- Bleeding idiot! Verena damn stupid bugger!

- Kristofferson, watch your language, will you! the Prince firmly ordered.

The brown Skaven stood in front of Steiner.

- Opa, when I'm done with the Purple Hand, I shall ask you to send me on a mission to Wüstengrenze, or as far away as possible, because if I ever see him again in the next six months, that's the time I need to get it back down, I break him in two!

- Kit, that's enough, declared the White Skaven calmly. He didn't hurt me. Jochen will know how to handle this problem.

- Black Hunger won't last for days, Romulus added. Our friend shouldn't have any trouble bringing your brother back to his senses.

- He punched you, Prior!

- Just a light slap, I'll get over it. Considering everything he went through with the Bretonnians I lured, and all the trouble that ensued and affected you and your family, that's not much. My mistakes should have earned me a much worse punishment.

- Stop this nonsense! It's been twenty years since you were Dieter Meyerhold!

- It's not up to you to decide what I deserve or not, Kristofferson Steiner!

The prior had just spoken with such conviction and with so much authority in his stare that the young ratman was literally paralyzed. He didn't dare say a word. Romulus continued more calmly:

- I invite you to retire to Verena's temple, to pray for her help. You'll need it for tonight. Invite Walter to join you.

The young ratman gave a slight nod, and headed towards the door without a word. Just before crossing the threshold, his grandfather ordered him again:

- Meet us at the agreed location around ten o'clock. Be on time and focused!

The door closed with these words. The prince grumbled under his breath, but didn't add anything more. Psody whispered:

- I've sent Jochen to catch him back. The problem is that Okapia is an exceptionally strong-enduring mare, she can gallop for hours without stopping. Considering the time between departures, it is not certain Jochen will succeed in finding up with Sigmund quickly. If they took the same path, which is not even sure, there are several routes to go around the hills-forest surrounding Sondernach.

- Hope Jochen arrives in Sondernach at the same time as your son, at worst.

- I especially hope he shall be able to make him listen to reason, Heike moaned. Without having to resort to violence.

- This is a serious issue, unfortunately we don't have time to worry about it, because there's a much more serious and more urgent one to deal with. Romulus, I leave you to take care of all the management of the bandages, potions, splints and other medications which, I fear, will be used this evening.

The prior bowed and left the small living room, leaving the Prince alone with the Skaven couple.

- I'll have to explain to the children why Sigmund didn't return to the estate, Heike murmured.

- I'm sure you'll find the right words, my daughter. Psody, you... Hey, is something wrong?

The White Skaven was weary, intensely weary. With his arm resting on the window pane, compressed by his forehead, he looked more miserable than ever, and seemed ready to cry. Without moving, he whispered:

- One of my children called me "manipulator", the other one named me by my title of Grey Seer before spitting his anger in my face and running away to probably do something really stupid, and both almost laid their hand on me... I expected-feared it would be hard, but not that hard!

The Prince coughed.

- I think it's better to lance the last boil right away, while being at it.

- What boil? Psody asked, after another blow to his heart.

- I mean the Gabriel case.

- Oh… yes.

The White Skaven consented to face his adoptive father. Alongside the Human, his concubine was also worried. The Prince explained:

- You know, he's been under so much pressure... he's not as mature as Bianka or Kristofferson. He's younger, and his mind is particularly vulnerable. I don't need to remind you how sensitive he is, especially on the cusp of adulthood.

- You think? However, he held his own in the tunnels of Ysibos.

- He should not have been exposed to all these horrors, and only his determination to find Emil allowed him to hold on. In this, you can be proud of him. But that didn't lessen his pain and his fear, in no way. What he told me when he admitted to wanting to see Emil taken away gave me the shivers. For him, you had become a sort of hierarchical superior, only good at giving him orders and reprimanding him. I know this plan has been tense for you too, but if you want to get the dialogue with him back on track, you must do it in a positive and clear way. Is this what you want, Psody?

