A booming voice crashed around the space, echoing like thunder, stopping the imminent attack as the guards froze in shock.

‘In the name of Iristari, let them pass!’ There was a pause. ‘Except the one in black, destroy him!’

Stathis glanced over at her mother, who was stood, calm and serene in her robes of rank, despite likely having no idea what was actually going on, as her advisor shuffled awkwardly. The cult leader staggered backwards, his body crackling in the sunlight, burning with a smell of rotted, tainted meat. Lances and darts of fire, lighting and arcane power arced in, his body twitching from the force of the impacts before collapsing, body fading away to dust.

There was a metallic clink as Terin managed to unlock the chains binding the captive, catching her before she fell to the ground, supporting her in his arms as she spat the gag out. The circle of steel surrounding them didn’t waver, as Stathis looked around, not wanting to lower her own blade first.

A gap appeared in the circle, Carissia striding confidently through, now wearing the stormcloud-blue robes, shot through with silver, of her new deity. ‘These are elite agents of the Iristari Silver Guard! They were acting under my orders, to prevent a vile cult sacrificing the lady Vanessa Perelain to…’ She hesitated, likely having no idea what had actually been going on, before managing to finish, slightly lamely. ‘…dark forces.’

Stathis looked at her sister – the green-faced, nauseous and sweating thing from last night was gone, and she was seemingly back to her usual self, although her face looked strangely shiny, catching the light oddly. Her mother dramatically vaulted over the handrail that separated the audience from the ceremonial space, ermine robe flaring in mid-air before walking towards them, boots clicking against the marble floor.

She knelt, dipping her fingers into the smouldering ashes of the dead leader, running it through her fingers and sniffing the dust. ‘A lowborn nightwalker. Rather trivial, but considering what lies beneath our feet, it would seem that Redcastle has been a touch lax in their duties of protection.’ Angry muttering spread through some of the crowd, especially those wearing the livery of Redcastle, as she raised her voice to be heard. ‘But with Pentallan arming along the eastern marches, it is scarcely a surprise. Too much effort is wasted on these petty border squabbles! Today though, we should honour the new lord of Redcastle, for without the information his spies provided, the Souldrinker themselves could have been revived! And of course also to the Holy Churches, for the aid of their prophecies of divine guidance.’ The part of the crowd attired in priestly robes and vestments mumbled in self-satisfied agreement.

Brina sidled closer to Stathis, trying to move without drawing attention or a stabbing. ‘What the hell is goin’ on, and how much trouble we in? And why’s Miss Fancy here?’

Her mother glared at her, a silent promise that Stathis, at least, was in some form of trouble, as she tried to look confident, whispering back. ‘No-one knew a damn thing about this, everyone’s pretending that they actually did and all are sharing the credit. It’d be too embarrassing to admit they had no idea, so if anyone asks, you’re Iristari agents, just be vague and mysterious about it. And she was invited.’

Brina tried to take this in, still seeming dazed from the blow to the head. ‘Right. OK. So now what?’

Stathis very slowly, very carefully, sheathed her sword, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, not wanting to get skewered, stabbed or blasted if anyone took her movements amiss. After a moment, Brina and Terin followed suit, Terin’s movements made awkward by still supporting a semi-conscious woman. She gently brushed a hand against Brina, glad that the sunlight streaming in would hide the soft glow as she healed some of Brina’s wounds.

Carissia swept in, now in full ‘regal priestess’ mode, her earlier priestess wand now switched for a more martial looking bronze staff, rings clashing against each other as she incanted a prayer and touched the would-be sacrifice. Tanika’s healing spells were less soothing than most, sparks of electricity making the woman’s body twitch and gasp, as her wounds were started to heal.

‘Now, I will debrief these agents. Until then, honoured friends, please continue the ceremony.’ Her voice dropped, as she whispered to Stathis. ‘I really hope you have a good explanation for this.’ She snapped her fingers, loudly enough for the sound to echo around the room, despite its large size. ‘Priestess Carissia Iristari, Galen, attend me.’ Her secretary pushed her way out of the crowd of lower-ranking attendants. As Stathis was marched from the hall, she could hear uproar exploding behind them.

