Sheets rustled as Janaxia rolled over. The scent of wine was heavy in the air. Janaxia’s hand tapped against metal, then glass, fumbling until she could grasp the glass, weighted and filled with something liquid. She lifted it, shifting around and raising it to her lips, sipping at the water it contained. The memories of last night started to trickle through her mind – there had been a few drinks at the canal-side tavern, and then they had moved onto a rather more opulent establishment, all gilt decorations and vermillion wood, narcotic incense thick in the air. And from there… A quite friendly gentleman, some local dignitary, had insisted on paying the tab, and then on taking them to another, more refined establishment.

There was a sound from next to her, more sheets rustling as her companion roused themselves. It sounded like just one, at least. Who exactly had it been? The end of the night, actually closer to dawn, with the fingertips of the sun starting to splinter and fragment upon the canals, was something of a blur, especially after the cocktails.

An arm reached over her – it felt young, strong but not overly muscled, without any unsightly scars or partially-healed wounds, a few rings on the fingers, bands of gold, silver and obsidian. Well, they were wealthy, at least, especially when she took in the rest of the chamber – well-crafted and beautifully polished wooden shelves and drawers, a glass-plated cabinet filled with expensive-looking curios and knickknacks, glinting in the overly-bright afternoon sun.

The hand brushed against the bedside table, seeking the water for themselves. She twisted herself backwards, pushing herself against them, moving the glass into the shifting hand. From the shape of their body, they were male, fairly lean, and not too tall. A drowsy and mumbled “thanks” drifted from them before they gulped at the water. Janaxia twisted around to look at them, glad of the warmth of their body.

She nodded in appreciation as she saw them – she may have been inebriated, but at least not to the point of foolishness. About her own age, with clear, pale skin, well-tended dark hair, a few ear studs still in place, a golden chain still wound about his neck. His frame was slender, not that of someone that lived by the blade, and his bare chest showed no scars or wounds. His eyes were still shut, but he responded with alacrity to her urging touches, resulting in a mutually pleasurable waking.

Afterwards, she rose, leaving him to his renewed slumbers. The room had a balcony, overlooking the wide sweep of the bay, the water currently gleaming under the brilliant sunlight, waves sparkling as they brushed against the harbour, distant and tiny workers loading and unloading the ships. The balcony itself extruded from a large building, sculpted with niches to hold statues of dignitaries and heroes. Well, he certainly wasn’t lacking for wealth, it seemed! Far superior to the tavern they had been staying in. Looking down, she could even see some guards at the front gate to the building – his family must have both wealth and power. It fronted onto a large square, an ornate fountain spurting and gushing, a few wealthy-looking nobles or merchants tending to the business, attended to by flocks of attendants or servants. A wind blew, fresh and heavy with sea-salt, ruffling her hair, as she focused, calling appropriate clothing into being – despite the sea breeze, it was a warm day, so something light. Layers, then, thin and clinging, but not enough to be overly revealing.

‘Useful skill to have.’

Janaxia tried to hide her surprise as she spun to look at the newcomer – despite the armour that covered their form, well-crafted cuirass, greaves and gauntlets all catching the sun, they were female, with long, dark blonde hair spilling from beneath a helmet. They weren’t as large or well-muscled as Stathis, and had a sword on each hip rather than a sword and a shield, but they had a similar martial bearing, probably used to dealing with problems through physical means.

‘Certainly easier than having to leave to get changed. I was surprised when he bought someone home. I do hope you won’t cause any trouble?’ Despite her polite tone, she laid a hand on a sword hilt, her smile decidedly frosty. ‘He is prone to swift attachments, although they rarely last long. I do hope you weren’t planning on a long visit?’

‘No, although some company is pleasant. And he seems attractive enough, for a short dalliance, at least.’

A touch of warmth entered the woman’s smile. ‘Excellent. I would advise against getting too close, having to evict another weeper would be annoying. Anyway, now that I have issued the appropriate threats, then would you like to eat? He does employ excellent chefs, may as well make the most of them. I can particularly recommend the croissants.’ She gestured at a wrought iron table, with a pair of chairs. ‘He probably won’t be up for a while. Not much of a morning person. Or an afternoon one, either, and it sounded as though you kept him going for a while.’

Janaxia let herself relax slightly, now that it seemed there wouldn’t be a fight or an immediate eviction. ‘Food sounds pleasant. I don’t suppose you happen to know the whereabouts of my companions?’

‘I had them put in one of the guest rooms. Although one of them seems a bit… damaged. She looks terrified all the time!’

‘Oh, yes. Ignore her, she’s always like that. Rather weak-willed and useless, between ourselves. Some level of magical knowledge, but of little use otherwise.’

