Miru

It was quite some time after the sun had set, but as far as Miru could tell, the feast was still carrying on in the Great Hall. Despite the shock of Bloodraven's arrest, Aegon had insisted that festivities continue as planned. Rather than dampen the celebration, the arrest seemed to invigorate the revelers. Lord Bloodraven had his supporters, but he had never been beloved, and many seemed to be rejoicing at his downfall.

Not just the lords, but the smallfolk too. From her window in Maegor's Holdfast, Miru could hear raucous noises from across the city. Aegon had ordered extra food prepared and served to the people of King's Landing, so that his subjects would feast with him as well.

For her part, Miru had never cared for such excessive jollification with such crowds of people. After she had eaten her fill, she arose from her seat and bade her father goodnight.

She was not the only one to leave early. Sadog resisted the urge to join his intoxicated brothers in their sport, preferring to retire with Miru.

They also sought out Leroya, whose wine goblet was still full when they approached her. "You need not stay here," Miru urged.

For a moment, it seemed as if Leroya might relent; but then she shook her head shamefacedly. "No. The Seastar wished to poison all that is good within me. She wished for me to live in fear and misery, to hate all that the god and goddess represent. I will not allow her to win."

"Of course you won't," Sadog answered, "but she did wound you. And some wounds take time to heal, do they not? Especially those of the mind and the heart."

Leroya hesitated a moment longer, but then she stood up and went back to Maegor's Holdfast with her elder siblings. "For a man who worships those seven gods," she quipped, "you remember a lot of words from the Temple of Love."

"Why shouldn't I?" Sadog replied with a smile. "I make it my business to remember every good lesson I was ever taught."

It was not long before they sat together in Miru's apartment. Sadog and Leroya leaned over a cyvasse board as Miru listened to the faint sounds of merrymaking in the night sky.

"At some point, I will go back to the Temple," Leroya told them as she sent a light cavalry piece to wipe out one of Sadog's trebuchets. "But I also mean to visit Tyrosh."

"Tyrosh?" Miru stared at her sister. "You're going to find Aenys' children, aren't you?"

Leroya was not smiling as she confirmed Miru's guess with a nod. "He dreaded what might befall them if the war broke out again. Now that he's dead, those children are orphans. I ought to seek them out and offer whatever help that I can."

"And what if they refuse your help?" Sadog asked. "What if they're gone by the time you get there?"

Leroya shrugged. "I suppose I'll find out when I get there." She suddenly gave a start, then moved her dragon to knock Sadog's king from the board. "Ha! Got you, big brother!"

Sadog grumbled as he reassembled his pieces, but Miru could tell that he was not truly bothered. They were happy to see a flash of Leroya returning to normal. She will recover. It may take some time, but she will not let Shiera warp her nature. She felt a rush of admiration and affection for her sister as she and Sadog began a new game.

"By the way," Leroya remarked, "what was all that about Aegon's crown?"

"What do you mean?" Miru asked.

"In the Great Hall. He mentioned that it belonged to his ancestors. I know precious little about them."

"Aegon III," Sadog interjected. "He was the first man who bore that crown."

"Was he a good king, then?"

"It's debatable," Sadog remarked as he moved a crossbow piece towards Leroya's dragon. "I wish I knew more about that part of Westerosi history, but I do know that Aegon began his reign in a similarly shocking manner as his namesake did. Not that I blame the poor lad, after all he endured."

As the game progressed at a snail's pace, Sadog told his sisters of Aegon III's early years as king. Amidst the ashes of the Dance of the Dragons, Aegon had been a broken boy, manipulated by one regent after another whilst tragedies struck the Seven Kingdoms.

"Prior to his name day," Sadog concluded, "Lord Manderly and the regents determined that Aegon should embark on a year-long royal tour. But the morning that he turned six-and-ten, Aegon dismissed his Hand and all three regents, declaring that there would be no progress, nor would there be a feast. He ordered that the food being prepared should go to the kingslanders instead. If I recall correctly, the Dragonbane decreed that he meant to give the realm peace and food and justice."

Miru smiled. "No wonder Aegon wishes to evoke him."

"Aye," Sadog agreed, though his expression became dolorous. "I can only hope that the fifth will succeed where the third failed."

