rescuing her, but beyond that… Isalla wasn’t certain. That was part of the reason why she was out in the garden, watching the sky from a viewing pond, trying to decide what to do.

That didn’t stop her from noticing the soft radiance illuminate the grass around her, even if she didn’t hear footsteps. Noticing that much, Isalla wasn’t surprised when Estalia’s voice broke the silence of the garden.

“Are you alright, Isalla?” Estalia asked softly. Isalla looked back to see the demoness was standing only a couple of feet away, looking at her in concern.

“Of course I’m alright. I’m safe in your palace, my wings are regrown and I’m getting back my full ability to fly, and I’ve been reunited with Rose,” Isalla replied, swallowing hard as she drank in the sight of the demon queen, her presence distracting Isalla even more thoroughly than the sky itself. She swallowed hard, then asked, “Why… why would I not be alright?”

“Just because you’re in a good situation doesn’t mean that you’re happy, Isalla. I’ve seen how nervous you are, and how at a loss you seem at times,” Estalia replied gently, taking a step forward, then another. The queen reached out and gently brushed her fingers over Isalla’s wings, causing a shiver to run down the young woman’s spine.

“I… I suppose so,” Isalla said, blushing as she tried to look away from Estalia, but couldn’t. After a moment of hesitation, she stood and turned to face the queen, so she wasn’t craning her neck. She licked her lips before she admitted softly, “I don’t know what to do, or what to think.”

“Ah, I see.” Estalia’s smile faded and she shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry, Isalla. I wish I could help with that, but… I can’t. Telling you what to think is a poor idea, in my experience. It was the mistake I made with Kitania, and you’ve seen what’s happened to Eziel. Only you can decide what you need to do, or want to do. I… can try to support you. If nothing else, though, my advice is simple. You should make one small decision at a time, and go from there. Every major action is made up of many minor ones, after all.”

“I… I suppose so,” Isalla agreed, and fell silent for a long moment, looking at Estalia as she hesitated, feeling so lonely. And after a moment, as her gaze met the deep blue of Estalia’s, she also felt temptation stirring inside her.

Rose had said that she’d slept with Estalia once, and the look on her face had been… startling. The longing in Rose’s eyes had been unmistakable, and considering everything else, a tiny part of Isalla just wanted to experience what she had. To lose the worries that she was carrying with her every day, and to feel happy, if only for a little while.

So Isalla made her decision, a single small one, and licked her lips before asking softly. “Your Majesty… may I kiss you?”

Estalia blinked, obviously a little surprised, then smiled and nodded as she replied gently. “Of course you may, Isalla. If that’s what you’d like.”

It really was a beautiful night, Isalla reflected. The sky might be strange to her, but it had its own beauty, much as Estalia had hers. So she stepped around the bench and leaned down to kiss the demon queen, to lose her worries. If only for a little while.

Chapter 13

“I wish I was mostly immune to drugs… or some drugs,” Kitania muttered, clutching her head as it throbbed painfully. The headache was buried deep in the forward part of her skull, and radiated through her body with every heartbeat, making her not want to move.

The problem was that her body was immune to poisons because they damaged her body, Kitania knew. Or mostly damaged her body… some poisons could affect her, at least for a while. Diseases were something she had to be more careful about, since she could easily host them without ill effect. That was why Kitania regularly purged her body of known diseases. Drugs that altered her mind, or made her feel good? Those were an entirely different story, and her ability to heal didn’t make dealing with the aftermath any easier.

The knock at the door caused Kitania to flinch as it aggravated her headache. She dearly wished whoever it was would go away, but that wasn’t likely to happen. If anything, it would probably encourage them to knock more, and that was very nearly the last thing she wanted. It would almost be better if someone could put her out of her misery, if that were even possible.

Dragging herself off the bed, Kitania staggered over to the door, pausing as she realized she was almost naked. Still, she had enough on to protect her modesty, so she opened the door a crack, wincing as she heard clattering from the hallway, along with the sound of the guards shifting. Her senses were painfully heightened, she realized, and resolved to hide under her pillow the next chance she got, at least until the effect faded.

On the other side of the door was an elven woman with a tranquil expression, one who wore a thin copper circlet to hold back her blonde hair, and she had pale hazel eyes. The woman was also wearing a set of white and deep green robes, along with a silver holy symbol shaped like a shield with a bow carved into it. The woman looked through the opening and raised an eyebrow.

“Miss Kitania, it is nearly noon, and I need to speak to you. Are you available?” the woman asked, her voice mellow enough it didn’t aggravate Kitania’s headache. Much.

“Um, it’s that late? That drug must have really been nasty,” Kitania murmured, wincing and hesitating, then opened the door a little wider as she said, “Come in if you’d like… just keep your voice down? Please?”

The priestess hesitated, then took a slow step into the room and closed the door behind her as she looked around, then glanced at Kitania. She seemed slightly disapproving, but spoke in the same calm tone. “Is something the matter? Aside from being drugged, of course. We confirmed that Princess Sellis was drugged last night as well.”

“It’s also given me a splitting headache, like someone drove a pickaxe into my skull,” Kitania replied, opening the wardrobe and pulling out a skirt and top to quickly change into. She really didn’t want to think about the incident with Niadra, considering how she’d acted in front of Alserah. Kitania didn’t want to aggravate the goddess even more than she probably had. Her dress was a rumpled mess half-off its hanger, and Kitania made a note that she should take care of it when she had the mental capacity to, and after a moment she added, “No, that’s not the voice of experience, just an expression. May I ask who you are, and why you’re here? I’m afraid you have the advantage of me.”

“I’m High Priestess Moira. I’m the administrator of all matters of faith in the Forest of Sighs,” the priestess replied calmly, looking at Kitania closely, looking slightly concerned. “My apologies for not having the drug purged last night. We didn’t believe it would be a problem.”

“It probably isn’t that bad, but… it isn’t pleasant,” Kitania replied, heavily sitting on the bed and wincing as it creaked, sending another stabbing sensation through her skull. “Um, it’s… good to meet you, Lady Moira. What can I do for you?”

“I’m told that you were the one to inform Her Grace about the presence of a dream spider within her mind last night, and described what it did?” Moira asked, tilting her head, her hands crossed and each hidden in the other sleeve of her robe.

“I seem to recall that, yes. It’s a little vaguer than I’d like, but I remember the spider. Nasty little monsters,” Kitania murmured, shivering at the memory of the one she’d seen in Alserah’s eyes, a trace of fear rushing through her. “I never expected to run into someone infested here, of all places. Most places in the hells that know about them do their best to wipe them out.”

“Based on what she said you explained, I can understand why. In any case, we’ve confirmed that we can see the spider for ourselves, and Her Grace has sent me to ask what you need for the elixir to expel it from her,” Moira explained, taking a step closer.

“Oh, right. Probably to make sure it isn’t poisonous or something… or maybe to brew it yourselves,” Kitania murmured, taking a breath and looking around her tiny room, then asking quietly, “I don’t suppose you brought a bit of parchment and something to write with? There are at least five different recipes I know of, and I’m not sure which one will be easiest to find the ingredients for.”

“I did, though I wasn’t expecting that many possibilities.” Moira murmured, pulling an inkwell and quill from one sleeve, and a sheet of paper from the other as she frowned. Kitania wondered where she’d kept the items, or if the woman’s sleeves were enchanted to have a magical storage space. Moira set the items on the small table, looking thoughtful.

“I was understating the number, honestly. There are dozens, since they only require something to lull the drinker into a light slumber, a near-waking dream, and something poisonous to dream spiders. Honestly, if you have an elixir that can do the first, we could make do with any of the poisons,” Kitania replied, standing carefully and moving deliberately toward the table. She didn’t want to fall flat on her face in front of the elf. Taking the quill, she paused and thought before dipping it in the inkwell and slowly starting to write down the ingredient lists she knew.

Kitania wasn’t lying about the number of potential recipes, either. The tribe that she’d learned from had come up with an enormous number to ensure they never had to wait to find rare ingredients, though they did have a few they’d preferred. Those were more ceremonial, and often weakened the spider when it emerged from the victim as well. Sadly, the chances of finding the ingredients for them here was essentially nonexistent.

“Interesting. I’ll check with our alchemists to see if they have something appropriate,” Moira replied, and Kitania could practically feel the woman’s gaze on her back. It made the demon’s skin almost itch, and she tried to write a little more quickly. The sooner she was alone again, the happier Kitania would be.

“I’m sure they’ll have a few ideas. I’m pretty sure that none of these ingredients are dangerous for elves, but I’m not certain,” Kitania replied, finishing the lists and bleeding the quill back into the inkwell. “I had a few elven patients over the years, but only a few dozen at most. None of them required treatment like this, as I recall.”

“I hadn’t realized that you’d treated any elves. I was told that you claim to be a healer, of course, but nothing more than that,” Moira murmured, her tone ever so slightly questioning, almost doubtful.

Kitania winced as a spike of irritation rushed through her, followed quickly by pain from her headache. She took a deep breath, corking the inkwell and picking up it and the quill to hand over to the priestess as she looked her in the eye, speaking slowly. “I have no healing magic, if that’s what you’re asking. I healed through mundane arts and alchemy, and I’ve been practicing for nearly five centuries. It’s almost inevitable that I encountered most species in that time, so yes, I’ve healed elves. I even had the opportunity to treat an angel recently. Here’s the list for you. I hope it helps Her Grace.”

Moira stowed the inkwell and quill in her sleeves, then took the sheet when Kitania offered it to her. The priestess took her time looking it over, her expression attentive and curious. It took a few moments, then she looked up at Kitania and spoke softly. “You surprise me, Miss Kitania.”

“Oh? Why might that be, this time?” Kitania asked, smiling thinly as she added, a little surprised at the woman’s words, “I’m sure that me regenerating qualified before.”

“Quite,” Moira said, a smile flickering across her face, and she raised the sheet slightly as she continued. “I sincerely doubt that any of these would harm me, let alone My Lady, and if they work… I find it surprising how readily you handed them over. I had half expected you to make demands before giving them to me.”

Kitania laughed, and immediately regretted doing so as she shook her head, cringing. Her voice was softer as she replied, a bit incredulous. “What position am I in to make demands? I suppose I could, but I don’t think it would end well for me. Besides, even if we were still at war, and me on the opposite side, I would give you the ingredients and tell you how to eliminate the dream spider. No one deserves to die like that.”

“On that we agree. Thank you, I’ll take this to the alchemists,” Moira said, nodding slightly as she continued. “Farewell for now.”

With that, the woman slipped out of the room, and Kitania looked at the door, then sighed softly, her headache still throbbing. After a moment she murmured, “At least she didn’t close the door hard.”

Shaking her head carefully, Kitania headed for the wardrobe to take care of the gown. Once she’d done that, she’d hide under the pillow for a few hours until her headache receded at last. She’d rather it happened sooner than later.

* * *

Alserah looked up as Moira entered the room, a thoughtful look on the priestess’s face. It didn’t tell Alserah what she wanted to know, but that was fine with her. Moira might not look as concerned as some of the others had when Alserah had explained what Kitania told her, but the priestess was almost more invested in dealing with the problem than Alserah was. After all, the priestess worshiped Alserah.

“What word from the alchemists, Moira?” Alserah asked, tapping the table slowly as Hanrith looked over as well.

“Their initial assessment of Kitania’s lists is that all but one of the five recipes provided are entirely harmless, and the last is likely to lead to no more than a propensity for loose bowels for a few days,” Moira replied, smiling thinly as she walked over, then stopped a few paces away to bow her head respectfully, her voice betraying a hint of relief. “They’ve also determined several common elements among the supposed poisons for the dream spider, and while they’re uncertain of the details, they all agree that the concoctions don’t appear to be fabricated. I believe that you were correct to believe Miss Kitania’s claim, My Lady.”

“The question is what she wants for her help,” Hanrith said, his voice suspicious. “What demands did she make?”

“An excellent question,” Alserah said, her emotions growing still colder at the tidings that Moira brought. She would almost have preferred that Kitania had been lying, since she wouldn’t have had a monster in her head for nearly a millennium.

“None,” Moira said simply, her hands folded in front of her, and Alserah blinked in surprise.

“Are you saying she just gave the list to you? No demands?” Hanrith asked, looking as taken aback as Alserah felt, or probably more than the goddess did. “What about requests?”

“Again, she made no demands or requests. When I asked for the list, she simply wrote them down, and added that any elixir which placed the user into a waking dream would work, and that poisons could be added,” Moira replied, shaking her head slowly. “I was surprised by the lack of requests myself and asked her why. She said that even if we were at war, she’d do the same, because no one deserved to die like that. I’m not entirely certain I believe her, but she didn’t appear to be lying.”

“That… is somewhat unexpected,” Alserah murmured, forcing down her surprise to keep the pain from emotions tolerable. She sat back, frowning as she continued, her thoughts racing. “When she told me what she believed last night, I thought that it was likely she was only telling me to get something. Or perhaps because her inhibitions were lowered. Now… you’re certain she wasn’t still under the effect of the drug?”

“Absolutely certain, My Lady. She appeared to be suffering from an extremely unpleasant hangover when I arrived, and said that she planned to go back to bed after I left,” Moira replied, smiling thinly. “I’ll admit I found it slightly amusing.”

“Speaking of the drug, I’m afraid that we haven’t made progress in finding who was behind it,” Hanrith said, looking displeased. “Lord Navian was horrified when he heard what had happened to the princess, and volunteered to submit to truthtelling magic. He apparently simply took the last two glasses of wine from a servant’s plate for the women and doesn’t remember what the servant looked like. All we have to go off of is a male servant in the palace uniform, and with as many of them as were present last night, it would be quite easy for someone to have impersonated one of them.”

“That’s quite frustrating. Continue the investigation, Lord Commander. I don’t want them getting away with this easily,” Alserah replied, frowning slightly. She was still irritated with Niadra for getting into the situation to begin with, but if she hadn’t invited Kitania, Alserah might still be ignorant of the threat inside her own head. So she was intent on not punishing the princess, at least not over this. Unfortunately, chances were that the investigation would go nowhere.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Hanrith agreed, bowing deeply.

“Moira, I’d like you to speak to the alchemists again. If they can safely brew one of these elixirs without Kitania’s assistance, have them do so. If they can’t, have them consult with her where necessary,” Alserah ordered, frowning as she paused, then continued. “I want to deal with this problem as soon as possible. After as long as it’s been, I dare not risk drawing out the spider’s removal. Northwind, you will be in charge of selecting guards with enchanted equipment and spellcasters to help deal with it.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Hanrith repeated himself again, though he looked a good deal happier this time.

“Of course, My Lady,” Moira said, giving a graceful curtsey.

“Please be about it, then,” Alserah told them, and watched the two turn to leave quickly.

The goddess wasn’t happy about having to move so quickly, but she didn’t feel that she had much of a choice. If what Kitania said was true, it was entirely likely that Alserah was fortunate to have lived as long as she had. Especially since the first symptoms had appeared after Rosken.

Alserah found that bitterly ironic, since Kitania had been present at the same battle where she’d likely been stabbed with the dream spider’s fang.

Chapter 14

“You’ve been here for how long?” Isalla asked, staring at Elliot and Cerithi, her fork halfway to her mouth as she paused in shock.

“About seven centuries,” Elliot said easily, grinning as he spread the soft cheese on his roll. “Give or take a few decades, mind you. I stopped bothering to count after a while.”

“I’m a newcomer compared to him,” Cerithi said, rolling her eyes as she continued to stir her soup, mixing in the milk she’d added to it. “I’ve only been here for a little over sixty years.”

“That still seems like a rather long time to me,” Rose said, sitting back in her chair as she sipped from her glass.

Isalla and Rose had taken to eating dinner each night with some of the angels who lived in Estalia’s palace, and there were rather more of them than Isalla had expected. Nine angels lived there, excluding at least six more she’d seen among the palace guard, and the other day Estalia had told Isalla that there was even a small colony of angels hidden in the mountains near the city. Isalla had been startled the first time she’d seen a couple of the gray or black-winged men and women in the palace as well, since the colors meant they were ashborn, the children of angels and demons.

Elliot and Cerithi weren’t close to the oldest of the angels in the palace, either. Adain and Leena were the two who’d been there the longest, both of whom had revealed that they’d known Kitania when she was still around. That had shocked Isalla and Rose, as had the painting of Kitania that someone had finally bothered to show them. The picture had been of an impish, pink-skinned demoness in a turquoise gown as she looked over her shoulder back at the viewer, and the sight had been startling. It was hard for Isalla to think of Kitania and the woman in the painting as the same person, even if the smile did look mostly the same.

“True, but I’ve also been a lot happier here than I was running a hospice near the front lines,” Cerithi said, shrugging slightly as the brunette smiled unhappily. “The number of times I had people trying to take advantage of me as a nurse… well, let’s just say it got old. If Lady Estalia hadn’t purchased me from the raiders, I’m pretty sure I’d have died anyway, and it was comfortable here, so I stayed.”

“I don’t really think about what I did in the heavens anymore,” Elliot said, shrugging and taking a bite of his bread, which prompted Isalla to finally eat the salad on her fork. The man continued a moment later. “It just doesn’t feel that important.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t after so long,” Isalla murmured, shaking her head and sitting back, taking a moment to stretch her wings as she did so. The room wasn’t as dark as most of those in the hells, which certainly put her more at ease. Even if she did wonder how Kitania was doing. “I don’t suppose either of you know what will happen to the angels from Firewatch when they get here?”

“You probably could ask Her Majesty,” Elliot pointed out, frowning slightly. “She meets with the pair of you a lot, after all.”

“That relies on us remembering to ask when she’s in the room,” Rose said, smiling slightly as she did so, and Isalla managed to suppress the urge to blush as she nodded in agreement. She still hadn’t told Rose about her encounter with the queen, and her lover continued calmly. “As I’m sure you’re aware, she’s just a bit distracting.”

That prompted everyone to laugh, and Cerithi nodded, smiling warmly. “True enough! I know I have trouble concentrating when she’s in the room. As for the other angels, I’ve been asked if I’m willing to help tend to their injuries once they arrive, so I know a little. There’s a prison barracks that’s attached to the palace where they’ll be housed, and I believe that she’s going to have as many mortals and angels take care of them as she can, to help them relax.”

“Ah,” Isalla said, nodding in understanding. She still wasn’t exactly happy about the attack on Firewatch, and Rose had been even more conflicted, but they’d relaxed, especially after they’d heard all the defenders had survived.

“They’re going to finish transporting them here… next week, was it?” Rose asked, setting her glass down as she looked at her food in consideration. “I think I heard that they’re teleporting them here.”

“That sounds about right,” Elliot agreed. “All the lava flows in the region make transit more difficult by land, and good luck moving a hundred-odd angel captives by air. Even if a caravan didn’t get raided, it’d take too long to move them anywhere. Teleportation may take a lot of mana, but it’s also the safest way to move them. Most of the time, anyway, as the two of you showed.”

“Only with Kitania’s help,” Isalla corrected, looking down unhappily. “I wish we knew what happened to her.”

“You’ll find out soon, from what I’ve heard,” Cerithi assured her, smiling gently as she reached out to pat Isalla’s shoulder. “That’s only two weeks away, I believe.”

“That’s right,” Rose agreed, her expression relaxing slightly as she added softly, “I’m looking forward to having a specific goal. Plus, Isalla’s new armor should be ready by that point.”

“I can’t believe how fast the artificers here can work,” Isalla said, shaking her head in bewilderment. “The fitting yesterday feels like it came far too quickly, and they’re just so… brisk.”

“It’s better than waiting a couple of months to get a set you can move in,” Elliot said, grinning broadly at Isalla. “I remember my first encounter with them, and I was surprised as well. The metalsmiths in the hells really are better than I had thought they’d be, back when I was in the heavens.”

“It’s sort of the nature of the conflict. I think they trained us to underestimate the hells, or at least to look down on them,” Rose said, taking a sip of her soup.

“It’s easy to do. I mean, the heavens are above the mortal world,” Cerithi said, her eyes twinkling as she continued. “We looked down on everyone.”

Isalla couldn’t help laughing along with the others.

Chapter 15

“Are you certain that this is accurate?” Haral asked, looking at the document in more than a little disbelief.

The sheet contained a report from the agents near Mist, the capital of the Forest of Sighs, and what it said… Haral was sure there had to be a mistake. She didn’t care what the sheet said, there shouldn’t be any way for a demon to survive Alserah’s defenses. The very thought was ridiculous.

“As sure as can be. There’s gossip about it throughout the palace and among the nobility, so getting the information wasn’t hard,” Corram replied, flicking a few beads on his abacus as the angel continued updating his accounts. He looked up at her and shrugged as he explained. “If they’re right about her having the ability to regenerate from the attacks, it at least explains why the demon survived being teleported into the palace. It isn’t like she came out unscathed, from what I’ve heard.”

“True. I’d just have expected Alserah to have put attacks in place to inhibit regeneration. It’s rather vexing to hear that anyone managed to survive, after all the effort that was put into that arrow,” Haral replied, her disbelief easing slightly. She still wasn’t happy that it seemed like Eziel had wasted such a valuable weapon, but there was nothing to be done about it. She still hadn’t heard anything back from Firewatch, but it’d be another week at best before she had solid information.

“She was once mortal, so she’s bound to have blind spots,” Corram murmured, and Haral nodded in agreement. He continued after a moment, sighing. “I had hoped that they would react with holy fury at the intrusion, but instead, the populace appears to have reacted with curiosity, and by shoring up their defenses, which is unfortunate.”

“Agreed. Their devotion to light obviously has wavered since the war,” Haral said, setting down the sheet on his desk and stepping over to the window to gaze across the city unhappily.

Eldsyr was one of the older cities in the Forest of Sighs, and one of the farthest north as well. The city was beautiful, for a mortal city, with many elegant buildings of stone and wood, and large gardens and copses nestled among the city streets. The elven fortress atop the nearby hill caught Haral’s eye as well, with its white walls, the shimmering jewels in its towers and spires, and the handful of soldiers she could see atop its walls.

Haral could even see a handful of angels flying over the city, though they were outnumbered by a dozen elven drake-riders out on patrol, their clothing fluttering in the wind. If she had to live somewhere in the mortal world, Haral supposed she wouldn’t mind Eldsyr. It was just unfortunate that their dedication had dimmed over the years.

“For the light to shine in truth, sacrifices must be made,” Haral whispered under her breath, focusing her resolve. “To stoke the fires of true faith, those who are lacking must be removed.”

“Lady Haral? Did you say something?” Corram asked, looking up from his document.

“How many angels live in the Forest of Sighs?” Haral asked, ignoring the question as she looked back at him.

Corram tugged on his beard, the brown-haired man frowning as he thought. Then he replied calmly. “I would say about two hundred in total. Sometimes more come through on trips, but that would be close to the usual population.”

“I see. Well, hopefully they get out when the time comes,” Haral said, frowning as she continued. “You’re to quietly prepare to leave, Corram. Not immediately, of course. I want you to keep an eye on events and keep me informed. If Alserah won’t support the light wholeheartedly… well, she’ll just have to be an example to all the others who are wavering. Perhaps those who survive will have learned from the experience.”

“I… as you say, Lady Haral. You just surprised me,” Corram said, looking slightly taken aback. “I didn’t expect for something like this to come so soon.”

“We’re running out of time. The amount of time our plans can remain hidden is quickly coming to an end. The larger our faction grows, the more likely it is that the other members of the Holy Council will notice,” Haral explained, her smile unhappy as she continued. “Renewing the war with the hells, though… that will provide ample distraction for them, and give us the time we need to bring things to completion.”

“I see, and I believe I understand,” Corram said, pushing the abacus aside for the moment as he nodded gravely. “I will do what I can to serve the light.”

“Excellent,” Haral murmured, turning to take in the peaceful sight outside again, then continued softly. “I’ll return to the heavens tomorrow to finalize the plans. Keep me informed.”

“As you say, Lady Haral,” Corram agreed, prompting Haral to smile. She wasn’t happy about her plans, but it was the best choice she had available to her.

Chapter 16

Kitania set aside the book and sighed, looking out the tiny window of her room. She’d been confined to the room for three days, except for brief trips to the bathing room each day, and she was getting even more restless than she’d been before. She’d read the book she’d borrowed from the library at least four times now, and there wasn’t anything that had caught her interest this time, which made it even more frustrating.

Her room gleamed, at least, since the servants had been willing to bring her the supplies to keep it clean, but otherwise she’d been kept entirely in the dark ever since Moira’s visit and the subsequent visit by the court alchemists. Even the visit by Maura, the guard who’d first spoken to her, hadn’t given any new information, since the woman had said that they’d been ordered not to tell Kitania anything.

So in the end, all she could do was wait. Kitania had also done what exercising she could, but the room was small and she couldn’t exercise endlessly, despite what some of the soldiers seemed to think. Even if she couldn’t die of exhaustion, she still got tired.

That was why the sudden knock at the door startled her into jumping, and Kitania looked at it, blinking in surprise. It wasn’t near a mealtime, which made it even more perplexing, so after a moment she stood up and opened the door, asking, “Yes?”

On the other side of the door was Hanrith, to Kitania’s surprise. He smiled thinly as he looked Kitania over, then spoke coolly. “Ah, I see you’re well enough, it seems.”

“I am, though I must say that being confined to the room has been almost as boring as being in the cell,” Kitania replied, frowning slightly in return, a hint of discontent rippling through her. “Is something the matter? I’ve tried not to cause any problems over the last few days.”

“The matter? No, I was just sent by Her Grace. She wishes for you to come see her,” Hanrith replied, looking Kitania over critically.

“Is that so? Should I change into something nicer, then?” Kitania asked, looking down as she suppressed her surprise. She hadn’t been expecting to be called out of her room, so she’d worn the clothing she used for exercising and training with the soldiers.

“No, your current clothing should suffice,” Hanrith replied after a moment, looking her in the eyes, his expression oddly tense, she thought. “Do you need to prepare yourself more?”

“If this is fine, then no. If she wants to see me, I’d best not keep her waiting,” Kitania replied, looking herself over quickly, then nodding. “I’m ready whenever you are, Sir Northwind.”

“Excellent. Follow me, then,” Hanrith said, and he turned to lead the way through the halls of the palace.

Kitania quickly followed him, closing her door behind her and ignoring the now-familiar presence of the soldiers behind her, since she wasn’t especially worried about them. Instead, she noticed that they were going in the same general direction as the ballroom, though it wasn’t quite the same route. As they drew closer to that section of the building, Kitania noticed several soldiers placed at intersections, as well as a lack of servants beyond them, and felt tension begin coiling inside her. If Alserah wanted to kill her, it wouldn’t make sense to go to all this effort, and Kitania was pretty certain it wouldn’t work, but it didn’t quite assuage her worries. Soon, they reached a door, and Hanrith opened it and stepped inside. Kitania stepped through the door, then stopped, blinking as understanding washed over her.

The small room had been emptied of anything of value and had no furnishing except for a single chair and a small table next to it. Two guards in armor were in the room, each with weapons, as were a pair of magi, a man and woman who looked nervous. Moira was present as well, holding a large vial of liquid, and Alserah was standing next to the chair, a faintly unhappy look on her face. Considering that they were probably planning to draw out the dream spider, Kitania honestly couldn’t blame them. Still, it was best to be certain.

“Pardon me, Your Grace, but may I ask if you’re planning to attempt to deal with the dream spider?” Kitania asked, bowing her head respectfully as Hanrith closed the door behind them, leaving her guards outside.

“Yes, of course. If you’re correct, it will make my life much better,” Alserah replied, looking at Kitania pointedly.

Kitania nodded, taking a deep breath as she glanced around and replied, feeling a little nervous. “In that case, I must warn you that this room is far too small for that, and you don’t have enough guards.”

* * *

“What do you mean?” Alserah asked, her voice as icy as she felt.

Kitania looked much more poised than she had in the gardens, and the demoness looked back at Alserah calmly, which made her even more annoyed. Or mostly calmly, at least, since Kitania looked tense.

“I don’t remember everything I told you in the gardens, Your Grace. My memory is a little fuzzy, which I regret. However, did I tell you that the dream spider would emerge from you and that it was the largest I’ve seen?” Kitania asked, pausing as she tilted her head curiously.

“That’s correct. You said that they’re approximately a foot across,” Alserah said, looking at Hanrith, who was watching Kitania with narrowed eyes, one hand on his sword hilt. Kitania didn’t seem to be looking at him, though, and the demoness winced at her answer.

“I… see. I really should have been clearer about just how large they can be, then. I wish I’d explained just how dangerous they are,” Kitania said, taking a deep breath, then looking around the small room and continuing calmly. “The largest dream spider I encountered was ten paces across, destroyed half the village before we could kill it, and the people I was with were experienced with dream spiders. This one is bigger than that. Dream spiders aren’t entirely material, which means they can go through objects or walls that aren’t enchanted, and they let out psychic screams that stun those around them when they initiate combat. I’m sorry, but only six people present in a room which the spider will likely completely fill… that’s a recipe for disaster in my mind.”

Alserah’s annoyance vanished at Kitania’s explanation, and she could see how grave Hanrith’s expression had become. The man looked around the room, obviously thinking he was being subtle, but Alserah could see the worry in his eyes. The room was barely more than ten paces across on its long side, and she could see the guards shifting uncomfortably.

“Is that so? It would have been nice to know this beforehand,” Alserah replied, her voice soft, almost deadly.

“I thought I’d given a better explanation, or I would have told you sooner,” Kitania said, looking at Alserah apologetically. “Dream spiders scare me, being frank. Sure, they couldn’t kill me, but I’m sure I’ve told you what they do to a victim’s mind. I might be a little more resilient than most people, but I doubt I’d last more than a couple of months. I don’t want anyone to have to deal with them, and if I could wipe them out, I would.”

“Indeed? Then how would you handle this spider?” Alserah asked, glancing at Moira as the priestess gave her a surprised look. Hanrith didn’t look happy, either.

“My Lady?” Moira asked softly, but fell silent as Alserah shook her head slightly.

Kitania paused, frowning as she looked around the room. Finally, she spoke, her voice unhappy. “Not very well. If you have a room at least four times the size of this one, with an enchanted floor, ceiling, and walls, that would be ideal. Magical barriers hidden in them or over them would prevent it from fleeing, which would be my greatest fear. I’d suggest archers, but dream spiders are fast, and they can bend in ways that no spider should. That being the case, I’d say four magi who have seeking spells, and a dozen of the fastest soldiers you have is best. Not many things can stop a dream spider’s fangs, so your best odds are to avoid them even hitting. Worse, it has to be hacked to pieces to kill it, so simply caving in its head isn’t enough.”

“I see. You seem awfully confident of this. Would you care to face it as well?” Alserah asked, crossing her arms as she looked at the demoness. Kitania hesitated, looking back at Alserah before she replied nervously.

“Care to? No. But I will, if you give me an enchanted glaive and my magic. As I said, it can’t kill me, and if I get bit… the same concoction would allow us to get rid of any infection before it grows so dangerous,” the demoness said, and Alserah could see Hanrith and a couple of guards stiffen abruptly.

“If you think that I’m going to let a demon into reach of Her Grace with a weapon, you’re absolutely—” Hanrith began to snarl, but Alserah cut him off angrily.

“Lord Commander!” Alserah’s voice was sharp, and she felt a stab of pain from the spider in her mind as her anger was roused. He paled, looking at her as he fell silent.

“Yes, Your Grace?” Hanrith asked, quickly looking down and bowing.

“It would be simple to adjust the restrictions of her collar to allow her to attack non-elves, and to use her magic on such creatures. If I do so, she’ll be unable to raise a hand against me,” Alserah said, and looked at Kitania, a hint of respect welling up inside her as she continued. “Besides, if she’s truly willing to help rid me of this monster, it would be an immense aid.”

“Pardon me, My Lady, but could you not destroy the beast easily, once you awaken?” Moira asked, her voice polite. Alserah turned her gaze to Kitania, who shifted from one foot to another.

“I’d be surprised if it took you more than a single attack. The problem is the shock that your mind is liable to go through when it comes out, Your Grace. I’d guess that it will take a minute or two to recover, even as strong as you are,” Kitania replied, shrugging slightly. “I have no illusions as to my own strength. If I had the weapons I grew up with, and my armor from the war… maybe I could kill the spider on my own. But I couldn’t do it easily; I’m simply not that strong.”

“Indeed. However, all that doesn’t matter. What matters is destroying the monster once and for all,” Alserah replied, unfolding her arms and looking at Hanrith pointedly. “Lord Commander, find additional guards to suit Kitania’s suggestions, and find her an enchanted glaive. Moira, I require a room large enough for us to trap and destroy the spider, one with the enchanted walls to ensure that it doesn’t flee to become a blight on the kingdom.”

The two bowed in acknowledgement, and Alserah looked at Kitania, giving her an icy look that was somewhat at odds with how she felt. Despite everything, Kitania hadn’t had to give all the warnings she had, and it was possible that if she hadn’t, Alserah might have died. It was something she could respect, but would address later.

“Would you like me to tell you all I can about dream spiders in the meantime, Your Grace?” Kitania asked without prompting, looking at the goddess a bit nervously. “I’m not sure how much I truly told you the other night, and I was always told that knowledge is power.”

“It can be. Come, let us walk together,” Alserah replied, gesturing Kitania forward as the goddess started toward the door.

The demoness obeyed, to Alserah’s approval, and they started to walk through the palace, and Kitania began to speak, explaining everything she could.

* * *

Niadra paused with the teacup halfway to her mouth, shocked at the sight in front of her.

She was on her own except for Cecilia, taking tea in the garden to help calm herself. Niadra was honestly a little startled that no one seemed to have learned about her near disaster during the ball, and she was rather thankful and ashamed at the same time. Even Cecilia didn’t know the full story, which was probably for the best, since the woman gossiped a bit. She had gotten a gift of fine wine from Lord Navian and a note which was vaguely apologetic, along with an assurance from High Priestess Moira that he hadn’t known that he’d delivered the drug. At the same time, a tiny part of Niadra regretted that she hadn’t been able to get a bit further with Kitania, but considering Alserah’s intervention, there was nothing to be done about it.

On the other hand, seeing Kitania walking alongside Alserah as they followed the hall on the edge of the garden wasn’t something that Niadra had expected, and shock rippled through her. Cecilia was openly gaping, her hands halfway to the teapot as they watched the goddess and demon pass. Kitania wasn’t even in a gown or anything impressive, which made the dichotomy even more pronounced. Most of the servants had better clothing than the serviceable tunic and trousers Kitania was wearing, yet the demon was speaking to Alserah seriously, without the slightest bit of self-consciousness on her face. Even more startling was that Alserah seemed to be paying attention to what she was saying.

“I… what’s going on, Your Highness?” Cecilia asked, looking utterly poleaxed.

“I can honestly say that I have no idea. Last I heard, Kitania was confined to her quarters,” Niadra said, her emotions roiling, but she took a sip of her tea and set it down gently as she spoke further, more confused than anything else. “On the other hand, I did hear something about a fair number of people going to see her, despite her confinement. This could have something to do with that.”

A tiny part of Niadra was remembering fragments of the other night, though, when Kitania had been talking about dream spiders, and that Alserah had one in her mind. Still, she wasn’t going to spread word of that around. Not when the goddess was already annoyed with her.

“Ah, I understand,” Cecilia murmured as she shook off her distraction, turning her gaze back to the teapot as she picked it up to refill her cup. “My apologies, Your Highness. The sight of Her Grace with Miss Kitania… startled me.”

“You aren’t the only one who was startled, Cecilia. And when others hear, they will be as well,” Niadra said, smiling slightly as she leaned forward, watching the two move out of sight. “We’ll learn more eventually, I’m sure. For now, I think it’s best not to worry too much. I don’t want to upset Her Grace.”

“Entirely agreed,” Cecilia said, smiling as she held up the teapot. “More tea, Your Highness?”

“Please,” Niadra said, gently pushing her saucer closer to the maid. She could politely inquire if she’d be allowed to meet with Kitania again later on, but she wasn’t going to get her hopes up. Not after Alserah had rather firmly dashed them before.

Chapter 17

“This should more than suffice,” Kitania said, twirling the glaive and nodding happily. It had a better balance than the practice glaive had possessed, and while it wasn’t as heavily enchanted as the sword she’d owned, or as Isalla’s for that matter, it was still more than enough to hurt a dream spider. That was the important thing, after all.

The conversation with Alserah had been interesting, as the goddess had asked several probing questions during Kitania’s descriptions of what she’d experienced. Those questions had led to a few modifications to their plans, but nothing major. They didn’t have time to create the proper incense to weaken the dream spider, not if they wanted to eliminate it before the day was out.

Kitania was nervous, she had to admit that much, but now that Alserah had relaxed the restrictions on her magic and combat, Kitania felt much better. On the other hand, Hanrith didn’t look very happy, and neither did most of the guards in the room. The two heavily armored guards did make Kitania a little worried with how slow they’d be, relatively speaking, but she wasn’t going to argue to have them removed. If the rest of the guards could pin the spider down, the two-handed sword and axe they favored would take the spider apart far more easily than the lighter blades of the other guards.

“I’m glad you approve,” Hanrith said, frowning at the weapon unhappily. “It isn’t as heavily enchanted as I’d prefer, but we don’t have many people who specialize in a glaive.”

“I’m not surprised. It requires looser formations and isn’t traditional among elves,” Kitania replied absently. “My mother favors a rapier, and I avoided specializing in a sword because I was feeling rebellious. A glaive isn’t what I used growing up, either, though it’s close. If I had my cloudpiercer, I’d be much happier.”

“A cloudpiercer?” Moira asked, the priestess’s eyebrows rising suddenly, and Kitania was amused by her unusual surprise. “You used an angelic weapon?”

“I was taught by an angel, so yes,” Kitania replied, grinning as she placed the haft of the weapon against her shoulder. The elves were looking at her in shock, and she shook her head at them, explaining. “I grew up with a few dozen of them in the palace, so it isn’t as strange as you might think. I did have to adapt the lessons, since I don’t have wings, but it isn’t like no one can craft cloudpiercers but angels.”

“No, it’s just that they’re traditionally angelic weapons,” Alserah interjected smoothly, looking Kitania over curiously. “I thought I recognized you, after seeing you fight on the training ground, but now I’m certain. I remember you on the walls of Rosken, wearing midnight blue armor.”

“With silver trim, too,” Kitania said, a hint of shock rushing through her as she looked back at the goddess. Alserah must have a near-perfect memory to remember that. “They’re my mother’s colors, and I commanded the detachment.”

“Interesting. Are you sure you don’t need armor now?” Hanrith asked doubtfully. At least he wasn’t objecting to killing the spider, but Kitania was starting to get tired of his other protests.

“No, since I have my magic that’ll be more than enough. I mentioned that dream spiders can punch through most armor, and I’m not joking. Unless it’s something that can block a ghost, its fangs will go right through it,” Kitania explained patiently, and she took a breath, then raised a hand as she added, “I suppose I may as well layer my defenses now.”

“Layer your defenses? What do you…” Hanrith began, but shut up as Kitania began casting.

The first spell she cast created layers of near-invisible armor over her skin, while the second one hardened her skin to near the consistency of bronze when something hit her. Kitania continued casting her spells, pleasantly surprised at how much mana she could sense within her core. Obviously, the centuries of using it to maintain a transformation spell had helped her capacity grow, and the spells weren’t taking quite as much of her reserves as she expected. Deflection spells and mental shields rounded out her defenses, though she knew that a dream spider would be able to hurt her even with all of them in place. Kitania hoped to simply reduce the damage she took, then she looked up and paused, seeing how Hanrith, Moira, and the guards were all staring at her. Only Alserah didn’t look very surprised, and instead looked intrigued.

“Is something wrong?” Kitania asked, her tone slightly questioning. She felt a little uncomfortable with how they were looking at her, and hoped she hadn’t scared them into kicking her out of the room.

“Your spells are reasonably potent, but I’ve rarely seen someone able to use that variety of protection spells without them clashing,” Moira said, looking Kitania up and down. “You don’t seem to be exceptionally skilled, but to cast them that well is… impressive.”

“I focused almost entirely on defensive spells when I learned magic,” Kitania replied, relaxing ever so slightly as she realized why they were staring. “I know a bit of telekinesis as well, though I’m nowhere near as proficient with that form of magic. Conversely, I’m good enough with wards against scrying that I had an archmage compliment me. He got through them anyway, but him being impressed was something of an accomplishment as well.”

“I see,” Hanrith said, looking like he’d relaxed slightly, then looking at the magi as he asked, “Have you placed your spells to defend against the creature’s mental scream?”

“No, but we will momentarily,” the woman in charge replied, and turned to the others as she nodded. The four magi immediately began casting their spells, and Alserah focused on Kitania.

“I believe we’re about ready to begin, then?” the goddess asked, a hint of impatience in her eyes. Kitania couldn’t blame her, considering everything they knew. She would be eager to get the spider out of her head if she were in Alserah’s place.

“Of course,” Kitania agreed, looking around the broad room. It looked like it was a dance hall, and she was a little concerned about any damage it might take, but the elves didn’t seem too concerned. Either way, it didn’t matter in the end. At last she nodded, looking at Moira.

Moira nodded slightly and turned to Alserah, speaking calmly. “It’s time, My Lady. If you’d prepare yourself.”

Alserah nodded and snapped her fingers. Her body emitted an abrupt green flash of light, and Kitania flinched slightly. The light cleared a moment later, and the goddess was no longer wearing a dress, but instead was in full armor. The armor wasn’t quite full plate, using black triangular tooth-like scales for much of the arms and legs, had a skirt, and it was predominantly green with gold highlights in various places. Like the last time Kitania had seen Alserah in armor, the goddess was bareheaded, which slightly surprised the demoness.

The goddess sat down in the chair, which was toward the back half of the room, and extended her hand. Moira handed Alserah the vial and quickly stepped back, stopping next to Kitania, then moved back more as Kitania gave herself a solid twenty paces between herself and Alserah. Frowning, the goddess unstopped the vial then downed the concoction.

“How long will this take?” Moira asked, her voice calm as she watched Alserah, looking rather tense.

“That depends on how well the sleeping draught portion of the elixir works, and how resistant Her Grace is,” Kitania replied, shifting her grip on the glaive nervously. “Then we have to kill the spider, and I’ve no idea how big it’ll actually be. I’m hoping it’s not much bigger than the huge one I saw before.”

“I see. Well, I will stand back and give what support I can,” Moira said, retreating to stand next to one of the other magi.

“Alright,” Kitania murmured, glancing over at the soldiers nervously. She noticed that they were paying almost as much attention to her as they were to Alserah, and that made her almost snort to herself. Obviously, they didn’t trust her very much, even with the restraint collar in place. She thought they should have more faith in their goddess, which was a little ironic.

Alserah sat in the chair, looking bored, and several minutes slowly passed. Slowly, Kitania saw the goddess’s breathing slow slightly, and her eyelids begin to droop. Alserah’s eyes didn’t completely close, but Kitania tensed as she saw it happen, bracing herself for what was coming.

A flicker of blue light in Alserah’s eyes was the only warning before the spider erupted into existence. It was immense and brilliant blue, almost the color of the sky, and it filled almost the entire space between Alserah and Kitania, eight enormous, armored legs biting into the floor, its body covered in chitinous plating, and its eyes glowed a bright red. Then the dream spider screamed.

The scream was a psychic echo that reverberated in Kitania’s head, and she flinched as it hit her. Fortunately, her defensive spells muted it to merely be loud, rather than letting the scream entirely incapacitate her. From the corner of her eyes, Kitania saw several of the soldiers stagger, but she didn’t let it delay her. Instead, she lunged forward, spinning the glaive to build up momentum as she struck at its leg.

Before the blade could strike home, the spider jumped into the air, barely telegraphing its movements. It shot at the ceiling, and the entire room shook as it hit the ceiling and bounced off, letting out another, much more muted scream as it fell practically on top of Kitania.

“Hellfire,” Kitania muttered, hastily setting the butt of her glaive against the ground and bracing herself.

* * *

The half-asleep state Alserah was in was annoying, to say the least. Her mind felt like an immense weight had been taken off it, one she hadn’t realized was there, and it was like taking a deep breath for the first time in centuries. The problem was that she was still trying to throw off the elixir’s effects, and because of that, Alserah found herself watching what was happening and unable to do anything about it.

Alserah had never claimed to like spiders, and this dream spider was even more horrific than most she’d seen. It was certainly worth obliterating for that alone, but she hadn’t realized just how fast the creature would be, even with Kitania’s warnings.

The spider fell practically on top of the demon, and Alserah mentally winced as she saw the glaive shaft bow under its weight as the blade bit into the spider’s carapace. An instant later, one of the spider’s legs twisted unnaturally and kicked Kitania into the wall, the blade ripping out of the spider’s body and leaving an ichor-dripping wound behind as the demon dragged the glaive with her.

Alserah’s soldiers had shrugged off the mental scream by that point, and the dozen men and women lunged forward to attack, sending a surge of pride through the goddess as they struck fearlessly, their blades having a hard time finding purchase as they attacked the spider’s legs. The magi all started to cast, including Moira, and bolts of fire, ice, and lightning flickered across the room. The spider managed to dodge three of the five spells, and she heard it hiss as one bolt impacted on its side, scorching it.

Even so, the fight had only begun, and as the two heavily armored soldiers lumbered forward, the spider struck back. In moments, two of the guards were thrown into the walls like Kitania had been and several others had been pushed back on their heels while the spider began advancing on the magi. Only the cramped confines of the room were keeping it from practically dancing around its attackers, Alserah realized in concern, struggling to throw off the fog that was keeping her from moving.

Just as the spider was about to bite one of the soldiers, Kitania threw her glaive at it, yelling in demonic, “Pay attention to me, stupid spider!”

Purple light wreathed the glaive as it slammed into one of the spider’s joints, half-severing the leg and causing the spider to scream. The purple light extended from Kitania’s hands, Alserah realized, and the spider surged after her angrily.

Kitania whipped the glaive back into her hands, and as the spider attacked, the demon began using her acrobatics as she almost danced among its legs and fangs, dodging around the edge of the room as she led it away from the bulk of the soldiers and the magi. Alserah was a little surprised the spider hadn’t attacked her, all things being considered.

Moira went to assist one of the fallen soldiers while the others attacked the spider from behind, inflicting more minor wounds as they did so, except when the axe wielder managed to hit a leg and sheared a section of it clean off. The spider screamed again, staggering most of the elves, and spun around, particularly toward Hanrith. Kitania lunged forward as it did, but an instant later Alserah realized the spider had almost been waiting for that, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw what happened.

One of the spider’s legs twisted on itself as it redirected, one of the hardened tips of its legs rushing at Kitania like a battering ram. The demoness hastily interposed the haft of the glaive before it hit her, but Alserah flinched as she heard the deafening crack of the leg slamming Kitania into the wall. The haft of the glaive snapped, and there was a visible dent where Kitania had hit the wooden surface, along with a fair amount of blood dripping from the demon’s chest.

A firebolt hitting the joint between the spider’s leg and abdomen caused it to shriek as it pulled away, spinning back to the elves as they cropped yet another of its legs, visibly slowing the monster. Its fangs were practically dripping venom, and the elves scattered as it lunged forward, targeting the axe wielder. Alserah’s blood chilled slightly as she saw that, feeling the fog around her starting to give way. If the spider managed to hit the man, its maw was so large that it might rip him in half, and she couldn’t help her admiration for how long Kitania had managed to delay the beast. Even so, it looked like she wouldn’t be in time, and—

There was a flash of purple and silver, then the spider screamed, staggering as the head of the glaive bit into one of its eyes, and Alserah would’ve frozen for an instant if she’d been able to intervene. The man took the moment to flee, and Alserah saw Kitania wavering, on one knee as she gasped for breath, her lips dripping blood and her chest partly caved in, while her left arm looked like it was both broken and dislocated. The demoness could obviously barely move, but at her gesture the glaive head ripped through another of the spider’s eyes, carving through its head viciously.

The monster staggered again, turning to face Kitania, and as its maw opened again, the demon threw the other half of the glaive into its mouth, causing the creature to choke for a moment.

That moment was just long enough, as Alserah finally broke through the fog, shaking off the drugs as she stood, blinking and raising her left hand. Her bow manifested instantly and she drew the string, an arrow of scintillating energy appearing from nothing as she did so, and she angrily took aim, hissing to herself.

The spider seemed to sense it the moment that Alserah loosed the arrow and it tried to skitter backward out of the arrow’s path, but that wasn’t enough to save it, Alserah thought murderously. The spider didn’t have time to dodge, and the arrow curved in midflight to ensure it hit where Alserah had aimed. The arrow drilled into its body, and Alserah quickly looked away as the arrow exploded inside the monster, banishing her bow again.

A rain of blue-green gore splattered across the room, and Alserah grimaced at the horrific smell, along with the damage that’d been done to the floor and walls. The room would definitely need repairs, and soon.

“Thank you, My Lady. That was… unpleasant,” Moira said, bowing her head slightly as she looked up from the soldier she’d been tending, who was gingerly beginning to move again.

“That it was. Everyone, I want you to ensure that you haven’t been struck by the spider’s fangs. If you find that you have, let us know so we can deal with it immediately,” Alserah said, glancing at the twitching remains of the spider before adding. “Once that’s done, I want you to look for the fangs. They’re to be carefully transported to the alchemists, who will destroy them. Do not think of keeping them.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” most of the soldiers chorused, and Alserah turned her attention to Kitania, who had slumped against the wall, taking quick, extremely shallow breaths, blood bubbling up each time she exhaled. Alserah considered for an instant, then approached the demoness, who had the presence of mind to smile slightly, which looked oddly horrifying with the blood dripping from her lips.

“You don’t look like you’re in good shape,” Alserah said softly, slightly surprised that Kitania had managed to make a last attack at all. She also couldn’t help a little more admiration for the woman, as she hadn’t had to take so many risks.

“Punctured… lungs…” Kitania gasped out, shaking her head as she continued laboriously. “I’ve had… worse.”

“I’ve seen you in worse condition, yes,” Alserah replied, a hint of amusement bubbling up inside her, along with just a little guilt. If she hadn’t called for Kitania to watch, she wouldn’t be in the position she was. The demoness didn’t really owe Alserah anything, and yet she’d just gone through a lot of pain to keep any of the guards from being heavily injured. It was entirely possible that without Kitania being present there would have been several people badly injured or killed in the process. After a moment, she asked, “Would you like healing?”

“After… them…” Kitania gasped, closing her eyes as she kept breathing. “Passing… out… now…”

Alserah’s eyebrows rose slightly as she saw the demon’s head slowly slump over. She didn’t know many people who could pass out on command, and she winced as she heard a popping sound from Kitania’s chest. She quickly turned away, not wanting to watch the demoness heal. Even as old as she was, it didn’t mean she wasn’t squeamish about some things.

Looking at Moira work, along with another mage with the gift of healing, Alserah glanced around before speaking. “Moira, I want you to tend to all the injured, then see if you can’t make Kitania’s injuries less… severe. We know that she’ll heal on her own, but I’d like it to take less time if possible.”

“Yes, My Lady,” Moira said, bowing her head and beginning to move slightly more briskly.

Alserah saw Hanrith gingerly pick up the remnants of the glaive’s haft and the portion attached to the blade, looking at the two pieces with a grim expression on his face. They were both dripping with the dream spider’s ichor, and more of the haft had been damaged by Alserah’s arrow, but they were still reasonably intact.

“Do you find those interesting, Northwind?” Alserah asked, stepping closer as she tried to ignore the stench. It was hard, but with the weight off her mind, she was willing to deal with that.

“The spider snapped an enchanted polearm like it was a twig. I was assured that the enchantments on the walls and floor could take the full force of an ogre’s strike without a mark, too,” Hanrith replied, and looked at Alserah soberly, looking down as he continued. “Your Grace, I just… I underestimated the spider by far. Even when Kitania warned us about it, I was skeptical. I’m startled that it’s leg didn’t go entirely through her.”

“That must be her defensive spells in action. I doubt that if any of you had taken the same blow, even with those spells, that you’d still be alive,” Alserah replied, glancing around the room yet again, then shaking her head. “You also aren’t the only one who underestimated what it might be capable of. That was twice the size of the one that Kitania had seen before, or all but twice its size. I’m startled it didn’t try to attack me immediately, to be honest, since I was the greatest threat.”

“True enough, Your Grace. As to it not attacking you… maybe it thought that you were poisonous, since you drank the elixir?” Hanrith suggested, dropping the pieces of the glaive with a sigh. “Either way, she probably saved me a lot of pain. I’m going to have to thank her, I suppose.”

“You aren’t the only one. I hadn’t realized just how much of a weight on my mind it was until now, but it’s… liberating,” Alserah said, and took a deep breath before smiling and glancing over at Kitania again. “The ambassador to Estalia has a message book, yes?”

Alserah was pretty much certain that the lady who’d been dispatched would have a message book. The enchanted book would copy text to its twin every sunrise and sunset, and was convenient to have with messengers or ambassadors. They were also unfortunately rare due to how hard it was to make so many sheets of enchanted paper.

“She does, Your Grace,” Hanrith replied, bowing his head slightly. “Do you wish for me to send her a message?”

“Yes. Despite the method of her arrival, Kitania has been a great help to me. As such, if she is Estalia’s daughter in truth, I wish for the ransom demand to be eliminated, and would like for Estalia to send agents to retrieve her,” Alserah replied, coming to her decision at last. Hanrith blinked, then nodded.

“As you say, Your Grace. I will have the message sent as soon as possible. The afternoon is set aside for Lady Azalea to send her messages, so it will be sent just after midnight,” Hanrith replied, bowing deeply this time.

“That will work perfectly,” Alserah said, stepping around a leg of the spider as she continued. “Now, I’m going to thank the soldiers for their assistance, then I would like for you to organize the disposal of the spider’s remains, Northwind. The room will take a great deal of cleaning and renovations before it will be usable again, but it must be done.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Hanrith said, standing at attention for a moment, then turning to get to work.

For her part, Alserah was looking forward to being able to feel emotions without being in pain. So she gave the first soldier a smile as she spoke to the injured man. “Thank you for all that you did. It would have been difficult to do this without you.”

The man’s mood obviously improved as he smiled and nodded, replying, “Thank you, Your Grace! I was only doing my duty, but your thanks are a blessing.”

That made Alserah laugh softly, and she turned to continue her work, sneaking the occasional glance at Kitania, who now had a soldier tending to her.

Alserah would have to thank Kitania later.

