The conviction that deities are out trying to get you is quite common. But you rarely are assigned a death squad and torture camp of your own. I must say that I’ve been happier.

„So some pantheons are especially hostile to Atlanteans, chief among them the Egyptians and the other gods are at best an unfriendly neutral?“ I ask Leuma, who answers „That is an accurate summary. In particular very few would make any effort to block a hit job.“

I finish my cup of tea before I start pacing. I am not going to waste tea. „I am being hunted for an unknown reason and didn’t even know about it. I suppose the gods don’t write press releases about their reasons, them being a guide to their weaknesses. I suppose I could now begin lamentations about my inability to chart a course without knowing what I am doing. You’d be amused and tell me that the things I know from my universe of origin are valuable.“. The smile on her lips is serene rather then derisive. I feel encouraged „I need to look at this from another angle. Am I the problem? Should I send you away?“. She folds her hands in front of herself on the desk „I must admit that I’ve blocked that option. Well, you could send Branislava, Zewrepa, Melo and me away, but not Anjali or Hildegard. You know, the connection of the blood. They are a vulnerability.“. That makes me stop. I say „Thank you for your honesty. But please note that you are treading on dangerous territory. I won’t just stand there if you declare my children a liability. I know that I neither need nor can impress you with decisive or bold actions, but there is a limit.“ She smiles even more broadly „I love people who know their own limits. You can impress me with cold logic, though, and I needed to be impressed. Your presence is, after all, not without risks.“. That opens a question „Is it my immediate presence? Could I send you, while you are under Zewrepa’s command, and follow you by teleportation?“. She considers the question „I don’t know. A full investigation would show you as a worldwalker. I don’t know whether that would show over the bond.“. I need to answer that in a way I doubt she’ll like „We need to have Anjali and, lest she get jealous, Hildegard included in that discussion.“ Leuma hesitates a tiny bit before she assents. I need to clarify that „That was the worst, wasn’t it? You are a bright, well, demoness and Marental not recognising that and just using you for sex.“ She looks directly at me „Not exactly. He recognized my mind. He just did not care. He thought himself so powerful that he could simply ignore me. My attempts to get him talking amused him.“. Her voice almost dies down. „And he was right.“ she admits.

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Anjali is giving me the look women reserve for giving their partners when they are doing something obviously dumb. „I don’t know the literal answer to that question. Yet our babies are most likely to have sorceries. What do you think elves would conclude if two women whose children are related and show exotic sorceries book a passage with them? Tell me, can you tell?“ She is making me blush. I go full mage sight. Yes, I can. She nods at my unspoken question, my hand reaching for her lower abdomen. „You are right, it is visible. With direct contact I can even tell specifics. Fire and something exotic.“ I admit. She exhales a ragged breath.

Well, we are not married, but under the circumstances I think I deserved the look. Leuma has the decency to look embarrassed.

Anjali says „That is a relief. And yes that creates the issue that it would make obvious sense to take Hildegard or me hostage. Hence the need for a binding promise. Obviously they will not agree to a promise to keep that secret from their supervisors in their clan. But why do you care? After all our problem is you being identified as an Atlantean, not as a worldwalker and sorcerer. Atlanteans are of this world.“

Hildegard makes a little sound. I go full mage sight again „Yes, even easier to see. Oh.“. That is not an occasion you should make surprised sounds. Hildegard makes a strangled sound, forms her hands into fists and moves a step towards me. I hastily continue. „On you it is easier to see. There is a residue creating health. And you are bearing twins.“ Her breath sounds remarkably similar to what Anjali made.

„That is genius“ I remark. I get a repeat of that look. „No, it is. We made the error that we must aim for actually making a convincing deception. That is, if we pretended to work for Marental, we’d need to create a believable pretense. But that is not true. We need to find a way where we have a reason to pretend, but the Dark Elves have a reason to honestly transport us, even if they do not believe the pretense.“ I explain. Or at least try to explain. That look is adorable coupled with confusion. „But what reason do we have to dare rob an Atlantean and why would the Dark Elves overlook that?“ asks Anjali the frustration showing in her voice. „Money“ says Hildegard. „Anjali, you are looking at things either from a view point of a wizardess or somebody in a desperate situation ready to do whatever it takes as only survival matters. You do not have the experience in between. That is a hard lesson you need to heed when working with mercenaries. If the financial stakes are high enough, they will switch sides. How much mithril can you make, Peregrine?“