The grounds of the castle were blanketed with a magic-repelling effect, courtesy of some artefact secreted away in the vaults beneath. This meant the guests had to rely on purely mundane effects for their cosmetics, without any of the usual minor illusions or glamours. Janaxia’s slash of hair had dimmed in colour as soon as they crossed the threshold, even as she proclaimed it to be simple dye. They were in a shadowed pavilion, Parth and Semari having to be told not to skulk in the darkness, Janaxia looking almost happy, somehow having found a goblet of wine already, exquisitely posed against a pillar. Jareth hadn’t yet arrived, so they were waiting.

Stathis clicked her fingers as she suddenly remembered something. ‘Janaxia, word of warning. Carissia’s probably going to be around, so don’t get distracted.’

‘Even if she is here, I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.’

Semari snickered. ‘She makes you go all melty, it’s hilarious.’

‘I am quite sure I don’t know what you mean. She is an interesting person to talk to, nothing else.’

A pale hand, elegant fingers tipped with manicured nails and bejewelled rings, stretched out from the shadows, arm wrapping tight around Janaxia’s waist. A soft voice spoke, cutting through the background noise as she embraced Janaxia tightly, breath stroking her ear.

‘Oh, and I thought we had something far more. Is that really all I am to you?’

Long hair, currently platinum-white and woven with gems, caught the light, her other hand lightly tracing down Janaxia’s bare back, a domino mask covering her features. Janaxia’s eyes rolled, her body lolling backwards, a soft groan pulling itself from her lips.

Stathis sighed. ‘Please stop breaking my wizard! I might need her to do something later, other than be a puddle.’

‘Guh.’ Janaxia was apparently beyond words already, as Carissia nipped her on the neck. She stuck her tongue out at Stathis and grinned. Carissia’s tastes had always been peculiar, but couldn’t she find someone that Stathis didn’t work with? Although as far as Stathis could tell, it hadn’t gone further than flirting, or rather Carissia reducing Janaxia to uselessness – it had improved Janaxia’s mood, but was probably going to end badly, and hopefully sooner, rather than later.

‘Lady Janaxia is always happy to see me, isn’t that right?’ She blew on the caster’s ear, a gentle puff, making Janaxia twitch slightly, apparently lost in a stupor. ‘See, she’s happy. Although I can’t tarry, I have an important client to meet.’ A gust of wind blew, a shape suddenly blotting out the moon as something flew over them. ‘That would be him now. Until next time, my lady.’ As she withdrew, Janaxia almost collapsed, barely keeping herself standing as Carissia stepped away, winking into darkness, somehow managing a stealthy getaway despite wearing a queen’s ransom in jewellery.

Semari hooted with laughter. ‘See, that’s what I mean. She just breaks you. It’s hilarious, another minute or two and you’d be dribbling everywhere.’

Her pride stung, Janaxia managed to pull herself together, enough to bite back. ‘She is a charming long lady, and a delightful conversationalist. She is very erudite, especially about arcane magic.’

‘Do you ever actually talk back? You’re, y’know, normally spaced out and stuff.’

‘I am not! It is simply an act where we, we…’ She trailed off into a breathy sigh, knees buckling as Carissia stepped from the shadows again and ran a hand up her back.

‘Your acting is exquisite, Lady Janaxia. I, for one, am entirely convinced.’ She raised a hand, an envelope held between two fingers, voice switching from a gentle whisper to a more normal tone. ‘Sorry, Stathis, forgot to give you this. A letter from your mother.’ She whipped it towards Stathis, who caught it, slipping it away to read later, Carissia slipping away into the shadows with less success this time, her jewellery catching the moonlight. At least she wasn’t entirely perfect!

While Janaxia recovered herself and wiped the drool off her chin, Stathis batted away Semari’s attempt to grab the letter and questions about her relationship with Carissia. ‘If we are quite done here, then maybe we should head inside? Can you walk yet, Janaxia?’

She’d recovered herself enough to gripe. ‘I simply enjoy her company! There’s nothing weird about that, is there?’ Her arguments were cut short when Parth flicked her between the shoulder blades, sending her into another twitching paroxysm. While she was recovering, and before she could start to complain again, Stathis herded everyone towards the main hall, warmth, light and music spilling out into the night. Their patron had arrived and was waiting for them, stood apart from the thin stream of people heading inside.

He was at least decent enough to look at, clothing well-suited to his slender frame, an ornamental rapier hung at his waist, tight trousers drawing attention to his toned legs. He looked at the four of them, obviously weighing his chances. If he wanted to try with Semari or Janaxia, he was welcome, although would probably regret it.

A gong rang, sounding the hour. ‘Good evening, Baronet sen Kamarni. If you wish, shall we enter? I hope there will be no need for any violence tonight.’

‘Yes, that is to be hoped for. They let all manner of people in these days, who knows what might happen?’ He looked around meaningfully, Stathis following his look to see that, amongst the bejewelled nobility were a few more unusual entities –a leather-skinned figure, wearing an elaborate loincloth and a massive amount of silver necklaces, their grey skin covered in sharp-edged, jagged scars and tattoos. A cluster of individuals, all moving with sinuous grace, had scales blending smoothly into skin, heads bald except for single plaits and pronounced fangs and serpentine tongues, drew Janaxia’s attention, Stathis giving her a nudge to keep her on track.

‘And the new guardians I suppose are very efficient, but are certainly a departure from the old standards.’

He gestured at a group of figures, armour bolted directly onto bone, weapons screwed into arms, custom creations of a necromancer guild (the bodies all donated, of course). Some deficiency in the warding allowed undead, once they had been animated, to retain their mobility, and presumably it was cheaper to hire a few necromancers and keep them discreetly out of sight than an entire phalanx of more mundane guard. The attempts at making them look festive via bright colours were less-than-successful though, the paint having suffered from wear, tear and outright graffiti, several of them bearing distinctly crude markings on their foreheads or armour plates.

Karmani looked between the four of them, before stepping towards Janaxia, extending an arm. With only mild distaste, she accepted, the two stepping ahead, everyone else falling in line behind. The undead wardens, fully armoured and fearsome looking, were accompanied by a ferociously aggressive salesman approaching anyone that appeared both wealthy and interested, Karmani waving them off with an irritated gesture.