The crowd of Yaltha’ma parted to allow Elinor and Iris a path to the exit.

Iris’ glowing blood-red irises slid over her daughters. “Learn your places from Tiffany. When I return, there will be work to be done.”

The three sisters all bowed their heads, silky hair stable at their backs. “Of course, mother.”

Without a second glance, she took Elinor’s invitation and walked down the center of the reverent creatures on either side; they kept their heads low but were able to see them advance with their second pair of eyes.

Elinor left the cavern with Iris by her side.

Tiffany’s voice was glowing with excitement while giving instructions to the small animals. “Okay, I’ve just let Gatekeeper Edmon know the details. El’Co’Ca, you and your people can all go to the main hall of the central building; there will be a guide there to bring you to the Gatekeeper for further instruction.”

She tuned out the throng, green eyes moving between two branches in the cave that she hadn’t noticed on their entrance; this new passage curved to the right. The smooth stone of the walls was clearly hollowed out by design with its symmetrical shape that showed dozens of mineral veins.

“You know your way around the tunnels?” Elinor asked, glancing over at the Shifter.

Iris’ movements were becoming more elegant by the step; it was a little shocking to see how quickly the spider was becoming accustomed to her human form.

“I expect to know most; much must have changed in the time since I was alive; however, my cousin had many of these shafts created, and I expanded upon them. Memorizing our path is not an issue; we will not become lost.”

“As expected.” Elinor smiled softly; her worries had significantly diminished with the addition of her Royal Executioner and her daughters. “On to what I wished to discuss,” she said, moving to explore the new tunnel.

She paused as the sound of the throng of Yaltha’ma started their ascent out of the cave system, following Tiffany’s orders; Iris and Elinor stopped, watching the wave run around them in a wide circle before disappearing back the way they’d come up the left tunnel.

Once they were gone, the only sound was the enthralled voices of Tiffany and the spider sisters as they got to know each other.

“Is blue your favorite color, Azalea? Your hair looks beautiful, by the way!”

Azalea laughed lightly. “I’m flattered. I always loved the colors of the bluestones we’d find.”

“The red ones were better,” Camellia interjected.

“They were pretty, weren’t they?” Azalea agreed. “What about you, Tiffany?”

“Oh, I couldn’t pick one! I love matching and finding a combination of colors that compliment each other. I can’t wait for you three to become more proficient in your abilities to make whole wardrobes!”

“What’s a wardrobe?” Violet asked with anticipation.

Elinor directed a quick smile at the four, just barely in view, before turning back to the new tunnel and proceeding toward it with Iris by her side.

Finally, things are starting to look up for me. I can’t slow down, though … I still have a lot to do, and first, I need to understand Iris and her daughters.

She licked her lips before stating her intentions. “I have a few things I wished to discuss with you; first, why could I instantly revive you? From what I’ve experienced with Ke’Thra’Ma, in addition to Edmon and Tiffany informing me of the process, I need to communicate with powerful spirits and better align their will with myself.

“However, when I analyzed your remains, you were already affiliated with those conditions to become one of the Royal Court. Why is that?”

Iris was silent for a moment, causing Elinor to examine the Shifter; she could sense her compiling the information to give her a proper response.

The Queen’s presence was surprisingly different and arguably even more reassuring than being with Tiffany or Edmon.

Her former mother gave her reassurance on an intellectual level that helped her work through internal conflicts while her former father was a wall between her and those that wished to harm her, bringing tactical knowledge to defend her.

Both Edmon and Tiffany helped support her in particular ways, and the added security she felt with her Racial Skills provided another layer of control; however, Iris was different. She couldn’t quite place it yet, but walking beside the Shifter put her at ease.

Once they entered the smaller passageway, Iris posed an answer. “If I met the conditions, then what your Empire represents is equivalent to how my lifestyle was ordered in life. That would be my best estimation.”