- Yes, Father, I want-desire it.

- So for that, he needs to be given more proof.

- What should I do?

The Prince looked particularly serious.

- Tell him you love him.

- He knows it very well, anyway! I love him the same way I love his siblings!

- Even if it's the case, he needs to hear these words from your lips! He needs his father to tell him "Gabriel, you are my son, I love you"! Without bluntness, without grandiloquent speeches, nothing of that sort! As soberly as possible. Just these few words: "I love you". That makes all the difference! Remember what Cuelepok taught you! When he used to live among Slanns only, it left him unhappy, because despite all the good feelings they showed towards him, he received nothing. Not the slightest spark of heat. It was the first arrivals of little Skaven that gave him a real taste for life! Well, for Gabriel, it's the same thing. As much as his brothers are mature enough to do without these kinds of words, he sorely misses it. This is what you need to understand, and what I should have told you a long time ago.

- It's my fault too, Heike added. Deep down, I understood it, but I didn't think it was useful to tell you right away. We should have done it sooner, but circumstances delayed everything.

Suddenly, Psody thought back to what Gabriel had tried to tell him on the day of his "funeral".

He had to tell me this when I was in the coffin! Whereas, from the start, it couldn't have been more clear-explicit! What kind of father would behave this way with his kid?

The White Skaven collapsed onto a chair, and clutched his head with both hands.

- He kept sending me signs-signs, and I didn't see anything!

- It's not too late to make adjustments, the Prince observed.

Psody raised his head, his eyes moist, and articulated despite the vice of pain that gripped his throat:

- I broke Sigmund's heart... I ignored Gabriel's calls... I shouldn't have behaved like this!

- We all make mistakes, murmured the Prince. I've committed mine, too.

The White Skaven sighed again, his eyes fixed on his toes.

- Maybe I'm not cut out to be a family ratman?

Heike felt the blood rush to her forehead, in anger. Furious, she grabbed her companion by his shoulders, and yelped in his muzzle:

- I forbid you to think that! The simple fact you're asking yourself this question proves you are, because you care about our children and their well-being!

- Heike! Please! Steiner demanded. I agree with you, but we need to stay calm. Unfortunately, the worst is yet to come, and we shall need all our resources.

Someone knocked on the door of Aunt Jutta's little living room. It was Marjan.

- Your Highness, we can count on two hundred people this evening.

- Two hundred? I've expected more.

- I followed your instructions, and only selected people who were completely unharmed and well rested on the one hand, and trustworthy on the other hand. Captain Klingmann made a more than drastic selection, on your orders again.

- Yes, you are right, those were my orders. But I still hoped to have more men available! Well, given the nature of the opposing forces, that should be enough.

- Unless they achieve their goals, and they invoke their filthy Archdemon! Besides, why wait and take the risk of seeing them succeed? Since Nedland, Wally and Kit managed to flush them all out, let's throw them all in jail right away!

- It's not that simple, Marjan. First of all, it is not said our friends managed to "flush them all out", on the contrary. They have spotted a few, it's true, and Klingmann has orders to stop them as discreetly as possible, and at the end of the day, to overtake the Purple Hand. However, there are very likely other, more discreet agents who have escaped their efforts. Then, and this is mainly what I am thinking of, the three leaders will only arrive at the last moment, for greater safety – moreover, these have precisely escaped the investigations. If we intervene too soon, they might run away, and we'll have to start all over again.

- Are you sure, your Majesty?

- That's what I would do in their place. Let us prepare to fight against the sectarians, and do everything to avoid the arrival of their master. I will count on each person present.

- Every citizen will fight with all their energy to protect our Kingdom, Father, I am sure of it! Heike declared. They all are determined!

- Yeah, those who will be present, which will not be the case for everyone! the tall blonde woman grumbled. We'll have to do without Jochen because of Sigmund's mood swings! That leaves us with two less valuable warriors!

