"We thought you hadn't made it."
Astrid raised an eyebrow as she spoke. Athene got the impression there had been no tearful nights mourning her newest assassin.
"I made it," Athene said. "And that's enough said about that."
Veezara saw her from further into the sanctuary and his green face shifted in what Athene thought might be joy.
"My friend!" he called. "You made it!"
"I did," Athene said. "Thank you for being there, Veezara. I'm not sure I could have fought my way out—"
"Hee hee hee!" Cicero's cackle grew louder as he danced down the hall. "You made it!"
"Yes," she said. "Yes Astrid, yes Veezara, yes Cicero. Is Nazir around here anywhere? Did everyone hear? I bloody well made it. The end."
A growl from the blacksmithing area told her Arnbjorn also acknowledged her success.
"And a bride is dead. Very well done." Astrid held out a coin bag. "This is for making it messy. And a little something else, too. This is a spell for summoning one of the most famous assassins in history."
"A spell? No thanks."
Every face staring at her looked stunned.
"It's a powerful spell," Astrid said.
"When I have a powerful need I'll use it then," said Athene. "What's next?"
"Next, see Gabriella. She has the details."
Athene took the long way around to the poisoner's nook, through the room where the Night Mother was kept. She wanted to look at the aged face, to search for some of the dreamy peace she'd felt when she'd hidden in the coffin. But the coffin was locked again, and the Night Mother's voice absent. All was silence for the Listener. Athene shrugged it off. Turning into a vampire probably hadn't affected things, she figured. Almost definitely it hadn't.
Gabriella turned from her Nightshade essence long enough to explain that Commander Maro was the next target. Not to kill, but to demoralize. His son, Gaius, would die with evidence on his body that he was part of a plot to kill the Emperor. The whole idea was wicked and Athene found her enthusiasm for the job returning.
"Kill him in a city, in a public place, and there'll be something extra in it for you." Gabriella's eyes sparkled.
"Another spell?"
"What? No. Your fortune from an old friend. You won't want to skip this, my dear."
It was too intriguing for Astrid to dismiss.
She could have given herself a few days off, to recover from her time in Morthal. But Athene felt energized by her renewed life and wanted to get on the road. She just had one thing to do first.
"Babette." She found the vampire sitting in her favourite place, watching Lis, her pet frostbite spider.
"You've had quite a time," the girl said.
"You aren't going to exclaim that I made it?"
Babette smirked. "No. I heard you did. I can also tell you've had greater adventures since we saw you last. I'd like to ask how you did it."
"Did what?"
"Became a vampire and then not a vampire."
"You can tell?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't insult me. Just tell me how."
Athene pulled over a chair and told her story. She started by saying she'd meant to take the Cure Disease potion, but lost it in the bay. As the tale went on she considering editing, leaving out Agni, but Babette listened with such intensity, never asking questions as the words ran on and on, that Athene found herself telling everything. She even said she worried that Falion wouldn't cure the girl, but let her become...
"...Like you," Athene finished. "Maybe just so he can perform his tests, do his studies, or maybe for good. I think of that girl in his basement forever and I feel..."
"Sick?" Babette offered. "Responsible?"
"You think it's my fault? Well, I guess it is, isn't it? Though I didn't have a lot of choice."
Babette thought for a minute. "No, I guess you didn't. We survive. It's what we do. It's what has brought us all together here: Veezara, Nazir, Astrid, me, and even Cicero I'd guess. We're here because we're willing to survive no matter what."
For a moment Athene saw a vision of her mother, holding her hands up against a Thalmor Justiciar who had fire at his fingers, screaming at her daughters: Run, Run...
"No matter what," she agreed.