Chapter Ten:

The Price of Loyalty

Lina woke slowly, much slower than usual. She felt groggy, like she had overslept, but was reluctant to sit up and end her rest. All of the tension she had been struggling with could have just been part of a dream. She felt so much better!

But she did need to get up. She was hungry for a start, and thirsty.

Lina mumbled sleepily, sat up and stretched, yawning widely.

'Morning,'

Lina looked round, momentarily confused by the cheery, husky voice. 'Hoosere?'

'Only me,' Drysi held out a goblet. 'Here. I thought you might be thirsty, and Tathlan says you need to drink plenty of water today.'

Lina accepted it and drank deeply. A little cold for her liking. She could see light streaming through a tiny gap in the curtains. 'How long was I asleep?'

'A good ten hours.'

'Ten?'

'You needed it.'

'Sun's Fury! I need to get to work!'

'Lina,' Drysi rolled her eyes, reached out and gently pushed Lina back onto the bed as she tried to stand. 'You need to rest.'

'I just slept for ten hours!'

'You can work, but try to relax a little more. Go for a walk now and then, go for a swim, have a drink, eat a proper meal.'

Lina scoffed. 'Didn't you know that I can't swim?'

Drysi raised her eyebrows, as if registering a challenge. 'Really?'

'Don't get any funny ideas, Drysi.'

Drysi merely smirked in response.

'I've spent most of my life in Misrule. It's mostly just sand and rock out there. And I hate water. Too cold.' She shuddered. 'Rylai didn't mind it as much, though she usually ended up freezing any water she went near.'

Drysi's expression softened. 'It must have been difficult, growing up with power you couldn't control.'

Lina nodded. 'Going to Misrule, finding my place with the clan, finding faith there, it all helped.' She yawned. 'How many supplicants are there today?'

'Not many, and nothing Kashurra can't handle. Your first order of business today is breakfast.'

'But…'

'Nuh-uh! Physician's orders.' Drysi insisted. 'Eat well, drink plenty of water—no matter how much you may dislike it—and for the love of the gods, try to relax. Let me and Kashurra take some of the strain for you.'

'Doesn't Kashurra have enough to do?'

'He seems to be coping.' Drysi neglected to add "better than you are", there was no need. Lina wasn't actually sure if Kashurra slept.

Lina slowly planted her feet and stood. Drysi did not try to stop her this time. 'Where is Tathlan now?'

'He went back to his place.' Drysi explained. 'Shabarra's madness left many maimed and wounded. He still has many people to treat.'

Lina felt momentarily guilty. Compared to those unlucky souls, her insomnia was a small issue.

'He said he'd be back this evening to check on you.'

Lina smoothed her robes, then realised that she'd been wearing them for the last week. 'I'd better change into something fresh.' She ran a hand through her tousled hair. 'And make myself presentable.'

Drysi raised an eyebrow. 'You look good to me.'

Lina rolled her eyes. 'You know what I mean.'

Drysi chuckled. 'All right, let's get you back to your chambers. And Lina? Please, do try to relax. You're no good to any of us insane.'

They stepped out of the chamber together, not overly concerned. Even if they had been wary, they would not have noticed a shadow following them.

They did hear the horn call from beyond the Sunrise Gates, and the answering call from the watchmen atop them. But neither of them paid it much mind, thinking that it might be a messenger from one of the Legions or an outlying town.

Though of course, it was neither of those things.

Lyralei was the last on watch before the sun rose. Aurel was the next to wake, and he quickly went back to trying to figure out what he could salvage from his gyrocopter. Marci continued to sleep, curled up and snoring softly.

Lyralei reached out to wake her, but withdrew her hand as Marci began to twitch. She looked to Aurel, but he was still engrossed with inspecting his craft and muttering to himself about improvements.

Wary of Marci's unexplained strength, Lyralei opted to keep her distance when Marci started to thrash. It looked like she was trying to push or fight something off at first, then she began to claw and grasp at the air as if trying to seize something.

Lyralei saw that Marci's face was turning red, and that her mouth was clamped firmly shut now. In the next moment, her mouth opened in a soundless scream. Lyralei had no idea what Marci was dreaming about, but it obviously wasn't pleasant. 'Marci?' Lyralei reached out, thought better of it, picked up a stick and prodded Marci's shoulder.

Marci's arm shot out, snapping the stick. Her eyes flicked open and she bolted upright, panting and panicky. Spots of light danced in her eyes.

'Easy, Marci!' Lyralei held up her hands. 'You're safe.'

Marci exhaled heavily and looked away. Her face was still red, more from embarrassment now.