Miru was about to inquire just how Aegon the Dragonbane had failed, but there was a sudden knock on the door. "Yes?"

The door opened, and a Targaryen man-at-arms entered the room. Miru flinched as the armoured man's unfriendly gaze scanned the room. "Lady Miru Dondarrion?"

"Yes?" Miru replied cautiously. From the corner of her eye, she saw Leroya stand up to her full height, with a hand straying close to Doom's hilt.

If the guard felt threatened by Leroya's stance, his only sign was to speak more politely. "Forgive the late hour, Lady Miru, but one of the prisoners requests to see you ere he departs from the capital. The one called Cayn."

Gods… how dare he even try to summon me? "I refuse," Miru declared hotly. "I've no wish to speak to him."

The guard nodded, as if he'd expected such a response. "He wishes to speak to you about Barba."

Miru was filled with helpless fury, and shame. He still knows how to manipulate me. He withheld what I wanted so he could use it against me…

Still, she could not refuse after that. With a resentful but resigned heart, she arose from her seat and cross the room.

"We're coming with you."

Miru turned back to Sadog, who had spoken as he'd pulled himself up by his cane. Leroya looked no less determined.

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Cayn was pacing his cell, as if he was a restless animal. He halted mid-stride when he saw them. He looked at Sadog curiously. "Strange how it took this long for us to speak to one another."

"You've got some bloody nerve," Sadog snapped, abandoning all pretense of politeness. "Speaking only to Miru about this? She was my sister too, Cayn!"

"True enough," Cayn observed. Miru was surprised to see his face become flushed.

Sadog shook his head derisively. "Whatever you have to say, get on with it!"

Cayn blinked at the harsh command, but he still obeyed it. His eyes flicked over to Miru. "First, know this. I will be going to the Wall with Lord Bloodraven. When I leave, you shall never see me again."

Miru did not care about that. She felt her lip curling as she tried to suppress her own fey mood.

"Second," Cayn continued, glancing at Sadog again, "I thought you should know what really happened to Barba."

By the time that Cayn was finished revealing the truth, Miru had fallen to her knees and began sobbing fitfully into her own hands. Leroya and Sadog's hands were on her shoulders, and Miru couldn't tell if their hands shook because of her or because of their own grief.

For several minutes after his tale was concluded, Cayn said nothing as she wept. It was only when she caught her breath that he spoke up again.

"I doubt you will believe me, but I did not realise the truth of this until very recently."

So wroth was she that Miru leapt to her feet and gripped the bars to his cell with both hands. "Damn you! Damn your black heart! What does it matter when you learned the truth? You killed Maric! You served those who slew Barba! And soon you will journey north with the man who murdered our sister!" Such was her fury that she spat at him, though most of her spittle landed upon the bars of his cell. Vaguely, she heard a guard shout at her, and she heard Sadog call out in reply, but all her focus was on Cayn.

"Nay," he replied calmly. "On that last claim, you have erred, Miru. Lord Bloodraven did not kill Barba. That was Shiera Seastar's work, for her own purposes. And while you and your family wave us on to our exile, she will remain here in King's Landing, and not even Aegon will have any sway over her."

It felt like a reproof, but Miru would not be abashed by anything Cayn had left to say. "What of it? What am I to do with that knowledge? What could I ever do against that evil sorceress?"

"Do whatever you wish," Cayn remarked dryly. "I care not what happens to her. Barba did not deserve that fate, nor did Bessie."

Miru frowned, wondering who Bessie was; the name sounded familiar, but she could not recall why.

In the meantime, Cayn looked past Miru. "I heard of what befell you, Leroya. I would offer my sympathies, if I thought you might accept them, and I swear that Lord Bloodraven and I played no part in that."

When Miru followed Cayn's gaze, she saw that Leroya's face was contorted into a livid grimace. "So," she growled, "you feel sorry for me, do you? Do you also feel sorry for Xalonyay? For stealing Doom?"

If Cayn was intimidated by Leroya's anger, he hid it well. "I'll not feign remorse where there is none. That woman got in the way of my vengeance; she would have helped Aenys escape his rightful fate. And I wanted that sword, I'll admit it. But Shiera's cruelty was purposeless; it was simply for her own amusement. So take your revenge, if you have the stomach for it."

"Easy for you to say," Miru interjected. "Have you forgotten what she is capable of?"