- I recognize it's annoying, the Prince agreed. But given the circumstances, we shouldn't be too angry with Sigmund, especially since he has largely done his part against adversity. Remember that before fighting against the Feral Skaven, he had to deal with the Bretonnians.

- I'm not saying the opposite, your Lordship, but I have a furious desire to kick his rear end!

- You'll have to wait your turn for that. Anyway, I invite you to do the same thing as Kristofferson. So go to Verena's temple, and ask the Goddess of Justice to arm your arm for the fight coming tonight.

- I prefer to seek help from Ulric and Ursun, your Majesty.

- Well, ask them. Dismiss.

- I will be at home until sunset, if someone is looking for me.

She placed her right fist over her heart and bowed. The Prince nodded in response. The Human woman left the small living room.

The two Skaven were now alone with the Prince. He got up.

- Well, my children, I'll take a short rest. I invite you two to do the same, especially you, Psody, because we have not reached the end of the road.

- I know, Father.

Deep within the great temple of Verena, there was a small, secluded prayer room. It was a place reserved for the most zealous, or extreme, depending on your point of view, "cases" of prayer. Two young ratmen, Kristofferson Steiner and Walter Klingmann, were kneeling before the statue of a Human woman who was holding a sword in one hand and a scale in the other. The life-size statue was on a pedestal in front of a curtain. Her gaze stared sternly at anyone in front of her. Both Skaven were naked, their fur glistening with sweat. They had spent the morning reading the most famous war songs of Verena, the Goddess of Justice. Then, after a frugal meal, the afternoon was devoted to getting in physical condition.

After a brief warm-up, they each repeated the most complex and vicious passes and sequences. Then, they subjected their bodies to a harsh preparation, so that they quickly felt the bruises due to the effort. The real exercise had then begun: their usual training had taken on a sacred character. The exercise pushed their judgment to its limits, plunging them into a trance-like state combining supreme physical exertion and direct connection with Verena herself. They were now ready to speak to the Goddess.

To open their prayer, they both gestured Verena's sign: they placed their hands on their chest, fingers together facing forward, then slowly spread their arms and symbolized the scales of Verena, palms extended towards the ceiling. They recited together, their voices mixed, the canticle intended to curry favour with Verena that they had spent the previous hours preparing.

- Verena, I am your humble servant. Truth is the flame that lights this world, Justice is the wax that fuels this flame, Wisdom is the wick that guides it. Today, an enemy threatens your domain. I ask you to grant your Strength to my arm, and your Wisdom to my head, so that I can dispense your Justice.

A mature woman's voice sounded from behind the curtain.

- Verena hears the prayers of her humble servants. Walter Klingmann, tell her: who is your enemy?

Not at all surprised, the young captain replied:

- A bunch of heretics, Tzeentch's bad seed. Mad people who want to sow chaos in their path, and who will definitely do so if we don't stop them tonight.

- Verena asks who dares to commit such sacrilegious acts among her faithful; do you have a name to give her?

- I even have three: Yavandir Palebough, Alcibiades, and Cazarras.

A slight silence hung over. Kristofferson thought he heard strange, unintelligible murmurs. Finally, the voice continued:

- Whoever these three people are, whatever their precise intentions, Verena commands you to bring them to her justice alive, in order to judge them. Only take their lives to defend someone else's. Except in the case of a Demon. If any of them is a Demon, destroy it mercilessly!

- I will act according to Verena's will.

- Good. And you, Kristofferson Steiner, can you reveal to Verena the nature of your enemy?

- In addition to the three people named by my brother-in-arms, I wish to deliver to Verena's justice all the members of the Purple Hand who dared to spread their poison in Vereinbarung and threatened my family.

- Judgment for heresy generally ends with a death sentence, Kristofferson. Would you be ready to condemn your best friend, your brother, your mother to death if the person was a member of this cult?