Her calm red irises moved down to examine her, and it was at this moment that Elinor realized the Queen was at least eight inches taller than her. “You mentioned another Royal Court candidate named Ke’Thra’Ma … within this area, would that be the White Infernal Ape?”

Even though Iris’ tone was perfectly neutral, Elinor knew that the Shifter was more than on bad terms with the great white beast, and this was unpleasant news to her. She didn’t fear the Queen; if she did raise him, she knew Iris’ ire would be toward the ape and not herself.

“That is correct,” Elinor stated. “Is that a problem?”

The Queen’s eye twitched, hatred flashing across her face before it was masked, and she turned her head back toward the front. Her tone had become cold as her eyes fell to the floor, lips creasing with displeasure.

“I will follow your lead. That being said … the pulse in my veins … the war that I waged. He was the one creature that managed to get under my skin. My conflict was not with his race; they were prey. I had enmity with him alone and had my daughters not jumped in to help; then, our fight would have had a different result.”

“Oh?” Elinor asked, glancing back at the curved tunnel; she could still hear Tiffany, and the girls’ echoing voices every so often. “They were in your way?”

“Naturally,” Iris sighed. “I cannot fault them; they had never seen me fight a creature of similar combat skill. Camellia was still young when I killed my cousin for this territory, and they wished to prove themselves.

“It was the wrong time, and we paid the price for it. I am sure it is one of the reasons Violet is trying so hard to impress me; she recognizes her decision was not the right one, and it was her that influenced her sisters’ decision to engage with her. Chastising them will do more harm than good, so I let it rest.”

Elinor’s eyes fell to the stone floor as they continued to follow the passage, and she tried putting herself in the girl’s shoes, watching her mother fighting some massive flaming ape to the death. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same if I were in the same situation.

Her attention returned to the Shifter’s graceful face as she breathed out a long sigh. “Therefore, I cannot say that it will not cause an issue with my attitude. However, I do not sense him within the network we all share with you.”

She nodded, added a reassuring smile. “You needn’t fear; we came to an impasse.”

“I see … it is a shame,” Iris stated, tone now detached. “While yes, I have a bitter relationship with him, I recognize that the brute could have been a great support to the Empire. It was an unfortunate inevitability; we were destined to be at odds, and our circumstances pushed us to conflict.”

A hum escaped Elinor’s throat while her eyes inspected the alluring form of the woman beside her; it was the first time she’d seen so much emotion from the spider, and it pulled her attention to the Queen’s appearance.

She breathed, evident by her ample bust rising and falling. She held her left hand in a tight fist behind her back, obscured by her long, white-streaked black hair, and her right arm was left to hang loosely by her swinging hips.

Her expression returned to its neutral state, and she held a perfect posture while displaying a powerful saunter, exuding the refined glamorous majesty of a ruler, despite her minimal clothing. Elinor’s skin prickled from the radiating elegance and controlled dominance the Shifter released.

The Spider Queen gave her a new level of confidence, like anything that blocked her path would be eviscerated; even she felt a shiver run down her spine from the fatal gleam in her Royal Executioner’s glowing blood-red eyes.

She was everything Elinor imagined a high-class assassin would be and more; despite drawing attention; she had no doubt the Shifter could flip that switch on a dime. Her precise, charming, and cultivated appearance was matched by her ruthlessness, calculating, and cold presence of execution.

Yet, at the same time, she’d seen a motherly side to her with her daughters that surprised her, and she more than approved. Having the Spider Family inside the Empire was an achievement to her ever-growing desire for what she wanted her kingdom to represent.

I can learn from Iris’ example … there’s so much I need to know to build an Empire, but how I present myself is an important part of the job. As the Empress, I am the Empire, and a level of how people view it will stem from how they see me.

“Could you tell me more about your life while alive, Iris? It might help me better understand how you met all the Royal Court conditions.”

“Certainly,” Iris replied while following her lead. “Where would you like me to start?”

