Janaxia fussed over Stathis, magical energy cleaning off sweat, picking at a scab before Stathis healed herself, her skin becoming smooth and uninjured.

‘Good. You should really have done that before, you know!’

‘It seemed more important to heal anyone else first. There were some nasty injuries down there.’

‘Fortunately, I have yet to hear reports of any deaths. It seems that the clerics were very efficient in patching everyone up. Which is a relief – it would be a shame to have your day of victory marred by further loss. I did think it was all rather stirring and impressive though, at least before the combat started. And I must say, I am very impressed by these quarters. Far better than your previous chambers!’

She stepped away, stopping to admire herself in a mirror, running her hands down her sides, pulling her dress close into her slender waist.

‘You don’t need to fuss so much, you look great.’

Well, thank you for saying so. Not that I would disagree, but it is nice to be told. She posed in front of the mirror, using it to blow a kiss at Stathis, who smiled back.

‘It was a nice gesture to put the two of us into a room together as well.’ She turned to look at the double bed. ‘Although there is a certain charm, I suppose, to hidden passages and secret meetings, this is certainly easier.’

‘It’s a formal dinner, by the time it’s over we’re going to be too tired for anything else! And there’s probably more scheduled for tomorrow. I’m surprised nobody has dropped by with anything formal yet. Although Dorothea’s probably busy compiling reports from her agents, and I’ve not been formally slotted into a space yet.’

‘Well, it seems likely that we will be assigned to some form of roaming role. Which will certainly keep us busy!’

‘Yeah, there’s going to be a lot to do. And it’s going to be hard to see much of each other.’

‘I’m sure we will manage.’ Janaxia held up her hand, looking at the ring. ‘And thanks to Kinnevar’s gift, at least we will have some contact with each other. But perhaps we can acquire other items to help us stay in touch? Such magic is possible.’

‘That would make things easier. But I think that a lot of long-range magic has gone screwy. Going to have to do things without magic for a while.’

Magic wafted over her body, a waistcoat buttoning itself shut.

‘That, however, is a problem for another day. For tonight, we are celebrating. So kindly stop borrowing trouble. I saw the pavilion that had been erected – it looks magnificent. And large enough to hold Zarazonnia, which must have been awkward on such short notice. And I assume that a large amount of food will have to be supplied as well – the logistics behind such an event are quite impressive. Now, are you quite prepared? I did notice that those cabinets contain quite a variety of jewellery and other ornaments, if you wish a few more adornments.’

‘I think this would be enough.’ Stathis twisted her neck, collar of her shirt falling into position. ‘Unless you have any comments?’

‘Hmm, well, I suppose you don’t want to appear overly ornate. A somewhat more casual appearance will allow you to be seen as more down-to-earth – I would presume that you would prefer to keep your more angelic attributes as relatively minor?’ She walked over to Stathis, appraising her more carefully, tilting her head back and forth. ‘Although I think just a little touch of gold. You are quite high-ranking, after all.’ She gestured, dark energy forming around her, a swirling column of the stuff coalescing and floating over to the cabinet, picking up several golden items and floating them over.

‘Perhaps a torc? As a compliment to my own.’ She tapped the golden choker around her neck. ‘Although, actually…’ The torc was plucked away, and then a fat golden bracelet floated out, set with vivid-red rubies. ‘That seems to be something of a complimentary item, does it not?’

It slid over her arm, settling into place.

‘There. Now, I think that should be everything. Unless you can suggest anything that I need to fix?’ She posed, shoulders back, twisting her arms to make the filmy material of her dress fall over her shoulders and chest.

‘You’re just fishing for compliments now, aren’t you?’

It’s no fun if you don’t play along!

‘You look very nice. Now, let’s get going before someone gets sent for us.’ Stathis held out her hand, taking Janaxia’s and pulling her towards the door, denying her any more time to pose.

As they stepped into the hallway, a pair of guards saluted, Janaxia sighing in pleasure and pushing herself close against Stathis.

‘We’re quite a ways from the gardens, you might want to change out of heels.’ She could hear the dry clicks of Janaxia’s heels against the stone floor. Janaxia’s head dropped somewhat, the sound of her footsteps changing.

‘You could have carried me? A dashing entrance from above might produce quite an impressive impact.’ She gestured at a window.

‘They’re shielded. So no diving out – remember when Semari tried that before? So we’re going to have to walk it, and I’m not carrying you all the way through the halls. Although I might know a shortcut through some of the empty chambers. This way.’

