Geneva hummed as she walked past the Witness Circle, easily dodging the fast-moving carriages, the shirtless fighters in the midst of training, workers moving at a quick pace, and faster moving servants that resembled rodents with their demeanors. Many looked at her but few did so for more than a moment. An aftereffect of their little display during the March but she paid it no mind, her thoughts directed to more important things.

It seemed her summoner was still wary of her, as the foiling of her plot proved. The new order was also an impediment, rendering several possible plans to lure Lou into establishing a true power base unfeasible. However, while she had the right attitude, Lou was still naive. It wasn’t enough. Not nearly.

The only way someone of Lou’s mental ability could control her would be to restrict her down to her very thoughts. Turn her into a mindless creature who could only carry out the words of her orders. But, if she were to do that, then Geneva would lose all her appeal. So, her summoner compromised. She tried to make her chain long enough to be useful but short enough to protect her. A common trap of arrogance. Individuals believing they had far more control of their circumstances than they did.

Luckily for Lou, Geneva had more use for her contractor alive and well, so she wouldn’t maliciously exploit the gaps in her commands. She didn’t even take offense at the growing restrictions. They simply gave her more motivation to get…creative.

Outside the unappealing and sadly named bunkhouse, she paused and cast a simple spell. The indistinct murmurs of thought leaking from the intelligent minds in the building sharpened, becoming words and impressions. There was a lot of confusion. The hunters inside didn’t know what came next.

It was good that she did.

Having a good understanding of the room, Geneva pushed inside. The first room of the bunkhouse seemed to be a mess hall. There were three doors. At the back of the room, the door led to the kitchens and the servants’ quarters beyond that. Three long tables had been set up in front of it. Servants stood behind them, serving food and drink.

The rest of the room was filled with benches and tables. Dozens of hunters sat at them, enjoying a late breakfast or an early lunch. The room was a pleasant temperature, courtesy of a fire caster in the corner, and the conversation was lively. Nothing gave away the turmoil of their minds.

“Stop.”

She laced her word with a mental compulsion that swept through the room. Nothing intrusive, as that would go against her orders. She had simply strengthened the natural projection of her thought until it was loud enough for the nearly-deaf, mentally speaking, hunters to here.

As one, the room froze, none of them understanding why. In the moment of stillness, Geneva drew their attention as she walked down the center of the room. All eyes were on her as she stopped in front of the tables.

“Hello, everyone.” She flashed a charming smile, amused how quickly the crowd’s confusion and suspicion were waylaid by attraction. She loved such beings. They were intelligent enough to believe they could control her but always susceptible to their instincts. Who needed to fear contracts under such conditions?

“If you do not recognize me, I am Geo, the contracted thrall of Lourianne Tome. You may recall me as I participated in the March two days ago.”

Arousal was overtaken by caution and suppressed fear. Geneva didn’t give them a chance to get distracted. “As a result of the March, Alana James will be giving you your orders in the upcoming campaign.”

“Alana?” a hunter asked. “Never heard of her.”

“She’s a James,” another interrupted. “Be quiet. This could be important.”

Geneva flashed the second hunter a brighter smile. He returned it, his suspicion waning. It waned in several others in the room, superseded by jealously. They were willing to listen to whatever she said for a chance of receiving the same attention. “This is very important. If you decide to move beyond those walls, you will be putting your life in her hands. She will in turn be putting the fate of Victory in yours. It is an honor…one she is not entirely sure you deserve.”

The room bristled, their pride ruffled. “Oi!” a man called. “What do you mean we don’t deserve it? Who deserves to fight monsters in this ass-freezing cold? You should be begging us to fight with you.”

A few others mumbled agreement.

Geneva affected a sympathetic look. “Zachariah, the one originally meant to organize you, is a man who values brute force and numbers. He wants to push as far as he can as quickly as he can and doesn’t care how many of you die to do it.”

“What?”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Saints, see if I stay for this. I’m not throwing my life away for a bit of gold.”

“As you shouldn’t,” Geneva said, projecting her voice. “You aren’t here to die for a goal that has nothing to do with you. You’re here for gold and glory. And those can only be enjoyed when one is alive. Which is why, all of you are in great luck. Alana is not her brother. She believes in quality over quantity. She also has a plan to go further than anyone has gone before. Unfortunately, this plan doesn’t require everyone. We only need a hundred individuals. As such, I have been asked to run drills with everyone here to determine those who best suit our needs. The rest will return to the command of Zachariah James.”

Her words caused an immediate uproar.

“Hey, no way!”

“You can’t say he doesn’t care if we die and then send us back to him!”

“I’m not working for someone like that.”

“Silence.” The room quieted without the hunters realizing it. “I understand your concerns. Unfortunately, the plan requires a small group. We cannot afford more but we can take less. Ability is imperative. There can be no compromises. If you are interested, the drills will take place in the afternoon, behind this building. Thank you for your attention. Please, continue with your morning.”

She swept from the room with the same suddenness that she entered, amused. She hadn’t lied. Alana did have a plan for the hunters and it called for a limited number of them, well-conditioned to follow orders. The rest she would return to Zachariah.

While snatching the hunters from him was good for her reputation, it was an unnecessary burden. Better to take the victory and shift the work back to her brother. It would throw him off guard, which was good in any war, and it would keep him preoccupied.

The chances that the favored heir would recoup the damage to his reputation through the hunters was non-existent. For one, no matter what he did, their accomplishments would loom over him like the Bleak Peaks over Victory.

Beyond that, he would have a horrible time trying to control the hunters. She had already established the foundation that Zach didn’t care about their lives. As they competed with one another to secure better positions, they would come to admire Alana and despise her brother. By the time the campaign started, they would be a malcontent force unwilling to take any orders. They wouldn’t be worth the resources needed to control them. Zach would be better off leaving them in the fort but there was no way he could do so. She doubted he would have an easy time.

That would be enough to satisfy Alana and satisfying Alana would satisfy Lou. Having already thwarted one plot already, she doubted Lou would be expecting another. Or at least, not deeply enough to pry into her actions. The young summoner wouldn’t think too long when she requested to use the mental affinity to increase the effectiveness of the drills. She wouldn’t have any reason to suspect Geneva of planting a few suggestions in their minds.

She had been ordered to inform Lou of any plans of conquest. There was nothing preventing her from capitalizing on the chaos the March would cause in Quest. If her actions so happened to result in the removal of the city lord and the crippling of the guilds, that would be an unfortunate coincidence. One that would create a sizable vacuum of power in the city and the kingdom at large. Perhaps by then, Geneva could tempt her summoner with the benefits that came with ruling.