They continued down the tunnel, and Elinor couldn’t help but smile at how creepy the cave system was; the smooth wall’s curve played with her imagination. She wanted some horrific monster to be just beyond her sight; to have Iris cut it to pieces without a care in the world. The entire situation was pulling upon the fantasies she had back on Earth.

Elinor took the right shaft as they came upon a branch. “Hmm, what about your history? Tell me what you remember about your past and culture. Your daughters seem to have a strong competitive edge, and there is a very structured system in place.”

“Our history and culture,” Iris repeated softly. “Our past was told to me by my mother, and she heard it from her’s. As far as I am aware, this information goes back two more generations; we arrived in this world through a form of portal. There were many reasons for why such colonizations were done.

“When we come to a new world that has sustenance and land that is plentiful, then the strongest moves to that new world. It is seen as an honor when the Queen leaves, appointing one of her children that has proven herself as a replacement to succeed her, and the newly appointed Queen of the original planet will then do the same when the next gate arrives.”

“So, you have multiple queens in your culture?”

“Yes. A Queen may have up to five children within her lifetime, and one of those five will be selected through merit to inherit their mother’s territory. The other sisters may challenge that ascension or leave to find new land to conquer. This expansion helps sustain the species.”

A wistful smile touched Iris’ face as her vision fell to the floor. “That being said, I cannot deny the sorrow that fills me with anxiety at the very thought of losing one of my daughters … my mother did not warn me of such emotions, and expressing those emotions has long been in debate within the depths of my heart.

“I recall when my sisters fought, and the results of that contest … my mother congratulated my sister on her victory before going into seclusion for a time. It makes me wonder…”

The gravity of the conversation put a weight against Elinor’s chest, though Emotional Loss dulled the emotion. A soft sigh left her lips before responding. “The pressure of motherhood is not light … I couldn’t imagine how heartbreaking that would be.”

Her features lifted as she smiled at the solemn Queen. “It’s fortunate you will never have to experience those emotions. Your daughters will not kill each other while within my Empire; a healthy dose of competition is wonderful, but they are bound to serve me, and decreasing my military force is detrimental to me, not productive.”

“Most fortunate,” Iris whispered, and her emotions instantly pacified as she continued. “When resources grow scarce, then a Queen needs to expand her territory. If that expansion touches another Queen’s region, then it is to be determined by combat which ruler will take command of both. The other Queen may submit and leave or contest her challenge, but all drones will remain.

“Our previous planet had reached a point of completion, and before that, I was told there were other planets that we had reached maximum territorial growth, where a single ruler won the planet.”

“What a very confrontational system,” Elinor said, rubbing the back of her left hand while holding them behind her back.

“Without a doubt,” Iris replied, wetting her lips before continuing. “Yet it has provided the formula that advanced our species to such a great height.”

“Interesting,” Elinor whispered, thinking back to her capture. “Are you talking about large crystal-like structures that teleport you to new worlds, and if so, are those common?”

“Yes, it is as you describe,” Iris replied. “The frequency of such events varies, I am told. However, as far as I am aware, it has always been associated with our system of expansion.”

“What about the populous of the world?”

“What about them?” Iris asked, bangs shifting to the right on their own as her blood-red irises shifted down to give her a questioning look, and Elinor realized that Iris truly didn’t know what she was getting at.

“Did you kill or eat them?”

“But of course,” Iris said with a short chuckle. “What else would we do? I may cherish my daughters, but it is the strong that survive without question. It has been proven generation to generation; we overpowered numberless creatures across multiple planets with this method.

“There are some that prove themselves useful to the Queens, and they are used until their serviceability ends; a decent example is the little ones you call Yaltha’ma.”

“I get it,” Elinor stated, “but do you enjoy the killing?”

“I suppose you could say that,” Iris hummed. “The Queens relish competition; Tiffany compared us to lions on some levels, and some of the most formidable opposition came from gates. With the strongest Queens of each world pioneering the way, there is always little concern, so I’m told.”

“What about your family line? Did it end on this planet?” Elinor asked, vision flicking to the ceiling as the glowworms reappeared; they made their appearance again down a branching tunnel, and she moved to follow the trail out of curiosity.