A small office was acquired by the simple expedient of opening side-doors and her mother glaring at the clerks present until they left, with Carissia smiling and apologising to make it less harsh. Galen, her mother’s latest secretary, was already making notes, her quill glowing blue with mystical energy, paper floating in front of her.

Her mother leant on the edge of the desk, arms crossed as she looked between Stathis and Carissia. Stathis was suddenly glad she was wearing a mask, so at least her discomfort wasn’t clearly visible. And how the hell was Carissia sober and standing? Although this close, the strange shimmer to her skin was more obvious, an odd, pearly sheen, even her blonde hair looking shinier than any beauty regime could explain.

‘So, what was all of this? I believe I gave very clear instructions to the guards, and to both of you, that you were to remain inside. While I appreciate that the Festival is exciting, this is the sort of thing I was hoping you would be sensible enough to avoid! You especially, Carissia. Quite what were you hoping to achieve with this?’

Now out of the public eye, she twisted one of the rings on her fingers. Immediately, the heavy ermine robes vanished, replaced by the more comfortable, battered and worn breastplate she preferred, faint runes of protection etched into the metal. Stathis leant back slightly, watching as Carissia glanced over at her, seeing her sister cross her fingers behind her back, out of sight of their mother. Stathis tried to make herself think, hoping to be able to keep up with whatever lies Carissia was about to spin.

Carissia stared ahead, fixing her eyes on a portrait hanging on the wall, some divinity obliterating its foes with divine wrath and power that seemed a bad omen. ‘We didn’t have enough information to trouble the guard with, so chose to investigate ourselves. Fortunately, we were able to identify that the cult was operating from the catacombs. Stathis took these local allies and investigated directly, and managed to free the captive, and defeat the cult leader.’

‘An interesting story.’ Galen produced a piece of paper and passed it over, Mother’s eyes quickly skimming over the text, her face not changing expression. ‘Although you seem to have skipped over the part where you joined a mercenary group. The Ivory Scroll? Acceptably mid-tier, although I imagine you won’t be there for long, unless you have rather more reverence for adventuring groups than deities. Which reminds me, the head priestess of Aphari has been complaining, rather loudly, about your apostasy. And who are these two?’

Brina and Terin both slowly removed their masks, managing not to flinch as they were scrutinised, Brina’s hair tinkling faintly from nervousness. ‘Ivory Scroll members? Impressive work, although you should try and research your opponent’s better in future. Holy water makes things much simpler, or simply fire. Lots of fire.’ She smiled. ‘I may have some other work for you in the future, should you be willing. Now, kindly wait outside while I finish this discussion with my daughters. Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble, at least not from me, although Masters Carhael and Tirisa may have their own ideas.’

Galen opened the door for them before following them outside –whatever happened next would be off the record, which could be either very good or very, very bad. There was a tiny moment of peace, before the door clicked shit and Mother sighed. ‘I’m a little surprised, in both of you, but cannot say I’m that disappointed, to be honest. You did well. It was stupid – there’s stories already spreading of an angel descending from the heavens last night, and I daresay that will mingle with your appearing here, in that mask, but I’ve done far stupider myself, loath though I am to admit it. But I did that so you don’t have to.

There are good fighters and wizards, that I pay damn good money to, so that the two of you don’t have to risk yourselves! Carissia, if you must do such things, then you have my leave to go and fight monsters without sneaking around, although I really think you should find something better to do with your abilities. And you, Stathis, have far more important things to worry about, do you not? A petty vampire lord is rather below you, although you did seem to be faring rather well. At the least, finish off your teachings first. I did found an academy, primarily for you to acquire the skills you will need.’

Stathis nodded, glad not to be getting a worse telling-off.

‘And please take that mask off! I would have thought that would be the last sort of thing you would wear, given your feelings about your heritage.’ Stathis obediently took the mask off, having to dangle it in her hand, feeling awkward under her mother’s scrutiny. ‘So, aside from disobeying my orders, using your powers to sneak into town to go drinking, not stopping your sister joining a mercenary band, – although, I grant, that one was somewhat beyond your power – fighting a vampiric blood-cult, and almost dying in the catacombs beneath the town, is there anything else I should be telling you off for? Have you shacked up with an Uth Tremari, gotten married in some cheap temple, acquired a crippling addiction to bloodmoss?’

‘No, nothing else.’ She paused, praying that this would be over soon. ‘Sorry, mother.’

