The auction house in Treno stood out from the rest of the city. The light from inside illuminated the outer walls and shone off the marble stairs. Looked like just the place Sice's targets would frequent, whether they'd be there to purchase or not.

She crossed the courtyard and let herself in through the wooden door. Once inside, she joined the gawkers in the back, who weren't likely to buy anything, but kept tabs on who got what. Or maybe they just wanted a look at the merchandise.

The auctioneer revealed his next item after she entered. He unveiled a portrait of a chubby little girl with blonde pigtails. She sat on a high-back chair with hands crossed on her lap, a grin on pink-stained and blue cheeks.

"An early portrait of the late Queen Brahne, by lost master Arrowny! Start at ten -housand!"

Sice suppressed a yawn as bidding started. A woman in black led the bidding, quickly driving the price up. Another man seemed as motivated but veiled it better.

Sice recognized them as Lady Altavad and Lord Edderly, both of minor estates in the mountains. They weren't worth her time.

No, the only one who decided to show up was a distant member of the Bishop family, who had a less-than-secret collection of items looted from the war. Sice gathered enough information to know he would only offer to sell them back at ridiculous prices.

"Sold, to Lady Altavad!"

The woman relaxed and leaned back in her chair.

"Next, we have a rare Tetra Master card." He held it up with gloved hands. "A gigantuar! Bidding will start at three-thousand."

It went the same as last time. Lots of interest at first but most bled off after the first half dozen bids. Eventually, some high-end enthusiast won.

"Our last item for the night is a Burmecian glass sculpture, with signature detail of the city! Start at two-thousand-five-hundred."

It was a stone carved creature, most of it covered in stained glass. The light danced in it and Sice made out the telling fluctuations of a dream world inside.

"Three-thousand." Lune Bishop started it off.

Sice looked around the gathered gawkers. One Burmecian watched the proceedings with tense interest. Sice idled her way over to him as the price went up.

"One of yours?" Sice asked, voice low. Didn't want to interrupt the proceedings and give Bishop a reason to remember her face before she dealt with him.

The Burmecian hung his head. "It belongs in the palace of our king. It's the symbol of the royal line. Treno refuses to acknowledge that it's stolen property."

"New in town?"

"Only to find this. You?"

"Forget me. You don't have the money to buy it for yourself?"

"No. And Burmecia doesn't have the funds to spare for it."

"I'll meet you in the pub and we'll talk about what I can do for you."

"Sold, to Lord Bishop!"

The Burmecian stuttered, "I told you, I can't pay."

"Consider me a concerned friend." Bishop and the other nobles stood and were escorted to the backrooms to pick up their merchandise. "No payment needed."

Still no response from him before he turned and left. Sice watched to make sure the Burmecian left the auction house before she did.

She melted into the shadows outside the house and followed alleys before finding one that led back to a main road none too far from a certain residence. There, Sice leaned against grimy walls and waited for her target to make his way down. She had minutes. Her target wanted to safely ensconce his goods in the walls of his own vault.

She stiffened at the approach of another Red.

"Sice." Cater took her waist and barely stayed in the dark. "What are you doing?"

Sice didn't take her eyes off the pathway. "Queen send you?"

"King did. You've been beating the crap out of local nobility and scum buckets! Look at yourself! You're distracted!"

"Keep it down." Sice melted further into the walls. It looked like a spot rarely frequented by the homeless. Bishop was a known tyrant.

"Whatever you're doing, I'm sure it's worth it. But what about focusing on the mission? Big scary despot of a god out trying to take over the universe? Ring a bell? Isn't that a little bigger than these bullies?"

"Keep. It. Down." Sice shoved Cater back and Cater finally pressed against the wall.

"Look," Cater whispered. "We all have issues. Stop taking it out on random sleaze baskets and focus on the target on hand. Please?"

Footsteps. She raised a hand to quiet Cater and to Cater's credit, she stayed quiet.

Bishop and his guards passed by the alleyway under the moonlight. Sice slid out of the shadows and summoned her scythe. One of the guards paused too late.

Sice kicked off and hit the nearest goon, knocking him down. She slammed the back of her blade against Bishop and jammed her heel into his pantleg.

Cater took the other guard.

"Lune Bishop," Sice hissed. "You've caused a hell of a lot of pain for a hell of a lot of people."

She raised her scythe and relished the panic and terror in the eyes of the man who couldn't so much as beg for his pitiful life. She swung.

And hit Cater's pistol.

Cater grunted with the force of it. "Do you really need to kill him?"

Sice pushed Cater away. "This is my area. Not yours."

Lune licked his lips. "Please, if—if you mean the doll, I—just take it! Please!"

Sice kicked him and he shut up. "Come on, Cater, do you really think the universe would be any worse without this guy? Really? It doesn't mean a damn thing whether he lives or dies. Just that he won't lord his power over helpless people anymore!"

"Maybe not," Cater said, "but what about you, huh? Aren't you turning into a bit of a tyrant yourself?"

Sice hesitated and cursed herself for it.

"I'm not Vengeance, so I can't say. But I don't want to believe that this is how it has to be! I know you've butchered some of the others. Is it really helping?"

Fear in the mongrel's eyes. She saw it too many times over too many lifespans. After too long fighting with herself, Sice grit her teeth and released the scythe. It disappeared. "Make one wrong move and I'll return to finish the job," she told Bishop.

He nodded, hyperventilating. Sice caught the pouch on his belt and ripped it off. She double checked the contents to find the Burmecian treasure.

Sice rolled her eyes and walked away. Cater fell into step beside her.

"So, what is it?" Cater asked. "It feels important."

"Some sculpture. Belongs in Burmecia."

"Cool. So, is Vengeance satisfied?"

"If he changes."

"What about the others?"

Sice tightened her grip on the sculpture. "As long as the message spreads, this should discourage the rest of the scumbags."

"Since when have we cared about stuff like this?"

"Why are you still here?"

"We're both heading back to Alexandria, right? Figured we might as well go together. I don't have to walk back alone."

"Whatever. Just don't get in my way."

"Duh. When have any of us done something that stupid?"

Sice counted a half-dozen instances off the top of her head but didn't bother listing them.

It didn't take long to reach the pub. The Burmecian from earlier stood anxiously outside. He caught sight of her but kept quiet until she joined him. He accepted the bag and peered inside, then went stiff and wheezed.

"You have a way to move it out of the city, or should I do that?" Sice asked.

He closed the bag, breathing hard. "Depends. What options do you have?"

"I know someone who's friends with your king."

"Your ancestors made this?" Cater asked.

"Yes, centuries ago, our greatest craftsmen took great care. I doubt it looks like much to you, but—"

Cater cut him off. "No. Your ancestors. You're a direct descendant of the family that made that."

The man looked between them. "How do you know that?"

"Hey," Sice said, "Do you want me to move it or not?"

"No, you've done enough. I can take it from here. From the bottom of my heart and for the respect of my grandparents, thank you."

"Great." Sice left for the city exit. Cater gave the man a short farewell before following.

"Bet that felt good," Cater said once they left earshot.

Sice didn't respond to the prodding of her sister. She would never admit that comfortable ease she felt seeing hearts restored. And she made sure the conversation didn't touch it the whole way back to Alexandria.