Stalling our arrival to Aconite’s base camp wasn’t as hard as I’d expected. We’d taken a dozen-odd prisoners who’d survived the skirmish, but the none too bright rougarou Comfrey was the only one who seemed interested in returning. The other demons seemed happy to stay as far from their Huntmistress as possible. Presumably, Aconite didn’t care for failure any more than demons she deemed weak.

Manufacturing delays with Macodes was enough to keep Comfrey contented, and if the Ebon Company grumbled at receiving the blame, too bad, they’d follow orders anyway. In the meantime I sent scouts out to get the lay of the land, and keeping eyes on more of Aconite’s hunting parties, sent couriers to find her rival Zamioculas. I wasn’t about to approach Aconite until I knew that plot had borne fruit. But after a few days of meandering travel, I finally got the report I wanted. Zamioculas had agreed to my request for alliance, or at least for taking down a mutual enemy. Aconite was moving her troops to guard the western front against the dryad warlord. With her attention now split, I finally felt safe enough to approach her.

That meant less need for reconnaissance, as we made for her camp. I kept a certain number in the field, but both major powers likely to threaten us were now accounted for. The Archon of southern Hesperia, Dreadlord Camas, would have little presence here. Mostly because he had no need to. I’d seen him take certain measures to ensure loyalty in Phlox, and if my theory was right, he could be so hands-off with his other bannermen because he had no fear they’d rise against him.

Once Comfrey said we were getting close to Aconite’s base camp, and I pulled Sedum into my tent once we’d made our own camp a little ways away. I had some plans for Aconite in which he’d figure centrally.

“I’m not so sure this is a good idea.” Sedum told me, once I’d briefed him. Apparently, the chance to sleep with a fearsome wolf-woman wasn’t what got him going.

“Why not? It should work. You’re a,” I gestured at him, trying to find the right words. “Reasonably attractive male…”

“Thanks. Means a lot.” He rolled his eyes.

“And you’re a fighter, with the scars to prove it. You should be able to catch her interest. And more importantly, you’re one of the few I can trust to stay the course and not be seduced to Aconite’s side.”

“Leavin’ aside how I’m the one you want to do the seducing,” Sedum said, shaking his head with a grunt. “What if she kills the folk she takes to bed who disappoint her?”

I paused. I hadn’t considered that. “…Don’t disappoint her, then.”

“And you wonder why I have doubts.” He sighed. “Not to mention I’ve never even met this woman you’re telling me to bed down with–”

“Asking. I’m asking,” I stressed, wincing now. “I wouldn’t force you to prostitute yourself, Sedum. This isn’t an order, it’s a choice.”

“Is it?” He cocked his head, an odd smile on his lips. “Doesn’t seem like I have much of one, if I want to look out for you kids. Just gotta take one for the tribe.”

“If you can’t or won’t do it, or if it just doesn’t work, I’ll come up with another way to distract her. That’s fine.” I hesitated, grimacing. “…But yes, it is the best plan I’ve got so far.”

“So you’ll force me to risk my life, but not my manhood?” He chuckled, but there was a bit more mirth in it and his eyes now. “You are an odd one, lass.”

I shrugged uneasily. I didn’t think I’d forced him to do anything, but this wasn’t the time to argue. “Nothing says that a demon can’t have standards.”

“Wasn’t saying you can’t. I’m just talking, is all.” He let out another short laugh. “I’ll do it. Give it a shot, at least. No promises I’ve got the raw charisma you’re counting on. But,” he added, “One question.”

“Go ahead.” Even if I couldn’t relax yet, it was a relief knowing he’d agreed.

“Why tell me this yourself? Why not have the little lady involved?” Sedum asked, meeting my eyes. “She’s the one we’re supposed to serve, is my understanding.”

“…Lady Hydrangea wouldn’t understand what’s at stake.” I rubbed my forehead. “She’s told you what she is, now. She still doesn’t fully understand how things work here. And she might find it too unsafe to have you sleeping with the enemy.” If she vetoed this thinking I was coercing Sedum, I’d be back to square one, needing to go with an inferior plan.

“So you’re doing it behind her back,” Sedum said, frowning at me.

Among other things, yes. “I am. Is that a problem?”

“Just strikes me that if you ever want her to understand, it might help a good bit to talk to her about it. You can’t keep someone in the dark forever, lass.”

He nodded to me and stepped outside. I was irked that he’d gotten he’d gotten the last word, but gathered up my things to follow him out.