‘Don’t be sorry! Either don’t do it, or own it.’ Her severe features broke into a smile. ‘You did well. It was stupid, but killing off a blood-cult is no bad thing. Just tell me about these things! You may have noticed the rather large number of well-armed and violent individuals I keep around the place? This is what they’re for, so that you don’t have to risk yourself.’

‘I don’t want to be kept safe and away from all the danger!’ If it hadn’t been for her tiredness, and the throbbing edge of a hangover starting to form, Stathis probably would have stayed silent, or at least been more circumspect. ‘There’s a load of monsters and demons and bad things out there, and they just get left or ignored because it’s convenient! Someone was going to get murdered down there, and no-one else was going to do anything about it. How else am I going to achieve anything, if all I do is sit in your palace and train for the future?’

Mother laughed. ‘I can’t say this comes as a surprise. You might be your father’s progeny, but I had the raising of you, for good or ill. You’re going to do something ill-advised sooner or later, so probably best to get to get it out of your system young. After all, you might not have that long. Finish things at the Academy first. I would rather keep you protected, but that seems unlikely going forward. And it will probably be easier on my heart if you’re not sneaking away to perform whatever ill-judged acts of heroism you deem fit! Now, I have to go and convince everyone else that they had the idea of planting agents to discover this cult, and that everyone can share credit in your fortunate discovery. If you could manage to avoid any other excitement for the next few days, at least until we’re away from here and back home?’

She rose to her feet, fingers idly tapping on the hilt of her weapon. ‘Please do be sure to get some rest – those new companions of yours look likely to be quite tiring. That one with the bells especially looks like she might keep you up! But it will do you good, something other than swinging your sword by yourself. Just try not to scandalise the guards too much. Now, I have to go and convince a lot of people that know nothing that actually they knew everything all along. Carissia, you need to go and apologise to Aphari. She’s an idiot, but go play nice and keep her sweet. She’ll forget about you soon enough, but she’s whining about you to me, and I have enough to deal with before gods start manifesting before me and complaining about your apostasy. And, if you must overindulge, invest in better illusion spells – that shine is pretty obvious.’

She let herself out, door clicking shut behind her. As soon as she was gone, Stathis sagged down against the wall as Carissia let out a long, heavy sigh of relief, waiting to make sure she didn’t come back. ‘Gods, she was ready to turn the city inside out looking for you, half the guard will baying for blood! The other lords were looking very nervous, I think they may have heard of what happened that time in Farden. It was fortunate that I was able to calm her down somewhat, and that Carhael likes to keep an eye on his group, even if you did disrupt his scrying spell.

‘It was simply a matter of waiting for you to defeat the cult and return to the surface. I wasn’t expecting anything quite that dramatic, but very well done. Now, if you will excuse me, then I need to go and find a shrine to Aphari.’ Carissia rolled her eyes. ‘I suppose I should apologise properly, but finding a pure red heifer in a hurry is going to be a nuisance.’

Stathis grabbed her sister’s shoulder, watching that odd shimmer ripple over her face. ‘You didn’t know anything about this, did you? The only reason you needed me was to get down into town, so that you could join up with those Ivory Scroll guys.’

Carissia just gave an enigmatic smile, hands coming together in a prayer gesture. ‘As you should know, dear sister, the heavens move in mysterious ways. Did you not find yourself precisely where you needed to be?’

Stathis prodded her in the kidneys, driving her fingers in hard, having the satisfaction of watching her grimace, struggling to maintain her expression of piety and faith. She moved her hand, now poking fingers into her sister’s stomach, watching as the oily sheen rippled then shattered, illusion breaking to show a pallid, sweating face beneath as Carissia bolted for the window. There was the extended sound of retching as she just about managed to make in time, spew likely pebble-dashing the outer wall. There was a pause, and then she retched again, coughing and spluttering to clear her throat, interspersed with savage-sounding puking. Stathis left her to it.

Terin and Brina were waiting outside, awkwardly loitering around, guards keeping an eye on them. Brina turned and gave her a hug, bells tinkling, looking up at her with a smile.

‘Fuck me sideways, you shoulda said you were an Iristari princess!’

