“Is this report accurate?” I queried my knight upon the most recent scout reports.

“They are accurate, they enemy is moving and will be at our gates on the morrow.” He delivered this dire news in his typical everything will be fine voice.

I was not reassured, since we were not ready. We had to complete the basic wards and my demon was still in the process of rallying his troops, or whatever that means.

“What wards have we completed?” I asked Wilhelm my resident wards expert.

Wilhelm was a Sorcerer, but he was quite skilled with ward magic. Both of my seniors had other talents besides their base discipline. The black-haired youth who was just recently staring into space, shifted his grey eyes to his mistress.

“Most of the elemental wards are up. The enemy will have a hard time trying to set the castle ablaze. But physical wards were not complete. However I have put in spells in place to counter scrying. I just recently countered an observer.” The report he gave was not entirely dire news. We had some defences and that was better than I would have expected.

I looked to Belus, he was, as always seated quietly. Except he had a pleasant smile on that wrinkly face. “What are you so happy about?” I asked, annoyed.

“Oh nothing my lady, just looking forward to see an old friend.” He answered ominously.

I knew what he meant by an old friend and he was being facetious. They were not friends and from everything I heard of this old friend, I think they would sooner stab each other than embrace.

“Well good for you, are your zombies in order?” I shifted to the point.

“They are stationed and ready. Eternal vigilance is the forte of the dead.”

“Good to hear.” I turned to Sir Felmun. “How are the civilians, settling in well.”

“Yes my lady, many of the border villages have already arrived and we have enough provisions to last us a month. if we ration.” That was good news, I was concerned about the villagers.

Initially, I believed the enemy would leave them alone. But after the first village was put to the sword. I directed the rest to flee to the castle. I was not sure why my brother would allow this. Perhaps the sell swords went overboard, maybe the vampires needed food. Regardless of the reasoning, my brother will pay for those deaths.

“And the men?”

“They are ready to defend their lady with their lives.” He declared, proudly.

I admired the sentiment, but I would have preferred they serve me by ending the enemy's lives. Yet I doubt such a battle will not have causalities. Many would die in my service, I don’t know how I would handle that. I am in uncharted territory, leading men, women and children through a bloody conflict that will leave many dead.

“Good.” It was all I could say.

“How goes the demon project?” Belus inquired.

“That is going very oddly. I received a report from Gerald, my demon has summoned its minion. But they are.” I trailed off, not sure how to phrase this.

“They are what my lady?” Felmun asked.

“He reported that the majority of them arrived, drunk off their abyssal asses. I believe that was his exact words.”

“Incredible, I was not aware demons could get drunk. Perhaps I should interview one of these demons.” Belus mused aloud.

“Stick to one vile art deathmonger, we don’t want you to start delving in the demonic.” Felmun voiced his opinion, turning his gaze to me and noting my disapproving look. “I did not mean you are vile my lady. Merely the demons you summon.” He corrected, not very well I might add.

The knight always had issues with necromancy, conjury and all manner of unsavoury skills. It made it difficult for him to balance his own prejudice with his devotion to me. Sometimes in quiet moments, I regret that I am his mistress and he my retainer. The knight deserves someone better, a true lady to serve.

“You can interview them as much as you want after they slay my enemies.” I declared, setting the topic to rest.

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The necromancer shrugged, accepting the situation and I nodded in return. I always liked how Belus never really fought me on anything. I wonder if that is part of his personality or if most of his requests were only minor curiosities. His obsession with defeating his rival seemed to occupy him.

“Well if that’s all, I’d best get ready. I have demons to wrangle and you all have your duties.” I dismissed the informal council.

Leaving our improvised conference room. I made my way to the dungeon. Or should I call it a conjury chamber? I mean it was originally a dungeon, whoever owned this castle used it as such.

Before we cleaned it out and set up my conjury supplies. The place was covered in blood and human waste. The presence of torture devices sold the idea that it was a dungeon with a very specific purpose.

I tried to put that out of my mind. It was bent to my purpose and whatever cruel and perverted ideas the former ruler of this castle had, they have been erased by me.

Lost in my thoughts I had not noticed arriving at the chamber entrance. I nodded to the guards on duty, they unbarred the doors and I entered.

