“All the Arachnids we can find?” Qinos, the elderly Seocurian, gently scratched his cheek, as he pursued the paper resting on the table. “That will be extremely expensive, even for the smallest amount. Arachnids are relatively expensive. Why do you want so many…”

Qinos glanced at Anton, quickly turning his attention back to the paper. The potential collaborator made the correct and wise decision not to push any further. Certainly if House Alal had any chance of reclaiming its lost glory.

“I am told that cost is not an issue.” Cetina spoke softly, sitting opposite in an old but relatively comfortable looking couch. She did not wear her normal bright yellow armour, trimmed with blues and reds, rather a far more subtle mixture of gambeson and metal plate. She had tried to argue the point and had even pouted when she was told she couldn’t bring the armour she wanted.

Cetina scratched the back of her hand before turning to face Anton. “But, obviously, we’d like it if we didn’t go overboard.”

Anton was listening, mostly, as he stared out the large glass window. A simple garden lay beyond, well maintained despite the poverty House Alal found itself in, but calming all the same. The Shark Beast-kin servant plucked weeds from the ground with his sharp claws while the other servant, a young Seocurian woman by the name of Lethu, hauled away the filled buckets.

That girl’s got a bigger bump than when I saw them last. Before everything in Frindal, so it hasn’t been that long. It’s going to be a mess when they’re born. Politically, alongside literally. Especially if they don’t have money.

“Anton?” Calo stopped by his side. “You alright?”

“I’m fine, Calo. Just a little tired.” Anton folded his arms. Even with the thicker gloves he could feel the thicker spines and scales, feel but they did not hurt. “Qinos? How many are there in Danafra? Arachnids, that is.”

As Qinos pondered Anton took a quick look of the room. Calo and Sheso had joined them for this latest foray into Seocuria. The two were getting stronger very quickly, according to Cetina, and worked extremely well as a pair, easily stronger than an average woman soldier and able to overpower a trained man working together. Sheso stood next to the couch opposite Qinos with Longinious in her hand. Longinious knew she could only join them in her Spear Form but had spent some considerable time brooding over it. Even as an inanimate object he could feel the frustration and annoyance at having to be carried. One of the other people wore a white mask with a green vertical line, along with clothes that covered every inch of her mocha tanned skin and aqua furred limbs and ears. Verona had not been lying when she said she was adamant about joining them. Verona herself sat, more lounged, on the opposite side. Her clothes were chosen to limit exposure of her pale skin and silver hair. If anything she looked similar to Zuhura, or more accurately Kal when she arrived in Atros. The clay pots attached to her hip gave away nothing of the bizarre contents within.

“Several hundred at least.” Qinos said after his long pause. “Probably thousands. They’re very dextrous, capable of climbing and harvesting tall trees, alongside their silk. Very useful for sheers and protection from the sun, not that any Seocurian would be seen wearing it. I actually doubt many would be in Danafra itself by this time of morning but I suppose that it wouldn’t be too expensive.”

“As many as you can.” Cetina placed a silver bar on the table, followed by a large bag which landed with a heavy thud. The rough edges and imperfections on the silver’s surface caused it to glint brightly in the morning light. Both Qinos and his son, Gwili, were barely able to hold back their shock. “And… A small reward for performing this action.”

Cetina produced a smaller, thinner bar of silver. Qinos tried to withhold his sigh but failed. From the sheer amount of wealth being freely given it was perhaps a warning sign that he was dealing with someone potentially dangerous, yet his greed and situation did not allow him to refuse it.

Certainly feels like I’m taking advantage of him. No, we’re engaging in a fair exchange to get what we both want. Although I’m certain he doesn’t want anything of what I’d like to see happen to Seocuria.

“And where do you want to deliver so many Arachnids?” Qinos gently scratched his nose. “I do not believe that there are any new ships capable of carrying these Beast-kin? Nor the numbers…”

Kal clasped her hands tight on her lap. “We have a plan. You don’t need to concern yourself… Only that we get them.”