Lyralei watched her keenly, wondering. Something about her… those rumours she had heard…

She quashed the desire to ask. It would not do to make an enemy of her. Lyralei wasn't exactly afraid of Marci, just wary of how strong she was. Not even Mogul Khan had punched Roshan, or driven him off with his fists. Whilst Lyralei was confident that she could outrun Marci if they became opponents, and maybe even put an arrow through her, she did not want to hurt her. Nor would it be a good idea to antagonise the Viceroy of the Helio Imperium. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life watching for bounty hunters as she ran from one bolt-hole to another, not like the Scourge—assuming she was even still alive.

Lyralei instead plucked her canteen from her belt and held it out. Marci accepted it gratefully and took a swig.

Aurel stepped back from the fuselage, holding out a few short red metal rods. 'Found the flares. Kunkka should be able to find us easily enough once we light these.'

Marci's hand shot out and clamped around his wrist. She shook her head insistently, then pointed at the estate just visible between the trees with her free hand.

'Oh.' Aurel realised what she meant. 'Good point.'

'I take it the people who live up there aren't friends of yours?' Lyralei assumed.

Marci shook her head again, glowering slightly. Her animosity was not directed at Lyralei, she just seemed to have a very expressive face.

'Do you know who they are?'

Marci nodded.

Lyralei raised her eyebrows. Marci seemed to be considering something. After a few moments, she sighed and started to gesture at Aurel, miming writing.

Aurel turned back to the gyrocopter and rummaged around inside. He withdrew a leather-bound book and a stick of charcoal, which he handed to Marci. Marci opened the book and began to write in a loopy, elegant style Lyralei had not expected of her. Lyralei read as Marci wrote.

The banners bear the sigil of House Nesrius, which means it probably belongs to Lord Aridin Nesrius, a disgraced Senator banished from court and exiled from Rasolir.

'Why was he banished?' Lyralei asked.

He was plotting against House Caelum. Seeing that Lyralei was confused, Marci quickly added: The royal family. Mirana's House. He was trying to undermine the Emperor by bribing Senate members to pass new laws, mostly ones allowing the slave trade to return. Apparently, he was also suspected of selling state secrets.

'Ah. I was never one for politics.' Lyralei shrugged. 'Why didn't they just execute him?'

Marci simply wrote: The Senate thought it would look bad. Aridin is the last of his line, and his House is an old one. Exile seemed more merciful than beheading or a life in prison.

Lyralei shrugged again. 'And now he's acting against your friend once again. Maybe her father should have had him killed.'

Marci scowled briefly, then shrugged. Maybe. But I doubt that anybody could have foreseen this. He did what he thought was best. That's all any of us can do.

She had a point.

Had Marci thought she was doing what was best whenever she killed? She had conviction, Lyralei could tell.

Lyralei looked over at the estate again. A frontal assault would be suicide with just the three of them, especially with Aurel injured.

Marci was also studying the estate, frowning and occasionally curling a hand into a fist.

'Something's moving,' Aurel noted, squinting. 'We didn't get all of the pegagriffs. Better get our heads down.'

Lyralei recognised the screech of the pegagriffs as they took flight. She nocked an arrow as she, Marci and Aurel made their way into a thicker cluster of trees and crouched behind their trunks. The pegagriff riders would spot the crashed gyrocopter easily enough.

Lyralei reckoned that she could shoot them down, or else they could lay a trap for them. It would thin the ranks of Nesrius' men a little. On the other hand, he would know that he had enemies outside if the pegagriffs failed to return.

Marci frowned, then pointed at the airborne creatures. Lyralei frowned too as she realised that they were flying southwards, out to sea. Surely they weren't flying all the way across?

The pegagriffs changed direction, flying east but staying over the sea. The three of them remained where they were until the pegagriffs were out of sight. Lyralei could still hear their faint cries, but those could carry for spans.

Whatever it was they were seeking, it was far out to sea. Pegagriffs didn't hunt fish, so they weren't after food.

Lyralei kept her arrow nocked. Pegagriffs were fast. If they came back, she would need to be ready. Aurel would struggle to hit them with his pistol, and without the flak cannon Lyralei was the only one who might be able to shoot them down.

Drysi was waiting for Lina when she emerged from her own chambers, washed, hair tamed, and wearing clean robes. Lina actually felt happy for the first time in days, she could feel a smile on her face. 'So, where's breakfast?'

Drysi sighed.

'Drysi?' Lina's smile fell when she noticed Drysi's expression. 'What is it?'

'Kashurra. He wants to see us.'

'Oh.' Lina groaned. 'So much for relaxing. We'd better hurry.'

'No hurrying,' Drysi shook her head. 'And no need,' she jerked her head. 'He's down the corridor, in the east solar.'

Lina grimaced and followed Drysi. Whatever this was, it could not be good. Kashurra wouldn't have bothered them for something trivial.

There seemed to be at least one solar on every level of the palace. Lina had thought the Misrulians obsessed with the sun, but the people of the Imperium seemed more so. Or they had been. Shabarra, convinced that he was some form of living deity, had ordered the old solar temples to be sealed. If the people of the Imperium were to worship anything, it was to be him and him alone—one of the many edicts which had infuriated his people.