Chapter 18

Kitania groaned softly as she stood up, her arm and chest still aching. In some ways, being hit in the chest by the dream spider had been worse than the incident with the ballista, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She was somewhat surprised she’d gotten any magical healing, considering her regeneration, but Kitania was thankful that she had. From the look of the light outside, it’d been at least four hours since she’d been injured, and she still hadn’t fully healed. It was mostly moving the ribs back into place, she suspected, plus the sheer damage done throughout her torso.

She could walk now, though, and that meant that she wanted a bath. Her mouth still tasted faintly like blood, even though Kitania had washed her mouth out a dozen times, and she felt grimy.

“I hate dream spiders,” Kitania muttered, shivering slightly. She’d thought she was about to be bisected by the spider when Alserah had stood at last, and the goddess had obliterated the creature in a single shot. Sure, she’d expected the goddess to be able to kill it instantly, but she hadn’t appreciated being drenched in spider guts. Not that she’d ever say that to Alserah’s face.

She looked herself over, making sure she was at least somewhat decent. Someone had washed her off and changed her into other clothing, more of a loose gown considering her injuries, so she wasn’t too badly off. Then she opened the door and looked at her guards. They looked back at her, obviously shocked at her appearance.

“I don’t suppose I’m allowed to go to the bathing room, am I?” Kitania asked hopefully. “I’m in desperate need of a bath.”

One of the guards looked at the other, and the woman stared at Kitania for a moment before asking incredulously, “You’re already moving? How?”

“I heal quickly. You should know that, though,” Kitania replied, frowning at the guard unhappily.

“Well, yes, but when they brought you back, you—” the guard began, but stopped when her partner elbowed her in the side. She paused, then shook her head as she said. “No, you’re allowed to bathe if you want to. I just can’t believe you’re fine already.”

“Fine would be putting it a little too strongly. I still ache, and that isn’t something I want to experience again,” Kitania replied, and she stepped out to head down the hallway barefoot. Her shoes hadn’t been in the room with her, which made Kitania suspect that they, like the rest of her clothing, had either been disposed of or taken to be cleaned. If it were her, she’d probably clean them, but she normally didn’t have the resources of a nation to call on. They’d probably burned them, which was a bit of a waste, in her opinion.

The guards followed Kitania, and soon enough she reached the bathing room. Gathering the supplies she needed and filling the tub took a little longer than she liked, but at least the bathing room didn’t have many others in it at the moment. The handful that visited did give her a few odd looks, but Kitania ignored them, instead quickly settling into the tub to relax for a minute. She’d clean herself soon enough.

* * *

“They said that Miss Kitania was taken to her room, but that she had blood all around her mouth, and her clothing was in a horrific state, with even more blood and tears in it.” Cecilia continued her explanation, shaking her head in disbelief as she added. “Then there was what looked like huge spider legs getting taken through the halls, and a bunch of guards whose armor looked like Miss Kitania’s clothing. None of them were injured much, so I’m guessing that she did something foolish.”

“Mm, did they increase the guard on Kitania? Or is she in the same situation as before?” Niadra asked, adjusting her necklace and looking herself over critically. While she hadn’t arranged the dinner for that night, she didn’t want to disappoint her parents, even if she wasn’t interested in the courtship of any of the families she was dining with.

“Ah… nothing has changed that I’ve been told about. The soiled clothing was removed from her room, and that was the last I heard about her,” Cecilia admitted after a moment, looking a little unhappy. “I’m afraid that, despite the obvious issues that occurred, those involved have been surprisingly quiet about what happened so far. Perhaps Her Grace got angry with Miss Kitania?”

“No, if that were the case she’d be regenerating in a cell, or in the hospice,” Niadra replied, smiling slightly as she shook her head, though she was rather worried about Kitania. The demoness had proven good company, after all, and she suspected she knew what had happened, considering the spider legs. “No, something else has happened. I’d like you to keep listening for more information, Cecilia. Things appear to be changing in the palace, and I’d prefer not to be caught by surprise.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Cecilia agreed, bowing her head respectfully.

“Thank you. Now, it appears I’m ready to go,” Niadra said, smiling as she turned away from the mirror. “Are you, Cecilia?”

“Yes, Your Highness, and your carriage awaits you,” Cecilia replied, her hands folded in front of her.

“Excellent, then we’d best be going,” Niadra murmured, her smile widening as she added, “Hopefully the flattery isn’t too excessive today. If it is, I might drown.”

Her words prompted Cecilia to laugh, as they were meant to. Cecilia’s voice was mirthful as she replied. “I believe I could live with the flattery, Your Highness, but I take your meaning.”

They headed for the front of the palace, and Niadra couldn’t help wondering what had happened in the old ballroom. All that had been heard so far were rumors, and that was… vexing. Suspicions weren’t solid information, after all.

She’d have to investigate more on the morrow. Quietly, to avoid upsetting Alserah.

* * *

Kitania was halfway back to her room when a woman came around the corner who looked distinctly out of place in this section of the palace. She wore a flowing green gown, and her sandy blonde hair was done up in an elaborate bun held in place by bejeweled hair pins, while her green eyes were pretty but normal enough. The woman looked slightly irritated, at least until she spotted Kitania, and she picked up the pace as she approached.

“There you are!” the woman exclaimed, looking Kitania over and clicking her tongue in disappointment as she shook her head. “I’d hoped we’d be able to get you into nicer clothing before running out of time, but you weren’t in your room. Now we don’t have time for that, which is most disappointing, but so be it.”

“Who might you be?” Kitania asked, blinking and tilting her head as she looked at the elven woman in confusion. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“I’m Lady Seldora Usir, one of Her Grace’s handmaidens,” the woman replied briskly, causing Kitania to stiffen ever so slightly as Seldora continued. “Her Grace wishes for you to come see her, and now isn’t the time for dawdling. Come along, Miss Kitania, Her Grace awaits you.”

“Ah, are you certain I don’t have time to change into something nicer? Every time we’ve met hasn’t been formal, and if you’re tasked with bringing me to her, that seems like it’s changed,” Kitania asked, then winced as the woman gave Kitania a sharp glare.

“If you’d been in your room, yes. However, the servants are already occupied taking your things to your new lodging, and as such we don’t have the time to track down something acceptable or to allow you to change,” Seldora explained, her voice with a note of barely restrained frustration. “Her Grace was quite clear that she wanted to see you, so long as you were capable of moving again. As you are, we have no room for excuses.”

“I see. Well, I suppose I’ll just have to hope she doesn’t find my current state of dress upsetting,” Kitania replied, letting out a soft sigh. She really wished that Alserah would let her find her footing before their meetings.

“Agreed. Come along; Her Grace awaits our presence,” Seldora said and turned to walk down the hall quickly.

From behind her, Kitania heard the soft voices of the guards, barely audible.

“Ah, now what? I don’t remember being told anything about a situation like this,” one of them asked the other, and there was the soft sound of chain clinking as her partner shrugged and replied.

“Me neither, but our orders were just as clear. Escort the demon through the palace, and make sure she doesn’t get anywhere she isn’t allowed. That’s one of Her Grace’s handmaidens, alright, so… we follow,” the other soldier replied, her voice slightly amused. “It’s more interesting than keeping an eye on a door, at least.”

“True,” her companion murmured, then fell silent.

Kitania was slightly amused by their comments, but she couldn’t blame them. Guard duty was boring at the best of times, from what she remembered of it, and standing guard outside her door when she was confined to quarters was likely even more boring than normal guard duty. However, she quickly grew distracted as they left the servant wing and started into a part of the palace she’d never even approached before. It was the royal wing, from what she’d been told, and that startled her, if only just. She’d almost expected to be taken to the throne room.

The halls were slightly wider and were elaborately appointed, yet simpler than Kitania would have expected. She supposed it was to keep the halls easy to clean, but she felt strange, walking down the halls with her hair still damp and her feet bare. At least she didn’t feel very sore anymore, but that didn’t keep Kitania from wondering what was going to happen to her. She didn’t think that Alserah would be upset with her, but there was no way for her to know for certain. They passed a couple of halls, and at last stepped past a garden and up to a pair of double doors, each white and with elaborate designs carved into them, set with gold leaf, and Kitania almost missed the glimmer of magic in the designs.

Seldora paused, looking back as she spoke to the guards firmly, heightening Kitania’s nervousness. “You’re to remain outside until summoned or dismissed. Her Grace has no need of your presence when speaking with Miss Darkshade.”

The guards paused for only a moment, then bowed, speaking in unison. “Yes, Milady.”

“Good. Now, then, come in,” Seldora said, gesturing at Kitania as she opened the doors and stepped into the next room. Kitania followed, then stopped as she looked around and the doors shut behind her, her tension growing stronger as she blinked in surprise.

The room was different than much of the palace, the drapes in softer shades of green, almost pastels, and with several chairs with red cushions. The carpets were warm and thick, and there was a bookshelf nearby with a few dozen worn books resting on it. It had a clear view of gardens, the rear wall of the palace, and the forests and mountains beyond through a window at the back of the room, while two doors led to either side. The room was oddly comfortable, which wasn’t what she’d expected.

Alserah sat in a chair, one leg crossed over the other as she paused her knitting, another woman in clothing similar to Seldora’s also pausing her embroidery as the brunette looked up and examined Kitania closely. She wasn’t afraid of Kitania, the demon realized, which was odd compared to most of the noblewomen she’d seen. The two had obviously been speaking before Kitania was shown in, but their conversation had come to an abrupt halt.

“I see that you found Kitania, Seldora. I also see that she’d just taken a bath,” Alserah said, setting her knitting aside for the moment and uncrossing her legs. “Thank you for retrieving her for me.”

“It was my pleasure, Your Grace,” Seldora said, bowing her head and walking over to take a position on the other side of Alserah. The goddess was wearing a dress again, and she looked Kitania over critically.

Kitania stood there, feeling slightly uncomfortable as she was examined, but didn’t say anything. Instead, she forced her tail not to lash nervously as she wondered what was going on.

“I should have thanked you earlier, Kitania, but I failed to do so,” Alserah spoke at last, startling both Kitania and the handmaidens, based on the looks on their faces. The goddess smiled slowly, shaking her head as she continued. “I’m so used to everyone doing everything that they can for me that I neglected to consider things from your perspective until after I woke fully. Perhaps it was the dream spider’s weight in my mind, or my own sense of arrogance… I don’t know for certain.”

“Your Grace, I—” Kitania began, but the goddess cut her off with a pointed look. Kitania subsided quickly, swallowing her protests uncomfortably.

“Please allow me to finish,” Alserah said mildly, chastening Kitania slightly. When Kitania had settled down, Alserah continued to speak. “Your arrival is the only true offense you’ve been at fault for, Kitania, and if what you’ve said is true, even that wasn’t your doing. The encounter with Niadra upset me, but once more it was not entirely your fault. Somewhat, yes, but I could have directed you to not have attended the ball. I chose not to worry about it, at least until I believed you were seducing a princess. However, that also led to the discovery of how I’d been injured.

“You assisted me for nothing at all. Yes, you’ve said that no one deserves such, but even so, you had no reason to do so, especially without making demands,” Alserah said, pausing again as she seemed to consider, her lips pursed. Then she spoke softly, almost guiltily. “I fully anticipated you refusing when I asked if you’d fight the dream spider. I expected you to refuse, yet you didn’t. If you hadn’t chosen to participate in the battle, I’m certain that at least one soldier would have been slain, if not many more, and that several might have been infected with more dream spiders. You sustained an injury that would have been mortal without your spells, and even then would have killed any other person in the room save for me. Yet through all of it, you have asked nothing of me.”

Kitania opened her mouth to speak, then paused, unsure of what to say, then closed her mouth again. She really didn’t know what to say to that. She could ask for something, but she wasn’t entirely certain what Alserah had in mind, and she didn’t want to cause further problems. Besides… she’d feel bad if she asked for something at this point.

“I’ve startled you. Unsurprising, really. I’ve startled myself a couple of times today,” the goddess murmured, and she smiled, raising her hand and making a beckoning gesture. For a moment, Kitania was about to move forward, but then she felt the lock on the restraint collar click and come undone. An instant later, the collar flew across the room and into Alserah’s hand, and the goddess calmly set it down in her lap, continuing. “There we are. Kitania, you are no longer a prisoner. If you wish to leave, you may do so, or you may continue to enjoy the hospitality of my palace. At least, assuming you haven’t lied about being Estalia’s daughter. I believe that my ambassador will be reaching her court soon.”

“I… I haven’t lied about that. I may not have told the whole truth, but I haven’t lied,” Kitania said, swallowing hard as she reached up to touch her bare neck, a little stunned to suddenly not be wearing the collar. “We recently reconciled… and then my home was attacked, so I really don’t know how she’s going to react. Probably a bit ambivalently since she knows I’m immortal. But I really don’t know what to say. I suppose I should say thank you.”

“No, I’m the one who should be thanking you. If you’d never told me about the spider, chances are that eventually I’d have died, and the creature would have wreaked havoc across the country,” Alserah disagreed, shaking her head firmly. “They might have infested the region, and without your knowledge they’d have been nigh impossible to stop.”

The room fell quiet at that, and Kitania couldn’t help flinching at the thought. She hadn’t thought about the possibilities in quite that way, but Alserah wasn’t wrong. In a region other than the hells, where the spiders weren’t walled off by the oceans and a volcanic mountain range, along with plenty of creatures that knew how to deal with them, they’d be a horrible blight on the world. A tiny part of her wondered if that was what the demon lord who’d used the fang on Alserah had in mind. Either way, it didn’t matter much now. The important thing was that it wouldn’t happen, which was something of a relief.

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that,” Kitania said at last, shaking her head as she let out a breath. “It would be a horrible way to die, and I stand by my words before. No one deserves that.”

“Indeed. Now, for the moment your things are being moved to the coral room. I believe that you’ll match the décor, and it’s appropriate,” Alserah said, smiling a little more. “I’ll also have more clothing provided for you. If you’re to be socializing in the palace more, you’re going to need an appropriate wardrobe.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Kitania said, feeling even more self-conscious of her outfit as she gave the best curtsey she could manage. She was distinctly off-balance, and a tiny part of her wished she could regain the sense of poise she’d had back in the hells.

Alserah nodded, then looked at Seldora as she spoke. “Seldora, please escort Kitania to her new room. While her guards are to remain, their focus is now to be protecting her from anyone who might decide that she’s unwelcome here.”

“Ah, I am pretty much impossible to kill,” Kitania replied, feeling a little uncertain about the change of role.

Raising an eyebrow, Alserah replied softly. “I know. However, that doesn’t mean someone couldn’t decide to torture you until your mind shattered. You told me yourself that such was possible, with the dream spiders. Others may consider the possibility, and in that regard your immortality is hardly a gift.”

Kitania froze, hardly daring to breathe for a moment. She’d thought about the possibility before, it was part of why her worst fear was to be trapped in a cave-in or the like, regenerating without the ability to move or escape. Still, she hadn’t thought that the goddess would put together the same possibility. Or that she’d talk about it in front of the two handmaidens.

“True,” Kitania admitted, looking at Seldora and the other handmaiden nervously.

Seldora shook her head and spoke, looking Kitania in the eyes. “We won’t tell anyone, Miss Kitania. Her Grace chose us as handmaidens because she trusts us absolutely. Come along; let’s take you to your new room.”

“Very well,” Kitania replied, relaxing ever so slightly as she breathed out slowly.

As she left, Kitania saw Alserah pick up her knitting again. It wasn’t the sort of hobby she’d expected for a goddess, but the woman was rather good at it. She’d probably had plenty of practice.

* * *

“I believe you scared her,” Verra said calmly, resuming her embroidery.

“You’re right. However, I thought it best to reveal that I’ve figured out the weakness that her apparent immortality has,” Alserah confirmed, nodding slightly as she got back into her project. Not many of the nobility knew that the scarfs their children received were made by Alserah personally, but that was for the best. She liked giving them gifts without them being expected. If they did, she’d probably stop making them.

“I suppose. The thought is rather chilling, the idea that someone could be tortured without even the hope of oblivion,” Verra replied, then the handmaiden looked up, concern in her eyes as she asked, “Do you truly believe that some people would attempt it?”

“Unfortunately, I do,” Alserah replied, sighing as she shook her head, moving the knitting needles almost unconsciously at this point. “The grudges that some people hold are incredibly deep, and still others simply enjoy causing pain.”

“That’s saddening,” Verra murmured softly.

The two worked in silence for a minute, then Verra spoke again. “Your Grace? Do you truly find her interesting in a romantic sense?”

Alserah hesitated for an instant, looking up at Verra, then smiled thinly and laughed. “I hid it that poorly?”

“I wouldn’t say poorly, but it was obvious to me. We’ve been together for long enough, after all,” Verra explained, smiling as she added, “I believe Seldora noticed as well. It’s why she’s being harder on Kitania, I think.”

“Ah. Well… yes,” Alserah admitted, stopping knitting for the moment as she thought, her emotions still muted, more out of habit than anything else, but a pang of guilt ran through her. “I’ve lost enough lovers that someone who’s immortal… well, she intrigues me. However, I’m not going to force the issue. For now, I’m going to wait and see what happens. We’ve yet to see what we’ll learn from Estalia.”

“Very well,” Verra agreed.

Then the two of them went back to their work, each in a comfortable silence.

Chapter 19

Isalla’s eyes were closed as she searched for the core of her mana again. Over the last several days she’d been going through tests with one of Estalia’s magi, and while she’d been delighted to realize she had some talent with magic, it wasn’t nearly as easy to get used to as she’d hoped it would be.

“It might help if you visualize your mana core as an object, Isalla,” Vinara said at last, the succubus’s voice smooth and soft as she interrupted Isalla’s efforts. “Visualize it as something which feels right to you as the source of your mana, and perhaps it will help you find it more swiftly.”

“Um, I’ll try that, then…” Isalla said, losing her focus slightly, but she kept her eyes closed to avoid being distracted by looking at anything. Vinara tended to be very distracting, which was the reason Isalla had her eyes closed to begin with.

Taking a deep breath, Isalla considered several ideas for what mana might look like. Ranging from a glowing blue orb of water, to a swirling knot of air, or even a fire or tree, none of them felt right. Instead, she slowly gravitated toward a gemstone. The gems set into Estalia’s crown, or into Rose’s armor, were each filled with mana, and they were easy to visualize. Still, their color didn’t quite feel right, either. Isalla considered for a long moment, then imagined it as a shining yellow gem, warm as the sun’s light against her skin.

It took a fair amount of time, but eventually Isalla managed to visualize the gemstone, and to somehow use it to find her core of mana. In her mind’s eye, she had the light pulsing with her heartbeat, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“Alright, I have it,” Isalla said, opening her eyes slowly, keeping a light touch on the mana within her. She was careful, though, since the first time she found it she’d touched too deeply and ended up draining all her mana in moments.

“Very good,” Vinara said, smiling as she nodded, her appearance almost enough to disrupt Isalla’s precarious control.

The succubus was different than the others that Isalla had seen in the hells so far, though she had the bat-like wings and tail that were common to them, along with short, thin horns from her brow. The odd thing about her was the demon’s skin color, which was a light shade of green, and blue tattoos ran down the sides of her face like ivy that framed her eyes and cheeks, then ran down her neck. Vinara was tall as well, with wavy near-black hair that reached the middle of her back. The strangest thing to Isalla was that Vinara preferred tight-fitting dresses that covered everything below her neck except for her feet and hands, and it was almost more distracting than other succubi who were barely wearing anything, since Vinara shared their lush figures.

“Good? I think it’s taken me what, a half hour each day to find my mana core? More the first time,” Isalla replied, feeling disgruntled and a bit despairing at the thought.

“Ah, but there you’re wrong. It took you an hour the first day, and you’ve been slowly reducing the amount of time it takes each day,” Vinara replied, smiling warmly, her bright emerald eyes glittering as she smiled, her lips the only splash of red on her body. “Today took you a touch under half an hour, which is good progress. You’re doing better than Kitania did at the same stage, in fact.”

“Wait, you knew Kitania when she was learning magic?” Isalla asked, almost losing her grip on her magic due to surprise. This was the first hint that Vinara had known Kitania, and that made her one of the few people Isalla had met that had known her. Aside from Ceriax and Estalia, of course.

“We were fellow students, and she desperately hoped to become an archmage in the future, at least at the time,” Vinara said, a smile flickering across her lips, and Isalla was surprised to see that she didn’t look very happy. “Unfortunately, she didn’t have much in the way of talent, so settled for protective wards, as it was the best talent she possessed. I felt rather bad for her at the time, though I’ll admit a personal satisfaction that she didn’t get everything she wanted. It’s a bit unfair of me, I’m afraid.”

“I see,” Isalla said, her eyes wide as she stared at Vinara raptly. “Then what was she—”

“Ah, ah… we’re here to teach you magic, not to gossip about Her Majesty’s daughter,” Vinara interrupted, clicking her tongue in disapproval as she shook off the memories, focusing on Isalla with a smile. “You’ve shown a mild talent for light magic, unsurprisingly, as well as with life and transmuting. What we have left to test is air, earth, fire, and protection magics.”

“Alright,” Isalla conceded, feeling a little more disappointed. She’d hoped to learn more about Kitania, but she should have expected the response. Vinara tended to focus on her lessons, and rarely deviated from her lesson plans. “I was hoping to have more talent than this, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“You’ve gone through over thirty fields of study and have found three talents so far, and I suspect you have at least one more. You’re doing well,” Vinara said, smiling again as she added, “If you had a strong gift for a type of magic, they’d already have trained you. Powerful gifts don’t precisely grow on trees.”

“You’re almost certainly right. It just doesn’t feel like I’m doing that well,” Isalla admitted, then stood up a bit straighter as her enthusiasm picked up. “Well, what are we starting with?”

“Protection magic,” Vinara said, picking up a sheet of paper from the table next to her and handing it to Isalla as she explained. “This spell creates a transparent, magical shield that will block blows, as well as a mundane shield for the caster, but must be wielded in the same manner. As with the other tests, we’ll see if you can cast it without instruction first, then move to coaching you through it.”

“Very well,” Isalla said, taking the sheet and starting to read it. The script was slightly hard to decipher due to the demon’s handwriting, but at least it was written in angelic. As she started reading the instructions, Isalla concentrated as much as she could, determined not to waste Vinara’s time.

* * *

Looking through the translucent wall, or at least translucent from her side, Rose watched Isalla work on casting the shield spell and let out a soft sigh. Vinara was coaching her through it, and while Isalla might be frustrated, Rose was startled at how quickly her lover was picking up magic.

“She’s working hard, isn’t she?” Estalia asked, startling Rose as she stepped into the room. Rose turned to face the queen quickly, her heart suddenly racing. Every time she saw Estalia was difficult for her, especially with the memories of her time in the spire. It helped that Estalia wasn’t trying to seduce her, but it was still hard when she was trying to resist temptation.

“That she is, Your Majesty,” Rose agreed, bowing her head for a moment, then glancing at Isalla nervously. “She’s also upset at how long it’s taking her, but I think that’s just because she doesn’t understand how hard learning magic can be.”

“True, and as such she doesn’t understand why those of us without her modest talent might be jealous,” Estalia said, sighing softly as she looked through the wall, a contemplative expression on her face.

Rose waited for a long minute, knowing that Estalia wouldn’t have come to find her for no reason. As she watched, Isalla managed to create a wavering shield in midair, one that wouldn’t be much good for blocking any attacks. Still, it was a start.

“I received word from the top of Hellmount about something interesting today,” Estalia finally spoke, glancing over at Rose, smiling slightly. “A small delegation from the Forest of Sighs has come to meet with me.”

“The Forest of Sighs? That’s from over halfway across the world!” Rose exclaimed, blinking in surprise. The elven nation had long been loosely aligned with the heavens, and to her knowledge hadn’t ever been on friendly terms with demon lords. After a few moments of thought, she asked, “Do you have any idea why they’re here?”

“They didn’t tell my agents, but I have my suspicions. Once they reach Silken Veils, I’m going to have them teleported to the palace to meet with me,” Estalia replied, her smile widening as she looked at Rose. “The thing that springs to mind, since I’ve never had any representatives of Alserah come to my court before, is that she is a goddess, and you remember what Eziel said about the arrow.”

“Oh! Of course, that would make a lot of sense,” Rose said, her eyes brightening in understanding, her heart leaping at the possibility that they were coming to discuss Kitania’s presence. “It isn’t guaranteed, but if Kitania appeared there it makes far more sense than them randomly choosing to treat with you.”

“Precisely,” Estalia agreed, her smile fading as she glanced through the wall. “I’d just ask that you not share the possibility with Isalla yet. While I don’t think she’d overreact, I do know that she’s been rather more… emotional about Kitania’s disappearance. With the escort I’ve provided, it should take no more than six days for the delegation to reach here.”

“I… well, you’re probably right. She’s already planning to wait two weeks for news, so getting her hopes up early won’t help any,” Rose admitted, looking at her friend a touch guiltily. “I’m not going to lie to her, though.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to. I’m just asking you not to mention it first,” Estalia said, nodding in agreement, and smiling gently at Isalla as she did so. The queen was quiet for a moment, then asked, “So… assuming Kitania is agreeable, you’re planning to try to share her affections?”

“What?” Rose almost yelped, her eyes widening as she blushed, looking at Estalia as the queen smiled, her eyes glittering with mirth. “I… what makes you think that?”

“I haven’t forgotten our conversation in the foyer of Kitania’s home, Rose. Nor have I forgotten the rage and trace of bitterness in your eyes when you first arrived,” Estalia replied, her hands folded in front of her. “I found it obvious. When I met you in the Spire of Confession, for a time I thought you might have fallen for me, Rose. Your eyes were so bright, and you seemed so happy with things. However, that was… fleeting. Your feelings for my daughter, on the other hand… those seem to be stronger, even if you haven’t decided for certain as of yet.”

Rose shifted, blushing as her gaze drifted over the beautiful queen, and opened her mouth. She shut it again after a moment, then spoke softly. “Perhaps so. I just… you could steal my heart if you tried, I believe. You’re captivating, Your Majesty. I’ve never known anyone so beautiful and kind. Yet at the same time, you scare me a little.”

“Eziel. I didn’t want to do that. It’s something that would rightfully terrify others,” Estalia said, sighing softly as she looked into the room, her expression ever so slightly forlorn, which made Rose’s heart ache. “My power is such that I could seduce anyone, Rose. If I wanted to… well, you and Isalla would fall in love with me so easily. Yet I choose not to use my power in that way, at least not deliberately. I want those who love me to love me for who I am, not because they were made to love me. It’s why I never use the power that broke Eziel’s mind unless I have no other true choice.”

“I… well, I see,” Rose said, blushing slowly, then turning away as she asked nervously, “Have you used it before?”

“Eight times over the years that I recall. Only when the price of not using it was too high, or when I didn’t understand what I was truly doing,” Estalia admitted quietly, sounding slightly ashamed. “I wasn’t quite as nice in my youth, as I was influenced by my mother. Then I realized that the method wasn’t something that would help my goal in the long run. Kitania and I both desire the same thing, peace.”

“I see,” Rose said, swallowing as she considered what the queen had said, and everything that had happened here. She liked the palace, and thought she’d enjoy living in it, but at the same time she wasn’t sure that it was what would make her happy.

For a long moment, they were both silent, and Vinara handed Isalla another sheet of paper to study. Finally, Estalia asked, “Are you planning to visit the prisoners?”

“Yes, either tomorrow or the next day. I’m a little concerned that they’re going to react poorly,” Rose admitted, growing nervous again. The thought of visiting her old subordinates was worrying, considering how much she’d changed.

“The other angels should have helped them adjust somewhat, so hopefully it won’t be as bad as you fear,” Estalia said, then smiled as she continued, her tone light. “Either way, you have your own life to live. I promise, they won’t be held captive forever. I do perform prisoner exchanges on occasion.”

“True enough,” Rose said, her mood lifting slightly as she returned the smile. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“I’d like that. In any case, I’ll leave you to your own devices. Isalla seems to have her training well in hand,” Estalia said, giving Isalla one last glance before turning to leave.

Rose watched her go, then looked at her beloved friend. Isalla was concentrating on the sheet of paper intently, and after a moment Rose nodded to herself, murmuring, “She’s right. Isalla’s doing well. I probably should train a little myself. I’ve neglected my studies for long enough.”

Leaving the room, Rose headed for one of the training rooms for magi. She wasn’t the best with fire magic without Ember, but she could be better than she was. She would be better than she was. If she was going to help save the heavens from the conspirators, there was no other choice.

* * *

“Well done, Isalla. That’s the last of the tests, and it gives me a good grasp of your talents,” Vinara said, clapping her hands as the candle-sized flame roiled over Isalla’s palms.

Isalla nearly lost control of the fire, and it wavered for a moment, then she let it go out as she looked up at the succubus, blinking as she licked her lips, then spoke nervously. “Oh! Right… I was just so focused on the spell… well, what do you think? Am I any good?”

“You have a good deal of potential, Isalla. Though you lack confidence and focus at times, you have an analytical mind, and you’ve learned to control your mana reasonably well. You aren’t a top-tier talent, but you would likely do well in most mage academies,” Vinara said, her voice brisk and businesslike, and at the same time her words sparked hope within Isalla. “Your talents are in air, fire, light, life, and transmutation, all of which are useful types of magic. You’ll likely want to focus on a single one of them to begin with, or perhaps two, but you’ll be able to progress far with them. Assuming you can learn to focus properly.”

Isalla bit back the impulse to cheer, despite Vinara’s cautionary words, but she smiled broadly as she nodded quickly, happy as could be. “I’m glad to hear that! So, um, how long before I could reasonably use my magic for more than candle flames or the like?”

“Mm… likely a month, I’d guess. Then you might be able to heal minor wounds or throw a small ball of fire,” Vinara said, a slight smile on her face as Isalla’s confidence suddenly deflated. “You’d probably be better off fighting with a sword at that point.”

“What? B-but you said that I had a talent for fire magic,” Isalla protested, honestly a little stunned and crestfallen.

“You do. However, magic takes years of hard work to advance in, Isalla,” Vinara said, her smile fading as she spoke sternly. “I’ve been learning for over a millennium and I’m not an archmage. Certainly, I don’t have an extreme talent, and I don’t have the incredible motivation of a human’s limited lifespan, but I’m nowhere near becoming an archmage. You’re starting from nothing, so it’s going to take you time to build up your knowledge. And even that requires that you work for it.”

“I…” Isalla began, then stopped and chastised herself internally. She should have known better than to get her hopes up. She’d heard a few tales of how hard it was for magi to learn magic. So she took a deep breath and bowed her head, speaking contritely. “My apologies, Vinara. I guess I got so excited at having a magical talent that I got ahead of myself. I should have known better.”

“It happens, Isalla. I don’t blame you for getting excited. I might blame you if you’d gotten angry with me telling you the truth, though,” Vinara replied, smiling again as she nodded in approval. Then the succubus laced her fingers together as she stretched her arms above her head as well as her tail and wings, several joints audibly popping before she relaxed and continued, ignoring how Isalla blushed and looked away. “That said, I believe that’s enough for now. Based on what I’ve seen of your mana, you should be almost entirely out.”

“That’s right,” Isalla replied, feeling slightly frustrated as she sensed how low on mana she was. “It goes so fast.”

“That’s because you didn’t have to use it before this. Your mana is much like a muscle. If you don’t use it, it doesn’t grow stronger, and can even weaken. If you use it, it’ll slowly grow larger and stronger,” Vinara said, smiling wryly as she did so. “Mortals tend to have it grow much faster than us, unfortunately. I’ve heard some people think it’s because mana fuels our immortality. In any case, it’ll take a few months before you form a true mana core, then it’ll be easier for you to recover and control.”

“Ah, that would explain it,” Isalla said, feeling relieved at the explanation. “So, what do you recommend I do in the meantime?”

“First, you’re going to need to decide what sort of magic you want to focus on to begin with. I’ll teach you a few spells of each, and from there it’s a question of studying and practice,” Vinara explained, walking to the door and opening it for Isalla, her tail flicking steadily and a twinkle in her eyes. “It’s just like swordplay.”

“Fair enough,” Isalla agreed, glancing around the small room, then heading for the door. After a moment, she added, “I suppose I should go get the final fitting for my armor over with. Is it weird that I find the artificers creepy? They’re just too… enthusiastic.”

Vinara simply laughed as they walked down the hall, but despite that, Isalla felt her mood improving. Now all they needed was to rescue Kitania and she’d be ready to take down the traitors in the heavens.

Chapter 20

“I feel like I’m going to vanish into the curtains. Or the sheets,” Kitania murmured to herself, looking around her room again and feeling a little uncomfortable. Oh, she wouldn’t vanish into most of the furnishings in the room, her skin was a darker pink than most of them and her purple hair would stand out starkly, but it didn’t change the fact that even the carpets came far closer to her skin tone than she was comfortable with.

“Ah, well,” Kitania said, sighing as she walked over to the windows and looked out them, not quite believing what she was seeing.

Unlike the room she’d been in before, this one had a view of the forest, and a tiny part of Kitania trembled at the sight of the trees, along with the towers beyond them, extending above the trees like ivory spears. She hadn’t seen them before, but she knew spell towers when she saw them. It would take an army to break through the magic spell towers could unleash, and any army would take heavy casualties in attacking so many of them. Even if they got past the towers, they’d have to deal with the palace wall, which wouldn’t be easy. Obviously, the elves hadn’t forgotten how the armies of the hells had driven through part of the Forest of Sighs to attempt to breach one of the gates into the heavens.

Turning away from the window, Kitania debated on what to do. She reached up to touch her bare neck, still shocked that Alserah had removed the restraint collar. It had been completely outside her expectations, and Kitania let out a soft sigh as she considered the furnishings. She fit in about as well as a troll in an angelic ballroom, considering her current clothing, but there wasn’t much she could do about that. Kitania only had a single decent dress, and one of the servants had decided to launder it.

“I don’t even dare exercise in here,” Kitania added, looking around the bedroom warily. The furnishings were too fine for her to dare risk breaking, not after everything else she’d been through in the palace, but at least she’d taken a bath before meeting with Alserah.

A knock at the door managed to sidetrack Kitania’s thoughts, and she paused, uncertain if she should answer it. After a few moments, she slowly approached the door and called out, “Who is it?”

“I’m Breanne, miss,” a woman’s voice replied, her voice slightly more accented than Kitania was used to. “I was asked to bring you some clothing, regards of Princess Sellis.”

“What? She already knows?” Kitania asked under her breath, somewhat startled. It hadn’t been that long since she’d been given her freedom… but at the same time, it was possible that the princess had been planning to give her clothing after the unfortunate incident at the ball, and just hadn’t been able to yet. Wondering wouldn’t help any, though, so after a moment she shrugged and opened the door.

“Eek!” Breanne let out a scream as she jumped back from the cart she’d been pushing, her eyes going huge as she saw Kitania. The elf was brown-haired, blue-eyed, and slightly more tanned than most elves were, while she looked slightly uncomfortable in her maid’s outfit. The woman looked like she was on the verge of running, and the guards behind her both looked a little amused.

“What, didn’t you know that she was a demon?” one of the guards asked, smiling slightly as she glanced at Kitania. “I thought everyone in the palace knew by this point.”

“I… I thought the others were just joking with me! It’s only my second day in the palace, and… and…” Breanne replied, almost frozen in place as she stared at Kitania, her breathing quick. The sight amused Kitania a little, but more than that, she felt a bit of pity for the woman.

A couple of guards rushed around the corner, likely in response to the scream, but one of Kitania’s guards waved at them, moving to meet them. The guard was probably going to explain what had happened, but Kitania decided to focus on the maid instead. She spoke calmly, keeping her tone gentle as she met Breanne’s eyes. “Hello, Breanne. I’m Kitania Darkshade, and I was allowed to stay here by Her Grace. I won’t hurt you, at least as long as you don’t try to hurt me.”

“I… you’ve met Her Grace?” the maid asked, seeming to calm down slightly, her back almost against the wall.

“Yes, a couple of times now. She was debating what to do with me, and I suppose I’m a guest now. I suspect that’s why the princess sent me clothing, since I’m rather drably dressed for a guest in the palace,” Kitania replied, smiling as she looked at the cart, which had several boxes stacked on it. “Would you come in? I’ll leave the door open to make you more comfortable, so the guards can keep an eye on me.”

“Um, alright… I guess that would make me feel better,” the maid replied, obviously still flustered as she reluctantly pushed the cart into the room.

Kitania looked around and found a doorstop to hold the door open, then stepped close to look at the boxes. There were rather more of them than she’d anticipated, and she had to wonder when Niadra had ordered the clothing. Breanne nervously edged away when she came close, but Kitania pretended not to notice, a little sad about how nervous the young woman was.

“Let’s see what Her Highness decided to send me, shall we?” Kitania murmured, taking a lid off the first box as Breanne paused, looking unsure of what to do.

The clothing inside was wrapped in cloth, and Kitania opened the top one before pausing, pursing her lips slightly. The clothing inside wasn’t anywhere near as nice as the dress Niadra had provided before, but it also wasn’t as simple and dowdy as the clothing Kitania was currently wearing. It was nice, purple linen, and had elegant embroidery that wouldn’t make her stand out too much in the palace, even if it wasn’t overly ornate. In fact, as Kitania went through the box, she found that it was mostly tunics and dress tops that would be functional, some of them even ideal for exercising in, yet were still fairly nice.

Kitania paused, then looked at Breanne and spoke politely. “Would you unload these into the wardrobe for me? You don’t need to hang them up or anything. I’ll take care of that once I’ve decided how to organize them. I’d like to go through the other boxes before deciding where to put their contents.”

“Of… of course, Miss Darkshade,” Breanne replied, her face flickering with relief. Probably because it gave her something to do that wasn’t next to her, Kitania suspected.

As the young woman got to work, Kitania went through the other three boxes. The second one contained underthings, which Kitania was happy to see. The third had several simpler gowns within, including a nightgown and what she thought was a bathing gown from how fluffy it was. The fourth box had a variety of sets of skirts and trousers, while the last had three sets of shoes within, one of them with heels, one for exercising, and one just as a nice set that were probably for around the palace.

“Her Highness certainly decided to outdo herself,” Kitania said at last, standing up straight as she smiled in admiration, and began helping move the contents into her wardrobe as she added, “Would you please convey my thanks to her, Breanne?”

“I can do that,” Breanne agreed quickly, seeming to have calmed down by this point. She was still keeping an eye on Kitania, but after a moment she paused and blushed. “Oh! I almost forgot, she gave me a message for you as well. Where did I put it…”

The maid fumbled through the cart for a moment, then found the letter from where it had slipped between two boxes. It was in a cream-colored envelope with Kitania’s name on the front, and as she handed it to Kitania, the demoness caught the faint scent of a fruity perfume.

“Oh, let’s see what she had to say,” Kitania said, cracking the wax seal to open the envelope. As she did so, the scent grew stronger, and Kitania pulled out the letter to read it. The letter was in elven, but the last couple of weeks had given Kitania enough practice that she could read it, though she had a little difficulty in a few places.

Dear Lady Darkshade,

I do hope you don’t hold the unfortunate events at the ball against me. Unfortunately, I did not expect interference such as we encountered, and I do wish that it had gone better. Up until the end, I did enjoy my time with you, however, and I would like to spend more time in your company. As you’ve been granted freedom to travel about the palace, I would like to ask you to tea the day after tomorrow in the Sylvan Garden at two bells after noon.

Additionally, I thought it best to provide you a better wardrobe as well. While not up to royal standards, it should at least aid in mitigating the tendency of others to look down on you. I employed the same seamstress as before, so all of it should fit adequately.

Sincerely,

Princess Niadra Sellis the Fourth

Kitania blinked, then smiled slightly. She was a little surprised that the princess had sent her anything, but it seemed that the other woman really did regret what had happened, and that was admirable, at least from Kitania’s point of view. It helped that the other night had made clear what Niadra’s ulterior motives were, and it was even a little flattering. As it was, she wondered what the ambassador would find in Estalia, though the thought made her pensive at best. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, and it felt… unpleasant to consider.

“Interesting. If you’d please let Her Highness know that I’d be happy to join her for tea, I’d appreciate it,” Kitania replied, folding the note again and moving it to the table. She made a mental note to burn it later, since she doubted that Niadra would like others reading what she’d said.

“I’ll certainly do that,” Breanne agreed, moving what Kitania thought were the last of the things into the wardrobe. It wasn’t tidy, not yet, but that would be easy enough to fix. The maid hesitated, and Kitania resisted the urge to laugh. It was obvious that the maid was torn between doing a proper job and fleeing as quickly as she could.

“Go ahead and take my message to Her Highness,” Kitania said kindly, the corners of her lips curving upward in her amusement, which banished some of her gloom. “I’ll take care of things here.”

“As you say. I’ll convey your messages immediately,” Breanne said, and she quickly placed the lids back onto the boxes before pulling the cart into the hallway again. Kitania followed, pulling out the doorstop and gently closing the door to give herself privacy again.

Turning, Kitania debated for a moment, then moved to the wardrobe to organize it properly. She doubted that Breanne would have organized it in a way that would satisfy her, anyway, so she was happy to do it herself.

“Once I’m done, I can change into something nicer and see what I’m going to do about dinner,” Kitania murmured, then shivered as a thought struck her, and she swallowed before adding softly, “I really hope I don’t have to attend a court banquet or the like.”

After a moment, she continued to work. If Alserah decided to invite Kitania to a banquet, there was little she could do but acquiesce. In the meantime, she could at least make herself a little more comfortable.

Chapter 21

As Rose approached the building the prisoners were in, she couldn’t help her blood chilling slightly at the sight of it. The building itself was as beautiful as the rest of the palace, almost an art piece on an enormous scale, but despite that, it was also obviously a prison. Around it were numerous pillars, between which she could see glittering strands like a massive web. They surrounded the building on every side, including above the structure, which would keep any angels from escaping if the strands were strong enough.

On the ground, near where she was approaching, there was a guarded doorway. Rose could see a few more demons inside the pillars, keeping an eye on a couple dozen dispirited angels who were in the yard around the building. She was surprised to see a couple of them tending to the gardens inside their prison, but she supposed that not all the people who’d been captured would be content with just sitting around.

As Rose approached, the guards next to the door saluted her, one of them speaking in a harsh voice, which was somewhat explained by the tusks jutting from his mouth. “Greetings, Lady Rose. We were told to expect you.”

“Thank you. How have things been going today?” Rose asked, glancing into the prison as a couple of the angels inside looked in her direction curiously. One of them stiffened, but the others didn’t seem to have recognized her yet. She wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse, if she was honest.

“The prisoners have been quiet for the most part, at least after the first few days. They’ve also organized somewhat, but that isn’t unusual,” the guard’s partner said, shrugging as she smiled at Rose. “They’re acclimating at last, which always helps. If Her Majesty visits, it helps more, but that’s not too common.”

“Except when they’re being rowdy,” the other guard said, shaking his head in disapproval. “You’d think they’d know that being difficult won’t help.”

“I see. Well, may I go inside?” Rose asked politely, soothing herself with formality. She wasn’t sure if she was looking forward to what was coming.

“Of course, one moment,” the first guard said, and he turned to unlock the outer gate, then opened the heavy doors with a grunt.

Rose stepped inside, then waited as the two closed the doors and locked them, then the guards on the inner side unlocked the second set of doors to let her fully into the prison compound. She’d never seen a prison camp quite like this one, though she’d seen two sets of doors around some prisons before. It was just the care that Estalia had put into trapping those who could fly that startled her.

As the guard closed the door behind her, Rose saw that she was getting a few more odd looks. One of the soldiers slowly approached, and Rose recognized Alanah, a woman who’d been about fourth in line to command Firewatch, as she recalled. Alanah hadn’t been too close to Rose, as she’d transferred to the post relatively recently, but they knew each other reasonably well.

“Is… is that you, First Sword?” Alanah asked, sounding cautious and with a note of disbelief in her voice.

“I don’t think that those in charge of the Order would consider that to be accurate anymore, at least not the rank,” Rose replied, keeping her hand off Ember’s hilt as she looked Alanah in the eyes, then smiled as she continued calmly. “If you’re asking if I’m Roselynn Emberborn, the answer is yes. However, I now go by Rose, as things have changed in the last few months.”

“What?” a nearby man exclaimed, his eyes widening enormously, and a couple of other angels looked on in shock. Some of them began speaking quietly among themselves, but Rose chose to ignore them.

“You… why are you armed? We thought you were captured, and… and…” Alanah began, her eyes brimming with tears as she asked, “Did… did you betray us?”

“Betray you? No, of course not. I didn’t tell Estalia anything about Firewatch; she learned all that on her own,” Rose replied, taking a step forward and sighing heavily as she looked around. “As to why I’m armed… I was captured, Alanah. Then things changed immensely. I’d tell you right here, but I believe it’s best to not repeat myself. May I speak with you and whoever is in charge? I know someone had to replace me, and I’m told that no one escaped.”

“I… yes, Seidrel took your position as First Sword,” Alanah replied, taking a deep breath, then letting it out slowly as she looked Rose over. She hesitated before adding quietly, “You’ve changed a lot. I almost didn’t recognize you. If it weren’t for Ember, I probably wouldn’t have.”

“I’m not surprised. When I look back, I’m rather surprised at how much I changed, but I feel like it’s for the best,” Rose said, looking down at herself, at the beautiful bodice and embroidered leather pants she was wearing, something she’d never have worn in Firewatch. “I hadn’t realized how much I’d been strangling myself in the Order, so I feel free for the first time in my life.”

“That’s… wait, no, I should take you to Seidrel,” Alanah said, taking a deep breath, then nodded and turned away. “He should be in the conference room about this time, anyway.”

“Lead the way,” Rose replied and began following the other angel. Alanah seemed tense, so after a moment Rose asked, hiding her nervousness, “Have you been treated well? I know some of the other angels here came to tend to wounds, and that there were injuries, but not much more than that.”

“For the most part, we’re alright. A few people are still in shock at being captured, but despite having quite a few injuries in the attack, everyone was healed fairly quickly,” Alanah said, her voice a bit unsteady as she opened the door to the building and entered. “I’m still in shock. We don’t really even know why Firewatch was attacked. Or why they took such pains to take us all alive.”

“Ah, well, I should be able to shed some light on that, at the least,” Rose told the other woman, not feeling quite as happy that she’d be the one bearing bad news, but she supposed that the others hadn’t wanted to upset the prisoners too much. “The situation is far more complex than you might think.”

“I… well, as you said, you’ll be able to explain soon enough, I guess,” Alanah said, letting out a frustrated breath as she glanced back at Rose, hesitating before she asked, leading the way down the halls of the building, which at least looked nice, “How did you end up looking like that, anyway?”

“Expert teachers, and a bit of magic to help,” Rose replied, smiling warmly at the more innocent subject. “It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it, and people help you relax. I think I’d gotten a bit… stiff.”

“If you say so. I guess you’re a lot more expressive now… I don’t remember you smiling much,” Alanah said, her voice softer than it had been.

“No, I didn’t. I also didn’t have much reason to,” Rose agreed, some of her pleasure fading. Alanah couldn’t seem to decide how to reply to that, so the woman continued down the hall without saying anything, and Rose followed her.

Soon they reached another door, aside from several they’d passed, and Rose could hear a soft voice through it, though she couldn’t quite make out the words. The voice was familiar and became clearer as Alanah opened the door.

“… have to do something to keep people occupied, so putting them on details simply makes sense, and… Alanah? What are you doing here?” Seidrel asked, looking slightly frazzled as he looked away from the four other men and women in the room. The dark-haired man had seen better days, Rose thought, and his eyes widened as she stepped into the room, demanding, “Who is this?”

“Ah…” Alanah hesitated, looking at Rose nervously.

“Allow me, Alanah,” Rose said, smiling as she looked at Seidrel and the others, all of whom she knew, but most of them didn’t recognize her. “As you don’t recognize me, I’m former First Sword Roselynn Emberborn. Call me Rose, if you please. I can’t blame you for not recognizing me immediately, as I’ve changed quite a bit, all of which was of my own volition.”

Seidrel studied Rose for a long moment, a frown on his face. She thought she saw a spark of recognition in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything just yet. Finally, he spoke, his voice stern. “I think you are Roselynn, and yet… how can you prove it? Demons have many shapechangers among their ranks, and it would be quite easy for someone to change into an approximation of you and claim that they’re Roselynn.”

“Indeed, such would be quite possible. However, there’s one thing they couldn’t fake,” Rose agreed, and she smiled as she casually drew Ember.

The ruby blade of her sword lit up as flames ignited around it, the sword blazing like a scarlet star in the room. Seidrel, Alanah, and all the others flinched at the sight of the flames, backing away slightly. Rose smiled more widely as she placed the blade against the palm of her left hand, the metal feeling slightly warm against her skin, satisfied at their reaction. She didn’t like scaring them, but at least she was certain that they’d believe her now.

“Ember will burn anyone but its chosen wielder, and not even immunity to fire can defend against it. Furthermore, none but those of the Emberborn line can gain Ember’s acknowledgement,” Rose said, pulling her hand away after several long seconds to show it was unmarred. She glanced at Seidrel as she continued pointedly. “I know that you’re aware of this, Seidrel. I told you once when you asked if you could examine Ember, then tried to touch it.”

“Yes, you did tell me that once,” Seidrel conceded after a moment, looking at Ember warily. He paused for a long moment, then asked, “In fact, that brings yet another question to mind. Why in heaven’s name are you cooperating with these… these monsters that attacked us? They obviously trust you if they let you bring Ember in here, and I have to assume the volunteers who came to rescue you failed! Why would you—”

“They weren’t here to rescue me.” Rose cut him off, her tone instantly going cold as she sheathed Ember again, and the other angels froze. Rose realized she was scowling and tried to relax.

“What are you talking about, First Sword?” David asked, his voice unsteady, but looking far more composed than the others were.

“My abduction may have been carried out by demons, but the mercenaries who struck the island were hired by angels to take me to the hells and have me questioned. Apparently, one of my old friends had started delving into secrets that others wanted concealed, and they believed that I might have information from her. However, they were rather dismayed when the mercenaries decided to leave me alive in order to get their information,” Rose replied steadily, stepping deeper into the room as she looked around at the others. “About three weeks ago, the rescue party struck. They attempted to kill me, my friend Isalla, and the person who’d helped us, a demoness named Kitania.”

“That’s insane! Why would they do something like that?” Alanah exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock, obviously not believing what she was hearing. “How do you even know that they were trying to kill you?”

“Fifteen trained soldiers against the three of us, and you don’t think I’d know if they were trying to kill me?” Rose asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically, and Alanah flushed in embarrassment. After a moment, Rose continued calmly. “The group behind them threw Isalla into the portal in Hragon when she started investigating what they were doing in the Evergardens, but not before cutting off her wings and poisoning her. If it hadn’t been for Kitania using magic to catch her, she’d have died almost instantly. Then the supposed rescuers attacked us, and they used an arrow that may have killed Kitania, and did teleport her somewhere else. That enraged both me and Isalla, and Estalia… well, her anger exceeded ours. None of the supposed rescuers who survived are injured, but neither will they be allowed to return. That same anger is why Her Majesty attacked Firewatch. If it weren’t for the fact that you didn’t know what you’d been used for, she’d have attacked with virtually no mercy, rather than capturing all of you.”

All the angels in the room flinched, and Rose saw them look at each other. It took a few moments before Seidrel spoke, his voice almost plaintive. “But why would she be so angry, and take it out on us?”

“Kitania is Estalia’s only daughter,” Rose replied simply, and the angels flinched even harder. Before any of them could gather themselves again, she continued calmly. “That’s not the full extent of it, either. I asked much the same thing, but she explained that a raid of that magnitude, especially as visible as it was, couldn’t go unanswered. If she allowed the attack to go without retaliation, her neighbors would think they could raid her territory with impunity. I wasn’t happy about it, but she promised to attempt to take all of you alive if you weren’t at fault for the attack. I’m more surprised that she was willing to hold back, as angry as she was.”

“That was mercy?” Eina demanded, the woman’s voice slightly incredulous.

“Yes, it was. She didn’t have most of you killed, and you’re in a rather nice prison, rather than enslaved or sacrificed, like most other demons would have treated you,” Rose told her, a hint of displeasure crossing her face. “If you haven’t seen the others around the palace or talked to them, for the most part Estalia treats angels well. And you still can hope to be freed via a prisoner exchange or ransom, which is more than most can hope for.”

“And what of you? Are you just another prisoner like we are?” Alanah asked, looking like she’d calmed down, though she looked worried and more than a little suspicious.

“Me? No, of course not. I’m free to leave whenever I choose,” Rose said, shaking her head as she smiled thinly. “If we hadn’t waited for Isalla’s wings to be regenerated and to find where Kitania was teleported to, I’d already have left the hells in the search for those who betrayed me. Neither of us have any faith that they have the heavens’ best interests at heart, and we’re not willing to let them have their way.”

The room remained quiet for a long minute as they looked at Rose, shifting uncomfortably. It was Seidrel who spoke at last, sounding almost drained as he did so. “So, why’d you come here, then? To rub our faces in what’s happened?”

“Of course not. I came to visit and make sure everyone was being taken care of, to answer some questions, and to see if there were any requests you had that were reasonable enough to grant,” Rose said, shaking her head slowly. “I may not consider myself a member of the order anymore, but you were still my subordinates before I was captured. I feel responsible for at least ensuring that you’re well-treated.”

“Ah,” Seidrel said, then he sighed and looked at the others, giving a faint smile as he asked, “I don’t suppose weapons and armor would be considered reasonable, would they? Or removing the mana restriction collars of the magi?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think that Estalia would consider those wise, so no,” Rose said, smiling slightly in return. “If you manage to win her trust… perhaps, but I doubt that any of you would be happy with that.”

“Probably not, no,” David agreed with a laugh, and the others added their own agreement. After a moment, he looked at Seidrel and continued. “That said, I think that I can think of a few things. Equipment to work out with would be nice, for one thing.”

“True. Well, why don’t we all sit down so we can discuss it?” Seidrel said, sighing as he pulled out his chair. He gave Rose an unhappy look as he continued. “I’m not happy with you, and I feel a bit betrayed… but there’s not much I can do about that right now. Getting into a position where we’re not in danger of someone getting themselves killed is more important.”

“Agreed,” Rose said, pulling out a chair to take a seat as she added, “I don’t blame you for your feelings, either. My life has changed, but I remember what it was like for me. Now then, let’s hear your concerns, and I’ll see what can be done. Not that there’s any sort of guarantee that I can help, but I’ll do my best to convince Her Majesty to listen.”