‘I’m not a princess.’ Stathis paused. ‘I think? I was given a Duchy once. Apparently, you can’t just give them back, or say no. And Mother isn’t a queen. At least that I know of.’ It was quite hard to move with Brina clamped around her, but Stathis managed to manoeuvre over to a stone bench and sat down, Brina somehow twisting around and ending up in her lap.

‘Well, still pretty fancy! And Miss Fancy as well, didn’t see that coming. Although I guess I’ll be seeing a lot of her, now she’s signed up with us. Carhael ain’t gonna let her go easy! So, reckon you’ll be joining up as well? Reckon I can put in a good word for you.’

Stathis winced. ‘Thanks, but I have other things I need to deal with first. It sounds great, but I really can’t. Sorry.’

‘That’s a shame, but I’m sure we’ve got some time here still.’

Carissia staggered out of the office, eyes streaming with tears, face still green and clammy. She tried to draw herself up to maintain some dignity as she moved past, before failing and dashing for another window, now dry-heaving and coughing, guts already emptied.

Brina watched her pass. ‘She’s gonna need to toughen’ her guts up if she comes with us. Hope she’s got some spells for that! Anyway, there’s meant to be some baths down in the basement somewhere. Bein’ a big brave vampire killer ‘n the daughter of the hero of Branathir should be good for getting a private tub ‘n some food, right?’ She grinned, mis-matched eyes catching the sun. ‘Get some food in, sure we can have a little party of our own? I’ve always wanted to be carried off by a brave ‘n dashin’ hero.’

Stathis tried to remember the route through the castle – natural hot springs provided for baths, down in the basement. ‘It’s down a lot of stairs, I’m not carrying you that far!’

‘Ah, now you’re shatterin’ a maiden’s heart. And after some dead guy punched me in the head on your account. But I’ll forgive you for it, cos I’m nice like that. But we should get cleaned up, I got dead guy dust on me.’ She made a show of brushing herself down, running fingers through her hair to remove some of the blood smearing it together, bells jingling. ‘Most of the fancy are gonna be busy pretendin’ to know what’s goin’ on, so let’s go get washed up. You want Terin to come along? Those fingers ‘o his are pretty hand at more than just locks.’

He was pulling his shirt off, the material slashed and damaged beyond repair, a passing chambermaid stopping to enjoy the view, all lean muscle and tattoos. Stathis yawned, letting Brina drag her along, trying to find a stairway downward.

A tapestry fluttered aside, Stathis catching a brief glimpse of a passageway behind. The woman they had rescued stepped through, chafe-marks still visible on her wrists and ankles, although she had acquired a summer dress from somewhere, and found time to wipe the grime from her face. She looked Terin up and down with open interest, before seeing Stathis.

‘Duchess Greybridge! My apologies for not introducing myself earlier.’ She curtseyed. ‘I am Karenulra ver Tarithorn. Of the eastern Tarithorns, of course.’ She extended a hand, holding it out until Stathis took it, vaguely moving it towards her face before letting it go. ‘Such an honour to meet you! Of course, you have my undying gratitude for saving me from that foul beast.’ She stepped in close, apparently having also managed to find the time to spray herself with something, scent of flowers wafting through the air. ‘Of course, after such a trying event, I simply don’t feel safe alone, and must cleanse myself. Lady Stathis, if you would do me the honour of escorting me to the baths, I’m sure there are pressing matters we could discuss, and I can express my gratitude properly!’

She took Stathis’ other arm, pressing herself tightly against Stathis, thin material of her dress pulling tight as she did so. Brina growled from the other side. ‘Oi, hands off!’ She pulled Stathis back the other way. ‘Me ‘n Stathis are already goin’ down, you ain’t invited!’

Stathis was tugged again from the other side, now getting pulled closer to the noble. ‘I rather think that is the choice of the Duchess Greybridge, is it not? Would you not rather spend some time with those of rank, rather than some…’ she waved her hand dismissively, ‘…sellsword rogue?’

As she said this, her hand ran up and down Stathis’ arm, even while running her eyes over Terin, who grinned and preened under the attention. Brina was just as insistent, bells twitching in indignation as she pulled on Stathis. Undead murder-cults were easier to deal with, and at least her powers cold help repel undead monstrosities, but now she just wanted to sleep. Still, she let herself be dragged away, the group slowly making progress.