The solars here were mostly for relaxation or receiving guests. There was a dedicated temple in the grounds, as well as one below the Grand Hall, where part of the coronation was supposed to take place.

Kashurra was standing on the balcony, leaning on the railing. Every day, he seemed more and more weary. Not tired in the way Lina had been, he was troubled by something else. The burdens of managing the Imperium, Lina supposed. She'd had many important decisions to make, things the Senate insisted she had to deal with. Kashurra dealt with all of the minutiae, as well as other weighty decisions. It was often said that the office of the Viceroy was the busiest in the Imperium.

Kashurra barely turned his head as they entered, his dark eyes were focused on the city below. His weariness was not overt, there were few lines around his eyes. Now that Lina thought about it, he did not look as old as he was supposed to be.

Asar was close at hand, looking grim. He nodded to both Lina and Drysi as they approached Kashurra.

'What's happened?' Lina asked, trying to ignore her rumbling stomach. 'Is it Stonehall?'

'No,' Kashurra stated. 'A threat born of this land I should have foreseen.' He pointed, his finger directing their eyes to the Sunrise Gates. 'Do you see the banners?'

Lina squinted. It was a long way from here to there, but she could see some long rectangular banners, mostly orange, with a golden bar running almost the length of them. She couldn't see the intricate patterns within that bar, criss-crossing it like geometric veins.

'They're not Legion banners, are they?' Drysi guessed.

'No,' Kashurra confirmed gravely. 'The banners bear the sigil of House Aureas. Governor Tihomir's sigil.'

'I've never heard of her.' Drysi muttered.

'I am unsurprised.' Kashurra responded. 'She was dispatched to become the Governor of a far-off colony.'

'Sounds like exile to me.' Lina noted.

'A self-enforced exile.' Kashurra concurred. 'There was a matter of… contention. She was encouraged to leave to avoid potential conflict. After the Bloody Dance, Shabarra made it clear to her that if she dared to return, she would be killed. Now he is gone, and the Solar Throne is still empty.'

Lina frowned at him. 'Are you saying that she's here for the throne?'

'Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. Tihomir has royal blood.'

'M'lor!' Drysi breathed.

'She was a distant cousin to Mirana's father. Distant, but still close enough to the lineage that she could claim to be an heir to the Solar Throne. Though she is of a separate House, it is by marriage, not birth. It would be easy enough for her to reclaim her position as a member of House Caelum.'

'And with Shabarra gone and nobody on the throne, she's decided to come back.' Lina surmised. 'Is this not a good thing?'

'No. It is not.' Kashurra shook his head. 'If it were, I would not have gone to such lengths to ensure Princess Mirana's return. Quite aside from the fact that the Senate declared her the rightful heir long ago, and the strength of her claim, she is the ideal Empress.

Tihomir may be clever, a shrewd leader who believes in having a strong army, but she is also inclined towards certain prejudices,' he looked to Drysi, his gaze meaningful.

Drysi grimaced. 'By that look you're giving me, I take it that she doesn't like elves?'

'Among others, yes.' Kashurra nodded. 'Her lack of tolerance is another reason why she left. Her colony is subject to strong order, but that order is rigid and comes with little freedom. Her rules are absolute. She fears anarchy above all else.'

'But the Senate and the people want Mirana back!' Lina exclaimed. 'Surely they can wait a little longer?'

'The people are anxious. They crave stability, as does the Senate. Having you as Regent has given them a semblance of that stability, but Tihomir nevertheless has a claim, and Mirana is not here. With her delay, there have been many rumours, and there have been troubling whispers since the attack on the fleet. Some say that Mirana is not returning, that she has changed her mind. Others say that she has perished.'

Drysi narrowed her eyes as the banners began to move. 'That's a lot of soldiers.'

'Her House Guard, I would imagine.' Kashurra said. 'And the sentries reported many more than that outside the city walls. The equivalent of three legions—much of the local soldiery from her province, I believe.

Bringing so many soldiers reveals much. She is confident in her claim, but wise enough to expect resistance. She wanted to ensure safe passage, and thus shows that she holds the loyalty of her soldiers, for she has ordered them to travel far from their homes, leaving a much smaller force to hold her territory. And thus she is certain that they can hold it, which means that she has likely been preparing such a move for a long time. Perhaps, if our rebellion had taken longer to succeed, she might have become an ally—though I have no doubt that she would have demanded rulership in exchange for her aid.'

'Why wasn't she challenged on the road?'

'House Aureas is not an enemy of the Imperium, not with Shabarra gone.' Kashurra lifted a hand to his chin, stroking his goatee. 'Still, I am concerned that her presence in the heartland was not reported. Such a large force could not have escaped notice, even with many of the Legions assembling for war, and our scouts searching for the Princess. Either our patrols have grown complacent, or she has somehow managed to secure the loyalties of certain soldiers and officers.'