While Qinos had a rough idea of Verona, he clearly had no idea of what to make of Kal. Her mysterious appearance clearly made him suspect that she was their leader, or an important member at the very least. Potentially more important than Anton as she had been brought in later.

“Of course.” Qinos smiled. “It will take a little while. Perhaps a day or more? Purchasing so many slaves will cause attention that I believe that neither of us want.”

“Speaking of oddities,” Anton moved away from the window, just as Alal and Lethu had shared a subtle kiss. “I…”

Risk is always exciting, but when it could get you both killed or worse?

“We would like to know of any strange happening in Seocuria? And Danafra itself? Especially with the noble families.” Anton sat between Cetina and Kal. “Other than yourselves, of course.”

Gwili took the silver bars, Qinos gave his son a small nod.

“On the whole… Nothing has changed much. Some rumours of grumbling from Graterious, though I’m sure you already know that, and Bebbezzar is still a mess. A continuous mess that always appears to find new levels of chaos. As for Danafra itself, everything is much the same. Oh, there is the Dark Elves…” He looked at Sheso, holding Longinious. “Arriving to trade in the northern ports for the first time in generations. Well, not exactly, but never this many.”

“I suppose that’s a good thing.” Anton tapped Kal’s thigh. “There is another thing we need to ask. We’re looking for a specific Beast-kin. Not just a race, but an individual one. One that is very important that we have.”

“That might be difficult.” Qinos rubbed his legs. “There are many, many slaves. If you have their slave number then it should make it easier.”

He glanced as Gwili returned with a small neat book and a dip pen. Anton heard Kal grind her sharp teeth, disgusted at the urge to spit out her number forced into her. She had not in a very long time but it was there.

“Many have names they don’t wish to share with us.”

“It shouldn’t be too hard, as I’m sure you may be familiar with this specific Beast-kin.”

“Go on.” Qinos did not look particularly happy.

“Lucia.” Kal spoke softly. “Her name is Lucia. A Feline Beast-kin-”

Qinos raised both elderly hands to silence her. “I know of this Lucia. A Feline Beast-kin with white patches on her brown coat?”

“Yes.” Kal was unnerved that Qinos knew her by name.

"This doesn’t sound good." Verona murmured.

“She’s one of the presenters.” Gwili said. “She’s dragged out mostly when there’s a large sale of Beast-kin. Or when there’s foreigners looking to make… I don’t mean that in a bad way, of course. Um… She’s very provocative and… Apparently-”

“We want her.” Anton spoke with a sense of finality. “As soon as possible. Price is no object.”

Because I intend to steal it all back and then some, not that you need to know that.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to an auction, but I’ve heard she hasn’t been present for the last few major ones. Probably the one after the big sale in Autumn was the last. A few Minotaurs tried to escape and were killed, and there was an expensive purchase of an older Feline Beast-kin.” Qinos managed a bitter smile before looking towards the window. Alal and Lethu were still working, surreptitiously sharing glances. “Alal was bought in one, not that he was called that then…”

“If she’s not there, then where is she?” Kal had already lent forward, like she was about to lunge at the man. Verona tried to gently push her back with a hand but Kal refused to budge.

While Qinos mumbled, holding his chin while staring at the table in thought, Anton remembered the crazed look in her eyes. The slathering devotion to her Masters and the desire, the need, to receive another dose of Purple Shade.

That stuff messed up Rasha and Kristoff up really bad, and that was only headaches. How bad would the withdrawals have become if we couldn’t heal them. What would they have done for another dose? What would Lucia do?

“I honestly don’t know. But asking about this Beast-kin, especially from someone like me, will be very unusual.” Qinos clicked his tongue. “This Lucia might still be in the main Slave House. But...That building is extremely large and confusing, especially for someone like me. I don’t know its intricacies, no one in this building does”

“Are you sure she’s not dead?” Kal’s hands gripped tight. “Purple Shade addiction can be managed, though the withdrawal from using it for so long is extremely dangerous.”

Asking Adara is out of the question. Simply coming back here’s already incredibly suspicious, since we don’t have the excuse we’re here to purchase Beast-kin slaves at the behest of a mysterious benefactor.