Only then did I wonder how he’d called us kids, when no demons I’d ever known could have children.

It was a short walk to Aconite’s camp, and I marched up at the head of our army; knowing Aconite, we needed to appear strong from the outset. Gia was at my side with Crassula and Uvaia flanking her, the goblin more confident than my harpy fidgeting in her emblazoned armor. Sedum wasn’t with us, and I told them quietly he’d catch up later. If Aconite knew the well-muscled orc was one of Gia’s personal guard, the honey trap would go up in flames. For similar reasons, I kept Vaeri out of sight.

The camp was in the middle of the woods. A fortress would have been a better base of residence, but then Aconite and her clan had never cared for trappings of civilization. High wooden palisades surrounded her camp, though, walls of sharp logs looming overhead as we walked in. But I did already know she was smarter than Phlox on that count.

Several hulking bugbears manned the entrance, and as we approached one bellowed an alarm. They looked ready to charge us down – no weapons to throw at us, not Aconite’s style – and might have done it, if I hadn’t put Comfrey in front, visibly baffling them with his cheery waves walking among his fellow prisoners.

“We’re not here to fight. We’re here to meet with Huntmistress Aconite,” I called as they wavered. “My name’s Anthurium, and I’ve been told she’d want to speak with me.”

They exchanged some looks, grumbling and making us wait while one ducked inside. After a couple minutes, he ran back out and grunted gutturally, sounds I didn’t understand but which Crassula perked up to hear. “Come in,” the messenger said more comprehensibly, and we did.

No great surprises awaited us within the camp, hundreds of demons spread out among the tents, many sparring, some eating or talking. More goblins and their bugbear cousins, though the smaller green-skinned goblins looked on with what might have been awe, jabbering to themselves. Seeing Crassula stand up straighter and even preen as we walked past them, I inferred she was the source, somehow. More large black barghests and their fellow canine rougarous, more of the monstrous boars called calydonians.

I could see some manticores among her troops, and that was some surprise. Phlox’s clan had included them last time we fought, but Aconite hadn’t. So she had kept a few of ours alive for herself, after all, then. Beyond the winged lion demons, I saw a dozen or more – I supposed both were fierce and predatory enough for her. Both factors I’d need to account for in my battle plans, now.

A chorus of lupine howls came up, and the hair rose on the back of my neck as I gestured for Gia to stop. She stopped in place, and as I gave her a pointed look and glanced back at our troops, blinked and nodded hurriedly. “Everyone halt!” she called.

Two dozen large wolves in varying shades of gray and brown prowled our way, heads held high and hackles raised. Their hackles were raised, and a growling filled the air, eyes fixed on us like we were so many small, fuzzy creatures.

At their lead was Aconite. The one rougarou not in wolf form, she strode towards us with not a hint of fear. Tall, muscled, and nearly appearing human save for her silver wolf’s head, she had a confident, thin smile on her vulpine features. Her golden eyes were fixed on me as she approached.

“Huntmistress!” Comfrey called happily, bounding up towards her, movements loping and doglike despite his own near-human form. I didn’t try to stop him, there’d been no need to even bind him with his effusive want to be friends. “I am back! I brought the Anthurium you wanted!…”

“You led her right here, did you?” Aconite’s voice was dripping disdain, and he stopped as if struck. “Right to the heart of our power.”

“You said you wanted to have her here?” Confusion laced Comfrey’s words as he looked up at her.

“When I said that, I meant to drag her back yourself. Not lose to her and bring her at the head of a newly raised army.” Comfrey drooped more at her words, letting out a low whine, as Aconite’s gaze turned to me instead. “Been busy, haven’t you?” She smiled thinly at me. “Come inside. Let’s talk.”

Gia’s mouth had been half-open but snapped shut at that, and she looked at me in alarm as muttering swept through the troops behind us. It might not be her concern, but Aconite had disregarded our nominal leader, hadn’t even acknowledged her in favor of me. And that hadn’t been lost on our demons proper.

“Only with the leave of my mistress, Themosthete Hydrangea,” I spoke loudly, looking at Gia, but she hesitated, eyes even more worried now as she looked at me. “I’ll be all right,” I told her in a whisper, even though my heart was beating fast now too. I wasn’t sure of that, but I couldn’t show weakness. This was a key moment. And Aconite could smell fear.