"I have not. So take this." Cayn suddenly held out his closed fist, stretching it between the bars.

There was a pendant in his hand. The string was plain, but it held an elaborate carving of a dragon. It had been carefully painted a multitude of colours, from its shiny black scales down to its golden eyes. Miru couldn't be sure what exactly it was made of, be it ivory, dragonglass, or some sort of rock.

Slowly, she reached out and took hold of the dragon, examining it curiously. What she had supposed were scales were actually symbols and runes, immaculately carved into the dragon's skin.

"Go into Flea Bottom," Cayn instructed her. "Where Mulberry Lane meets Mastiff Alley, you will find a stable. At the back of the stable, there is the beginning of a tunnel. The passageway will be guarded by men without tongues. Go far enough, and you will find a large cage where Shiera keeps her guests." At that last word, Cayn's voice became so sour that Miru shuddered.

"When you face the cage," Cayn went on, "turn right and follow that tunnel to its end. Do not deviate and do not let your guard down. Shiera keeps several men in her employ, and they patrol every passageway day and night. You may have to cut your way through them all before you reach Shiera herself. And while that charm will conceal you from her detection, she may still flee if she hears your advance."

"You speak as if I can slay dozens of men single-handedly," Leroya commented.

Sadog was equally suspicious. "How do we know this isn't another trap?"

"What would that gain me?" Cayn ran a hand across his forehead, either out of weariness or frustration. "What's done is done. As far as I am concerned, the scale is fairly balanced between us. I deceived you, aye, and then you helped bring about my arrest. By my love for my father and my loyalty to Lord Bloodraven, I swear that I speak truly."

Miru wanted to disbelieve him. She wanted to spit on him again and degrade his words as worthless. Why should your word mean anything when you helped break the Iron Throne's word? And yet, as he stood before her, stripped of all his power, Cayn's earnestness did not seem unfeigned. Perhaps it was another lie, but Miru still recalled who Cayn had once been. He had never been a charming boy, but he had been loyal. He had protected his siblings, both from outsiders and from each other. He had been unflappable in his devotion to Titus, and now he was doing the same for Brynden Rivers.

"And as for your point," Cayn added as he regarded Leroya, "that amulet will not only protect you, but those who are in your company. I do not know how many, but consider this. Aegon's queen wears an amulet of her own, to protect her private life from Lord Bloodraven and Shiera."

"She does?"

Cayn's manner became scornful. "How else were your talks with Aegon a secret? Lord Bloodraven would never have been clumsy enough to put himself in that position at the Great Hall. He did not know what Aegon was going to do. So long as one of you is wearing that amulet, Shiera will not suspect your approach."

Miru nodded curtly as she put on the pendant and concealed the dragon inside her clothes.

"By the by," Cayn added. "If you happen to find another such amulet in Shiera's lair, I would suggest you take it for yourself. It will protect you from Lord Bloodraven's vengeance."

"When will she be in her lair?" Sadog asked.

"I do not know all her habits," Cayn answered, "but she will be there tonight. And I would imagine that all these festivities will distract everyone from one single ruckus in Flea Bottom."

When they left the dungeons and stood in the open air, Sadog turned to Leroya and spoke softly. "We will cover for you. Take as many of your crewmen that are still sober and seek Shiera out."

"No," Miru objected. As the others turned to her, she put the amulet round her neck. "I'm coming with you."

Leroya's eyebrows shot upwards; after a moment, she spoke in a gentle tone. "Miru, it will be a fight at close quarters. Have you ever cut someone down and seen the light leave their eyes?"

Sometimes, despite all the stories which she'd heard, Miru still needed to remind herself that Leroya had fought and slain people in combat. Now she shivered to hear her younger sister speak so casually about killing.

But still, she would not back down. "Shiera toyed with me too. And she killed Barba. I want to face her myself. I need this just as much as you."

After a moment's hesitation, Leroya sighed and gave a single nod.

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When Miru and Leroya reached the Black Bolt, they found only a few who were experienced with arms and who weren't too sodden with drink. They were Bejjo, Tal, Kinjja, Huroku, and Qahar. Aside from their goldenheart bows, Leroya equipped them with castle-forged melee weapons that she'd taken from one of the armouries before leaving the Red Keep. Miru stood by as Leroya and her followers also filled three packs with supplies.