The banners were steadily proceeding towards the Plaza of Pillars, making straight for the palace. At the head of procession was a line of soldiers, armoured in lorica much like the Imperium legionnaires, though their shields were orange with the sigil of House Aureas, rather than red with the sunburst of the Imperium upon their faces. Behind them was an armoured figure on horseback, followed by another horse bearing a rider in fancy robes—this was presumably Tihomir. Following them were more soldiers on horseback, and another line of infantry.

'She wants to make an entrance.' Lina observed dryly.

'She likely assumes that she can claim her prize with ease.' Kashurra remarked. 'Rest assured, I do not intend to make it easy.'

'And if that creates more trouble?' Drysi inquired.

'The only other way Tihomir can take the throne is by force, and that would be an exceedingly foolish move, especially after everything Shabarra has done. No, Tihomir will not act rashly, nor does she wish to risk inciting anarchy. She will most likely appeal to the Senate when her demands are not met. Provided the Senate does not give in, she will simply be unable to get what she wants.'

'And if they do agree to her demands?' Lina asked quietly, trying not to sound as anxious as she felt.

Kashurra sighed. 'Then we shall have to pray that under Tihomir's leadership, we may yet prevail against Stonehall and its newfound allies.'

Lina looked down at the approaching procession, wondering how this would change things, and how Draxius would react to Tihomir's arrival.

It was no surprise to Kunkka that Kardel saw the pegagriffs first. The keenish sniper held up his fist and crouched, prompting the others to lower themselves. Kunkka eased his cutlass a little from its sheath, and heard the sound of guns being cocked all around him.

'What do you see?' Kunkka whispered.

'Fliers,' Kardel drew a bead on the lead pegagriff through his rifle's scope. 'Fast ones. We'd better find cover.'

There wasn't much, but the green jerkins of the keenish marines would blend with the grass, and Kunkka was wearing a plain cloak of the same hue.

'This is not good,' Donté murmured, crouched beside Kunkka. Behind him, the two lunar cats growled softly and sniffed at the air, their ears twitching. 'They might be the same people who attacked us.'

'My thoughts exactly.' Kunkka grunted. 'Hey! Rattletrap!' he hissed, gesturing at the large wagon Rattletrap was driving. 'Cover the clockwerk!'

Rattletrap and some of his engineers seized a tarpaulin sheet and threw it over the steel parts of the disassembled clockwerk.

Kardel and his sharpshooters tracked the pegagriffs as they flew over the sea. Kunkka could barely see them, little more than two faint dots on the horizon.

Like Aurel, Kardel was considered a little long in the tooth for military service. But just like Aurel, he was also an expert at what he did. He'd signed up to help defend his village from wild beasts, only a teenager at the time, and he'd been shooting ever since. A natural marksman, he had spent his years as a militiaman, and later as a member of the Sniper Corps, refining his considerable skill. He sometimes "took a break" from fieldwork by teaching new recruits.

Kunkka was not worried about the pegagriffs attacking. He had seen Kardel put a bullet through the eye of a wildwing almost two miles away. Pegagriffs were bigger targets, and therefore easier to hit.

'Looks like they're heading east.' Kardel murmured, his bushy white beard twitching in the breeze.

'Are they likely to see us?' Donté asked.

'It's possible,' Kardel answered. 'If they have any spyglasses, they could see us easily.'

'And if they do?'

'Depends on what they do and what the Admiral wants us to do.'

Kunkka idly wiggled the fingers about the hilt of his cutlass. It would be easy to shoot the pegagriffs down if they attacked. Even if, by some weird fluke, Kardel and his snipers missed, there were enough keenish marines here to fill the air with lead, and turn the flying beasts and their riders into bloody mush.

'What livery are they wearing?' Kunkka asked.

'Not any I recognise, Admiral.' Kardel stated. 'Not Imperium Legion colours.'

Kunkka nodded. 'If they attack us, shoot them down.'

'Aye aye, Admiral.'

The pegagriffs started to circle a random spot of sea maybe a mile away. The landing party remained in position, guns at the ready. Donté had taken a pistol from the armoury, figuring that it might be useful. The Gallants had a few firearms back in Nivan, weapons the Nivanese had developed themselves. They'd never built them in as great a quantity as the keen had, since they did not want to be too reliant on them, and they believed that swords were the weapons of the honourable.

Donté had left his own gun, a gift from his late mentor, Etienne Swiftguard, back in Nivan. The Imperium had many laws about bringing arms across the border, especially guns. If he'd known that he'd end up in such a fight as the Battle of Dragon Keep, he'd have insisted on bringing it with him. Still, they had won, and the rapier was still his weapon of choice—he was sorry to have lost his at sea, and intended to acquire a new one as soon as possible.

'They're going in low. Hey,' Kardel tilted his rifle down a little. 'Something's up, sir.'

'Are they headed for us?'