“No,” Iris replied. “As far as I am aware, there would still be three territories held by my race; two are from my aunt’s children, and one is my elder sister that inhabits the region to our west, beyond the mountain range.”

“Your sister … would she still be alive?”

Iris fell silent for a moment, thinking upon her words, and after several seconds, shook her head. “From the information I’ve been given, we lived five-hundred years ago in your measurement of time.

“If it has been a bit more than a hundred years, then I am certain she has died. I was nearing the end of my prime, four-hundred, and fifty-nine years, where I would have declined greatly.”

She’s a lot older than I thought…

“My elder sister was thirty years my senior … as I mentioned before, having killed our eldest sister during a hunting dispute.”

A frown touched Elinor’s lips as she thought back on the three cute sisters, fighting to the death over some trivial hunting matter. “Was the hunt that important?”

Iris hummed softly, brow creasing with a hint of confusion as her left thumb rubbed her index finger for a moment. “I see … such behavior is not natural for your species?”

Elinor thought upon the question. “I … suppose it is a part of humanity to fight and kill, but we’ve created a social system that frowns on such actions over the ages, and murdering a family member has been taboo as long as antiquity.”

“That is a foreign concept to me,” Iris admitted. “Within our culture, it is not uncommon. It is our way; only the strongest can lead the next generation through the gates, and there is no preference for birth order.

“Generally, yes, the third born tends to have the greatest combat potential. However, that does not mean that they will win in every generation and conflict; there have been many times when the firstborn, or even the fifth, claimed victory.”

Elinor’s focus crept across the discolored veins in the walls and a few stalactites and stalagmites that had formed over the years, causing a break in the even floor. She could feel Tiffany still having short conversations with Iris inside the internal network, likely Iris gaining further insight from the Witch.

A smile touched her lips as she thought about Tiffany’s glee at finally having girls she can be less formal around and dote over. Our position really hampers many of the things she wishes to do with me … it’s sad, but necessary, to a point.

Camellia sees Violet as a major milestone or block, but I didn’t think they’d literally go for each other’s throats. That and Azalea seems entirely different … she might be the reason her two sisters haven’t killed each other … yet. Is that her own type of subtle tactic, though? She is in the Assassin Class … there must be another personality hidden underneath all that cute charm.

Iris’ sister, though … if I could raise her, then I’d start gaining quite the stealth offensive force. There are so many possibilities. The issue will be if she’s Transcendent, then I wouldn’t be able to reanimate her. If she were just below it, like Violet, then that would be excellent, and if she had daughters of her own…

“Did your sister have any kids?”

“Two, that I am aware of … although,” Iris’ eyes narrowed slightly. “It is odd that they have not taken over this area. How is hunting in the valley at this time?”

Elinor shook her head. “I can’t say. Though, with the Quen’Talrat being wiped out in this area, from what I understand from the Yaltha’ma, this place is basically a barren wasteland.”

“I see … yes, the Infernal Apes were the reason this area was so desirable for us; the wonderful nutritious resource their bodies provided helped produce powerful offspring. If they are gone, then her daughters would have expanded in a different direction.”

“What about the male Thélméthra?”

“Males? Yes … you have a strange reproduction system. According to Tiffany, we use something approximating your word Parthenogenesis to reproduce. You call us Thélméthra … the one you reanimated is what Tiffany describes as a drone. They are quite simple and are produced in mass quantities through an oviparous process.

“Similar to your … ants and bees. They do the work needed for the Queen and act as markers for the strength of the opposition in the area. If they are easily killed, then it might be worth the Queen’s notice. The connection between strength and food is why fertile hunting grounds are of such importance to us, and the most powerful Queens take the best places.”

Elinor forced a smile. “I’m a little lost about that kind of science and words; Tiffany knows way too much about human science.” She chuckled.