Gia swallowed, but bobbed her head, projecting her voice louder. “You can speak with my… Anthurium. But I want her back in one piece!” she called to Aconite.

Aconite just chuckled, not sparing her a glance as she led me away.

Her tent, the largest in the camp, wasn’t far from where I’d stopped our column. Made of patchwork skins from a dozen different creatures, there was bone mixed among the wooden struts holding it up. The floor inside was covered with furs, and mounted on the walls were a number of grinning skulls. The one part not so wild was the bed in the corner, a large construction that wouldn’t look out of place in any city. I supposed if she did spend her time in this form, she could make one concession to it.

“You know, girl, I did believe you were smarter than this,” Aconite told me in a low voice, smirking as she led me inside. “You had a stronger position out there. In here you can’t match me, you’re fully at my mercy. You must be very confident I won’t simply kill you.” She had a knowing look in her eyes.

I carefully avoided eye contact with the young human man in the corner, by the bed. “I’ve heard that Zamioculas has been mustering troops on your border,” I told Aconite, and her eyes narrowed to slits.

“That girl has no idea what she’s up against. I’ll shred her tree into chips and watch her die screaming.” Despite her words, I could see the focus in her eyes. Hamadryads were dependent on the tree they were bonded to, but there was no way Aconite would know which one and be able to use it against her rival. “But what do you care what she does, little strategist?”

“It seems to me that we’re in a position to help each other, Huntmistress. She could cause trouble for you as it is, but our combined forces could crush her with no issue.”

Aconite laughed, short and sharp. “You think I need your help? Oh, that is adorable.” She leaned over and grinned at me, showing her teeth. “Both of you are weak compared to my Moonrise clan. Your former allies were delicious, by the way. And in my experience, it’s far more likely for weaklings to gang up against their better. So why shouldn’t I kill you now before you have the chance?”

“Dreadlord Camas,” I said simply. She stiffened slightly as she looked at me, a wariness flitting behind her eyes, and I knew I had her.

It had happened a week or so after Phlox had established the Obsidian Clan proper. The vampire lord had appeared in our camp with no warning, a subtle menace to his presence, appearing to Phlox and insisting on speaking with him. Though my ex-boss had been full of bluster and boasts that he’d be the next Archon soon, once Dreadlord Camas left he’d seemed like a different person. Subdued, almost cowed, with a glassy look on his face, and though I had been wary enough not to do it, another demon’s assurance that Camas would get his led to them being reduced to a smoking pile of ash.

I could see the telltale signs of an enchantment on Phlox. And research confirmed charms were an Art of vampires. If Camas had come to charm a blowhard like Phlox, he certainly would have done the same to someone genuinely dangerous like Aconite.

“You must know by now what the vampire’s done to you. Arts that charm can be subtle, but you’re ferociously independent. It’s not in your nature to just bow your head to a demon stronger than you. He’s instilled loyalty in you… but just how much loyalty?”

“Careful, girl,” Aconite told me, voice half a growl. I was treading on dangerous ground.

So I held up my hands. “I’m not saying you need to take action against him. All I am saying is that if anyone could take him down, it would have to be someone he hasn’t gotten to yet.” I didn’t spell it out beyond that. I didn’t know the exact workings of the enchantment he’d laid on her and Phlox and Zamioculas. But I did know Aconite valued both strength and wildness. The charm might well push her to defend Camas, even simply on an implication… but Aconite herself would fight it, if she possibly could.

She was quiet for a moment, but I could see her eye twitch and her jaw clenching, before the internal battle she was fighting was won. “Perhaps we can indeed help each other,” she said stiffly, and I smiled.

“An alliance for now, then? We have mutual enemies. We can assist each other to the best of our ability against them.” I was mindful of the charm, still, wary of it. “If you want to fight me afterwards, it can be once those have been dealt with. We’ll be each other’s last obstacle. And the victor will have the south.”

“Yeees,” Aconite drew out the word, watching me. “I can agree to that.”

We returned to the stalemate of our armies, where the sounds of a scuffle could be heard as we approached. Aconite's pace slowed and her eyebrows raised as we came close, and I tried to appear as surprised as she was.

Sedum was wrestling an oni from the Ebon Company. He was fully shirtless now rather than simply leaving his open, and I could admit his musculature was impressive, glistening with the sweat he'd managed to work up while we were away. Maybe not impressive enough to have beaten the mercenary for real, but as he slammed the oni's horned head into the ground, it certainly looked convincing.