What I found was rather odd. My demon was grinding up materials in a bowl, a small imp was flying around grabbing items. A second order was standing next to the larger demon, asking questions.

Gerald was seated on the opposite side of the table, leaning back and reading a scroll. The scene was extremely relaxed, despite three demons being in the same room as a Thaumaturge.

Sure I could see my binding to the third order and subsequent bindings from him to the lesser demons. He was telling the truth, I could plainly see with wizard sight, a second-order and first-order binding trailing from my demon to its minions.

This would confirm his claim as a wizard. I had accepted the idea intellectually, I mean why couldn’t demons learn Wizardry? It just seemed preposterous for demons who generally despised wizards, to learn their ways.

I would have to interrogate my demon on where he learned such skills. The links on those two demons were impressive, advanced one-way binding any master conjurer would employ.

“Gerald, what are you doing?” I asked my senior thaumaturge, with a bit of steel in my voice.

He noticeably flinched, lowered his scroll and smiled like a child that broke a vase. It was a very disconcerting expression, I would very much like to ignore.

“Hey Effy, we are just getting ready. Getting spells ready for the battle.” The Wizard explained, hastily.

I gave him my patented disapproving glare. It took a few moments before he finally got the message.

“Come on effy, we went to school together. Do we really have to stand on ceremony?” He pleaded, sighing.

“As I recall you were kicked out of Towmond for improper conduct.” I refreshed his memory.

He shrugged, accepting his sordid past as a matter of course. Very unashamed of his poor behaviour, something I had to overlook given my lack of choices for my fledgling school. Most if not all young wizards of note went to Towmond.

“What did you do?” My demon interjected.

“Nothing serious, just slept with one of the masters daughters. He got real uppity that I deflowered his precious innocent angel. I can assure you, she was not innocent by the time i got around to her.” His eyebrows rose suggestively.

“Unwise, no wonder you were kicked out.” Asmin stated, shaking his head.

Oddly my demon disapproved, that was not a reaction I would expect from a demon. Much of the lore about them would suggest they enjoyed such acts of defilement.

“Was she worth it?” The fiend asked, grinning lecherously.

“Oh yeah she was.” Gerald said, gesturing to an hourglass figure and large breasts.

He was always crass, but he was a skilled thaumaturge, very exceptional at healing. He healed that girl's father from ghoulism, very few are skilled in curing unlife infections. Luckily he arrived in time, less he would have begun craving human flesh.

“You all seem to he getting along.” I observed.

“What can I say, demons make interesting company.” Gerald nodded to the three and they smiled back.

Demon’s smiling was very odd to behold. It appeared more malicious and ominous. But the way Gerald reacts to it, makes me suspect it is far more sincere.

I guess the world is really ending now that one of my senior wizards is befriending demons. Not just some first-order imp, but a third-order major demon.

“Lord Asmordis, who is this? A warlock in your service?” The second order asked.

Asmordis, did my demon change its name? They were known to do that, true names were a weakness so it did make sense. But Asmordis, it’s a bit on the nose and far to similar to the legendary demon prince Asmodeus.

“She is not a warlock Etragos. She is a rather powerful wizard and an associate of mine. I am assisting her in repelling the vile unlife from her gates.” My demon quickly explained, lying through his teeth.

I wonder how long his lies will hold up. I did see his point, being bound by a mortal wizard was likely a blow to his ego. Having this known to his lesser would not help either.

It was the same with every powerful being, always needing to maintain perfection in the eyes of their lessers. Seems like demons and nobles have one similarity. Perhaps my brother has additional attributes that align with the demonic. I thought cheekily, imagining my dear sibling with horns and a spade-tipped tail.

“I see my lord. We shall crush the unlife and drive the maggots from your doorstep.” The second order was declared and oddly I was reassured.

I pictured this monstrous demon descending upon my enemies, striking fear in the hearts of vampires and humans alike. I grinned in anticipation, the situation is not ideal. There were many things that could go wrong.

These demons were not bound directly to me. But as long as I kept a tight leash on my own demon, they should fall in line. Yet I wonder if I should disabuse them of the notion I am an ally. Reveal my binding on their master and cement my position as their mistress.

Thinking about it while a wizard and three demons fussed over a table of spell components like a bunch of first years. I decided to leave it be for now. It was utter insanity that I was thinking about the morale of demonic troops.