“Yes, Tiffany is quite active,” Iris said without a hint of annoyance. “It’s respectable; she has taken great interest in understanding how our bodies function to get a better grasp of how our abilities might grow more efficiently. I welcome the input she has.”

Elinor restrained a sigh. “I thought it might be her influence. So, you gather resources to produce stronger offspring?”

“That is certainly a core function of our species. Since the greatest prey was the Infernal Apes, we made this area our primary home, and I won the rights to this area through combat with my second cousin, my elder sister conceding the rights of our mother’s territory to me..”

The matter-of-fact manner in which she recounted murdering her relatives without a hint of regret put an edge of unease in Elinor’s stomach; the Queen might have felt something for her children, but that obviously didn’t extend to her own siblings. She knew it was because of the different cultures and genetics, but it just felt a bit wrong.

Elinor’s voice fell a little as she asked, “Did you like her?”

“I did grow up with her as a neighbor, and there were times where we interacted.”

“I see … so, it wasn’t personal, but just a matter of culture. Could you ever share the resources?”

“Without a proper chain of command, then the species is at risk of extinction, and chaos will not support our survival. Cooperation shows weakness in one’s ability to accomplish the duties of a Queen. No, it has not been done and has not been a question espoused. As I have said, the strong survive, and the weak die. Was my second cousin weak compared to the Quen’Talrat? No, but she was weaker than me, and should have submitted to my rule.”

Iris turned her blood-red irises to her, and a charming smile lit her beautiful features. “It is as simple as that, and if another Queen had come along that was stronger than myself, then I would have submitted and left, that is how we arrive here. You were stronger than me; you can conquer death, and therefore, I submit and recognize you as owning my soul.”

“I see,” Elinor said with a light chuckle. “It’s as simple as that. What do you think about your new Undead form and abilities?”

Iris lifted her right hand, watching it transform into claws and back into smooth fingers several times. “It was strange at first, but the ability to change my shape at will has given me many insights into other creatures’ views of the world … with Tiffany’s constant search for knowledge. I have never seen things through such a small size, and to be able to attack from so many angles, the ease at dodging … there is still much to explore.”

Elinor went silent as the temperature of the passageway increased; after a few more minutes of walking up the gradual rise, the tunnel opened into a large area of running water.

The river was fairly wide, flowing down a large cave opening with glowworms running along the moist ceiling, and it was the first time she’d seen so many small insects; they flew around the surface with the occasional large fish jumping out to grab a snack.

Elinor’s green irises followed the current upstream; it bent around, blocking her view, but there was a wide walkway on the left side of the tunnel. It appeared to be a canal, designed for a specific purpose.

“You built all of these tunnels, right?” Elinor asked, climbing the slope before hiking up the gradual incline with Iris keeping pace by her side.

“This was a project I devised to gather more food during the siege of the Infernal Apes; it moves down to a basin to collect fish, trapping the larger ones at the bottom. It has likely fallen into ruin without maintenance.”

She tried to examine the fish as they jumped out, and upon closer inspection, they appeared to be a type of blue and green Rope Fish. It was an eel-like species that snaked up out of the surge to eat its fill, yet she spotted another kind of fish that resembled the Black Ghost Knifefish that her friend had owned.

“Where does this lead?” Elinor asked, holding her hands behind her back.

“I designed this to branch off a natural underground river that was diverted. It worked for a time, but quickly ran dry of sustenance.”

Remembering back on the conversation she had with Ke’Thra’Ma and what she’d learned about the Thélméthra, she asked, “Was food one of the major reasons why you attacked the Quen’Talrat during the siege?”

Iris took a moment to gather her thoughts, and her expression turned reflective, lips pursing to the side as her blood-red irises lifting to the glowworms as they climbed the incline.

“That is a complicated situation. My relationship with the Infernal Apes was a predatory one. My drones and daughters would hunt them, and alone, they were relatively easy prey. That is … until the massive white one appeared.”

She paused again, features sharpening. “We fed off this land with few threats. There was the occasional concern with the more powerful apes, their leaders; however, it was nothing my daughters could not handle with preparation, and for hundreds of years, this was the case. Then … he showed up.”