“Ma'am.” Sedum looked up at me and gave a short salute, though his gaze flicked towards Aconite as he was speaking. “Had a little misunderstanding while you were busy. Didn't want it to get out of hand, ruin whatever you were doing.” He did incline his head towards Aconite, there. Good, he was playing this well.

“You. Who are you?” Aconite asked him, tone curious but words no less a demand.

“Sedum Acre. Man-at-arms.” Sedum stood up above the unmoving oni, dusting himself off as he and Aconite looked each other up and down. “And of course everyone knows who you are, Huntmistress.”

Aconite's lip curled, her eyes glinting. She'd liked that. “Sedum, mm. I daresay a man like you is wasted serving little girls like this.” She grinned in my direction, and I bristled. I hadn't expected her to disrespect me quite that openly, but it was fine. It would work for what I was after. “Why don't you come to my tent later. I'll make you a better offer.”

This part would be key. I'd told Sedum what we needed, but I couldn't speak for him here, so all I could do was wait, stomach twisting, as he opened his mouth. “I'm surely flattered, Huntmistress. I've heard a woman like you has many men, ah, serving her. Honored that you'd pick out me.” He smiled, stepping closer, and she chuckled. “I'd hope I might have the chance to show what I could do for you alone,” I could hear Sedum say in an undertone now.

“Oh, tonight? No one else, certainly not that piece of mange.” Aconite snorted, nodding in Comfrey's direction. “There is a boy I keep around, but I won't have need for him tonight.”

I swallowed hard, gritting my teeth. I was very glad Vaeri wasn't present to hear that. Hopefully Gia hadn't either.

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“Ah, right.” Sedum sucked in a breath, and I could see him weighing his words carefully. Don't let her know you know about the human, I'd impressed upon him. “Well, that's good to hear. Having time with a woman like you, I wouldn't want any distractions...”

I saw Aconite pause a moment, eyes narrowing as she contemplated that. “Naturally. I could–” She stopped, reconsidered. “Perhaps another place, for tonight,” she said, and I felt a wave of relief. This first night, then. Practically the ideal outcome. “And we can see how much you're worth it. I'll come find you.”

She turned and walked away, the rougarou following her, save for Comfrey, who looked unsure whether to stay or go. I felt someone moving beside me, and looked sideways at Uvaia, brushing my arm with a wing. “Is Sedum going to be okay?” she asked me, eyes full of concern now as she looked at the retreating Aconite.

Right. I had never quite pinpointed the relationship between those two, but they had known each other for a time and seemed close, back in Monem. “He'll be fine,” I assured her. Hoping it was true.

- - -

“You’re sure that I can’t come along with you?” Gia asked me. Night had fallen now, and Sedum had left to go meet Aconite. That left a window open for me and Vaeri.

I shook my head. “If something goes wrong, one of us will need to be here to give the orders.”

“But I don’t know how to order around military people,” Gia insisted, eyes wide. “Shouldn’t you be the one to do that, and I can go with Vaeri?”

“You also won’t be convincing enough with Aconite’s demons. I know how to act around them. I can lie to them well enough that we should be able to pull this off, and not force a battle early.” I sighed, seeing Gia’s anxiety written across her face. “And I’ve already given Macodes the battle plan if it does come to that. You just need to give the order, because you’re our clan’s authority.” A clan consisting of a mere handful of demons other than mercenaries, but even so. “If you hear any shouting or fighting that lasts more than a second, tell our forces to attack.”

“But,” Gia swallowed. “What if it’s just, like, roughhousing, or a misunderstanding…”

“If you hear anything,” I repeated, staring her in the eyes. “You give the order to attack. If Vaeri and I get caught in combat, then delaying could mean our deaths.”

Gia’s face paled, but she gave a shaky nod. “A-all right. Okay.”

“Right.” I turned to Vaeri, who’d been standing there mulishly, probably because of how I’d outfitted her. “Let’s go save your friend.” And secure a powerful fire mage as an asset.

We made our way back to Aconite’s camp. This time the guards were fewer, but they recognized me as well, stepping aside after a look up and down at me and the elf with me. I wasn’t trying to be stealthy, which no doubt helped their decision to let me in. The camp was dark, with far fewer demons out and about.

“Aconite’s own tent. You are certain?” Vaeri asked me, voice low as she trailed behind me. I’d been prepared for some resistance or even her trying to blast me, but for the time being she seemed to accept we had a mutual enemy. “I assumed she would have a dungeon or similar.”