'No. But they might be. Is that… WHOA!'

Even from where he crouched, Kunkka saw it and knew instantly what it was. A lean scaled beast, with jaws which would make a crocodile envious, leapt from the water. Its scales were a brilliant, startling blue, glistening as spray cascaded from them.

'A water dragon,' Kunkka breathed. 'They'll flee if they know what's good for them.'

It seemed that they did. One of the riders would have fallen from his saddle, had he not been strapped into position. The two riders directed their mounts westwards, back the way they'd come, far too busy fleeing for their lives to notice the landing party.

The dragon was swimming after them, moving at great speed through the water. Occasionally, it would raise its head, open its maw and spit globules of highly corrosive acid at the pegagriffs. It was unlikely to catch them, but Kunkka was glad all the same. The dragon had solved a problem for them.

Kunkka let go of his weapon and stood up. 'Relax, boys. And cat-monsters. Let's move, see if we can find some cover.' He looked to the sky, all too aware of how devoid of a gyrocopter it was. 'Still no signs of Aurel, Kardel?'

'None, sir.' Kardel answered. 'Reckon those pegagriffs shot him down?'

'It would explain that racket we heard yesterday.' They had heard what was unmistakeably gunfire, and Aurel had not yet returned.

Kunkka was troubled. Nobody would reprimand him for seeking retribution against mercenaries, but he was in Imperium territory. They were technically intruding, with soldiers bearing firearms. It could be construed as a hostile act.

If they got into a scrap with the wrong people, it could mean war between the Mingin Accord and the Imperium. It was not a war anybody wanted to happen, because nobody would really win. The casualties would be immense.

'I hope this Princess will be grateful,' Kunkka muttered. 'We're not just risking our necks here.'

'She will be,' Donté said, 'I hope Marci and Aurel are unhurt. Aurel seemed like a decent man, and Marci is a fine woman and a good friend.'

'Aurel's survived plenty of crashes. That gyrocopter must have been his three-thousandth. He's walked away from every landing, good or otherwise.'

'The roaring wasn't encouraging.' Kardel grumbled.

No, it hadn't been. They'd heard some sort of bestial roaring the night after Aurel had disappeared.

If Aurel was still alive, he would probably have one hell of a report to submit.

'You don't mind if I embellish the walking parts of our journey a bit?' Goodkind asked as they trudged into the ruins of an old village. 'Maybe… I could write that you fought off a hundred hellbears, or a dozen dragons?'

Axe huffed. 'Axe is bored. Axe wants to fight a hundred hellbears and a dozen dragons.' He paused. 'What's a dozen again?'

'Twelve.' Goodkind showed him with her fingers. A lot of people assumed Axe was stupid because he was illiterate and struggled with numbers. He just wasn't inclined to learn, not when he had Goodkind to help him with "brainy stuff". He counted only the strokes of his axe, and how many foes he had felled. Goodkind counted them too, and then added a few more to whatever story she wrote.

'Hmph,' Axe shifted his weapon against his shoulder. 'Axe thought you said Stonehall was big.'

'It is.' Goodkind assured him. 'We're not there yet. This is… actually, I'm not sure where we are.' She rifled through her many bags for a map.

'Yer in Messadei, Mogul Khan.' Goodkind hurried behind Axe as a large figure loped out from one of the old husks—once a house of some kind. Axe gripped his weapon with both hands and braced himself, adopting a wide stance for vast, sweeping strikes. Goodkind had seen him cut five attackers in half with a single swing once. He was a one-oglodi army.

The large figure was somewhat familiar to Goodkind. As he moved out of the shade, she recognised him at last. There was no mistaking that large, brutish form, especially not with the array of pale spines jutting from his back.

'Bristleback,' Axe grunted. 'Axe did not expect to find you here.' He did not lower his guard. He and Rigwarl had fought alongside each other several times, as mercenaries. They had also brawled on occasion, often pummelling each other for hours with no clear winner.

'I'm lookin' for Stone'all too.' Rigwarl stated. 'Me and me crew.' He indicated a bunch of surly looking mercenaries with a wave of his meaty hand. They were a motley bunch, but clearly seasoned and well equipped. These were men who were content to kill simply for coin, and they knew that Rigwarl could find plenty of fights in return for decent pay. Like Mogul Khan, Rigwarl had a reputation. 'Stone'all's lookin' for mercs, and payin' well, or so the rumour says.' He squinted at Axe with his single remaining eye. Goodkind knew that Ymir—"the Tusk"—had destroyed the other, in one of the few brawls Rigwarl had lost. 'And you? I 'ear the Bloodmist Army is in Stone'all now. Sorla Khan still wants to flay ya.'

'Not if Axe kills her first.' Axe held up a huge fist. 'Axe will take back what is his. Axe will lead the Red Mist once again, Axe swears it.'