“I’m sorry, but I just don’t know.”

Sheso tapped Anton’s shoulder. She pointed at Longinious’s spear head, the central sphere’s brighter light looked at him.

“Please excuse me for just a moment.” Anton stood up, Kal followed. Cetina moved to follow but Verona stopped her. Cetina looked a little concerned but relaxed when she saw Verona wasn’t going either.

They entered a corridor and ensured there wasn’t anyone nearby.

“Sorry.” Kal flexed her gloved hands. She leant against the wall, her head gently tilting to one side. “I don’t like being near this place. I’m doing my best, but it’s really hard to not just scream.”

“Unless Longinious has a better plan I think all we can do is kidnap a worker and force us to tell the truth.” Anton said. “Cheaper, but much more risky. Especially if there’s any Principle Mages lurking about.”

“That was my idea.” Longinious spoke very softly, like a crackling whisper. “Really I thought that Kal just needed a moment.”

The swirling light within the central purple sphere coiled and spun around. “Not saying that you can’t deal with it, of course. Only that you were becoming very distressed.”

“With good reason.” Kal thumped the wooden wall. “Even the colour of the wood makes me ill. The smell of their stone. So… What are we to do?”

“It might take Qinos days to get any information.” Anton began. “And by the sounds of it we might not have that long. Using Tethra’s power would be quickest, except if it alerted any nearby Principle, or even Glyph Mages. That leaves the… Um, traditional means of extracting information quickly. Though torture has its own issues.”

“Our Grandfather always ensured that none of our crew did that.” Sheso grimaced slightly. “Not just because it’s cruel, but it apparently does stuff to us. Not just Dark Elves… Makes you more willing to do it in the future. Something like that.”

“Desensitised to extreme violence.” Anton clicked his tongue. “Only if we must. But we shouldn’t need too with Tethra’s abilities.”

“Still means kidnapping.” Longinious muttered.

Kal sighed and slapped the cheeks of her mask. “We couldn’t have known she’d been pulled from presenting… She’s been there almost all her life, I don’t think she even knows howto work properly. Doesn’t matter anymore.” Kal flexed her hands. “Can’t go back in time. She’s been in that awful place for too long. Far too long…”

“We’ll get her today.” Anton gave Kal’s hand a gentle squeeze, one she returned. “That’s a promise.”

“Thanks… We should probably get back. Before Verona does something silly.”

Anton knew Verona wouldn’t, but Kal needed all the levity she could get. When they returned Verona was talking with Qinos. Qinos looked very relaxed and calm, something that faded when he saw Anton return.

“All good?” Verona pulled herself up onto the back of the couch. Her smile was as warm as ever. “You weren’t gone all that long.”

“We’re fine.” Anton gave her a quick kiss, which placated her. “Qinos. Given the time frame we will drop the inquiry into the Beast-kin Lucia.” Anton retook his seat, Kal beside him. “I would ask that this be the last time that we discuss the matter.”

Especially since she’s about to be busted out, even if we have to wait until nightfall.

“I understand.” Qinos nodded once. “The Arachnids purchase still stand?”

“Indeed. There is another item.” Anton tapped her fingers together. “I have been led to believe that Seocuria also deals with more traditional beasts and creatures. One called a Sivu?”

Qinos tensed, as did Gwili. “It does. Many creatures. But those are savage things. Mainly kept so they can be used in tournaments.” He sighed and shook his head. “Really just a way to get rid of troublesome slaves and even the odd Seocurian Soldier.”

Bread and circuses, except the circuses and designed to frighten an entire species.

“I’d like to know where they’re being kept, how many there are, and how much it would cost to buy them.”

“All? Again?” A bead of sweat ran down Qinos’s forehead. “If you thought the Arachnids would attract attention then you’re guaranteed to get significant attention. Especially if done together.”

Kal and Cetina turned to face him. Both remained silent. It was him that Fliodher asked to help her after all.

“Information will do for now.”

“Well, that would be the Bestiary. It’s in the south of Danafra.” Qinos pointed towards the south, even though the glass window did not face in that direction. “Probably as large as the main Slave House, though it’s more subtle than that monstrosity.”