I hadn’t heard any such thing, but I hadn’t needed to. “Humans are valuable. It makes sense that she’d want to keep him close and… keep the others from damaging him.” That was difficult to say without wincing. “But yes, I’m sure of my intelligence.”

“More sure of it than is deserved, in my opinion,” Vaeri muttered. “And is this bloody collar really necessary?” she hissed at me, tugging on the leather ring around her neck. A few of Aconite’s demons were looking her way and leering or chuckling.

“If you don’t want to be attacked on sight, yes. I don’t want any trouble.” Not until we had all our allies in place, but I didn’t even want to breathe a word of that while in enemy territory.

We approached a larger, more ornate tent, with a rougarou in two-legged form standing in front. Male, and rather obviously so, as he wasn’t wearing much clothing. “Is Aconite in? I have a gift to offer her,” I told him, motioning to my leashed elf.

Vaeri shot me a look so venomous I might have combusted on the spot. What was the problem? I’d told her this was the plan. Well. Broadly speaking.

“She’s not here right now,” the rougarou man told me shortly, scratching himself with a clawed hand. Also going to plan, then, and I hoped Sedum would keep Aconite busy for a little while longer. Otherwise we might end up needing to assassinate her with just Vaeri and her friend. “So you should leave.”

Pushing up my glasses with a finger, I sighed pointedly at him. “I’m one of the leaders of the Evening Star clan. You have heard that we’re allies now, right? This elf’s meant to commemorate that. Look, I’ll just bring her inside, I’ve already arranged it with your boss.”

He peered at Vaeri and sniffed her. “Huntmistress’s tastes must be broader than I thought,” he said, licking his lips. Vaeri recoiled, eyes narrowing to slits as she looked at him. “But nuh. No one goes in without Aconite here. Give her to me, I’ll put her with the other mortal.”

“Of course, go right ahead and– Vaeri,” I told the priestess sharply as she started chanting. But she kept on going, raised a hand, and a beam of searing light blasted through the rougarou’s torso. I winced as his remaining body fell with a thud, smoking. “Damn it, I told you I didn’t want to fight yet.” My ears were pricked for shouts of alarm and angry demons coming our way, but miraculously, neither happened.

“We confirmed Erik is here, so I saw no more use to this farce.” A smirk touched Vaeri’s lips as she turned to me. “Surely you can’t have expected me to go along with this demon’s whims?”

I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my forehead. “I was meaning you to go inside and then kill him. To avoid witnesses? Help me drag the body in, quick, before someone comes to investigate.”

“Well, then you should have told me as much.” She huffed, but bent down to grab one of the rougarou’s feet.

“I was about to. And then you killed him.” I grabbed the other, and we hoisted the smoking body up, the smell of burnt fur in the air. Shit, plenty of Aconite’s had sensitive noses, we’d need to be quick. “Come on, let’s get your boy.”

Aconite’s tent was unchanged from earlier, with the essential exception that she was no longer in it. Heading inside, I focused my attention on the one remaining occupant; a young human man, his hands and feet chained to the posts of her bed.

He was a mess. Dirty clothes hung off his thin malnourished body, what might once have been green robes but were now little more than rags, torn and covered with streaks and crusts of blood. A tan leather muzzle bound his face and covered his mouth, and he lay there listlessly, eyes closed beneath bangs of wavy brown hair. If it weren’t for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he wouldn’t seem alive at all.

“Erik!” Vaeri’s mask fell away, and I saw raw pain on her face – she looked younger, more vulnerable, than I’d ever seen her before. His eyes shot open, emerald gaze settling on her, as she rushed over to his side. She looked at the bed he was chained to and her jaw tightened harshly. “Let me get these filthy things off of you,” she said, grabbing for the muzzle covering his mouth.

He yanked away from her with desperate strength, a moan muffled by his gag as terror filled his eyes.

“…Erik?” Vaeri asked, staring at him with her hands in the air, confusion and guilt lacing her words.

“Give him some space,” I told Vaeri, wincing again. Gods, I hated seeing people reduced to this. Was there anything I could have done sooner? “Erik, is it? Neither of us are going to hurt you.”

“Erik, it’s me,” Vaeri said softly. “You do remember me, don’t you?”

That cut through the state he was in. He shook his head slightly, staring at her, then me, and then down at himself. With a bitter, disgusted look on his face, he lifted his chained hands, the metal on them jingling.