The other angels nodded, finishing taking their seats. Then they got down to their discussion, and Rose focused on ignoring their barely hidden distrust of her.

She couldn’t honestly blame them, but also didn’t much care. They’d learn or they wouldn’t. And if Estalia visited… well, she didn’t think their suspicion would hold out for long.

* * *

“Demons took Firewatch?” Haral demanded, looking at Raezel in shock. The man nodded, his face grim as his wings fluttered behind him nervously.

“That’s right. I was taking your message there, but was also keeping a sharp eye out, and I saw the guards from far enough off to evade them. I checked, and the fort’s walls were also manned by demons,” Raezel said, the shorter angel looking distinctly unhappy. “I don’t know how they managed to take the fort without them getting a message off, but I didn’t have much choice but to flee.”

“Lord of Light help us…” Haral said, mentally cursing. Losing Firewatch would be a major setback, at least if the plans she knew were underway were to be carried out. It’d been the perfect staging ground for several vital raids, and it being lost to demons was frustrating, to say the least. After a moment, she looked up and asked, “Did you report this to your superiors?”

“Of course. I didn’t have any real choice, as quickly as I returned,” the man replied, smiling wryly as he shook his head. “They reacted poorly, much as I expected them to. I suspect they’re already reporting to the Holy Council.”

“Well, thank goodness for small favors. This might even convince those imbeciles to support proper retaliation against those monsters,” Haral said, taking a deep breath as she calmed down, nodding. “Losing Firewatch is unfortunate, but we can work around it. I suspect that Eziel’s group must have run afoul of the demons in that domain and led them back to Firewatch. It’s unfortunate, but at least we know something, now.”

“As you say, Lady Haral,” Raezel said, bowing deeply. “Is there anything else you’d like me to do?”

“No, just tell any representatives of the Council the truth. You were sent to inquire about the status of the rescue of Roselynn Emberborn,” Haral said, smiling at the man as she nodded. “You may go.”

“Thank you,” Raezel said, and he turned to leave, moving briskly.

Once he was gone, Haral’s smile faded, and she murmured unhappily, “The problem is that preparations are just taking too much time. Soon, though…”

She shook her head, and looked at some of the letters she’d received from others, and from Sorm in particular. At least her decision regarding the Forest of Sighs had been approved.

Chapter 22

To Kitania’s surprise, the Sylvan Garden was exactly what she’d expected it to be, unlike most other places she’d visited in the palace. An undine was playing in the pond in the center of the garden, and around the edges of the garden were shy dryads, some of them tending to the flowers, but others hiding behind their trees as they whispered and watched Kitania and Niadra curiously. Mostly Kitania, admittedly, but that was to be expected.

The garden was beautiful, with flowers blooming readily, some of which Kitania suspected were out of season, and it gave a good view of the area around them, making it hard for others to sneak up. That made a few men and women peeking at them a little more obvious, and Kitania resisted the urge to smile when they noticed her gaze and hurried on their way.

“I did hear that you had a hard time after being drugged. I hope it wasn’t too bad?” Niadra asked, her expression a bit downcast, as far as Kitania could tell. The princess was better at hiding her emotions than most of the elves Kitania had met, which made judging what she was feeling a little harder.

“The withdrawal was particularly bad. Imagine a regular hangover, then multiply it by about… three times, and you’d have how I felt the next day,” Kitania replied, glancing idly at the tea she’d been served, debating whether it’d be safe to drink. “It wasn’t the most pleasant of experiences. I’m grateful you didn’t have to go through that.”

“Ooh, that… wouldn’t be pleasant, no. I got a slight headache after they removed its effects, but even that was gone by morning,” Niadra said, wincing sympathetically. “I wanted to speak to you the next day and apologize, but I couldn’t.”

“It isn’t your fault, Your Highness. How were you to know someone would drug the pair of us? Besides, it was for the best in the end,” Kitania said, bypassing the tea to nibble on a sandwich happily.

Niadra seemed to notice Kitania’s hesitation over the tea, and she quickly spoke, smiling at the demoness as she spoke brightly. “If you’re wondering, I had the High Priestess examine everything for drugs before coming out here, so I’m certain that the tea and everything else is safe. I’m not risking something like that happening again.”

“Ah, I’m glad to hear that. I admit to a certain amount of hesitation, since even if a poison can’t kill me, it can make me miserable for a while. As you saw, drugs can also alter my mind just like anyone else,” Kitania said, feeling a little more relieved as she took the tea and sipped at it, relishing the rich flavor, something almost unknown in the hells.

“Yes, well… you aren’t the only one. I acted much more forthrightly than I’d intended to,” Niadra said, looking away as she blushed ever so slightly. “I’d taken pains to keep my interests private, and that was… very nearly public. I wish they’d found who was responsible, but whoever delivered the drug seems to be long gone.”

“Unsurprising, really,” Kitania murmured, nodding as she set down her teacup, studying Niadra. After a moment, she glanced down at the elaborate green dress the princess was wearing, one that was much more modest than she’d worn the other night. For her part, Kitania had chosen to wear a modest, sleeveless purple dress that she’d been given, since it seemed nice to her. Eventually she spoke further. “As I said, though, it was for the best, considering the conversation with Her Grace.”

“True enough,” Niadra said, and the two of them enjoyed the tea together, almost silent. Finally, the princess spoke again, her voice soft. “My memories of the night are slightly fuzzier than they should be, but I remember something about a dream spider. After hearing about a huge spider that was removed from one of the older ball rooms… is Her Grace safe now?”

Kitania paused, her cup halfway to her lips, then smiled and nodded, taking a sip. Only once she’d returned the cup to its saucer did she reply simply. “Yes, she is.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Niadra said, looking into her teacup. She fell silent for a long minute, as the sounds of birds echoed through the garden. Since Niadra seemed to be thinking, Kitania didn’t interrupt, simply waiting for the princess to make up her mind.

“I… want to apologize for being so forward. Even if I was drugged, it isn’t an excuse. I didn’t even check to see if you had someone you were romantically involved with,” Niadra said, toying with her teacup nervously. “It wasn’t what I intended at all, even if I’d decided to approach you later. I probably wouldn’t have, simply due to my caution… but I dared imagine things.”

Kitania couldn’t help a smile at that, though her smile quickly faded as she thought about her last interactions with Isalla and Rose, and at how close the two of them had grown. She’d realized that Rose had been trying to get close to her, but after how firmly Kitania had put her foot in her mouth where they were concerned… at this point, she was sure that the two had simply settled down with each other. Or possibly given in to her mother’s charms, for that matter. Estalia was glorious, after all, and if they were interested in demons, she was a far more attractive choice.

“I don’t blame you, Your Highness. As for the idea of romance, I… have had several relationships over the years. Most simply ended, though some ended more poorly than others. I lost one lover before Rosken, for instance, and two others over the years, both before and since,” Kitania said, and she saw Niadra stiffen slightly, her eyes going wide as she inhaled, but Kitania didn’t let her interrupt, simply continuing to speak. “More recently… I found an angel, bereft of her wings. Isalla had been the victim of an assassination attempt, and they threw her into the hells to die. I nursed her back to health, and we began to grow close. Then we found out a former lover of hers had also been betrayed, and…”

Kitania paused for a long moment, then sighed and shook her head unhappily, her emotions almost feeling brittle. “We went to rescue Rose, and I think Isalla was trying to keep what relationship we had alive, at least until we rescued Rose. The two of them got together, and I handled things… poorly. My fear of being found by my mother caused me to snap and push them away, at least until I learned my fears were misplaced, and then I was trying to work out what to do. Then I was shot and appeared here. I’d be startled if they hadn’t lost all interest in me by this point. Even if they were interested in a demon, I’m nothing compared to Estalia.”

“That’s…” Niadra began, looking a bit shocked, then her eyes went wide as she looked past Kitania, freezing in place. Then another voice spoke.

“I see that you and I have a bit more in common with one another than I had thought, Kitania,” Alserah said, and Kitania turned to see the goddess stepping closer, and where she stepped it seemed like all the grass was greener. Kitania and Niadra started to rise, but the goddess waved them down, continuing. “No, don’t stand. I chose to visit when I wasn’t invited, so there’s no need for that.”

“Ah, you’re more than welcome to join us, Your Grace; I simply didn’t expect you to. It’s so rare that you do so that…” Niadra began, then paused, taking a breath before she asked, “Would you care for some tea? It should still be warm.”

“Please,” Alserah said, pulling out a chair and looking at each of them with a small smile, continuing. “As to why I rarely visited before this, it was because there was little to interest me, and I wished to minimize chances of the stabbing headaches. Fortunately, that problem has been rather thoroughly solved.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Your Grace,” Kitania said, bowing her head slightly while Niadra poured a cup of tea with trembling hands, then placed it in front of Alserah. Kitania was glad that she wasn’t the only one stunned by Alserah’s presence, and she felt herself growing even more nervous, considering what she’d been discussing with Niadra. She didn’t like exposing her weaknesses to others, so she tried to change the subject. “I’m just glad that my knowledge was of some use. So little of what I know is applicable here.”

“It was. I’ve also ordered the palace healers and alchemists to record the affliction in detail, as well as how to deal with it, and it will be spread to every alchemist and temple in the Forest of Sighs, and possibly beyond. With any fortune, dream spiders will never be a threat, but if they are, we’ll be prepared,” Alserah replied, her gaze hardening slightly for just a moment, then she shook it off, taking a sip of tea. Then she set the teacup down and continued. “For that, I have you to thank, Kitania. Not just for my own life, but for those who you may have saved in the future.”

“I did what I could,” Kitania said, looking down at her cup rather than risking meeting Alserah’s gaze.

Niadra broke the brief silence, her voice slightly concerned. “Ah… Your Grace? May I ask what you meant, when you said that Kitania was similar to you?”

“Immortality and power aren’t necessarily a blessing, Niadra,” Alserah replied calmly, and Kitania blinked as she caught a hint of sorrow in the goddess’s voice, though she wished that Niadra had left the subject alone. “I don’t possess true immortality as Kitania does, but my power makes it similar. An immortal must be prepared for those around them to wither and die, and those who are powerful… others often target those who are close to them. Of all my consorts, only two of them died of natural causes. The others were targeted by those who wished to hurt me, or they were taken away by accident. While it isn’t precisely what Kitania has experienced, I do sympathize with her.”

Kitania flinched internally, opening her mouth to speak, then shutting it again as she looked up properly, seeing the slight horror on Niadra’s face. The pity she could also see was almost worse, in its own way.

“I was curious, though. You truly were in a relationship with an angel?” Alserah asked, looking at Kitania intensely, and the demon squirmed in her chair. “That’s a most unusual situation, even for elves, let alone for a demon.”

“Yes. Isalla… fell through the portal above Hellmount, after being thrown there. I caught her with my magic and healed her wounds as best I could. They were terrible, though, and it wasn’t something that could be done in a short time. At first, she was terrified, afraid I would eat or sacrifice her,” Kitania said, laughing softly as she shook her head and ignored how unsteady she felt, murmuring, “I thought she was so bigoted, but it’s the nature of things. Each faction tends only to see the worst members of the others, not the normal people who want a regular life. Isalla slowly began to understand that. Eventually we simply… became close. I’m surprised I let her close, but I suspect I’d become rather lonely.”

“I see,” Alserah murmured, her gaze growing a bit distant, and more complex at the same time. Then she spoke again. “I’m likely similar, in many ways. I’ve rarely spoken with demons in a peaceful setting, and most of them came in armies. While I’ve heard of the societies that are less warlike in the hells, I’ve always been skeptical about their existence. There were always more tales of demons like Estalia, who were believed more manipulative than they were directly deadly.”

Niadra looked between them, looking like she was rather uncomfortable and trying to decide what to say. Eventually, she asked softly, sounding like she was trying to change the subject, “Are you happy, Kitania? To be free?”

“Happy? Am I happy?” Kitania asked, and a tiny, chained up part of her managed to break free for just a moment, and she giggled briefly, shaking her head as she replied. “No, I don’t think I am. To me, this is just like Rosken all over again. I was transported across the world, to a place where my knowledge is of limited use at best, to a realm populated by those who are traditionally the enemies of my people. I don’t know whether Isalla and Rose are even alive, and if they are, they’re with my mother, one of the most charming, beautiful demons in all the hells, and my home… if it’s even intact, I’ve lost it and all my belongings. Even the body I’d transformed myself into, one that I carved enchantments into my bones to create, is lost to me. I’m simply… existing, really. I move from one moment to the next, trying not to let myself think about what’s happened. It’s the only way I can keep going.”

“That’s not—” Niadra began, but Alserah spoke, cutting her off.

“You truly believe that’s the proper approach? After living as long as you have, and having gone through the hardships you’ve faced?” Alserah asked, her voice sharp, and Kitania looked up, then froze as the goddess looked at her in disapproval, her gaze like divine arrows pinning Kitania in place. A moment later, the goddess continued in that sharp tone. “I did my best to freeze my heart due to the pain I suffered, but I couldn’t, not entirely. I suffered the pain in order to experience those moments of joy and happiness, to be with those I cared about, even if they were fleeting. What point is there to life if you don’t live it? Hiding from your emotions isn’t a solution, Kitania. All it will lead to is further heartache when it overwhelms you at last.”

Kitania flinched back at the goddess’s tone, wanting nothing more than to hide, but she couldn’t. She opened her mouth to speak, but Alserah slapped a hand on the table.

“No, Kitania. I’m not going to listen to your excuses,” Alserah said, shaking her head in obvious disapproval, then looked at Niadra. The goddess seemed to consider for a moment, then spoke firmly. “Niadra.”

“Y-yes, Your Grace?” Niadra asked, almost quivering as she stared at the goddess in shock.

“You like Kitania, that much is obvious. However, you’re worried about the backlash of your parents and others,” Alserah said, looking the princess in the eye. “You now have my express permission to associate with Kitania in whatever way you wish. If your parents or even the king himself have issues with it, they can speak to me.”

“I… Thank you, Your Grace. I never expected you to decide to intervene. Or to make such a decision,” Niadra said, sounding shocked and a bit happier as she looked at Kitania, who felt her stomach clench slightly, almost feeling like it was tied in a knot.

“I’m doing it for several reasons, not the least of which is for your own sake, Niadra. You deserve the chance to find what it is you truly desire. I’m also doing it for Kitania, to keep her from possibly destroying herself,” Alserah said, giving Kitania a frosty glare, which caused Kitania to shrink back slightly.

“I don’t think I’d destroy myself,” Kitania said weakly, but at the same time she hated how she was cringing before the goddess.

“Of course you don’t. People rarely do, until it’s far too late,” Alserah replied, frowning at Kitania. “Unfortunately, I don’t think my presence would help, not with your reaction, or I’d do it myself.”

“What?” Kitania asked, her eyes going huge, and she could see Niadra suddenly staring at the goddess as well.

“I’m saying that you managed to intrigue me before, Kitania. You’re immortal, and in some ways that makes you safer than other potential options. However, if you’re in the sort of state that I think you’re in, my attention probably won’t help,” Alserah told Kitania, her smile thin. “I’m too old to bother with being incredibly subtle, and I haven’t decided one way or another to begin with. For now, I need to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, much as you ensured that I wasn’t killed. Once you’ve regained that confidence that I saw initially… then we’ll see how things work out.”

“I… I see, Your Grace,” Niadra said, almost stammering now, looking like she’d been hit between the eyes with a hammer.

“No, Niadra. If you decide that you like her, I won’t interfere, especially if she returns your feelings,” Alserah said, standing up as she glanced at Kitania, and the demon felt herself blushing.

“I’m right here, you know,” Kitania said, her voice still weak.

“I know you are. I’m also talking about it in front of you in a deliberate attempt to break you out of whatever funk you’re trying to slip into,” Alserah replied, smiling even more as she glanced between the two, then nodded. “Enjoy your tea, hm?”

The goddess left, leaving Kitania and Niadra behind. Kitania quickly found herself absorbed in examining her tea, which didn’t smell nearly as good as it had before.

“That was unexpected.” Niadra said at last, and Kitania could almost feel the weight of the elf’s gaze.

“It was. I… don’t think I know what to think. I’m just… what am I supposed to do?” Kitania asked, looking up at Niadra, and she could feel that part of her that had been hidden welling up, almost breaking free. She could feel the tears in her eyes, and she blinked as she continued, ever so softly. “Am I supposed to break down, in front of people who’re practically waiting for any sign of weakness? I just… I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh, Goddess… I wish she hadn’t decided to do this here,” Niadra said, her expression softening, and she stood up, offering a hand to Kitania as she glanced at the dryads, then at a couple more nobles who’d come to investigate. “Come on, Kitania. Let’s go to my room and we can talk in private. We aren’t that far away.”

“If… if you say so,” Kitania said, taking the elf’s hand and allowing her to draw Kitania to her feet. Then they started toward the palace, and with every step Kitania felt like her mask of indifference, confidence, and even happiness cracked a little more. It had been so easy to pretend the mask wasn’t there when no one focused on what Kitania felt, but Alserah had stripped away that bit of blissful pretense.

By the time they reached Niadra’s quarters, Kitania felt like her emotions were a tornado, threatening to tear away every bit of control she had. Stepping into the room, she didn’t even have time to look at it before she broke down.

Niadra took a moment to close the door, then hugged Kitania tightly, whispering soothing words in her ear as the demoness began to sob for everything she’d lost, and for all the pain she’d gone through in the past few weeks.

Chapter 23

Rose watched the doors in interest as they opened, and Lady Azalea stepped inside, accompanied by her four guards. The elves were all well-dressed, with the blonde elven woman in a beautiful blue dress with silver embroidery, and her eyes matched the dress, while the guards each wore silver armor that glittered with runes showing they were enchanted, along with the swords at their sides.

The elves also stopped the moment they entered the room, almost physically reeling as they caught sight of Estalia, who was seated on her throne. It was already all Rose could do to keep from staring at the demon queen, with her power unrestrained, so she really couldn’t blame the elves for their reaction to Estalia. She hadn’t realized that most of the time Estalia kept her power slightly suppressed, at least until the queen had taken a seat on her throne and let out a soft sigh before letting it loose. It was a flood of sheer attraction like nothing Rose had ever imagined, and a mere glimpse of Estalia was enough to enrapture others.

The throne room was pale stone that had been polished smooth, with numerous statues of Estalia in different clothing along the walls, and blue crystals reflected the light released by the demon queen, while bright yellow flames burned without fuel in braziers around the room to provide additional illumination. Estalia’s throne was on a dais atop six stairs, allowing her to look down on the entire hall, and her throne was made of elaborate silver with soft velvet cushions. It was certainly an impressive sight, which was why Rose was doing everything in her power to avoid looking at Estalia. Otherwise she feared that she might forget to breathe.

It took the elves several long moments to gather themselves, then they slowly approached, all the poise that Rose had initially seen in the group gone, as they stared at Estalia in shock, barely sparing a glance at the four guards in the room or even for Rose.

When they finally reached an invisible line near the stairs, the elves came to a stop, not doing anything more yet. Then Estalia spoke, her voice resonant, seductive… and Rose couldn’t keep herself from looking at the queen, freezing as she was utterly entranced by the demoness’s voice.

“I am Estalia. Queen of Estalia,” the queen said, her eyes glittering like diamonds as she looked down at the elves, her lips curving in the faintest hint of a smile, yet one that almost caused Rose’s heart to stop. “You have asked for an audience, and I have granted it. Agents of Alserah, why are you here, so far from your home?”

“I… I am Lady Azalea Ikara. I’ve come on behalf of Her… Her Grace Alserah, the Divine Archer of the Forest of Sighs,” the elven woman said, her voice trembling, and unable to tear her gaze away from Estalia, much as Rose couldn’t.

“Indeed? I believe this is the first time I’ve had her send a message to me,” Estalia replied calmly, and Rose forced herself to look away, breathing hard as she did so. The queen continued. “Since that is the case, why is it that she sent you here?”

“She… sent me because there was an intrusion into her palace a few weeks ago. By a demon,” Azalea began, then fell silent as Rose’s gaze whipped over to her, the elf’s eyes going wide. It took a moment for Rose to realize the woman had fallen silent because Estalia was staring at her as well. It was a little frustrating, considering how much Rose’s heart had leapt at Azalea’s words.

“Indeed? Please, continue,” Estalia said, her tone unchanged, despite her focused gaze.

“The… the demon claimed that she was forcibly transported there, and that she was… was your daughter,” Azalea said, swallowing visibly. “I… was sent to determine the truth of the matter.”

“I see. And what, precisely, does this demon look like?” Estalia asked, arching an eyebrow curiously.

“She isn’t as demonic as most. She has a tail, pink skin, purple hair and eyes… and she’s somewhat short,” the elf said, swallowing hard before finishing. “Her name is Kitania Darkshade, or so she claims.”

Rose’s heart skipped a beat, and she smiled as she felt delight surge at the name, and at the description that matched Kitania’s. However, just as she was about to speak, Estalia continued, her voice almost cold now. That confused Rose for just a moment.

“I see. If she is my daughter, what are Alserah’s intentions?” Estalia asked, and Rose felt a chill run down her spine as she realized that Estalia was in the same sort of mood she had been when she’d offered to break Eziel’s mind for the information she possessed. The air felt oppressive, and Rose knew without a doubt that if Estalia wanted to, none of the elves would make it out of the room.

“O-originally… it was to ransom her. However, I’ve… I’ve received information that she aided Her Grace greatly,” Azalea said, shivering visibly. “S-so… if she is, I was told that she’ll be released when you send someone to retrieve her.”

“Indeed? Well, that does change things,” Estalia said, suddenly smiling and sitting back in her chair. The atmosphere changed as Estalia retracted much of her power, looking like a radiant goddess on her throne instead, and she smiled at Azalea warmly. “That does sound like Kitania, yes. In her original body, even, which tells me that when she arrived, the circumstances were not favorable for her. In fact, it means that you utterly destroyed her body.”

“Ah, how… how do you know that?” Azalea asked, flinching slightly.

“Before she was… taken, Kitania told me she had altered her body permanently by having enchantments carved into her bones. I happen to know that her bones are far stronger than those of a normal demon or mortal, so to destroy the enchantments would necessitate using an immense amount of force,” Estalia explained, and Rose’s happiness turned to horror and a bit of anger as she looked at the elf with narrowed eyes, wondering just what had happened to Kitania.

“I… was not aware of that. I do know that she activated the first layer of the palace’s defensive formation, and there wasn’t much left afterward,” Azalea quickly replied, looking down at the floor. “However, I’m also told that she woke within three days.”

“Yes, that would be about right for when her body was entirely destroyed,” Estalia said, and at Rose’s shocked look, the queen shrugged, explaining. “One year was particularly rough during Kitania’s youth. She seemed to be determined to test every form of death that she could manage. As you’ve seen, none of them worked.”

“That’s horrible,” Rose said, growing slightly outraged by the thought, and how indifferent Estalia seemed about Kitania’s treatment.

“It was. I don’t want to count the number of times I had to drag her out of some beast’s lair to regenerate,” Estalia said, sighing heavily, and cooling Rose’s anger in the process. Then she looked at the elves, all of whom still looked enchanted, but also a bit horrified, and continued coolly. “I will have to consider how to reply to Alserah. Rose? Would you be kind enough to escort them to the guest wing?”

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Rose replied, taking a breath and nodding to the elves as she gestured to the doors, her feelings about the situation still mixed, between delight that they finally knew where Kitania was and anger concerning her treatment. “If you’d follow me, please?”

“Yes, of course,” Azalea replied after a moment, nodding almost like a puppet as the woman began following Rose toward the doorway.

Once they’d left the room, Rose closed the doors and relaxed, shaking her head, then smiled at one of Estalia’s guards before focusing on the elves, speaking to Azalea. “There, we’re out of the room. It’ll take a minute for the fog to clear, but it’s the worst the first time you meet her. Are you alright?”

“I… I think I am. So that was Estalia? She was amazing,” Azalea said, and her comment prompted a couple of laughs from the demon guards.

“Yes, she is. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met and has been incredibly kind to me,” Rose said, smiling slightly as she glanced down the hallway, some of her anger easing. “It’s also almost impossible to retain control of yourself in front of her. That’s why I asked you if you were alright.”

“Um, I suppose. I can…” Azalea began, then she looked at Rose and blinked, then the elf’s eyes narrowed as she asked, “Wait, are you an angel?”

“Why yes, that I am,” Rose replied dryly, looking at the elf skeptically, then clicked her tongue. “I see you got hit hard by Her Majesty, if you missed that until now.”

“I beg your pardon? There’s no need to be insulting.” Azalea sounded outraged as she spoke, her back straightening abruptly, and Rose’s eyes narrowed slightly as her amusement and tolerance faded.

“Insulting? I wasn’t insulting you, Lady Azalea. I was speaking the truth,” Rose replied calmly, looking at the woman steadily, the way she had new recruits in the Order of the Phoenix. “I’m an angel, and I was standing in the room with my wings on full display when you entered. Despite having had plenty of time to notice me, you didn’t realize I was an angel until well after you left Estalia’s presence, and that means that you were utterly captivated by her. As I said, you were hit hard, though I can’t blame you for that. She has that effect on people.”

“That…” Azalea began, then hesitated, frowning heavily. The guards were also shaking themselves, but they seemed to be recovering more quickly than Azalea had. After a minute, the elf took a breath and nodded slowly, almost as if she was gathering herself. “No, you appear to be correct. It’s like my mind is filled with cobwebs, and it’s hard to concentrate. I should have noticed that you were there, yet I didn’t. My apologies.”

“It’s alright, though I’d suggest avoiding jumping to conclusions. The variety of people inside the palace is astounding,” Rose replied, then gestured in the direction of the guest wing. “The guest quarters are this way. I’m sure that the staff has already prepared rooms for you.”

“Ah, I should have said, I’m Lady Azalea Ikara. May I ask who you are?” Azalea asked, quickly following Rose as she started down the hall.

“I’m Roselynn Emberborn, but I now go by Rose,” the angel replied, ignoring the inhalation of one of the guards. He must recognize her name, but Rose continued steadily, carefully tamping down her emotions. “Her Majesty saved my life recently, and I’ve been in residence for the past few weeks. Ever since Kitania was taken away, in fact.”

“You… know her, then?” Azalea asked, slightly incredulous. “Why would you know her? Well, if she’s Estalia’s daughter, I suppose that would make sense…”

“Kitania saved the life of my best friend and partner. She saved me from what she thought was a terrible fate, even if it turned out that she didn’t need to,” Rose replied, glancing back at the elves as she smiled thinly. “I very much hope she’s been treated well, as she’s one of the few people I’ve come to admire.”

“Oh,” Azalea replied, blinking in surprise. After a moment, she spoke cautiously. “I… believe that she was moved from a prison cell to a servant’s room, then became a guest, so I think she’s being well-treated.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Rose said, the tension inside her easing slightly at the information. “I’m sure that Isalla will be happy as well.”

Azalea didn’t reply, but Rose could feel the weight of her gaze, and continued through the palace. She wanted to get the elves settled as soon as possible, so she could go tell Isalla about what they’d learned.

On the other hand, Rose did feel a little sorry for Veldoran, considering how much work he’d put into preparing a scrying spell to find Kitania. In any case, she was sure he’d get over it.

* * *

“What did you say?” Isalla asked, her fingers trembling as she held onto the table.

“Kitania is in the Forest of Sighs,” Rose repeated carefully, stepping closer as she continued. “I’m not sure of her exact circumstances, but she’s alive and well, and the elves are fairly sure that she hasn’t been mistreated. They said something about her being a guest.”

“I… that’s wonderful! I was starting to wonder… wonder if it was possible that Estalia was wrong, about her being immortal,” Isalla stammered, barely sparing a glance for Vinara as she swallowed hard, trying to blink back her tears. Her emotions were in knots, but she was relieved to hear that Kitania was alive, as well as more than a little incredulous that they’d found out because the elves had come to visit. “I just… how did they teleport her there? That’s so far away from here that it’s…”

“I don’t know,” Rose said, her smile fading a little as she took a few steps closer, then pulled Isalla into a hug. Isalla hugged Rose tight, taking several deep breaths, trying to control herself.

Vinara’s interruption was soft, and her voice almost made Isalla jump. “The amount of mana it would take to pierce the barrier between worlds, then to skip all the nodes between Hellmount and the Forest of Sighs is immense. More than any normal enchanted item could contain, in fact. Whoever created it had a master artificer working for them, someone as skilled in the art of enchanting as Veldoran is with divination magic.”

“I… is it really that difficult?” Isalla asked incredulously, turning to look at Vinara, one arm still wrapped around Rose, and one of Rose’s arms around her waist. “We used a teleportation ring to get us to the palace, after all.”

“Yes, you did. However, that alone would take only a quarter of the mana it would take to teleport from the mortal world to the hells, in approximately the same spot. We’re talking about something that would require five times as much mana at a minimum, and that was just for a willing target, and with an item that takes a few minutes to activate,” Vinara replied, frowning deeply as she leaned against the wall, drumming her fingers on her thigh. “For it to have pierced her shields and teleported her against her will… I don’t even know how much mana that would take, Isalla. While I don’t believe it would take as much power as forging your armor, I think that it would come frighteningly close, and we’re talking about an item that can only be used once.”

“Oh,” Isalla said, her eyes widening slightly. After her practice with mana, she’d quickly realized just how little she had, and how much even basic spells took to cast. She knew enough to know that more powerful spells took immensely more than that, and enchanting was even harder. The idea that someone had spent a mind-boggling amount of mana on something to only be used once, and it’d been used on Kitania… that chilled her blood.

“Another thing we’ll need to investigate, once we have Kitania back,” Rose murmured, then frowned. “I’m just wondering why Alserah insisted that someone come retrieve Kitania?”

“I wish I knew. It’ll take a while, won’t it?” Isalla said, her nerves now on edge.

“Unless you’re the ones who go retrieve her,” Vinara said, startling them again as she pushed away from the wall and smiled. “I think I want to speak with Her Majesty. You need to investigate this conspiracy, and all you’ve been waiting on is Kitania, so… it would be best for you to go to her, I think.”

Rose stiffened, looking at Isalla for a moment. Isalla looked back, hope surging within her, and she smiled.

“Do you really think she might allow that?” Isalla asked, keeping her voice as steady as she could, but unable to suppress her excitement.

“Why not? You’re going to have to leave if you’re going to investigate things, so if it’s on the way…” Vinara said, shrugging as she smiled back at them. “Would you like me to ask her?”

“Rose?” Isalla asked, looking at her friend, trying to keep from pleading. She thought that Rose felt the same, but she didn’t want to make the decision for her.

“Please ask Her Majesty for permission,” Rose said, smiling as she looked down at Isalla.

“Then I’ll do so. I’ll let you know as soon as I have an answer for you,” Vinara replied and headed for the door with her tail swishing behind her.

Once the succubus had left, Rose murmured softly, “We’re going to find her, Isalla.”

“Yes,” Isalla agreed, hugging Rose again as she added, “And then we can tell her how we feel at last.”

After all, Isalla was pretty sure that Rose felt about the same as she did at this point, even if her beloved was more reserved than she was.

Chapter 24

Kitania spotted the woman approaching in the middle of her practice, but she didn’t stop immediately. While she was skilled enough that she could stop the glaive instantly, it was far easier to finish the combat routine first. Instead, she focused on the feeling of the glaive in her hands, and on controlling it the way she’d been taught. It was good to focus on, since Kitania was slowly growing closer to her old level of skill with every passing day. Besides, it was a distraction, and Kitania needed those, ever since Alserah had weakened her armor of indifference.

Shoving the thought firmly out of her head, Kitania whipped the glaive through the final series of movements and brought it to a halt, breathing hard as she did so. Then she planted the butt of the glaive in the dirt of the training yard and looked at her visitor carefully.

The elven woman had short auburn hair, a pretty face, and piercing blue eyes, as well as a no-nonsense expression. She was also wearing brown robes that Kitania could feel magic radiating off of, as well as additional magic from the woman herself, which indicated she was a spellcaster, most likely. The strength of the sensation also made Kitania think the woman was fairly powerful, almost certainly more skilled than Kitania was.

“Hello, Lady Mage. I don’t believe we’ve met before this,” Kitania said after a moment, smiling thinly as she added calmly, “If you’re somehow unaware of it, I’m Kitania Darkshade.”

“Is that so? I thought that your name might be Kitania Estalia,” the woman replied, looking slightly skeptical as she looked Kitania over closely, then continued. “I’m Ethris of Danfield, Court Mage to Her Grace. We have met after a fashion, but you weren’t… whole at the time.”

“Ah, I see. My apologies, Ethris, but I wasn’t aware of that,” Kitania replied, bowing her head respectfully, though her mood dimmed slightly at the woman’s explanation. “As to my name, my family doesn’t have a surname, so I chose one for myself. However, I assume that you have a particular reason for seeking me out, since we haven’t met in the time since I regained consciousness.”

“You’re correct about that,” Ethris said, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face as she looked at Kitania, continuing to speak calmly. “I’ve been placed in charge of communicating with the ambassador sent to Estalia’s court, and yesterday she met with Estalia, who confirmed that you are her daughter.”

“That’s good, then. I suppose it’s for the best that we reconciled a few days before I was teleported into the courtyard… otherwise she might have decided to deny it, just to spite me,” Kitania murmured, then paused and shook her head, sighing heavily as she corrected herself, hating her temperamental mood. “No, she wouldn’t do that. I’m being unfair to her.”

Ethris looked at Kitania oddly, frowning slightly, then replied slowly. “According to Lady Azalea, Estalia intends to determine how best to retrieve you, but there isn’t further information to be sent at this time. She also reported that an angel named Rose seemed interested in your current situation.”

“Rose? She’s alive, then? Oh, that’s a relief,” Kitania said, tension she hadn’t quite realized was there easing somewhat. “If she’s alive, that means Isalla is, too. The guards must have reached them in time.”

“Guards?” Ethris asked, her frown deepening. “What do you mean?”

“When I was shot, Isalla and Rose had just begun fighting the angels that ambushed me. I knew my mother had left behind guards with orders to protect them, and had hoped that they’d managed to save them,” Kitania explained, shrugging uncomfortably as she looked at the ground, studying her feet. “I wasn’t there to help anymore. They really should have stayed in the house; it would’ve held off any attack long enough for the guards to get there.”

“I really don’t understand. If Estalia left guards behind, why would they protect a pair of angels, and not you?” Ethris asked, looking rather confused. “I mean, you’re her daughter, not them.”

“Ah, but I’m immortal. Nothing known can kill me, so of course she chose to protect the people who might die instead,” Kitania said, shrugging helplessly. A hint of grief tried to well up inside her, but she stepped on the impulse. At least the control that Anna and Estalia had taught her was good for something, though it was hard to keep from revealing her anxiety. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Did any of them send me a message?”

“I’m afraid that they didn’t. However, what you’re saying makes no sense to me. Even if you’re immortal, you can feel pain, I know that much,” Ethris said, looking at Kitania closely, her gaze piercing. “I’ve heard about some of your accidents, and even if you pretend that dislocating an arm isn’t that unusual, I know it hurts.”

Kitania looked back at the elf for a moment, then shrugged helplessly as she replied softly. “It is what it is. I choose not to examine her motives too deeply, because the two of us are so different.”

“Hm. I’ll have to take your word for it,” Ethris said, nodding slightly as she looked around the training yard. “I’ll leave you to your practice, assuming you intend to continue. Once I have word that agents are being sent to escort you back to Estalia, I will let you know.”

“Thank you, Court Mage,” Kitania said, bowing her head to the woman politely. “I appreciate you coming out to tell me in person.”

“You are welcome. I thought it best to meet you in person at least once, however. Especially after your actions to assist Her Grace,” Ethris said, looking Kitania over a last time before nodding. “Good day.”

The elf turned to leave, and Kitania stood there for a long moment, watching her go, then looked upward at the cloud-studded sky. The soldiers had told her that the color of the clouds meant that rain was coming, but she had a hard time believing it. The world here was so different than the hells that she couldn’t judge for herself. That seemed to be a common theme of late, with how unsteady she’d been.

“Rose was interested in my situation?” Kitania murmured, and a tiny bit of her hopes that had remained slowly died. Taking a deep breath, Kitania wondered why none of the others, whether her mother, Isalla, or Rose, hadn’t sent a message to her. The reaction seemed so cold.

“I can understand it for Mother. She rarely sends personal messages via others, but Isalla… I thought she would,” Kitania said, still talking to herself as self-pity tried to well up inside her. Then she shook her head sharply, forcing herself to straighten as she chided herself. “No, Kitania. Just… practice. What comes, comes.”

Unlimbering her glaive, Kitania focused deeply, taking a deep breath, then tried to lose herself in the glaive dance she’d been taught so many years before.

* * *

Alserah frowned as she watched the distant figure in the training ground, the practice glaive in her hands moving even more swiftly and surely than it had during the battle with the dream spider. Then she looked at Ethris and asked, making certain to hide her concern, “What did you tell her?”

“Just what Lady Azalea wrote, aside from her comments on Estalia’s presence and beauty,” the mage replied, shrugging. “It isn’t as though there was much to tell her, after all.”

“I see. She doesn’t appear to be pleased about the news,” Alserah said, glancing at Kitania again, then turning away. She might just be seeing things, but to her it felt like Kitania’s movements were frantic.

“She didn’t seem quite as happy as I anticipated, no. The additional information about how she ended up here… that surprised me. She was defending angels, as were guards of Estalia? That strikes me as odd,” Ethris said, tapping her arm thoughtfully.

“That’s because it is. Normally, kidnapped angels wouldn’t have fought by a demon’s side, but you said that they came out of her home to help her,” Alserah said, frowning even more as her thoughts churned, trying to make sense of what she’d been told. “That means that there’s more to what’s going on than we know. Kitania claimed that she rescued them, which this supports, but…”

“Should we ask someone to investigate? I’ve heard that Princess Niadra has started growing close to Kitania,” Ethris suggested, tilting her head curiously.

“No, there’s no need for that. If anything, I’ll just ask her myself,” Alserah said quickly, shaking her head firmly. “Based on what I’ve seen of Kitania, I believe that she wouldn’t lie to me or endanger us. It’s not something that’s in her nature.”

“If you say so, Your Grace,” Ethris replied, bowing her head respectfully.

Alserah paused, considering the mage for a moment before smiling and deciding to elaborate on her reasons. “It’s not just that, Ethris. I don’t wish to damage Niadra’s possible relationship with Kitania, not when I believe the information is something that Kitania might be willing to share with us. When I consider that possibility, I believe it best to take a little more time than to potentially alienate her.”

“Ah, that makes a great deal of sense, Your Grace,” Ethris said, looking a little happier at the explanation. She hesitated a moment, then asked, “However, what of other kingdoms of the north, or the Heavenly Orders? I believe that they may be somewhat less pleased with us if we treat with even a single realm of the hells.”

“Their opinions don’t matter. Most of the other deities have grown wary of trusting the heavens too much over the years, and only a handful are direct servants of the heavens at this point,” Alserah replied, shaking her head wearily. “For millennia, the heavens have waged war by proxy through the mortal world against the hells, and while they participate in the battles, their lands have rarely been under threat. Treaties and exchanges have happened countless times over the years, and this is simply another one of those. The Holy Council of the heavens will ignore something as minor as this, as they don’t wish to lose an ally so far to the north.”

“I see, Your Grace,” Ethris said, looking like she’d relaxed slightly, but was still worried. “What if they don’t act as you expect, though?”

“Then they’ll learn that I’m not going to bow to their whims. I have alliances of my own, and I will not allow myself, my kingdom, or my people to be used as tools,” Alserah replied, her eyes narrowing slightly at the thought, and she looked into the sky, remembering some of the archangels who she’d met.

“I’m glad to hear that, Your Grace,” Ethris said, sounding relieved.

Alserah didn’t reply, and her gaze drifted lower again, back to Kitania. Part of her wondered just what had upset the demon so much, for her to work to wear herself out for so long.

Chapter 25

Estalia had mostly suppressed her aura, but even so, Rose was having difficulties keeping her gaze off the queen, who was sitting at the head of the table. The presence of Eziel in the corner behind Estalia was a bit of a surprise, and the angel watched at the floor and dressed simply, much like most of the maids in the palace.

Also present were Isalla and Vinara, the latter of which surprised Rose even more than Eziel’s presence. She wasn’t going to object to Vinara being there, or even the two guards in the room, but it made her wonder why the mage had come to the meeting as well.

“So, Kitania is alive and has been moved to the other side of the mortal world. It’s truly fortunate that she isn’t in the heavens or worse, buried in a volcano. That would have been difficult to deal with,” Estalia said at last, shaking her head slowly as the queen let out a soft sigh. “Alserah is… at least a more reasonable goddess than some of the others that Kitania could have ended up in the custody of. If what Azalea says is true, Kitania is safe.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Rose said, wondering why the queen was repeating what they already knew. She didn’t think that anyone had managed to miss the news, not with elves from far away having visited the palace.

Estalia smiled as she looked at Rose, her eyes glittering as she shook her head and laughed. “Oh, my apologies, Rose. To a certain extent, I was just talking to myself. I’m happy that Kitania is safe, mind you, it’s just a bit… frustrating. She was so close to coming home when all this occurred.”

“I can’t say as I blame you,” Rose said, relaxing a little at Estalia’s smile, and the others laughed softly.

“I’m stunned, too. I thought we’d have to wait for the scrying, and then someone showed up to speak to you about Kitania. I’m shocked they’d send someone all this way to ask us to pick her up,” Isalla said, almost bouncing in her chair, her eyes glittering with eagerness.

“Hm, I don’t believe that they intended to, originally. Reading between the lines of what Azalea said, as well as what she told Rose, I think that, originally, I was going to receive a rather significant ransom demand,” Estalia said, which put a damper on Rose’s mood for a moment, at least until she continued. “However, then Kitania somehow helped Alserah in such a way as to change that. It must have caused a great deal of recalculating for Azalea, but it doesn’t matter in the end, does it?”

“No, it doesn’t,” Isalla said, then frowned. “Unless it’s a trap.”

“I doubt that. Otherwise we wouldn’t be having this meeting,” Estalia said, looking at Vinara as she nodded, continuing. “Vinara asked if we might send the pair of you to retrieve Kitania, since you’re planning to investigate the conspiracy among the heavens, and after some deliberation, I’ve agreed that such is the best approach. The two of you will have some of the finest armor my artificers can forge, and I’ve asked if my representatives can travel with Azalea, to which the answer was yes.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Rose said, straightening as she continued. “I’m worried about Kitania, and we lack so much information that I’m concerned about what Haral and her coconspirators might be up to.”

“Agreed. However, I also intend to send Eziel and Vinara with you,” Estalia said, nodding to Vinara as she continued, prompting Rose to blink in surprise. It did explain why the two were present, though. “Eziel is intended to be Kitania’s servant, of course, but unless Kitania kills her out of hand, she can also be useful in your investigations. I’ll give her items to disguise herself, but I’m quite certain she won’t be a threat.”

“As for me, I’m going to act as Her Majesty’s personal representative when we meet Alserah,” Vinara explained, straightening. “I’m going to bring a gift for the goddess, and I also believe that my presence will be good for Isalla, as I can continue her lessons. Besides, none of you are powerful magi, and you may have need of magic in the process of your investigation.”

Isalla looked at Eziel dubiously for a moment, but her face cleared as she looked at Vinara before speaking. “I understand, but I do have to wonder, isn’t it dangerous for you to come with us, Teacher? I know I’d be happier with your instruction along the way, but as a demon you’ll be in a good deal of danger, as much as you stand out.”

“Unlike most succubi, I’ve mastered enough magic to be able to shapechange,” Vinara replied, smiling gently at the pair of angels, her eyes glittering in amusement. “I can maintain it practically indefinitely, though that puts a limit on how much magic I can use on other projects, so that shouldn’t be a concern. We’ll have to put a touch more work into ensuring that the three of you can hide your wings, which will be useful under some circumstances.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Estalia interjected, smiling as she looked at Rose while explaining. “I believe you had a necklace that hid your wings, yes? I had a couple more made to be safe, so hiding your identities as angels won’t be difficult. Your armor is even designed to adapt to such.”

“Truly?” Rose asked, her eyebrows rising in surprise. “I didn’t realize that.”

“I didn’t mention it, and it’s a relatively minor enchantment,” Estalia said, and her smile faded slightly as she continued. “However, even with the precautions we’re speaking of, I worry about what you may be walking into. The arrow that struck Kitania was powerful, and if it was intended for me… that means that those you’re looking into are extremely powerful. Some of them may be among the uppermost echelons of the heavens, and they may even include archangels among their allies. I don’t know what it is that they’re after, but I truly believe that they could be planning to instigate another war.”

“That’s what I’ve been worried about too,” Isalla agreed, chewing her lip slightly, looking concerned. “There’s also a nagging feeling that there could be something more to it, but I don’t know what it might be.”

“Regardless, we need to be careful, as Estalia says,” Rose agreed, nodding at the queen as she took a deep breath and let it out, trying to suppress her anxiety. “I have a few people I feel I can trust enough to speak to about this, but it will take some time to reach them, as most of them aren’t near the Forest of Sighs.”

The others nodded, and Estalia smiled, looking at Vinara as she spoke. “I’ll have the items needed prepared for you, Vinara. They’ll take a day or so. I also want each of you to consider what you need for your journey and make any requests as soon as you can. I’ll see that whatever can be prepared in time is provided, but I can’t make guarantees.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Rose said, bowing her head, and she heard the others following suit.

“You’re welcome. Just make sure that you take care of yourselves, and my daughter when you find her, hm?” Estalia said, smiling as she stood. “I do miss having her here, but I can’t go in person.”

Isalla nodded and spoke sincerely as she stood as well. “I’ll be sure to do my best, Your Majesty.”

With that, the meeting adjourned, and Rose took Isalla’s arm as they headed out. As they walked, she was already starting to make a mental list of all the things she might need. If they were going to be investigating those in the heavens, it would be difficult and dangerous, but Rose was certain they could manage. There was no other choice, after all.

Chapter 26

Kitania almost jumped as a pair of arms wrapped around her, almost overreacting until she glanced back to see Niadra. She smiled as she spoke, feeling slightly breathless. “You really shouldn’t do that, you know; you startled me.”

“I wanted to, though,” Niadra replied, smiling back, giving Kitania a gentle squeeze as she hugged the demoness. It was hard for Kitania to see Niadra easily, positioned behind Kitania as she was. “What are you doing?”

“Just watching it rain,” Kitania replied softly, letting her surprise subside as she looked out through the glass, which was unusually clear, at least in her opinion. Outside the palace, she could see the rain falling, and it splashed against the windows occasionally, leaving beads of moisture to slowly trickle downward. As she saw a flash of lightning in the distance, Kitania hesitated, then continued, a note of melancholy in her voice. “Rain in the hells isn’t the same. It’s often hot or has a fair amount of ash or soot in it. It’s rarely so… clean.”

Niadra giggled, hugging Kitania again, then let go and stepped close to the window beside her, looking outside as she replied warmly. “I see. Well, I can tell you that it isn’t always so clean. Sometimes there’s a dust storm or the like, and the clouds rain what amounts to mud on us. Most of the time it isn’t that bad, mind you, but it happens.”

“Ah, then I’m glad that it isn’t one of those days,” Kitania murmured, glancing over at Niadra, then continuing to watch and listen to the rain. The princess’s company comforted her.

For a time, they just stood next to one another, the popping of a fire in the hearth behind them an odd counterpoint to the drumming of the rain and the occasional rumble of thunder. It was calming to Kitania, and that was something she needed, at least after the events of the past couple of days.

“Why do you seem so melancholy? I thought that you’d be happy after hearing that Lady Azalea had confirmed that you were Estalia’s daughter,” Niadra asked, looking over in concern, almost biting her lip before she continued, not trying to hide her confusion. “Instead, you’ve been even more withdrawn, and I’m not sure why that would be.”

“Lady Azalea? Isn’t that a type of flower?” Kitania asked, a flutter of nervous laughter trying to escape, but she forced it down, at least until Niadra laughed in turn.

“Why yes, it is. A pink one that doesn’t really suit her, but that isn’t her fault. It’s also not her fault that her parents were ignorant of the fact it’s somewhat poisonous,” Niadra replied, grinning as she reached up to squeeze Kitania’s shoulder reassuringly. “It also isn’t really an answer to my question, but I’ll drop it if you don’t want to answer.”

Kitania smiled, but she felt like it was something of a strain. It wasn’t as hard to smile as it might have been, considering the brief discussion of toxic flowers, but it was still difficult. Even so, she didn’t want to lie to Niadra. The princess had been kind to Kitania for the last several days, and her presence had kept away several people whose gazes Kitania didn’t like.

“I… was hoping for a message from them,” Kitania admitted at last, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead into the cool glass, and there was a clicking sound as her horns tapped against the window. After a moment, she continued softly. “My mother, Isalla, or Rose, to be specific. If Lady Azalea is able to pass along information, I’d assume that she’d mention if any of them specifically sent me a message, and yet… it’s been two days since the first message, and there’s been nothing.”

“Oh. Well, decisions on things take time, and it’s always possible that it’s harder to communicate than you think it is. I’m not sure how they’re keeping in contact with Lady Azalea, to be perfectly honest,” Niadra replied softly, her voice ever so slightly hesitant, but fell silent after a moment. The silence was a little too much, and Kitania felt the need to fill it.

“True, I suppose. I just… find myself wondering at times,” Kitania murmured, pulling her head away from the window again, the coolness lingering on her skin as she stroked one of the smooth panes of glass. She caught hints of her reflection in it, as well as the concern on Niadra’s face.

“Kitania?” Niadra spoke softly at last, turning to face the demoness, and Kitania turned her head toward the elf. To her surprise, Niadra raised a hand and gently stroked Kitania’s cheek, her touch gentle as could be.

“Yes, Niadra?” Kitania asked, a sense of contentment flowing through her at the warmth against her skin. It helped her feel better, if only slightly.

“What is it? Really, I mean. The way you talk about Isalla and Rose… there’s just the faintest hint of depression to your voice. After what happened with Her Grace, and what she said… I just worry about you,” Niadra said, looking directly into Kitania’s eyes.

Kitania hesitated, then looked downward. Niadra started to lower her hand, but Kitania quickly reached up to hold it in place. As the rain fell, she felt her heart grow a little heavier as she hesitated. Then finally, Kitania replied, her voice soft as could be, grief welling up inside her.

“I caught Isalla as she fell from the sky, just before she struck the ground in the forest. She’d been tormented by others, her wings cut off, and was poisoned. I doubt more than ten other healers in Estalia could have saved her life, but I managed it. At first… at first, she was suspicious and angry. She expected me to sell her or sacrifice her, when all I was doing was trying to heal her,” Kitania explained, and smiled bitterly, shaking her head as she let out a soft sigh. “She came around in the end, but it was stressful. Then we… grew close. I’d been away from others for so long, and she was just so… intoxicating. It’s something about angels, something I should have expected from growing up around them. Even so, I knew it couldn’t last, that she wouldn’t be able to stand the hells forever, but… I took comfort in our time together.”

Kitania paused, then let go of Niadra’s hand as she turned away, not daring to look at the elf’s face as she approached the fireplace, preferring to stare into the flames than to see the pity in Niadra’s gaze. She was just thankful that the princess wasn’t interrupting.

“I know I told you some of this, but I feel I need to explain more fully. To help you understand. It was then that we found out that her old lover had been captured in a demon raid. First Sword Roselynn Emberborn, commonly called the Flame of Ember in the hells. I’m sure you’ve heard of her family, or at least of her sword,” Kitania said, smiling mirthlessly as she heard Niadra inhale sharply.

“I have. Not of her specifically, as you said, but Ember is a legendary weapon,” Niadra confirmed, sounding shocked. “I hadn’t heard that she was captured by demons, though.”

“Oh, she was. I didn’t know that it had been arranged by angels at the time… no, that isn’t what we’re talking about. The issue was that she was brought to Estalia, and rather than allow her to be killed when they’d gotten the information they wanted, my mother’s price was Roselynn herself. When Isalla learned that Roselynn was in Estalia, she wanted desperately to rescue her, and I decided to help. I suspect that was the beginning of the end of our relationship,” Kitania said, taking a deep breath and slowly lowering herself into a chair, despondence starting to overwhelm her. “I won’t go into the details, but we succeeded flawlessly, though that was largely because I knew how the guards worked, and where they were going. Roselynn, now going by Rose, had changed. She’d grown more… intimate, with fewer inhibitions than she’d possessed before. To say that she was delighted to see Isalla would be putting it mildly.

“She also tried to approach me, but I was… concerned, and pushed her away, especially with how close the two of them had become,” Kitania admitted, shaking her head slowly. “I… perhaps I was just a fool. I don’t know what Isalla thought, not really. We also didn’t have time to work it out. Estalia came in person, and while we reconciled, it also caused an upheaval in my life. We had to leave my home… and before I could resolve everything and spare the time to figure out what to do with Isalla and Rose? I got shot with an arrow. More than a dozen angels ambushed me and sent me here. A tiny part of me… I just hoped they were…”

Kitania found her voice was shaking and stopped, inhaling as she blinked back tears. She reached up and rubbed her eyes as she swallowed hard, unable to speak.

“That’s enough, Kitania,” Niadra interrupted, and she surprised Kitania by grabbing her shoulders and turning the demoness to face her. Kitania kept her gaze lowered, and the elf spoke firmly. “No, look at me, Kitania. I’m not talking to your horns or hair, I’m talking to you.”

Kitania hesitated, then slowly raised her head to look at Niadra, and she winced at the look in the elf’s blue eyes. After a moment, she spoke, her voice trembling. “I just wish you wouldn’t look at me with so much… pity.”

“I’m sorry that you’ve had to go through all this, Kitania. You don’t deserve to have something like that happen, not after being so kind to others,” Niadra replied firmly, shaking her head. “No, it isn’t right. None of it is right, and if they’ve decided to move on, that’s one of the most foolish decisions I think they could make.”

“Is it? Unless someone finds a way to kill me, I’m going to outlast either of them. One century at a time, I’ll leave them behind, until they’re dust and memories,” Kitania said, her tears welling up again.

