Ivy swirled the wine in her glass, doing her absolute best to ignore the death glares aimed at her from the two Iadaian witches across the table from her. Sadly, she had only taken a few sips, just in case things went sour and she had to wipe those stupid expressions off their faces. In fact, she might just go ahead and do that anyway, as it would be the most productive thing yet for the past thirty minutes. Which wasn’t hard, seeing as no one had said a word yet. There were just five witches trying to outstare each other.

After the small skirmish had cooled down, Kalmia—the leader of the Iadaians—spent the rest of the day reuniting with her lost son while Ivy and Virian saw to Camellia. The battle had ended, though both sides had yet to speak a word about it to each other, retreating to deal with their own issues. Only Raenin had connections to both groups, and he was not allowed in this ridiculous meeting.

“Only witches,” Raenin had told Ivy an hour ago. Perfect. Except for the fact that they only talked to each other through him, apparently. That and the fact that Ivy had to reassure Virian that she’d keep Camellia safe at least two hundred times.

So here she was, sitting beside Rose and Camellia, with two Iadaian warrior witches looming over a hastily prepared table in the storeroom below decks. The third witch that Ivy had used her power against remained absent. Ivy could only guess her whereabouts but based on the first time she had used this new power, the witch was probably resting back on the Iadaian ship.

“So,” for some reason, Camellia was the first to speak, “how was everyone’s day?”

Four pairs of eyes shot to the seemingly unassuming witch-princess. Of course, everyone in this room knew better. Ever since Ivy had…resurrected Virian’s sister, she couldn’t look at the woman the same. It was probably just the strange powerful demon that Ivy had freed from a prison it was never meant to escape, but Camellia just felt off afterward.

The two Iadaian’s glared at her with open hostility, whereas Rose wore a grin on her face. Ivy would have to ask Rose what the hell that meant later.

“It,” Kalmia started, “has been unexpected.”

Despite her size and well-toned muscles prominently on display with her sleeveless dark tunic, Kalmia’s voice was light and airy. Like all witches, she was also beautiful, her long blond hair cascading down the immaculate skin of her cheeks that had no place belonging to someone supposedly Armond’s age. Or maybe older. During the fight, Ivy hadn’t bothered to pay attention to such details. Her companion was no different, a paragon of elegance, only with light brown hair instead, and less bulging muscles. She, like Rose, wore a simple dress instead of the rougher outfit of her queen.

“Get used to it,” Rose said, “as long as you're around this one.” She waved a hand in Ivy’s direction.

Ivy almost choked on her latest sip of wine. What a load of crap. From Rose of all people.

Kalmia eyed Ivy for a second but turned back to address Rose. Good. The less Ivy had to talk the less likely she’d screw something up.

“I have two concerns,” Kalmia said.

“Oh, I have one as well,” Ivy said. The woman looked at her but said nothing. “Okay, I’ll go first. How is it that Raenin came from Armond…and,” Ivy waved a hand at Kalmia, “you? I mean, he’s…well, more normal sized I suppose.”

Rose chuckled under her breath, while the Iadaians stared for a moment.

“How old are you?” the previously silent witch asked. Lucerne, if Ivy recalled correctly.

“Twenty-two, I think? I can’t be sure, really. Those early years I was counting bread scraps more than the years. Only after I awakened did I start counting the days. Because, well, you know.” Ah. That reminded her of something that had been bothering her. “Except, that doesn’t happen to me anymore. I don’t get it. Why is that?”

Ivy dropped her glass and gave Rose a look. She did not doubt that the ancient witch understood the secret of the awakening days. Hell, the others probably did as well.

Meeting her expectation, it was Kalmia who answered, “The Qix’rymith protect us.”

Ivy pursed her lips.

“But I don’t-”

“It is more than that,” Rose said, “the human side of us is…unsuited for the demon’s power that we wield. Once a year, its strength explodes out of us, causing the pains. A demon is a natural conduit to their world. The backlash of power channels through them instead.”

“And—”

“And for you? I suspect there simply is no need. When you contacted Zarynthal under the cathedral, I believe your demonic half fully awakened.”

Huh. That made sense. Why hadn’t Rose told her this ages ago? Probably because Ivy had run away the first chance she got.

“Nice,” she said, “at least there is one good thing about being a monster.”

All of the other four women—even…no especially Camellia—gave her a dirty look. It wasn’t wrong though. All of them were part demon.

“But this has gotten far off track,” Rose said, “so if you would kindly answer her other question, if you don’t mind, Kalmia?” The massive blond witch nodded. “Thank you.”

“We found Rae. He’s adopted.”

Ivy blinked. “That’s it?”

Kalmia sighed. “You really are young.” She turned her head to Rose. “Does she not know?”