Vaeri grit her teeth and, watching him tenderly, pulled the muzzle down more slowly this time. Erik let her, and gasped as soon as she did, taking deep breaths with his eyes focusing.

“Vaeri? God, I can’t believe you’re here,” he spoke, voice raspy with disuse. His face was free of stubble underneath, furthering the sense Aconite had done this to someone barely old enough to be a man. “How did you even find me?”

“I got your message, you oaf,” Vaeri replied with a stilted laugh-sob. She was patently overflowing with emotion, and for that reason I wasn’t sure if she caught his startled look at her answer, and what, I thought, might have been outright confusion in his gaze. “Ah, Erik, you don’t need to stay in this awful place anymore. I’m getting you out of here. I’m going to bring you home.”

He let out a tired, breathy laugh as she said that, gaze trailing over her. “You didn’t get imprisoned too just to get to me, right?” he asked, frowning sharply as his eyes settled on the collar, and traced down to the leash still in my hand.

“What? No, don’t be absurd. It was only a ruse to get me in here.” She narrowed her eyes at him with a pout that made me stifle a laugh. “Surely you don’t think I’d let such a thing happen?”

“Heh, guess not. I must be the only one dumb enough to have let this happen to me.” There was no rancor in his voice, but Vaeri still flinched and dropped her gaze, looking guilty.

“Well, you won’t have it happening to you anymore. We’re getting you out of there.” Vaeri spoke a new incantation and the metal of the chain glowed. I thought at first she meant to melt it, no matter how it might burn his hands, but rather than glowing red-hot it settled into a soft golden tone.

“Easy, now. We need to think about this,” I told Vaeri sharply, as the softened chain started to stretch between Erik’s straining wrists. “Aconite will not like her prisoner going missing from her own tent. At best she’ll organize a search, but more likely she’ll suspect us and attack. It’d be a bloodbath.”

“I don’t give a damn how much demon blood is spilled,” Vaeri hissed at me. “Erik’s suffered here for far too long already. We get him out now.”

I bit back frustration. This wasn’t exactly unexpected, and was the main reason I’d come up with battle as a backup. Vaeri’s loyalty was unpredictable but she had raw power to depend on in a package that could easily pass as a slave. Just what I needed to get in here, and getting both Vaeri and Erik back to our camp together, we could tip the balance even more before I ambushed Aconite herself. “All right. We’ll bring him back now.”

Vaeri blinked at me, open shock on her face. Suspicion followed an instant later. “What is your game?” she asked me, narrowing her eyes.

“No games. You’re right. Aconite’s gone and her tent’s now unguarded. This is our best chance to get Erik out safe.” I glanced at the human boy. “And we’re going to fight her anyway. I’d rather get you out of this hell now than make you wait any longer.”

Vaeri was still staring suspiciously, and leaned in towards Erik as if to whisper something, before startling as he let out a rough laugh.

“Haha! Ah, thank god. I wasn’t sure what to think when you came in with Vaeri on a leash, but I did have a good feeling about you back then.” He was grinning at me, but it faded as he held my gaze. “Even if you were trying to work for her.”

“Back – you two have met?!” Vaeri looked wildly from him to me, glaring. “You, I asked you if you’d seen him alive but you told me nothing of this! What is going on?!”

And this was the other reason I’d wanted to be here instead of Gia. I remembered back then, too.

- - -

“We’re camped on top of the hill by this bend of the Driobe river.” I pointed to the spot on my map, spread on the unfamiliar table in front of me. “Your scouts might already have realized that. It’s not the best defensive position, but I’ve been insisting on a heavy guard. They’re already complaining, and Phlox doesn’t like conflict he can’t just deal with by burning it. Give it a day or two and he’ll have toned down our guard shifts to appease the soldiers. That would be the optimal time to strike.”

“You’ve already been making preparations, then? Even before you secured this meeting.” Aconite smirked at me, muscled arms folded across her chest. A chained-up figure was laying against the wall beside her bed, a brown-haired human lying listlessly but with his head tilted slightly our way, most likely listening since I’d come in. “You must be very confident in what you have to offer me.”

“It should be clear I’m not interested in working with Phlox any further.” I looked up, meeting her gaze. “I’m offering you the easy means to destroy him. Then Zamioculas will be your only rival left in the southern territories. If you play your cards right, you might be able to usurp Camas completely.”

