What Diana didn’t know, what she didn’t seem to care about knowing, was what kept Jonah from sleeping that night. Aiko's reflective eyes reminded him of another set in a dark room.

The two Whittakers, Warren and Sammy been trying to find some place to hide him, by the streets of Grayhill were overrun with people. A note found its way into Sammy's hand, telling them to meet the writer in the back of the Corpine Clinic. As it was written in elvish, there weren't many that could have penned it.

The two Paladins and Jonah found themselves in the backroom of the clinic, facing Kalyah as she sat on the counter, the late afternoon sunlight shone through a small window high above her. The Whittakers stood by the door, reassured by him that he knew the Priestess well. She was in her plain clothes, a floral summer dress and sandals, her knee held to her chest. Her green eyes shone brightly in the shadows across her face, a dwarven trait, she explained when he was taken aback by their shine.

The explanation came with a light smile, but the Priestess’s cherub face quickly became somber. “You’re not going to like what I have to say, but I have to say it anyway,” she began plainly. “Jonah, if you return to the ship, then you're going to be charmed by the Witch.” She held up her hand. “Please, let me finish…”

Jonah was burning with a hundred questions, shaking at the idea.

Warren tightened the fold of his arms, snorting like a bull.

“When you first boarded the ship, through no fault of your own, the crew went into a panic,” Kalyah continued. “Before I had even got you to sleep the news came that Luann had been murdered. You were seen as a bad omen and most of Angelina’s crew were begging to get off the ship. Obviously, Angelina wasn't happy with that, you've seen how proud she is of her strays. I don't know exactly how it happened, but as we were heading to port, the Witch spent an entire night in her cabin. She's only been aboard the last few years, but she has been making beews that whole time. This one I knew was different, it didn't make the crew forget, instead they just didn't want to leave anymore. I was given the drink by her, and I knew what it was, I knew it was a controlling brew. Fia thought I’m much weaker than I am, but I purified it within my body. She knew her concoction didn’t work, that I wasn’t under her command, so she simply threatened my life, and walked off.”

The Priestess held her knee closer, hugging her powerful leg with trembling hands. "I was able to negate the forgetful brews, and Fia knew that as well. This one took a lot more energy to craft. I saw the drain it took to save the crew that Angelina has now. Fia barely recovered before Diana came aboard.” She sighed. “Right before Angelina had her do the mass summoning, I checked in her room, she was making another, for you.”

“That’s forbidden magic, dark arts shit!” Warren finally burst out.

Kalyah hopped off her perch and sat by Jonah, holding him as he quaked in place. “It’s okay, she’s not going to get to you, honey, and she doesn’t have the strength to make anymore,” she said, voice soft.

“She should be arrested right now,” Warren continued, striking the wall with his fist. “I’ll go arrest her! Fuck that bitch!”

“Cuz, calm down, yer spookin’ the folks outside,” Sammy said, holding onto her cousin’s broad armored shoulders.

There were Corpine faithful in the clinic, tending to those that had been harmed in the mass entrance to the town. Jonah felt faint and Kalyah had him sit fully on the bed. She removed his jacket, running her hand up and down his arm, shushing him softly. “No one will get to you, honey, don’t worry. Look at the strong Paladins we have here, they won’t let Fia get near you, don’t worry, baby,” she said. She gently urged him to breathe, demonstrating the method.

He looked at blank section of the white wall, a bit of nothing past Kalyah’s shoulder. His heart beat in his chest like it was trying to escape. The specifics of the brew weren't clear to him, but he imagined himself as a willless zombie. He knew the rest of the crew weren't like that, he still feared it anyway.

“Close your eyes, in through your nose… out through your mouth…” she whispered.

There were heavy footfalls, and he saw Warren looming over him, quickly falling to his knees, coming level with his head. He tapped Jonah’s forehead, holding his other hand in prayer, whispering a plea in a flowing language. Jonah felt a wave of sedation flood over him.

“Keep him awake, please,” Kalyah said, helping him to lay back on the pillow

Warren nodded. “Sammy, send a message to Bill, tell him to keep an eye on the Witch,” he said, his hand still swirling with magic as he settled in on the ground. “Tell him she’s got a brew of the Hypnotic Star.”

“Slave Star,” Kalyah said quietly.

Warren turned to her disgust. “Is there any reason that I shouldn’t start a fuckin’ Execution trial on her?” he sneered. Sammy left the room at his gesture, some military sign.

“Most Covens worship her and would doubt even a Paladin of Psyin’s evidence,” Kalyah said, focused on Jonah, holding his hand firmly. “There would be riots, most of the world only knows her for her scrying, but she’s a goddess to them. There’s only a handful of Moon Blessed in the world.”