‘So, you’re an adventurer then?’ She kept a hand on her sword hilt but smiled and tapped her other hand against a crystal bell that hung from her belt. ‘Food will be with us shortly. Are you the leader of the group?’

Janaxia paused for a moment before answering. Stathis was… indisposed for the moment, so leadership surely fell to her? ‘Yes. Yes, I am. Although we are between jobs at the moment, this is something of a break.’

‘Not staying long?’

‘Hopefully not. It is pleasant here, but I… we… tend to move a fair bit.’

The woman relaxed slightly. ‘Oh good. The Prince has a tendency to attract occasionally, um, unstable guests, that then get rather upset when he inevitably moves on to someone new. If you’re moving off anyway, then it sounds as though that won’t be a problem? Some of them can require quite forceful persuasion.’ She tapped her sword again, before removing her hand from her hilt.

‘Such can be the perils of power, so I am told. Although he is quite attractive, so I can see how the situation can arise. So you are his bodyguard, then?’ Hopefully, at some point, the woman would supply either his name, or at least her own.

‘Yes. For about four years now, I think. Used to be an adventurer, but that never really took me far. Did a few monster hunts, went down under into the Bonepits a few times, but this pays better, and with less risk of getting murdered. And dealing with screeching women might be a pain, but they’re less likely to try and kill me!’

A small door on the far side of the balcony opened. It disgorged a servant pushing a cart, holding several metal domes. This was moved over towards the table, before the domes were lifted, and a delicious scent wafted out, fresh-cooked pastry, all delicate folds and waves, studded with dried fruit. Janaxia helped herself to one, delicately biting into it, letting the construction melt on her tongue, filling her mouth with sweetness.

‘Pretty good, right? Might not be the most exciting job, but there are definitely some perks.’ The woman took one for herself, eating in the same way as Stathis – swift, sharp bites, as though she might be interrupted at any moment. When she was done, she quickly brushed off the flakes of pastry that had fallen onto her armour. ‘So, ground rules; don’t get attached, make the most of it. You’re here for a good time, not a long one. Don’t drag him into anything stupidly dangerous. You want to go watch some fights at the Ring of Blood, fine, but don’t go dragging him down the Bonepits or anything stupid. He’s generally pretty sensible, but gets a bit stupid and macho sometimes, and I have to haul him out of some dumb shit. Don’t go stealing stuff – you’re probably going to get quite a lot of gifts from him, don’t get greedy. Don’t try and advise him on business decisions – he is actually good at that side of things, and doesn’t like being given advice.’

‘You make this sound awfully… commercial.’

‘Think of it as setting expectations. He’s pretty relaxed, you’re free to go anytime, so I’d make the most of it. If you want to sample any of the restaurants and not have to foot the bill, now’s the time. But don’t get too used to it, because he’ll probably get bored soon and swap you out form someone else, and it’s a pain if you get all weepy about it. Or start casting spells to try and enslave him or anything.’

‘When you put it that way, you make it sound like a job! But you need not fear – I have little desire to form a deep attachment, or overstay my welcome.’

The woman helped herself to an apple, crunching through it in several swift bites, then turning around and flicking her wrist, tossing the core away. It arced through the air, dropping and splashing into a canal. ‘Done anything I would have heard about? The council sends its own forces to deal with most problems, or gets contractors in, so we don’t really get many independents around.’

It probably wasn’t a good idea to openly announce her deeds, in case anyone should wish her harm. Still, a little bragging couldn’t hurt. ‘Well, I was involved in the events at Redcastle, and managed to slay several of the more powerful demons. And at Cormontara, then we helped with the, ah, disturbances there. The new Duke was most thankful.’

‘Cormontara? You’ve come a long way, then. Guess someone teleported you? Would have been a damn long journey by boat, never mind by foot.’

‘Yes, indeed.’ Janaxia helped herself to another croissant, looking through the breakfast items until she found a carafe of water, eager to slake her thirst. ‘And yourself? You mentioned a few adventuring jobs before falling into your current post?’

‘Yeah, spent a while with the Red Shield, did a little bit of freelancing.’

‘Are you one of his, ah, paramours?’ She looked the woman over – attractive enough, but nothing that special, unless the armour hid a spectacular body. Toned enough, but her hair was a fairly dull blonde, not shining like Stathis’ hair, and she wasn’t as tall either. ‘That would certainly be a convenient arrangement, I suppose.’

‘Oh, gods no. He’s smart and good at business, but a total flake at everything else. He likes having attractive women around, but also has some sense of boundaries. At least once I threatened to take a hand, or something else, off a few times if he didn’t move it himself. There’s worse bosses, he pays well, and I’m unlikely to get killed. Not a bad deal, all told, even if I do sometimes have to put a load of drunkards to bed. That big lass with you was hard to carry!’