“And what is it that you wish in exchange, then?” Aconite’s smile showed her teeth. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you eyeing my pet over there. If you’d want him as a reward, you should know I’m not fond of sharing.”

The human boy stiffened at that, looking at me with fearful eyes, and I held in a wince. “He’s not my type,” I said shortly, which did, depressingly, seem to calm him down. “What I want is a position as your new strategist. I can do for you what I’ve done for Phlox, to make him as prominent as he is.” My gaze trailed over to the young man. The chains on his wrists, the pain in his gaze. “But if we’re negotiating, I wouldn’t mind taking him into my custody. I’m sure a themosthete like yourself has plenty to keep yourself occupied, especially if you will soon be a rising Archon. Is a distraction like him really necessary–?”

“Are you trying to tell me my business, little one?” Aconite asked almost sweetly. But I could see the hackles raise on her lupine head, see the warning way her lips pulled back over her fangs.

I backed down. “Just an idea, Huntmistress. I occasionally have good ones, I’m told.”

She let out a short bark of laughter. “Such as trading up from that fool to a new mistress, I assume?” Aconite’s dangerous smile settled down, and I relaxed just slightly. “It would no doubt be an improvement for you. But my answer to your proposition is no.”

My stomach lurched, and I felt physically thrown for a loop. “Excuse me? But I’ve already helped you…” I’d thought she might try to bargain me down. An outright refusal was not expected.

“Which I will consider sufficient tribute to let you leave alive and not devour you right here.” Aconite smirked at me. “But you should know better than to lead with everything you have to offer. You’ve already set up all I need to win. So what use do I have for your further service?”

Now I felt myself growing angry. “You can’t possibly think Phlox could have accomplished so much on his own. You can win one battle, but if you want to keep winning, you will want me to serve you.”

“Serve me like you have served Phlox, by leading him to his death?” She chuckled. “Oh, I don’t doubt you’re clever, strategos. But I also know that you’re weak.” Her gaze chilled me now, and I felt trapped in place. “I’ve had my eye on you for some time, Anthurium. The mystery woman whispering in Phlox’s ear. But the reports I’ve had of you in battle were… disappointing.” Her lips spread in another feral grin.

“You fight like a human, strategist. Not even a worthwhile one, just one of the simple fools that try and fail to guard their settlements. As though weapons and armor can stand up to demonic strength.” She flexed her hand, black claws gleaming. “And I have no place for a weakling in my army.”

I could feel even her prisoner’s eyes on me now. I felt exposed, the secrets I’d tried to hide very nearly out in the open. “Fine. You’re not going to employ me. Why shouldn’t I go right back to Phlox and strengthen our defenses for your assault?”

Now Aconite’s eyes were chips of ice, but her voice stayed even. “You could do that. You most certainly could. But I will come for Phlox, whether or not you choose to make things difficult. And if you do, if your information is not accurate, then I will tell my troops to seek you out and rip off your limbs, to make you a helpless prisoner fully at my mercy.”

Her voice turned honey-sweet. “However, if you let the betrayal you’ve already set up proceed as planned, I will let you flee from the battle alive. So long as you don’t do anything stupid.” She chuckled. “I wouldn’t try fighting my troops yourself, I’ll tell you that much. Just run away like the weak little creature you are. Find a new master, one who doesn’t know better than to listen to you.”

“And I will be eager to crush your next master just the same.”

- - -

“We don’t have time to discuss it right now,” I said, shaking myself out of the memories. “Vaeri killed one of Aconite’s guards, and it left a strong scent. Erik, would you be able to fight?”

“Are you kidding? You have no idea how long I’ve fantasized about busting out of here.” He laughed unsteadily, starting to stand but grimacing and almost collapsing. “Gah, hell. I didn’t know I was so sore.”

“Vaeri, you can get him more ready with your healing, right? I’ll try to head off anyone coming to investigate, outside. If anyone unfamiliar comes in, kill them.”

I made my way to the tent flaps, opening my third eye just briefly. The auras in our vicinity were blinding enough as it was, I was glad I’d stationed the mercenaries at more of a distance. Even with a glimpse I was pretty sure no one was right outside, and the familiar auras were – wait a godsdamned second.

Oh, you had to be kidding me. He was here? He was alive?!