The man wiped his face, scratching the stubble of his chin. “There’s no accounting for the Moon’s taste,” he grumbled.

“No, it has chosen the most deadly killer of Ash Makers,” she said with a shake of her head. “That graffiti your soldiers cleaned up, it was true.”

The Paladin squinted at her.

She smiled faintly at him. “One of your Paladins has loose lips and a thing for short women…”

Warren sighed, his cheek red at the irritation of his armored fingers. “What else do you know? Who else should we string up, but can’t?”

“You know I’m against harm to any bodies,” the Priestess stated.

“Doesn’t stop Corpine followers from reminding people how wicked some are. The goddess herself lets her husband kill for the betterment of the world,” he said, checking on Jonah. “I gotta take this off, partner, or else you will fall asleep.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Jonah said, getting up as the crown faded from him. He slapped at his cheeks, trying to shake the grogginess from his system.

“Relax, it’ll fade,” the Paladin said.

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Kalyah had held grief since Warren mentioned her fellows. She looked out the wooden blinds of the window, down the dark hallway as the Priest and Priestesses were going from bed to bed in their vestments. To Jonah, it seemed the same grief he had for all mankind over the last few years. His mother dying made him a stranger to everyone, and it wasn’t hard to miss how Kalyah stumbled on her words when talking about other followers. She too didn’t belong.

“The Pirate has undead dwelling on the ship,” she said in a hush.

“Bill sniffed them out, he couldn’t get to the damn things, but he knows they’re there,” Warren added, standing up, hands in his pockets.

Kalyah nodded. “When I dodged the Mind Fog brew, I learned they’re called, ironically, the Night Crew. There’s a Vampire, an old one, a few Ghouls, a Hag or two, and at least one Werewolf. I should have left right then, but by the time I found out, I had already been on the ship seven years. I owe my life to Angelina, and she’s not about to let me forget it.” She tapped the side of her stomach, looking at the two of them with a pained smirk. “I found myself in the middle of a trade riot, a bullet in my intestines. Too messed up to heal myself, and I was destined to bleed out with a whole bunch of regrets in a country thousands of miles away from a Corpine clinic like this…” She sighed, shaking her head.

Jonah took Kalyah’s hand, trying to comfort her as she did for him. The idea of monsters living on the ship terrified him, just as much as losing his mind, the prayer of Warren had yet to fade, and he was able to push it all aside for the moment.

“Why weren’t you with a Trio?” Warren asked quietly.

“Because I’m stupid, and I thought I was better than the confines of the church,” Kalyah said, furious at herself.

“You’re not stupid,” Jonah said simply. He turned to Warren. “She’s the one who helped put my arms back on with Diana, her and Stephan… they all helped to repair me.” He wondered whether the last one was charmed, whether his new limbs were slave labor. Not right now, he thought, I’ll worry about it later.

Warren nodded. “Able to do that without a Trio, you must be closer to a High Priestess.”

A shadow passed over Kalyah’s face, but she nodded as well. “I should have left years ago. Now I’m stuck in the same boat as Jonah and Diana, quite literally.”

“Ya said there weren’t no Night Crew activity until three years ago,” Warren remarked.

“That I know of,” Kalyah said.

“We been tracking a rise in Ash Maker activity since then, never thought they would do something like they did to the princess,” he said, holding his chin in thought.

“I don’t know exactly what they do, but it can’t be good,” Kalyah said. “The Witch has been bragging about her scrying Ash Makers for years. Whether it was soliders or innocents, I don't know. It doesn’t matter, any death is equally tragic.”

“I know, I know,” Warren grumbled.

“Jonah, you have to stay away from Diana,” Kalyah said, squeezing his hand.

That statement punched into him hard. A realistic fear far worse than one he couldn’t understand. A car crash, not the sky falling like the monsters. “Why?” he asked simply.

“Because, Fia is determined enough to brew a Slave Star and Angelina doesn’t like you around her anyways. I’ve known her for a decade, I can tell when she’s not a fan of something,” she explained. “You’ve been too focused on Diana, you don't see how Angelina looks at you at every meal. You didn’t see how happy she was when Diana was sulking about the storm. How pissed she was when you passed out and Diana was freaking out over you nearly dying. I’m serious honey, that first time you used magic could have killed you if we hadn't been there.”

Jonah looked down at his arms and feared that he might accidently play his music too loud again.

“You’ll learn, don’t worry, honey,” Kalyah said gently. “It’s for your own good and hers that you stay away. Even if that brew is destroyed--”

“Old Bill won’t rest until it is,” Warren interjected.