‘Vrintar? Yes, she is certainly of hardy stock. Although she must have had quite a lot to drink to be rendered insensible.’

‘She was walking. Well, staggering. Crashed out in the lobby, then I had to drag her the rest of the way. Actually, I may as well show you around, if you want. There’s a wardrobe if you want some real clothing, rather than summoning it up. Oh, I put your spellbook in the vault as well. I know those things are expensive, I didn’t want the staff to take it and put it in the library or something. There’s enough books in there you’d probably never find it again.’

‘Thank you. Yes, a tour would be appreciated. And a view of the available clothing would be pleasant.’

The woman tapped the bell again, still without having given either her own name, or that of her master. Servants appeared again, quickly tidying away the plates and then vanishing through a concealed door.

‘Follow me, then.’

Janaxia obeyed, following along behind the woman, into the… apartment? Or was it more of wing of a palace? It was hard to tell. Inside, everything was light wood, almost glowing with an inner light, everything dappled with bright flecks of colours from tinted shards and beads of glass. When the candles were lit, it must be quite a sight! The walls were lined with what Janaxia judged to be family heirlooms and prizes – weapons, well-crafted statues of ancestors, various other trophies and totems. And all in exquisite taste, and kept immaculately clean! Even the guard had a certain charm, despite her brusque nature.

‘If you want to, you can use this room. If you’re around long enough to need it.’

The woman pushed open a door, revealing a chamber of indeterminate size, the size impossible to tell due to the racks and racks of clothing and with freestanding mirrors spread around. From the varying styles and sizes of clothing present, her host certainly had varied tastes – some of the outfits would be too large even for Semari, while others were decidedly tent-like. The choice on offer was impressive though – she would have to examine them in more depth late. She stepped forward, running her fingers through the, enjoying the plethora of sensations – silk, satin, lace, fur, leather and more all trickling over her fingers. There should definitely be something here she could draw some inspiration from!

But she should check on the others first, and make sure they weren’t causing problems. Supressing a sting of regret, she turned around, and gestured at the woman to lead on. She would return as soon as she could, to make the most of this opportunity.

She was led to an entrance hall, the door to outside locked and barred, a spell glowing on the lock. There was a life-size crystal statue of a woman, sparkling underneath an enchanted globe of light. A severe-looking black pillar was in one corner, marked out by a rope barrier, inscribed with a protective spell of some kind, a bubble of power shimmering in the air around it. That would need investigating later – it seemed potent, if it was on display but protected. The elegance of the decoration was somewhat ruined by several weapons on a table - Janaxia recognised Vrintar’s axes there, along with her own skeleton-wand (currently quiescent), and Kivata’s wand.

‘I try to avoid weapons or spells in the house. Keeps the trouble down. I’ve put the rest of your party in one of the guestrooms, this way.’

Janaxia was content to be led through the place, marvelling at the luxuriousness and opulence on display. Wide skylights in the ceiling lit in fresh, clear sunlight, shining off a polished marble floor. The walls were panelled with wood, but regular internal windows showcased the chambers on the other side – a music room with a grand harp standing ready, what looked like a games room with a billiards table mid-game, several rooms with neatly-displayed paintings and sculptures. Janaxia nodded in approval – whoever she had snared seemed worthy of her, with this much overt wealth on display! And if so much of the building was his, then it seemed worth calling it a “wing”, rather than a simple “apartment”. Or maybe he owned the entire thing? That would be an impressive deed!

The guest chambers were down a short stone stairwell, a board listing current guests – or, in this case, simply the words “guests (4)”, as everyone had likely been too insensible to collect names – and then a hallway with several doors branching off it. The woman approached one, and then knocked, before pushing it open.

Inside, was more than single room, it was actually a well-appointed suite. Semari was somehow sprawled on the back of a leather armchair, apparently asleep, as Vrintar flicked the pages of a book. Sen was kneeling more decorously, rising as Janaxia entered. Kivata was sat on the floor in the corner, arms wrapped around herself, eyes nervously scanning the room. She twitched as she saw Janaxia, a flash of fear appearing on her face. Janaxia smiled – it was so pleasant finally being accorded the respect she deserved!

Vrintar looked between Janaxia and the woman, before Janaxia spoke. ‘It appears you have been well-treated?’

Vrintar nodded. ‘Yes, the master of this place is most hospitable.’

