At the courthouse, Romorith is surprised to find herself in the full court with not only the honorable Judge Nobakht, but also Cerna, Bellemare, and two individuals she has not met. This meeting was added to her schedule by another, and leaves her little time to prepare her evidence presentation for the afternoon.

One of the strangers is a strix, and Romorith wonders if it is the same one that the police had hired. She had been under the impression that the Blackfeather strix had been killed in the line of duty, but she may be mistaken and there may be another strix involved in this complicated case. The other stranger is probably a dragon, though he is currently in the shape of a human. His stature is tall, with broad shoulders, and deep blue hair that he’s tied in a tidy little bun. His eyes, she notices, are the brightest of blues and his pupils are slit. His eyes and hair match his perfectly pressed blue suit.

“Good morning. I am Advocate Narolth Avantador, and I represent the interests of Blackfeather Adventuring Company. As you may be aware,” the stranger who might be a dragon says when all have settled into their seats, “Yaotl Tetzin, agent of Blackfeather Adventuring Company, was killed in a most violent manner by a vampire Spawn that was left as a trap in a tunnel that had been arranged as a safe house by the vampire Adrien Bellemare. As Blackfeather Adventuring Company’s corporate attorney, I am obligated to seek civil damages against the person who caused our agent’s demise.”

With a name like Narolth Avantador, he’s either a dragon for sure and not trying to hide it, or he’s something far more dangerous and pretending to be a dragon is intended to make him less intimidating. Either way, Cerna and Romorith shift uncomfortably in their chairs. Cerna’s lust for power and Romorith’s desire for fame are no match for the overwhelming aura of strength that this probable dragon exudes.

“What damages do you intend to extract through the court?” Nobakht, however, does not even flinch. His own aura of assuredness and his ancient well of patience hold him fast as an anchor in the onslaught of Avantador’s storm.

“Agent Tetzin made use of her life insurance policy to be revived at great cost to the Company. Blackfeather would like to recover that cost.” Avantador passes legal documents to Nobakht. So the strix was resurrected from the dead. Romorith is highly impressed. From what Alton had described, she did not imagine that this would be able to be accomplished through a simple raise dead spell. This is the work of a true resurrection. She wonders why she has been required to be present for this.

“What evidence do you have that Mr. Bellemare is responsible for Ms. Tetzin’s demise?” Nobakht asks, his deep voice as unreadable as his immobile face.

“Please show the court the scars, Agent Tetzin.” Avantador gestures toward the strix.

Tetzin unclips her chiton from the decorative collar she wears to hold it up while leaving her wings free. It falls down to her hips, where a leather belt holds it in place. Her breasts remain covered by simple bindings, but her stomach is clearly exposed.

With the resurrection so very recent, the healing work has not yet had time to fade. Bright red lines mark where flesh was removed wholesale, and fainter pink flesh fills in the spaces where the skin had remained intact but required reattaching. The scar may fade in time, but for now the surface of her gut is pitted with creases where the healed and recreated skin meet.

“As you can see from this damage,” Avantador continues after a pause, “Agent Tetzin is a valid witness unto her own demise. Blackfeather Adventuring Company is willing to pay to have the truth of our agent’s testimony confirmed by a seer if that is what the court desires.”

“Will Agent Tetzin’s testimony be able to confirm or deny the specific connection to the accused?” The judge has a calm pace to his voice. He is in no hurry.

“The agent can confirm the chain of events that lead to the violence she suffered.” Avantador folds his arms.

“Does that evidence indicate the exact nature of the link between the accused and the vampire that killed Agent Tetzin?” Judge Nobakht desires solid evidence as proof. Lacking that would mean lacking the exact thing that proves wrongdoing on Bellemare’s part.

“No.” Avantador gives an honest answer. “That evidence would be that which is provided by the police investigation that lead to their contracting Blackfeather Adventuring Company agents in the first place. We understand if a decision in our case is predicated on the results of theirs.”

“In that case it will be.” Nobakht scratches notes in a thin little notebook bound with thick red thread. “If you are found guilty, Mr. Bellemare, you will be required to pay for Agent Tetzin’s resurrection and cover her salary during the time she was not living.”

“We understand.” Avantador nods. He turns to the other two attorneys. “Be expecting a civil suit as soon as your trial ends,” he told Cerna and Bellemare.

“That’s incredibly confident.” Bellemare sneers at the corporate attorney.

“I have nothing but faith in the Unjust Existence Elimination Investigation Force’s professional skills.” This is high praise coming from a professional adventuring firm. Typically adventurers exist outside the law and do not generally work with them well.

Nobakht dismisses them from his office, and the attorneys and vampire leave. Avantador waylays Romorith on the way out. Romorith is still unsure of why she would be included in the earlier discussion.

“I hope you can understand what we’re offering.” Avantador’s strong grip on Romorith’s arm unnerves her. His hand is like steel, and she can see that his fingers end with claws rather than just fingernails. “If there is even the slightest hint of a way that we can help, you have our aid.”

“What help might you offer?” Romorith does not pull her arm away.

“Our pockets are deeper than you might imagine.” There’s no mistaking Avantador for anything other than a dragon now. His teeth are too sharp in that vicious grin. His eyes are too bright, with pupils that aren’t even trying to be round.

“I can’t let you bribe a witness.” Romorith freezes.

“Of course not.” The dragon’s grin softens, taking on a playful tone. “There are other ways we can assist. Any spells that you could need commissioned we can pay for. Any documents you need from the mainland we can teleport here directly. Just say the word and we will do what we can.”

“Is this revenge?” Romorith stays frozen, unnerved by the intensity of the dragon’s stare.

“Of course not.” The dragon winks. That is not at all helpful. “It’s just how our business works. We can’t have our top agents murdered in the streets without consequence.”

“I saw the photos of the Spawn that your paladin destroyed. I don’t think that counts as inconsequential.” Romorith’s eyes narrow suspiciously.

“Oh but it is!” The dragon finally releases her arm. “Spawn are not in control of their actions, so we do not hold them as the ones accountable for the death of an agent. You should see what route we take when we are not confident in legal measures against the one responsible for an agent’s death.”

“Our evidence will not disappoint you.” Romorith’s words are more confident than her voice in this moment. Dragons, she’s aware, have an effect of intimidating those around them without even trying to do so, but knowing this isn’t a panacea against it.

“I should hope not.” Avantador’s words immediate call to mind a rumor about a massive Blackfeather raid on a pirate base. Everyone inside was killed. Bodies were supposedly eaten. The memory of the massacre is a premonition of what could happen if the case were to go wrong.

Romorith manages not to shudder until the dragon is out of earshot. Not only are the crimes against the Charter putting the United Non-Evil Necromantic State at risk from invasion from their neighbor to the north and an end to Pax Lycan on Nova Island, but there’s the risk that the extranational organization with more clout than some deities would come down against the city as well.

Romorith reframes. There’s nothing like a challenge to start the week off right. Success here will not go unnoticed by anyone.