When Anton glanced towards Kal she gave the tiniest shake of her head.

Must have been after her time.

“That will be sufficient for now.” Anton stood up. The others followed suit. Anton had no desire to appear rude or dismissive, but it was part of the act to keep Qinos and his family playing theirs. At least that’s what he told himself. “I wish you and your family good fortune, Qinos. Please inform us when you have begun to gather even a single Arachnid. We will inform you where to send them.”

Qinos looked at a small open box by the side of the table. In it lay the Communication pen and several scraps of paper. It amused Anton that he would treat it like some kind of unstable and yet revered grenade, knowing full well he would act the same.

"As soon as we can." Qinos forced a smile. "I wish you all a… productive day."

Anton returned the smile as they departed.

"Was expecting a little more." Verona clicked her tongue. "From being a collaboratorhe should have been a little more helpful, right?"

She looked at Longinious, still in Sheso’s hands, then to Anton. "Surely the two of you know something, right? Those nasty wars Anton knows about always seemed to have one or two…"

"They can only give what they have to give." Anton rested a hand on her head. "But Qinos will keep quiet about our questions."

"Will he though?" Calo asked as they neared the front door.

"If he doesn't want his house to fall apart he will." Kal scratched at the wood, releasing dust and leaving white streaks. "Literally. Quite literally. So, your plan, Anton?"

Anton held Calo and Sheso by the shoulder. "It's not going to work without you two, that's for sure."

"We'll help." Sheso gave a stern nod. "Time to show just how nimble a Dark Elf really is."

"Fantastic." Anton smiled as Cetina opened the door and the bright Seocurian morning sun streamed through. He pointed to the domed Danafran Slave House, the Black stone looming in the distance. "Firstly, we need to get closer to that damned monstrosity. I reckon there's a few homes nearby that the owners won't mind if we borrow for a little while. We are doing a good deed, after all."

---[]---

Sheso double checked the door was closed. A nearby open window allowed light to stream through, though lessened by the presence of the Danafran Slave House. Sheso didn't feel Kal's silent rage or Anton's disgust at its sight. It was wrong, barbaric and monstrous, but she couldn't feel it to the same level as Kal did.

"Come away from there." Calo almost groaned. "We don't know who could be watching."

"Right… Right."

Sheso threw the curtains to cover the window. Nearly all buildings of Danafra had such large openings, to allow the cool in and could be barred to keep out the heat, and this one was no different.

"Think Leran would want any of this?" Calo held up a large golden goblet, encrusted with blue gemstones. "Seems like it would be worth a bit."

"Definitely." Sheso smiled as she held the goblet in her hands. She sighed before placing it on the soft bed. Sheso felt her hands meet almost no resistance from the silken material, her mind wandered to imagine how it would feel to sleep in such luxury. To be pinned down by a lover and ravaged… "But I don't think we have the time to fool around."

Calo chuckled, placed a large hessian bag onto the bed and dumped the contents over the orange sheets.

"You wouldn't need long, would you?"

Sheso felt the flush burst through her ears. For the first time in ages she was thankful for her wavy hair, how it covered almost half her ears.

“I’m not the one that only needs a few moments on her own to finish. You leave and by the time I notice you’re already returning, breathing hard with red…”

Now it was Calo’s time to turn scarlet. Her sister, even with exceptionally dark skin and the dim light it was clear just how red she had become.

A pang of guilt travelled down Sheso’s spine. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes you did." Calo tried to act calm, running a hand through her hair. "But you're no better."

A silence descended upon them. Below something heavy moved, Sheso presumed the former occupiers were being thoroughly interrogated by Anton's magic and were not enjoying themselves at all.

“They shouldn’t have tried to grope Verona in that alleyway.” Sheso clicked her tongue. “Five unarmed men against Cetina and Anton, what did they think would happen?”

“Like what happened in Frindal.” Calo sifted through the clothes and passed a set to Sheso. “That Anton would be intimidated by their numbers and that they’d be able to take us up here. The big one wanted Verona… Poor woman.”

“Why?”