Kristofferson thought for a few moments, and replied:

- If there's a person I care about among the members of this cult, it is already too late for. A person approached by the member of a forbidden cult has the duty to refer the matter to the authorities. If she doesn't, she becomes complicit. Tzeentch is known for subduing minds before distorting bodies. Executing a heretic means freeing her soul from the Chaos Gods. Failing to preserve her life, I save her soul which can find the absolution of Morr.

- Alright. You are driven by Faith, both of you. Verena heard your call. Through my mouth, she answers you: accomplish your duty without hesitation. Fight with honour and wisdom, and no enemy will be too strong for you.

The two Skaven shared a relieved smile.

- Go freshen up your coat, get dressed, and meet me in the nave.

- Yes, High Priestess, replied the Skaven in unison.

And the two friends collected their belongings left on a kneeler, and went to a small annex room dedicated to ablutions. Two tubs of soapy water had been prepared for them.

A few minutes later, clean and dry, they were both before High Priestess Rebmann.

- A beautiful prayer full of conviction, this is the only thing true to attract Verena's favours, young fellows. I hope you find and arrest these criminals, so that Provost Tomas can judge them properly. In the meantime, the Goddess of Justice watches over you.

She held out her hand. The two Skaven knelt again, taking turns kissing the seal of the High Priestess.

- Show me the weapons you shall wield against our enemies tonight.

Obediently, Kristofferson drew his sword, and presented it to High Priestess Rebmann, its blade resting horizontally on his both hands. The woman placed her fingers on the weapon, and whispered:

- May Verena guide this instrument of Justice.

Walter held his hammer the same way, his fists clenched around the long handle. The Human woman stroked the steel head with her fingertips.

- May Verena support this tool of Judgment.

Desdemona Rebmann placed a hand on the shoulder of each of them.

- Now, get up and go in peace. Don't forget to eat well, in a simple and healthy way, before going into battle. The best warrior couldn't fight to the best of his ability with an empty stomach.

- Yes, High Priestess, the two ratmen replied.

The two friends took leave of the High Priestess, and walked towards the exit. Along the way, Kristofferson spotted someone off to the side, who waved awkwardly at him.

- Well, well, what does this one want from me?

- A friend of yours?

- He's the temple librarian.

- Go see him, I'll wait for you outside.

Walter continued on his way while Kristofferson turned towards Brother Bernhardt Reitherman.

- Do you want to talk to, Master Reitherman?

- Yes, uh... can we retire a little away?

Without saying a word, the brown Skaven followed the pot-bellied light grey Skaven to a small side corridor. He realized he had always called him "Master" and not "Brother". Probably because, in his mind, the librarian didn't have the status of a priest, given that he was not authorized to lead the slightest religious service?

- I wanted to ask you, Milord… how is the High Archivist?

- Getting better and better, the disease is receding. But I have to confess you these last few days have shaken her up a bit. There were… a few surprises.

- Oh, you mean about the Master Mage? I've learned he was still alive.

A small burst of adrenaline ruffled the white hairs on the brown Skaven's back.

- How did you know?

- The information circulated among the rest of us this morning. I can't remember who told me that.

- Indeed, the news travels really fast!

I hope the Purple Hand didn't touch you, boy, because if it is, even if you're nice to me, I'll be intractable!

- I would like to take this opportunity to tell you... I am delighted your father has returned.

Kit was still a little unnerved by the White Skaven's ruse, and responded more sharply than he had intended.

- He may have his flaws, Master Reitherman.

- Like everyone else, Sir Steiner. That doesn't prevent him from being a good man.

- You seem very sure of yourself, to say he is a "good man". Do you know him personally?

- Um… no, it's true. But during the few times I had the benefit of seeing him, he seemed like a good person.

- I may disappoint you, Master Reitherman, but my father has his failures, I maintain that. As we all have. I hope you won't have the occasion to discover them.