“Piffle. If they’re so shortsighted, that’s their own problem. That’s not a problem with you,” Niadra said, sniffing derisively as she pulled Kitania into a hug. “You’re beautiful, intelligent, and strong. You’ve saved Alserah from a horrible death and convinced her to let me follow my heart and desires rather than being chained to the expectations of others. Yes, you’ll outlive me by countless years… but you aren’t the type of person to forget someone you cared about, not with how you’re agonizing over this. That in itself is a tiny form of immortality, but you know what? I don’t care about that.”

“Why not?” Kitania asked, hugging Niadra in turn, resisting the urge to hug tightly to keep from crushing her.

The princess pulled away and smiled brightly at Kitania as she spoke. “Because I like you, silly.”

Niadra kissed Kitania suddenly, though the kiss was startlingly brief. An instant later, the woman pulled away again, grinning as she added, “In fact, I think that once the weather clears, I need to take you to Mist and show you around. You’ve been cooped up in the palace for far too long.”

“I… think I’d like that,” Kitania said, a little breathless from the brief kiss. Then she leaned forward to kiss Niadra again, closing her eyes to enjoy the moment, and the comforting presence of someone she knew cared about her.

* * *

Cecilia stood there, considering what she’d just heard. She’d been about to enter the princess’s chambers when she’d realized they were talking, and what she’d heard was illuminating. While she’d had some suspicions about Niadra’s feelings for a while, the last few days had been interesting with how the princess had finally opened up. It was already causing a fair amount of gossip among the nobility, which had worried Cecilia a little.

In Cecilia’s mind, her greatest worry was that Niadra’s influence would wane. There were already multiple nobles trying to woo the handmaiden, both to get information on what was happening and because everyone believed that the princess’s star was on the rise. Cecilia didn’t disagree since Alserah had intervened personally to ensure that Niadra could get close to Kitania, and with the information that the demon had saved the goddess’s life… it seemed that she was right.

That led to the letter, which she’d been given by Ethris, and Cecilia looked down at the message which had been passed on by Lady Azalea. The letter wasn’t sealed, so she’d taken the time to read it herself, curious what message she’d be passing to Kitania. It hadn’t made much sense until she’d overheard Kitania’s explanation, though. Cecilia pursed her lips, then opened the letter to read it again.

Kitania,

I’m told to keep this short, so I will. Rose and I are coming to get you personally, and we’ll be there as soon as we can. I think about you every day and am relieved that you’re well. We’re coming.

Isalla

Now that she knew what Isalla’s relationship with Kitania was, the meaning of the words was clear, and at the same time they worried Cecilia. If she handed the letter to Kitania, it could destroy the burgeoning relationship between her and the princess. If that happened, it could not only destroy many of Niadra’s prospects among the nobility, but also remove Alserah’s support as well. If that happened, all the improvements to Cecilia’s status and that of her family would likely vanish.

“On the other hand… if she didn’t get this, and had more time to have her relationship with the princess grow…” Cecilia murmured, her thoughts churning quickly, and she smiled at the idea. It wasn’t that big of a deal, she didn’t think. If Isalla sent another message or two, it’d likely reach Kitania easily enough, but if she didn’t, it probably meant the relationship between the two wasn’t that deep, at least on the angel’s end.

“I’ll just tell her that a delegation was sent to retrieve her and leave it at that,” Cecilia murmured, folding the letter and putting it away. She’d burn it a little later, but she knew that wasn’t a perfect solution. There was still the original, but she couldn’t be bothered to do anything about that.

The more time Kitania and Niadra had to get close, the more likely it was that it would solidify Niadra’s new power base. That was more than enough for Cecilia, so she headed down the hall to her own room.

She wanted to give the two more time to themselves, rather than destroy the mood.

Chapter 27

Isalla stared as they stepped out of the temple of Estalia in Silken Veils, looking down at the plaza ahead of them in surprise. The teleportation hadn’t been nearly as bad as the one which had taken them to Estalia’s palace, and it also wasn’t as bad as the one Kitania had performed during their rescue of Rose, but her stomach was still churning slightly. That wasn’t why she was staring, though.

Lady Azalea stopped as well, likely at the sight of the thirteen drakes in the temple plaza, each of them with a saddle and pack-saddle on their backs. A couple of the ash-scaled creatures were snapping at each other, at least until the copper-scaled dragon that was half again the size of either of the creatures pinned one to the ground with a foreclaw and roared loudly. The drakes immediately cowered, while the pinned one froze in place. After staring at the drake for a moment, the dragon released it, and the drake carefully regained its feet and folded its wings submissively.

“May I ask what is going on?” Lady Azalea asked, looking at the human priestess curiously, and the white-robed woman smiled, showing off her perfect teeth as she did so.

“Of course,” the priestess replied, nodding toward the courtyard as she explained. “Due to the difficulty of ascending Hellmount or reaching it on foot, Her Majesty asked that I retain the services of one of Estalia’s premier transportation agencies to speed your journey. The Bronze Battalion are known to be one of the most reliable groups for transport between Estalia and Hragon, and they keep their mounts in line with a firm claw, as you just saw. The payment was such that one of the siblings chose to oversee your transport to Hragon’s coast personally, to ensure that you reach there without any trouble.”

“I see. Wait, siblings?” Isalla asked, a memory springing to mind, and she paused, then asked cautiously, “Ah… would they happen to have anything to do with Bell’s Imaginarium?”

The dragon looked up, despite being nearly a hundred feet away, and before they could speak the dragon strode closer, and Isalla realized the dragon was nearly twenty feet long without its tail, which she found rather imposing.

“I’m somewhat surprised to hear someone mention Mother’s establishment. Do you know her?” the dragon asked, his voice a deep bass as he looked at Isalla in curiosity. His eyes were a deep amber, and their slit pupils narrowed to focus on Isalla. The priestess didn’t reply, looking at Isalla curiously.

“Ah… yes, I do. I only met her once, but I stayed at the Imaginarium about… six weeks ago?” Isalla said nervously, her heartbeat quickening. The dragon had a lot of fangs. “I was traveling with Kitania at the time, though Bell knew her as Kanae.”

“Ah, auntie Kanae! That would explain it! I’m glad to hear that you were her companion,” the dragon said, grinning broadly, and revealing far too many sharp teeth, one of which looked like it had a gold ring around it, and continued enthusiastically. “I’d love to hear how you met her, too. I’m Seiber the Bronze, and am greatly pleased to meet you. Whom might you be?”

“I’m Isalla… formerly of the Order of the Phoenix. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Seiber,” Isalla replied breathlessly, a little shocked at the dragon’s attitude, though he did remind her of Bell a little. The lamia had also been rather enthusiastic, though at least Seiber hadn’t been the type to tackle her. After a moment, Isalla took a breath and introduced the others, starting with Rose. “This is Rose Emberborn, Eziel, and Vinara. We’re currently accompanying Lady Azalea Ikara and will be in your care.”

“I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies and gentlemen, and I look forward to providing you with a safe flight and passage to Hragon,” Seiber said, raising a claw to his chest as he nodded deeply, looking at each of them in turn. “Despite the unruliness you may have seen earlier, the mounts we provide are highly trained, and they’ve never misbehaved in flight.”

“I see. These drakes seem quite different than the ones that serve as mounts back in the Forest of Sighs,” Azalea said, examining the drakes dubiously.

“That’s because these drakes are capable of breathing fire, at least a little, and are dangerous enough that most other flying creatures in the hells give them a wide berth,” Seiber explained, nodding toward the drakes with a grin. “Most mortal nations use common mountain drakes as mounts, not fire drakes. We prefer fire drakes for their intelligence, endurance, and ability to defend themselves.”

“Interesting.” Rose said, examining the drakes, then nodded warily. “It certainly will allow us to go farther than if we were relying on our wings. How far can they take us today? I doubt all the way to the coast.”

“Hah, no, of course not,” Seiber said, laughing as he turned to lead the way over to the drakes, which had settled down by this point. “There’s an aerie just on the other side of the portal where we’ll take shelter for the night, then we’ll finish the journey tomorrow. You don’t need to worry about the humans taking issue with us, either, the Bronze Battalion makes certain to keep all our permits up to date.”

“You have permits?” Isalla asked, honestly taken aback. The idea of a dragon going into a human city to get permits just boggled her mind.

“Of course! It’s simply good business sense,” Seiber confirmed happily, letting out a booming laugh as he stopped next to the first of the drakes. “The initial negotiations with Hragon were a bit tense, simply because they didn’t quite believe that we wanted permits to fly our passengers through their territory, but once they realized we were serious, they were happy to take our coin. Why, the royal family even hires us themselves from time to time.”

“That is rather impressive. And your assistance will cut at least a week off the travel time, based on our trip down the mountain,” Azalea said, then paused, looking in the direction of Hellmount, then added, “Probably more. The climb would be much worse than the descent.”

“Hear, hear,” one of Azalea’s guards agreed quietly, though the man didn’t look terribly happy as he examined a drake.

“Definitely, one of those things I don’t envy about you ground-dwellers,” Seiber said, then grinned. “Now then, why don’t you all pick your mounts and get to packing? There’s only so much daylight left, and we’ve got a long flight ahead of us.”

Isalla nodded and glanced at Rose, smiling wryly as she unslung her pack. “This should be interesting. Not quite the way I expected to leave the Hells, but I’m not going to argue.”

“Me neither,” Rose agreed, and beyond her Isalla could see Vinara already securing her bags to the saddle of a drake. One of the bags was long and thin, which made Isalla suspect that it was a weapon for Kitania, but she didn’t know for sure. As she watched, the drake turned its head to sniff at Vinara, and the succubus scritched it behind an eye gently before continuing to prepare.

Isalla bit back a laugh and began securing her own gear. She was wearing her new armor and glanced down at the sky-blue surface of the enchanted armor happily once, then focused on preparing. She didn’t want to slow everyone else down, not when they were going to Kitania at last. The very thought sent excitement through her again.

* * *

The flight was long, as Isalla had expected, but she was pleasantly surprised at the speed the drakes could maintain over such a long period. Angels were far more maneuverable than the drakes, but their endurance was more limited, and they wouldn’t be able to maintain a similar speed for a more than a few minutes.

She’d taken a few minutes to pick out where the Fungal Abyss was in the forest around Hellmount’s base, and the broad, dark scar in the ground made her shiver slightly. She’d been able to spot the town where Kitania had lived easily once she’d found the Abyss, and how small it was truly shocked her. However, they were so high up that she eventually had turned her attention to the portal over Hellmount.

The portal was dark, just as the other side of it had been, and looking at it had caused Isalla to shiver. The portals warped reality, as those who climbed the mountain peak into the portal instantly appeared on the path along the exterior of the volcano on the other side, and Isalla hadn’t ever met anyone who could explain why that was, or why a flying creature didn’t slam into solid rock when they flew through the outer edge. She was more surprised that the drakes barely seemed to care as they flew through the portal, then up and out of the smoke that accompanied them.

Isalla’s first view of the sky as the sun was setting had been stunning. She’d had tears in her eyes as she looked at the familiar sky and filled her lungs with fresh air that didn’t have that faint scent of sulfur to it. The clouds were mostly white, and she shook her head, blinking back her tears as she finally felt more at home again. It was almost a shock to realize how nice it was to return to the mortal world, rather than living in the pervasive darkness of the hells.

They hadn’t flown far, though, as Seiber led the way toward a series of caves that’d been carved into a nearby mountainside, and Isalla had been able to see a road led to an entrance below the caves, indicating to her that it was more than just a couple of caverns.

Her assumption had proven accurate as they landed in a wide, obviously artificial, cavern, and a group of humans came out to help them down from the drakes, then quickly began tending to the mounts, taking them to be fed and bed them down. Then Seiber turned and cleared his throat.

“We’re here in the Hragon Aerie now, so the trip is halfway complete. Alas, I cannot fit into the common rooms of the Aerie without shapeshifting, and as such, I won’t be joining you at dinner this evening. However, if you’ll follow the lovely young woman there, her name is Helen, she’ll show you to your rooms and get you dinner and baths,” Seiber said, nodding in the direction of a stocky human woman with a pronounced chin. “Please be ready to leave at dawn, however, as that will allow us to reach the coast in excellent time.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir,” Lady Azalea replied, but she was standing uncomfortably, and from the way the woman was shifting, Isalla suspected she was somewhat saddle sore. “In the meantime, I believe I desperately need that bath. Thank you for your escort thus far.”

“You’re quite welcome, Lady Azalea. Now, I’m going to go in for a proper scale-shining before I rest,” Seiber replied, laughing loudly.

Isalla watched him go, and as he did, Rose spoke softly. “Isn’t it nice to be in the mortal world again? It may not be the heavens, but there’s something about the air… I’d adjusted to the hells so thoroughly that I didn’t even realize that I’d acclimated until we came out of the portal.”

“Agreed. I thought it was a faint scent of sulfur that pervaded everything, at least for a moment,” Isalla agreed, rolling her shoulders to unlimber them, then picked up her bags, feeling even more enthusiastic than she had before. “I think I understand why Kanae, Kitania, said that my nature would rebel at staying in the hells. The colors up here are just so much brighter.”

“It’s not just sulfur,” Vinara volunteered, smiling slightly. “However, if you want to smell the air up here properly, you might want to launder your clothing and take a bath. It won’t deal with the smell immediately, but it’ll reduce it at the least.”

“That’s an excellent idea. Thank you, Vinara,” Rose replied, smiling and glancing at Isalla. “Shall we find our rooms and see what we can do?”

“Sure, but we’d better hurry. It seems Lady Azalea wants a bath more than we do,” Isalla said, laughing under her breath as she nodded in the direction of the elves, who were quickly following Helen.

“True, so—” Rose began, then paused and looked at Vinara as the woman began picking up her numerous bags, then asked, “Would you like a hand with all of that?”

“No, I’ll be fine. Go ahead and get situated; I’ll be along soon enough,” Vinara replied, shaking her head as she smiled, hefting the item that Isalla thought was a cloudpiercer, even if it was a little short.

“As you wish. We’ll see you soon, then,” Rose replied, then took Isalla’s arm and started down the hallway.

Isalla smiled as she did her best to keep up with Rose, having to walk a little more quickly as she did so. After a few seconds, she asked mischievously, “Do you think they have baths big enough for both of us?”

Rose laughed, grinning broadly as she replied, her tone teasing, “We’ll just have to wait and see. You got spoiled in the palace, didn’t you?”

“Kitania’s house had a large bath, too!” Isalla protested quickly, blushing as she looked to the side. “But… maybe a little? I like the larger baths, where I can spread my wings. And have company.”

Rose laughed, then leaned down and whispered back, “So do I. Let’s see what they have, hm?”

Isalla smiled happily, and picked up her pace, enough that Rose had to speed up as well.

Chapter 28

As Mist came into sight, Kitania examined it curiously. While it wasn’t the first elven city she’d seen, not even the first one in this part of the world, it was the first time she’d seen one of the local cities when she wasn’t part of a besieging army, and the difference was rather stark.

The countryside was slightly hilly, and trees covered most of it, though there were farms in occasional open sections of the forest. The last time Kitania had seen a place like this, the trees had been burned by lead elements of the army, and the defenders had stripped all the fields of any crops to prevent the attackers from being able to forage easily. The city itself was far more natural in appearance than the ones in the southern continents, with relatively short walls, and frequent groves inside the walls. Most of the city was stone, which struck Kitania as a little odd, but she supposed it’d been adopted from humans over the millennia of war.

Thinking about it, the palace had also impressed Kitania a great deal. The central palace was impressive enough, but there weren’t one, but two separate walls around the grounds, and a small town was nestled between the rings, where a large temple of Alserah was the central draw. It took Kitania a little while to realize that the palace was a holy site in the Forest of Sighs, but once she did, it helped explain just how upset the elves had been about her intrusion.

Even so, she felt a little uncomfortable sitting in the carriage and surrounded by guards on horseback. Kitania knew that the guards were there for Niadra, but it felt wrong to be guarded as they approached the city. Even worse was that she didn’t have a weapon, which made her feel naked.

“Is something wrong?” Niadra asked, her voice causing Kitania to jump, if only slightly.

“Hm? No, I’m just looking at Mist,” Kitania replied, pulling away from the window as she felt her cheeks heat slightly. She looked at Niadra, who was wearing a far more modest dress than she normally did, then continued. “Why would something be wrong?”

“Well, for one thing, you jumped when I talked to you, and I can see the tension in your body. Your tail is flicking nervously, too,” Niadra said, glancing down at the tail with a raised eyebrow. “All in all, you have the look of someone waiting for a wall to fall on you.”

Glancing down at her tail, Kitania scowled at it and carefully forced the tip to stop flicking as she muttered, “Traitor.”

Niadra laughed, her voice bright in the confines of the carriage, and she smiled as she spoke gently. “Come on, Kitania, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just nervous. I’m going to be the only demon in the city, at least as far as I know, and… well, the hells are dangerous enough that I never went anywhere unarmed. I know that it would make the locals nervous, but it still makes me… anxious,” Kitania admitted, glancing at the city again as she sighed and shrugged helplessly. “You know that I’m completely out of my element, don’t you?”

“Yes, but it’s good for you,” Niadra said, clicking her tongue in slight disapproval. “You need to try new things in order to get used to them, and you’ll never adjust if you hide. As for being unarmed, we have a dozen guards, you have your magic, and you have those fangs. They might not be much use in a fight, but they’re something.”

“My fangs aren’t for fighting,” Kitania replied, folding her legs uncomfortably as she suddenly remembered something about them, something she’d forgotten over the years, along with a few other things. It was enough to distract her from the city, in fact, and she continued. “And I know all that, but it doesn’t make me any less nervous.”

“Oh? If your fangs aren’t for fighting, what are they for?” Niadra asked, frowning as she thought for a moment, then her eyes widened. “You don’t drink blood like a vampire does, do you?”

“Hellfire and brimstone, no! Drinking blood? Ick, that’d be disgusting,” Kitania replied, shivering in revulsion at the thought. “Not that I can’t, but it’s… well, let’s just say that I’d never do it by choice. No, my fangs serve a completely different purpose. They… inject.”

“Inject what?” Niadra asked, looking even more curious now, and Kitania shifted slightly, trying to resist the urge to squirm.

“An aphrodisiac, of course. I’m descended from an incubus and succubus,” Kitania replied unhappily, and blushed more as Niadra stared at her, looking down as she added softly, “I’d removed the glands when I had the enchantments to change my body created, but when I reverted… well, there isn’t much I can do about it.”

“I see. That’s an interesting admission, and I’m glad I didn’t cut my tongue,” Niadra murmured, prompting Kitania to look away with a blush. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Mostly because I forgot about it until you mentioned my fangs,” Kitania admitted sheepishly. “I suppose I could have noticed if I’d cut myself on the fangs, but I have a lot of practice avoiding that. It just wasn’t something I think about most of the time.”

“Well, if you haven’t had the… poison for that long, I guess I can understand it,” Niadra said, her surprise seeming to ease. “I just didn’t expect you to be poisonous.”

“I’m not poisonous or venomous. The latter is accurate for something like a snake or other creature that bites you,” Kitania corrected, shifting slightly as the flush in her cheeks faded. “It’s a mind-altering drug. It doesn’t damage the body, which is why it works on me as well. You’d think I’d be immune, but no, that couldn’t possibly happen…”

“I stand corrected. Or sit corrected,” Niadra teased, then smiled and nodded toward the window. “We’re entering the city now, if you want to look.”

Kitania paused, then realized that the teasing had served to distract her from her nervousness, and she gave Niadra a chiding look before she turned to watch as they entered the city. The guards didn’t stop their carriage, and in moments they entered the tunnel of the gatehouse, which proved surprisingly long, before they entered Mist.

All around them, Kitania saw a market with cloth booths, with predominantly elves and humans trading coin and items as they spoke cheerfully to one another. Her eyes flitted across the colorful stalls, the immense variety of foods, and the buildings that bordered the market, and ever so slowly Kitania relaxed. While she knew better than to believe she’d be welcome outside immediately, the city was much like Silken Veils, though the appearances of the inhabitants were far less varied. She did see a few dwarves, and thought she caught a glimpse of angelic wings for a moment, but they were only in sight for an instant.

The carriage didn’t stop, though, and Kitania considered for a moment before speaking. “So, where are you planning to take me, aside from the seamstress and jeweler you mentioned? I doubt that you’re planning to only take me to those.”

“Of course not! There’s a lovely teahouse that I think you’d enjoy, and I thought we’d go see some of the fountains in the city as well. There’s also the House of Serenity, a healer college of sorts, but I think that’ll have to wait for another day,” Niadra said promptly, smiling broadly at Kitania. “I think that getting you clothing and everything else will take a while as it is, and I think there will be plenty of time to visit all the sights over the month.”

“Very true,” Kitania agreed, reaching out to take Niadra’s hand, then hesitated for a moment. Overcoming her worries and the spike of loss the thought of Isalla brought to mind, Kitania slowly, gently, drew the princess closer to give her a kiss. Niadra didn’t resist, but instead kissed Kitania in return.

The carriage slowing prompted Kitania to break the kiss, and Niadra grinned at her, speaking brightly. “So, which first? The jeweler or seamstress?”

“Hm… I’d say the seamstress, since it’ll likely take the longest,” Kitania said, even more of her anxiety easing at the smile on Niadra’s face. The princess was such an enthusiastic presence that it made her life brighter just by staying near her.

“Alright, then we have a destination,” Niadra said, and turned toward the nearest guard to let him know.

Kitania turned her attention to the cobblestone streets, watching the people outside with a slight smile on her face. Even if she didn’t feel like she belonged here, Kitania appreciated the bustling city.

* * *

“I came as soon as I received word of your arrival, Lady Haral,” Corram said, hanging up his cloak after shaking off most of the rain near the door. The man looked unhappy, but she couldn’t really blame him. “To think that they’ve openly allowed a demon to accompany one of their princesses in public… I never thought I’d see a day like this.”

“To be fair, it isn’t as though Princess Sellis has been among the more powerful royals here, so she doesn’t have as much to lose,” Haral said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Not that it makes this any better, mind you. Even if they’re only humoring the demon, allowing her to prance about the nation as though she were a common mortal… their shortsighted view astounds me.”

“Agreed. I might have had a few reservations about your plans before this, but now that’s changed,” Corram said, his lips pressed together tightly as the angel looked at Haral directly. “Would you like me to have the demon eliminated? If she’s traveling between the palace and Mist frequently, it should be easy to have a few extremists eliminate her. Possibly the princess as well, as deep as the rot has obviously spread.”

“Ugh, that is a horrid thought, isn’t it?” Haral said, shuddering at the thought of the elven princess and a demon being together. She shoved the thought out of her head as quickly as she could manage it, focusing instead on Corram’s suggestion. No matter how tempting it was, she quickly shook her head. “No, I don’t think that’s a wise idea.”

“Truly? I’d really hoped to get rid of the monster,” Corram replied, looking rather disappointed. It improved her opinion of him slightly, since he had been a little hesitant for her tastes, if still useful.

“Yes, and if we were in another position, I’d wholeheartedly agree with you. The demon needs to die, but if we do anything now, it’ll alert Alserah, and that’s something we can’t afford. Not yet,” Haral said, reaching up to play with her necklace nervously. It was her fail-safe, but she really didn’t want to have to use it, since it’d mean that everything had gone wrong.

“Not yet?” Corram asked, perking up at the qualification, and he smiled happily. “You mean that we’ll kill her later, then?”

“Yes. She has more information that we can use, and I’m tired of making mistakes,” Haral said, her lips curving into an angry smile, anticipation coursing through her. “I’m not going to leave her alive, and we’ll get every drop of information out of her. Even if she can regenerate, death magic will work well enough to deal with her. Once the preparations for the end of the Forest of Sighs are made, then we’ll strike, Corram. Not until it’s too late for Alserah to stop us.”

“Very well, Lady Haral. Tell me what you need done, and I will ensure that it’s taken care of,” Corram replied, standing up straight.

“Excellent. Fortunately, there isn’t much to do. Continue drawing down the staff and materials kept in the country. I want you long gone by the time we do strike. You’re the only one here that knows almost as much as I do,” Haral cautioned, resisting the urge to get ahead of herself.

“Of course, Lady Haral,” Corram agreed, though he looked a little disappointed.

“I’m glad you understand. Now, let’s ensure that we have the right placements for all the creatures. You have the number of people in most of the garrisons?” Haral asked, stepping over to the table.

“Yes, of course. It was a little tricky, but the quartermasters weren’t nearly as tight-lipped as they should’ve been when I was discussing their purchase orders,” Corram said, pulling a sealed message tube out of a writing desk. “I’ll get a map so we can figure out exactly where you want the packages.”

“Excellent. We’ll also need a nearby location where we can deal with the captives, once that comes up, and…” Haral began, focusing on the problem in front of her. While she desperately wanted things to be finished, she needed to focus on each step in turn. Only then would they be able to achieve total victory.

Chapter 29

The trip to Hragon’s coast went smoothly, and soon enough Rose and the others found themselves aboard Eternal Song, the schooner that Lady Azalea had traveled from the Forest of Sighs on. They’d only briefly stopped in Port Blackcrag after bidding Seiber a polite farewell, and Rose was glad to get aboard the ship since she’d felt eyes following them from the moment she’d entered the seedy, dirty city. Human cities always startled Rose with how some of them could be breathtakingly beautiful, while others could be the most ramshackle, ugly, smelly places she’d ever seen. And that included some of her forays into terrible demonic strongholds. Estalia’s capital didn’t qualify, but some of the others were horrid.

On the other hand, Eternal Song was a beautiful, sleek ship, though smaller belowdecks than any of the angels liked. Even once they’d used the magic items to hide their wings the ship was crowded, but at least they had bunks to sleep in. Eziel, Isalla, Rose, and Vinara had all been assigned the same bunkroom, and the crew of the ship had seemed quite confused when they saw angels alongside a demon, though Vinara had promptly used magic to shapeshift to appear as a mostly normal, green-haired elf with her same physique.

The morning after their arrival, Eternal Song cast off and they started toward the Forest of Sighs, the ship’s sails filled with a magical wind conjured by the helm’s windstone, which would allow them to make the passage much more quickly than they’d have managed relying on natural winds. Rose and the others tried to spend most of their time above decks, watching the clouds and taking deep breaths of the sea air.

While they stood there, Lady Azalea finally approached them, and Rose kept an idle eye on her, adjusting her position to allow a crewman to get to a line and adjust it. She also ignored how the man was ogling the four of them.

“Vinara? I just have to ask… why green?” Isalla suddenly asked, and Rose blinked, looking over at her friend, then at Vinara, who smirked. The question startled Rose a bit, but obviously Vinara had been expecting it.

“What do you mean?” Vinara asked, raising her eyebrows.

“I’ve never seen another succubus with green skin, you have green hair now… why green?” Isalla clarified, shrugging as she shifted her position, her shoulder bumping into Rose. Isalla hesitated, then relaxed as Rose laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders gently to hold Isalla in place.

“Ah, I see. Well, I’ve always liked greenery, and once I saw a nymph with green skin and vine-like patterns on her skin, and I liked how it looked. So when I grew up and had the chance, I had a few transmutations performed to give me green skin and the tattoos. I just like the color,” Vinara replied, shrugging. “Besides, I’m fairly sure that some elves have hair this color naturally. Isn’t that right, Lady Azalea?”

“Yes, some do, but it’s a fairly rare thing. It usually hails from some fey heritage, from what I’ve seen,” Azalea said, looking slightly surprised as she reached the railing. “You’ll likely get less attention with that appearance than any of the rest of you, even with magic hiding your wings.”

“Huh. Well, it does look good on you. I just was curious,” Isalla said, reaching up to toy with the necklace that hid her wings. “I was wondering… have you gotten a message from Kitania yet, Lady Azalea?”

“I’m afraid not. Perhaps they told Kitania that the message space in the book is limited, but I’m not certain,” Azalea said, shaking her head, and Rose let out a soft sigh of disappointment.

“Drat. That’s unfortunate,” Rose murmured unhappily, looking up at a seagull as it swooped down to try to land on one of the spars, but missed and had to circle around for another try.

“It is,” Azalea agreed and fell silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her tone was slightly curious. “However, the captain brought something up which I hadn’t asked about before. Once you’ve retrieved Kitania, how are you returning to Estalia? Not many ships make the passage to Hragon, as closely as they’re monitored, so it might be difficult to find one to hire.”

“We aren’t returning to Estalia, at least not immediately,” Isalla said, shaking her head slowly, then hesitated before adding reluctantly. “Well, maybe Kitania will be, but I don’t know about that for sure. I doubt it.”

“May I ask why not? I’m sorry to say, but demons aren’t exactly welcome in the north, even if angels are,” Azalea asked, glancing at Vinara as she added, “My apologies, Lady Vinara.”

“It’s fine, Lady Azalea. You’re simply speaking the truth,” Vinara replied, smiling as she looked at Rose, adding, “I’ll leave it up to you how much you want to tell her, though I will caution that we aren’t precisely in private.”

“An excellent point,” Rose agreed, glancing at Isalla as she considered what to tell Azalea. It took a few moments, but the encouragement in Isalla’s gaze convinced her to tell the elf at least enough to give a general idea of the situation, so she took a breath and spoke calmly, trying to keep her voice low. “Isalla and I didn’t end up in the hells by choice. Each of us were betrayed by other angels, even if we don’t know entirely why, and when we failed to die, they even sent others after us to ensure our deaths. Their attack is how Kitania ended up in Alserah’s courtyard.”

Azalea’s eyes flashed with shock for a moment before she managed to control her emotions and she frowned and replied dubiously. “I see. I was wondering about that, but… I can tell there’s a lot more to it. However, Lady Vinara isn’t wrong. Gossip can easily spread. Do you mind if I report what you’ve told me to my superiors in the palace?”

“I wouldn’t have told you if I did mind. However, Isalla might have her own opinion,” Rose said, looking at Isalla curiously, hoping she hadn’t said too much.

“No, you were speaking for both of us. We’re not going back to Estalia because we want to make sure those who betrayed us get their just rewards,” Isalla said, smiling thinly. “After that… who knows where we’ll go? I’m not entirely sure myself, but I probably won’t be comfortable in the heavens.”

“True, but—” Azalea began, only to be cut off as the captain almost burst out of a nearby hatch, the sandy-haired man looking pale.

“My apologies, Lady Azalea, but we have a problem,” the man said quickly. “One of the men was feeling unwell earlier, but he just started vomiting blood. The healer is with him, but it’s all he can do to keep Emmer alive, and it looks like he was poisoned.”

“What? How was he poisoned? Are any of us in danger?” Azalea demanded, and Rose turned, her blood suddenly running cold.

“I don’t know,” the captain said grimly. “None of the others have reported feeling unwell, but we took on a lot of supplies in Port Blackcrag, and I’m not sure what did it. He can’t reply in his current state, either.”

“If you take me to him, I can purge the poison from your man’s body,” Vinara offered briskly, looking surprisingly calm as she interrupted. “I’m not the most versed in healing, but there are enough poisonous plants in the hells that I learned to remove toxins early in my training.”

“Truly? Would it allow the victim to recover, then?” Azalea asked, silencing the captain before he could speak.

“Assuming your healer can keep him from expiring from the damage he’s already taken, yes. As I said, I’m not an incredibly skilled healer,” Vinara said, shrugging slightly. “If it’s a magical venom it’ll be harder, but I can deal with those too.”

“In that case, please follow me. I don’t know how much longer the man can last,” the captain said, and quickly started down the hatch. Vinara nodded and followed.

As Isalla began to follow them, Rose caught her arm and asked, trying to keep her tone gentle, “Isalla, are you versed in healing poisons?”

“Ah, not really? I learned a little from Kitania’s books, but it was fairly basic,” Isalla replied, frowning. She knew a little but wasn’t sure of herself.

“In that case, as cramped as it is belowdecks, I think you’d best stay out of their way,” Rose said kindly, hoping she wouldn’t upset her friend as she glanced at Azalea and added, “Especially considering how it’s liable to smell, if he was vomiting blood.”

“That is an excellent point. I think I’m going to stay up here for a few hours, or until I’m sure that it’s been properly aired out,” Azalea said, quickly moving back to the railing.

“Yes, but…” Isalla began, then paused and looked at Eziel. Rose winced as she saw Isalla’s eyes light up, a hint of hard edge to them as she ordered, “Eziel? Go below and assist Vinara, then help clean up the mess if they allow you to.”

“Yes, Miss Isalla,” Eziel said, barely hesitating as she turned and bowed, though she swayed slightly as the rocking of the ship put her off-balance. The angel then straightened and headed for the hatch.

“That was mean,” Rose murmured, glancing at Isalla reproachfully, a little disappointed in her friend. “She’s not the person she was, you know. She didn’t really even have to obey you. Estalia ordered Eziel to obey Vinara until she reached Kitania.”

“I know. But she still was the one who shot Kitania. Some punishment is in order,” Isalla replied, turning back to the ocean as she sighed and murmured, looking up at the sky, “The sky is so beautiful here.”

“Entirely agreed,” Rose said, reaching out to hug Isalla. She figured they’d find out what had happened soon enough.

* * *

About an hour later, Vinara climbed out of the hatch, wiping off her hands, which looked like they’d been washed recently. Just behind her was the captain, who was scowling angrily.

“Did your man survive, Captain?” Isalla asked, turning around and looking at the two in concern.

“He did, though I’m not sure whether I should thank him or strangle him,” the captain said, and nodded grudgingly to Vinara as he added, “I also need to thank Lady Vinara. Without her, we’d have lost him for sure, and he was… incoherent enough that she was forced to use the purged poison as a focus to find the other poisoned stores.”

“I see, thank you, Lady Vinara,” Azalea said, smiling at her warmly, though Rose saw that the emotions in the elf’s eyes were significantly more complex.

“It was no trouble. I’m happy we were able to track down the stores, since that was significantly more lethal than I anticipated,” Vinara said, waving off the thanks casually. “I’ll be spending some additional time looking over the other stores, but I’m relatively confident I covered most of them already in my search for poisons. Magic isn’t perfect, there are ways to bypass it, but they’re extremely difficult to manage.”

Rose nodded in agreement, and frowned as the thought tickled at her, as if she were trying to remember something associated with it. It was something about magic and detecting poisons, but she couldn’t quite place what was bothering her. After a moment, she shrugged and decided not to worry about it. If it was going to come to mind, it would.

“Even so, thank you. Captain? What happened, exactly?” Azalea asked, turning and holding on to the rail, since the sea was a little rougher than it had been.

“I bought a case of fine wine while in port, for dinners with you and any important guests, and apparently someone laced it with poison,” the captain replied bluntly, scowling heavily. “I bought it after receiving your message that you’d have additional guests, so it implies to me that someone intercepted the message as well, and wanted to get rid of them, and possibly you. Emmer decided to filch one of them for himself last night, which is why I’m trying to decide what to do with him. If he hadn’t, we all might have been in his shoes by morning.”

Rose’s blood chilled slightly, and then her eyes sharpened as she asked quickly, considering several possibilities. “Captain, you purchased the wine in Port Blackcrag?”

“That’s right,” the man confirmed, looking at her warily.

Thinking for a moment, Rose glanced over at Isalla and spoke softly. “Isalla… it’s possible I’m drawing conclusions where I shouldn’t, but I seem to recall you mentioning a human assassin trying to kill you before you came after me. You said that you thought her companion got away, but that they were probably from Hragon?”

“Oh, that’s right!” Isalla said, her eyes widening. “I’d almost forgotten after everything that’s happened, but Kitania said that her weapons were forged in a style common to Hragon. The paper she had didn’t mention the reward, but I got the impression it was significant, considering they came into the hells.”

The captain swore, and Azalea frowned deeply, speaking quietly. “That… is a rather unfortunate bit of news. Even worse is that I’m rather certain I didn’t tell anyone that you were coming with me, simply that there would be four members of a delegation accompanying us.”

“That doesn’t mean they couldn’t have learned of it from another avenue. Magical communication is possible, and if they spotted us on the drakes, someone might have learned of it with enough time to poison the wine,” Vinara suggested, placing a hand on the railing to steady herself as she glanced at the captain and asked, “May I ask when the wine was loaded? If it was anytime yesterday while we were still in transit, that’s the most likely explanation.”

“Damn it. That’s probably what happened. I ordered the wine the day before that, along with victuals for Her Lady’s dinners, as well as yours,” the captain said, his voice grim. “They were loaded onto the ship about noon yesterday, so you’re right that they’d have had time to tamper with the food. There’s more than enough time in there, if they used magic to let each other know.”

“I’m sorry. I had no idea that something like this would happen. If I’d known it was a possibility, I’d have warned you,” Isalla said, sounding surprisingly guilty, in Rose’s opinion.

“No, I should have asked if there were any dangers to be aware of, and I didn’t. In addition, we should have been warier, pulling into an unfriendly port,” Azalea said, her frown vanishing as she continued, sounding slightly cross. “If we were on good terms with Hragon, perhaps we could have something done about it, but the Forest of Sighs isn’t. They even have an assassin’s guild openly in their capital, so it isn’t like we can do much.”

“Correct, you can’t. However, I have a method of communicating with Queen Estalia, and if you think that you’re displeased, she will be even more upset to hear about this,” Vinara said, her tone now cold as winter. “I’ll let her know, and she will… have words with Hragon’s king. I suspect that the assassin’s guild will quickly decide that this job isn’t worth their time.”

“At least that’s something,” Rose said, relaxing a little. Even if the captain looked a bit skeptical, she believed Vinara about Estalia’s likely reaction, and Estalia wasn’t one to take threats to those she cared about lightly.

“It doesn’t solve another problem, though. We don’t know if any of the other food that was delivered that day was poisoned. As it’s all intended for us, I’m leery of touching it,” the captain said, looking quite unhappy.

“I can help with that,” Vinara said calmly, nodding to him. “The spell I used with your crewman can be used on food as well. It forces out any poisons present, or at least the vast majority, so it can make the food safe. However, I must warn that it considers alcohol a poison, so if I use it on such, there’s no chance of getting drunk off the liquor.”

“I’m not sure I’d consider that a bad thing,” Rose said, glancing at Isalla and smiling, thinking back on one time Isalla had gotten drunk. From the way her friend was blushing, she remembered it, too.

“I don’t know about that. Some days you want to just drink and forget about everything. I do have my private cabinet of liquor, though, so we can make do with something else in the meantime,” the captain replied, his displeasure easing as he nodded at Vinara. “I would be much obliged if you’d help with making sure the food is safe.”

“I’ll do so shortly, after I’ve had a chance to catch a bit more fresh air. It got rather rank down below,” Vinara agreed politely.

The captain nodded, then briskly headed toward the helm. Rose waited a moment, then asked, “Is Eziel cleaning, then?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Vinara confirmed, smiling slightly. “She said that Isalla told her to, and the other seamen were more than happy to let her take charge of cleaning. I suspect she’ll be done within a couple of hours.”

“I see,” Rose said, nodding in understanding. Her pity eased slightly as she realized the succubus didn’t seem dismayed.

“I think I need to report on these events. If you have need of me, I’ll be in my room,” Azalea said, turning to leave.

Rose watched Azalea go, then turned her attention to Vinara, mulling things over for a moment, then asked, “So, it was pretty bad, then?”

“I’ve seen worse, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant. I doubt I’d have been in any condition to cast a spell if I’d drunk the poison and didn’t realize what it was in time,” Vinara said, wrinkling her nose unhappily. “The confines of a ship just made it worse. Her Majesty is going to be very unhappy to hear about it.”

“We were lucky someone else drank the wine first, then,” Isalla said, shivering slightly. “I just wish that people would stop trying to kill us.”

“Agreed,” Rose said, nodding soberly as she did so. “I wish the same.”

Ignoring her poor mood, the sun continued to move slowly across the cloud-studded sky, making everything look bright and beautiful. Even so, Rose knew that the passage would take a while.

Still, at least here they’d be able to see any further trouble coming. She hoped.

Chapter 30

Kitania adjusted her dress as she waited outside the door, feeling a little nervous. From what she’d been told by Niadra, the room she was in front of was the highest one in the palace, and it was from within that Alserah kept an eye on the palace grounds, as well as where she made decisions. As such, being called there had Kitania feeling a little anxious.

“Come in.” Alserah’s voice came at last, sounding quite calm. That helped a little, but Kitania still hoped that the goddess wasn’t going to be upset about the previous night. Niadra had stayed in Kitania’s room far too late and had fallen asleep in her chair. Kitania had moved the princess to the bed, and then had slept herself, but that was as far as things had gone. Still, it wouldn’t be hard to draw the wrong conclusions if someone had seen Niadra leave that morning.

Taking a deep breath, Kitania took the knob and opened the door, then stepped into Alserah’s office. That was what Kitania thought the best term for the room was.

A series of wide windows curved across the back of the room, providing a commanding view of the palace grounds, including several of the gardens where parties were held, and a door allowed access to a balcony on the other side of the windows. Through a side window, Kitania could see the training grounds as well, and it finally explained the sparkling she’d occasionally seen while training.

Numerous portraits adorned the walls, some of them quite old, each of various elven men and women, and most of which had some degree of resemblance to Alserah. There were also a few other items around, including an ancient-looking bow that probably would snap if it was drawn, and Kitania was a little startled to see a violin hanging in the corner, with a music stand folded up next to a cabinet. She’d never considered the possibility that Alserah might be a musician.

Alserah was sitting behind an old but well-kept desk, and the goddess was wearing a beautiful, flowing dress. The goddess looked up at Kitania from a sheet of paper, regarding her closely, then gestured to the pair of chairs on the other side of the desk. “Have a seat, if you would? I need to finish reading this first.”

“As you say, Your Grace,” Kitania said, quickly taking a few steps forward and choosing a chair. It didn’t have a convenient slot for her tail, so she curled it around to sway beside her legs as she sat.

Alserah occasionally glanced at Kitania as she waited, and Kitania forced herself to at least appear tranquil. It wasn’t easy with the goddess right there, but she managed. It took a while, but finally Alserah set down the sheet of paper and looked at Kitania.

“You look like you’re doing well, Kitania, or at least better than before. However, how have you been doing? Truly? After our last meeting, you didn’t look terribly well,” Alserah said, her back as straight as an arrow as she looked Kitania in the eyes, the piercing gaze enough to make the demoness want to squirm.

“Of course I didn’t. You weren’t exactly gentle in your criticisms of my attitude,” Kitania replied, refusing to let her surging emotions show as she looked back at Alserah, deliberately not thinking about the comment Alserah had made about being interested in Kitania. She really didn’t need the anxiety that admission had prompted. “However, I will say that you weren’t wrong about Niadra being able to help. Aside from a young girl screaming and running away in a panic the other day, my time here has been mostly pleasant.”

“I see. I’m glad to hear that… though the girl’s terror is a shame,” Alserah said, smiling slightly, and she tilted her head as she looked at Kitania closely.

Kitania waited for a minute, then two, but the goddess didn’t speak. Finally, she couldn’t wait any longer and sighed before asking nervously, “May I at least know why you asked to see me?”

“Of course you may. I was just waiting for you to work up the nerve to ask. Perhaps others wouldn’t realize that you are merely paying lip service by calling me Your Grace, but to me it’s rather obvious that you aren’t that impressed by my presence,” Alserah said, her lips curving a little more. “It’s quite a change from your initial terror.”

“Perhaps so, but I’m afraid that I’ve had enough experience with my mother that your power doesn’t intimidate me. How you may choose to use it can, but simply being powerful… no,” Kitania said, shaking her head slightly as she let out a soft breath, relaxing again. “My previous experience with you had me more than a little intimidated at the time, and I still respect you even if my abject terror has receded. I’m just not on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Your Grace.”

“I see. Well, when we’re in private you may call me by name. If there’s any chance of my interest growing to more than that, it’ll require somewhat less distance than calling me by a title will allow,” Alserah said, and then her smile faded. “However, while I intended to talk to you today regardless, I received information from Lady Azalea that troubles me. It’s not the most pleasant of subjects, I’m afraid.”

“Oh? I hope that something hasn’t gone wrong,” Kitania said, her heartbeat quickening suddenly. The surge of anxiety was almost a surprise after several days of relative calm. “I know that she’s on her way back, but not much more than that.”

Alserah gave Kitania an odd look, then shrugged as she replied quietly. “I would have thought that you were told, but your Isalla and Rose are coming with her. However, someone tried to poison them yesterday. It failed, mostly due to a crew member choosing to sample the wine early, but it was far too near a thing.”

“What? I…” Kitania almost yelped, sitting up straight. She was a bit incredulous that she hadn’t heard about Isalla and Rose, but the information about the poisoning horrified her. “That’s horrible! Is the person who was poisoned alright? Did they catch the poisoner?”

“They’re all fine, though I suspect the captain isn’t pleased with his crew, regardless of how they helped in the end. Stealing alcohol isn’t something he’d look well on. Unfortunately, they aren’t sure who tried to poison them, as it was done in the city before they left,” Alserah said, shaking her head unhappily. “It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing to be done about it now. However, during their conversation some other information came to light. Rose apparently explained that she and Isalla had been betrayed, which is how they ended up in the hells, and that an additional attempt at assassinating them sent you here. Is there any truth to that?”

“I…” Kitania began, but then she took a breath and let it out slowly. After a moment, she asked nervously, “Could I have a minute, please? My emotions are in a bit of turmoil.”

“Go ahead and take the time you need,” Alserah said, nodding as she looked at Kitania in concern. “I moved on quickly, in the hopes it’d be easier for you, but obviously that wasn’t the case.”

“No, I’m afraid it isn’t,” Kitania said, her emotions a knotted mess. She wondered why she hadn’t been told that Isalla and Rose were coming, but in the end it really didn’t matter. Their near-deaths were far more concerning, and besides, she needed to force herself to let go. It wasn’t as though the women had asked her to wait for them, after all. She took slow, deep breaths, and after a couple of minutes, the anxiety eased enough for her to speak.

“Yes, there’s truth to what Rose said,” Kitania said at last, at least a little calmer as she looked at Alserah. “I’m not sure how much she told you, though.”

“She told Lady Azalea a little. However, as the message book we use to communicate with her has limited space, messages are kept as terse as possible, and we also use shorthand to convey more information,” Alserah explained, still watching Kitania closely. “She did mention that Rose wasn’t explaining everything, since there were plenty of others to overhear them.”

“I see. If she said that much, I suppose I can share more without betraying their trust,” Kitania said, relaxing slightly. A part of her wondered if the difficulty communicating might be part of why the others hadn’t sent her a message. It didn’t seem likely, though it didn’t matter; she needed to focus on explaining herself to Alserah. She considered for a moment before speaking. “Isalla was stationed in the heavens, and was investigating unusual visits to her post, since it was something of a backwater. I don’t want to explain too much, of course… it’s her story, after all. However, someone she trusted betrayed her, cut off her wings, crippled and poisoned her, then threw her off the continent. Somehow, they opened a portal between the heavens and mortal world above the portal to the hells in Hragon, which dropped her into the hells. I caught her with my magic, and then nursed her back to health. More than a month after that, an assassin tried to kill her.”

Kitania hesitated a little, but Alserah didn’t say anything, obviously waiting for Kitania to continue. It took a few moments, but the demoness continued to speak, hoping she wasn’t making a terrible mistake as she glanced down. “Well before the attack, Rose was kidnapped by demons. I’m sure Niadra let you know that she’s the wielder of Ember, but… anyway, the demons approached Estalia with her, since they had been hired, purportedly by angels, to get information from Rose and eliminate her. My mother’s price was Rose, who she helped in her own, strange way. Isalla and I rescued her from my mother, or thought we did until Estalia showed up on my doorstep. It was then that we learned that Rose had been betrayed, and based on the links between them, we suspected there was some form of conspiracy in the heavens, one which seeks to reignite the war between the heavens and hells. We’d been preparing to go to the palace to have Isalla’s wings regenerated when an angelic strike force struck, and they didn’t even attempt to rescue Isalla and Rose. They simply tried to kill them… and then I was shot. As for the rest, you know as much as I do.”

“Interesting. Obviously, you left out suspicions and some details, but even what you’ve told me is quite damning,” Alserah said, frowning deeply as she finally sat back in her chair, though she kept her back straight as she did so. Kitania was beginning to think it was just long habit but was distracted as the goddess kept speaking. “The idea of angels being able to open a portal that far to the south… that is troubling. Worse is the suspicion that they’re trying to start the war once more. The thought horrifies me, after all the devastation such has caused in the past, but I don’t think you’re wrong. Some zealots don’t think of the cost of war, just of victory at all costs… and your arrival here could have triggered a retaliation easily, especially if you hadn’t been able to tell us what happened.”

“I agree. It’s worrying, and I’m not sure what is going on, not fully. I don’t have all the information that the others do. I suspect that part of the reason they’re coming here is that it’s a good place to start their investigation, or to find people they trust,” Kitania said, smiling sadly, wishing that she knew whether the angels cared about her or not. “I don’t want war to break out again. I know Estalia doesn’t, either.”

Alserah nodded, looking thoughtful for the moment. Then she let out a soft breath and sat up again, speaking calmly. “While I believe you, I can’t take your word for this. If there is some sort of conspiracy at work in the heavens, investigating will be difficult. However, I do have allies of my own, and I will make inquiries. Quiet ones, and only from those I trust implicitly. It wouldn’t do to have the conspiracy target the Forest of Sighs.”

“While I agree with your approach, the last doesn’t seem accurate. Haven’t they already targeted you?” Kitania asked, shrugging uncomfortably as she considered, then explained herself more fully, hoping Alserah would take it the way she intended. “I mean, I arrived in your courtyard.”

“A definite point,” Alserah admitted, frowning at last as her eyes narrowed. “Perhaps it would be better to say that I don’t wish them to overtly target us. While I gave orders to strengthen our defenses when you arrived, preparing proper defenses takes time.”

“I’m not sure how overt they’d dare be. Openly attacking an allied nation… that would be going too far, I think. If they could do that safely, why would they bother betraying a pair of angels? They could just kill them and be done with it, or openly attack the hells,” Kitania said, shaking her head as she regained a bit of her poise, finally feeling like she’d found a subject she could contribute to. It was better than feeling like she was constantly off-balance. “Even so, I think your precautions are merited.”

“Fair,” Alserah agreed, smiling at Kitania as she laughed softly. “Not the most pleasant of subjects, is it?”

“No, it isn’t. But at least I was able to tell you something.” Kitania said, shrugging as she shifted in her chair. Her tail wasn’t happy with its position, but it was a minor discomfort at worst.

“True. Now, on a more lighthearted subject… what was this I heard about Niadra leaving your room early this morning?” Alserah asked, tilting her head slightly. “I didn’t expect her, or you, to be quite that forward.”

“It isn’t what you think,” Kitania replied, forcing down the blush that tried to push its way onto her cheeks, clearing her throat before she continued. “She stayed late to talk to me, and eventually fell asleep in a chair. I put her on the bed to let her sleep, then slept on the other side. That’s all that happened.”

“Really? Well, if you say so,” Alserah said, smiling a little as she added. “However, you are aware that no one else is going to believe that, yes? And that rumors about it will have spread throughout the palace by this time, and possibly beyond it?”

“I… wish I could say I was surprised,” Kitania replied, wincing as her slim hopes of avoiding that died. “I hope it doesn’t upset Niadra.”

“I doubt it will. She seems far more confident now that I’ve given her permission to do as she likes. I suspect she was more afraid of being ostracized than anything else,” the goddess said, looking amused at Kitania’s reaction.

“If you say so. I can speak to the part about being ostracized, as I feel distinctly out of place much of the time. I also think more people would panic about me if I were armed, even if it’d make me happier,” Kitania said, feeling uncomfortable about her lack of weaponry yet again.

“Probably. It does help that you aren’t one of the more terrifying specimens of demonkind, but instead more attractive to elves,” Alserah agreed, then paused and looked at Kitania more closely. “However, I just noticed something. You barely seemed fazed by my comments about being interested in a relationship with you. Most people I’ve known would have been uncomfortable with the idea of such, when they’re already being approached by Niadra. You don’t seem to be bothered by the fact we’re related. That seems odd to me, even if the relationship is quite distant by this point.”

“That…” Kitania hesitated, considering the goddess, then shrugged as she replied as steadily as she could. “It simply doesn’t matter to me, Alserah. You and Niadra are separated by multiple generations, and I know you’ve been alive for longer than me. Conversely, my mother and her brother once had an intimate relationship, and according to rumor he’s my father. To put it bluntly, almost no one in the hells worried about it. Our cultures have very different approaches to such things.”

Pausing again, Kitania decided to throw caution to the wind as she decided to see if she could surprise the goddess, continuing. “Besides, almost nothing like that will shock me. Not after my grandmother tried to seduce me the first time we met. At least she did take no for an answer.”

Kitania suddenly decided that her admission had been worth it. If nothing else, the look of sheer shock on Alserah’s face was priceless, considering how poised the goddess usually was.

Chapter 31

“How much for this?” Kitania asked, turning the hair clasp over in her hands slowly, examining it critically. The clasp was wood carved into the shape of a rose and carefully painted to match the flower it was based on. What impressed Kitania the most was that the petals were so thin, yet it felt like they were rather durable.

“You can have it for five silver,” the shop’s proprietor said, the elven man watching Kitania closely as he shifted his position behind the counter. “The flower is carved of ironwood, so it should last a long time.”

“That does explain the price, and the durability of the petals,” Kitania said, admiring it as she smiled. “It isn’t really my sort of color, but it isn’t for me.”

“Oh? Who were you thinking of giving it to?” Niadra asked, her eyebrows rising slightly, sounding just a bit surprised.

“Not you, if you’re asking. You have much nicer things. No, the others should be getting here soon, and I was thinking that having a gift or two for them when they arrived wouldn’t be amiss,” Kitania said, shaking her head as she smiled, feeling like it was a little forced, but not too much. She didn’t want Rose and Isalla to think she didn’t care about them.

It’d been the better part of a week, and she’d been told that the ship should be docking the next day. Coupled with travel time, she suspected they’d arrive the day after that. Kitania really wasn’t looking forward to it, with how nervous she was, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that. Besides, the other option was never seeing Isalla or Rose again, and that didn’t bear thinking on.

“I see,” Niadra said, smiling in return. “Well, are you getting only one? Or are you planning on another gift?”

“I was planning on getting a couple of hair ribbons as well,” Kitania said, nodding toward a variety of ribbons off to the side. She also was being careful not to name her friends, not in public, since that could be a poor idea. “I don’t want to get anything too bulky, since adding more luggage wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“Fair, I suppose. What about you? Are you planning to get anything for yourself?” Niadra asked, glancing at the guard in the corner before taking a step closer to Kitania. “You haven’t really gotten anything for yourself that I’ve seen.”