“Ke’Thra’Ma?”

“Yes. We had evolved our webs to be resistant to the Quen’Talrat flames, but not his … even Violet’s strong fire-resistance was eradicated with ease by the beast, and no other ape had his level of skin and bone strength. With his four weapons, it was a hard fight, but I was confident I would come out on top.

“Perhaps it was these deep feelings in my chest … to not leave this world before my daughters that I failed.” Iris paused, tone low. “I suppose that means I was weak in the end … I had not thought about that possibility.”

Elinor shook her head. “I don’t see it that way … family is more important than anything.” She whispered. “Taking that risk was well worth it; to me, in any case.”

They walked along the path’s edge for a time, listening to the gentle flow, and pop of the fish breaking the surface. After a few minutes, Iris continued her story, eyes scanning the bubbling river.

“I lived a relatively simple life, and when it became clear that this new Infernal Ape assaulted my nest, I was not prepared. Still, I managed to wound him lightly, expecting my poison to handle it … but he survived.

He came without warning, showing me that my poisons were ineffective against him. He had done the impossible, gathered the strongest of every tribe, banding them together into one unified structure.

“I recognized I could not fight dozens of his elites, and so I was forced to retreat again. It is here that it began to become personal, and with the addition of these new tools, he became several times stronger. After that defeat and the building of the massive city above us, I had to bide my time.

“I dug out these tunnels, expanded them to steal the Infernal Ape’s stored food; revenge was a significant contributor to my actions. I needed to regain my place, and I had been soundly outmaneuvered twice. The introduction of massive waves of enemies was what ultimately drew my desire to rid myself of the brute. He had drawn the attention of armies, and it was becoming difficult to find sustenance.

“This was a first for me, and I was forced underground. So, we dug, and I raided their storehouses. This was met by his full force, and everything was planned in order … except for my daughter’s intervention.

“The Infernal Apes’ wars had made this confrontation inevitable, and as I said, I had planned for the fight. If only they hadn’t gone north to destroy the rocky people. It was when they returned that many things changed with their culture, and it sparked the gathering of the massive armies.”

“Rocky people?” Elinor questioned, trying to imagine the creatures. “They lived in the north, right?”

“Yes, beyond the desolate planes; the creatures weren’t that impressive, but had decent hunting tactics and a natural anatomy to combat the Quen’Talrat flames.

“They have stone-like hands, faces, and lower bodies, with leathery skin from their elbows and waist to their neck. Orange flames lick inside their snout-like mouth and eyes, four spikes protrude under their chin, on top of their head, and down the back of their neck. Their sharp claws adorn their hands, similar to you humans, but from their fingers to their elbow is covered with jagged rock-like pins.”

The direction and correlations clicked in Elinor’s mind. “The Trelmere race … I had no clue they were made of stone. Interesting, so, Ke’Thra’Ma was likely a refugee, escaping a Trelmere raid.”

The Queen hummed thoughtfully as they came upon a rise with a long angled waterfall, showing large fish jumping down it to vanish into the deeper water at the bottom. Elinor and Iris slowly climbed the ramp at its side as they talked.

“I suppose … I am pleased to see much of the work I had done has not changed. Driven out of the valley beyond, I needed to regain my place at the top of the food chain, and for a time, I did. The one you call Ke’Thra’Ma had moved to the north to lead a raiding party, and it was some time before they returned.”

Elinor folded her arms as the tunnel opened up to a wide cavern, showing a massive underground lake. This world is insane…

Surveying the gigantic pillars shooting up from the cave floor to the ceiling, and the fashioned river divide, Elinor released a low hum. “You have quite the story … I’m glad I was able to listen to a piece of it and understand more about your personality.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Iris replied, bowing slightly to her. “I assume we are moving onto the next topic?”

“Yes, now,” she turned to face Iris, and the Queen’s flawless face brightened into a smile as she informed the Shifter of her mission.