- Ah, Right. Anyway, will Lady Bianka come back soon?

- She needs to rest a little longer, but it's only a matter of days.

- Well... I'm delighted to hear that.

Kristofferson wanted to have a little fun with this Skaven who had surprised him by talking about the master mage. With a slightly strange smile, he murmured:

- You seem to care about my sister.

- Uh… I…

- There's nothing wrong with that, thank you. I'll tell her you spoke to me.

- Oh, don't! Definitively don't!

- Why not?

- Because... I'm afraid her to take it badly. I wish I could tell her myself.

- What's the difference with me? The message will get through.

- Yes, but… talking to someone in person is one thing. Using an intermediary is another.

- Hmm… you might be right.

The young Skaven articulated painfully:

- Good. I... I won't bother you any longer. If I can make myself useful to you...

Bernhardt spun on his heel and hurried toward the nearest door. Kristofferson held out his hand towards him.

- Wait a minute!

The young brown Skaven froze, and turned around nervously. The great Skaven joined him in a few steps.

- Since you're talking about that, maybe I have an idea, something you could do for my sister.

The sun was starting to set. The roar of the river had something soothing to Marjan Gottlieb's ears. The wind in the trees rustled the leaves yellowed by autumn, some had already fallen, and were crunching under the hooves of her steed which was walking at a slow pace.

Like the two Skaven, the young woman had decided to enlist the support of the deities she trusted the most. Unlike the ratmen, she was not on her way to a temple, but to an isolated space in the nearby forest, a few miles from Steinerburg.

On the question of faith, Marjan Gottlieb knew she was a special case.

Her father, Wilhelm Gottlieb, was born in Middenheim in a family from Dietershafen, in the province of Nordland. Faithful to the cult of Ulric, he had initiated her into the veneration of this God, one of the oldest and most powerful of the Empire. Wilhelm Gottlieb was among the most fervent worshipers, those who refused to recognize Sigmar as God. The young woman had already seen scenes in her childhood that were surprising to say the least, such as the day she had seen her father busting out a priest of Sigmar from his domain with kicks. Of course, he had to pay a hefty fine to avoid more serious trouble. From that day on, Marjan had promised herself to respect the other Gods of the Empire, if not to worship them.

She never broke that promise, which was a good thing, considering her mother's influence. Franzseska Gottlieb had retained a strong attachment to her Kislevite origins, including the cult of Ursun, the Father Bear. Marjan had witnessed several arguments about this between her parents. The lady had wanted to raise their children in respect of this cult, which had not been at all to her husband's taste. The intervention of a famous Ulrican priest from Carroburg had been necessary to reach a consensus. According to the scriptures, Ulric and Ursun shared enough character traits that one could be worshiped without offending the other.

This was the reason why Marjan saw herself as different from the others: she worshiped two Gods from two different countries and two different cultures. Oh, not so much, fortunately. When she thought about the situation of Psody, who worshiped a God officially banned in the Empire, it was much more complicated.

At last, she reached her goal.

Two sculpted trees, one with the image of a wolf, the other with the shape of a bear, framed the small path which led to a clearing. One of the tributaries of the large river which fed the Vereinbarung viaduct passed by there, and formed a small lake. The waters were raw, the sound of the waves on the stones made conversations difficult. The current was strong, but an adult could walk with water up to the thighs.

This place was particular. The trees naturally formed a kind of rampart around the clearing in an admirably precise circle. The priests of Taal and Rhya had felt a divine influence in the area, and had planned to make it a sacred place. But the Prince had asked them to leave this plot to Ulric and Ursun, out of consideration for his friend Franzseska. The priests were surprised, but as a temple of Taal and Rhya was already under construction, they hadn't protest. Later, a priest from Ursun requested for the occasion had sanctified these places, henceforth consecrated to the northern Gods. He had even installed, at the foot of a large tree, a small altar, engraved with a few simple runes.