“True enough. I’ve been looking, but nothing has really stood out to me.” Kitania said, looking around the shop and smiling at the man apologetically as she added, “Most of it’s just not made for someone with my sort of skin tone, really.”

“That’s unsurprising, as I believe you are the first person I’ve seen with it,” he replied, looking at Niadra with a bit of askance, but didn’t say more.

“In that case, maybe I should pick one for you,” Niadra said, her smile growing a little larger.

“If you want to, I certainly wouldn’t object,” Kitania replied, setting the clasp on the counter, then stepping over to the ribbons, looking for a blue one that would look good on Isalla.

It didn’t take Kitania long to find a ribbon that she thought would suit Isalla. A sky blue would match her eyes and contrast nicely against her hair. The hair clasp wouldn’t be quite right for Rose’s hair when Kitania thought about it, but the color was different enough that it shouldn’t blend in too much.

“I think this would suit you,” Niadra said at last, and Kitania looked over and blinked, then smiled. Niadra was holding a polished wooden bracelet, one that was mottled light and dark wood with a rather pleasing pattern. It was also inlaid with pieces of turquoise, and Kitania looked up at Niadra after a moment.

“It is rather nice, isn’t it? What type of wood is that?” Kitania asked curiously, wondering if this was how Isalla had felt in the hells. “I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”

“I’m not certain, really,” Niadra said, frowning at the wood, then looked at the owner. “I suppose I should ask you, in fact.”

“That’s made of poisonwood. Not that the wood itself is poisonous, mind you,” the man hastened to add as Niadra suddenly looked at it in worry. “I’m told that the leaves can cause itching or the like, but the wood has beautiful patterns if polished.”

“Interesting, and the first I’ve heard of it. Not that such is surprising, considering where I grew up,” Kitania said, looking at the bracelet more closely, and Niadra offered it to her. She turned it over in her hands, then slipped it over her wrist, pleasantly surprised at how easily it slipped on while still not feeling like it’d fall off at any moment. “It fits well, too.”

“I did consider earrings, but you don’t have pierced ears,” Niadra said, fortunately not mentioning that any piercing wouldn’t last long. The princess smiled and shrugged, explaining. “I just thought it’d look nice on you, and like you said… it’s best to have something that isn’t bulky.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. It’s very much appreciated,” Kitania replied, considering the bracelet for a moment, then nodding as she spoke more happily. “I also think that I would like having this, too. That being the case, I think I’ll take these three—”

“No, you’ll take the other two items, Kitania,” Niadra interrupted firmly, smiling as she looked at the owner. “I’ll be purchasing the bracelet.”

Kitania looked at her in amusement, then let out a soft laugh as she shook her head and spoke patiently, her tone mild. “If you say so, Your Highness.”

“Very well, one moment while I package them,” the proprietor said, and pulled out a piece of cloth with which to package the items, speaking as he worked. “The ribbon and hair clasp will be five silver and six copper, while the bracelet will be a gold.”

“Excellent,” Kitania replied, reaching into her belt pouch to fish out the coins in question. She’d been given a stipend a couple of days before, so she was finally able to make a few minor purchases of her own. She hadn’t made many purchases so far, but a gold would have been a fifth of it, where the other two barely put a dent in her funds. Mostly, she’d gotten a couple of snacks and a few pairs of socks, ones which would have cost a small fortune in the hells, but which were incredibly cheap here. Handing the coins over, Kitania saw the man’s discomfort ease slightly, and a tiny part of her wondered if he thought she wouldn’t be able to pay him.

On the other hand, Niadra simply gestured her guard forward, and the man paid the owner for her. It was a sign of the differences between the two of them, but Kitania really didn’t mind. She’d been on the other side of things growing up, after all.

“Thank you for your patronage. Here are your purchases,” the shopkeeper said, handing over the wrapped package.

“Thank you for your time,” Kitania said, nodding politely as she took the cloth and slid it into her belt pouch. It took up most of the space inside but fit well enough.

“Shall we go? I’m sure that Cecilia has ordered the things that I needed, and it would be good to get lunch,” Niadra said, smiling as she glanced at Kitania. “I’m thinking the one tea garden I mentioned yesterday.”

“Oh? The one with the… honey rolls, was it?” Kitania asked, trying to think of the name for a moment, a sense of anticipation growing along with her hunger. “Didn’t you call it the Red Pavilion?”

“That’s the one,” Niadra confirmed, smiling. “You have an excellent memory, most of the time.”

“I do try,” Kitania agreed, laughing as Niadra offered her arm and she slid her own through the crook of the princess’s elbow. “I’m curious to try the rolls out, since you seem to like them so much.”

“Wonderful,” Niadra said, smiling as the guard opened the door for them. They stepped outside, where three more guards awaited them, surrounded by the bustling populace of Mist and the clear, brightly lit skies above.

“Where to next, Your Highness?” one of the guards asked, his voice unusually deep for an elf. Kitania found it interesting, since the man didn’t look that much different than most other elves she’d met.

“We’re going to the Red Pavilion, at least once Cecilia returns. Do you know where she is?” Niadra asked, glancing around curiously, then moving out of the way of the door. Kitania had noticed that no one else had entered the shop while they were inside, which told her that the guards had likely kept others out. She did hope it hadn’t cost the owner too much business.

“I do not, Your Highness. I believed that she would be back more quickly than this, and… ah, I see her coming now,” the guard replied, looking down the street. Kitania followed his gaze to see Cecilia moving quickly, her blue gown almost billowing due to the breeze and her pace. The woman sped up when she saw them looking at her, and quickly made it close.

“My apologies, Your Highness, I thought you’d be occupied for a bit longer, but obviously not,” Cecilia said breathlessly, bowing her head. “I hope you weren’t waiting for long?”

“No, of course not. We’d just finished, though I’d expected you to be back a little sooner. Please, catch your breath,” Niadra said, glancing at Kitania with a hint of a twinkle in her eyes. “I take it things weren’t quite as easy as I’d thought?”

“I would have been quicker, but there was a dwarven couple who’d come to order a set of furniture. Unfortunately, they seemed to be arguing over exactly what they wanted, since they hadn’t worked it out beforehand, and they insisted on having Master Uvreth there to answer all their questions until they were done,” Cecilia explained, the faintest hint of a grimace on her face. “Master Uvreth asked me to convey her apologies at the delay as well. I’m also afraid they were rather loud.”

“They must have been, to be audible outside the design rooms,” Niadra said, then glanced at Kitania as she explained. “Master Uvreth goes over the designs requested in private rooms that normally are quite good at keeping any discussions from being overheard. To be heard outside of them requires extremely vocal individuals.”

“I see,” Kitania said, wincing in sympathy for the woodworker in question, considering how keen elven ears tended to be. She hesitated, then asked, “Considering that this is the Forest of Sighs, I assume that one of your major exports is woodwork?”

“That’s right. We do a lot of trade with the surrounding nations, but particularly with Quordok and Phenal,” Niadra confirmed, pausing before continuing. “Quordok is a dwarven kingdom that’s inland, and we get most of our metal from them. Phenal is primarily humans, and focuses on trade, so they especially like our ships and the like.”

“Which explains why the dwarves would come here,” Kitania said, nodding in understanding and appreciating the chance to make a little more sense of the local economy. “I’m not the best with plants up here, but even I know that trees don’t grow well underground. I guess it makes for a good bit of trade between the two nations. Do you import stone, too?”

“Some, but there are a few quarries inside our borders,” Niadra said, looking at Cecilia as she asked. “Did everything go well, otherwise?”

“Yes, of course. Master Uvreth was a little surprised by your requests, but happy to take the project,” Cecilia said, looking like she’d caught her breath at last. “She did say she hadn’t thought about the problem, but that it did explain why her furniture wasn’t as popular with some of the other species with tails.”

“I hadn’t thought about that possibility… well, it’ll help Master Uvreth, so that’s good,” Niadra said, smiling. “We’re going to the Red Pavilion for lunch, assuming you’re ready to go.”

“Of course, Your Highness. Whenever you’re ready,” Cecilia said, fully straightening once again.

“Excellent,” Niadra said, and nodded to the guards, who took up positions around them as they started to move.

At the same time, Kitania glanced at Cecilia curiously. She’d noticed that while Niadra’s lady in waiting didn’t seem to like her, Cecilia also took pains to ensure that Kitania and Niadra had plenty of time together. It always struck her as a little odd, but she wasn’t about to argue about it. Instead, she focused on Niadra as the princess spoke.

“So, what’s been your favorite thing in the city so far?” Niadra asked, laying a hand on Kitania’s arm as well. “I’ve noticed that you’ve enjoyed the meals quite a bit.”

“Food here in the mortal world is, by and large, enormously better than in the hells,” Kitania explained, grinning in anticipation. “Why, oats are something of a luxury item there, and I bought a jar of preserved tomatoes for more than I care to think about a few months ago. As for what I liked the most, I think…”

As Kitania spoke, they wound their way through the streets of the elven city, and she felt herself growing more at ease as they moved. A tiny part of Kitania even idly wished she could live here, though she knew it wasn’t likely to ever happen.

* * *

Adrian pulled off his cloak, partially extending his wings as they reappeared, now that the cloak wasn’t hiding them. He hated hiding his wings, since he was proud of them, but it was impossible to move through an elven city without being noticed with them. Once he was sure his wings weren’t damaged, he moved deeper into the hidden cavern.

“Ah, you’ve returned.” Haral’s voice was quiet, and Adrian felt a hint of excitement as the beautiful woman smiled at him. He knew that Haral was far closer to having the ear of the Lord of Light than anyone else he’d met, so serving her was an honor. Just like the opportunity to help punish unbelievers and heathens was an honor.

“I have, Lady Haral,” Adrian said, falling to a knee before her and lowering his head, ignoring the dirt across the ground, along with the presence of Ilvon and the others. “I’ve also gathered the information you’ve requested.”

“Excellent,” Haral said, looking at the other members of their team with a smile. “Rise, then let’s hear what you’ve learned for us.”

“The elven princess, her maidservant, and the demon are still in Mist. Last I saw them, they were preparing to have a meal in the city, and it will likely take them some time before they’re ready to leave. I couldn’t safely approach to overhear what they were saying, as they have four guards with them, and two with the carriage,” Adrian said, standing up and brushing off his trousers as he continued his report. “While they appear to be skilled soldiers, they’re not the best of the palace guard, and their armor has minor enchantments at best. The carriage appears to be no better, and most of its defenses are focused on keeping the wheels intact and reinforcing the cabin itself. I believe the easiest targets would be the wheel mounts and the section connecting the horses to the carriage itself.”

“Excellent work. I’m surprised that they didn’t enchant the wheel mounts, but it’s possible they simply didn’t believe it worth the time. No matter,” Haral said, smiling thinly. “What of the princess? Are the rumors true, that she’s infatuated with the demon?”

“I’m not absolutely certain, but everything I saw indicated that she is. They often walked arm in arm, and she frequently smiled at the demon. None of the guards were trying to stop her, either,” Adrian said, disgust surging through him at the memory, and making him almost want to spit on the floor. “If she isn’t, I’d be shocked beyond measure. I can’t believe that anyone would taint themselves by associating with such a monster.”

“I see. Well, that being the case, I suppose there’s no reason to hold back,” Haral said, her gaze hardening as she shook her head. “We’ll proceed as planned. Eliminate the guards and take the others alive, at least briefly. You’ll be allowed to teach the princess the error of her ways once we’ve brought them back here.”

“Yes, Lady Haral,” Ilvon said, the leader’s voice quiet, and his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“May I join the ambush, Lady Haral?” Adrian asked eagerly, hoping she’d give him permission.

“Of course. You’ll need to move quickly, since we need to get into position soon,” Haral replied, smiling brightly at him. “Don’t take your time.”

“Yes, milady!” Adrian said eagerly, and he quickly darted toward the room where they’d been staying the last couple of days. He’d have to put his armor on quickly, but he wasn’t going to miss the chance to help eliminate the hellspawn. He’d been living his entire life for a chance like this.

Chapter 32

Haral looked down at her whip, examining its length carefully for a moment. It was beautiful, covered in the golden scales of a sunviper, a rare flying serpent of the heavens, and she loved the weapon. She had it coiled for the moment, and she felt much like that herself, like she was coiled and ready to strike. She wasn’t impatient, though. Impatience was a good way to cause even more problems, and she wasn’t willing to fail yet again. Enough failures would bring the wrath of her superiors down on her, even with as many successes as she’d had over the years.

So she watched and waited patiently. The demon and princess pretty much had to come along the road they were watching, and it wasn’t heavily patrolled. That would likely change in the future, but the future wasn’t now. Besides, it was amazing how much scouting angels could get away with in the north. Most of the common folk trusted angels implicitly, which was only appropriate in Haral’s opinion.

The others with Haral weren’t nearly as patient, though, and she saw those on her side of the road occasionally shift in place. Their hiding places were good enough that they wouldn’t stand out, so it didn’t really matter, but it still slightly vexed her. She ignored the impulse to snap at the angels and focused on the road. Snapping would only make them more anxious, and they weren’t hurting their odds of success yet.

The sound of hoofbeats in the distance caught Haral’s attention, and she smiled as Ilvon straightened slightly, then hissed a warning at the other four on this side of the road. The men and women quickly prepared themselves, and Haral settled down, feeling even more at ease as she prepared herself for the exact moment to strike.

A minute later, the carriage came into sight, and she frowned slightly. Aside from the driver and a footman, there were the six soldiers on horses around the carriage. Haral mostly felt bad about the driver and footman, but there was no helping what was coming. For the greater good, sacrifices had to be made.

* * *

“What do you have planned for this evening?” Kitania asked, looking across at Niadra and Cecilia curiously.

“Hm… I’m not entirely certain,” Niadra murmured, tapping her lips with one finger thoughtfully as Cecilia surreptitiously plucked a couple of strands of stray thread from Niadra’s dress. Kitania suppressed a smile at the young woman’s attempts to keep Niadra looking as perfect as possible while the princess spoke. “I was invited to tea, and I suspect that it’s an attempt to try to get information out of me. I haven’t been associating with most of my usual acquaintances, so I’m sure they’re almost dying of curiosity at this point.”

“Really? I hope that it isn’t quite that bad,” Kitania replied, grinning at the thought. “I don’t know what sort of deaths are common in an elven court, though.”

“Believe me, the court would probably implode if all the gossip stopped at once,” Niadra assured her, the princess’s eyes twinkling with mischief. “Since there isn’t a war or any other major threat lately, it’s always different nobles maneuvering against one another, gossip, and more gossip. And people trying to romance one another, I suppose. Isn’t that right, Cecilia?”

“While I might say that there’s also a little trade and the like, I can’t say that you’re wrong, Your Highness,” Cecilia replied, tossing the threads aside. “It often seems like there isn’t much else to do in the palace.”

Kitania laughed, shaking her head in disbelief as she replied. “I see. That’s far different than the palace I grew up in, but I suppose that—”

She was interrupted when a cracking sound echoed through the air and the carriage gave a sudden, sickening lurch to the left. Then there was another crack, and Kitania lunged forward to help the others brace themselves as the horses outside screamed and the carriage began tilting.

* * *

Haral’s first strike was impeccable. As the arrows loosed by the others struck the guards, and a single stray one hit a horse, she lashed out with her whip. The length of it ripped through the air with immense force as it extended even longer than it normally was and struck the center of the carriage’s wheel. The hubcap shattered at the whip’s touch, and the axle within burst instantly under the force of the blow. The carriage lurched, but the attack wasn’t done yet.

Ilvon was the one mage who’d accompanied Haral, and his spell was slightly delayed behind the initial attacks, due to the chance of his incantation tipping off their opponents. As the guards began toppling from their mounts, his own spell struck, and a reverberation echoed through Haral’s bones as the other axle of the carriage exploded and sent the carriage toppling onto its side as the horses panicked.

The driver tried to retain control, but she didn’t last long, and as the carriage twisted onto its side, the woman was thrown to the ground a moment before the panicking horses dragged the carriage over her. Haral winced in pity but hoped that it was a quick end.

The footman had jumped off the back of the carriage and was standing up, an expression of horror on his face, and regretfully Haral lashed out again, even as the first whip-crack was echoing through the air. The force of her attack all but beheaded the man instantly, and he clutched at his throat, blood spilling through his fingers as he fell to his knees.

Haral’s archers were shooting the horses now, and one person was rushing forward from the other side of the road, Haral noted approvingly. It was the eager infiltrator, Adrian, and she knew that he’d be dealing with the princess and demon quickly enough.

She did love it when a plan came together properly.

* * *

Kitania let out a gasp of pain as she hit the door at the bottom of the carriage, the other two still in her arms. They’d come to a lurching stop, and the two weren’t reacting yet, though she knew they were awake from the way they were moving. A moment later, they began to push away, though.

“What happened?” Cecilia demanded, sounding panicked as she tried to wave the dust out of her face and pushed back her hair. It looked like she’d been cut on the arm, but she didn’t seem to notice as she tried to regain her feet but toppled due to one of the heels having broken off, barely catching herself against the side of the carriage. No, it was the roof, Kitania realized, a little dazed as well.

“I don’t—” Niadra began, pushing herself up, but Kitania cut her off as her mind began moving again.

“We were attacked! I can’t hear the soldiers, and we need to get out of here quickly!” Kitania interrupted, pushing herself upward as well. If she could get to one of the guards, she’d be able to get a sword, and with her magic she might have a chance.

Before they could say anything more, though, Kitania saw a flash of white, feathered wings from the door opposite them, then a gauntleted fist punched through the window, showering glass over them as the other women yelped and cowered. Kitania flinched, her eyes half-closing, but when the fist opened, it dropped a glowing white ball into the carriage, and her eyes widened involuntarily at the sight of the prism orb.

“Close your eyes!” Kitania warned, trying to close her eyes fully, but she was just a bit too late.

A riot of colors burst from the orb in patterns that played hell with Kitania’s eyes, and she felt herself hit the ground again, spasming slightly as the mind-bending aspects of the enchanted item hit her, trying to drill into her mind and drive her unconscious. She heard the cries of the other two as it blasted them as well, but Kitania was largely focused on fighting the effects herself.

Pain ripped through Kitania, and a part of her wanted nothing more than to succumb to the relief of unconsciousness. That would be giving up, though, and the flicker of white wings flashed through Kitania’s memory, which was more than enough motivation for her. Those were the wings of an angel, and if they were attacking her… that truly enraged the demoness, with how many times angels had ruined her life of late, so she fought back against the torrent of magic attacking her mind.

It was like being assaulted by battering rams, even if they didn’t cause physical pain, and Kitania’s teeth were grinding together so hard that she thought they might break. The torment seemed like it went on for several minutes, but at long last it came to an almost jarring end.

When it did, Kitania found herself on the ground again, the two elven women splayed across her body, neither of them moving, and she could see a little bloody drool dripping from Niadra’s mouth. For an instant, Kitania had the urge to try to push them off and try to fight back, but at the glimpse of movement from above she changed plans and did her best to pretend she’d been affected as well.

Without a weapon or armor, trapped in the confines of the carriage and facing an unknown number of opponents, her chances of fighting off the attackers were poor at best. If she could make them underestimate her, though, she might be able to gather information and engineer an escape. It would have been far easier to simply drop an item to explode into the carriage, after all.

“They’re all here and unconscious, Lady Haral,” the man on top of the carriage called out. An instant later, someone else replied in a rough voice, sounding irritated.

“No names, you half-wit!” the other man barked. “Did the fact this was supposed to be covert slip your mind?”

“I… my apologies, sir. It just slipped my mind,” the man replied in embarrassment.

“No harm done. We’ve dealt with all the others, so it isn’t as though anyone is able to speak of it. Though you should be more careful in the future,” a woman replied, her voice cool and calm.

The woman’s voice sent a chill down Kitania’s spine, along with more than a little anger. Haral… the name was familiar, after Isalla’s tale, and if it was her Kitania would love nothing more than to tear her wings off. Especially if she was planning something horrible for Niadra.

“Get them out of the carriage and restrained. The road may not be heavily patrolled, but there’s no telling how soon someone will come around the corner,” the man with the rougher voice ordered, his voice low. “Get them back to the hideout quickly. The sooner we start, the sooner we’re done.”

“Yes, sir,” several others agreed, and Kitania heard the carriage door above her open.

She did her best to go fully limp, and kept her eyes slightly cracked open. The more Kitania could see, the more likely it was that she’d be able to find a way out of this disaster.

Chapter 33

The angels had pulled Kitania and the others out of the carriage, then tied them up and took flight. Kitania couldn’t get a good look at the guards with her eyes barely cracked open, but she saw that they, the horses, and even the other servants had all been slain in the assault. Or most of them had, at least. Why the angels would’ve gone so far as to kill the horses was beyond her, and it made Kitania even angrier, if that was possible. No, it was quite possible, she realized. It was bad enough that they killed people who could have been witnesses, but to kill even animals? That upset her.

Still, Kitania had stifled her anger and waited, since there were enough angels that she doubted that she’d be able to kill more than one or two of them before falling, and that would be useless in the end.

They’d flown through the forest for about fifteen minutes, keeping low to avoid being spotted, she thought, before descending toward what looked like an old bear cave in a hillside. Kitania had almost flinched when they’d tossed her through the wall, which proved an illusion, and had mentally cursed as she bounced across the packed dirt floor. Her quick glance made her think someone had excavated a tunnel and reinforced the sides via magic, and it led into a modestly sized complex.

A few moments later, the angels roughly dragged Kitania down the hall and into a room to the left, and what she could see instantly caused another chill to run down Kitania’s spine. Around her were a variety of tools that looked like torture equipment to her, though none of it was terribly bulky. The biggest items were the portable shelves which held the pliers, hammers, and other devices, as well as the chair in the center of the room with its restraints on the arms and legs.

“Strap the princess in,” Haral said, and Kitania watched her feet as the woman stepped into the room, pacing almost calmly. “Then wake her and the demon. We’ll have a little chat, then can proceed. We don’t have an enormous amount of time before we have to move, after all.”

“Yes, Lady Haral,” the rough-voiced angel said. Kitania suspected that he was the second-in-command, considering he’d been relaying the orders so far.

The two angels who had been dealing with Kitania so far roughly repositioned her, shoving her legs beneath Kitania to put her into a vaguely kneeling position, and she could hear others moving in the room as well. Kitania’s arms were bound behind her back, which was uncomfortable but tolerable.

“Oh, and gag the princess. I don’t want to have to deal with her inevitable threats or demands. It isn’t as though she’ll be able to do anything, but I’d rather not hear it,” Haral added, her voice calm as could be, which stoked Kitania’s anger higher. What had Niadra done to deserve any of this? The angel continued, almost as if answering Kitania’s unvoiced thoughts. “She consorted with a demon, and that’s more than enough to seal her fate.”

Kitania resisted the urge to retort, continuing to pretend to be unconscious. After a few moments, the rough-voiced man began to cast a spell, surprising Kitania slightly. She’d have thought he was a warrior from the sound of his voice. A few seconds later, a wave of warmth rushed through Kitania, easing the pain from the earlier mental assault, and she heard a muffled groan from in front of her. Since she thought that must be Niadra, Kitania shook her head and opened her eyes, blinking and raising her gaze to look at the princess and her captors.

Niadra’s eyes were open, and she looked around in confusion, then panic as she bit into the rough gag in her mouth, squirming in the restraints holding her in place. Next to her was a pretty angelic woman, one with blue eyes and blonde hair that flowed to the middle of her back, though she was wearing relatively normal leather armor and boots. Hanging from her belt was a golden whip, and Kitania could practically see magic wreathing it. The woman was staring at Kitania disdainfully, and around them were six more angels, half men and half women, all of them armed.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise? Angels in a hole in the ground, having kidnapped a descendant of Alserah?” Kitania said, her tone biting as she glanced around, twisting her arms to test the ropes restraining her. “Not that I’m surprised that your kind seems to prefer ambushes. It isn’t the first time I’ve run into them.”

Haral’s expression didn’t change, but Kitania saw her move. If it hadn’t been for the two angels holding her in place, she would’ve been able to flop to the side, but instead she had no choice but to take the angel’s kick in the stomach. Pain blasted through her as the air was driven from Kitania’s lungs, and the angel spoke flatly.

“Silence, hellspawn. You may speak when I ask questions, and at no other point. If you answer them, I’ll give you the solace of a relatively easy death. If not, I’m going to make even your afterlife a torment beyond measure,” Haral said, adjusting her stance as she stared at Kitania, her gaze merciless.

“Heh.” Kitania managed a faint laugh between gasping for breath, but that was all. She could see the panic in Niadra’s eyes, but there wasn’t anything she could do. Maybe she should have tried fighting earlier after all, even if it’d seemed like a bad idea. It was too late to wonder now, though.

“You mentioned others. How did you get sent to Alserah’s palace? What happened before that?” Haral demanded, glaring at Kitania.

Kitania took a breath, working up a bit of saliva, and then she spat on the angel, managing to hit her leg as she did so and grinned, replying angrily. “Why don’t you go find out yourself, if you’re so brave? Attacking a carriage full of those who’re entirely unaware of your presence, then questioning a helpless demon… how very noble of you.”

“Hm. I see we’re not going to get anywhere with this, but I really didn’t expect us to,” Haral said, grimacing as she looked down at the saliva in revulsion. “Ailla, deal with her.”

“Yes, Milady,” the woman to Kitania’s left said, taking a step back, and Kitania heard a sword clear its sheath.

As it did, Haral turned to face Niadra, and her voice was as pleasant as someone chatting with a friend at market. “Now, Princess, I suggest you watch the hellspawn closely, because this is the proper way to treat demons, rather than consorting with them. Besides, it’s the last you’ll ever see this one.”

Kitania braced herself, trying to give Niadra a smile as she heard the woman behind her grunt. There was a sharp impact, and then suddenly the world was spinning.

Kitania’s beheading had been much cleaner than the last time she’d experienced one, at least, and she saw blood spraying as her body toppled behind her. The pain was incredibly brief, and she heard Niadra’s muffled scream. At the same time, she felt something tug at her consciousness hard, but it wasn’t able to gain purchase on her. She almost sneered internally at it since she’d felt death magic before.

As her head bounced across the ground, Kitania’s mind began to darken, but she had enough time to hear Haral speak. “Excellent, now clean the sword and give it to me. I want four people to escort me back. The rest of you, dispose of this refuse, then make the princess regret her actions before killing her and the other elf. I expect you to leave before dusk.”

“Yes, Lady Haral,” the angels chorused.

As Kitania’s vision went black, she hoped that no one would notice her regenerating. The sooner that she recovered, the better her chances to rescue Niadra were.

Then she lost consciousness.

* * *

Waking up again wasn’t the most pleasant of sensations, especially with how horrible the area around Kitania smelled, even ignoring how her body had reacted to having her head cut off. It didn’t help that she was feeling rather light-headed, but her body would regenerate the blood quickly, if things hadn’t changed. She blinked a few times as her vision cleared, and Kitania was thankful that she rarely had issues remembering what had happened just before one of her near-death experiences, and she spat out some of the dirt that’d crept into her mouth, working up saliva again.

“At least they’re idiots who don’t know how to properly bind demons,” Kitania murmured, rolling her shoulders, then twisting her legs back as she slipped her cord-bound wrists past them. She quickly pulled her hands up to her mouth and used her fangs to cut through the cord, which had been soaked in blood recently. Obviously, it hadn’t been long since her beheading, which was a relief.

The chamber she was in was relatively small, and Kitania was fairly certain that a couple of trenches in the back had been used as privies. She was mostly thankful that they hadn’t dumped her body in those, but even as it stood, her body was covered in blood, and she was going to abandon her underwear as quickly as possible. The doorway was cordoned off by a curtain, and Kitania eyed it, straining her ears, then resisted the urge to swear loudly.

She could only barely hear the muffled sounds of screaming, and Kitania’s anger flared brightly. It pretty much destroyed all her pity for the angels, and she hadn’t had much to begin with. The sound of footsteps approaching caused her to stiffen, though. Taking stock of her situation, Kitania realized that her belt pouch was missing, as was her new bracelet, and she didn’t even have shoes.

“You’re sure you aren’t going to wait? The monster’s body is in there, you know,” a woman said from rather close by, and Kitania blinked, then realized it was the woman who’d beheaded her.

“We were waiting half the day for them to arrive, and I didn’t dare leave to deal with my business while we were in position,” a man retorted, sounding quite annoyed. “I can’t wait. Besides, it’s just a body. What does it care if I need to piss?”

“Suit yourself,” Ailla replied, and Kitania heard one pair of footsteps coming closer.

Kitania quickly moved to the wall and flexed her fingers, her thoughts going even colder as the man approached. It had been a while since she’d been in a situation like this, but if she remembered right, there were no more than a dozen angels, and Haral had said that she was taking four of them with her as an escort. That meant that there were probably seven or eight left at most, unless more had been here initially. If she could take them a few at a time, she could deal with them easily enough. If she didn’t hold back, at least, and in her current mood, that was just fine with Kitania.

The curtain was brushed aside as an angel stooped to step inside, then straightened. Kitania took a smooth step behind him, thankful that her light-headedness had faded, and his gaze settled on where she’d been laying. He began speaking an instant later but reacted far too slowly. “What the—”

Kitania’s right hand clamped down over his mouth at that moment, and she put her left to the back of his head and snapped his neck in a single fluid movement. The body crumpled to the floor, and Kitania calmly unsheathed his sword and the dagger that’d been on the man’s belt.

“Collin? What was that?” Ailla called out, her footsteps pausing in the hallway.

Kitania hesitated only a moment, then stabbed the dagger into the angel’s body, creating a meaty sound as she stepped back to the side, holding the sword in both hands. It was a little large for her, but she could manage it for the moment.

“You just wanted to mutilate the demon’s body, didn’t you?” Ailla said accusingly, her voice growing louder as the angel approached. “I should kick your ass for lying about it, you know. Lord of Light, you’d almost think you were embarrassed about hating demons!”

The curtain swept aside again, and the instant that Kitania saw the brunette’s head, she swung the sword. Ailla’s eyes only had an instant to start widening at the sight of Collin before the sword hit her in the neck. It didn’t quite behead the woman as the blade struck bone, but Ailla staggered back a step, clutching at her throat as her mouth worked, her eyes filled with shock as she saw Kitania, and her left hand fumbled for the sword at her side.

“Surprise, the shoe is on the other foot now, isn’t it?” Kitania murmured softly, kicking the woman sideways, then finished her off with another stroke of the sword. The blade was a little long for the cramped confines of the room, but she didn’t need lots of precision at the moment.

The angel’s head dropped to the ground alongside her body, and Kitania let out a sigh, considering for a moment, then scowled as she saw both her bracelet and belt pouch on the angel’s belt, each mostly cleaned off, and with only faint signs of blood adorning them. Growling under her breath, Kitania removed the items and quickly cast a couple of defensive spells, then slipped off her underwear and tossed them toward the privies. Only then did she cast another spell, this time using telekinesis which extended from her hands in a purple mist that drew the weapons the angels had possessed aside from the sword Kitania was wielding. Two daggers, a rapier, and fifteen arrows hung in the air, surrounded by purple light.

Pausing, Kitania glanced down, then traded her sword for a dagger, which she used to cut her skirt short. Then she pushed the curtain aside and stepped into the hallway. The sounds of pain, likely from Niadra, led her down the hall, and she resisted the urge to rush as she paused to check the rooms along the way. One was a makeshift pantry, and another was empty, while a third was a barracks. She took a few more weapons from that room, then looked in the room that must be the kitchen.

Inside the room, which barely qualified as a kitchen in Kitania’s opinion, she saw a man crouched down, using tongs and gloves to turn over a couple of iron balls that were in the coals of the fireplace, each of the balls about an inch across and glowing. As she saw him, Kitania heard the man muttering.

“…seems a bit too cruel to me, but he’s the boss. I wondered why he threw these in this morning…” the angel said, then paused, looking toward Kitania. For her part, Kitania’s anger immediately blazed higher, as she realized just how cruel the angels were going to be. So she acted instantly, the purple tendrils of the telekinesis lashing out across the room.

She ripped the balls out of the coals, and one of them slammed into the man’s head like a sling bullet, just as she launched five arrows and the rapier at the angel. He might have had a chance to dodge if she hadn’t hit him with the ball, but that stunned him for long enough that the arrows and rapier slammed into the man mercilessly, silencing him with an arrow to the throat, then she retrieved the balls and rapier as she moved on, now rushing.

She turned a corner and saw the entrance, a woman standing guard as she faced the other direction, the room where Kitania had been killed and where the sounds of pain were coming from to the right. Kitania launched ten more arrows at the woman without pause, ripping the arrows from her quiver with telekinesis as replacements as she burned through still more mana, no longer worried about conserving it. It’d be plenty to deal with the angels here, and more besides. The woman managed a cry of pain, but Kitania doubted the people in the room would realize what it portended in time. She wasn’t going to let it stop her, either.

Thrusting aside the curtain and stepping inside, Kitania took in the room in an instant. The spot where she’d been beheaded was obvious, with the blood soaked into the dirt all around it, and even some on the ceiling. Three angels were in the room, and they were starting to turn toward her in surprise. One had plyers in hand, the one Kitania thought was their leader and a mage, and Kitania could see blood dripping from Niadra’s fingertips, how her fingernails were missing, and most of her fingerbones were broken. An angel was holding a tray of tools for the man as well, while another woman was holding Cecilia to the wall, looking as though she was about to hit her again. Both elves’ faces were bruised, but Cecilia looked like she was in far better condition, and both looked utterly terrified.

“Die,” Kitania said flatly. The weapons she’d acquired flew across the room almost as fast as loosed arrows at her command. A tiny part of her had considered trying to take prisoners, but she was simply too angry, and it was too dangerous.

The glowing iron balls targeted the mage, and Kitania took pleasure in shoving one down his throat, possibly breaking his teeth in the process, and a sword slammed into both of the angels in front of Niadra, spraying blood across the princess as the angels shuddered, then fell. She had to be more careful with the woman holding Cecilia, and the arrows circled slightly before slamming into the woman from the side, piercing her armor surprisingly easily. Kitania realized belatedly that she’d never bothered to see if the weapons were enchanted, but it really didn’t matter.

“H-how… you…” the angel next to the mage gasped, clutching at the rapier embedded in his chest in horror. “Your soul… she took it!”

“She may have tried, but unfortunately for Haral, my soul refuses to be claimed by anyone,” Kitania told him icily, stepping toward him quickly. “That’s good for me, since you dared to torture people for the crime of being my friends. You’re worse than most demons, and that takes effort.”

“Blasphemous—” the angel began, but Kitania had heard enough, and shoved a dagger into his throat.

“Shut up,” Kitania said almost idly, flinching as she checked on Niadra. The princess was looking at her in terrified pain, but Kitania could also see the relief in her eyes. Looking at her hands and arms, Kitania winced, then spoke quickly. “One moment and I’ll get you free, Niadra. Hopefully these bastards have a healing potion or two on them… we can get you to the palace and healed either way, but I’d like to mitigate your pain.”

Kitania quickly pulled a knife from the mage’s belt and cut the bindings on the chair, then untied the gag. Before she could react, Niadra lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Kitania as she hugged her and sobbed, her voice frantic.

“Goddess, they were going to… to kill me, like they did you! It hurts so much, and they were going to… to…” Niadra exclaimed, her voice breaking and Kitania could feel the princess’s blood seeping through the back of her dress, and the evidence of her injuries just made Kitania angrier.

“Shh… they’re not going to hurt you anymore.” Kitania tried to soothe the princess, hugging Niadra tightly as she did so. The situation was a disastrous mess, she knew, and she felt herself growing even grimmer as she glanced toward Cecilia, who was still restrained. “Calm down, Niadra. I need to free Cecilia, then we’re going to get out of here. We’ll get back to the palace, and Alserah is going to do everything in her power to hunt down the monsters who’re behind this.”

Niadra just began crying harder as she held Kitania, seeming to ignore the pain of her injuries to do so. Kitania let out a soft sigh, and looked over at Cecilia, who was trying to adjust her position on the floor, tears of relief tracking down the handmaiden’s face.

“I think it’ll take a minute before I can help you, Cecilia, but I’ll get you freed as soon as I can,” Kitania promised. The elf looked at her and nodded, and Kitania thought the elf was smiling at her gratefully, but it was hard to tell with the gag in place.

Kitania took a deep breath, then began trying to soothe the princess more, so they could get her out of the pit they were in and healed. Then… then she’d do whatever she could to help deal with Haral.

Chapter 34

“Your Grace, we have a major problem,” Commander Hanrith said, opening the door to her office without even pausing. The utter breach of protocol caused Alserah to freeze in place, and the smile on her face vanished even before she saw how pale Hanrith’s face was.

“What is it, Lord Commander?” Alserah asked, setting down her teacup carefully, worry rushing through her.

“A messenger just returned after leaving the palace. He found Princess Niadra’s carriage on the road halfway between here and Mist, all her guards and the mounts are dead, as are the servants. The princess, Lady Cecilia, and Lady Kitania are all missing,” Hanrith explained flatly. “I’ve dispatched scouts, so that’s all I know at the moment.”

Rage blasted through Alserah, and as it did so, she thought back to her conversation with Kitania, on how she’d ended up in the courtyard of Alserah’s palace. However, just as quickly, she pulled herself up short, intent on not jumping to conclusions. While it was possible that this had something to do with that, it was also possible that Niadra had been the target of bandits who wanted to ransom her. Suicidal bandits, but bandits weren’t necessarily noted for their forethought.

“I want more than merely scouts deployed, Northwind,” Alserah said, her voice as cold as the depths of winter, and he looked down as she stared at him, swallowing hard. “Whatever forces you need to find them are at your disposal, is that clear? If anyone tries to give you trouble, I expect you to inform them that you’re acting on my orders.”

“Yes, Your Grace! It shall be done!” Hanrith barked, saluting sharply, far more precisely than she’d seen him act in quite some time.

“Then go. Do what you need to,” Alserah replied, internally seething with anger.

The man darted out of the room, and Alserah stood up. All her quiet pleasure at the flavor of the tea was gone, and her concerns had been brought to the fore. A tiny part of her was outraged that Kitania had been taken, especially with Eternal Song expected to dock any hour, but she wasn’t that concerned about Kitania’s health. The demoness was immortal, after all. Her emotional state was another question, but that could be healed in time.

She was far more concerned about Niadra, and peripherally about Cecilia. Alserah did care about the princess and was worried about her well-being. If the princess was injured, not only would it upset Alserah greatly, but it would also hurt Kitania, possibly even more than being injured would.

“It doesn’t matter. Whoever did this has made an enormous mistake,” Alserah murmured, and her gaze hardened as she looked out across the forest toward the setting sun. There was perhaps another hour or two of light left, and she hoped the scouts could find them quickly. If Alserah had to act herself, she would.

* * *

It took a little longer than Kitania had wanted to calm Niadra down enough to free Cecilia. The handmaiden hadn’t been in the best shape emotionally or physically, but at least she hadn’t been conscious for Kitania’s beheading. She was horrified by how Kitania was covered in congealing blood, but there wasn’t much to be done about that. Not without a river to jump into or something, since Kitania didn’t know any magic to clean herself.

They’d found a couple of healing potions on the angels, and that had stopped Niadra’s bleeding, but it didn’t help much with the broken bones or missing fingernails. Once they were calm enough, though, Kitania led the way out of the hideout, having belted on a sword.

“We’re not too far from where we started. They flew from where we were ambushed for about a quarter-hour to get here, and I remember the approximate direction they took.” Kitania explained, taking the lead while Cecilia helped Niadra walk. Kitania didn’t want to get the two too bloody, though they were all in poor enough shape that it didn’t matter much. Keeping her focus was hard, but having a goal helped.

“You d-didn’t get knocked out?” Niadra asked, her voice trembling.

“I mostly closed my eyes in time and managed to resist the magic, though it was a near thing,” Kitania told her, glancing back at the princess reassuringly. “Even so, I realized that with the two of you on top of me, and being unarmed… there wasn’t much I could do, so I was looking for an opportunity to escape. I didn’t expect the angels to be quite as ruthless as they were, though.”

“Ah. I’ve never even heard of angels being so… so cruel before. They were torturing Her Highness just because she liked you,” Cecilia said, her voice filled with revulsion. “I’ve always heard that angels were paragons of virtue, not that.”

“Despite what you may have heard, angels and demons aren’t monolithic species. Just like mortal personalities vary, so do those of angels and demons,” Kitania replied, shaking her head slightly as she glanced around. “Those in the mortal world tend to only see those who’re involved in the war, but there are wide varieties among each faction. The ones we ran into… think of them as among the worst zealots you’ve ever run into. Obviously, they’re the type that are willing to condemn those who have had even minor associations with demons, no matter how good the person might be otherwise. I wish I’d taken one of them alive to question, but I wasn’t sure I could keep either of you safe if I did.”

“I’m just glad you were able to regenerate. Otherwise I’d have been doomed.” Niadra said, hiccupping loudly.

“I’m glad they didn’t notice me regenerating, or this would’ve ended much more poorly. The sword they used tried to use some type of death magic on me, probably to seal my soul in it, or keep me from coming back from the dead. Considering the man’s comments, probably stealing my soul for some reason,” Kitania said, her voice hardening slightly. “I even know who the angel is, and I’m very unhappy to see her.”

“How could you know who she is?” Cecilia asked incredulously, her eyes widening.

“One of them called her Lady Haral, and I’ve heard the name before. It’s the name of the angel who betrayed Isalla to begin with, setting off the entire mess that led to me ending up in the courtyard,” Kitania explained, moving around a set of rather sharp looking rocks as she led the way through the forest. “I told Her Grace about the betrayal, but I never expected Haral to show up here. I suppose it could be another angel by the same name, but I’m loathe to believe that multiple angels by that name are doing horrible things like this.”

“Oh,” Cecilia said, her shock fading slightly.

“I… think that… Her Grace will be upset…” Niadra said, breathing much harder than she should have been. Kitania glanced back to see that her face was redder than it should be, and her eyes were slightly out of focus. That worried Kitania, and she hesitated, looking at Cecilia, then stopped, coming back to Niadra.

“I’m sure she will be, Niadra. She’s not going to let something like this pass. But for now, please… just focus on me and Cecilia. I know you’re in a lot of pain, but we have to get to where we can find help and get back to the palace,” Kitania said, laying a hand gently on each of Niadra’s shoulders. Some blood doubtlessly seeped into the princess’s dress, but Kitania suspected that the garment was a complete loss as it was.

“Alright,” Niadra said, taking a deep breath of air, then gave Kitania a hesitant smile. “You look frightening, you know.”

“I’m sure I do. It’s almost like someone cut my head off, then dumped me in the room they were using as a privy,” Kitania agreed, smiling in return. Resisting the urge to kiss Niadra, especially considering what she’d just said, she turned and began leading the way forward again, adding, “Not exactly the way I’d want to wake up, but better than some alternatives.”

“That’s horrible!” Cecilia said, shuddering visibly, but she helped Niadra follow Kitania. “It’s bad enough that they would do something like that, and that they were… um…”

“Shh. Just walk,” Niadra interrupted as Cecilia’s voice trailed off, the princess’s voice breathless. “They’ll get their just rewards eventually. Some already did.”

“True enough, and—” Kitania began, then froze as she heard faint sounds from the vegetation ahead of her. One hand darted to her sword as she tensed, wondering if it was an angel or beast, then a figure stepped into sight and froze.

The elf was in light armor that would allow him to easily vanish into the underbrush, a bow in hand, and behind him was a woman in similar armor. The two were looking at Kitania in horror, and for an instant Kitania thought they were going to attack or run, but then their gazes flitted to Cecilia and Niadra.

“Y-your Highness! What happened to you?” the man asked, his voice filled with horror, and he glanced back at Kitania nervously.

“Cecilia, explain,” Niadra said, her breath coming in short gasps.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Cecilia said, her head bobbing, then she looked at the soldiers as she spoke quickly. “We were kidnapped by angels who attempted to kill Kitania and who began torturing Her Highness, with the intent of killing all of us. Kitania saved our lives, but we’re desperately in need of assistance.”

“Certainly, Milady, we’ll help at once. We were attempting to find you to begin with. The sight just… startled me,” the man said, slinging his bow as he moved forward.

“You mentioned angels… are there any in pursuit?” the woman asked, glancing around the forest warily.

“No, I slew the seven who remained in the hidden compound to eliminate Her Highness,” Kitania said, shaking her head as she let go of the sword’s hilt. “The other five left, and I’m not sure where they were going. If I’d been sure it wouldn’t have endangered the princess’s life, I’d have attempted to take one of them alive, but I didn’t dare take the risk under the circumstances.”

“Very well,” the woman said, swallowing visibly. “I’m certain that our superiors will want to see the location, but the priority is your safety. Please, come with us.”

“Certainly,” Kitania said, nodding wearily as she began to follow the woman.

It had been a long day so far, but she was sure that it was about to get even longer.

* * *

“…multiple arrows, while one was struck by a heated iron ball in the throat.” Hanrith’s voice was barely audible as Kitania approached the door, and she hesitated for a moment as he finished, wincing at the description. “The cruelty of such seems quite excessive, Your Grace.”

“Truly? I have my doubts about that. It sounds like the attackers were dealt with efficiently, especially since I doubt that the iron ball was prepared by Kitania,” Alserah replied, causing Kitania to relax, then she reached up and knocked on the door. A moment later, the goddess spoke. “Come in.”

Kitania stepped into the small conference room, noting that the window revealed that it was now dark outside. It’d taken a couple of hours to get back to the palace, since Kitania had led the soldiers to the hideout the angels had been using. Cecilia and Niadra had left earlier, and Kitania wasn’t entirely certain where they were. She was simply relieved that she’d been given a chance to bathe and change into something clean, as she’d underestimated just how horrifying she’d appeared. Now she’d love nothing more than to rest, but there was still more to be done.

Four people were in the room, and Kitania nodded, recognizing them. Alserah, the mage Ethris, High Priestess Moira, and Captain Hanrith were in the room, and they were looking at her warily, for the most part. Except for Alserah, who was hiding her anger well, but not well enough that Kitania couldn’t see the murder in her eyes.

“Hello, Your Grace. My apologies about the delay, but I was in no state to come into your presence on my return,” Kitania said, then grimaced as she added unhappily, “I think many morgues would have been repulsed, as a matter of fact.”

“I heard something about that. You were beheaded, from the reports I heard,” Moira said, her voice calm.

“That’s right. I thought they’d at least try to get more information out of me first, but instead they went for the kill quite quickly. It was quick, at least,” Kitania confirmed, wrinkling her nose at the memory, trying to keep her tone relatively light. “I prefer those situations to the ones which leave me conscious.”

“Be that as it may, I first need to thank you for rescuing Princess Niadra from her fate. It would have been easier for you to escape since they thought you were dead, yet you chose to risk yourself to save her,” Alserah said, her gaze lingering on Kitania. “I should also ask if you’re well.”

“As well as I can be, after a situation like that. It’s…” Kitania paused, debating for a moment, then shrugged helplessly, smiling at the goddess as she admitted the truth. “A tiny part of me is relieved to have the other shoe drop, as it were.”

“What?” Hanrith demanded, his voice sharp, and his anger was palpable.

“I’ve been waiting for something horrible to happen to me since I arrived here, Sir Northwind, and the dream spider and drugging didn’t count, not in my opinion,” Kitania told him, her voice losing any trace of amusement as she continued sadly. “I’m not happy about what happened. What they did to Niadra enraged me enough that it eliminated any thought of trying to take one of them alive; I couldn’t risk it. You were wondering why I threw a ball of red-hot iron down the mage’s throat? It was because he was going to use those to torture the princess and had already been torturing her for some time when I arrived. I wasn’t going to give him the chance to continue. I’ll probably have some nightmares about what happened, but what happened to me is nothing compared to what happened to Niadra.”

“If you hadn’t been associating with the princess, none of this would’ve happened!” Hanrith retorted hotly.

“Indeed, which makes me at fault for this incident,” Alserah interjected, and Kitania’s response died in her throat as Hanrith suddenly paled.

“I didn’t mean that, Your Grace!” Hanrith quickly protested, looking almost panicked as he stared at the goddess. “You couldn’t have—”

“I’m putting your anger in proper perspective, Commander,” Alserah said, shaking her head slowly. “I allowed Niadra to associate with Kitania and supported it. It made her a target… but tell me, if we weren’t already being targeted, would they even have come here? Would Kitania be here at all? Someone is trying to manipulate us to their own ends, and it’s beginning to anger me greatly. Bad enough that they chose to send someone into the heart of my defenses, but to also attempt to torture and kill one of my descendants? That angers me.”

“As well it should.” Moira said, frowning deeply. “If her body had been found, none would believe that it was the work of angels, especially after the demon disappeared as well. It would have sparked a great outcry among the people and might even have shaken the people’s faith in you.”

“Precisely why I’m so concerned and angry,” Alserah said, then paused and corrected herself. “Allow me to rephrase that. It’s part of why I’m so concerned and angry. However, I asked you to come here to tell us what you can about the attackers, Kitania. I’m told that you knew who one of them was.”

“That’s correct. You recall that I mentioned that my friend Isalla was betrayed by another angel?” Kitania asked, pressing her lips together for a moment, her anger flaring anew. At the goddess’s nod, she continued. “She told me that the angel who betrayed her was named Haral, a friend of hers who’d told her that she had information on the rumors that Isalla was investigating in the heavens. When she went to investigate, Haral and others ambushed Isalla, severing her wings, crippling her limbs, and poisoning her before casting her down from the heavens and into the hells. Even after catching her, the damage was so extensive I barely saved her life. When they believed us unconscious just after the carriage was attacked, one of them addressed the woman leading them as Lady Haral. I’m not certain that it’s the same woman, but I doubt it’s a coincidence.”

“Haral? Do any of you know the name? I do not,” Alserah asked, looking at the others.

Kitania moved over to the table and pulled out a chair to sit. Hanrith gave her an annoyed look, but didn’t say anything. He probably didn’t want to get in trouble again, in Kitania’s opinion, which was just as well. The elves around the table shook their heads, all except for Ethris, who tapped her lips thoughtfully.

“Haral… the name does ring a bell. I’m just trying to remember where I heard it before.” Ethris said, frowning. “I think it involved one of the angelic merchants I was talking to. They were trying to bid on supplying some of the garrisons, including the magi.”

“Wait, I remember hearing about that. There was an angel named Corram making inquiries, and he won a few bids,” Hanrith said, sitting up straighter, if that were possible. “I think he was based in Eldsyr, if I remember right.”

“That sounds right,” Ethris said, frowning in obvious annoyance. “I know that I remember hearing the name when I was speaking with someone about him, but I can’t recall where.”

“It’s still a potential lead,” Alserah said, looking at Ethris and Hanrith as she continued. “I expect the two of you to investigate this Corram and see if you can find out who this Haral is. I’m not going to stand for someone coming into my domain and attacking both a princess of the realm and someone I’ve taken in as a guest.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” the two replied, bowing their heads respectfully.

“I would like to ask, is there anything else you can tell us about these conspirators, Miss Kitania?” Moira asked, looking over at Kitania calmly. “I know that you mentioned that this Isalla was investigating them.”

“No, I’m afraid not. We didn’t discuss the situation in depth, but based on what was said, I suspect they’re capable of opening gates between the heavens and the mortal world. How is another question, but to drop Isalla over Hragon, that would be required,” Kitania said, shrugging helplessly. “I’m sure we’d have learned more, but I was shot before that.”

“Lovely,” Moira murmured, her gaze darkening. “That also doesn’t bode well.”

“I also hadn’t heard that gates could be opened. The magic required… I wish I could say I had a grasp of how difficult it would be, but I don’t,” Ethris said, shaking her head.

“Regardless, it isn’t something we can solve now. Kitania’s friends will arrive in the next two days, so we can make inquiries when they’ve arrived,” Alserah said, her gaze hard as she continued. “This has become a personal matter, not simply something we’re peripherally involved in. Ethris, Hanrith, send word to the garrisons to be wary of a potential assault. If they’re willing to strike so close to the kingdom’s heart, we’ve no way of knowing what else they may dare to do.”

“As you say, Your Grace,” Hanrith said, scooting back his chair to stand. Obviously, he and the others had heard a silent dismissal, because all the others were standing up as well.

As Kitania pushed her chair back, Alserah spoke again. “Please stay for the moment, Kitania.”

“Very well,” Kitania agreed, her anxiety growing slightly as she watched the others go. The door closed behind Moira at last, and she and Alserah were alone.

The goddess simply sat there for a long minute, studying Kitania, and the demoness shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She wasn’t sure what Alserah wanted, and she didn’t want to say the wrong thing.

“I’m sorry,” Alserah said at last, and Kitania froze, as the possibility of Alserah saying that had never crossed her mind. It took a moment before Kitania could respond, and she inhaled sharply first.

“Why would you be sorry? You haven’t done anything wrong, at least not to my knowledge,” Kitania replied, her emotions in shambles.

“Perhaps not, but… I believed that you were safe here. It’s why I never offered you a weapon to defend yourself. Your guards weren’t among the best, because I believed that you and Niadra were safe because of my approval of your relationship. I believed many things, among which was that no one would dare strike here, in the heart of my power,” Alserah replied, looking at Kitania sorrowfully. “Perhaps it wasn’t in the palace, but you still suffered for my arrogance, and for that I’m sorry.”

“What I went through… it was nothing compared to what Niadra went through. A moment of pain, nothing more,” Kitania said, shaking her head in denial, part of her refusing to believe that Alserah had apologized. “I don’t blame you, though. This realm has been peaceful for centuries, while the true battles have been farther away. Even if you thought there were threats, who would have imagined that the angels would be so brazen? I certainly wouldn’t have, and I was sent here by them.”

“Perhaps not, but it still dismays me,” Alserah replied, and she pushed back her chair and stood. The goddess slowly circled around the table, approaching Kitania, and looked down at her for a long moment, before she slowly leaned forward and hugged Kitania from behind, shocking Kitania nearly to speechlessness.

“Ah, Your Grace?” Kitania asked hesitantly, unsure of what else to say or do. While the goddess’s embrace was gentle, she could also feel the immense strength in Alserah’s arms.

“I told you that you could call me Alserah in private,” Alserah replied, not letting go.