“Good, I hope it is. The Witch won’t be able to make anymore for weeks, maybe a month. Last I saw her she was in a horrible state, she won’t be doing anything for a while, except trying to regain her power.”

Warren stepped aside as his diadem of thorns lit up.

Kalyah watched him for a long while. “What is it?” she asked as he returned, the light fading.

“Sammy has been watching the outside, and the godsdamn Rider is wandering outside, says he’s looking for you. Seems he's coming towards here,” Warren said, pointing to Jonah. The Paladin went to the small window, closing the blinds and enchanting it. The trim of it was lined in gold, braced with thorns, the warding glow fading as the etchings in the wall stayed. He did the same to the door and large window.

Jonah moved to the center of the room as Warren instructed, moving the bed away from it. The Traveler was shaking at the thought of being captured, of being drugged. The panic came back with a vengeance, his heart begging to escape once more.

Kalyah peeked out the window. “It’s not him, it’s the Witch’s Mimic,” she said.

“I see,” Warren said with a snort, a glow fading from his eyes.

“Her masking charms broke on the two Heroes, they were pissed,” Kalyah said with a satisfied grin. “They chewed her out after she was already haggard. Some girls apparently complained they smelled like a wet dog.”

“I couldn't even see through it, it must of been a mighty strong one,” Warren said with a scoff. “Well, that lump of flesh ain’t getting in here. I’d just as soon kill it. Yer kin knows he’s fake, but the people don’t. Look at them fools, trying to rush the Hero.”

“They won’t harm it, but they don’t trust the creatures. If you kill it, she will just bring it back,” Kalyah said. She rushed to Jonah, trying to calm him once more.

“Yes ma’am, I know, but it’s a good punching bag,” Warren said, hitting his fist into his palm and cracking the knuckles. “Take care of Jonah, don’t worry partner, ain’t a soul gonna get to you.” He pointed firmly at him. “That window will take a godsdamn Steelhead Watchdog to break. You sir are under the protection of the Magi armed forces.” He pulled his radio from his collar. “This is Captain Whittaker, requesting all nearby soldiers to rendezvous at my location, we got Corpine faithful in need of assistance. Anyone who would rather drown in fish women, instead paying a visit to a Corpine spa freshly opened for business, then you’re welcome to taste salt for the next week. Promise ya lads, it dries the hell out of yer skin, ya know these ones will give you a right seeing to. Now, if I know my boys at all, I'll be seeing you soon, over and out.”

His radio fuzzed with many replies coming at once.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

“I could make an appearance…”

“Right away Captain!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Warren grinned, slamming his fists together in salute as his helmet formed on his head. The black eye holes and crown of thorns didn’t seem so scary anymore. “They might be a little tipsy, but four units at least are rushing over here. Some might wanna speak with you, but you ain’t in any danger Traveler!” he said, pushing through the door.

As the door closed, Warren’s hands raised up, golden arcs of electricity moving along his fingers. “Mr. Rider, sir, a pleasure to meet you! How may I help you?” he called loudly. After a few moments, there was a faint sound of punches landing through the small window.

Sammy returned as Jonah was calming down. She sat on the bed, her fist in her cheek. “Every damn soldier is flocking outside, enjoying themselves like pigs in mud, while I gotta miss my girlfriend back home,” she said with a sigh.

“At least the spa is actually open,” Kalyah said. “Your commander got the message?”

“Yes, miss, he did, he’s got someone looking for that sorry excuse for a Witch. I don’t know if they’ll have much luck. It’s easy for her to hide still,” the pouting Paladin said.

“She kept one little charm on herself,” Kalyah muttered.

Jonah clutched the cup of water he held. “Thank you, both of you,” he said feebly.

“Don’t worry," Kalyah said. "It's their job to protect."

"Of course. It ain't your fault I'm missing home," Sammy said with a smile. "It's that damn Blodwyn."

He spent the night in the clinic, several other Paladins keeping watch over the perimeter. It was horrible to know that Diana couldn’t know where he was, but Old Bill was keeping an eye on her. Angelina never left her side and Kalyah feared that otherwise Diana would rush over to see him.

The moment that Diana saw through the deception, which he blamed himself for being so poor, he was glad. He wouldn’t actually drink, or let Kalyah sedate him. She insisted that they do more and more to sell it. Without ever saying it, he didn’t want it to work. Kalyah was right, it would have hurt him too much to be without her. That level of closeness is what he craved the most after so long alone. After she fought to keep him, he knew how much Diana felt it too. He denied it, didn’t believe it was possible, but was happy to have it.

Neither he or Diana could predict what was waiting for them on the ship, that their victory would be short lived.