“Even with that cloak on all he could see were those massive tits of hers.” Calo held up a glove. “I wonder how much it hurts to have them so big. Constantly pulling her forward, flopping about when she jumps or even walks. Do you think Rasha and Zuhura are the same?”

“Certainly. But I think Rasha’s got a lot more muscle than Zuhura. I saw Zuhura rubbing her shoulders quite a lot when she thought we weren’t looking.”

“More than once.” Calo murmured. “Poor girl.”

Sheso held up the clothes, frowning at what they had been given. The black and otherwise unassuming clothes were covered in fine white lines. Even the weight was normal. Everything was normal. Until Sheso put on the cloth glove.

“Fuc…” Sheso caught herself before she yelled. “Are you seeing this?”

Sheso held up her hand. She could barely see it, little more than a vague outline with a shimmer around the edge. In darkness it would be impossible to see, in bright daylight would be still very confusing. With some trepidation she reached out, her mind struggled briefly trying to make sense of what she didn’t see, until she touched her own hand. A shiver ran down her spine before she pulled the glove off. Once it was no longer being worn the clove became visible again.

“That’s what Verona was talking about.” Calo mused. She tested a glove herself. “I… That’s really weird. Do you think this is Anton’s work?” Calo wore both gloves, incredulity covering her face when both hands disappeared. She drew one of her small blades, it was visible even after wrapping her invisible hands around the handle. “This definitely seems like his work. His craziness.”

“Verona said they got these clothes from The Shadow Isles.” Sheso pulled a hood free. Her eyes widened when she found a hole in the back, several smaller holes near the front. “I don’t think they asked to get them… Shit. I know what this is.”

“What?”

“Remember those old stories mum would tell us?” Sheso lifted the hood. “That if we stayed up too late the Shadow Hunters would come and take us away?”

“How did Anton…” Calo raised her arms, Sheso presumed she pointed with invisible hands before sighing. “I don’t think they’d just ask to get these… But why would they have them? If the Shadow Hunters are real-”

“I’m pretty sure they are.” Sheso began to unfasten her shirt.

“Well, yes.” Calo looked at the closed door. “But why? And why would they have it? What have they done to get them involved? The stories our mother told us, and hers to her. Do you think Leran knows?”

“I… I don’t know." Sheso sighed. "I really doubted it. We'll see what we can ask without drawing attention."

"They did kill those Elders…" Calo’s voice trailed off. She sighed and shook her head before beginning to strip.

Verona did the actual deed, if what we heard was true.

Sheso put a finger through the hole in the hood.

Guess we know how they got these.

Sheso sighed, eliciting a grin from her sister, and began to undress as well. She knew it should feel odd undressing in a stranger's room, one who was likely being bound and their valuables stolen, but couldn't. Being stuck in the Green Moon Fortress with the entirety of the Clan had removed many ideas of modesty and shame they had about being naked around others. It didn’t mean they’d strip around random strangers, but it wasn’t a big issue. Especially amongst family.

"A few other things have changed since then, haven't they?" Sheso whispered aloud as her shirt hit the floor.

Sheso looked down at her body, illuminated by the morning sun. An exceptional figure, if she were ever asked so boldly. Certainly she lacked the curves that appeared endemic to the women of Atros, but she was supremely confident in more modest breasts that didn’t spill through her hands, a perfectly flat toned stomach and a small but pert rear. Absolutely perfect in her mind, even compared to many of her fellow Dark Elves, and infinitely better than at their lowest ebb.

She would never be able to thank Anton and everyone else enough that came to their aid. Starving in a cold, damp and hateful place. Such thoughts of hunger and terror at the slightest noise in the darkness were now gone, as were the ribs that protruded through her skin, the knobbly knees wider than her thighs.

Anton pushed us so we didn’t get killed by a Goblin. Could barely breathe when they were taking us to the ships…

“Feels like you're trying to devour me by perving on yourself.” Calo chuckled. "I wonder if anyone could tell us apart if we shared their bed."