“Yes, but… it feels rather awkward under these circumstances,” Kitania said, shifting slightly as it felt like she had butterflies trapped in her midsection. “I’m just… may I ask why you’re hugging me?”

“Because I felt like being selfish, at least for a moment,” Alserah said, letting go at last, then circling to sit on the edge of the table in front of Kitania.

“What do you mean, being selfish?” Kitania asked, flushing ever so slightly as she did so. Alserah seemed to have a knack for catching her off guard, and it made Kitania feel a little bad about how she’d teased Isalla before.

“I already told you that I found you a bit interesting. While it might not make much sense to you, I have been faintly tempted to attempt courting you. As to why… that’s the selfish part,” Alserah said, pausing for a long moment, a hint of melancholy to her expression as she continued softly. “I said that I’ve had a great many lovers and family members pass on over the centuries. After long enough, it makes it hard for me to even consider a relationship. Those who I approach are likely to die of old age, or if unlucky they’ll be killed. Assassinations and jealousy can get the better of anyone, and despite my power, I can’t hold them off forever. I was interested in you partly because of that. You’re immortal, and if no one has found a way to kill you… it’s something that could make you a safe choice for romance.”

Alserah stopped for a long moment, then shook her head firmly. “However, that was before this. It is selfish of me, and not something which is right. Niadra nearly died, and that’s horrible. If you wish to be with her, I shouldn’t stand in your way, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s waiting for you right now. You saved her from being tortured to death, after all.”

Kitania blinked, her mouth trying to hang open, but she kept it from doing so. While she’d sometimes wondered why her mother had never been in a long-term, close relationship, Alserah’s explanation had suddenly brought the reason why into sharp perspective. The number of people who might grow jealous of anyone who had Estalia’s affection… it would be too hard to count them all. Kitania even remembered a few attempts on her life when she was young and Estalia’s reaction to them had been sudden and ruthless. But at the same time, it also caused a little pity to well up inside her as she looked at Alserah, and she took her time thinking before she replied.

“I don’t blame you for any of it. While the possibility of being attacked may have drifted through my mind at a couple of points, I never thought it would be by angels. I thought it far more likely that an outraged elf might decide I needed to die,” Kitania said, standing up, and barely able to look straight into the goddess’s eyes with her half-seated. “I really don’t blame you, and neither do I think you’re wrong to be a little selfish.”

“What do you mean?” Alserah asked, then stiffened slightly as Kitania stepped close to her.

Kitania leaned forward and kissed the cheek of the goddess, a little surprised by her own daring, but at the same time, Kitania realized something. She’d become so nervous about her situation that she’d been stepping on eggshells around Alserah and the others instead of being herself. She didn’t quite hug Alserah, instead pulling away and looking the goddess in the eyes.

“I’ve been acting far more passively than I normally would be, as I didn’t want to cause problems or upset you before this, Alserah. Even if I hadn’t been acting that way, I doubt it’d have helped today, but perhaps it would have. Regardless, that doesn’t really answer your question, and I need to give you an answer,” Kitania said, her tail swishing nervously behind her as she debated, then nodded to herself as she blushed. “I’m not opposed to exploring a relationship with you, Alserah. We don’t know each other well, so I have no idea if it’s even possible… but I don’t know if a relationship with Niadra would work out either.”

“That’s… aren’t you already far closer to her, though?” Alserah asked, frowning.

“I’m a demon, and most likely descended from an incestuous brother and sister. Even if I’m not the child of the two of them directly, that should tell you how differently demons view relationships, much like my comments about my grandmother,” Kitania said, shrugging. “I have no issues with having multiple lovers. It’s more a question of what you’re comfortable with, as well as what Niadra wants. I’m willing to see where things go from here, and will acquiesce if the two of you aren’t comfortable with it. In the meantime, though, you’re right. I should go see Niadra, then I should sleep. It’s been a long day, and I’m very tired.”

“I see,” Alserah said, a hint of red in her cheeks at the explanation, and the goddess looked to the side, clearing her throat. “I’ll have to consider that a bit further. Perhaps on the morrow, though the arrival of your friends will make things more interesting.”

“It certainly will,” Kitania agreed, her smile fading slightly, but she looked at Alserah for a moment, then spoke softly, worry and guilt almost overwhelming her. “I’m sorry that I brought all this down on you, Alserah. Truly, I am.”

“It isn’t your fault. They chose to involve me and the rest of my homeland, not you,” Alserah said, nodding slowly and standing up more fully as she made a shooing gesture. “Now go. You have a princess to comfort, and I’m glad the responsibility for that doesn’t fall on me.”

“Coward,” Kitania replied mildly, but she turned and headed for the door, smirking to herself.

For her part, Alserah simply laughed in response. It was a lovely sound, and Kitania smiled as she left.

* * *

“Kitania!” Niadra exclaimed, almost throwing herself at the demoness.

Kitania laughed as she caught the princess, smiling as she did so, teasing gently. “Careful, Your Highness, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“I’m not hurting, see?” Niadra said, pulling away and holding up her hands, showing that they were in perfect condition, complete with nails again. Despite her enthusiasm, Kitania also saw the darkness in Niadra’s gaze even as she showed her fingers off. “One of the priests showed up within minutes of returning and healed my hands after setting the bones. It hurt a lot, but it’s a relief that none of the damage lasted. Cecilia was healed too, even if she didn’t get too badly hurt. They sent me to get a bath and meal after asking their questions, and then… well, I’ve been staying up waiting for you. I was worried.”

Kitania looked at Niadra’s hands, then looked the princess over more closely. She was wearing a nightgown which was somewhat thinner than Kitania had expected, and they were alone in the princess’s rooms, at least for the moment. Niadra seemed a little more nervous than normal, which wasn’t too much of a surprise. After a moment, Kitania hugged Niadra again and spoke, relief rushing through her.

“I’m glad you’re better again, Niadra. I felt terrible that you got dragged into all this just because you decided to get to know me better,” Kitania said, keeping her tone sincere as she looked the princess in the eyes. “As for me… I’m fine. Her Grace wasn’t upset with me; she blames the angels who attacked us instead, and she even apologized to me for not taking my safety seriously. There’s not going to be any consequences for either of us, except maybe better guards.”

“Good. If she hadn’t, I’d have been rather upset with her,” Niadra said, her smile fading as she scowled. “Bad enough that the angels killed all the guards, the driver and the footman died too. I’m told the priesthood is going to try to revive them, but there’s no guarantee their souls will return. I hate to think about their poor families…”

“It is terrible,” Kitania agreed, feeling guilty she hadn’t thought as much about the guards. It was an oversight, and one she shouldn’t have made. She sighed and shook her head, murmuring. “Well, at least they’ll try, and I’m sure that their families will be taken care of. What else can we do?”

“Not much. We can try to avenge them, though. What you did… it was brutal and scared me a little, but you didn’t have much of a choice,” Niadra said, shuddering. “They decided to torture me just because they thought I’d slept with you, and they considered that to be blasphemy. I can’t believe that angels would be so cruel, yet… yet they were. I hate them now.”

“Don’t hate them. Or at least don’t hate all of them,” Kitania said, her voice soft as she reached out to brush her hand against Niadra’s cheek, then back along her hair. The princess smiled, pressing into Kitania’s hand as the demoness spoke gently, a finger brushing along her ear. “Not all angels are like them. They’re zealots and extremists, not the vast majority of angels. I’ve known plenty of angels who’re kind and gentle, and some are just like you or I. Don’t let the actions of a few sour you on all of them.”

“I’ll try not to. I just… it’s a little hard, when I’ve only met a handful of angels in my life, and all of them have been stern except for these ones,” Niadra said, visibly shivering. Then she reached out to drape her arms over Kitania’s shoulders and added, “That said, it did help me come to a decision, though I’m not sure if you’ll agree.”

“Oh?” Kitania asked, raising her eyebrows curiously, her stomach clenching. “What decision?”

“Well… since they were doing all of that because of their false assumptions, it made me kind of angry,” Niadra said, flushing slightly as she reached up to twirl some of Kitania’s hair, looking a bit shy. “I mean, if they’re going to assume that I slept with you, I was just thinking… why not at least enjoy myself, if they think I did anyway?”

“Are you sure?” Kitania asked, only a little surprised by the suggestion, a slight blush rising in her cheeks, even as she smiled. “I mean, I am a demon; they’re not wrong about that.”

Niadra smiled and shrugged, a slight edge to her voice this time. “If they want to argue about it, they can jump in a tangle of vipers. At least they’ll be at home there.”

Kitania laughed, then kissed the princess gently, happy to oblige. Niadra returned the kiss passionately, and slowly tugged Kitania toward the bed.

Chapter 35

“Why won’t the ground stop moving?” Isalla asked, visibly swaying back and forth on the pier, and Rose couldn’t help a smile as she watched her friend. While Rose’s head wasn’t happy about being on dry ground again and she was a little unsteady, she wasn’t as bad off as Isalla seemed to be.

“You’re too used to the movement of the ship, so your body needs a little time to get used to ground that isn’t moving,” Vinara said, stepping off the ship and letting out a happy sigh. “I’m glad to be off the ship, personally. I don’t care for such cramped quarters, even if the captain tried to make it as comfortable as he could.”

Their passage had been swift, largely due to the windstone, and after the other problems they’d run into, that had been a relief. The only problem was how small the ship was, and Rose hadn’t appreciated it much.

Now they’d reached the Forest of Sighs, and Rose looked around the port city of Naer with interest. She’d never been here before, and the city was different than the other cities in the kingdom that she remembered, though her view of those cities had been from above.

Naer was mostly stone, with a well-built seawall protecting much of the natural harbor, and it was more heavily fortified than she’d expected, with a tall keep that also functioned as a lighthouse near one end of the bay. There were numerous species in sight, though most of the sailors and dockworkers she could see were elves, with humans being only slightly less common, but it was far cleaner and more organized than Blackcrag had been.

Eziel, Isalla, and Rose were all wearing the necklaces that hid their wings, and that made them look like beautiful humans, while Vinara looked like an unusual elf, like she had for most of the trip. Their presence was attracting a fair amount of attention, but Lady Azalea’s guards helped keep the onlookers away.

“I’m just glad to be here. We’re far closer to Kitania, and we’ll be able to investigate the traitors,” Rose said, her tone brisk as she looked around, a sense of anticipation coiling within her. “Now we just have to get to the capital.”

“True, true… how is it that neither of you seem to be having a problem with being on land, anyway?” Isalla demanded, looking between Rose and Vinara, sounding slightly irritated. Behind her, Eziel was quietly moving their luggage into a neat pile.

“It isn’t that I’m not feeling unsteady, it’s just not as bad as what you’re going through,” Rose said, looking at Isalla in amusement, resisting the urge to tease her. “I’m not sure why you’re affected more, but it is what it is.”

“As for me, I used my ability to shapeshift. It helped correct my sense of balance as soon as I stepped on shore, so I only had a moment of discomfort,” Vinara added, then paused as she looked toward the buildings further inland and added, “I wonder what’s taking Lady Azalea so long?”

“She’s checking to see if there are any new instructions from His Majesty or Her Grace,” one of the guards explained, shrugging as he glanced back at them. “The message book she has is for emergencies, not extensive communications.”

“Ah, I see. That would explain a few things,” Rose said, relaxing a little. She’d been wondering why the ambassador hadn’t communicated with her superiors more, but that explained it.

In relatively short order, a pair of carriages pulled up, and after speaking to a couple of the guards that accompanied them, their guards directed them toward the carriage. However, Rose noticed that their guards looked slightly on edge now. She didn’t ask why, but she also noticed Vinara’s attitude shift somewhat, looking more focused as they loaded their things into the carriages.

It was a little longer before Lady Azalea returned, and the frown on the elf’s face made Rose’s concern grow as her back stiffened slightly. The elven noble walked up, glancing at the carriage before she nodded and spoke. “Good, it’s large enough for all of us. There have been changes in the last couple of days, so I need to talk to all of you. As soon as you’re ready, we’ll be heading to a nearby fortress in order to teleport to Mist.”

“Teleporting? I thought we were going to go overland, since it only adds a day or so to the trip,” Rose said, her eyebrows rising in surprise. The abrupt change of plans wasn’t a good sign, and that worried her a lot.

“We were, but things changed. I’d like to wait until we’re in the carriage to explain, since I’m not entirely certain of all the details myself,” Azalea replied, looking more than a little annoyed. “Suffice to say that it appears that Her Grace is exceedingly unhappy about something.”

“Oh dear.” Isalla paled, swallowing, and Azalea blinked at her.

“Ah, my apologies. It isn’t your fault or that of Miss Kitania. I’d say it didn’t involve her, but that wouldn’t be true either,” Azalea said, then looked at a couple of guards who were stowing her things, ordering, “Please pick up the pace, if you would? We’re expected to be at the palace just after dawn tomorrow.”

The look of shock on several guards’ faces was telling, and Rose considered before asking cautiously, “I take it that’s moving more swiftly than normal?”

“Yes. We’ll be resting in Mist and will likely be there an hour or two after dark. If we pressed on, we probably could reach the palace by midnight, but apparently it isn’t that crucial to get there quickly,” Lady Azalea explained, tapping her leg in worry.

“Well, we’d best get moving, then,” Vinara said, and she moved to finish stowing her things, moving with a brisk efficiency.

Within ten minutes, the carriages were packed, and Eziel was moved to the one with Azalea’s maids, leaving Isalla, Rose, and Vinara to accompany the elven noble as they got moving.

“Now that we’re moving, what’s going on? Why the sudden urgency?” Isalla asked, looking better now that she’d adjusted to being on land, though she was obviously worried. The jostling of the carriage wasn’t pleasant, but it was far easier to deal with than the ship, Rose thought.

Azalea glanced at Vinara, who was sitting next to her, then spoke simply. “Yesterday, there was an attempt to kill Kitania, as well as Princess Niadra Sellis. Kitania was accompanying the princess back from Mist when the attack occurred, and all the guards were slain in the attack. According to the portmaster, they’ve been told to be on the lookout for angels, particularly one with a golden whip. Based on that, it sounds like angels were the ones to attack them.”

Rose swore, but before she or Isalla could speak, Vinara did. “I take it that the attempt to kill Kitania didn’t work. That doesn’t surprise me, but I suspect it surprised the attackers.”

“Quite. I was told that she rescued the princess, but nothing more. The portmaster wasn’t told everything, just enough to convey our need to speed our journey to the palace,” Azalea said and frowned as she looked at Isalla and added, “I was also told to tell Isalla that she once trusted the angel.”

“Tears of Heaven!” Isalla swore, her eyes darkening suddenly, and Rose blinked at the oath, then stiffened as Isalla continued, her anger abruptly surging. “Haral, that traitorous… it has to be her. How Kitania knew, I’ve no idea, but that’s the only person Kitania could be referring to.”

“Ah, so the conspiracy thickens,” Vinara said, her gaze thoughtful. “She was the one who attempted to kill Isalla, as I recall. Not the direct superior of Eziel, however, so her information is of limited use.”

“True, but if we can capture her, we might be able to learn what’s going on in the heavens,” Rose said, her gaze hardening.

“Yes, but… is Kitania okay?” Isalla asked, looking at Azalea in concern. “I know she can recover from almost anything, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be injured.”

“I’m afraid I wasn’t told much more than I’ve told you,” Azalea replied, shrugging helplessly. “I know she’s alive and well, but nothing beyond that. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more, but… I’m concerned as well. I’d dearly love to know what happened while I was away.”

“Drat,” Isalla said, and Rose reached over to squeeze Isalla’s knee, trying to reassure her.

“Do you have any idea what kind of impact this will have on our arrival?” Rose asked, concerned about what might be coming, as well as what Kitania’s attitude would be, since they hadn’t parted on the best of terms. “I don’t have any idea how common things like this are.”

“An attack on a princess is liable to bring down Alserah’s wrath on whoever was responsible,” Azalea said bluntly, shaking her head. “Things like this are rare, but they happen, and every time the response is so thorough that it usually warns everyone off for a few centuries. Unfortunately, there are always fools who think they can get away with it, and they try again eventually. Even if they succeed in killing someone, their fates are never good.”

“Truly unfortunate… but how might it affect us?” Vinara asked, frowning heavily.

“It shouldn’t affect you at all, unless you want to help hunt down this… Haral,” Azalea said, sounding uncertain. “I don’t know anything about her, after all.”

“True. But she’s going to face a reckoning soon,” Isalla said, her voice hardening as she bared her teeth, one of her hands squeezing Rose’s. “I refuse to let her continue to get away with this.”

“As you say,” Azalea said, looking a bit disconcerted. Rose couldn’t help smiling slightly, even as she wondered what Haral was thinking at the moment. She hoped that the angel was panicking, but there was no way to know for certain. It was nice to imagine, though.

* * *

“What’s wrong?” Haral asked, frowning as she looked at Adrian, a little more concerned than she had been when the others hadn’t arrived. She’d sent Adrian into Eldsyr to gather information, but he’d returned far too quickly for her comfort, and her unease was only growing.

“My apologies, Lady Haral, but the city is in a furor,” Adrian replied, shaking his head in bewilderment. “Not much is known at the moment, it’s all rumor and hearsay, but I heard that the princess was rescued from at least a half dozen people, none of whom were talking to me. It sounds like the priesthood of Alserah has locked down the palace and done everything they can to restrict information, but even so, what I heard was worrying. I wouldn’t have returned so quickly, but the city guard was out in force, and they were starting to question newcomers to the city.”

“Those fools! I told them to be careful!” Haral hissed, anger flaring within her, along with a little self-loathing. If she hadn’t been so focused on making the princess regret her decisions, there was pretty much no chance that the others would have died. Adrian flinched, but she quickly shook her head and tried to reassure him. “No, no… the elves must have come across the carriage sooner than we thought they would. How they found the hideout so quickly is another question, but it was likely just dumb luck. Maybe some scouts came close before they finished and heard her.”

“If you say so, milady,” Adrian said, visibly relaxing as he nodded. “What should I do?”

“I want you to let the others know we need to stay hidden,” Haral said, glancing over at a set of twenty stones sitting on the table. All of them were glowing, but most were blue, while six were glowing a dull red. She considered for a moment before adding softly, “It’s going to be two to three days before we can act, and we don’t want to be interrupted early.”

“Yes, milady,” Adrian said, bowing his head again, then quickly moved to find the others.

Haral watched him go, then resisted the urge to kick the nearby chair, her voice seething as she spoke with soft self-loathing. “I’m such an idiot. I should’ve just killed her and been done with it, like I did the demon. Once I’m back in the heavens, she’s going to pay for this.”

She glanced at the sword that held the demon’s soul, then shook her head and began to pace. Haral wasn’t happy with what had happened, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

Chapter 36

Ignoring the guards and servants that were covertly staring at her and Alserah, Kitania waited patiently in front of the palace, trying to suppress her nervousness. The true courtyard of the palace was much nicer than the broad killing zone she’d originally appeared in, with a fountain with a statue in the shape of Alserah holding a vase in the middle of the courtyard and numerous outbuildings. It wasn’t as sterile-looking as the other had been, and it appeared far more lived in, especially with the palace entrance dominating the courtyard.

“I take it that Niadra isn’t joining us?” Alserah asked at last, the goddess’s tone surprisingly conversational.

“She refused to wake up, so likely not,” Kitania said, her tension easing slightly as she smiled at the memory of the princess grabbing a pillow and hiding under it. “I thought she’d want to, but it appears she wanted sleep more.”

“I’m surprised. From what you said, she’d originally intended to be here to meet your friends,” Alserah said, clicking her tongue softly. “It’s a touch disappointing.”

“It’s always possible that I’m wrong and that she’ll drag herself out of bed in time to get here,” Kitania replied, smiling a little more at the goddess’s reaction. “I mean, it has been the better part of an hour, and I don’t know when Cecilia usually gets her up.”

“True, I suppose. It isn’t as though many visitors arrive as early as these ones are,” Alserah said, nodding graciously as she glanced at the guards around her. “True, it’s at my command, but it’s still unusual, and most of the nobility are used to having late nights and equally late mornings.”

“Ah, much is explained. I always wondered why I rarely saw any nobles when I went out for my morning exercises,” Kitania murmured, enjoying the distraction as she shifted in place, looking down at her lavender dress again. It hadn’t gotten wrinkled or torn in the last twenty minutes, which reassured her, and she continued. “I’ve always been the type to get up early. It does help that I only need two or three hours of sleep, though I prefer five or six.”

“That would explain the hours that the guards said you kept,” Alserah said, nodding as she glanced at Kitania thoughtfully. “I don’t need quite that little sleep, but I’m fortunate enough to not need as much as most others. It helps on occasion, particularly when I had frequent nightmares.”

“Ah, yes… that would be useful,” Kitania agreed, wincing slightly at the thought. With how dream spiders prompted nightmares, she could understand Alserah trying not to sleep much.

For a few moments, they were both quiet, and Kitania noted that the sky was brightening a little more quickly than before. Soon the sun would ascend over the horizon, and the others were expected to arrive soon. The idea of meeting Isalla and Rose like this made Kitania nervous, so she distracted herself by admiring the sky as it brightened, looking so very different than dawn in the hells. The sun there was closer to orange or red, not the bright yellow of the mortal world, and the sky was different as well.

“I’m not too late, am I?” Niadra’s voice almost startled Kitania, and she turned to see the princess rushing out to meet them, wearing a simpler gown than normal, a deep green dress that accentuated her curves while covering her body fully. Niadra’s hair also wasn’t quite up to her normal standards, which almost prompted Kitania to grin.

“No, our guests haven’t arrived yet,” Alserah replied, looking at the princess skeptically as she added, “I’d begun to think you weren’t going to join us.”

“Kitania didn’t wake me!” Niadra protested, quickly approaching, her cheeks rosy. Kitania wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or physical exertion, but she also wasn’t going to let the princess make false claims. That annoyed her a bit, though only slightly.

“Oh really? Who was it who mumbled something about it being dark out, then grabbed a pillow and hid under it?” Kitania asked, pinning Niadra in place with a mock glare. “I tried to wake you up, but you refused to get out of bed.”

“I don’t remember anything like that!” Niadra said, looking a little taken aback, though she was also blushing simultaneously.

“Just because you don’t remember it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen,” Kitania replied, shaking her head at the princess, having to work to keep from smirking. “It isn’t my fault if you’re not used to waking up early.”

“I… I didn’t think I was that bad, and—” Niadra began, only to be interrupted by Alserah.

“Whether or not you’re used to it, you made it here, and just in time to meet our guests,” Alserah said, her gaze sharpening as she looked toward the gatehouse, and Kitania noticed the doors opening slowly. “Now, compose yourself, Niadra. While some of the visitors may be acquaintances of Kitania, they are still representatives of Estalia. I do not wish for you to offend them.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” Niadra said, stopping and bowing her head deeply to Alserah, then taking a moment to compose herself.

The princess stood next to Kitania, folding her hands as a pair of carriages proceeded through the gatehouse, accompanied by several elven guards on horseback. Kitania watched them approach, sardonically amused by the amount of security which accompanied the carriages, as it was much heavier than had accompanied her and Niadra the other day, so it appeared Alserah wasn’t taking any chances with the safety of Kitania’s friends.

Both carriages circled around the fountain and came to a stop, the horses almost prancing in place as they did so. Kitania tensed, waiting for the carriage doors to open, though she wasn’t sure what she was expecting. When the first carriage door opened, Kitania braced herself, only to blink in surprise as an elven woman she didn’t know stepped out. The momentary disappointment and distraction put her off-balance, though. A moment later, Isalla emerged and Kitania froze, stunned by the surge of happiness and forlorn disappointment that rushed through her at the sight of the angel.

Isalla looked different than Kitania remembered, as she was wearing a nice blue dress rather than the simple clothing Kitania had purchased for her. She was wearing a silver bracelet and necklace, and at her side hung the sword that Kitania had found in the forest what seemed like an eternity ago. She looked so very different… yet at the same time Isalla hadn’t changed at all. Her doll-like face showed the same eagerness, and her hair had grown a bit longer, but it was still the beautiful blonde that Kitania remembered.

The angel quickly scanned the surroundings, and an instant later her gaze settled on Kitania, and when it did, Isalla smiled. Her smile was bright and warm, and her happiness was almost infectious, like the sun dawning. Kitania froze, startled by the strength of Isalla’s reaction, and a tiny part of her tried to panic before she suppressed it. Isalla must have been truly worried about her, Kitania reasoned, grasping at straws. Isalla and Rose had been together for so long that Isalla couldn’t still be interested in Kitania.

Rose stepped out as Kitania was distracted, and the beautiful redhead looked toward Kitania and smiled, then took a few steps forward and bowed deeply in Alserah’s direction, a hand on her chest. Another elf was leaving the carriage as well, while additional servants left the other carriage, but Kitania focused on the two she knew.

“Greetings, Lady Alserah of the Forest of Sighs. It is our honor to be received by the Divine Archer herself,” Rose said, her voice ringing out surprisingly loudly through the courtyard. Isalla did a double take, then quickly bowed as well, and was quickly followed by most of the others.

“Please rise,” Alserah said, smiling gently as she nodded to them. “I apologize for how abrupt your journey was, but there was little choice in the matter. Please, come inside and we’ll make introductions. I would do so here, but the events of the last few days require a modicum of caution.”

“We understand your reasons, Your Highness,” Isalla said quickly, barely able to tear her gaze away from Kitania, yet she managed after a moment. “Just based on what we heard, it makes perfect sense to us. I do hope to explore your kingdom properly one day, but it doesn’t have to be today.”

“I’m glad to hear that. However, I should stress that I’m not the queen of the Forest of Sighs. King Rayvan is the current monarch, and he does an excellent job of taking care of the people,” Alserah said, turning and gesturing for the others to follow. “This way, I have a room set aside for our introductions. Rest assured, it’s been properly warded so we’ll have privacy there.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” the green-haired elf behind Rose said, her voice faintly familiar to Kitania. Looking at her, Kitania considered for a moment, wondering if she knew the woman, but she couldn’t quite place her, despite the magic she sensed from the woman. Kitania was about to say something when she realized that she was about to be left behind, so she quickly turned to chase after Alserah and Niadra, relieved to have a few more moments to get her thoughts in order.

Kitania opened her mouth to say something to Isalla and Rose, but even as she did, she wondered what she should say, or what she could say. The time they’d spent apart made her even more uncertain, and she took long enough trying to decide that Alserah managed to lead them to one of the side rooms just inside the front doors. The room had been heavily warded, based on the tingling sensation Kitania got when she entered, and there were several stern, watchful guards outside.

The room had six plush chairs inside, along with two sofas, each of which could comfortably hold two people. Kitania hesitated as she considered which seat to take, and that moment was just a bit too long.

“Kitty!” Isalla said, just an instant before the angel hit Kitania, almost knocking her to the floor.

“Ack!” Kitania exclaimed, her eyes going wide as she tried to catch herself, flailing at the impact against her back, then spoke without thinking. “Isalla, careful! I’m easier to knock over than I was.”

Embarrassment washed through Kitania a moment later, as she looked up to see that Niadra had stopped, halfway onto a sofa, as she stared at the two of them, her mouth slightly open. Alserah finished sitting and smiled as she murmured in amusement, “That’s an unexpected nickname.”

“I’m guessing that someone has spent too much time with my mother,” Kitania said weakly, her cheeks flushing as she prompted a soft laugh from Rose, and a giggle from Isalla.

“No, I just like the nickname. It’s adorable, and I haven’t seen you in ages,” Isalla said firmly, pulling away after a moment, grinning as she continued. “I saw portraits of you like this, but I didn’t realize just how much smaller you’d be! You lost a fair bit of breadth to your shoulders, and you’re definitely shorter, too.”

“It isn’t like I had much of a choice in the matter,” Kitania replied, sighing heavily as she started to regain her mental balance, a little relieved that the two women had initiated the conversation. She wasn’t sure what she’d have said otherwise, but this was an easier subject. “I took quite a bit of damage in my arrival, and the guards understandably overreacted when I started regenerating.”

“Be that as it may, might we have some introductions?” Alserah asked calmly, tilting her head as she added, “I, of course, am Alserah, commonly called the Divine Archer. This is my distant descendant, Princess Niadra Sellis the Fourth, and all of you save for Kitania know Lady Azalea Ikara, who I sent to meet with Estalia after Kitania’s unanticipated arrival.”

“Oh, of course. My apologies, Lady Alserah, I just got… ahead of myself,” Isalla said, flushing slightly, then bowed deeply as she introduced herself. “I’m Isalla, formerly of the Order of the Phoenix.”

“As for myself, I’m Roselynn Emberborn, also formerly of the Order of the Phoenix,” Rose said, smiling as she added, “I prefer to go by Rose, these days. I must also add, you have my deepest thanks for taking care of Kitania. Isalla and I owe her a debt that I can’t begin to repay.”

“You are welcome, though I should say that it was a pleasure, on the whole,” Alserah said, then focused on the green-haired elf as she asked, “Now, might I ask who this is? I know she’s not of my realm.”

“No, I’m not,” the familiar-sounding elf said, and she smiled as she bowed her head marginally, continuing. “I’m Estalia’s personal representative, Vinara the Green.”

Kitania froze in place, her eyes widening as the woman shifted, her appearance turning into that of a familiar, green-skinned succubus that she’d once known entirely too well. Before Kitania could say anything, Vinara moved, and Kitania almost managed to dodge the stinging slap against her cheek, but her shock slowed her just a little too much.

“Vinara!” Isalla yelped, but the succubus ignored the protest, staring at Kitania angrily.

“My apologies, Lady Alserah, but this is a personal matter,” Vinara said, folding her arms as she continued, her voice quiet. “Now, Kitania… what do you have to say for yourself, you coldhearted bitch?”

“What?” Kitania asked, a little taken aback despite herself, and the pain in her cheek already starting to fade. Mixed emotions were rushing through her, a tangle of relief, outrage, and shock at the sight of Vinara. “What am I supposed to say? I was surprised enough to even see you here, and you greet me like that?”

“Of course I did! I thought you were dead!” Vinara retorted, unfolding her arms to wave them in the air dramatically. “Because we broke up, I got sent back to Estalia just in time to hear that you and everyone else were vaporized in the siege! Do you have any idea what kind of effect that had on me? I thought you were dead, and I mourned you for a year! I was celibate! Do you know how much pity sex I turned down for you?”

“I… what are you talking about?” Kitania asked, blushing in embarrassment as everyone stared at them except for Isalla, who began studiously looking at the walls as her face turned red. It took a moment before Kitania managed a deep breath and replied, her emotions mostly turning into confusion and annoyance. “Look… you are the one who broke up with me. You told me you found someone else, and I didn’t want to keep you in a relationship you didn’t want.”

“I was trying to make you jealous!” Vinara fired back, glowering at Kitania. “But no, you’re just too considerate of other’s feelings to be that jealous, so instead, I found myself without a girlfriend. Sure, it saved my life, likely as not, but it was quite cruel of you.”

Kitania stared at Vinara incredulously for a long moment, not entirely believing what she was hearing. Before she could say anything more, Alserah cleared her throat, interrupting quietly, a bubbling note of amusement in her voice.

“While this is an entertaining revelation about Kitania’s past relationships, I don’t believe that now is the best time to discuss it,” Alserah said, drawing everyone’s eyes to her. “I do believe that we have far more pressing matters to discuss. Allowing you two to work out your differences should be left for later.”

Vinara paused for a moment, then bowed her head, having the good grace to blush as she replied. “Once again, you have my apologies, Lady Alserah. I’ve been bottling up my feelings ever since I learned Kitania was alive and couldn’t allow myself to wait any longer.”

“We’re going to have to discuss it later. But for what it’s worth, I am sorry,” Kitania said, noticing that Alserah nodded slightly. She paused as Rose stepped close and gave Kitania a gentle hug, looking up and blinking at the redhead as her heart skipped a beat. Of the various greetings she’d expected, Rose hugging her wasn’t among them.

“I’m glad you’re well, Kitania. We have a great many things to discuss, it seems,” Rose said, glancing at Vinara, then at Niadra. The confusion on Niadra’s face had cleared up, but Kitania thought the princess looked a little put out. “For now, as Her Grace said, we have things to discuss.”

“That we do,” Kitania agreed, and when Rose let go, she gingerly walked over to take a seat next to Niadra. She wasn’t entirely sure what was going on with the others; all she knew was that she was treading on thin ice. Or possibly thin stone over a magma stream, for that matter.

Vinara stayed standing, but Isalla and Rose took seats on the other sofa, even as the elven woman Azalea took a different chair, looking like she was completely out of her element. It was probably Vinara’s blunt commentary on sex that had discomfited her, Kitania suspected.

“From your bearing, I take it that you have something else to tell me, Miss Vinara,” Alserah said, tilting her head slightly.

“That’s correct. If you were the queen here, I’d have waited until we had an official audience in court, but as you aren’t, this situation is appropriate enough,” Vinara said, looking far more serious now, her back ramrod straight. “I bear a message and gift for you from Queen Estalia.”

“Oh? I’m glad to hear that,” Alserah said, smiling slightly. “Please, go on.”

Vinara nodded, and she reached into her belt pouch to pull out a tiny blue crystal. Kitania’s eyes widened at the sight of it, and Vinara smiled as she explained. “This is what’s called a soul shard. Queen Estalia has them made for rare occasions when she wishes to converse with those who are not near her realm. It contains a fragment of her personality and soul, and will allow me to channel her with my body as a vessel. Only briefly, of course, but when the time is up, the shard will return to her along with the memories of what was said.”

“I see. I’ve heard of such before, though I’ve rarely seen them,” Alserah murmured, nodding slightly.

“Excellent. Well, in that case it’s time to allow My Queen to speak,” Vinara said, and she raised the shard to her forehead, murmuring something as she did so. The crystal melted into her skin, and Vinara’s body shimmered with magic.

While Vinara’s clothing didn’t change, except to fit her body, the succubus shifted and reshaped herself to mirror Kitania’s mother. Radiant sapphire skin, deep blue eyes, and blue-black hair adorned the small woman, whose bone structure was so much like Kitania’s own otherwise. Estalia had wings and a shorter tail, but otherwise they were far more similar than Kitania had been in her other form. A faint whisper of Estalia’s ability to captivate others surrounded her, and the succubus focused on Kitania, then on Alserah before she smiled radiantly.

“Ah, what a lovely get-together this is! Hello, Lady Alserah. I am Estalia, the Lady of Desire. Despite coming near you a few times, I do believe this is the first time we’ve met,” Estalia said, smiling more as she added, her eyes twinkling mischievously, “Though perhaps saying that this could be considered meeting you would be going a touch far. I do appreciate Vinara choosing to serve as my agent for this.”

“Hello, Estalia. It’s illuminating to meet you in this fashion, and it appears that the rumors of your beauty don’t do you justice. Had I met you before, I wouldn’t have had doubts about Kitania being your daughter,” Alserah said, looking between them with raised eyebrows. “I must say, it’s surprising how much you resemble one another.”

“Thank you. Though speaking of Kitania…” Estalia turned her attention to Kitania, smiling broadly as she spoke. “How do you get into situations like this, hm? Most demons don’t end up in situations where they nearly die often, yet for you it seems like a common occurrence. Maybe I should have directed the guards to protect you as well.”

“I doubt it would have helped under the circumstances, Mother,” Kitania replied, shrugging uncomfortably. It was strange seeing Estalia like this, since her instincts were insisting it wasn’t really Estalia. Kitania was too used to her mother’s aura to miss how weak this one was. She considered, then explained nervously. “The arrow they used would have pierced almost any defenses as it was. Even if they’d helped, at best it would have led to one of them being targeted, and they don’t have my advantages.”

“Quite true. However, as much as I want to continue chatting, these soul shards do have a limit to how long they can last,” Estalia said, her smile fading as she spoke sternly. “Take care of yourself, hm? I don’t want to hear anything about you, oh… falling into a volcano or something. Staking out the edges while waiting for you to regenerate would be truly tiresome.”

“As you say, Mother. I don’t intend to do that, anyway,” Kitania replied, a smile flitting across her face at her mother’s attitude. For all her experience with manipulating others, Estalia did seem to have difficulties relating to Kitania at times.

“You never do. Now then, to the matter at hand.” Estalia turned her attention to Alserah again and placed a hand against her heart as she bowed her head, startling Kitania with the action. When she spoke, Estalia’s voice was quite serious. “Lady Alserah, for playing host to my daughter and not abusing her, you have my deepest gratitude. Such is not something which I could have requested of you, with as much bad blood as there is between the hells and your realm, yet you did so without my request. For that, I cannot express how thankful I am, for I have been separated from Kitania for nearly a millennium as it is.”

“It has been my pleasure. When I first sent Lady Azalea to you, my intent was to ransom Kitania back to you, but things changed. Kitania saved my life, and she requested nothing in return,” Alserah replied, shaking her head slowly. “No, if anything I owe her more than I could repay. Your thanks are welcome, but unnecessary.”

“Perhaps so, but despite that, I chose to send a gift to show just how much I do appreciate what you’ve done,” Estalia said, looking at Kitania curiously, which prompted Kitania to shift in her chair uncomfortably. She suspected that Estalia had already noticed how Alserah felt about Kitania but couldn’t be certain. Fortunately, Estalia didn’t pry, and instead she pulled out a cloth-wrapped package as she smiled impishly. “This should do the job, though in truth I’m unable to make use of it. I hope that this will serve as a token of my sincerity, Lady Alserah.”

Alserah blinked, looking at the package, then at Estalia again as she replied. “I truly don’t need a gift, but if you insist…”

“I do insist,” Estalia said and took a step forward to offer the package to Alserah.

The goddess took the package, then looked down as she began unwrapping it. Within was a small wooden box, one which was polished to a sheen, and Kitania watched curiously as Alserah turned the box over a couple of times. Then Alserah opened it, and the goddess inhaled sharply as a brilliant green radiance filled the room, radiating from a faceted emerald just over an inch across. The magic she felt pouring off it made Kitania’s eyes widen, but no more. At least not until Alserah spoke.

“Sindria’s Light,” Alserah breathed out, and Kitania’s eyes widened suddenly at the name, for she’d heard it. More to the point, all the others in the room let out soft exclamations, though the sharpest were from Azalea and Niadra.

“What? I thought that Sindria’s Light was lost thousands of years ago!” Niadra exclaimed, straightening suddenly.

Sindria’s Light was a legendary item, one which even Kitania knew about. The magical gemstone had been found by Sindria, an early goddess of magic. The jewel’s magic only functioned in the mortal world, but it was legendary for its power. When part of the array of a set of wards, Sindria’s Light not only amplified the power of the wards immensely, it also amplified all mana within the ward’s confines, allowing spellcasters to use more powerful spells with relative ease while also accelerating the growth of magi who learned there. Kitania had often wished for it when learning magic, even if she couldn’t use it in the hells.

“Not lost, stolen,” Estalia corrected, shaking her head quickly. “Not by me, but by a mortal thief who’d joined a band of demons. The group brought it to the hells to auction off, but the attempt to do so went poorly. The auctioneers betrayed them, and only one of the band survived the ambush. That one came to me for healing, and the only thing of value he possessed was Sindria’s Light, so I healed him and gave him a fair price for his prize. Now, it can return to the mortal world once more.”

“Mother, you collect the widest variety of items,” Kitania murmured incredulously, prompting a laugh from Estalia.

“I know,” Estalia said, grinning.

“This isn’t a minor gift. This is something that is truly priceless,” Alserah said in quiet disbelief, looking up at Estalia after a moment.

“I know it is. However, that jewel is a mere trinket as far as I’m concerned, at least when compared to my daughter’s life,” Estalia said, her smile fading. “You’ve done what you can to help her, though I can tell that her days with you haven’t been entirely peaceful. You’re too tense for that, and Kitania doesn’t look like she’s been having weeks of relaxation. No, such is too much to hope for. I just hope you can continue to take care of her as best you can. I cannot, after all.”

“I see. Well, you have my thanks, as well as my word that so long as Kitania is here, I’ll do my best to ensure she doesn’t face harm. Or as much of it as I can avoid, with angels apparently out for her blood,” Alserah said, glancing at Kitania and smiling. “There’s only so much I can do about problems like that.”

“Yes, well, that’s how situations like this tend to go. Thank you, and hopefully one day we can meet in person, Lady Alserah. I think it would be interesting to discuss how your power has affected your life,” Estalia said, then nodded to everyone else as she continued. “Alas, it appears that I’m about out of time here. I mostly wanted to give Alserah my gift in person, as it were. Do try to take care. If you need to contact me, Vinara has a few methods of getting word to me quickly. And with that… good day to all of you.”

The radiance around Estalia faded, and in moments she turned back into Vinara, who swayed for a moment, shaking her head and blinking. A moment later, the succubus smiled and bowed her head respectfully to Alserah, speaking calmly. “Ah, there I am again. My apologies, that was a… disconcerting experience. Not a bad one, mind you, just strange. I hope that Her Majesty’s gift met your liking, Lady Alserah.”

“It did. Please, have a seat,” Alserah said, gesturing to a chair as she carefully closed the box she was holding, hiding the gemstone’s light.

“Thank you,” Vinara said, and took a seat, looking around at the others.

Most of those in the room looked intrigued, and a little tense, Kitania realized after a moment. Niadra looked worried, while Rose looked thoughtful, and Azalea a bit stunned. Isalla mostly looked curious, though she was also blushing, probably from Estalia’s appearance, which Kitania really couldn’t blame her for. But it was Alserah that was the one who drew the eye when she spoke.

“Now, then, it’s time to have a discussion,” Alserah said, her smile fading as she looked at Isalla and Rose. “Two days ago, Kitania and Niadra were attacked by a group of angels, and if they’d been aware of Kitania’s ability to regenerate their fates would have been sealed. Kitania said that an angel named Haral was leading them, and that a woman by that name was involved in Isalla’s descent into the hells.”

Kitania saw the two angels stiffen, their gazes growing sharper, but Alserah wasn’t finished, and she looked at them calmly as she continued. “I’d like to know what light you can shed on the current situation, if you will. While I was more distantly curious when I learned how Kitania arrived here, things have changed. Now they’ve attacked my people, and I want to find out why.”

Isalla and Rose glanced at each other, then Isalla looked at Alserah and spoke softly. “You aren’t the only one who wants to know, Lady Alserah. We’ve only a few of the pieces so far, but I’m willing to share what we know.”

“Excellent,” Alserah said, smiling slightly as she leaned forward in her chair.

Chapter 37

“While a third of the angels who attacked us in the hells died, ten of them didn’t, including their leader,” Isalla explained, slightly unnerved by Alserah’s gaze but doing her best to ignore her discomfort. It was strange to be explaining this to a goddess, but she wasn’t going to say anything like that. It wasn’t as though Alserah had another way of finding out the information, after all. At least, she probably didn’t, so Isalla continued focusing on her current situation rather than Kitania. “Her name is Eziel, and from her we found out more, though it wasn’t nearly as much as we wanted to know.”

“How did you convince the woman to talk?” Princess Niadra asked, sitting forward on the sofa. Isalla had to wonder why she was sitting so close to Kitania, but after the rather startling revelation about Vinara and Kitania, she didn’t dare bring it up. The princess likely felt she owed Kitania, since she would’ve died, Isalla reasoned, though there was an undercurrent of unhappiness to her emotions as Niadra continued, seeming unaware of Isalla’s thoughts. “The angels I ran into were very vehement in their beliefs. I’d think that getting information out of them would be difficult.”

“It would be, if we were simply questioning them. However, Estalia was… upset. So she used some of her powers to sway Eziel,” Isalla said, and Kitania visibly winced.

“Oh. That would certainly do it. She must have been enraged to use her powers like that,” Kitania murmured, her voice soft, and a bit guilty. “She hates using that ability, no matter who she uses it on.”

“What are you talking about?” Lady Azalea asked, and Isalla could see even Alserah looked curious. Isalla hesitated, trying to decide what to say. Fortunately, Rose spoke instead.

“All of you have experienced some of Estalia’s presence, even if what you felt through Vinara was incredibly mild by comparison,” Rose said, looking around at the others and pausing as she chose her words carefully. “Her power is… intense. However, she explained that she can choose to focus it still further on someone, and when she does, it can have permanent effects. She explained that she doesn’t like using the ability because, while it ensures cooperation, it also destroys who the person is, in many ways. Eziel is absolutely loyal to Queen Estalia now, and she sent her with us to serve Kitania as a servant in recompense for shooting her with the arrow.”

“Of course she did,” Kitania said softly, her voice loud in the quiet room, and the demoness looked pained as she reached up to rub her temples. “She’d consider that fitting… and it gives her the perfect excuse to pass the victim off to someone else.”

“That is a potent power. I take it that you learned more from this Eziel?” Alserah asked, sitting back in her chair as she considered. “I do recall that four were said to be accompanying Azalea, so the last must be her.”

“That’s right, Lady Alserah,” Isalla confirmed, sitting up a little straighter as she licked her lips, then continued nervously. “I don’t remember everything offhand, but she was a member of a group called the Society of Golden Dawn. They’re supposedly followers of some angelic god they call the Lord of Light, and they think that those currently ruling the heavens are too weak and accommodating to demons. Their goal seems to be the utter defeat of the hells, and they aren’t shy about trying to start the war again. The arrow they were given was originally intended to send Estalia into your courtyard, not Kitania.”

Alserah froze for a long moment, obviously considering what Isalla had said, then spoke softly. “I see. That… would have changed my reaction significantly. A demon lord attempting to breach the palace of a goddess… such would be a flagrant violation of the unspoken truce, and likely would have led to renewed calls for war throughout the kingdom.”

Isalla nodded, and she saw Kitania frown, then the demon spoke. It was eerie, how much Kitania had changed, and yet Isalla could see the deliberate manners of the woman she’d come to know so well, which made her jealousy of the elf a little stronger. “That likely is precisely what they had planned. Worse, if they had managed to kill Niadra and had disposed of my body elsewhere, it’s entirely possible that they could have framed me for everything and provoked war in another way. I don’t like the idea, but it feels like it could’ve been an attack of opportunity. Haral did seem to want to know how I ended up in the palace, after all.”

“Ugh,” Niadra said, shivering visibly, and reaching out to lay a hand on Kitania’s arm. The way she touched Kitania caused Isalla to stiffen slightly, as it seemed far more familiar than Isalla had been expecting. She hadn’t been expecting Kitania to get close to an elf, not in as little time as had passed. Niadra continued, looking at Kitania with a worried gaze. “It was bad enough before but knowing that they were trying to start a war… that somehow makes it even worse.”

“It also seems like something that could happen, with how we’ve had assassins, demon mercenaries, and more attack us,” Rose said, then looked at Isalla as she asked calmly, “Isalla? Would you mind telling everyone about Haral, or at least what you know about her?”

“Sure, though I’ll warn that it isn’t much. She thoroughly tricked me, after all,” Isalla said, shifting unhappily as she tried to focus on the discussion at hand, and not on Kitania and the princess clinging to her.

“Even a little information could help lead to something more useful,” Vinara murmured, watching Isalla instead of Kitania now.

“Well… I met Haral in the Evergardens. It’s a relatively unimportant region of the heavens, where a large amount of crops that feed the heavens are grown. That said, it’s not the only place that produces food, so it was considered a backwater post. I was effectively the constable for the city, and it was in that role I met Haral. She’s a merchant, or was a merchant, and shipped food throughout the heavens and even into the mortal world. She was friendly, unlike a lot of people, and seemed interested in helping me adjust,” Isalla explained, shrugging and feeling a bit disgusted by her prior naivety, but continued onward with hardly a pause. “When I thought there were an unusual number of members of the Holy Council visiting the Evergardens, I started investigating, and eventually I mentioned my suspicions to Haral. She offered to gather information she’d picked up and asked me to meet her and a contact of hers to go over what she’d gathered.

“I doubt that any of you will be surprised that it was a trap,” Isalla said, her tone biting at this point, angry that she’d fallen into such an obvious trap. “She had a group of soldiers waiting for me, and she took pleasure in severing my wings, saying that I was a relic of the old, corrupt order. That if she thought I’d see the light, she wouldn’t have done that. Then she threw me out of the heavens, and the portal to the mortal world dropped me into the portal leading into the hells.”

“She’s a merchant? Interesting. That would match up with what some of my people have said,” Alserah murmured, looking thoughtful. “One of them mentioned once hearing the name from an angelic merchant, and they’re currently trying to track him down. It explains why her name came up at the least, and it also tells me that she’s probably using her status as a merchant to move relatively unnoticed.”

“That seems likely,” Isalla agreed, perking up a little at the goddess’s reaction. She was happy that Alserah wasn’t focused on Isalla’s failings, and instead on drawing useful information from the explanation.

“She’s also quite ruthless and cold when she needs to be. One of those who doesn’t hesitate to act when she needs to,” Kitania said, frowning unhappily as she reached up to run a finger over her neck. “I expected her to gloat more when she captured me, or maybe try harder to get information out of me. Instead, when I refused to answer she just had them cut my head off. She was crueler when she ordered them to abuse Niadra, but I’m not sure if that was her choice or because they demanded it.”

“I suspect she enjoyed it,” Isalla said bluntly, and Niadra flinched as she looked down at her hands. Isalla couldn’t help wondering what they’d done to her, though she really didn’t want to know.

“That tells me a good deal about her, and it also causes more concern,” Alserah said and glanced down at the box in her hands. After a moment, she stood and looked at Azalea, speaking firmly. “Azalea, attend me. Sindria’s Light is best placed in Ethris’s care to be put to use, and I want you to tell me about your impressions of your journey while we walk. Niadra, I expect you to help our guests settle in for the day. I’m certain that you have plans, but such can wait at least a few hours.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Azalea said, standing quickly and moving to Alserah’s side.

Niadra stood as well, looking between Isalla and the others with a slightly bemused smile, then replied. “Of course. Is that alright with all of you?”

Isalla nodded, standing and watching the goddess leave the room at a brisk pace. Only once she was gone did she turn to Kitania and look at her, then at Niadra. She opened her mouth to speak, but once again it was Vinara who spoke first.

“So, how long did it take you to seduce Kitania, Your Highness?” Vinara asked, her voice bright.

Isalla blushed, and at the same time she saw the princess turn an almost delicate shade of pink.

* * *

Kitania resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose at Vinara’s interjection. The reactions of Isalla and Niadra were telling, and she finally realized that she’d gotten herself into a rather messy situation. Rose was looking at Kitania thoughtfully, and Niadra opened her mouth, then shut it, giving Vinara a flustered look.

“Leave her alone, Vinara. Just because you’re upset with me is no reason to take it out on others,” Kitania said tartly, looking at her old friend and lover. “I’ve made a great many mistakes over the years, and I’m willing to admit that.”

“I’m not taking it out on other people. I’m reading Her Highness’s body language, and I’m noting that you’ve grown close to her. I find it a little disappointing since Isalla and Rose seemed so intent on getting here so they could talk to you about their feelings,” Vinara said, crossing her arms as she stared at Kitania skeptically. “I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t wait for them before diving into another relationship.”

Kitania winced, opening her mouth, but it was Niadra that spoke this time, her blush growing a little brighter as she did so. “I’ll have you know that Her Grace encouraged me to grow as close to Kitania as I liked, as she was getting… excessively depressed. In fact—”

“Niadra, please… there’s no reason to defend me. It appears that I made a few mistakes, and it’s my responsibility to sort them out and make the apologies necessary,” Kitania interrupted, and looked at Isalla and Rose, then at Vinara before speaking, guilt rushing through her again. “May we take a few minutes to get all of you settled in, then we can have breakfast in my room? It’ll give me some time to organize my thoughts, and that will help a little, I think.”

“That seems reasonable. While I wish that we could have arrived sooner, there isn’t much to be done about that,” Rose said, her tone level, and she was giving Kitania an odd look as she smiled. “I just wish I hadn’t mishandled things before you were shot.”

“At least Her Grace isn’t here,” Niadra murmured, shaking her head. “If she decided to get involved, I’m not sure I’d dare speak.”

“Wait, what? Why would she be involved?” Isalla asked, looking startled as she stared at Niadra. Kitania cleared her throat to draw Isalla’s attention, her embarrassment only growing stronger.

“Her Grace has… expressed interest in me. At least partly fueled by me having the advantage of being able to survive assassination attempts,” Kitania said, flushing as even Vinara paused and stared at her. “She’s lost enough people over the years that it prompted a little more interest than I anticipated.”

“You have been busy, haven’t you?” Vinara murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly as she stared at Kitania.

“It isn’t my fault if a goddess takes interest in me,” Kitania said, looking back at the succubus coolly. “Now, Niadra is the one who knows what we’re going to be doing, so I suggest following her instructions.”

“Alright…” Isalla said, looking mystified instead of annoyed now, and Kitania let out a breath of relief as Niadra stood up straighter and led the way out of the room.

A few minutes to get her thoughts in order would be wonderful. Kitania had to wonder just how she’d gotten herself into a situation where she had multiple relationships at odds with one another.

But as she’d said, it didn’t matter how it happened. What mattered was that it was Kitania’s responsibility, and she needed to help resolve the problem.

Chapter 38

“Lady Kitania, I have wronged you more deeply than I can imagine, and I am the one at fault. I will do anything that you ask of me and serve you to the end of my days,” Eziel said, kneeling and bowing so deeply that her forehead brushed the carpet.

Kitania stared for a long moment, her blood chilled at the sight of the angel in front of her. It wasn’t that she was angry or feared Eziel, because, in truth, Kitania had been so busy in the battle that she probably wouldn’t have remembered what Eziel looked like if she’d met her again, but the change of her attitude was startling.

They were in Kitania’s room, and Vinara had brought a couple of things with her, including what looked suspiciously like a shortened cloudpiercer to Kitania, but she didn’t say anything about it, instead focusing on the angel. Most of the others had complicated expressions when looking at Eziel, and Kitania didn’t blame them, especially considering the surprise on Niadra’s face. At last, Kitania let out a soft sigh, wishing that her mother hadn’t dropped Eziel in her lap.

“Stand up, Eziel,” Kitania said, watching as the angel quickly stood, then looked at Kitania with a depressingly rapt expression. Kitania asked softly, unsure of what to do with her, “You’d do anything for me, is it? Anything at all?”

“Yes. If you directed me to kill myself I’d be unhappy, but I’d do it in a heartbeat. Lady Estalia told me to serve you loyally to my last breath,” Eziel confirmed quickly, looking a little nervous.

“I see. In that case, I suppose I’ll ask you to serve me as a maid,” Kitania said, sighing again as she shook her head, a headache beginning to form. “I don’t really want a maid, but Mother didn’t exactly give me much of a choice in the matter.”