Semari raised a drowsy arm. ‘Yeah, good eating! You need to shack up with more rich dudes, could get used to this.’ She somehow managed to propel herself into a leap, launching herself to her feet, almost bouncing off the ceiling before landing next to the woman. ‘So, you, like, the boss here?’

‘My name is Tamura Evenstar. The “boss” is Prince Anytha Vel Penrithar. Although you are free to leave or go about your business as you wish, his interest is in this one.’ She gestured at Janaxia. ‘Sorry, I missed your name, you were quite drunk last night.’

There was a long silence, as Janaxia considered what to say. Giving her true name might cause certain issues or end up getting her into trouble. It hurt, more than a little, but she might have to lie.

‘My name is… Janaxia…’ She hesitated, flailing for a name. ‘Itirari.’

‘Huh, from the plains? Would have thought you were from further south. Surprised you didn’t sign up with the Iristari, hear they’re hiring at the moment, look to be doing something big. Something about some old bunch of necromancers? They’re probably won’t last long.’

‘That remains to be seen, the Uth Tremari are powerful still, even if not so much as they once were. This is Semari and Vrintar, if they have not yet introduced themselves. You will have to excuse Semari, she suffers from an excessively low upbringing.’

‘Uh, is she OK?’ Tamura pointed past Semari at Kivata, who was curled up in a corner with her arms wrapped around her legs, illuminated by sunlight, eyes wide open, looking as though she hadn’t slept, eyes red, dark bags beneath them. She yelped when she saw Janaxia, gulping in a breath.

Janaxia sighed. ‘That is… Kita.’ Please try and be less of a mess, Kivata. You are not yet in danger. As their eyes met, Kivata shuddered again. If anyone should ask, your name is Kita. I would take it amiss were this to be forgotten. Now stand up and introduce yourself.

Kivata obeyed, albeit slowly and haltingly, her movements awkward and disjointed. She shuffled closer, making an acceptable curtsey and mumbling something that was probably an introduction.

‘You will have to excuse her, she is a touch afflicted, in the mind. But is no danger, you need not worry. You may go, Kita.’ Kivata shuffled backwards, not letting her eyes leave Janaxia. Really, she seemed quite afflicted! She was suitably cowed, but taking it to something of an excess. Even after a few drinks, she had stayed silent, staring into the middle distance unless prompted, not reacting to stimuli. If action were needed, then perhaps some focused time with Kivata might be needed in advance?

‘You’re welcome to stay, at least for a while. Don’t go poking about too much, and stay away from the black obelisk in the lobby.’

Semari and Vrintar glanced at each other, than at Janaxia before Semari spoke. ‘I’m guessing that’s like, ancient magic? All doom-laden and stuff?’

‘It is an heirloom. And unfortunately can’t be moved, the damn thing is rooted in place, can’t be shifted. Had a few past guests touch it, it ended badly. There’s some kind of family bond or something going on, but the boss doesn’t talk about it, and it’s not really my thing, so I don’t ask. He uses it somewhere for special stuff, all very secretive. But don’t touch it, unless you want to be missing a few fingers.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll grab this one if she starts going all oogie.’ Semari moved towards Janaxia, who raised a hand, eldritch energy snapping into existence around her fingers.

Tamura slid one of her swords slightly out of a sheath, a pale light shining from the blade. ‘No fighting!’

Janaxia let the magic dissipate but didn’t drop her guard, keeping a wary eye on Semari. ‘I have some knowledge of ancient artefacts. If you wish, then I can study it. Without touching it, of course.’ It was likely just a protective warding of some kind – Kivata could probably be used to defuse it, either with her knowledge, or as a sacrifice to drain its power. She looked at Kivata – Kita – and smiled, Kita shuddering.

‘Now, Tamura, as your master still seems to be abed, if you could direct us to a games room or similar? We may as well entertain ourselves. In a non-destructive way, of course.’

Please do behave yourself, Semari. This should at least be a good opportunity to rest and relax, while pursuing our goals. And I believe I saw a rather well-stocked bar.

That seemed to mollify Semari, or at least she lowered her fists. Then Janaxia crooked her fingers at Kita, who obediently came.

‘I’ll show you the way. Until he gets his arse out of bed, there’s not much to do. Unless you want to give him a wakeup call?’ She looked at Janaxia.

Janaxia thought of the slender body, wrapped in sheets and dappled with bright sunlight, a smile coming to her face. ‘If you think he wouldn’t be offended? That may be pleasant. Then I think I will leave you to your pleasures, and seek my own.’

Semari looked as though she were about to say something but stopped herself.

Kita, don’t cause any problems.

‘Yes, Janaxia.’ Kita’s voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but at least she was obeying, as Janaxia left the guest-room, returning to the bedroom where she had awoken.