'Huh,' Rigwarl shrugged. 'No surprise. But I'd rather go into battle with ya. Yer a madman, Axe, but yer less likely to take me 'ide just 'cause I looked at yer sideways.'

'So long as you don't get in Axe's way, Axe will not kill you.'

Rigwarl chortled. 'Like old times,' he remarked as he and his mercenaries fell into step behind Axe. He was much as Goodkind remembered him: similar in size and girth to Axe, naked from the waist-up aside from thick leather belts, girded crosswise across his scarred torso, with a belted loincloth dangling from his waist. A crude looking spiked flail hung from his belt, a simple weapon with no pretence of elegance. It was a brutal implement, dangerous to wielder and foe alike, but undeniably effective when it struck true.

Rigwarl glanced down at Goodkind, noticing the arming sword—more like a hand-and-a-half sword for the diminutive elf—hanging from her already heavily laden belt, the tip of the worn, shabby sheath nearly scraping the dusty ground. 'Yer pipsqueak's still alive? Still tryin' to teach 'er to fight? I'd 'ave thought a blade would be wasted on 'er.'

Goodkind frowned up at him, only a little intimidated by him towering over her. Axe wouldn't let him hurt her, she knew that.

'The ability to successfully kill someone that wants to kill you is a life skill everyone should have.' Axe asserted. 'Even Goodkind.'

'Axe has taught me well.' Goodkind said. 'He's a great warrior. The greatest in all the lands.'

Rigwarl snorted. ''E didn't manage to kill the Roshan.'

'It retreated because he collapsed a cave on it.' Goodkind argued. 'Anyway, I heard you were bested by a small mute.'

Rigwarl rounded on her, snarling. 'Where'd you 'ear that?' he demanded. Goodkind froze, her hands instinctively scrabbling at her sword.

Axe stopped on the spot and brandished his weapon. 'Back off, Bristleback. Leave Goodkind be, or Axe will remove your head from your shoulders.'

Rigwarl spat and moved away from Goodkind. 'Yer too fond of tall tales, elf. If Axe weren't 'round to protect ya, yer'd be naught but bones and carrion by now.'

'Did you fight with Ymir again?' Axe inquired. 'Or was it the pangolier? Axe heard that you lost a fight with the one called Don't Pantman.'

'Donté,' Goodkind corrected quietly. 'Donté Panlin.'

'Fancy-frilled bastard.' Rigwarl snarled. 'Smarmy git got lucky.'

'Axe knows he is a skilled swordsman.' Axe disagreed.

'That he is,' Goodkind nodded. She'd heard plenty about his exploits. 'But it wasn't him, not from what I heard.'

Rigwarl blew his nose loudly, earning a disgusted grimace from Goodkind. 'Fine. It was a humie.'

'A huge warrior with a magical weapon and fancy armour?' Axe asked.

'I heard it was a simple traveller—a young woman,' Goodkind insisted. 'Or was she a monk? You know… one of those sorts who train to fight without weapons.'

Rigwarl grunted, looking annoyed. 'It was a girl, but freakishly strong and well 'ard. Might well 'ave been one of those monk types. Cracked most of me ribs, broke me arm, threw me around a 'hole lot and damn near turned me brain to mush.'

Some of the mercenaries nodded their assent, and Goodkind noticed that a few looked angry, many of them were missing teeth or had noses which had clearly been broken.

'No ordinary woman then.' Axe surmised, sounding thoughtful.

'Nah.' Rigwarl spat. 'Shapeshifter perhaps. Possessed. Might even 'ave been a dragon pretendin' to be a humie.'

Goodkind laughed, she couldn't help herself.

'Ya can laugh, elf!' Rigwarl snarled. 'But I done 'eard tell of dragons and wyverns that can look like humies when they want to.'

'Maybe we can find one and kill it.' Axe suggested.

'Yeah, that I'd like.' Rigwarl agreed. 'Wonder what form its 'ead would take when we mounted it on a wall.'

Goodkind made a mental note to write all this down when they next stopped. It was all good fodder for her next tale, and she was sure that however it ended, it would be remembered for many years to come.

Gondar was slouching against one of the pillars at the entrance when Lord Aridin stepped outside. The pegagriff riders had returned in a hurry, a little sooner than expected. Gondar must have realised too, for he stopped slouching. He became alert and wary.

The pegagriffs were breathing hard, their tongues sticking out of their open beaks, their flanks heaving, holding their wings away from their bodies. The two riders unbuckled themselves and slid to the ground, leading their tired beasts forwards by their reins.

'You're early,' Gondar noted. 'What happened?'

'A bloody dragon happened!' one of the riders snapped. 'A big one!'

'Is it coming here?' Aridin looked to the skies fretfully.

'No, it was a water dragon,' the second rider seemed calmer as he removed his helm. 'Chased us for a bit, but we gave it the slip. We never made it to the site though.'

Gondar huffed and folded his arms. 'The dragon was probably drawn there by the corpses.'