Sheso rolled her eyes and continued to dress herself. As the pieces of clothes began her body began to turn invisible. It was a truly weird and disorienting experience. Sheso quickly realised it was easiest not to think about it and rely on instinct.

“Do you think…” Sheso cleared her throat as she wore the hood. “Do you think we should go with their plan?”

Calo stopped, most of her was invisible as she fastened an invisible belt, with only her head and legs now visible.

“Leran and Cagec’s?” Calo shrugged. “Anton’s not completely stupid. He already had an idea what we had planned before this whole Fire Elf business. I doubt either of us, even both together, would be enough to get him to abandon Verona and Kal. And even if we did I'm sure they would kill us and geld Anton.”

Calo’s face remained flat.

“Cagec’s asking a little much of us.” Sheso said. “No one’s that good. Not even Rasha’s massive tits…” Sheso attached the dagger and its sheath, matching the rest of her clothes, to her hip. It immediately turned invisible, even though she wasn’t wearing it, nor when she drew it. “Now I know why Verona sounded so annoyed talking about these clothes. Regardless, I wouldn’t mind it.”

“Neither would I.” Calo fastened her own dagger. “Anton’s doesn’t mind non-humans, and you saw Cetina in Frindal.”

Sheso chuckled, knelt down and picked up her clothes. “Poor thing. She just needs to learn how to be quiet. So the plan? What do you think?”

“Let’s give it a couple of days.” Calo picked up her own set. “See how everything is then. Can’t be worse than those boys the Wind Walkers they tried to make us court.”

Sheso shuddered. It wasn’t just that they were unattractive and, at least to Sheso, smelt rank of unwash. No. That could be changed or accepted. It was how their wandering hands had groped their bodies while innocently trying to flirt with them. Her mind recoiled remembering sweaty hands gripping her breast with the other trying to slide up her bare legs. Foul breath tickling and worming its way into her ear and the incessant licking of lips while rough chewed fingernails lightly prickled against her skin.

At least Anton would know how to treat us right… Wow, that’s really bad that’s a reason to like him…

“Let’s go.” Calo held her clothes to her chest and walked to the door. It bobbed across the room, suspended by a vague shimmering outline of her sister. “The longer we wait the more difficult it’s going to be.”

Sheso followed her sister out. The corridor beyond was lavished with golden ornamentation and dotted with small paintings. The pirate in Sheso immediately began to judge the price of every piece, but she held herself back. She remained several paces behind Calo’s floating bundle of clothes. She had no intention of falling down and making an absolute fool of herself.

“I told you to be quiet.” Cetina’s voice echoed up the stairs. “Or do I need to tighten that gag again?”

There was no reply. Sheso smiled at the sight; all five Seocurian men were bound, gagged and blindfolded in a tight circle. Cetina slowly paced around them, a hand on a short blade while tapping her armoured boots on the immaculate wooden floor.

Verona and Kal rummaged through a horde of gathered loot before a large fireplace, while Anton looked through the gap of curtains drawn over a window at the wall surrounding the Danafran Slave House. In the far corner Longinious floated in her Mobile Form, collecting even more goods, mainly food, alongside a half dozen of the Nautilus. Anton’s new summoned creatures, as Cetina called them. They had some difficulty in carrying the food on their own but in groups of two they managed quite well.

“I’d say you two look good.” Anton smiled, Sheso felt it was more than a little dopey. “But… No. No, I won’t say it.”

“It works great.” Calo whistled as she placed her clothes pile on a couch. “They won’t see us coming…” Calo pulled down the cloth covering her face. Sheso couldn’t see it from behind but as she stepped alongside her sister’s dark skinned face became visible. “See? Just being around you makes us stupid.”

Sheso found herself smiling too. Perhaps following Leran’s plan wasn’t such a bad idea? It’s not like they both were against it in principle, far from it. And there were far worse fates.

“These fools know nothing.” Cetina cracked her knuckles, Sheso only saw her do that when she was very annoyed at them during training, so quite a few times. “Just a bunch of horny idiots that wanted to get laid."

"Beast-kin too good for you?" Verona snickered. "Too expensive for you with all this stuff?” Verona threw a picture frame at one, striking him in the chest. “Oh well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to consider what went wrong. You've got nothing better to do."