After she learned what they intended to do, Tidir insisted that she accompany them as well.

"I want to find Nosipho," she declared passionately. She neglected to add "dead or alive", but that was unnecessary anyway. "She would do the same for me!" Thus, she was given a short sword and mace, along with steel-studded leather armour that was kept on the Black Bolt in case of a confrontation at sea.

Miru was also given leather to wear, as well as a dirk to wield in case she needed to defend herself. Despite her convictions, Miru began to feel terrified as she and the others made their way through the crowded streets of King's Landing.

It took them a considerable length of time before they reached the bowels of Flea Bottom. Due to the crowds of revellers, the gold cloaks were about in great numbers to maintain order. This led to them taking various detours to avoid being seen or confronted.

Finally, they came upon the run-down stable which Cayn had described. From the outside, it looked entirely unremarkable. There was no sign that it was in use, let alone being guarded.

"They'll be waiting for us inside," Leroya whispered as she leaned her head around the corner of Mulberry Lane. "We need to distract them first."

"How?" Miru asked.

Leroya turned to Tal, a bulky Summer Islander who bore one of the packs on one shoulder. "Go get me two lit torches." She gestured further down the lane where several men and women were laughing and cavorting together.

By the time Tal returned, Leroya had already taken a flask of rum and used it to soak Miru's grey cape and a blanket which she'd brought in one of the packs. When that was done, she tied one end of each cloth to the bottom of the torches and scrunched the rest of the two cloths into tight balls.

"When I say so," she told Tal, "throw them into the stable." She nodded to Bejjo and the others. "Be ready with your bows." She took her own goldenheart bow and put an arrow on the cord as Tal prepared to throw the first bundle.

Miru braced herself as she watched it fly through the air. She did not see it land inside the stable, but she certainly noticed the explosion of fire. The second bundle was thrown next, and only added to the chaos. It wasn't long before the stable itself was going up in flames.

Screams and grunts sounded as men stumbled into view. One was desperately trying to smother the flames from his coat, but three arrows put an end to his wails of pain. The others followed soon after, sprawled in the street or collapsing amidst the fire.

Miru was transfixed by the sight, shaking silently as Leroya bade everyone to wait for the flames to die down. In the meantime, more men appeared, looking baffled until the archers put an end to their confusion.

Eventually, Leroya drew Doom. Firelight reflected in the black blade, revealing a red tendril extending from point to hilt. "After me!"

As quickly as they could, they darted into the stable, covering their noses and mouths as they rushed to the very back.

It was the first time that Miru had been in a burning building since she was seven years old. The memories came back to her, and she nearly balked at the heat emanating from the stable. Then she heard a scream of agony from within. It was too faint for her to tell who had made the noise. Roya?

The thought of her sister giving that shout was enough to make Miru run forward. As quickly as she could, she reached the back of the building. Most of it was a solid wall made of old bricks, but in one corner was a narrow passageway, just as Cayn had told, and she could hear the sounds of battle within.

By the time she made it inside the tunnel, and her eyes were accustomed to the dark, she saw that Leroya and her crew had been swift and efficient. The bodies of four brutish-looking men were strewn about the stone floor, bleeding from several wounds. Their faces were frozen in shock, and their open eyes stared vacantly.

"Miru, come on!" Leroya stood with Tidir as Bejjo, Kinjja, and Qahar advanced with arrows at the ready.

She was shaking as she stood close to Leroya, determined to protect them with the dragon amulet about her neck. Far down the tunnel, she saw the orange glow of lit torches, revealing the silhouettes of approaching guards.

The archers saw them too. As their bows made their soft music, Miru watched as the arrows found their marks, and the distant foes fell limply one by one. When Leroya ordered a charge, Miru forced herself to keep pace with the rest, desperate not to be left behind.

It wasn't long before she heard them. Faint cries echoed down the tunnel; their high pitch revealed that they must be girls, children, or both. Miru felt a terrible lump in her stomach, even as she forced herself to run faster.

Ahead of her, Leroya drew Doom again as another guard appeared before her. Her sword made short work of him, flashing through the low light.

Words became discernible as they drew nearer to the tunnel's end. Cries of "Help" and "Save us" rang out, from at least half a dozen throats.