'No signs of survivors?' Aridin asked.

'None that we could see,' the first rider had calmed down a little. 'Didn't see much of anything with that dragon on our tails.'

'Could it—' Aridin began fretfully.

'If it was coming for us, it would be here already.' Gondar stated. He was no dragon hunter by trade, but he'd crossed paths with the Dragon Knights on occasion, and he had even seen dragons in action.

Aridin nodded. 'And was there any sign of Accord forces?'

'No, Lord Aridin,' the second rider reported. 'We didn't have much time to look, but we didn't see any signs of their ships or anything else peculiar.'

'Good.' Aridin let out a breath of relief. 'Well then,' he smoothed his doublet. 'Now it is my turn.'

Aridin moved back towards the house, carefully removing the dragon fang necklace from his doublet. There was still some dried blood on the ivory-coloured enamel.

Good. That would help.

Mirana did not have a window which looked east. She had not seen the pegagriff riders return, but she had heard the beating of wings.

She stared through the window, looking west. From behind, she seemed composed. She had been taught to appear as such whenever possible—all the time, ideally.

She knew that her breathing had become irregular. She had barely slept, and the worry showed in her eyes. She was wringing her clasped hands repeatedly, the skin starting to grow sore.

The pegagriffs had returned.

They had returned. Maybe with Marci. Or news of her. Or…

Mirana shuddered and clasped her hands harder, feeling the nails dig into her skin.

The knock at her door made her start, even though she had been expecting it. Her breathing grew quicker, the tension in her chest growing. She felt a brief stab of pain in her hand where a nail dug in too deep. 'Yes?' There was a slight tremor in her voice.

The lock clicked and Aridin stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He had one hand clenched around something.

If Marci was present, he had not brought her up. But that did not mean… Did it?

No, no he'd simply be keeping her under guard. Yes, that was it! She might have tried to attack his men. He might simply be wary of her. There were probably rumours of her capability. She was probably down in the cells with Luna and Aiushtha, watched over by guards.

Mirana disliked the idea of Marci being held captive, but it was better than her being dead. Anything was. Mirana just could not bring herself to think that Marci could be dead.

'Princess,' Aridin's voice sounded level. She took that as a good sign.

'I heard the riders return.' Mirana clasped her hands more tightly, aware that they were starting to shake. 'Have they any news?'

Silence.

Silence for a second which stretched into an age. Mirana forced down the urge to wheel around and demand answers.

'Princess,' now Aridin's voice sounded heavier. It was slower, like he was weighing every syllable, like he was deciding how to frame his words, how best to deliver them. The way people spoke when…

No. No, she couldn't believe that. She just could not! Her grip on her own hand tightened further still, drawing a little blood.

'The riders… they found something,' Aridin continued. 'They believe that they found her… her remains.'

Mirana spun round, the instinct to hide her emotions gone. 'Her… no… No! They must be mistaken! They must… must…'

The protest died on her lips. Aridin's face was grave, his expression perhaps pitying. He had also opened his hand, holding something out to her.

With trembling fingers, Mirana took the dragon fang, noticing the dried blood staining the tip. Her mouth opened and closed, trying to argue against this proof, just as her mind reeled and railed against what she had been told, fighting the surely absurd thought that Marci was gone.

'No… She can't be…' she couldn't even bring herself to say it, as if saying it would make it true. 'Maybe… maybe she lost this and it washed ashore. Maybe the remains your men found belong to someone else! Many people died in the attack!'

'It was her, Princess.'

'No! I don't believe you!' Mirana clutched the fang close to her heart, her eyes starting to brim with stinging tears. 'She can't be dead! She just can't be! Send your riders out again! Tell them to look again!'

'Princess—'

'Do it! Please! Just tell them to look again. Please.'

'They are certain, Princess.' Aridin shook his head. 'What they found, what little there was, matched your description: auburn hair, fair skin, brown eyes.' He took a step forwards and slowly, gently lay his hand on her shoulder. 'Mirana. I am so sorry. Your handmaiden… Marci is dead.'

Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Marci is dead.

Marci is dead.

Marci is dead.

The words reverberated through Mirana, shaking her, falling into an expanding emptiness, an endless void opened by shock and horror.

Mirana stared at Aridin, her shaking hand still clutching the dragon fang—the fang Davion had given to her after they had felled Vylgranox.

Marci… Marci had been a part of her life for so long. She might as well have been there forever, a constant piece of her past and present, a seeming certainty for her future.

And now there was nothing. Just a yawning emptiness where Marci had been, the future devoid of her best friend and first love. The memories churning in her mind stabbed at her, accusing her. She should have spent more time with Marci, cherished and treasured every moment with her, told her how much she cared for her, how much she loved her.

But she could not. Marci was… gone.

Marci was dead.