One of the Seocurian men tried to speak. His cloth gag grew damp as he tried to chew his way through. A quick, hard strike from Cetina's fist removed such inclinations.

"For the rest of your life, I reckon." Verona chuckled as the man whimpered.

Anton watched the man's discomfort with obvious indifference. Sheso understood no one would regard them well given what they planned to do, but it was the complete lack of anything that made her feel more than a little uncomfortable.

He had no qualms about killing the bastard that wanted to rape Axia. What even was his name?

"Calo. Sheso." Anton motioned for them to join him at the window.

Sheso completely removed her hood as she neared, as did Calo. Anton smiled widely as he locked eyes with them.

"You look incredible." Anton clicked his tongue. “A hint of darkness and you’d be completely undetectable.”

“Verona didn’t really prepare us for what you’d give us.” Sheso peered through the tiny gap in the curtain. There was nothing on the stone road beyond. “Seeing is… What’s the plan?”

Anton clapped his hands together, holding them in prayer against his lips. “I know I've, we've asked you to help us, but this is different to Frindal. No one else will be with you, no magic for defence or healing. The Nautilus can be used as a distraction outside the walls but that's it. And I don't-"

"Are you worried because you aren't there?" Calo asked softly, tilting her head slightly. "Not because you don't think we can, other that you don’t trust it, but… You feel like you should do it yourself."

Anton tapped his foot, he tried his best to hide his mental discomfort. Verona and Kal were both silent and Longinious was much closer, albeit near the wall rather than floating in the centre of the room.

"I… Suppose so." Anton took a slow breath. "But I don't mean that in a bad way-"

"We understand our job perfectly." Sheso began. "And we're ready for this. It's what we've trained for. It's what us Dark Elves are best at."

"Certainly the most nimble race." Verona mused.

Anton was on the verge of relenting. He let out a tense breath, his shoulders dropped slightly and smiled faintly.

"Alright. But two things. One, if it gets too dangerous, get out. Rescuing Lucia is important, but I'd rather not have to rescue you two as well. Nor explain to your Clan and Grandfather what happened."

What would Leran do? He's not violent to us, but… I don't think he'd want to stay in Atros. Definitely not seeing the face of the man that allowed his Granddaughters to… Get caught.

"And the second?"

"You're going to stay in contact with us." Anton stepped away from the window, turned around and drew the curtains completely closed, and briskly walked towards the pile of loot. "And it's something overdue for the pair of you. Since you're always joining us for these little escapades of ours."

Verona began to help him rummage through the jewellery. One of the Seocurian men tried to shout for help but Cetina quickly dealt with him. Longinious approached the edge of the window and pulled the curtain back just enough to peek an eye through. Sheso wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the floating fish woman. Physically she was somewhat strange, but so were some of the more animalistic Beastkin, and they didn't bother her. It was what lay beneath. Putting on an agreeable and helpful personality was easy, as they both knew all too well. More than enough to lull someone into a false sense of security before striking. Someone whose memory they shared and a large heart for those that helped him.

“Anton holds you both in high regard.” Longinious’s soft voice carried the crackle far more clearly than Anton’s. “Please do not take any unnecessary risks. Anton, all of them, would be saddened if something terrible befell you.”

“But not you?” Calo placed a hand on her hip. “You’re not worried?”

“I have only known you both through Anton’s memories. Never in the flesh.” Longinious glanced at Anton. He appeared to have found what he was searching for. “But it’s more than that. You both know of the existence of Atros, and what it is planning to do.”

“Ah.” Sheso found herself smiling. “You’re saying for us to kill ourselves if we get caught? I doubt the Seocurians are going to just make us slaves if we’re caught.”

Longinious tapped the wooden wall with an upper hand, a sight Sheso doubted she would adjust to readily, and backed away as Anton returned. “I didn’t say that…”

Sheso understood why. Of course Longinious inherited Anton’s strangely varying levels of tact, at least by her perception of things. Anton gave Longinious a smile, one quickly returned with a nod, and presented two thin golden necklaces, adorned with a small green gemstone.