"What in the fucking…" Bejjo rasped as he skidded to a halt in front of Miru. She was unable to stop herself from bumping into him, but she was too shocked by the sight before her to apologise.

It was exactly as Cayn had described. The cage was made of metal, with one side of it being the stone wall of the tunnel. Several girls were crouched inside, gripping the bars with filthy hands as they pressed themselves forward and begged for their liberty. Miru was horrified by their conditions. They had clearly been imprisoned here for days, maybe even weeks. They were very thin, so that their eyes seemed too large for their heads.

Doom clattered from Leroya's hand as she stood before the cage, utterly aghast. She seemed frozen in place for a moment, as were her followers, save one.

Tidir sprang forward, looking at the prisoners. "Nosipho? Are you in there?" But there was no answer to her call. Miru did not see Amabel either.

"Please," one of the girls whimpered. "Get us out of here!"

"Where is the key?" Miru demanded. "Who has it?"

Qahar and Kinjja quickly examined the guards' corpses until they returned with a long, iron key.

The cage door swung open with a loud screech.

"That's sure to bring more of them our way," Tal observed.

The girls sobbed with relief and gratitude as they scrambled out of the cage. Miru wrapped her arms around one of them, who was trembling so violently that she seemed ready to faint. "Breathe slowly," she urged. "Breathe with me."

"We need to get them out of here," Kinjja urged as she picked up the smallest girl in her arms.

"Oh no. Miru…" Leroya moaned. There was a stricken expression on her face when she looked at Miru. "You ought to see this." She gestured to the cage, pointing between the bars.

Her heart was racing as she stepped forward and knelt to see what her sister was pointing at. Dozens of messages had been crudely inscribed in the stone wall, but one near the bottom stood out.

Tell Titus Dondarrion that Barba was here.

A cry of anguish left Miru as she fell to her knees. I looked for you, Barba. I tried. I thought of you. I hated myself for leaving without you…

Leroya suddenly seized her shoulder and urged her to get up, but she couldn't. She was crippled by the thought of her sister spending who knows how many days in this cage… who knows how many weeks… months?

"Get these girls back to the ship," Leroya told Bejjo as she retrieved her sword. "Lyman will know what to do with them. I'm going to find that pale bitch."

Miru looked up at her. "I'm coming with you."

"Stay close, then." Leroya gestured to Tal and Huroku to follow her too.

Miru was trembling as she ran to keep pace with them. She couldn't be sure whether it was from wrath, apprehension, or something else. The crude message on the wall was etched into her recollection, and she recalled Cayn describing what he'd seen Shiera do. Bathing in girls' blood… What sort of evil magic is that?

Despite Tal's prediction, there was no more sign of any guards. Leroya led the way with a torch in one hand and Doom in the other.

Finally, they came upon a wooden door. There was no discernible sound behind it, but they could see glowing colours.

All four of them were too awed by the nightmare to speak any longer. Leroya slowly prepared to open the door. Tal and Huroku drew arrows again whilst Miru stepped to the side.

With a sudden movement, Leroya twisted the knob and burst into the chamber, followed by the others.

It was a spacious room, exactly as Cayn had described. Miru's eyes scanned it, taking in the multicoloured torches, the massive cauldron, the shelves of books and jars, the stained table, the stone bath in one corner…

Shiera Seastar sat upright in the steaming water, staring at the intruders. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the torchlight, reflecting all the unnatural colours. There was a look of astonishment on her face, but it quickly gave way to a small smile. "It's been a long time since I was surprised," she remarked.

Leroya sprang forward and held Doom so that the point was at Shiera's throat. "One false move, and you'll be surprised for the last time."

The sorceress smiled humourlessly. "That was a silly threat. Killing me is your purpose for being here, is it not?"

Miru approached the bath, standing beside Leroya. She felt her hands trembling as she glared balefully at the naked and helpless Shiera. Nay. She may not be helpless, even with Cayn's amulet on our side. "You've hurt my family for the last time."

Shiera laughed scornfully. "Is this truly how I meet my end? What an insult! Still, the onus is on myself. Brynden did warn me, after all." She gave a trivial shrug.

"For a woman who did so much evil to survive," Leroya snapped, "you hold your life very cheaply."