“W-what?” Ivy asked.

Ivy had to set her glass down and massage her temples a bit. More secrets. More crap didn’t know and could be lorded over her.

“Ivy,” Rose said, “children are very rare for us. Especially for you. Daphne is the only witch I have known to conceive, but there have been others. As I told you before of your own ancestry, little is known. Our blood can be dormant, but if it does awaken, the demonic essence seems to burn away a man’s seed. Daphne’s power is useful, but the blood in her is weak. I have tried, as a baby would have been beneficial to me in the past, with no luck. Trust me, I’ve been around a long time.”

Ivy felt her face heating the moment Rose mentioned a man’s…seed. She had never had parents, yet listening to Rose talk about sex made her squirm. Her old—really, really old—mentor was maybe the closest thing Ivy had left to an authority figure despite Rose being anything but maternal. Yet Rose was still gorgeous and could get as many men as she wanted at any time and had been at it for centuries. The situation was…complicated.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

She shook the thoughts from her head. This new revelation boded well for Ivy. The last thing she needed right now was to get pregnant. What would she even do with a child in the middle of this…situation. No, they were at war.

“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about,” Ivy said. Lucerne snickered but quickly calmed herself after a look from Kalmia. “Okay, well, I’m satisfied. What was your thing again?”

Kalmia’s piercing stare somehow intensified further. Ivy might have lashed out had the last few months not occurred. In fact, she had done that in Rhune. Now, she was just more tired than anything else. She grabbed her glass and took another long sip.

“Our thing,” the woman paused, “is that you have caused us great harm at no provocation.”

Ivy eyed the two Iadaians over the rim of her glass.

“You almost killed Rose,” she said. The Woman in question shook her head at Ivy, but she didn’t care.

“You attacked us first!”

Ivy shrugged.

“I didn’t do anything.”

Suddenly four pairs of eyes found the so far mostly quiet Camellia. She smiled sweetly, not at all cracking under the pressure of four powerful killers.

“Why did you attack us?” Lucerne was the first to speak.

“Yeah,” Ivy added, “what was that about?”

“I don’t like him.” Camellia’s answer came without hesitation, and without further explanation. When everyone only kept staring, she went on, “I mean, the Traveler didn’t like him. He was offensive to look at. So, we sent him back.”

“Back?” Kalmia asked.

“To Qix’nerod. Where he belongs. He does not deserve to bask in the splendor of this world.”

Okay. That didn’t sound like Camellia at all. Ivy didn’t know the woman that well, but…still.

“One sec,” Ivy said and then called on her power.

Sure enough, the dark, misty demon floated ominously over Camellia’s form in the witch world, almost superimposed on her body.

“What are you doing?” she asked, the words coming out in demonic.

It spoke back in the same tongue, directly into her mind. Its voice was smooth and cold just as it had been the night she had freed it. And like when she had first met him, the link between them caused no pain.

That insect was present during my capture. He aided in building my prison. He deserved worse.

Ah. Well, that made some sense. Witches and their demons worked together to put away the one who had killed someone like herself. Someone even older than Calanthe. The demon kept regarding her with its bottomless eyes, daring her to question it.

Is he dead? Ivy only thought the words, grasping for the link the demon had set up between them.

Scattered across the Ways. In time, he might reform himself. But not now. Not ever if I have something to do with it.

They’re going to be pissed.

Humorless laughter filled her head. Let them. You are Il’Qixllin, holding relics imbued by the Tah’Nerod. I am the Zah’Nerod.

Ivy’s mind translated the new titles for her automatically. First Traveler. Second Traveler.

You know Algramath?

I know not that name. But if you speak of the Tah’Nerod, then yes. We have a…history. Your guests grow anxious. Should we kill them? Then they will not have a chance to grow “pissed.”

Ivy dispelled the witch world, finding herself still in her seat, reeling from the demon’s words. What had she done? The demon she had released to save Camellia was a second Algramath?

When she looked across the table, Kalmia’s sword was out for some reason, laid bare across the table.

“Explain yourself,” Kalmia said.

“I had to go talk to—” Ivy paused, tugging at the mental connection to the demon again. What should I call you?

Zah’Ne—

No, don’t give me that shit. I don’t want your title or whatever that is. A name. What is your name? For a moment there was only silence between them, and then a small laugh. What was that?

Nothing. Just an old memory. You may call me Azol.

“To Azol,” Ivy finished her half-completed sentence from before, her brief mental talk with the demon over far quicker than it would have been aloud. “He smacked your demon into a million pieces or something. It’s gone.”

The two Iadaian witches sat there with their mouths half open, brows furrowed.

“What do you mean?” Kalmia asked.