Stathis pivoted, pulling Janaxia along behind her, pushing open a heavy wooden door. Ahead of her, instead of the large, empty chamber she expected, was a sparking, rune-laden magical workshop. The walls were covered with pinned-up scraps of paper, ink squiggles forming some kind of wider pattern. Large tables held lots of vials and bottles, and assemblies of metal and crystals, arcane energy sparking around the room. Blue gems hovered on the ceiling, shedding low light, the corners filled with shadows.

‘Uh, this wasn’t here before.’ It was so filled with magical equipment that she couldn’t even see the other side, and the exit! The door closed behind her, and she started to pull Janaxia forward – it was a lot faster to cut through here, then to go all the way around the passages.

It looked like quite a lot of the… experiments? Were active, crystals casting a flickering corona, moving in slow orbits, areas changing between light and shadow. Reams of notes were stacked in untidy piles, some starting to slide over.

A figure emerged from the shadows, loose robes veiling their outline, before they spoke a magic word, a crystal flaring into light.

Hakara was stood there, blinking in the light, her robes looking messy, hair tousled. More crystals orbited her, each shedding slightly different light.

‘Stathis! And Janaxia. Oh, I had heard you’d made it back.’

‘Good to see you. Is this your lab now?’ Is certainly looked lived in – now her eyes had adjusted to the low light, Stathis could see a simple bed in one corner, along with bowls of food, stacked up ready to be removed. ‘Have you been keeping busy?’

‘Oh yes! Iochia – I mean the commander – has been very generous, and given me all the resources I could need. I still haven’t been able to fully stabilise long-distance spells, but I’ve been making progress. And it’s nice to have the time and space to do this properly.’

‘Must be better than doing it all on the road, that’s for sure. And you’re remembering to sleep?’ There were faint bags under Hakara’s eyes, but she looked more rested than before. ‘Not coming to the party?’

‘Oh, is that what the noise is? I had heard there was something happening. And I saw the type V demon – I wasn’t expecting her to be so large! She seems strangely familiar though…’ She trailed off, before shaking her head and continuing. ‘She spoke highly of both of you.’

‘Well, of course. That’s only natural, is it not?’ Janaxia was pressed even closer against Stathis, almost resting her head on a shoulder, Stathis having to be careful not to take a horn to the eye. ‘And she was most useful herself.’

‘So, are you staying here then? You look pretty settled.’ A lot of the magical equipment looked heavy and expensive, ringed with protective circles etched into the floor, occasional sparks earthing themselves into metal.

‘I think so, yes. I wouldn’t have anything like to work with elsewhere, and having to fight for research grants would be a lot more work! The Academy can be very slow to acknowledge breakthroughs, even if it does have better facilities.’ She gestured with a hand, levitating crystals flying away on an orbit of the room, illuminating large glass beakers, filled with preserved body parts, studded with black crystals. ‘If, Lady Janaxia, you wanted to help me? That might speed matters, if I could test you directly?’

Stathis felt her shudder. ‘Ah, it seems as though I will have other, more urgent tasks to tend to? But I’m sure you will be able to come to a successful conclusion without me. I might, possibly, have time in the future, once everything is rather calmer?’

‘Well, any hope would be appreciated. It’s all quite complicated. Although Kivata has been very helpful. And she helps take care of a lot of the normal business, but has helped with a few breakthroughs.’

There was a movement from a dark corner, Kivata stepping out – unlike Hakara, she had made some attempt at dressing up, with her hair scraped into a messily-tied tail, her dress ill-fitting but of fine material. Janaxia looked at her and tutted, Kivata flinching with a look of fear on her face.

‘Would you perhaps like a little assistance? That dress is… not best suited to your figure. Maybe a little looser at the waist? And, with the best will in the world, you do not have the thighs for a slit like that. Or the hips. Maybe something a little… looser, to hide your scrawnier parts? Although that colour does suit you. Maybe something a little more… more… with the hair as well. And of course, some jewellery. Were you hoping to drag Hakara along to tonight’s celebrations?’

Magic energy flowed, scrubbing off ineptly-applied makeup, tweaking and twisting on Kivata’s dress, tendrils finding pins somewhere, using them to change the outline of the dress, and reshaping Kivata’s hair, making it fall about her face, framing her sharp features more attractively.

‘I didn’t think…’

Without stopping her fussing at Kivata, Janaxia spoke over Hakara. ‘You should come. It would be a useful chance for you to meet others that may be able to help fund your research. And possibly converse with other experts? Although maybe make a little more of an effort yourself?’

Between scrubs of her face, Kivata was able to speak. ‘I did pick an outfit for you, Magus Hakara.’ She pointed out a baggy shape hanging from the wall, gaudy magical symbols picked out in metallic threat.