“When I was forced into this world, there was a snake-woman that was carried away by the Toads, and now, Demon, a powerful unembodied creature, is seeking to use her for some purpose. I will not let that stand; it is a direct threat to my Empire, and she appears to have great potential. I will speak to her personally about her future and how it might align with what I am building.”

A low hum rumbled in Iris’ throat while her glowing eyes narrowed. “These Toads … Tiffany mentioned the jumping creatures when informing me of our situation. If they are the smooth-skinned ones from the south, then I am aware of their species.

“These Toads, as you called them, were rarely anything special when I was alive. There was a single group of few individuals to the southeast valley, beyond the mountains that were of different stock with a bit more bite, but nothing of great concern.”

Elinor’s eyes burned, and her jaw locked for a moment, remembering the experience of being tied up, forced into this hostile world, and robbed of her parents and home. “The Toads raided my world, pillaged everything they liked, forced us back to this planet as slaves, food, or entertainment … murdered my parents. They stole everything from me.” She growled.

The atmosphere around them grew colder as Iris’ attractive features fell into contempt with every word. “That they’d have the gall to assault you is…”

Iris’ fingers flexed, claws appearing as some form of clear liquid dripped off her fingertips, sizzling as it touched the stone ground, burning into it. “Examples must be made; any creature that bites the hand of its master must be put down. Would you like me to send a message back?”

A cruel smile touched Elinor’s lips. “Do as you see fit … my blood has been boiling. Go after them, increase your level along the way by killing animals, and become an unstoppable wraith. I don’t care how you do it, but make it abundantly clear that they have made the greatest sin of their history and bring back the one named Nadraca. She will be the one in charge, wearing a necklace.”

“I will deliver your message with exactness.”

“I look forward to hearing the results. Do you trust one of your daughters to handle another task?”

“Hmm, it depends on the task.”

Elinor’s vision narrowed as she felt a communication pass between Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris, but if they could handle it, then the details didn’t bother her.

“To the west of us is the largest camp of living human prisoners with a Toad Chief called Valdar. Can any of your daughters handle rescuing that group without sustaining injury, and bringing back Valdar or whichever high ranking Toad is present? I need informants.

“In short, rescue the humans and snake-woman, bring them back, and take a prisoner from each side that has the highest rank. Sending a message is a bonus for me. I’m sure one or two of your daughters will be needed here to help with security; so, choose whichever you believe is the best fit. Once the toads are back, Tiffany will get them to sing like birds.”

A light chuckle left Iris’ throat, but it didn’t touch her blood-red irises. The Queen’s hands were still held in the same positions, right hand at her back while her left was held loosely by her side. “What if the snake-woman is not there, and the same for this Nadraca and Valdar?”

“Use your best judgment based on the information given,” Elinor replied. “Nadraca took the river south, so they should be able to cover a larger distance than the other group moving on foot.

“The one order above all else is for you and your daughters to stay alive. If you must retreat or let a few people die, then it is a tragedy, but unavoidable. You must not fall, and bring back every corpse; I can make use of them all.”

Elinor’s chest burned as the embers in her mind lit with odium. “This will be the first of many conflicts; it is time they reap what they’ve sown.”

“If that is your desire, then it will be fulfilled.” Iris bowed. “Camellia will go after the group to the west,” Iris decided, shifting her left hand to her hip as she repositioned her weight to glance down at the lake. “From the conversation I had with Tiffany and Edmon, Edmon will need Violet’s help with the structure, and it appears Azalea will be busy giving aid to Tiffany with a recent development.”

Elinor’s eyebrows lifted. “What kind of development?”

“Edmon has informed me about a possible threat, and the Yaltha’ma are earning their keep. Edmon reported that the creatures have discovered Toad warriors sneaking about the area, likely trying to spy on you, and they are not that effective at it. Tiffany is eagerly awaiting their capture, and Azalea is excited to test her new form.”

Her smile widened. “Excellent.”