“I don’t know, that’s what he said.”

“No, you spoke to him? How? He did not manifest.”

Ivy took another sip of wine.

“Oh, I just went over to their side.”

“You can visit their world?” Kalmia was on her feet now, eyes bulging. Her movement bounced the tabletop, almost causing Ivy to spill her drink, but it didn’t appear threatening. More…shocked. “Is that how the Il’Qixllin—”

“It’s kind of my whole thing,” Ivy said, keeping her tone even. She took another sip, grinning into the glass. Every now and then this whole super-witch thing could be fun.

“You could deliver partners for all of us!” Lucerne spoke this time, also on her feet. Rose had a big dumb smile on her face as well. This was it all along, wasn’t it? Rose trying to put more pressure on her to bring more demons over. The information about the awakening day pains, everything. Well, the fun only lasted a second.

“Uhm, well—”

“Yes,” Camellia said, “she can.”

Damnit! Not helping!

“Why would I?” Ivy asked.

“W-why…” Kalmia’s face scrunched up as though she couldn’t understand the simple question.

“Grasping in the dark for monsters we know nothing about? Why are you all so desperate to bind yourselves to these creatures? There’s one out there right now trying to kill us all.”

A genuine laugh this time filled her mind. Ivy glanced over at Camellia who was wearing a pleasant smile.

You are strange, Il’Qixllin.

Don’t call me that.

Very well. I look forward to seeing what you do next, Iveriani.

Huh. She hadn’t heard her full name in a while. It was definitely better than essentially “half demon,” though.

“Do you understand what they do for us?” Kalmia and Lucerne first focused on Ivy and then looked for Rose for support, who shrugged. Finally, the Iadaians settled their gaze on Camellia, the only witch with an active demon bond. “Tell her!”

“If you think I have sway over Iveriani, you are wrong,” Camellia said, “if anything, I am in debt to her.”

Ivy narrowed her eyes at the only witch anywhere close to her in age. She thought back to before the demon if Camellia had ever called her by that name. Her memory failed her, but she couldn’t put it out of her mind that Camellia did not seem like the delicate little flower that Virian had described her as.

She shook that from her head and directed her attention back to the foreign witches.

“Even if I did agree with you, I don’t really like you,” Ivy said, “Why should I help you?”

Again, Kalmia looked to Rose for help. Ivy rolled her eyes. She could already see an alliance forming there.

“I have already tried,” Rose said, “the only reason this one,” she arced a thumb in Camellia’s direction, “got special treatment was because she was dying and the sister of Ivy’s plaything.”

Play…thing? Ivy had to stop herself from laughing. It would be pretty funny to call Virian that later, though.

When Kalmia turned back to Ivy, the open hostility from the fight above deck had returned tenfold.

“You have the power to strengthen us all, yet refuse. You are a disgrace to your kind.”

Ivy snorted. “Yeah well, at least I didn’t sleep with your husband like Rose.”

Ivy almost regretted her outburst until she saw Rose’s face. It was the first time she had ever seen such an expression on the ancient witch’s face. She was utterly stunned, her jaw hanging. Yet for some reason, Kalmia just grinned.

“Not surprising. He was quite a man.”

“Indeed,” Rose said, also smiling.

What? They were bonding over it?

“And you,” Kalmia said, pulling Ivy out of her disbelief, “we’re all on the same side. How can you not see that?”

Before Ivy could respond, Rose had something to say, “Oh? And what side is that? Why have you sailed across the great sea?”

This time Ivy did let out a small laugh. Like Rose didn’t already know. Was this question for Ivy’s benefit?

“Iadai,” Kalmia paused, “is gone. Overrun by the Qix’loren.” Ivy’s mind translated the unfamiliar word. Like what demon’s called themselves—Qix’rymith—it didn’t have a direct translation. It was more like a proper name for this new entity, yet it shared a root with the demons and witches. All three had ties to the other world. Ivy’s best approximation was something like: fiends.

Correct. Camellia’s demon spoke to Ivy again. While all of us are beings of chaos, the Qix’loren do not understand the Ways. They are mindless things. Useful in certain circumstances, but a menace. Yes, fiends.

Perfect. More demons, only worse. And every witch in existence would still pester her about them.

“We brought our fleet here hoping to find something better,” Kalmia continued her explanation.

Rose’s expression brightened, and she offered up a warm, disarming smile.

“Better? Yes, I think together we can make that happen. How would you like to meet our friends?”

Ivy shook her head. “You said we couldn’t go to Rhune.”

“That was before we had an army of demon slayers.” Ah, right. Big surprise Rose getting what she needed. The ancient witch smiled at the Iadaians, "Welcome to the Dragonflies."