Janaxia sighed, both physically and mentally. ‘Well, I suppose that will have to suffice. Even if it is a little, shall we say, gaudy? Not to mention cliché? But I suppose you are not yet well-known, so it may help to play into stereotypes for a while at least, as you have few alliances to lean on.’ She rubbed herself against Stathis’ shoulder. ‘I will have to create a wardrobe for each of you before departing! Really, if you are at court, then you should make something of an effort. Now, Kivata, your makeup?’

Kivata squeaked and vanished into the shadows, returning with a small bag. Before she could even put it down, it was pulled from her hand and held in the air, dark forces pulling out the contents and starting to apply them.

‘She’s right – it’s a pain, but it can be useful to look the part. And you should try and get to know people here. It looks like you’re planning on sticking around?’

‘Oh yes, there’s no shortage of research to be done, and the Commander has been very generous with materials.’ Hakara sighed, then cast a spell, her shape fading from sight. A vague blur moved towards the hanging robe, followed by the sounds of fabric moving, as she presumably undressed herself.

Janaxia was still working on Kivata, adding gentle and subtle touches of colour to her sallow face, a gentle red to her lips – it made the resemblance between the two of them more obvious, although Janaxia had more refined features, and was stood up straighter, without slumped shoulders.

‘Now that we are the last of the Uth Tremari – well, except for Greganx, who I hope will rot in a dungeon for a lengthy period – then you should try and present yourself a little better. Now that I hold all the titles vested in our blood, I may raise you to an appropriate position, so that you may better hold a position at court. But you will need to look the part!’

Kivata froze, colour draining from her face, eyes flitting around the room.

‘You need not worry yourself overmuch. It seems as though you have found an appropriate position with a magus of good repute, so I will not require any service of you. Although… perhaps we may take tea together at some point? It has been some time since we talked, at least when events have not been against us.’

Kivata burst into tears, ruining the makeup on her face, stumbling forward and hugging Janaxia, Stathis standing aside. She was properly crying, fat, blubbery tears rolling down her face.

Some help would be appreciated? I am not entirely sure how to respond!

Stathis had to step in, gently peeling Kivata off her sister, whose face was already being cleaned, cosmetics reapplied. ‘I know you two have had problems, but it would be good to talk them out.’ Behind her, the robe moved, before suddenly vanishing as the invisible Hakara dressed herself, then blinked back into visibility. Stathis managed to calm Kivata down enough for Janaxia to finish applying cosmetics and tweaking Kivata’s dress. Despite the redness of her eyes, it did look a lot better, and her dress was now better fitting, shaped more closely to her form, rather than being lumpy and misshapen.

Janaxia looked at Hakara, taking in the overly-gaudy decorations, the metallic runes gleaming in the blue light, baggy sleeves and sagging waistline, then sighed. ‘Well, I suppose that you have sufficient power to excuse a little fashion faux pas. But maybe you should get an apprentice or maid that is rather more… attuned to current trends? You should attempt to do something more with yourself.’

A bell tolled, followed by others.

‘Sadly, I believe that we are running a little late, to a degree that may be rather undiplomatic.’

‘You’ve not blocked off the other door?’

Hakara shook her head.

‘Good.’ Stathis started to herd them towards the door, Janaxia still working on Kivata, more tendrils of darkness tweaking at the tousled mass of Hakara’s hair, trying to tidy it up, unravelling tangles, pulling it straight.

Well, it is nice to see Kivata attempting to improve herself. And being attached to a magus of good standing will certainly see her in good stead in the future. Although I do believe that she may be casting her hat somewhat inappropriately – Hakara seems to have little interest in the fairer sex. Which seems rather limiting, but I suppose some people are like that. But now they are at court, I would hope that a suitable partner can be found. Now I am head of the household, I should look after her, and see her suitably matched.

‘Don’t get too political about it! But it’s good of you to help your sister out. She should probably try and get out more, rather than hiding behind Hakara. Just don’t smother her, or try and be too controlling. I know you’re a lot better at this, but don’t be too harsh with her, or take revenge for when she was mean to you.’

I suppose. Although it might be frustrating at times. Still, it is good to see her enjoying herself. Even if she is a little emotional! Did she get any tears on me?

‘You look as good as ever, don’t worry!’ Stathis took hold of Janaxia’s hand, pulling her along. ‘Although we should try not to be late, I don’t want to keep everyone waiting.’

As she pulled Janaxia along, magic energy was still tidying Kivata and Hakara, who followed along behind. At least with them around, it might make the thing less tiresome! It would probably be hours of speeches, and then a tiny amount of food. A chill settled on her. Would she be expected to make a speech herself? Well, if that happened, Janaxia might be able to do one on the fly.