Shiera's withering contempt turned to the taller woman. "As cheaply as you hold your body? Is there any man yet in King's Landing who hasn't spent himself inside you?"

Miru was furious, but then astonished by the laughter which left Leroya's mouth.

"You Westerosi are so pathetic! I have always embraced my body as a temple! I have lived a richer life with more happiness in one year than you have ever felt in your life! And you will not change that! You never could!"

"Oh," Shiera replied pleasantly, "but that's the trouble with happiness, isn't it? It always comes to an end. Just as it did for poor Aenys, Piato, even Nosipho."

Spittle flew from Leroya's mouth and landed on Shiera's face with a splat. "You aren't fit to speak their names," Leroya snarled.

Undeterred, the Seastar spoke again. "Nosipho was such a beautiful woman, just like your brother's whore." She giggled as she wiped Leroya's spittle from her face. "I invited them to bathe with me. In this very tub, as a matter of fact. Nosipho took some convincing, of course, but it was well worth the effort, I promise you that. She shared so many fascinating memories and recollections with me. My favourite was when dear old Ollo came to visit you when you were still at that temple. Do you recall it as well as I?"

Miru flinched as Leroya raised her sword over her head. "Liar! She would never share that with you! How did you force it out of her?"

"So fierce, just like your father," Shiera jeered. "You want to be him so badly, don't you? If only he saw you that night on the docks, and saw how happily you let those wharf rats take you. Imagine if he'd heard how you called out Ollo's name with such longing. Did he ever find out that you threw yourself upon him?"

"That's enough," Miru shouted, even as she felt flushed with embarrassment at this revelation.

Shiera did not even glance at Miru, focusing her attention on Leroya. "Do you still dream of that night, my dear? All your lovers come to ravish you all over again. But I'm curious, was Titus among them too?"

Leroya gave a shriek of rage as Doom descended.

"No!" By the time that Miru called out, the deed was already done.

Shiera gave an unearthly wail, with both hands covering one side of her face. Blood trickled past her fingers, as well as other fluids which made Miru want to retch.

Leroya had been devastatingly deliberate. Doom's point had opened a short cut across one eye, splitting it cleanly in two. Her other eye was wide open as her piercing sobs seemed to make the stones tremble.

Undaunted, Leroya spat on Shiera. "Now you and Bloodraven match!"

That seemed only to reinvigorate the pale woman. From some magical well, she recovered herself enough to glare up at Leroya through her remaining eye. "Go on, then! Take my other eye!" She glanced at Miru. "You will only be hurting your precious Barba."

Miru felt as though her heart might stop. "What do you mean?"

"Must I spell it out for you?" Shiera's sickening smile returned, even as blood and jelly seeped through her fingers. "You really have grown up so much from that terrified little girl which I once knew."

"Stop it," Miru warned.

"Do you remember the first day we met? You asked me what Lord Titus wanted from us, whether he wanted what Brodda took from you."

Miru wanted to scream, but her tongue felt numb. She could not restrain her tears as she trembled with revulsion and horror. "What did you do to Barba that made her tell you that?"

"She became a part of something greater than she could ever imagine!" Shiera's hands came away from her face, sending several droplets of her blood sprinkling into the water. "Her essence lives within me! I carry all the girls who gave me their youth! They live inside me! And now it will all have been in vain!"

Despite the horror which filled Miru, she kept her head as she looked upon this loathsome sorceress. "Barba chose to do that, did she?" Hot tears of rage ran down her face. "Did she beg for the privilege? Did they all choose to do it?"

Shiera's sickening smile returned, stretching one corner of her mouth. "Would it really matter? You will kill me anyway."

Leroya was equal parts appalled and enraged. "You have no shame for what you did? Do you even recall how many lives you destroyed?"

The Seastar turned back to glare at Leroya. For a terrifying moment, something in her face seemed to change. Miru was transfixed by the effect; although her beauty did not diminish, it was as though she aged forty years before them.

"I remember them all," she rasped. "I still see their faces. I feel their memories, their secrets, their fears, all of it. They live inside of me as their little lives feed mine own!"

Shiera turned back to Miru. "I remember the first words Andrew said to you when you entered that wheelhouse. Do you remember them? I stood up for you. I defended you. And you abandoned me."

Horrorstruck, Miru nearly took a step back. "You are not her! You will never be her!"