Life without her, without her friendship, her understanding, her care, those warm kind eyes and that beautiful smile…

Mirana was still shaking, the pain swelling within her. No more could she hold it back, no more could she deny and disbelieve. Aridin's men had found something Marci would not willingly part with. She would not have simply lost a gift from Davion.

Mirana slumped onto a chair, tears running down her cheeks, gulping and struggling to breathe as the sobs engulfed her, rocking her body as they burst from her in ragged gasps.

Her first thought, her hope, was that somehow Marci would come to her, as she always had done whenever Mirana was upset. She would have put her arms around her and held her, her presence soothing as she shared in Mirana's grief.

But she was not here now, even as Mirana yearned for nothing more than to have her back.

But Marci was gone now.

Gone.

Mirana bent forwards, clutching at her head with her empty hand, her nails digging into her skin, as she sobbed uncontrollably.

An arm settled around her shoulders, unfamiliar, unwelcome. Aridin had crouched at her side, looking up at her face.

Mirana managed to catch her breath. She shrugged his arm off. 'Leave me alone!' Now she felt hot rage surging through her. The urge to seize Aridin by the throat and choke the life from him was so strong. He would not be fast enough to stop her. She could easily drive the dragon fang into his skin, murder him gladly, rip him apart as vengeance for Marci.

Mirana leapt to her feet. Aridin recoiled and moved away, his eyes wide.

'It's all your fault!' Mirana raged. 'You attacked the fleet! If you had not, Marci might still be alive! You killed her!' She felt her hatred swell within her as she screamed: 'YOU KILLED HER!'

The door burst open and the two guards rushed inside, drawing their swords.

'Wait!' Aridin commanded, holding out a hand to stop them. 'Stand down! The Princess is blinded by grief.' He sighed and addressed Mirana. 'I understand that you cared deeply for Marci, Princess. That much is obvious. But your blame is misplaced. My mercenaries may have been overzealous in securing you, and they may have failed to rescue Marci, but she was slain by the Tidehunter, not me.'

'You might as well have done it! You may as well have murdered her!' Mirana's anger faded for a moment, and she struggled to fight back trembling sobs once again. 'My friend! My dearest friend! My… I never told her how much she meant to me…' She gritted her teeth and fixed her blurry eyes on Aridin again, the hatred rising like a baleful flame. 'You took her from me!'

Aridin glared at her, growing angry in turn. 'You find it easy to cast the blame on me, Princess. But you and I both know that she was aboard that ship for one reason. Just one reason: you. She was there because she was loyal to you, because you made her loyal.

She died for you, Princess Mirana. If there is any blame for her death, it lies at your feet, not mine! Her blood is on your hands too.'

'I… she… no...No! NO! No… no…' Mirana dropped back into the chair, and she couldn't fight back her tears again.

He was right. And that made it hurt all the more.

She could have ordered Marci to go with Davion. Part of her had wanted Marci to go to Icewrack with him. If she had done so, Marci might have been alive. She would have been alive. She could see it now, this moment right now if she had acted differently. Marci would have awoken at Davion's side, reluctant to rise as usual, content to be in the arms of the man she loved. They would have set out together, Marci's eyes and smiles conveying so much without words. And Davion would have delighted in having her by his side, happy to be with the one he held so dear.

But it was not so, because Mirana had been selfish, because she had hoped that Marci would choose to follow her instead, because that was what her duty demanded—the loyalty Mirana took for granted and had nurtured.

He was right. It was her fault.

He had not killed Marci.

She had.

Mirana had killed her. She had ensured that Marci would die for her.

Mirana buried her face in her hands, releasing an anguished wail. Her body shook with sobs as her tears splashed onto the floor.

Aridin sighed and turned away. 'I am sorry for your loss, Princess. I had hoped for better news. I suppose that you want to be alone for now. I will let you mourn, my dear.

Later, when you are feeling better, I will speak to you again. There is much we must discuss. I hope you can forgive me, but the future of the Imperium is at stake, and it falls to you and I to protect it.'

Mirana barely heard him. She did not heed him leaving the room. She continued to weep, lost in her sorrow.

She had no idea how to carry on without Marci.

She did not know if she could try, if she could even bear to.

Marci had been part of her world for so long. She had been part of her heart.

Life now just seemed so empty without her.

Sorry to end on such a downer, and sorry for the long delay with this update. I won't go into detail, so let's just say that it's been an eventful couple of months. Some of it has been good, some of it bad. Honestly, if a spaceship landed on my head, I probably wouldn't be surprised.

There's also simply a lot of moving parts to deal with here as well. I've been busy working on the many arcs for this story, many more than I expected there to be.

Now that I've managed to get going again, I intend to keep writing whenever I can, but I will be busy over the next few weeks too, so I can't promise another update soon. I'm not giving up, just don't be surprised if nothing happens until maybe winter (though hopefully it won't be that long before the next chapter).

Big thanks go out to my usual supporters and good friends: Annbe11, March4fun and BarrissOffee99, as well as many others who have helped me recently.