I rushed out of Aconite’s tent, making a beeline for the all-too-familiar aura I’d sensed. It led me away from the tents and fires to a darker, colder part of camp off by the palisade walls. There an unexpected sight awaited me; a demon’s head barely visible above the rim of a watery personal prison.

“Phlox,” I told the maimed, pathetic figure of my previous boss, staring up at him. “I’m genuinely shocked she kept you alive.”

He was hardly recognizable as himself anymore. Phlox had been a large demon, with a squat but sizable body. Looking at him now, I could tell Aconite’s threat to rip off my limbs hadn’t been empty words. But with his own so small, and most of his body being flab and tail, she hadn’t stopped at that.

I didn’t know how he was even alive. Most of his body was simply gone, what was left terminating in a jaggedly torn surface at the bottom where he floated in water. The exposed muscle no longer red or pink but turned grayish, decaying in the stasis in which he was held. I could see part of an organ, maybe his stomach, poking out of the bottom. Phlox had little left to him but his face and that chunk of wrinkled brown torso, but I could see murky waste sunk to the bottom of his glass cell. So Aconite had been feeding him, even if it would have been kinder to let him die.

He was in a large glass basin full to the brim with water, and I could feel the cold air radiating off its walls – a countermeasure to his fire Arts, presumably. I couldn’t imagine where she’d found something like this, but to humiliate her former enemy, she’d evidently spared no expense.

Phlox’s black beady gaze found me then. “You,” he rasped. “Have you been here with Aconite all this time, traitor? I’m surprised that you didn’t come to gloat before now. Are you proud of your betrayal?”

The smart thing, perhaps, would have been to deny it. Say I was here to backstab Aconite, offer him vengeance against her, set him loose from his imprisonment and see what damage he could do. Injuries like this would at best be stretching Vaeri’s healing to the limit, but it might let him survive briefly as a decoy and suicide bomber.

But I had a bone to pick with him. “It rid me of you. That’s one thing to be proud of about it.” I glared at him, climbing up the stepladder placed beside his cell. “You were an arrogant, narcissistic ass from the outset, Phlox, but probably the dumbest thing you ever did was think that you could be more without me. You brought what happened on yourself.”

“I should have killed you,” the sloth demon groaned, gazing at me with a look of hate. “The moment you first came to me.”

“And you thought you’d make up for lost time, right? All I’d done for you wasn’t enough. You were still going to throw away a perfectly good tool.” I blew out a breath, and lowered my voice to a whisper. “You want to know the fun thing, though, Phlox? You would have been right to do it.”

His eyes bulged out in his scarred brown head. “You little shit… did you always mean to betray me?”

“Let’s just say it was in the back of my mind since I first met with you.” I chuckled, staring him in the eyes. “Ever since I became a demon, I’ve been looking for someone who had what it takes to be king. It was obvious from early on that you wouldn’t. But you were easy to manipulate. You let me build a strong clan under you. I thought I could at least use you to topple Camas, and if he killed you in the process, so much the better. If you lived, I’d have made you Hesperia’s dumbest Archon, easy as pie to stab in the back.”

He started straining to move, a disgusting and pathetic effort considering he didn’t have any limbs. “You vile… disloyal…!”

“But then you had to screw it all up, huh.” I glared at him. “I thought I could turn to Aconite’s side, but she didn’t respect me, no more than you. That she left you alive instead of Cory or Yarrow or Rubi… ugh. Bastard, you’re the only one who didn’t deserve to live.”

I brought my crossbow up and pointed it between his eyes. The way he shrunk back in fear gave me a very pleasing shiver. “Let’s just correct that right now, shall we?” I couldn’t have him telling Gia I wasn’t to be trusted. I’d make sure Aconite died tonight too, and if I couldn’t keep Erik quiet… well, I could make do without him.

Phlox’s eyes blazed with fury, and he let out a furious roar. I caught a glimpse of his maimed body glowing red before steam started pouring off the water…

I pulled the trigger, felt the bow kick in my hand, but any noise was cut off by the hissing of steam. I jerked back at the hot condensed air on my face, nearly falling backwards off the stepladder.

But in a few seconds’ time, the steam was clearing up. Looking in, I saw Phlox’s blank, dead eyes. My crossbow bolt was embedded deep between them, my asshole boss rightfully dead at my hands.

But as the steam cloud he’d formed with his last breath floated up, I could hear barking and shouts from all around the camp. The alarm had been raised, the Moonrise clan on alert.

“Fuck,” I muttered. Time for the backup plan, then.