Shiera sneered at Miru. "Whatever you do to me, know this; their essences will suffer and die with me. You will hear their screams alongside mine, and their agony will be on your conscience!"

"Liar!" Miru slapped the cheek which was not bleeding. A scornful hiss left Shiera's throat as her skin began to welt where Miru's hand struck her.

"Go on, then," Shiera ordered in an ugly growl. "Do it! There is nothing you could do to me which would outdo the agonies we have endured! Nothing will put it right, not in this life, or in your pitiful hearts!"

She's right. Miru felt a heavy weariness overtake her. She did not have the stomach for the sort of torture which Shiera must feel to balance the scales. It was beyond her power and her will alike. Feeding one's hatred will only cause their love to starve.

It had been one of the first lessons which she'd learned in the Temple of Love in Ebonhead. At sixteen years of age, it had seemed such a trite lesson. But now, it rang true once more. Avenging Barba would not bring her back, nor would it even assuage Miru's feelings.

"She's right. Just make an end of it," she told Leroya as she braced herself for the inevitable. She would watch it happen, she would not cower away from this. This was still a dark act, regardless of who was about to die and whether they deserved it. Miru would accept this responsibility as her own.

But Leroya did not swing the sword.

Miru turned after a moment to look at her sister. "Roya?"

The tall woman was looking at one of the tables. It contained a multitude of containers, be they made of glass, pewter, clay, or stone.

As Miru followed her gaze, something caught her eye. It was a pendant whose charm was a carved dragon, very similar to the one that Cayn had given her. Swiftly, she darted forward and took it.

Leroya, meanwhile, seized something else. It was a small jar made of brown clay. With one finger, she adjusted the lid, so that Miru could see a glowing green liquid inside the jar. "Is that…" she gasped.

Shiera was glaring in surprise at Leroya, but she did not say anything.

Leroya turned back to Shiera and raised the pot into the air. "You may not suffer as much as you should," Leroya declared in a voice which Miru had never heard her use before, "but this will be more than enough for me!"

She suddenly turned to Miru. "Stand back!"

The force of her younger sister's command was enough to make Miru practically leap away in alarm. Leroya did the same, even as she hurled the clay pot straight at Shiera Seastar.

The pot flew just past her head and smashed against one of the stone walls which formed the bath's corner. Miru screamed as green flames sprang to life.

Shiera gave a great wail as emerald-like liquid splashed on her. Green fire grew from her form, and no amount of thrashing she made in the water could douse the flames.

Miru was transfixed, awestruck, even as Leroya seized her shoulder and yanked her backward. "Come on," Leroya shouted as she pulled her out of the chamber. Tal and Huroku fled with them.

The green flames were spreading. Other containers were shattering from the extreme heat. More flames joined the green, starting flashes of blue, yellow, red, purple, and various shades of red. Shiera's shrieks seemed to increase as her form became indiscernible amidst all that fire. Miru also swore that she could hear other voices shrieking alongside the Seastar.

Tal and Huroku sprinted back the way they'd come. Leroya followed, but still kept pace with Miru as they fled from the hell to which they had doomed Shiera Seastar. The pendant which Miru had seized dangled in midair, nearly striking her in the face. The sorceress's screams pursued them all the way down the dark corridor.

Such was her heightened state that she thought nothing of running the entire length of the tunnels. It was only when she neared the stable in Flea Bottom that she realised how exhausted she felt.

The stable was little more than a blackened ruin of a building, hollowed out by the flames which had almost fully died down. There was no sign of the rescued girls or those of Leroya's crew that had taken charge of them. Instead, there was a small crowd of onlookers, gawping as Miru, Leroya, Tal, and Huroku staggered into the street.

Miru collapsed, gasping for breath as she'd never done before. Without a second's thought, Leroya bent down and picked her up as easily as if she was a babe. Together with her two crewmen, Leroya made her way out of Flea Bottom by the shortest route.

"Oh gods," Miru whimpered.

"Rest easy," Leroya told her hoarsely. "Save your strength."

Miru clung to her younger sister. "Did you hear them too?"

"Who?"

"Those voices… just like Shiera said…"

"It matters not," Leroya assured her. Like Miru, she had tears in her eyes. "They're free of that witch's grasp. We freed them all."