For Marjan and Jochen, this place was somehow a tiny secret garden. Of course, the place was not completely safe from intruders. Before setting up this sanctuary, Gotrek Gurnisson, aided by Hallbjörn Ludviksson and his company of mercenaries, had cleaned up, and many Beastmen had fallen under their blows. And despite the sacred nature of the place, Lady Franzseska, accompanied by a strong escort, had surprised bandits who had the nerve to set up camp during one of her short retreats. Once the thugs were captured, Marjan's mother had killed them all with her own hands, one by one, and left their remains to the animals of the forest, for the attention of Ulric and Ursun.

Marjan dismounted, tied the reins of her horse around the horizontal branch of a tree, and picked up her bow. The first thing to do was to attract the attention of the Gods in the appropriate way. She spotted a partridge perched above her, and only needed an arrow and a brief moment to put it down. The bird fell at her feet, the body traversed from side to side. She picked it up, placed it on the altar, and removed the arrow. The partridge's blood spread slowly on the stone.

Marjan took a breath, raised her head, and declaimed in a loud voice:

- Gods whom I worship, hear my call! Chaos threatens my country, I will do everything to defend it, with your support!

She remained silent, and closed her eyes. The incessant sound of the river gradually lightened her mind. For an indefinable time, she completely emptied herself of all thoughts, and paid attention only to the sensations of nature upon herself. The wind on her face, the birdsong, the roar of the water... there was nothing else.

After a few moments of meditation, she opened her eyes, delicately took the freshly sacrificed partridge, and rubbed it on her face, so as to smear herself with blood, before replacing it down.

- It is for the blood I have shed, it is for the blood I will shed.

She knelt down, bowed her head, and materialized in her mind the image of a huge, howling wolf – such was the image she had of the God of Battles.

- Ulric, I hope you to lend me a part of your strength this evening, so I can drive Tzeentch's heretical lackeys out of my country.

She let a few moments pass, then she addressed her other tutelary deity, this time in the Kislevite language, while her thoughts took the form of a mighty bear.

- Ursun, I am your servant, and I bend to your will. If you think I have committed a crime in the burrow of this Grey Seer, may I die before the next sunrise, by your will.

Marjan waited a few seconds, then when she judged the Kislevite God had time enough to receive the message, she got up and walked towards the river. Arriving at the water's edge, she took off her clothes one after the other. Once naked, she moved towards the river waves again.

It was another little ritual she used to perform when she needed to clear her mind, and symbolically cleanse herself of the blood she had shed...or was about to spill. A way for her to prove her devotion to the Gods who guided her path.

As she entered the water, Marjan thought about the last time she had gone to these places, alone, to isolate herself, and smiled nervously. A bandit had followed her, and emerged from the bushes, his pants around his ankles. Faced with such clear intentions, the young woman's response, just as limpid, was an arrow in the left eye.

Her trance state was such that she didn't feel the excessive coolness of the water. Moreover, her Kislevite blood allowed her to laugh at low temperatures.

When the water reached her waist, she stopped. Then she held her breath, and crouched down, so that she found herself completely submerged. The touch of the icy water closing over her head made her shiver. She remained without moving or breathing for as long as she could, then got up to catch her breath. She spent many minutes cleaning her face, her shoulders, her spine, and everything else. No soap, just friction.

Once she felt completely clean, the young woman got out of the river, shook herself, then returned to the altar. She remained motionless, and let the wind gradually carry away the water that was streaming down her body. And again, she tried to hear only the wind and the flow of water, always she focused her mind on the smallest physical sensation, down to the blades of grass that caressed her toes.

After a time she couldn't define, she retrieved a towel from her small backpack, and finished rubbing her hair, which was less likely to dry. Finally, she got dressed, packaged her stuff away, and felt a little better. The weight on her stomach had diminished further. Yes, it was now up to Ursun to decide whether she deserved to live or not. She had done what was necessary. It was therefore with complete confidence she left the consecrated clearing.

