After half-past twelve the common-room crowd started to thin out – it was only a Waneday night, after all, and unlike most of the taverns I’d frequented, the people here seemed to have, well, actual jobs to go to in the morning. The crowds at the Fountains of Merizet wouldn’t head this way – if they had the money for this kind of pub they’d have been able to pay for healing. We’d made our way across to a table by the windows, and we could only listen to the druids talking about acorns or the enchanter coming onto the diviner for so long. Eventually Em and I ended up alone a couple of tables away from the others; we were on a couch, her back against my chest, looking out at the moon. The rain had stopped, or at least decreased in intensity – its patter against the floor-to-ceiling glass panes was no longer perceptible even to me, and we listened to the soft song of the tireless bard, her delicate words drifting through the air.

… When you see my face you turn aside

Open your eyes

There’s something real for you tonight

In the dark of your mind you see it arise

A candle flickering, a thousand fires

You can’t quench the heat any longer

Can’t fight the thirst you’re under

Why even try to resist my kiss?

Why lie when you could lay?

Take now your share of this bliss

Take it all now I pray

When you know my heart you turn aside

Forget your lies

It’s fire and thirst for you tonight…

“Zey’re out zere, aren’t zey? Right now, killing people.” Her voice had a musing quality.

“Do you want to talk about it now?” I asked, my hands on hers.

I couldn’t just come out and say it: You died…

She didn’t reply, but I could sense her tense-up.

“You don’t have to say anything. But if you want to tell me – what happened, what you saw, felt – anything?”

The tension in her muscles increased as she drew a shuddering breath.

“No, Kas. I’m okay, really. Zis isn’t anything special. I can continue.”

“So it’s not… why you declared yourself a champion? Why you left the Magisterium?”

She sat forwards then turned to face me, meeting my eyes through her slightly messed-up platinum hair.

“I haven’t left zem… I’m still going to be a magister.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Oh.” Somehow in my head I hadn’t pictured it working this way; I suddenly wondered how many other champions might be magisters. “So, Henthae –“

“I told her my decision. She vozn’t pleased, but she voz glad I agreed to continue in my role.” She chuckled a little grimly. “She said she liked ze name I chose.”

“What difference does it make, then, whether you wear the mask or not?”

She shrugged, smiling tightly, before settling her head down against me again so that I couldn’t see her face. “Zere is ze matter of ze money, I suppose.”

“And that’s all?”

I felt her sigh. “You know being a champion is different…” Her voice was husky. “You felt it, ze same as me. Vot voz it you said Lightblind told you? Illodin and Glaif… zey recognised me too, Kas. It’s…”

She’s like me.

“It’s all you need,” I murmured.

“Almost,” she said, then lifted her head to kiss me –

It was only when I tasted her tears that I realised she’d been crying.

“Em…”

She gripped my head, kissing me fiercely, hard, then suddenly broke off, standing up.

“I need anozzer drink.” She strode for the bar without a backwards glance, wiping her face on her sleeve as she went.

I wasn’t going to let her leave it just like that.

I caught up to her just as she reached the bar and got the attention of the nearest barman with a wave of her hand – far more easily than I got his attention when I last visited the bar, I noted.

“Em – why don’t we do something about it?”

She cast a glance at me. “Vot do you mean, do something?” She turned back to the barman. “A Myrielle vhite and a… a Ripplemead’s Ruby, please.” She leaned her head close to mine. “You said zat you had no luck – you couldn’t find zem, even viz Zel-”

She silenced herself as she realised.

“I had a go at memorising the map, and our map-making friend,” I couldn’t name Spiritwhisper in the barman’s earshot, “is right over there. Plus – you know that our deficiently-named friend is particularly good at… finding things.”

“I understand,” Em breathed, gazing back at the others.

Killstop was currently making it look like she was engrossed in conversation with Nighteye, but I barely needed my augmented senses to make out the way she was simply teasing Spiritwhisper, forcing him to work harder for her attention. He had to know it – but she had to know he knew… It looked like a complex courting-game indeed.

She was in love with someone else a week ago.

The girl was certainly pragmatic, if nothing else. She could be brought on board, surely – but how? Diviners were eels in more than just physical combat.

As we carried our drinks back towards them, I called out, “Are you ready?”

Tanra’s eyes met mine, and I was instantly aware that she knew this part of our future too.

“Ready for what?” Spiritwhisper replied, eyeing me with some scepticism. “What’s on your mind, newbie?”

What’s blocking him? I wondered. Zel’s presence, or Lovebright’s pendant? Both?

Or maybe I’m just paranoid, and he simply isn’t looking…

“Nothing controversial.” I opened my free hand, palm outward, as if to calm him down. “I just…” I looked across at Em, then back at him. “I wanted to get my homework out of the way before class starts tomorrow morning.”

The enchanter smirked. “You’re after extra credit? You should stick to doin’ what you’re told. Did Neth- did your new teacher tell you to stay up doing it tonight?”

“You really should listen,” Killstop urged me. “You’re going to get some of us hurt.”

“Really?” I looked at her, surprised. “We are here, drinking,” I lowered my beer and looked down at it contemptuously, “while they are out there, drinking.” I thrust my chin at the windows, the moonlit night and all its various tragedies that were screened off from us as though we were behind a barrier of force stronger than any I could conjure. A barrier that kept our minds safe from the truth.

“You mean the… hm… the…” A rather drunk-seeming Nighteye put his fingers up to his mouth to signify fangs, and I nodded solemnly before returning my gaze to our diviner.

She met my eyes. “It’s a good job I poured all my drinks down the drain, isn’t it?”

“What?” Spiritwhisper exploded. “I paid for – but – I didn’t see… what?“

“You could’ve ended up paying for it with your life.” Killstop smiled. “Vampires seem tough. Besides, you won’t be drunk long.”

“You – mean…” The enchanter looked across at the druids. “Then – why –“

The seeress grinned, the self-assured grin she’d had slapped on her face through her whole first day as a champion, the grinding ordeal of the Incursion. “Just to see that look on your face for real. Now we get to have a properly fun night.” She reached out, caressed the shocked-looking enchanter’s cheek. “Do try to keep up, chuck.”