“Why are you accepting her service, then?” Niadra asked curiously, nibbling on a slice of toast. “If you don’t want her around, wouldn’t it be better to refuse?”

“No, because she’ll do whatever it takes to carry out my mother’s orders,” Kitania explained, glancing at Eziel as she asked, “Isn’t that right? If I refused, you’d likely constantly hover nearby to attempt to be of service, even hiding if that’s what it took.”

“Most likely,” Eziel agreed promptly, frowning as she added nervously, “I really hoped that it wouldn’t come to that, though. If it did, I was going to decide what to do at that point.”

“Ah,” Niadra said, nodding in understanding, though her eyes were slightly wide.

“Well, let’s get on with this, shall we?” Kitania murmured, taking a seat, which she noted had been left between Vinara and an empty chair. That relieved her, since it’d make it easier to look Isalla, Niadra, and Rose in the eyes. There was a rather sumptuous breakfast laid across the table, and she slipped a pancake onto her plate for the moment, suspecting it’d be a little while before she could eat.

Most of the others were eating, including Vinara, and Kitania noticed that her old friend was holding back from eating even more quickly, though Isalla and Rose were being a little less polite. She didn’t blame them, considering how much better most food was in the Forest of Sighs. Finally, Kitania spoke.

“I’m sorry, Vinara. I truly am,” Kitania said, glancing at the succubus in chagrin. “I didn’t realize you were trying to make me jealous and was mostly relieved that you weren’t in Rosken when the end came.”

“I’m glad you have the courage to admit your mistake. Between your apology and the slap earlier, I think I’ll forgive you, at least mostly,” Vinara replied, and smiled thinly as she added, a bubble of amusement in her voice, “Fortunately for you, I did find a long-term relationship about a century later, and I have grandchildren now.”

“Really?” Kitania asked, her eyebrows rising in shock. “I thought you didn’t want children!”

“I changed my mind,” Vinara said, sniffing airily. “It made continuing my studies difficult for a long time, but I think it was worth it.”

“How many grandchildren do you have?” Isalla asked curiously, a piece of sausage halfway to her mouth.

“Four, from three children,” Vinara said, smiling happily. “Fortunately, they’ve all found decent positions, and I haven’t lost any of them to violence. That’s something to celebrate in the hells.”

Kitania nodded, but she also noticed the concern on Niadra’s face. She considered, then explained gently as Eziel silently refilled Rose’s teacup. “The hells are a dangerous place, Niadra. The cities in Estalia’s domain are safe enough for the most part, but a small group of travelers will commonly find themselves attacked by wildlife twice a day or more. Losing children who go exploring is unfortunately common, so Vinara has been somewhat fortunate.”

“I see,” Niadra said, looking even more troubled by the explanation.

“Now, then. I need to apologize to the three of you as well. At the least to Isalla and Niadra, as I don’t know how you feel, Rose,” Kitania said, looking at them and swallowing nervously, then letting her gaze drift downward as she continued. “Until you arrived, I thought that your feelings would have changed, Isalla. I believed that as close as you were to Rose, that you’d have fully entered a relationship with her and allowed our relationship to… fade. That’s why I dared grow close to Niadra, and instead I’ve been unfair to both of you.”

“Did you not get my message?” Isalla asked suddenly, her voice vaguely reproachful, and Kitania looked up, blinking.

“You sent a message?” Kitania asked in return, frowning. “I don’t remember any message, though Alserah said that you and Rose were coming, and that she thought I’d have been told.”

“Drat, that’s annoying. I said that I was coming for you in person, and that explains why you never sent a reply,” Isalla said, scowling as she set down her fork, obviously unhappy. “I wasn’t sure how likely a reply was, honestly.”

“I don’t blame you, Kitania. You told me that you weren’t sure if you had anything to go back to, and we both chose to believe that,” Niadra said, glancing at the others before she added. “Not that I’m not envious… you’re beautiful, Rose.”

“Thank you, though a large part of my appearance is the result of magic,” Rose said, smiling slightly as she raised a hand and explained without prompting. “I had a lot of scars and other imperfections before my visit to the hells, and I also didn’t know how to make the most of my appearance. I had a rather lot of help learning to make myself beautiful.”

The angel paused, then looked around the table before speaking further, her voice calm. “Now, that said… I’m sorry as well, Kitania. Our presence brought down a group of assassins on you, and if you weren’t immortal, you’d be dead. I regret that beyond measure, and it made me realize that while we didn’t know one another for long, I truly do like you. Whether romantic or not… that’s another question, and not one I can answer. I know Isalla likes you in a romantic sense, and I’ve learned that I’m not possessive. An awkward morning after meeting your mother taught me that much. I’m not going to begrudge what you’ve done.”

Kitania found some of her tension easing, and she saw Isalla’s lips purse as the angel looked at Kitania for a moment, then at Niadra. Isalla seemed to be debating something, then she finally sighed and shrugged.

“I don’t know what to think. This is all so sudden, and I guess I just got my hopes up, thinking that everything would magically fix itself once we were together again. It isn’t going to, though,” Isalla said, looking faintly disappointed. “I don’t blame you, Kitty. I shouldn’t have thought that what I wanted would be what happened, and I don’t blame the princess, either.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Niadra murmured, visibly relaxing as she looked around the table.

“As am I. I’m also not going to think you’re at fault for what happened at my home, Rose. It was the fault of others, not you,” Kitania said, taking a bite of the pancake, which was a bit cool by this point. She hesitated, then admitted, “As for relationships… I don’t know what to do. This is a mess of my own making, and it isn’t going to be easy to untangle. I do want to track down the angels who betrayed the two of you, but beyond that… I don’t know what I want.”

“Maybe the solution is to simply take your time and make a decision later,” Niadra said, looking at Kitania hopefully. “I mean, I had my doubts about whether you’d stay to begin with, but if I have a chance… well, I’d love for you to stay here. I’m sure Her Grace would, too.”

“That might not be a bad idea,” Kitania agreed, and looked at the others as she asked, “Would you mind that? I don’t want to lead anyone on, mind you, I just… don’t know what I want.”

“Not to mention that offending a goddess wouldn’t be wise,” Vinara said, smirking slightly as she finished her cup of tea. Holding it out for a refill, she continued. “While you can’t die, that doesn’t mean that you’d be able to get away.”

“True, though I don’t think she’d be that upset with me,” Kitania said, then sighed and shook her head. “I’m just not going to be much good without a weapon. Dare I hope that you brought something from Mother for me?”

“As a matter of fact, I have. I’ve also brought something from Lady Anna,” Vinara said, setting down her fork reluctantly, and she glared at Kitania as she added, “It isn’t really fair, you know. Lady Anna doesn’t make things for other people, yet she made you a weapon herself, and its magic is supposed to only work for you.”

Kitania blinked, sitting up straighter at the news, and she smiled in delight, asking eagerly, “Truly? Anna did that for me?”

“I didn’t realize that Anna knew how to make weapons,” Rose murmured, her eyebrows rising.

“She did, and it’s unfair,” Vinara said, sniffing softly. “She has many skills, but some she doesn’t choose to take advantage of for centuries at a time.”

The succubus stood and went over to the packages she’d left in the corner. As she did so, Niadra spoke softly, sounding mystified.

“Who’s Lady Anna?” the elf asked, looking between them curiously.

“I don’t know the details, but she’s an angel who rules the Spire of Confession in Estalia, based on what I heard,” Isalla volunteered quickly.

“She’s also one of the kindest women I’ve ever met,” Rose added, smiling more as she looked off into the distance, hesitating before she added, “I didn’t really learn a lot about her, though. Just that she’s both gentle and powerful.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Kitania informed them, shaking her head slowly, considering what to tell them and picking her words carefully as she did so. She knew at least some of the truth regarding Anna, after all, but she didn’t want to give up Anna’s secret. “Anna has been a loyal servant of my mother for longer than Estalia’s domain has borne her name. I don’t know the details, but Mother encountered Anna on the battlefield when she was weary and almost seeking death. Speaking with her changed Anna’s perspective, and she chose to change her name and appearance to serve my mother. She’s loyal beyond measure, kind, and quite possibly the single most powerful ally Estalia possesses.”

“Wait, really? I knew she was skilled, but we didn’t do much sparring when I was in the spire,” Rose said, sounding slightly incredulous as she stared at Kitania.

“I know less than Kitania, but even I know that Anna is one of the few people that Queen Estalia trusts absolutely. I’ve heard her say that if anyone invaded, she hoped they’d do her the favor of coming through the region around the Spire of Confession so that Anna and the other guards there could crush them,” Vinara said, grinning broadly as she returned with the packages. “I think a lot of people forget that the spire is where the priesthood of Estalia receive the deepest secrets of the faith, as well as where their knights and warriors are trained. It’d be a poor place to challenge lightly.”

“Ah. That is impressive,” Niadra said, her eyes wide, and Kitania saw that even Eziel looked surprised.

“It is. However, first, here’s your new cloudpiercer, Kitania. Anna sent a message directing me to tell you to try not to break it,” Vinara said, handing the cloth-wrapped weapon over. Kitania set down her fork as she took it, hesitating a moment. It seemed rather short for a cloudpiercer to her.

“I’m going to do my best, but my last one… there really wasn’t much of a chance of it surviving. Rosken didn’t, let alone any weapons inside it,” Kitania said, untying the cord holding the cloth in place and sliding it off, then inhaled sharply at the sight of the weapon.

“That’s beautiful,” Niadra breathed, her eyes widening, and Kitania entirely agreed, staring at the weapon in a hint of awe.

The shaft of the cloudpiercer was made of dark red mahogany, and it was shod in mithral. The blade itself was long and curved, forged of mithral with runes carefully etched into it. No, Kitania realized, they’d been formed throughout the forging process, rather than being added afterward, and each of the tiny runes along the length of the blade shimmered with faint gold light. The weapon was just heavy enough to do its job, and the only real problem was that the shaft was too short for the nearly two-foot blade. As she thought that, though, the shaft suddenly extended, growing to nearly five feet in length in an instant, prompting a yelp from Vinara as she dodged.

“Careful! Her note said that it’ll extend if you want it to or shrink down to about what it started at. Heck, if you want it too, apparently it’ll transform into a bejeweled hair stick for safekeeping,” Vinara said, scowling at Kitania in annoyance.

“You might have said that beforehand. I didn’t realize it changed lengths based on what I wanted,” Kitania said, concentrating on the cloudpiercer, and it quickly shrank back to the original size, then there was a popping sound as it turned into a red mahogany hair stick with a mithral-clad handle. She considered it for a moment, then shrugged and slipped it into her hair, murmuring, “I’m going to have to thank her for it when I see her next.”

“You will, or I’m afraid she’ll have to hurt you,” Vinara said, then nodded at the other package as she added, “Your mother provided new armor for you, though. It’s patterned off your old armor from before you disappeared, with flight enchantments as well, since you might end up having to fight angels.”

“That’ll definitely be useful,” Kitania said, picking up the package with a grunt. The armor wasn’t too heavy, but it also wasn’t light. It should be easy to move in once it was properly distributed across her body, at least.

“What sort of flight enchantments?” Niadra asked curiously, leaning forward in her chair to watch Kitania as she opened the sack.

Unwrapping the armor, Kitania couldn’t help a slight smile as she saw the breastplate first. The surface was covered in black enamel, and the weight indicated that the armor must be mithral, likely to help reduce the weight and increase durability. A tiny part of Kitania had been afraid that her mother would go with something brighter, or even match her skin tone. That would’ve made Kitania stand out, and she was thankful that it hadn’t happened.

There was a black sapphire set into the breastplate near where the top of the breastbone would be, and Kitania stroked it, examining the runes as the others looked at the armor as well. It was much like what Kitania remembered wearing years before, and based on that she knew that when fully armored she’d be able to move almost like she wasn’t encumbered at all. The flight spells might be new, but that didn’t matter much.

“Usually they take the form of light in the shape of wings,” Vinara explained, shrugging as she took a sip of her tea with a happy smile. “I’ve never used enchantments like that, since I have wings to begin with, but I’m told that such spells are quite intuitive.”

“I’m guessing that it uses mana stored in the armor, and my mana when that runs out,” Kitania said, glancing up at Vinara from the armor as she smiled. “It’s pretty enough, at least. I feared that Mother might have decided to make it pink or white, which would’ve made me stand out more than I’d like.”

“I don’t think standing out would be bad,” Isalla protested, looking a little taken aback. “White and gold is pretty, for example.”

“Yes, but it also makes the wearer something of a target, unless everyone on one side of the battlefield is in similar colors. It’s part of why the Order of the Phoenix makes certain that everyone uses similar armor. They don’t want the commanders standing out and being targeted,” Rose explained, glancing at Kitania as she added a bit wryly, “On the other hand, is black really that much better?”

“I prefer not shining like a beacon,” Kitania replied, taking out a gauntlet and showing it to the others as she added, “Like this, for instance. You’ll note that it doesn’t shine like chitin or the like. Since it isn’t as reflective, it helps keep from being spotted quite as easily. Sure, I’d stand out like a sore thumb in a field on a bright day, but I’m not going to be nearly as visible in the shadows.”

“I suppose, though I think you’d still stand out in most areas of the forest,” Niadra commented, frowning slightly. “It’s too dark, in a way.”

“You can’t have everything, not unless you go with mottled shades to try to blend in with your surroundings,” Kitania said, smiling thinly. “While that’s good in some situations, it isn’t necessarily good in all of them. Besides, this armor would blend in far more readily in the hells.”

“It would?” Niadra asked, blinking in surprise.

“That’s true,” Isalla agreed, looking at Niadra as she explained. “The entire environment of the hells is simply darker. The sun is a dull red, the clouds are gray or black, and at least in the area where Kitania lived, the plants were much darker as well. Her house and the village were made from wood not unlike ebony, because that was what grew in the area. Dark-colored armor would definitely blend in more easily.”

“Huh, I didn’t realize that. I mean, there are tales about the hells, but I’ve never seen them myself,” Niadra murmured, looking at Kitania curiously.

Kitania laughed softly, putting the gauntlet back and setting the armor aside. She’d try it on later, but for now she needed to finish her breakfast. She considered for a few moments, then spoke softly, an odd sense of sadness washing over her. “The hells are… alien. I think the mortal world is far more beautiful for the most part, and that you should enjoy it here.”

“Which isn’t to say that it’s not worth visiting at some point,” Rose said, her voice calm as she glanced over at Kitania with a smile. “While the hells are dark and dangerous, there is beauty there, and if you only experience this world, you’ll never be able to fully understand the perspective of those from other worlds.”

“I suppose that’s true. I’ve visited a few of the neighboring nations, and it’s kind of interesting to see where they’ve influenced us, or we’ve influenced them. Even with the similarities, though, the perspective is very different,” Niadra said, and she smiled as she added, “Maybe I’ll visit the hells someday.”

“We won’t be able to if there’s a war, though. Not reasonably,” Kitania interjected, feeling some of the tension in her spine easing at the more relaxed attitude around the table.

“We’ll just have to keep one from breaking out, then,” Isalla chimed in, smiling broadly as she glanced around the table. “After all, we need time to figure out who gets to keep Kitania!”

Kitania blushed as the chorus of laughter rippled around the table. She considered saying something, but decided that it wasn’t worth trying to interject. The others would just tease her mercilessly.

Besides, there was a tiny part of her that was considering how she could finagle things so that she didn’t have to give up any of them. It didn’t feel likely to her, but at least Rose didn’t seem to object. That was a start.

Chapter 39

Ethris entered the room at a brisk pace, accompanied by a nervous-looking elven man. Alserah didn’t recognize him, but that wasn’t a surprise. His uniform indicated he was part of the army, though his physique and attitude made her think he wasn’t a warrior.

Alserah was accompanied by her usual council, and King Rayvan was hurrying back to the palace now that her messages had reached him. In the meantime, Ethris, Hanrith, Moira, and Oriah would have to suffice for making decisions.

“Who is this, Ethris?” Alserah asked, looking at the brown-haired man intently, and he paled slightly, visibly swallowing.

“This is Lieutenant Jesar Applewood, Your Grace.” Ethris introduced the man, nodding to him as she spoke calmly. “He’s one of the quartermasters for the army, and when I made inquiries based on the information that you acquired, he was able to provide some new information.”

“Indeed? Well, that’s good news, considering the dearth of information we’ve acquired so far,” Alserah said, smiling thinly as she glanced around the table, then asked, “Lieutenant, what is it that you can tell us?”

“I’m not sure how useful it’ll be, Your Grace, but I’m the one who spoke with Corram when he was bidding on supplying the various forts across the kingdom,” Jesar said nervously, taking a deep breath, then letting it out. “He was giving a good deal, so we ended up going with his offer. None of the foodstuffs or materials had any problems, so if you hadn’t asked questions, I wouldn’t have thought anything more of it. I do remember him mentioning that he was working for another angel named Haral, though. He was just her representative in Eldsyr, not in charge of the organization overall.”

“Was?” Hanrith asked, frowning as he pounced on the word, then glanced at Alserah apologetically. “Ah, sorry, Your Grace. I shouldn’t have interrupted.”

“No, no… you’re quite right to note the word,” Alserah said, shaking her head slightly as she looked at Jesar and asked, “Why did you use the term was?”

“When I heard the questions going around, I realized that I hadn’t heard from Corram in a while, Your Grace. I asked around myself, and I found out that he told others that there was some family trouble back in the heavens, so he was returning there, and a replacement would arrive in a month or two,” Jesar explained, paling slightly as he swallowed. “I wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but then I learned that pretty much his entire organization has up and left as well. I don’t claim to know their finances, but that seemed suspicious to me.”

“You’re right, that is suspicious. Combined with other information I’ve heard, it’s also worrying. I assume that you’ve been checking the supplies to see if they’ve been tampered with?” Alserah asked, frowning even more deeply as she grew more concerned.

“I’ve had others start doing so, but they haven’t found anything of note yet. A bit of minor spoilage or the like, but no more than normal, and maybe even less,” Jesar reported, standing up a little straighter as he hesitated, then continued. “If I may… I do remember that Corram asked how many soldiers were in each of the garrisons, though. He said that it was so he could figure out how much to supply more accurately, so I didn’t really think about it at the time.”

“Ah, dragon shit,” Hanrith muttered quietly, and Alserah agreed with the sentiment, even if she didn’t approve of the curse.

“I see. Is there anything else?” Alserah asked, resisting the urge to tap the table. It wouldn’t be good for the confidence of the others to show that she was nervous.

“No, Your Grace. That’s everything I know about it, aside from the amount we paid for the supplies and how they were divvied up,” Jesar replied quickly, looking like he was relaxing a little.

“Thank you, but I don’t believe that we need that information just now. Please go back to your duties,” Alserah replied, and watched the man salute, then quickly head out of the room. He was obviously relieved to be leaving, which amused her, at least a little. Once Jesar was gone, she looked at Ethris and said. “Have a seat. This… is a problem.”

“That’s putting it mildly, Your Grace. If the supplies are good and they were asking about how many people are in the fortresses, that implies we could be looking at an invasion,” Hanrith said, and Alserah couldn’t remember him looking unhappier than he was now. “I could be wrong. I hope I’m wrong, in fact, and that they were using the information to simply figure out where they could raid with the fewest soldiers available to intercept them, but I don’t think we can rely on that.”

“No, but even if they know how many people are in the fortresses, they don’t know about everything that’s inside them,” Ethris replied and glanced at Oriah as she asked, “Oriah, how has your deployment of the ballistae been going?”

“Um, tolerably well. Most of the major forts have the upgraded ballistae now,” the artificer said, frowning slightly. “Only two apiece at best, save for the palace, but the team is doing well.”

“Good,” Alserah said, nodding slightly before adding, “How well would the ballistae work against angels, if it came to that?”

“They’ll work equally well against anything flying, as far as I know. We were considering trying to create some that specifically targeted natives of the hells but decided that’d make it harder if we were invaded by one of the Fallen Kingdoms,” Oriah reported, sitting up straighter as she smiled. “No, they’re fast, adjust their flight to hit targets, and the bolts are made to pierce most types of armor. I guarantee that they’ll ruin the day of any flying attackers, whether they’re angels or demons.”

“Good. I hope we don’t have to use them for that purpose, but I’m glad your creations are ready,” Alserah said, glancing at Ethris again as she added, “What of the wards?”

“Most of the early-warning wards are on the borders nearest the front lines, so they’re in poor positions to detect any angels,” Ethris said, looking rather unhappy. “I’ve had the magi reinforcing the wards in the cities and fortresses and will let them know that they could be under attack soon, but there’s not much I can do in a short time.”

“Do what you can and make certain that the palace’s wards are examined as well,” Alserah ordered, then looked at Moira. “What of the priesthood and knightly orders?”

“Word has been spread to be on the lookout for angels in unusual places, and I have some preliminary reports of some of them near Eldsyr, but nothing certain of yet. The local knights are following up on that now. The knightly orders have been warned that they should be ready to defend the cities and towns at a moment’s notice, and the Aerie of Bows stands ready,” Moira said, looking back at Alserah with a calm gaze. “The temples have begun preparations to serve as refuges, and their stockpiles of necessary supplies are in excellent condition in most cases. The handful that aren’t will be examined more closely once the current state of concern passes, and the priesthood on site are doing what they can to remedy the situation. We’re as prepared as I can manage, My Lady.”

“Excellent. There’s not much else that you can do, especially when we don’t know what it is that this Haral is planning,” Alserah said, nodding in satisfaction. Finally, she looked at Hanrith and asked, “How well prepared is the palace guard?”

“After the attacks on Her Highness’s guards, everyone has been on high alert. None of them want to have a repeat of that, and they’re furious that someone would attack from the shadows. As such, the palace’s security is in far better condition than it has been in years,” the soldier said, and frowned as he continued. “I’ve passed your concerns on to the general, and he says that they’re heightening security across the country. I doubt that all of the commanders will take the instructions as seriously as we’d prefer, but there isn’t anything we can do about that.”

“There never is,” Alserah agreed. She considered the others for a long minute, then nodded and stood. “Unfortunately, that’s all we can do right now. Keep investigating and reinforce defenses across the realm. As soon as the king reaches the palace, I’ll explain what has happened to him.”

“I hope we can figure out what it is these renegade angels have planned,” Ethris murmured, standing as well. “The lack of information worries me.”

Alserah nodded in agreement, her own worries growing deeper. She hoped they had time, but she wasn’t going to rely on that. Fortune favored the prepared, after all.

Chapter 40

As Haral watched, the last of the stones turned blue, and she let out a breath of relief. She’d been waiting for two days for the last of the spells to stabilize and finally she could enact her plan. First she had to warn the others, though.

“Adrian?” Haral called out, and after a couple of seconds the angel poked his head in.

“Yes, Lady Haral?” Adrian asked, his face lighting up at the sight of her. Adrian had fallen in love with her, Haral knew, which was really too bad for him. She didn’t mind it, as it also made him more willing to do what she asked, but she wasn’t interested in the young man at all. She was in a relationship, after all, and she wasn’t going to lead the young man on just for the sake of convenience. On the other hand, she didn’t want to reject him too hard, not in the middle of everything.

Haral nodded at the stones, explaining gently. “It appears that everything is ready. If you’d let the others know to be prepared for battle? While it’s unlikely that the elves will be in a position to send anyone after us, I don’t want to risk them taking us unaware.”

“Of course, Lady Haral, right away!” Adrian replied, a flash of relief flickering across his face. “How soon do you expect to begin?”

“Based on what I was told, it’ll take approximately half of an hour before the beasts are ready. At that point, I suspect the results will be rather sudden,” Haral said, and she took a step to the side, pulling out a box.

“I’ll let them know,” Adrian promised, and quickly headed down the hall.

“Good boy, isn’t he? And a proper angel, too. Unlike so many of the others in the heavens,” Haral murmured, smiling as she opened the box.

Inside was a bracelet, one forged of golden strands woven together with platinum, and it had a ruby at the center of it. Around the glittering ruby were twenty onyx gems, each black as pitch and perfectly cut. The bracelet shimmered with magic, and Haral hesitated for just a moment before slipping it over her left wrist. She could feel its power and shivered, waiting to feel the slight throb as it attuned to her thoughts.

“There we are,” Haral murmured as she set the box aside, then picked up the first stone. Touching it against the ruby, she waited patiently as the light was slowly absorbed by the ruby, and one of the onyx jewels began to glow a soft blue. Nodding to herself, the angel set the stone aside and began to do the same with the other stones as well.

One by one the gems on the bracelet lit up, and Haral smiled as she began to sense the spells and creatures that the magic item linked her to. Haral could feel them in the distance, but she wasn’t going to act until she had them all ready.

Eventually Haral finished, and she could feel the bracelet practically throbbing with dangerous power. It was the tool to unleash devastation, and despite her beliefs and plans, there was a part of Haral that hesitated.

The memory of Eldsyr flashed through her mind, of its towers and the people who walked its streets. She’d seen children laughing and playing around fountains and in the parks, and more than a few had pointed at her in awe, waving excitedly when they saw her flying overhead. Their innocence had been refreshing, and it made Haral regret what she was going to do.

“There’s no other choice. Sacrifices have to be made for the world to be cleansed of evil. Maybe, just maybe, some of them will survive and become wiser than their forebears,” Haral murmured… and she mentally reached out and activated the enchantments she sensed.

* * *

Across the breadth of the Forest of Sighs, twenty crates had been hidden. The crates were simple and nondescript, but inside each of them were elaborate frameworks made of precious metals and dark stone, the surface of them etched with runes that glowed with magic.

Not all of the crates had been hidden well enough, though. A group of hunters had found one, and upon opening it they’d chosen to take it back to their camp. They intended to have a mage determine what the device was before selling it and splitting the profits, though there was a good deal of argument over how much of a percentage each would get.

While the elves argued, the device’s runes flickered with light, turning a deep, dull red. The device clicked several times, drawing the attention of one of the hunters, but it was far too late for them. None of the hunters had time to investigate or run as the device, the crate, and the building it was in exploded.

An immense figure emerged from the ruins, expanding from a size tinier than a pea to half the size of a castle in seconds, and a strange, unearthly cry echoed across the landscape as its mass crushed everything nearby. The titanic creature looked like a worm with a fanged maw large enough to swallow two oxen at once, and glittering black eyes dotted the surface of its body around the maw, though if one looked closely, they’d be able to see that there was an unearthly blue glow in the depths of its eyes.

The creature writhed, shattering trees and the other huts near where it’d been kept, and the dull red scales along its body began to glow. At first, the glow was dim, but slowly it brightened, until lines of fiery light extended the full length of the worm’s body, and it reared back, then lunged forward with a scream as it emitted a jet of fire a hundred feet long, one so hot that several trees exploded instantly, and a line of the forest was set ablaze.

* * *

Half of the boxes contained worms like the first, while the other half were something far different. Along the coast, a box exploded to allow a gigantic eagle with vivid purple feathers to emerge, its eyes containing the same blue glow. The bird’s wingspan was immense, and its talons could eviscerate a horse with ease.

As it extended its wings to take flight, the wind unleashed by the creature was far greater than it should have been, cracking trees and ripping leaves from their branches. Lightning crackled around the bird, seething as it all but begged for release. The bird didn’t allow the lightning to do as it wished, though, instead circling upward as it unleashed a windstorm around it.

* * *

Haral shivered as she sensed all the creatures that she’d released from their prisons. Storm phoenixes were rare and malevolent denizens of the hells, so it had taken centuries of work to gather the ones the Society of Golden Dawn possessed, and the same was true of the hellfire worms. Any one of the creatures was a living natural disaster in the hells, and she’d been given ten of each to wreak destruction on the Forest of Sighs.

In all honesty, Haral doubted that any of the creatures would be a threat to Alserah in single combat, but that was why they were scattered across the country, aside from the worm near the palace. The point was to destroy faith in Alserah and pin the blame on the hells. With that in mind, she extended her hand and concentrated on each of the creatures, commanding them to seek out the targets she’d selected.

The monsters began to move, and Haral quickly stood and headed for the armory. She needed to get into her armor and prepare, just in case Alserah realized what was happening and tracked her down. If she did, though… Haral smiled to herself.

“If the goddess comes here, she’s going to be in for a rude surprise,” Haral murmured, thinking about the magical formation around her hilltop, the storm phoenix that could easily come to their aid, and above all, the additional arrow that had barely been finished and delivered a week before.

The society’s leaders had placed a lot of trust in Haral, and she wasn’t going to let them down.

Chapter 41

Kitania woke to the sound of alarm bells, and her eyes snapped open as she immediately struggled out of bed. For an instant, she forgot where she was, then Kitania let out a breath of relief as she realized that she was in her room in Alserah’s palace. Niadra hadn’t accompanied her the previous night, not after the awkward conversations of the day, which helped her relax, if only just.

Even so, the sound of alarm bells worried Kitania, and she only hesitated for an instant before she lunged toward the armor rack she’d been given, grabbing the gambeson so she could put on her new armor. It wouldn’t take too long to put on, not with the enchantments making it easier for Kitania to prepare, but it still wouldn’t be easy.

A flash of green light illuminated her room, and Kitania swore, spinning around as she snatched the nearby hair stick that was her cloudpiercer, preparing to defend herself. Just as it fully revealed itself as a weapon, Kitania paused at the sight of Vinara, the succubus barely dressed but looking fully awake.

“What are you doing here?” Kitania demanded suspiciously, her blade pointed at the succubus.

“I’m going to help you into your armor, of course,” Vinara snapped, glowering at Kitania as she sniffed loudly. “I know you’re not happy with how I’ve acted, but with an alarm going off, someone needs to help you.”

Kitania hesitated for a moment, then nodded and replied bluntly, setting her weapon aside as she continued putting her armor on. “Fine, then. Do you know what’s happening?”

“Not a clue,” Vinara replied, shaking her head as she helped Kitania into the armor. “I woke up not long ago, and the alarm went up rather quickly. Plus, I think I see a lot of smoke and light from the east. That doesn’t bode well.”

“That’s an understatement. I wouldn’t think that we’d be dealing with a forest fire in the middle of summer. Maybe toward the end, but…” Kitania’s voice trailed off, then she chuckled darkly as she added, “On the other hand, what do I know? I don’t know enough about the mortal world to be certain of that.”

“True,” Vinara replied, sounding slightly amused as she helped settle the pauldrons into place. “I don’t know either, and—”

Vinara was interrupted by a faint, high-pitched scream of a creature. The scream wasn’t too clear, but even the sound of it chilled Kitania’s blood, and she looked at Vinara in shock, then the two of them spoke at the same time.

“A hellfire worm,” they said in unison, and Kitania felt disbelief course through her.

“That’s impossible! They can’t cross water and aren’t native to the area around the portal on this continent!” Kitania protested, speeding up anyway.

“Which means the damned thing had help getting here, and that the locals won’t know its weak points,” Vinara said, glowering as she continued. “Want to bet the angels are trying to pin it on the demons again?”

“Not a chance. I don’t need to lose money, or more respect from the others,” Kitania said, prompting a chuckle from Vinara.

A moment later, there was a rapping at Kitania’s door, then it opened as Niadra spoke, her voice a little frantic. “Kitania, the alarms are going off, and I heard something—ah!”

“We heard it, and Vinara somehow teleported into my room to help me into my armor,” Kitania said, glancing over to see the princess in a nightgown and robe, looking startled. Kitania took a moment to smile reassuringly as she asked, “Do you have any idea where Commander Northwind or Her Grace will be? We heard a horrible creature out there, one native to the hells which shouldn’t be here.”

“I… I’m not sure, but I’d think they’d be heading for her office, or maybe the training grounds for the soldiers,” Niadra said, swallowing hard in worry. “You look worried. Is it that bad?”

“Hellfire worms are often a threat to entire cities. One attacking here is… unprecedented, but at least we know its weaknesses, what it has of them,” Vinara said, her voice taut. “I’ll be some use against it. Kitania will be mostly useless.”

“Irrelevant either way. Based on the attack which blasted me on arrival, if it breaks through the outer wall, it’s dead as a doornail,” Kitania replied flatly, shaking her head. “That isn’t even considering Alserah herself. She’s immensely powerful, and took out a dream spider in a single, casual shot. It’ll die, the only question is how long it takes.”

“If you say so,” Vinara said, stepping back as the last strap was secured. “There, as ready as you’ll ever be. Let’s go.”

“You’re half-naked, though!” Niadra protested, staring at Vinara while Kitania grabbed her cloudpiercer again.

“Am I? Well, as a mage that doesn’t much matter, as I’m going to weave defensive spells as I fly,” Vinara said, smiling broadly at Niadra. “Don’t worry about that. I’m afraid we need to go.”

“Stay safe, Niadra. We’re going to help eliminate the monster, then we can find out what’s going on,” Kitania said, smiling at the princess. Vinara was already heading for the door to the balcony, so Kitania slipped on her helmet and followed her.

“You be safe, too!” Niadra called after them, sounding incredibly worried.

The second she got onto the balcony, Kitania could see what Vinara had meant about the forest. It was still the middle of the night, but she could see the smoke rising in a broad swathe to the east, along with spreading flames that illuminated the night somewhat.

Kitania frowned as she saw how the flames weren’t widespread, though, and after a moment she spoke. “It’s coming straight at the palace.”

“Which means it’s definitely not just a hellfire worm. They’re never that single-minded,” Vinara agreed, spreading her wings. “I see some soldiers gathering to the southeast, and it looks like they’re reporting to someone. Shall we?”

“Sure,” Kitania agreed, and she drew on her mana and sent it into her armor. As she did so, she felt the armor grow lighter, and a strange sensation washed through her as feathery wings formed of shadow sprang from her back. Kitania glanced back and blinked, then willed herself upward… and found herself flying rather suddenly as she gasped. “Ack! That… is more than just intuitive!”

Vinara laughed, then gave chase, teasing. “Is that so? Well, at least it’s something you can wrap your mind around. I find it amusing that Her Majesty gave your wings black feathers.”

“We’re in a bit of a situation, you know, so I’d appreciate it if you would focus,” Kitania retorted, taking a few moments to figure out how to fly properly, then moved toward the training ground, where she could see dozens of soldiers.

While she was flying, Kitania flinched as the immense spell towers unleashed a torrent of magical blasts at what must be the hellfire worm. Unfortunately, Kitania knew that hellfire worms had magical defenses that protected them from most magic that wasn’t cast from point-blank range.

“I’m not the one who brought the beast here, and it isn’t like I’m delaying us,” Vinara replied, her smile fading as she saw the soldiers stir, and several of them pulled out their bows. “If they shoot at us, though…”

A snarled order caused the soldiers to stop, and Kitania came in for a relatively rough landing. The soldiers backed away quickly, and Kitania saw that Hanrith was with several other officers, and he scowled at Kitania in annoyance.

“What is it?” Hanrith snapped, glowering at Kitania almost angrily.

“We’re here to help,” Kitania replied, returning his glare icily. “Vinara and I recognized the creature’s scream, and we’d rather you knew how to kill the damned thing rather than flailing around in trial and error. I don’t suppose you know what it is?”

“Lord Commander, I don’t think we have time for—” one of the female officers began, only to have Hanrith silence her with a look.

“No, we don’t know what it is. Make it fast, we don’t have much time,” Hanrith said, his voice flat, but a hint of hope in his eyes.

Kitania glanced at Vinara, then began speaking. “Hellfire worms are a force of nature in the hells, and they are immune to fire, which isn’t a surprise. They can breathe immense jets of flames, and any magic cast at them from more than ten paces away is severely mitigated or entirely deflected. They spray magma-like blood when injured, and their entire front half is reinforced with bone plates. Even worse, they heal incredibly rapidly, often even regenerating body parts.”

“Any weaknesses?” a man asked, rubbing his chin nervously.

“Yes, they’re vulnerable to cold, and their brain is in the middle of their body, just behind the bony section. It’s defended from attacks from the front but is relatively vulnerable to attacks from the rear,” Vinara chimed in, her voice brisk. “The problem is that it’s deep in the body, so hitting it is difficult, considering that it orients its front half between it and any significant threats. It also has multiple hearts, so don’t bother trying to target those, they’ll just heal.”

“Hells, that’s going to make it a beast to kill,” Hanrith swore, scowling deeply, then spun as he ordered. “Runners! I need you to relay a message to the ballista stations immediately! And someone message the spell towers to stop attacking!”

Kitania was a little nonplussed by the reaction, and how the elves had suddenly begun ignoring her and Vinara. She glanced over at the succubus in confusion, then caught a flash of green and gold from the corner of her eye. Turning her head more, Kitania’s eyes widened as she saw Alserah in full armor, the goddess standing nearby with a calm expression on her face.

“Your Grace, I didn’t realize you were there!” Kitania said, drawing Vinara’s attention to Alserah. The way Vinara jumped at the sight of the goddess was a bit satisfying as well, and Kitania resisted the urge to smile.

“I didn’t announce my presence, and you were speaking,” Alserah said, her voice surprisingly calm, considering the threat that was bearing down on the palace. Another scream shattered the night, and Kitania thought that any wildlife likely had long since fled.

“May I ask why you’re not intervening yourself, Your Grace?” Vinara asked, gesturing toward the inner wall as the elves around them began to move. “I would have expected you to already be trying to exterminate the monster.”

“If you hadn’t given Commander Northwind the information you did, I would have. However, with the information you’ve provided, I’m confident that the guards can defend the palace with only minimal damage,” Alserah replied, her voice grave. The sound of wingbeats drew Kitania’s gaze to the side, and she saw Eziel, Isalla, and Rose approaching. Isalla was wearing sky-blue armor with silver trim, while Rose was wearing her crimson and gold armor, Ember at her side. Conversely, Eziel wasn’t in armor and had a bow in hand, a grim look on her face. However, Alserah wasn’t finished. “Beyond that, unlike Northwind, I have heard of hellfire worms. I didn’t know precisely how to kill them, but I know that they shouldn’t be here. If one is attacking the palace, it’s entirely possible that this is a trap for me, or even a distraction. I must be prepared to act if that’s the case.”

“Ah, I see,” Vinara said, nodding in understanding, then frowned. “Might we go watch from the wall, then? If we need to help…”

“Of course,” Alserah said, smiling and nodding in the direction of the fire as she added, “Fortunately, all of you can fly, or this would be more difficult. I’ll go ahead and wait for you.”

It looked like Alserah only took two or three steps, but she blurred through the air, traveling dozens of feet in moments, and Kitania blinked, then smiled as she murmured softly, “I think she’s a little more concerned than she might claim.”

“Unsurprising,” Vinara said, then glanced at the others and smiled broadly as she added, “Welcome to the land of wakefulness, ladies! It looks like we’re seeing another attempt to pin an attack on the hells. Care to join us and Lady Alserah on the wall?”

“Ah, sure? I’d gathered some of that, but… can you tell us what’s going on?” Isalla asked, looking worried.

Kitania used magic to manifest her wings again, prompting looks of surprise from the others, but took flight as she began explaining. “It appears someone is sending a hellfire worm at the palace. We honestly don’t know much more than that, yet.”

“I’ve heard of hellfire worms. I lost a couple of ancestors to them,” Rose said, frowning as she began flying alongside Kitania, and all the others joined them. “It was during a foray into the hells, and they were lured into a nest.”

“Ooh, that’d be bad. I’m impressed that they didn’t notice it coming, or…” Vinara paused, then asked hesitantly, “The third invasion of Akarat?”

“That’s right,” Rose confirmed, and Kitania winced. She remembered the tales of that battle, where the demon king of Akarat had lured a nest of hellfire worms into the rearguard of an angel and mortal army that was besieging his capital. The results had been horrifying, as the army had been devastated and forced to retreat, while the demons had spent the next decade hunting down all the hellfire worms that nested in the country. It was considered something of a pyrrhic victory.

The sight of the forest as they climbed high enough to look over the second wall distracted all of them, though, and Kitania sucked in a breath at the sight of a long path of scorched forest, along with spreading flames in every direction. The hellfire worm was coming directly for the wall without any deviations, which confirmed her suspicion that it was being controlled. They were just fortunate that the creature couldn’t tunnel here without risking running into water, something that would cause extreme pain for the monster. It was a good half-mile away still, but moving toward them at a slow, steady pace as arrows bounced off its hide and embedded themselves around its maw. Sheets of fire, ice, and lightning were spraying from the spell towers in a torrent, but they weakened to almost nothing as they approached the hellfire worm.

“That’s a waste of arrows,” Rose commented as they soared toward Alserah, who was standing on the wall with her bow in hand.

“Yes, but the messengers haven’t had a chance to tell the archers to cease firing yet. As you can see, even the magi have only now instructed the towers to fall silent,” Alserah said, her ability to hear Rose surprising Kitania a little. They were rather far away, but Kitania did see the waves of magic from the spell towers begin dying off, then they fell silent one after another.

“You have sharp ears, Your Grace,” Isalla said, swooping in to land on the wall. “I wouldn’t have even realized Rose was talking from that distance.”

“I’m a goddess of archery, and I can only strike what I can sense. My senses are… incredibly heightened,” Alserah replied, a smile flickering across her lips as she glanced over to watch them land. “Except when that would harm me, of course. It’s part of the nature of my mantle of power.”

“Ah, much is explained,” Kitania said, smiling slightly, but a little worried at the sight of the hellfire worm moving toward them. It’d take it less than five minutes to reach the wall, at a guess. She hesitated, then asked, “Are you sure they can kill the worm? It’s not that far away.”

“If it were three months ago, I wouldn’t be confident. Two, it’d be possible if they had the information you provided. A month ago, though… that’s when the artillerists were trained with the new enchanted ballista,” Alserah replied, smiling broadly. “I’ve been curious to see them in action, and this is an excellent chance. If they can’t kill it, I’ll act myself.”

“As you wish,” Vinara said, frowning slightly as she glanced at Kitania and grinned. “It isn’t like you’d be much use against it, Kitania.”

“I could too, though it wouldn’t be fun,” Kitania retorted, her gaze fixed on one of the towers where she could see ballista being loaded, and the arrows were slowing to a trickle before stopping. “There are spells that can protect from fire, and I’d regenerate from the damage that made it through. I’d prefer not to go through that, though.”

“I’d prefer that you didn’t get yourself injured as well,” Alserah said, her tone surprisingly mild. “The worm does appear rather upset.”

“To be fair, Kitania’s also been eaten by a hellfire worm before,” Isalla added, and Kitania winced, glancing toward her.

“How do you know about that?” Kitania asked, somewhat plaintively. She’d rather that tale remained buried in the past.

“You what?” Alserah asked, her eyebrows rising as she looked away from the worm.

“Queen Estalia told us,” Rose explained, her fingers drumming on the parapet nervously. “She mentioned it when we met her at the palace, as part of her assuring us you still lived.”

“I see,” Kitania said, almost squirming under Alserah’s regard. She hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly explained. “When I was young, I was severely depressed and decided to jump into a hellfire worm’s nest. It was how we learned I was immortal, since I regenerated after they cut it open.”

Alserah nodded, a flicker of surprise crossing her face as she spoke. “Ah, that would be a way to learn—”

At that moment, the worm inhaled, then let out a scream that shook even the stone walls they were on, and made everyone flinch as it unleashed a massive blast of fire through the forest ahead of it, swiveling its maw to set large swathes of forest on fire, though the trees ended well short of the wall.

Seconds later, two of the nearby ballistae fired, only barely audible from their location, and Kitania could see soldiers moving in their direction, likely to man the wall near where the worm would encounter it. However, she was distracted by the ballista bolts an instant later. Kitania couldn’t quite make out details with how fast they were moving, but they looked different than the bolts she was used to. Normal ballista bolts didn’t turn in midair, either.

The bolts started racing past the worm, then curved around in vicious arcs to slam into its midsection. They were a little too far back as they slammed deep into the beast, prompting the beginning of another roar… then the bolts exploded, causing eruptions of flaming gore to splatter through the sky as the roar of anger changed.

“What was that?” Rose asked, her mouth slightly agape. “The ballista bolts turned!”

“Yes. Our artificers have been working on improved ballista that can more easily target flying creatures such as dragons and some demons. This is their result, ballista that seek the point chosen by the crew leader, and armor-piercing bolts that explode once inside the target,” Alserah said, nodding and smiling as another pair of ballistae fired. “We deployed them just in time, it appears. They’re not perfect, but they’re far better than what we had before them.”

The bolts lanced out and into the wounds opened on the worm before, driving deeper into the closing injuries as they were closer to where the hellfire worm’s brain was, then detonated again. The worm began writhing, which would make targeting significantly harder, Kitania feared. She saw a frown on Vinara’s face, and the succubus began casting a spell. It looked like a detection spell of some type, based on what Kitania could understand, but she didn’t know more than that.

“I’m pretty sure the worm isn’t going to reach us, not with how it’s reacting,” Isalla said, and winced as a couple of the ballista fired, then their bolts went off-course.

One bolt missed the back, instead slamming into the front section of the hellfire worm, and it only penetrated a foot or so before exploding, spraying a shower of bone and a tiny amount of blood outward. The other hit behind the others, dealing a good deal of damage, but not where it needed to.

“No, but it might take them longer to kill it with how it’s thrashing about.” Alserah said, scowling. She put a hand to her bowstring, and a glittering arrow of pure magical energy formed as she spoke. “Perhaps I should—”

“Please wait a moment, Your Grace,” Vinara interrupted, her eyes narrowed and glittering with spectral light. “I can see the spell controlling the worm, and I think I can tell what direction the controller is in.”

“How can you do that?” Isalla asked, looking over at Vinara in surprise, and at the same time Alserah paused, her arrow still half-drawn.

“It isn’t easy, but I can see a faint trace of the magic. It looks like it’s going to the northeast… no, north by northeast,” Vinara said, her gaze flicking across the sky. “It’s hard to see with the aftermath of the spell towers and the ballista, but if you use more powerful magic, I’ll lose it entirely.”

“Ah, that makes more sense,” Alserah said, and the arrow on the string dissipated. “How long do you think it’ll take you to track them down?”

“I can’t, but I can guess how far away they are based on the reaction when the control snaps,” Vinara said, smiling, though her gaze was still fixed on the sky. “It’ll be rough, even so, but control spells like that aren’t something that work over any distance.”

“It looks like they’re going to fire another wave of bolts any second, so maybe you’ll have a chance to see,” Rose commented softly.

Kitania debated, then glanced at Eziel and asked softly, “Did you know anything about this?”

“No, I’ve never even heard of monsters like that, Lady Kitania,” Eziel replied instantly, shaking her head with her eyes wide. “This is new to me, and horrifying.”

The firing of the ballista drew Kitania’s attention, and this time the four fired in rapid succession. The bolts couldn’t target perfectly, but neither was the writhing a perfect defense, and one after another the bolts slammed home, bursting as they pierced deep into the creature.

Kitania wasn’t sure which of the strikes killed the hellfire worm. Their angle wasn’t good enough for that, but she saw the moment its spasms grew wilder, and Vinara’s reaction was striking.

“There it goes!” the succubus exclaimed, her gaze tracking across the sky as she continued. “Probably… between fifty and a hundred miles. What’s in that direction?”

“Several towns and cities,” Alserah said, turning as her eyes flickered with anger. “Come with me, please. I have some maps, and we can track down who’s responsible for this. I doubt this is the end.”

“As you say,” Kitania said, glancing back as the thrashing of the hellfire worm began to slow, and oozing, flaming blood slowly seeped across the earth. The forest was on fire, which she considered a horrific shame, considering how beautiful it was.

On the other hand, she also saw storm clouds forming above the forest, so maybe the elves were going to be dealing with that shortly. She hoped so, and that this didn’t bode too poorly for the kingdom. The sinking feeling in her stomach didn’t give Kitania high hopes, though.

Chapter 42

“Your Grace, we have a major problem!” Hanrith exclaimed as he burst into the conference room. Kitania and the others hadn’t even had a chance to finish rolling out the map, and Alserah looked up sharply, frowning at the man.

“What is it, Commander?” Alserah asked, her voice calmer than Kitania would have been able to manage.

“Reports are coming in from across the country; at least six more hellfire worms have been sighted, along with five titanic birds that seem to be controlling storms!” the man explained, practically breathless as he swallowed hard, glancing at the others nervously as he continued. “Naer is being flooded by waves unleashed by the bird, and Mist is under attack by one of them and a hellfire worm as well. Multiple cities and forts across the country are under attack, and losses are mounting, though the new ballista and magi are doing what they can.”

“Oh, tears of the heavens… what do they think they’re doing?” Isalla said, her voice filled with disbelief, and Kitania winced as she saw the horror on the young angel’s face. She hesitated, then reached out to squeeze Isalla’s hand gently, even though they both were wearing gauntlets. Isalla squeezed it back, her horror easing slightly, which reassured Kitania.

“Assuming it’s the angels who’re behind all the other events we’ve heard about, they’re obviously trying to hit my weaknesses. I have to protect my people, and I can only be in one place at a time,” Alserah said, her voice taut now, and she looked at Hanrith. “What do these birds look like?”

“Gigantic, purple, and they control wind and lightning, from what the reports said. The new ballista are of limited use against them, as the wind blows most projectiles away,” Hanrith reported, and Kitania couldn’t help cursing in disbelief.

“Hellfire and brimstone, where’d they find five storm phoenixes?” she demanded angrily, looking at Vinara in disbelief. “I haven’t heard of any of those rampaging in over a century, and they’re native to the hells, too!”

“This might be why you haven’t heard of them rampaging in so long,” Rose interjected, scowling deeply as she leaned over the map. “If someone’s been capturing them for use in a situation like this…”

“Speculation on why can wait. Commander, mark the cities that are under attack. Use cavalry for the worms, and infantry for the birds,” Alserah ordered. Hanrith nodded and quickly opened a cabinet, pulling out small figures in the shape of infantry and mounted soldiers. While he worked, the goddess glanced at Vinara as she added, “Lady Vinara, would you please try to approximate where you believe the source of the magical control you detected is?”

“Certainly. Looking at the area, and direction…” Vinara murmured, examining the map closely as she frowned, considering the matter. While she did, Hanrith was quickly placing both types of figures at various points around the map, and the sight made Kitania’s stomach tighten. The sheer area the monsters were spread over meant that even if Alserah acted instantly, it’d take far too long to respond to each in turn. By the time she did, multiple areas would be devastated.

Vinara distracted everyone when she tapped the map, though, her finger touching a city near the north edge of the kingdom. Kitania couldn’t see the name of the city, but the succubus spoke softly. “Near here. I can’t be precise, since I’ve only seen one of the creatures from a long distance, but based on where the other monsters are, the person controlling them can’t be beyond your northern border and should be within ten miles of this city, based on my estimates.”

“Eldsyr? It is where Corram was supposedly based, and there was some additional activity the knights were investigating around it,” Alserah said, her gaze hardening. “I think—”

A knock at the door interrupted her, and a soldier stepped inside, looking frazzled as she spoke. “Sir, Milady, my apologies, more monsters have been sighted!”

“Show me where, and what types,” Hanrith snapped, looking up quickly, and Kitania heard Isalla’s breath hiss out.

“This is bad,” Alserah said, her voice grim. “Half the country could be destroyed if this keeps up.”

“Not if we’re fast enough. There’s no way that any mage could control this many powerful monsters over such a wide area, not even an archmage. They have to be using a tool to control them,” Vinara said, looking up at the goddess quickly, and as they watched, the figure of a soldier was placed by Eldsyr. The succubus considered for a moment, then pointed at the figure. “If you get me to it, I can pin down about where the controller is, and we can use the device to turn the monsters against one another and force the hellfire worms into water. That’ll kill them, if it’s deep enough.”

“I’d gladly help. Though I may not be much use against hellfire worms, I should be able to fight the phoenixes,” Kitania volunteered quietly, worried about what was happening, and hesitated before adding, “Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re expecting you to come for them. I wouldn’t go alone, Your Grace.”

“I hadn’t planned to. This is far too carefully laid out to be anything but a trap,” Alserah said, and nodded sharply, looking at Hanrith as she spoke firmly. “Commander, hold the palace and ensure that any attackers don’t gain a foothold. I suspect they won’t strike here again, but the spell towers should deal with any of the phoenixes if they appear. I’m going to Mist to deal with the attackers there, then to Eldsyr via teleportation. Lady Vinara, you’re accompanying me, as well as Kitania?”

“Of course,” Vinara said, nodding and smiling thinly. “I want to help dismantle the plots targeting the hells. And you, for that matter.”

“The palace will hold, Your Grace,” Hanrith vowed, saluting sharply.

“I’ll join you as well,” Rose said, smiling as she opened her mouth to continue, but Isalla interrupted.

“No, we’ll join you,” Isalla said, her voice hard as iron. “I have an axe to grind with Haral, if she’s behind this, and anyone who can command this is bound to know more than Eziel.”

“Very well, you’re welcome to join me,” Alserah said, nodding as she smiled slightly. “An odd group, I must say. However, speaking of Eziel…”

“I would be little help under the circumstances, but I will assist to the best of my abilities if that is what Lady Kitania desires,” Eziel replied softly. Kitania looked at her again, her feelings about the woman still mixed.

“No, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Kitania said, shaking her head slowly. If the woman was loyal, though… after a moment she continued. “Instead, I’d like you to protect Princess Sellis for the duration of this conflict. She can do what she likes but protect her like she was me.”

“As you wish, Milady,” Eziel said, bowing deeply.

“Excellent. Each of you, if you’re not prepared, you have two to three minutes. Meet near the throne room,” Alserah ordered, straightening quickly. She glanced at Hanrith again as she added, “Inform the garrisons of how to kill the worms as well, Commander. We’ll make this as fast as possible.”

“I’ll return momentarily, Your Grace,” Vinara replied as Hanrith acknowledged the order, then the succubus darted toward the door. Isalla hesitated for an instant, then followed her, while Eziel made for the exit at a slightly slower pace.

“I’m ready as it is,” Rose said simply, glancing at Kitania. “You?”

“Vinara helped me, so I’m ready to go,” Kitania replied, smiling a little in return, though she felt a little uncertain as she looked back at Rose, who was almost even more beautiful than she’d been before.

It was probably the armor, Kitania realized. The mess she’d gotten herself into with Niadra and Alserah was giving her a headache, and it also made her feel guilty about everything she’d done since she came to the palace. There were so many things she could have done that wouldn’t have led to Niadra being hurt or wondering what Rose and the others really thought of her.