Ten blows rang out here and there across Steinerburg, the temple bells ricocheting with their coppery tones the signal for departure.

Psody and Kristofferson were the last to leave the Steiner estate. They were followed by Heike. The unfortunate ratwoman was in tears.

- Do you really have to go? Can't they do without you?

- My love, our father needs me and our son. This is the last battle to protect-defend the Rat Kingdom, we have an obligation to go.

- The "last" is always the one over the ledge, Psody! It's the one where something goes wrong, and it ends very badly!

As they approached the gate, the White Skaven stopped, and faced the ratmother.

- This won't be the worst battle; I escaped an entire colony of Feral Skaven who were probably ten-twenty times more numerous than those we will face this evening.

- How can you be sure of that?

- These are Nedland's estimation, it cannot be an entire army according to his information-calculations.

- Can it? Did Nedland count them all one by one? If so, they will be thirty times more numerous, with Demons, abominable creatures, magicians as powerful as insane...

- This is what will happen if we don't intervene, and you know it. You know me, I'm not doing this for glory, it doesn't amuse me any more than you do, I'm also scared-sad, but I have the power to stop them, I have to do it.

- I should have done like Bianka, and trained to fight! I would have accompanied you!

- Come on, my darling, in your state, you shouldn't take any risks-risks. It's up to me-Kristofferson to act.

There was no anger or weariness in the White Skaven's tone, only bitterness and determination. Heike pressed herself against her mate.

- I beg you, by Shallya's mercy, don't take unnecessary risks! Don't rush into battle!

- I'll stay behind, my magic will be effective-effective at a distance. I'll only approach the place of summoning when the way is clear.

- If they have at least a sorcerer or two, you will be their main target!

- They'll have too much to do when they see us arrive, assured Kristofferson in a scathing voice.

The ratmother then turned to her eldest son.

- As a citizen of Vereinbarung capable of fighting, you have to defend the Rat Kingdom, along with the others. But there are other ways than sending you to war! Your grandfather explained to me that in Altdorf, he saw rich families contributing to the war effort with money, and not with their children.

- Would you prefer me to stay here, waiting at home, while my friends and my father risk their lives?

- Honestly, my little boy… yes, I would prefer it. I understand your point of view, the sense of duty, and all, but I don't agree with it. You are a man, you have always been on the front line to represent the Princely Family and defend its honour. I'm proud of you, Kit, but I'd rather be the mother of a boy who escaped combat while still alive than a hero who died in combat. So, since I can't convince you not to leave, I ask you at least this: don't play the hero, and come back to me alive!

She returned to the White Skaven.

- Do you hear, Psody? I advise you to come back alive with Kristofferson, otherwise I will get angry! You understood well?

The master mage pursed his lips and addressed his son.

- Kit, go get the horses.

Without a word, the brown Skaven sped towards the stables, leaving his parents alone. Psody delicately took the rat woman's hands, and placed them against his heart.

- I was afraid of losing you in this burrow every day-night. I've hurt-hurt you enough as it is. I promise you I'll take care of myself and our son. Everything should go well, and quickly. And we'll come back as soon as possible, alive.

No longer able to hold it, he placed his eight fingers on Heike's cheeks and kissed her. She made the kiss last for a long time.

- I love you-you.

He delicately placed his hands on her companion's belly.

- Both of you.

He looked up and saw his two daughters through one of the windows. Bianka, pressed on the glass, had her face stretched with sadness and fear. Isolde was snuggled up against her, and crying uncontrollably. For a moment, the White Skaven felt disappointed. If his daughters had come down to see him, he could have held them in his arms – the blonde Skaven's disease no longer posed the slightest danger to anyone. And then he remembered why they were so devastated. Consumed by shame and remorse, he hastened to leave, followed by Kristofferson. Neither of the two ratmen dared to turn around.