Nia, Collette, and Belle were all sitting together chatting pleasantly over drinks when Anne and Corvina finally came back down to the ballroom.

Still holding hands, Nia noticed, with some interest.

“Oh good, did you guys make up?” asked Anne, letting go of Corvina’s hand to take a seat near the other women.

“It’s not like we were really that mad even,” said Collette, taking a sip of her drink. Belle glared at her.

“Why do you guys fight so much anyway?” said Anne. “No one was surprised when you started arguing. Aren’t you friends?”

“Well, of course we are…” said Belle.

“Best friends,” said Collette.

“Then what’s the problem?” asked Anne.

“Here’s the thing,” said Nia. “Countess Collette is a vibrant socialite who surrounds herself with friends and acquaintances, but ultimately returns to an empty home at the end of the day. She’s jealous of Lady Belle’s close relationship with her loving family. She also views the Bastards’ Club as the closest thing she has to a family of her own, so she has a tendency to get defensive over it.”

Collette shrugged. “It’s true. I’m a lonely bitch.”

“On the other hand,” continued Nia. “Lady Belle is from a close-knit and supportive family, but partially because of that she feels a lot of pressure to be a responsible member of society and further her family’s interests. But while she doesn’t mind being responsible, she also feels a bit suffocated at times and is jealous of the Countess’s carefree and independent nature. She also cares about the group but feels like we should be trying to expand our influence rather than being precious about membership.”

Everyone looked at Belle. She blushed a little. “It’s possible that some of that may possibly be slightly accurate,” she admitted. “But you’re always so busy analyzing other people, Nia. Why don’t you tell the Saintess all about your deep-seated emotional struggles and insecurities.”

“And ruin my aloof and mysterious allure?” said Nia, with a wink. “Never.”

“Enough about us,” said Collette. She reached out with a foot to push an empty chair towards Corvina. “Come on, don’t just stand there. Join us! Let’s enjoy the rest of the evening.”

Corvina sat down finally. She seemed a bit distracted and distant. She had a serious expression on her face, like she was carefully thinking something through. Nia had seen that expression before. Nia thought of it as Corvina’s scheming face.

None of the others seemed to notice, as the conversation turned to more frivolous topics. The muffled sounds of music and laughter were filtering up from downstairs where the servants’ after-party was in full swing.

“It’s getting pretty late, isn’t it?” said Anne, after a while. “Maybe I should go find Agis and head home soon. I gave Eva the day off but I also promised her I’d stay at the cathedral all day and she might freak out if she goes to check on me and I’m not there.”

“Anne,” said Corvina.

Everyone turned to look at Corvina, who had remained silent this whole time.

“I have something important to ask you,” said Corvina.

“Yeah?”

“This vision of yours, the prophecy,” said Corvina. “How did you receive it?”

“Oh, uh…” Anne tried to think of the most likely explanation. “In a dream.”

“Was Eva present at the time?” asked Corvina.

“I don’t think so,” said Anne. “I mean, I was asleep. But Eva sleeps in her own room.”

“And how did she respond when you told her about the prophecy?”

“I think she believed me,” said Anne. “She can be kind of hard to read, though.”

“She didn’t seem like she… already knew about it?”

“Oh definitely not,” said Anne

“You’re certain?”

“Positive,” said Anne. “Trust me.”

“What are you two talking about?” Collette interjected. “A prophecy? What?”

Corvina looked over at the others, who were all watching them intently. “I’ll explain in a moment,” she said. “One last question, Anne. Did receiving this prophecy feel… different from how attempting to do miracles feels?”

“I mean, I guess,” said Anne.

Corvina nodded.

“Are you going to loop us in now?” asked Nia.

Corvina looked at Nia and then back at Anne, her gaze questioning, asking for permission. Anne nodded and made a go ahead gesture.

“I want to tell you all something,” said Corvina. “Because if my plan is going to succeed, we’re going to need help from all of you. But it will drastically change your lives, and it will involve untold danger. If you don’t want to be involved you can back out now. I won’t force anyone to risk themselves.”

“Oh for the Goddess’ sake,” said Belle. “Just spit it our already.”

The members of the Bastards’ Club all listened quietly while Corvina explained the events of the prophecy, with Anne occasionally chiming in to make clarifications.

Afterward there was a moment of silence while they took it all in.

Nia whistled.

“I assume you have a reason for actually believing all this,” said Belle.

“Of course,” said Corvina. “I know that the razing of the Sacred Forest was going to happen if I hadn’t put a stop to it. After all, I was the one who was planning it.”

“It could be a coincidence,” said Belle. “Or this rebellion you mentioned could have found out about your plans and had the Saintess use that knowledge in order to manipulate you.” Belle glanced at Anne. “No offense, your eminence.”

“None taken,” said Anne. “I’m really not that clever, though.”

“But you could be taking orders from someone more clever than you,” said Belle.

“It’s impossible,” said Corvina. “Only the Emperor, myself, and the alchemist I personally hired knew anything about the plan. And even the alchemist only knew parts of it. Trust me. The prophecy is real.”

“Well we’d better put a stop to it, then,” said Collette. “Anything you need from me, you’re welcome to it.”

“Thank you,” said Corvina. “But I hope you all understand that this means we’ll be working against the Emperor. Helping the rebellion to succeed. But with less death and destruction along the way. We can’t just prevent the events of the prophecy and defend the current power structure.”

“We understand,” said Nia.

“Yeah, it’s not like I ever liked the Emperor that much anyway,” said Collette.

They all looked at Belle.

“I don’t know about this…” said Belle.

“You know, it’s the whole aristocratic system’s fault that your parents can’t get married,” said Collette. “I know you wanted to reform the aristocracy to allow them to marry, but if we just abolish the aristocracy altogether… don’t you get what you want?”

Belle sighed. “Fine,” she said.

“Thank you all,” said Anne. “It means a lot to me that you’d be willing to help.”

“Of course!” said Collette, reaching over to ruffle Anne’s hair. “You’re so cute, how could we not want to help you? Besides, bastards have got to stick together.”

“Now that the Sacred Forest is safe, at least for the moment,” said Corvina. “We have to move on to preventing the next event in the prophecy.”

“The shadow war in the capital,” said Anne.

“Which starts with my poor Sebby getting assassinated,” said Collette.

“And ends with my own mother’s assassination,” said Nia. “Don’t forget that.”

“I think if we can just prevent the first assassination then the rest won’t happen,” said Anne. “The first one is the one that sets everything else off."

Corvina stood and walked to the nearest window, looking out into the dark garden with a pensive look on her face.

Everyone else turned around in their chairs to watch Corvina.

“Well?” said Belle. “We all know you have a plan. Spit it out. What do we have to do to stop this shadow war?”

Corvina turned back to look at everyone and smiled. “We’re going to kidnap the crown prince.”