“This way, then. There is a teleportation circle in the palace, but any incoming teleportations end up in the courtyard, which is why you appeared there, Kitania,” Alserah said, her gaze flicking between the two before she headed out of the room, leaving behind Hanrith and the soldier who’d come in. Her voice was brisk as she continued. “It will take two teleportations to reach Eldsyr, so we’d best deal with the monsters in Mist first. What can you tell me about storm phoenixes?”

“Ah, that explains some of it… though presumably they’d still have sent me somewhere I’d have been targeted by as powerful of attacks as possible,” Kitania murmured, quickly following the goddess out into the hallway and toward the throne room. The servants she could see looked rather distraught, but they quickly stepped out of the way, bowing or curtseying deeply at the sight of Alserah. Kitania quickly organized her thoughts, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“A storm phoenix is native to the hells, like we said before, and they’re poor-tempered at the best of times, unlike the relatively benevolent fire or ice phoenixes,” Kitania explained, glancing at Rose to see if the angel was going to interject, but Rose seemed curious as well, so Kitania continued nervously. “Their magic is that of lightning and thunderstorms, which they can also use to influence the sea as well. I’ve heard of them conjuring waterspouts and tornadoes in their presence and getting close to them is difficult as they’re protected by high winds and can emit lightning from their bodies. Even injuring them can be difficult since their feathers are like armor or blades, and they’re incredibly agile. They also tend to be reborn in lightning, so it’s difficult to permanently kill them.”

“Destroy their heart.” Rose spoke softly, and Kitania looked at her, blinking in confusion.

“What?” Kitania asked, a little surprised by the interruption. Alserah slowed as well, glancing back at them.

“It’s not well-known, but to destroy a phoenix, you need to destroy their heart.” Rose said, glancing around to ensure no one else was in earshot. “They tend to self-immolate or the like when they die, which hides the fact their heart survives it, and they’re reborn from their heart. Destroy it, though, and they’re as mortal as any other powerful being.”

“That’s good to know. I’d probably have gone for the head instead,” Alserah said, nodding ever so slightly as she considered, then added, “I suspect that the Order of the Phoenix does its best not to let that knowledge spread, so thank you.”

“That’s right, so please don’t spread it more than you must,” Rose said, smiling slightly, and hesitated for a moment before adding, “Most members of the order don’t know about that, in fact. I don’t think Isalla knows.”

“I see. Thank you, Rose,” Kitania said, hesitating for a moment more, then reaching out to squeeze the angel’s hand through her gauntlet. At Rose’s look of surprise, she resisted the urge to flush, instead clearing her voice before she continued. “I didn’t know that, and if it’s something normally kept secret by your order…”

“My former order, but thank you. Your concern is appreciated,” Rose said, smiling a little more warmly, then glanced at Alserah and added, “Though I do find myself disconcerted at what I think is a hint of jealousy from Her Grace.”

Kitania blinked, then looked back toward Alserah, and she barely caught a hint of a blush on the goddess’s face as she looked in front of her and sped up again, Alserah’s back straightening. A moment later, the goddess replied, her voice slightly more precise than it had been. “This isn’t the time to discuss such things. I have a kingdom to save, after all.”

“As you say, Your Grace,” Rose replied respectfully but looked at Kitania curiously.

For her part, Kitania shrugged helplessly, not willing to discuss her confusing situation in such a public space. Instead, she focused on keeping up, and in short order they reached a door near the throne room. Alserah murmured a word and touched the door, which unlocked, then turned to wait.

“Now we just need the others to catch up,” Alserah said, crossing her arms as she waited, studiously ignoring Kitania and Rose.

“May I ask why you aren’t having any of your magi accompany us?” Rose asked, letting go of Kitania’s hand as she stepped out of the way. “I’d think that they’d be helpful for stopping the attacks.”

“They might, but the palace doesn’t have as many magi here as you might think. Between the spell towers, my presence, and the variety of wards over the walls, there isn’t as much of a need for them,” Alserah explained, seeming to relax slightly. “Instead, the majority of magi in service to the kingdom are spread out between the cities and fortresses, allowing them to assist the populations in the case of invasion. Those here are best suited to ensuring the palace remains intact.”

“Reasonable enough, I think,” Kitania murmured, glancing down the hall as she heard rapid footsteps. “Now, the question is, is that someone we’re expecting, or another disaster that just struck?”

Vinara turned the corner a moment later, a smile flashing across her face as she almost skidded to a stop in front of them. She was now wearing a deep green robe with black sigils stitched across its surface, one which looked like she’d thrown on over her other clothing, and she was carrying a black wooden staff that had been polished smooth and had dozens of golden runes embedded in it, and Kitania could see the air rippling almost imperceptibly around the staff.

“I see I beat Isalla here. I hope you weren’t waiting long?” Vinara said, barely breathing hard as she settled down.

“We just got here, as a matter of fact. I’m more surprised you got here this quickly,” Alserah replied, looking at Vinara curiously.

The succubus shrugged, half-spreading her wings as she explained. “I jumped into the garden and went over the building, since I left my balcony open. It was faster.”

“That… makes sense. I wouldn’t have thought of it,” Kitania said, pausing and blinking. “Though you might have risked getting shot by defenders.”

“That’s why I also went invisible,” Vinara said calmly, adjusting her robe to fit better.

“I suppose that would be a solution,” Rose murmured, looking at Vinara oddly, especially as the succubus pulled out a monocle and put it over her left eye.

“This helps me see the flow of mana and makes my detection spells work better,” Vinara explained after a moment, obviously taking pity on Rose. “I didn’t have much time earlier and didn’t think I’d need it. Now that I know it’ll be useful, I made certain to pack it and the other things I thought I might need.”

“Ah,” Rose said, nodding in understanding. Kitania resisted the urge to smile, instead looking down the hallway impatiently.

“I wonder what Isalla was going to get?” the demoness murmured, a little worried about the angel as well as the delay it was causing.

“Probably some healing potions or the like. I know she got a few things from Queen Estalia to help in emergencies,” Rose replied, glancing at Kitania in amusement. “She seemed to get along with your mother pretty well, on the whole.”

“Oh, great. That means she probably heard all about some of my escapades from when I was younger,” Kitania said, a sudden sense of dread rushing through her. There were plenty of things in her past that she’d far rather were never talked about again.

“Possibly. She was rather busy much of the time, though, especially since she was trying to learn magic from me,” Vinara said, then tilted her head, looking down the hall. “Ah, there she is.”

The clatter of armor echoed down the hall, and Isalla turned the corner quickly, breathing hard as she raced toward them, then paused, swallowing hard before she spoke, sounding mostly breathless. “Sorry… that took longer than I thought it would.”

“Then it’s time to go,” Alserah said firmly, pushing open the door to reveal a room with a teleportation circle etched into the floor. “The creatures attacking my people aren’t going to wait for us.”

“Of course,” Kitania murmured, as the others added their own agreement to the chorus.

They quickly followed Alserah into the circle, and the goddess raised her hand. Power flowed out of her like a scintillating rainbow and descended into the circle, which lit up in seconds. The sheer amount of power the goddess could unleash was breathtaking, and Kitania inhaled sharply at the prickling sensation across her skin.

Then the world flashed and Kitania’s stomach lurched ever so slightly, like when she was yanked to the side by a carriage abruptly turning. Her stomach quickly settled, but as it did, she heard the cries of alarm and roaring of wind outside. The echoing sound of shattering stone split the air, and Kitania flinched.

Obviously, Mist wasn’t doing well.

Chapter 43

Emerging from the fortress, Kitania ducked as a tree branch came flying at her from the side, just barely dodging the object. Wind was howling around her, and from somewhere ahead of them the night was lit by flames. The sky was thick with clouds, and multiple funnels of tornadoes descended from them to ravage Mist, making Kitania’s heart lurch.

A flash of lightning drew her gaze upward, and Kitania heard Rose swear as the storm phoenix burst out of the clouds in a spin that created yet another funnel behind it. The tornado slowly began descending as the titanic, eagle-like avian flickered with lightning, and Kitania’s eyes widened as she realized that the beast was nearly forty feet long, almost half again larger than she’d expected.

The soldiers she could see were staggering against the wind, looking almost helpless with their bows rendered useless. Kitania saw civilians trudging against the wind to take shelter in the temple next to the castle, but she knew that wouldn’t be enough, not against a hellfire worm, and the tornadoes would tear even the citadel’s walls apart, given enough time.

“I’m going after the worm,” Alserah called out, standing firm against the wind as she looked back at them, her bow manifesting in a flash of light and her gaze flitting over the group before asking, “Can you deal with the phoenix?”

“My flight should be able to deal with the wind; I don’t know about the others,” Kitania replied instantly, not feeling quite as confident as she sounded, but after an instant she began casting a spell to protect herself from the lightning around the phoenix.

“I’ll come with you. My spells will be more effective against the worm. Not that I expect you to need my help, Your Grace,” Vinara added. Kitania looked over to see Isalla and Rose exchange looks, then the two nodded.

“We can help with the phoenix, Your Grace,” Rose said, her voice confident as she unsheathed Ember. “Fortunately, this type of phoenix doesn’t resist fire.”

“Good. Try to kill the creature quickly, before it manages to destroy more of the city,” Alserah said shortly, then raced away at far too high of a speed for Kitania to keep up with, just as she finished her spell. Runes of violet light surrounded her like a shield, then slowly faded to be almost imperceptible.

Vinara cursed softly, then spoke. “Good luck; don’t get yourselves killed. Except Kitania, but she can take it.”

“Thanks,” Kitania replied dryly, watching the succubus go, then looked at the others as she continued. “Let me cast a spell to protect you two from lightning first. This isn’t going to be fun.”

Isalla waited a moment for Kitania to begin casting her spell to reply, smiling as she did so. “Oh? And here I thought that it’d be exciting to fight a giant lightning bird.”

Kitania gave her a dirty look, not interrupting her casting, despite the gusts of wind that were trying to knock her over. Fortunately, Rose interjected gently. “Isalla, now really isn’t the time for humor. Or sarcasm.”

“When else, except when on the eve of battle?” Isalla asked, raising her eyebrows and the faintest hint of a sharp edge to her voice. “If we’re going to risk death, shouldn’t we be honest?”

Kitania reached out and touched the angel’s shoulder as she completed her spell, creating another shell of magic around Isalla as she took a breath, then looked the angel in the eyes as she spoke softly but sincerely. “I’m sorry, Isalla. When I ended up here, I found myself… out of my element. I was alone among those who viewed me with suspicion, and to my knowledge I’d lost everything. I didn’t know if the two of you still lived, and with how I’d pushed you away at the last… I thought you’d grow closer to one another and any interest in me would be gone. So when Niadra expressed interest to me I clung to it. I’m so sorry.”

Isalla’s gaze turned from slightly resentful to shocked as she blinked, her mouth slightly open, then she asked, “Kitty? You’re… what are you talking about? I—”

Rose yanked them both aside as a chunk of rock crashed down from above, and the other angel interrupted harshly. “Enough! We don’t have time for this, Isalla, people are being killed as we speak! Kitania, I don’t need the spell, I’ll just try to stay out of its range. Let’s go.”

“Right,” Kitania said, shaking herself harshly, then she grimaced and channeled mana into her armor. The pair of spectral wings appeared behind her, and she pulled out her cloudpiercer as she examined the storm phoenix grimly, murmuring, “I’ll try to immobilize it for you to finish off, Rose. Here we go.”

The storm phoenix took a moment to strafe a tower on the edge of the castle walls, where a mage had been throwing balls of ice at it to little avail. The people in the tower were blown out of the tower or electrocuted, and Kitania winced as she launched into the air, her flight still slightly unsteady, but she focused on the monster to the exclusion of almost all else.

Even so, she thought she heard something from the two behind her, though it was obscured by the roaring wind, which whipped about the stray hairs that weren’t protected by her helmet.

Kitania ripped through the air like an arrow or ballista bolt, buffeted by the high winds but not straying from her course, at least not until the phoenix circled behind the funnel of a tornado. She hesitated only an instant before twisting around, trying to intercept it on the other side of the funnel, grunting as a stray branch hit her in the midsection, but bounced off her armor and kept whipping through the air as it was drawn into the funnel.

A moment later, Kitania paused as she realized that the phoenix had vanished and frowned, halting as she quickly turned to look for it, only to be interrupted by a distant roar, barely audible over the howling wind that was almost deafening her.

In the distance, she could see the walls of the city, along with a massive breach where the hellfire worm had broken through them. There was rubble all around where it’d made its way into the city, and multiple buildings were on fire. On the other hand, the worm was surrounded by a wall of ice, and it was screaming, enormous wounds ripped into its back half. Nearby the creature was Alserah, and the goddess was shining, a glittering arrow of light on her bow and seven glowing arrows of pure energy hovered in midair around her before she loosed them.

The scream of an avian startled Kitania, and she recoiled abruptly as the phoenix suddenly burst out of the tornado itself, the creature’s wickedly curved beak lashing out at her. Kitania instinctively struck out herself, and the cloudpiercer’s tip bounced off the beak, jarring Kitania’s arms as she was shoved backward. An instant later, the creature’s eyes flashed purple, and lightning blasted out of the phoenix’s wings, discharging toward Kitania.

The spray of lightning slammed into Kitania’s spell, lighting up the runic shield as she grunted. A few flickers of the energy slipped through the shield, sending sharp pain and spasms through Kitania’s body, but the majority of the attack was repelled, just as Kitania had expected.

On the other hand, she was off-balance in midair and the wind around the storm phoenix was making her situation even more precarious. The phoenix screamed again, hurting Kitania’s ears, and she braced herself for pain as it lunged at her, it’s talons opening to rake her, and Kitania prepared to use her cloudpiercer to slam into its chest—

A concentrated blade of fire thirty feet long lashed through the air at that moment, slamming into the phoenix’s left wing, the flames blackening and igniting the feathers on the wing as the beast screamed in pain, obviously distracted. At almost the same time, Isalla lunged up from below, her sword gleaming with magic as she attacked the right wing. Kitania was able to spare an instant to wonder how the angel was flying so easily in the high winds, but she shook off the impulse as the phoenix spun, abandoning its attack on Kitania to get its wing out of harm’s way. Unfortunately for it, that also left the phoenix open to attacks, and Kitania reacted instantly, not worrying that she was off-balance as she shot forward.

The phoenix tried to dodge again as her weapon approached its eye, but even its maneuverability had its limits, and an instant later her blade slammed home, piercing deep into the phoenix’s skull. Then it began to convulse, and Kitania found herself being tossed about like a rag doll as it spiraled through the air, out of control as she desperately tried to hold on to the haft of her weapon.

With every convulsion, the cloudpiercer dug deeper into the phoenix’s skull, and Kitania yelped in pain as one particularly sharp spasm dislocated her right arm. She didn’t think she could keep hold much longer and wasn’t sure what to do.

“Kitania!” Isalla’s scream distracted her, and Kitania glanced behind herself instinctively, only to see the rapidly approaching wall of the castle, and her eyes widened, instinctively releasing her weapon.

A resounding crash echoed through the city as the storm phoenix hit the wall, and Kitania hit the road a second later, bouncing off the stones as sparks flew and she cursed internally. Rolling to her feet, Kitania harshly grabbed her right arm and yanked it back into the socket, hissing at the sharp pain as she looked toward the phoenix, her blood chilling as she saw it beginning to glow a bright purple.

“Everyone get away from it!” Kitania called out to the soldiers on the wall, marveling that the impact of the phoenix against the enchanted wall hadn’t shattered it, but also terribly afraid at the same time. The phoenix would likely explode any moment, then be reborn within minutes, and if they couldn’t get the heart in time, it would be a disaster.

Then she saw Rose almost fall out of the sky, Ember blazing as the angel held it in both hands and plunged it into the chest of the storm phoenix, the blade cutting through flesh and bone easily.

Fire erupted from the blade like a volcano, scorching everything but Rose as it burned deep into the monster’s chest, burning the feathers away in seconds. The glow around the phoenix died as it gave a last convulsion, then slumped heavily against the wall. All around them the storm began to die, and aside from the bells and the distant sounds of screaming and sobbing, the night was silent once again.

Rose stood up, reaching out to dislodge Kitania’s cloudpiercer from the phoenix’s skull, then turned toward Kitania, smiling in a way that made Kitania wince in embarrassment as she said, “You forgot this, Kitania.”

“It’s more like I didn’t have time to yank it out,” Kitania replied, letting out a soft sigh as she approached and took the cloudpiercer, wiping it off on the phoenix’s feathers, and smiled helplessly as she added, “Thank you. I wasn’t much good there, was I?”

Isalla landed nearby, and Kitania could see the funnels of the tornadoes slowly vanishing. Rose blinked at Kitania, looking surprised.

“Not much good? If it hadn’t been for you distracting the phoenix, there’s no way I could have hit it initially. Its reflexes were just too good. Even after injuring it, it probably could have avoided most of my attacks, so you stabbing it left it wide open for me,” Rose replied gently, shaking her head. “No, that wouldn’t have been easy without the help of both of you, if it was even possible.”

“If you’re talking about feeling useless, I think that belongs to me. I didn’t even hit the phoenix,” Isalla said unhappily, shaking her head. “Plus, the worm’s already dead, so we’re probably going to see Alserah and Vinara pretty soon. I think Alserah pretty much killed it on her own.”

“I’m afraid that you and I are essentially the weakest people here,” Kitania told Isalla, shrugging helplessly as she glanced around and added sympathetically, ignoring the elves atop the wall who were staring at them, “I mean, between Her Grace, Vinara, Rose, you, and me. I’m flattered that you think I helped a lot, Rose, but it doesn’t change the fact that my contribution was mostly as bait and taking advantage of the opening you and Isalla gave me.”

“Yeah, and you have the advantage of at least being immortal. I don’t like the idea of being so weak,” Isalla said, shifting unhappily from one foot to another.

It looked like Rose was about to speak, but Alserah appeared an instant later, no longer holding her bow as she glanced over at the phoenix. “Excellent work, all of you. The worm took a bit more killing than I’d hoped, but it fell easily enough. We don’t have much time to loiter, however, not with others attacking across the country.”

“What about Vinara? Is she alright?” Kitania asked, then almost bit her tongue at the look of jealousy that Isalla gave her, her headache growing still stronger. She was pretty sure that Vinara wasn’t interested in her anymore, but this wasn’t a good time for any discussion like that.

“Yes, she should be here any moment,” Alserah said, glancing back as she frowned, shaking her head as she murmured, “You’re all so slow.”

“Not everyone has the power of a deity or archangel,” Rose replied mildly, glancing at Alserah chidingly. “You might remember that, Your Grace.”

“Perhaps, but when my people are in danger, I lose a great deal of patience,” Alserah replied calmly, but there was the faintest hint of an edge to her voice that made Kitania wince. Fortunately, Vinara came into sight at that moment, her wings beating quickly.

“I see you dealt with the phoenix, which is good. Those winds were obnoxious,” Vinara said, sounding a little breathless, but she was smiling as she came in for a landing. “I got a good reading of the direction the control is coming from, and—”

“Your Grace! Thank you for your assistance; the city was in grave peril until you arrived!” a man’s voice interrupted them, and Kitania looked over to see an elven man approaching quickly, wearing a crimson surcoat beneath a breastplate. He was heavily armed, and a crown was on top of his helm. Behind him were nearly twenty soldiers, all in fine armor that looked enchanted.

“Ah, King Rayvan, it’s good to see that you’re well,” Alserah said, smiling briefly, looking surprisingly pleased as she nodded. “I had wondered where you were; however, we have no time for formalities. Someone is controlling these monsters to attack us throughout the kingdom.”

“Truly? That’s terrible news!” the king said, paling as he straightened and asked, “What assistance can I provide, Your Grace?”

“Stay here and assist in restoring order. My companions and I must travel to Eldsyr immediately to find the perpetrator,” Alserah said, her gaze hardening. “There’s no more time to waste.”

“Of course, Your Grace! Our prayers travel with you,” Rayvan said and nodded to his soldiers.

“Good. All of you, let’s go,” Alserah said, and quickly started toward the teleportation chamber once more.

Kitania quickly followed, thankful that at least the pain from her shoulder was quickly subsiding.

Chapter 44

Haral swore softly, scowling as she looked at her bracelet in irritation. Out of the twenty glowing gems, six had already gone dark, which was incredibly frustrating. One had died quickly, which had been expected, considering she’d sent one after the palace, but she hadn’t expected it to die quite that quickly.

Two more had died relatively quickly, almost simultaneously, and after that the deaths had been farther apart. After a few moments, she murmured, “Either Alserah is moving faster than I thought she could, or the elves have stronger defenses than I believed.”

“Lady Haral?” Adrian asked, looking toward her with obvious concern. “Were you speaking to me?”

Haral and the others were atop the hill where she’d taken refuge, several of the other angels hiding in the case of an attack. All of them were armed, and the defensive formations were prepared, just to be safe. Considering the massive thunderhead swirling above Eldsyr to their northwest, Haral was glad that they had it prepared. While she didn’t think that any of the beasts they were using would break free of her control, it was best not to take any chances with them, especially should the storm phoenixes be killed and revive again. Haral wasn’t sure if that would break her control or not.

“No, I was just noting that more of the creatures have been killed by this point than I expected. I’m not sure what did it, but it’s best to be cautious,” Haral replied politely, smiling at the young man. It didn’t cost her anything, and having a devoted bodyguard wasn’t a bad thing.

“Ah, of course! I promise, no one will harm you without going through me first, milady!” Adrian replied, straightening and smiling, his hand going to the sword on his belt.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Haral said, her smile widening slightly.

At that moment, she noticed another gem flicker and die, and in the distance she saw the swirling clouds slow down. At the sight, Haral’s smile faded and she straightened, her hand going to her whip.

“Careful, everyone. It appears that someone killed our instrument in Eldsyr,” Haral said, and all the angels around her quickly drew their weapons.

Haral wasn’t sure if those who’d killed the storm phoenix would come after them, but she wasn’t going to underestimate them at this stage.

* * *

The storm phoenix fell from the sky, feathers flying in every direction. Alserah’s bow vanished as she stared down at the creature, and the shield Kitania had cast for her was still flickering from the lightning that it’d absorbed. The tiny amount of energy that had gotten through the shield had been absorbed by her armor, which was rather fortunate, and Alserah looked up to see her guests watching her.

Only Kitania and Vinara seemed unsurprised by how swiftly the phoenix had fallen, Alserah noted with satisfaction, which only made sense considering their background. Isalla and Rose were staring in far more disbelief, likely because they’d never seen a goddess use her power before. More importantly, focusing on the succubus, it looked like Vinara had gotten the information she needed.

Eldsyr had taken damage during the attack, but it hadn’t been nearly as extensive as what had been inflicted on Mist. The lack of a hellfire worm probably partly explained that, but Alserah had mixed feelings on seeing that most of the attacks by the storm phoenix had focused on the fortifications rather than on the city. It meant that casualties were likely much higher among the city’s defenders, but at least most of the common folk were safe.

With a few steps, Alserah descended to where the others were waiting, focusing on Vinara as she asked bluntly, “Well?”

“As I expected, the link was much stronger here. The source of the control is no more than ten miles in that direction,” Vinara said, pointing to the southeast unerringly, looking slightly grim. “I wish I could see more, but from this distance there’s only so much I can sense with the mana the phoenix stirred up in its attack. My apologies.”

“No apologies are necessary. While it’s possible my magi might have been able to track down these… individuals, I can’t be certain of that, and it certainly wouldn’t occur this quickly,” Alserah replied, turning to face the direction indicated as she concentrated. Despite her enhanced vision, she couldn’t see any sign of enemies, which frustrated her. It was still strange to not have pain every time her emotions welled up, but Alserah ignored her frustration, instead turning back to the others as she asked calmly, “Are you ready?”

“I can cast my defensive spells as we fly,” Kitania said, the demoness looking surprisingly calm under the circumstances, and her gaze was focused.

“I am,” Rose confirmed, then glanced back as she asked, “Do we need to inform the garrison of what we’re doing first?”

“No, Commander Northwind should have informed them by this point. Cutting off the head of the serpent is the priority,” Alserah said, resisting the urge to simply head toward the source of her people’s ailments. As much as she wanted to hurry, it likely was a trap.

“Ready to make some angels have a terrible day,” Vinara murmured, pulling out a green stone, a wicked grin on her face.

“As much as I can be. I’ll guard Vinara,” Isalla said unhappily, looking around the group and sighing. “I think it’s the best position for me.”

“Excellent,” Alserah replied, and without another word she stepped into the air, slowing her movement so that the others would have a chance to keep up. Fortunately, they quickly followed, and Alserah could hear the soft murmuring of Kitania and Vinara casting spells behind her.

They passed over the wreckage of the forest around Eldsyr, and Alserah’s mood darkened still more as she saw the fallen trees, some of them having landed on homes that were outside the city. Even if Eldsyr hadn’t taken the full brunt of attacks that Mist had, the goddess hated to think about how many of her people had been injured. It also enraged her still more, though she was doing her best to bottle up the rage, at least for the moment. Fortunately or not, she had centuries of practice at that.

Soon enough, they were past the region that the storm phoenix had focused on, and the forest was closer to normal, though all wildlife seemed to have fled or hidden, not that Alserah could blame the creatures. Before she’d gained her deific mantle she’d have fled from the monster as well.

A hint of pure white from ahead of her caught Alserah’s attention, and she stopped abruptly as her eyes narrowed. Atop a hill ahead of them were the figures of at least ten angels, and they were all armed and armored. In the center of the group was what Alserah believed was a blonde woman, and she felt her rage almost slip its leash as she nearly manifested her bow. After a moment of hesitation, she called it into being anyway, but she didn’t draw the string, not yet.

“Your Grace, have you seen something?” Rose asked politely, remaining surprisingly calm. Alserah appreciated that, since it helped keep her temper under control. The others were circling her, since only Kitania’s enchanted armor allowed her to easily hover.

“I see angels ahead of us,” Alserah said, pointing at them as she considered, then continued seriously. “I’m debating whether or not to give them a chance to explain themselves.”

“Angels?” Kitania asked, peering into the distance for a long moment, then the demoness admitted, “I… can’t see anything.”

“Mm… no, I don’t either,” Vinara said, and Rose silently shook her head.

“I see a couple of white dots… are those what you’re meaning, Your Grace?” Isalla asked hesitantly, banking to look in the direction in more detail.

“Yes, of course… I forget the limits that others have on their vision,” Alserah said, mentally chiding herself for the mistake. She took a deep breath, then continued. “There are ten of them, in armor and with weapons, and I believe it’s a blonde woman near the center of the group.”

“While I know I’m upset with anyone who might be behind the attack, I don’t think attacking without confirming that they’re at fault is a good idea. It might just make it harder to find whoever is behind this,” Rose said quickly, glancing over at Vinara as she asked, “Would you be able to tell if they have the item controlling the monsters?”

“If we get close enough, yes. Within, oh, half a mile should do it. I can’t see anything from this distance,” the succubus replied unhappily, glancing at Alserah as she apologized. “I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

“No, your help is appreciated. We’ll approach, then, and if they’re at fault, I’ll do everything I can to destroy them,” Alserah said, barely keeping herself from hissing in anger. She started forward again abruptly, not waiting for their replies, though they agreed belatedly, and instead she quickly approached, fingers on the string of her bow.

She wouldn’t make them suffer for what they’d done, Alserah decided coldly, despite the urge to draw things out. No, she would do everything she could to end the battle as quickly as possible. If they were at fault, at least. She had to remind herself that it wasn’t certain that they were.

Despite hugging the treetops, Alserah wasn’t surprised when some of the angels reacted, obviously having seen their company, and she could see the angel in the center pause and look in Alserah’s direction, her eyes narrowing. When she was close enough, Alserah stopped and waited, glancing back to look at the others.

It took a minute for them to catch up, and Vinara took one look at the group, then scowled as she said, “It’s definitely them. The one in the center has… about twelve strands extending from her? No, thirteen. I can’t tell exactly what she’s wearing to control the phoenixes and worms, but she’s definitely the source.”

“In that case, I’m not even bothering with a warning,” Alserah replied, her rage boiling over at last, and she concentrated as she drew the bowstring back, taking aim.

“Your Grace, we can’t afford for the item to—” Vinara suddenly began speaking, sounding almost panicked, and Alserah smiled, concentrating her power into an arrow that manifested on her string, and another ten formed around her, floating in midair.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to destroy it. I’m going to see if I can’t convince them to surrender. Those who survive,” Alserah interrupted.

Then she loosed her arrow.

* * *

“It looks like there’re five of them, Milady,” Devrial reported, her voice taut as she peered through the spyglass. “One succubus, two angels, the goddess, and one… I’m not sure, they have wings that’re see-through. Maybe a fey.”

“Interesting. Hellspawn with them, though… the corruption runs even deeper than I thought it did,” Haral replied, scowling. “Now—”

“The goddess just drew her bow!” Devrial exclaimed suddenly, her voice tense. “She’s firing!”

The exclamation was unnecessary, as even Haral could see the moment that the arrow left the bow, as eleven glowing stars shot toward the heavens, hung in the sky for an instant, then began coming down on them. Haral smiled, confident that their shield would hold against a mere handful of magical arrows.

Her smile froze as the arrows suddenly exploded, splitting apart once, twice, then into dozens, until instead of eleven brilliant attacks, there were more than two hundred arrows descending on them.

“Take cover!” Haral snapped out, and quickly took shelter behind a nearby rock, swearing as the deific barrage descended.

Chapter 45

The silver arrows descended like falling stars, and a glittering dome of gold energy snapped into existence over the hill and some of the trees around it to block them. Kitania hissed in surprise at the sight of the barrier, and how it rippled as it blocked one arrow after another from reaching the angels while they scattered to take cover. Most of the arrows exploded in flashes of light against the barrier, but it cracked and allowed a handful of the arrows through to descend on the angels without mercy.

The barrier had at least slowed the arrows, giving the angels time to take cover, and Kitania scowled as the arrows blasted craters in the hillside, startled at the sheer power of Alserah’s attack, even if most of it had been blocked. Only a single angel had been injured, but it showed just how angry Alserah was.

“That isn’t good. The barrier will make it difficult to defeat them quickly from a distance, and I don’t think you can shatter it easily,” Vinara said bluntly as she looked at the barrier unhappily. “I don’t think the barrier will stop us from entering.”

“Which means it’s a trap,” Kitania said, her tone flat, and she looked at the others for an instant, hesitating before she added. “In that case, I believe I should go in first.”

“Why would you—” Isalla began, then her expression fell slightly as she looked at Kitania, seeming a little more crestfallen as she swallowed, then spoke softly. “Oh. Of course, because you won’t die.”

“Yes, but there’s no guarantee that the attack won’t be something along the lines of what took you away to begin with,” Rose added, her voice quiet as well. “It could also be set up to attack someone they designate, not just the first one inside.”

“Either way, we don’t have time for this. While we’re speaking, my people are dying,” Alserah said harshly, her eyes shining as she looked at them. “Decide, quickly.”

“Agreed.” Kitania said, and without a further word she willed herself forward, mentally taking stock of her mana levels. Not having the transmutations on her bones had given her far more mana to work with, and she quickly decided that she should have more than enough mana to get through the battle, even with the defensive spells she’d woven and the mana gem maintaining her flight being partly depleted.

She saw a flicker of movement as one of the angels took aim at her, and Kitania quickly took a more evasive route, one which churned her stomach a little from how much it jerked her back and forth in midair. Even so, it made their arrows fly wide, and Kitania gripped the haft of her cloudpiercer even more tightly. Once she could’ve knocked most arrows out of the air with it, but she was too out of practice to manage that, at least not yet, and especially not while flying.

It took a couple of minutes for her to reach the barrier, but at least most of that time was spent out of easy bowshot, so the attacks were scattered. She managed to dodge all but a few of the attacks, and those few bounced off her armor uselessly. Kitania made a note to thank her mother for the armor once she had a chance. Then she flew through the barrier… and directly into a column of fire.

“Eat that, hellspawn!” an angel exclaimed as the fire sprayed off Kitania’s armor and wards, and it prompted her to laugh as the angel protested. “What the… how?”

Kitania lunged through the fire at the nearest angel, a woman who looked extremely startled, and that was a little too long to hesitate, as Kitania brought the cloudpiercer around with all her strength, severing her head with a single blow as she retorted, “Using fire on a demon? What are they teaching angels these days?”

“Most of us are rather resistant, yes,” Vinara agreed, and she chanted rapidly as she soared through the barrier, surrounded by gusts of wind that deflected an arrow as Kitania caught a glimpse of her, then the roots beneath the hill’s surface began to writhe and stretched out to restrain the angels.

“Don’t just stand there!” the woman at the back exclaimed, and Kitania’s eyes suddenly narrowed as she recognized Haral’s voice and saw the woman behind a vaguely familiar looking man. Haral was now wearing a breastplate and armor with a sword on her belt, while a glittering bracelet of gold and platinum was wrapped around her left wrist, the onyx and ruby gems set into it glowing visibly.

Most of the angels quickly recoiled out of reach of the roots, but two were immobilized, and hacked at the roots desperately. Fortunately, the angels weren’t going after Kitania, so she braced herself to go after Haral.

“You filthy traitor!” Isalla’s voice interrupted Kitania, causing her to hesitate a mere instant, and Kitania saw Haral hesitate as well, before she abruptly fell back, her wings beating to take her higher into the air as Isalla lunged toward her, two arrows sticking out of her shield. The angel who’d been guarding her intercepted Isalla, blocking her blow with his shield, though he grunted loudly as he was driven back a couple of feet.

“Isalla? Good, I can finish you off at last—” Haral began, then dodged again as a bolt of fire lanced out at her and she scowled, her whip uncoiling as she lashed out, the golden length knocking Rose backward as she spat. “Emberborn, I should’ve known. You too? What depths the pair of you have fallen to, consorting with demons.”

“Better than killing innocents,” Alserah said, abruptly appearing within the barrier, her bow drawn as she aimed at Haral, a glowing arrow ready.

The next instant, an angel fired an arrow at Kitania, and she dodged just as she saw the golden barrier flash again, then it suddenly constricted around Alserah in a set of brilliantly glowing chains. The goddess cried out in alarm, and several angels attacked Isalla, Kitania, Rose, and Vinara.

“Good to see you made it, Alserah. Unlike these rats, I was expecting you,” Haral said, looking like she’d relaxed as she smiled nastily. “Fortunately, as it seems. How does it feel to have your own attack used to fuel your imprisonment?”

Kitania dodged the attacks of the swordsman that came after her, her thoughts racing. It made no sense for the angel to be so confident, not under the circumstances. Even if there was a prison which could hold Alserah, it couldn’t last for long. That meant they had to have another—

She caught a glimpse of movement to her right, and Kitania’s blood went cold as she saw the archer nocking an arrow made of mithral with gold fletching. She recognized the arrow, and the angel was so well-hidden that it was only the pristine arrow which revealed him. Kitania didn’t even hesitate, instead casting a spell instantly, the same one she’d used to rescue Isalla when she’d fallen into the hells.

The swordsman hit her hard, knocking Kitania sideways as he swore, her armor and spells holding under the blow. She ignored the clash of metal, the sense of bruising, and the explosion as Rose threw fire at her attacker, along with Vinara’s sordid cursing as the succubus defended herself with her staff. Her only focus was on the spell, and purple tendrils lashed out as the man drew the arrow back, taking aim at Alserah, but the instant before he could loose it, the tendrils wrapped around the arrow.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Kitania snarled as she ripped the arrow and string away bodily, prompting a yelp of shock from the angel. The arrow spun through the air, and Kitania almost ignored it as she spun her cloudpiercer around and up into her attacker’s armpit, biting deep into his body with a spray of blood, then she shoved off him with both feet to free the blade as she lunged toward the woman attacking Vinara, calling out, “Vin, here!”

The butt of the polearm slammed through the wing slit of the man’s armor, and he screamed as the bone shattered, falling from the sky as his wing stopped beating. Vinara blinked and caught the arrow with a questioning look, but Kitania didn’t pause, instead flying straight at Haral as the woman’s whip slammed into Isalla’s arm, biting deep into a joint and coming away bloody as Isalla gasped, losing her grip on her shield as she fell back under the bodyguard’s assault.

“Lady Haral!” the man cried out, obviously shocked at Kitania’s abrupt attack, but unable to intercept her in time.

“You foolish demonic bitch!” Haral snarled, falling back as Kitania swung her cloudpiercer, gripping a length of whip between her hands which she used to block the attack, hissing as she was driven backward. “I’ll kill you for that!”

“You tried once already,” Kitania replied softly, her anger bubbling up, and she just waited for an opening.

“What?” Haral asked, her eyes widening as she looked into Kitania’s eyes, understanding dawning on her face. The moment of distraction was more than enough, and Kitania took ruthless advantage of it.

Kitania willed the cloudpiercer to shrink, and suddenly there was no blade for Haral to brace against. The angel surged forward as her wings beat frantically, and Kitania spun, thanking her mother again for the near-perfect maneuverability of her armor, whipping the blade around and through the first elbow of Haral’s right wing.

The angel screamed, beginning to fall, and Kitania grabbed her left hand, trapping the whip in her grip as she grunted and stabbed the cloudpiercer through the angel’s elbow. Haral screamed even louder as her full weight slammed down on her arm, and Kitania hissed as she almost lost her grip, staring at the bracelet around Haral’s wrist. She wasn’t going to let them get away with the device or allow them to hurt her friends, not again.

“Milady!” the man’s yell was all the warning Kitania had, then someone slammed into her from the side, and she felt a blade punch through a seam of her armor in her side. Kitania gasped, feeling the whip slip through her grip, just as there was a tearing sensation and spurt of blood as Haral’s arm tore free.

Kitania went flying to the side, sliding off the man’s blade as Haral screamed, and Rose cried out in shock. “Kitania!”

Hissing in pain, Kitania released her cloudpiercer, reaching down to rip the bracelet off the angel’s wrist, then dropped the limb while the man came after her with murder in his eyes.

“Enough of this!”

A sound like shattering stone echoed through the air like a thunderclap as Alserah ripped free of the magical binding, her eyes blazing with anger as the pressure of her power descended like an avalanche. The pressure struck Kitania and the others as well as the angels, and Kitania gasped as the goddess drew her bow again, but this time she didn’t hesitate.

An arrow slammed into the man attacking Kitania, and it shattered the backplate of his armor before ripping into his body and sent him flying toward the ground. The goddess spun, loosing another five arrows in what seemed like a heartbeat, each of them hitting, and likely killing, another angel. As the man in front of her fell, Kitania saw his eyes go wide as he tried to speak again but no breath came.

Kitania saw a flicker of movement from Haral as she knelt on the ground, half-restrained by animated branches, and as she saw the woman touch her necklace, Kitania called out. “Look out, she’s—”

With another thunderclap, Haral flickered and was gone. Kitania swore, but in seconds the other angels were dead or dying, except for the two who’d been restrained by the roots and the one whose wing Kitania had broken. From the looks of the bodies, Kitania guessed that Rose and Vinara had each accounted for three as well.

“Kitania, are you alright?” Alserah asked, her expression taut as she spun to Kitania, who laughed shakily, pain stabbing through her with every heartbeat as blood seeped from her side.

“I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse,” Kitania replied, grinning as she raised the bracelet, then tossed it toward Vinara. “Deal with the monsters first; I’ll be alright.”

“You crazy… what’s with the arrow, anyway?” Vinara asked, shaking her head as she hastily caught the bracelet and descended toward the hill, quickly trying to put it on.

“It’s like what they shot her with, to send her here,” Isalla said, descending quickly as well, gritting her teeth as she held her arm for a moment, then pulled out a vial and downed it. Kitania saw the faint green glow envelop the angel’s arm and let out a breath of relief, which she immediately regretted. Obviously Isalla had consumed a healing potion.

“Wonderful, they intended to murder me and my nation at the same time.” Alserah seethed, glaring at the angels in the roots. “Vinara? Can you deal with the creatures?”

“Already done,” Vinara said, an expression of concentration on her face. “I’ve ordered the worms into the sea or nearest lake, which should kill them, and the phoenixes are now coming to us. I can keep them under control long enough for you to finish them off.”

“Good. Let’s finish this,” Alserah said, her gaze hardening as she glanced at them, then spoke. “Isalla, Rose? If you’d restrain the captives, I’d appreciate it. Kitania… rest, if you would. You deserve it.”

“Thanks,” Kitania said, and collapsed onto the hilltop, barely breathing as she closed her eyes and waited for her injury to heal. It wasn’t pleasant, and she didn’t want to think about trying to find her cloudpiercer when she was done.

It’d been a horrific morning.

Chapter 46

The dull whump of air from the back of the house drew Sorm’s attention first, but it was the scream of pain that made him spring to his feet. His beloved’s voice was unmistakable, and he rushed toward the back room instantly, his thoughts racing as he wondered what had happened.

Bursting into the back room, Sorm froze for an instant, horror rippling through him as he saw the blood spurting onto the floor from the stump of Haral’s arm and wing, and he unconsciously blurted out, “What happened?”

“Love… help, potions…” Haral gasped, her face unnaturally pale as she staggered, her whip laying abandoned on the floor.

Sorm shook off his shock and rushed toward the cabinet, opening it and quickly pulling out their emergency potions, since they’d always known that if either of them had occasion to use the teleportation charms, they’d probably be injured. He grabbed three and rushed over to her, uncorking one and handing it to her, then pouring the others over the injuries directly, which quickly stemmed the bleeding.

“What happened, Haral? Who did this to you?” Sorm demanded, anger quickly replacing his horror. “Was it that goddess?”

“No, it was some demonic bitch. Somehow she survived being beheaded. I thought her soul was trapped, and she ruined everything.” Haral gasped, wiping her lips with a bloody hand, smearing blood across her face as she did so, her eyes dilated. She continued, almost rambling now. “She stole the arrow, or Alserah would’ve died, and they had Isalla and Emberborn with them! So many targets in one place, we have to stop them, or… or…”

“Shh, no, you need to calm down, dear. You need to get healing, then to report in to the Council,” Sorm interrupted, his concern and anger growing still stronger. “Once that’s done, we can deal with them, and this time I’m going to help, council or no council. No one hurts my beloved and gets away with it.”

A flash of stubbornness flickered across Haral’s face, but only a flash, and then it was gone as she visibly relented, her wings and shoulders drooping as she nodded. “Alright… alright, love. I’m just… I was so close!”

“Of course you were. No plan is perfect, and we always knew the endgame would be hardest. Come on, lets clean you up and settle you down, then I can find a healer who can fix you up.” Sorm soothed her, and slowly he guided her toward the bathing room.

Despite his calm where Haral was concerned, the sheer rage burning within Sorm was incalculable, and he resolved to ensure that whoever had done this suffered as much as possible.

* * *

“Sit down and relax, you deserve it,” Alserah said, gesturing toward the couches and chairs around the sitting room. Rose gratefully sank into a chair, letting out a soft breath of relaxation, then blinked as she saw Princess Niadra poke her head into the room, looking a little nervous.

They’d had a chance to bathe and relax after the battle once they’d reached the palace, but Alserah had quickly been drawn away. Kitania had recovered quickly, but for the most part they’d been left alone for the last hour, until Alserah had invited them to visit with her privately.

“Come in, Niadra. I’m sure you want to ensure that Kitania is in one piece,” Alserah said, smiling slightly. “She didn’t get beheaded this time.”

“Not for a lack of trying,” Vinara muttered, prompting a smile from Rose, and a snicker from Isalla, who was sitting next to Rose.

“That isn’t fair!” Kitania protested, looking around the room, at Alserah as the goddess sat on a sofa, and then at Isalla and Rose. It was funny to see the indecisive near-panic on her face, Rose thought, and smiled a little more warmly.

“Oh? I saw you stop dodging when someone was trying to stab you to yank the arrow off the string,” Vinara retorted, settling into a chair with a happy sigh, then added, “Sure, it was for the best, but it was still terribly dumb.”

Kitania took a breath to protest, but that was when Niadra spoke, stepping forward to hug her as she asked softly, her voice trembling, “Did that really happen?”

Hesitating a moment, Kitania visibly debated before hugging the elf and giving her a gentle kiss, then replied simply, her tone gentle. “Yes, though I thought it was for the best. I didn’t want Alserah to be harmed, and I knew I’d get better.”

“I deeply appreciate what you did, I might add. If you hadn’t done that, and hadn’t taken the bracelet, the damage done would have been immeasurably worse,” Alserah replied, her eyes darkening.

Rose hesitated, then asked softly, almost afraid to ask but unable to help herself, “How bad was it?”

“Not as bad as I feared, worse than I had hoped. One fort fell entirely before we could get them the information needed to kill the hellfire worm, and there was immense damage to the cities. It’ll take years to recover from that. Fortunately, fewer people were killed than I feared, but even so, there are thousands dead,” Alserah said, looking down and letting out a soft sigh. “All because some angels doubted our devotion. I believe this will be a dark day in history… but we survived.”

“That’s all that can be hoped for some days,” Vinara murmured, looking around the room for a moment, then sighed and shook her head as Kitania started toward the sofa. “In any case, my instinct after a near-death experience is to find someone attractive and have sex. I’d consider most of you, but the tension in the room is impressive. Why don’t you figure out whether or not you’re going to share Kitania and be done with it?”

“What?” Rose asked, a blush rising in her cheeks as the succubus stood, and Kitania froze in the midst of sitting down. The pink-skinned demoness flushed slightly as well, but Vinara simply snickered and walked out of the room.

“Um… well, that makes this awkward,” Kitania said, glancing down at Niadra, then away as she cleared her throat and stood up. “In any case… I think I owe everyone an apology. Again. I didn’t realize that Isalla would still have feelings for me, or you, Rose. It’s made everything a mess.”

“Indeed, though I don’t find it quite as off-putting as I anticipated,” Alserah replied, glancing toward Isalla and Rose curiously as she added, “I have no idea on anyone else, but I’m trying not to stir muddied waters, unlike Vinara.”

“I… I’m trying to figure out what to do. I’m still not happy, you know,” Isalla said, and Rose raised her gaze to the ceiling, having just about had it with Isalla’s attitude. And before she knew what she was doing, Rose spoke.

“Says the woman who’s been trying to hide the fact she slept with Queen Estalia,” Rose said, glancing at Isalla in exasperation. “At least you knew that Kitania was alive, unlike her. I don’t care that much, Isalla, but would you please try not to be hypocritical?”

Isalla flushed brilliant red, and Kitania raised a hand to cover her eyes, muttering in a resigned tone. “Mother. Why am I not surprised?”

Rose surprised herself with a giggle, amused at Kitania’s reaction. Most of the others joined her laughter after a moment, including Alserah.

Epilogue

“It would be my greatest honor to serve you, Your Majesty,” Seidrel said, bowing his head deeply as he knelt before Estalia.

Estalia smiled warmly at him, slowly rising to her feet as she nodded to the angel, speaking gently. “Rise, Sir Seidrel. I would gladly accept you into the ranks of my soldiers, as events of late have been worrying.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Seidrel replied, straightening quickly as he almost puffed up with pride. Estalia’s smile widened, a little amused at his reaction. Almost half the garrison of Firewatch had chosen to join her followers by this point, and most of the others were wavering on the edge of converting. It was pleasant, and she needed pleasant news after what she’d heard from Vinara.

The attack on the Forest of Sighs concerned her, as did the attempt on Alserah’s life. It was more than she’d expected of the angels, and it likely meant that their plans were at a critical stage. That being the case, she didn’t have as much time to prepare as she wanted.

Estalia had already sent out messages to her allies and agents, and she was prepared to act if she needed to. Still, she’d be remiss if she ignored opportunities in front of her. Besides, if Estalia’s aid was truly necessary, Vinara had the means to call for help, and to receive it.

After a moment, Estalia shook off her concerns, mostly relieved that her daughter was safe, and in good enough spirits to explore more relationships. Even if it was rather startling that she was on the verge of entering a relationship with a goddess.

“Well, she is my daughter, I suppose,” Estalia murmured in amusement.

“Your Majesty?” Seidrel asked, sounding a bit confused, and Estalia laughed, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder.

“My apologies, Seidrel, I was just lost in thought,” Estalia assured him, smiling as she nodded toward the door. “Why don’t we take you to the general, and we can explain what’s going on.”

The angel nodded happily, and together they headed out of the throne room.

* * *

Five figures sat together around a table, looking at the reports they’d received. After a few moments, one of them spoke quietly, his voice deep. “Isn’t this a fine mess Haral created?”

“Created? I don’t know that I’d say that. Made worse, yes, but not all of it is her fault. We’ve approved each step of her plans, yet they’ve always failed due to unanticipated factors,” a woman replied, shaking her head as she sighed. “Besides, how many times have our own plans gone awry? I wouldn’t be too hard on her, considering the situation. How was she to know that a demon without a mantle could survive both Alserah’s defenses and being beheaded by a soul-stealing blade?”

“True, I suppose,” the first man conceded, though he didn’t sound happy. He considered, then sighed. “We’ve managed to keep our plans secret for far longer than I believed possible, and I suppose I just hoped that we could do so until the final stroke.”

“We aren’t unmasked yet,” another man said, his voice airier than the others, not sounding nearly as serious either. “They still have to figure out what has happened, and none of the angels who’ve disappeared have concrete knowledge of our plans. Peripheral hints, yes… but I wouldn’t be surprised if we can draw things out until it’s too late for them to act.”

“Fair. How close are we to completing the artifacts?” the first man asked, looking at another woman, and she shrugged.

“No more than two months out,” she replied, her voice rougher than those of the others. “It’s impossible to give precise timelines, due to the power they require, but that’s the pessimistic estimate.”

“Excellent,” the last man rumbled, nodding slightly. “In that case, we simply need to delay the interlopers. Once we’ve dealt with the hells, we can turn our efforts to purifying the mortal world. There’s no need to overreact.”

The group paused for a moment, then there was a rumble of agreement.

The End

* * *

Thus ends Mortal Gods! I hope you all enjoyed the book, as I rather enjoyed writing it… though I was a little surprised at how long characters were separated for. Now that characters are together properly, the story can progress toward its climax, with Hells Ascendant. I expect it to be explosive in a lot of ways. I’m also expecting the characters to surprise me, and for it to get sidetracked somewhat.

Even so, that’s for the future. I’m going to be trying to finish out the trilogy, and hopefully it satisfies everyone who has liked this one!

Thank you all for reading Mortal Gods, I greatly appreciate it! You can find the next book, Hell’s Ascendant, below!

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If you want to find more of my books, you can find them at the following link.

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Also, if you’d care to review this story, I’d greatly appreciate it! Again, thank you for reading Mortal Gods. You can find a sneak-peek of Hell’s Ascendant on the following page.

Hell’s Ascendant Prologue

Coral stepped into the room, not even pausing as she began speaking. “Lady Anna, I think that Reath needs some personal attention, with how her attitude has been of late, and…”

The succubus’s voice trailed off as she realized that Anna wasn’t in her usual chair, and the room was otherwise empty. Several documents sat on the polished top of the desk, weighed down by a paperweight, while paintings adorned the white marble walls. Even so, Anna going missing was a bit perplexing, and after a moment Coral put her hands on her hips, looking around in annoyance.

“Now where did she get off to? And right when I needed her, too?” Coral asked aloud, then let out a soft sigh of annoyance. Anna didn’t vanish often, and when she did it was always for a good reason, so she abandoned the hope of getting help from her superior and chose a different strategy, murmuring. “Maybe I can get some help from Irak…”

She left the room behind, all the while wondering what Anna was doing. The angel had been acting oddly ever since she’d gotten the most recent dispatches from Estalia.

* * *

The room should have been dark, with as dark as the stone it’d been carved from was. It wasn’t, but that was due to the glowing crystals which dotted the walls. The room was a shallow dome, with polished walls, and crystalline lanterns. Only the glowing portal set into one wall allowed entry, and Anna brushed her fingers over the runes carved into the doorway for the moment, admiring them instead of what was in the center of the room. It didn’t help, not really, but she treasured the moments of peace that it brought her. When she closed her eyes, though… then she remembered the incredibly short message she’d been sent by Estalia, the words seared into her mind.

Things may be worse that I feared in the heavens. I’m afraid that I may have need of you. Kitania may have need of you. I’m sorry, dear one.

“You shouldn’t be sorry, my beloved goddess. We both knew the time would come when I could no longer hide.” Anna spoke at last, her quiet words echoing in the musty confines of the chamber. A part of her was grieving for what might happen soon, but at the same time, another part of her was awakening after a long slumber. So she took a deep breath and turned to the center of the room, looking on the items resting there.

A potion rested in an ornate vial-holder on a pillar to one side of the room’s center, its contents shedding a radiant blue light. The sight of the potion caused Anna’s pulse to quicken, but her gaze rested on it for only a moment, instead she looked at the armor resting on its rack and the cloudpiercer laying lengthwise on display in front of it.

The armor was for an angel, which was just as it should have been. Unlike almost every suit of plate Anna had seen for a high-ranking angel, though, this suit wasn’t ornate and beautiful. Nor had it been forged of mithral… no, it was made of fine, gleaming steel without ornate patterns or engravings. Only the runes which powered its magic shone, and even those were hidden, as if to heighten the apparent simplicity of the armor, from the boots and greaves to the helm and plates designed to guard her forewings. The armor brought back memories, and few of them were good… but even they paled beside the emotions inspired by the cloudpiercer.

Anna’s gaze fell to the cloudpiercer, and she felt herself shudder. She took a step closer, then another, feeling her legs almost quivering beneath her. The cloudpiercer was almost as simple as the armor, with a shaft forged of steel wrapped in black leather, right up until one looked at the blade. The blade burned with power, blazing gold runes seared into the silver-blue metal. Power greater than any other weapon she’d wielded surged through the weapon, and Anna let out the softest sigh as she closed her eyes. Memories of the wars she’d fought in rushed through her head, each of them with the cloudpiercer in hand. There were few things she wanted less than to take it up again, and yet… a part of her lived for it. She didn’t like to think about it, but not all the trembling in her hand was of reluctance.

“For our daughter. For us.” Anna murmured.

Reaching out, she picked up Infinity’s Edge, and the weapon surged with power, almost joyfully welcoming her grasp. Anna couldn’t help a smile at the reaction, closing her eyes and basking in it, reveling in how… right it felt in her hand.

“Everything has to end, one day.” Anna said softly, running a finger over one of the runes, the power within it burning at her hands. “However… that doesn’t mean we have to simply accept it.”

No one answered, but Anna realized her fingers had ceased trembling, and she smiled.

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