“These are for you.” Anton readied one to place over Sheso’s head.

Sheso whispered an apology as she removed the Shadow Hunter’s garb. The gold was warm against her skin, already absorbing the heat that now radiated off Anton, if Kal was to be believed.

“Beautiful.” Sheso found herself smirking like Verona normally would. “How much did you pay for these? They certainly don’t look cheap.”

“And a really odd time to be giving gifts.” Calo added with a teasing smirk. Sheso tried not to smile any further, they were too alike at times. “Especially in front of so many.”

It was Longinious that looked the most jealous, judging by the way the top of her head crest pulled down and the corners of her lips pulled back. Rather jealous, maybe even a little angry.

“More than just a pretty piece of gold.” Anton’s voice echoed in their heads. “A way for you two to plot and scheme without a word crossing your lips."

"What the fuck?" Sheso blurted out. "How did you talk inside my head?"

"Kind of weird, isn't it?" Verona continued to rummage through the piles of loot. "You'll get used to people's voices just appearing in your head."

"A special set of Communication Rings, necklaces rather, that'll allow you to talk to one another in perfect silence." Anton placed one on Calo. "Perfect for planning ambushes or infiltrating a dangerous area. Just place a hand over it, even underneath your clothes, and think the words you wish to say."

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Didn’t think you'd ever tell someone to grope-" Verona was silenced by Kal slapping her rear hard. The silver haired woman yelped and jumped forward, rubbing her behind with one hand and swatting at Kal with the other.

"Yes…" Anton turned back to them. "I have another one. So you can tell us to create a distraction. A bloody big one, given the size of this place."

Sheso placed an invisible hand on the necklace's gemstone.

"Hello? Calo?"

Calo’s body shivered, her ears pulled in in surprise.

"That was terrifying." Calo stretched her arms over her head, a cute squeak followed a dull crack from her shoulders. "So how are we doing this?"

Kal cleared her throat. “Before we begin, what are we going to do about them?”

The five Seocurian men, who had been perfectly silent. Now they were trembling, guessing their fate given what was spoken so flippantly around them.

Longinious tapped the wall. “Instead of killing them, may I suggest simply taking them back for now? I may have plans for them once my laboratory is properly established.” Longinious chuckled as she floated nearer the bound group. “Experiments require test subjects. You were successful in creating those White Ghlotsm, and the Stitch Soldiers, and by extension King Harold, were created by something. Something that neither you nor someone like Mezot can perform.”

“There’s another of Anton running about?” Kal asked.

“Possibly, but I doubt it.” Longinious stopped just before the captives. “There are the Ancient Listeners to the south, of course. Judging by Anton’s memories they’ve-”

The captive nearest to Longinious tried to stand up, legs shaking from fear and cramps, before being unceremoniously thrown back. A muffled cry erupted from his gagged mouth along with the faintest hint of blood now staining the cloth. He was relatively muscular and yet Longinious had thrown him down without any visible effort.

Guess she’s a lot stronger than she let on.

“Honestly.” Longinious shook her head. “Where did you think you were going to go blindfolded?”

When the man tried to speak again Longinious simply placed her hand on his head and squeezed. Her claws dug deep, almost enough to draw blood, but she quickly relented. The man cowered back from something he did not understand.

“We’d better set up the portal here.” Kal said with one eye on Longinious. “If we need to bring in Mezot and Axia, or more Dark Elves. And to get Lucia back home.”

“On it.” Cetina produced a small sack and began to clear an area for the portal stones.

“While they do that,” Anton said to Sheso and her sister. “Do you two have any thoughts to add? No magic to begin with, and we can’t use Longinious’s ability to cut through the wall… At least not yet. So?”

Sheso pulled back the curtain just enough to peer through. She smiled as she pointed towards the edge of the protective wall, to a faint figure far in the distance. “I’ve got an idea.”

---[]---

“Where?” Calo whispered. “I can barely see where you’re pointing.”

Sheso glanced back, it was almost impossible to see her sister in the shadow of the buildings wooden awnings, before pointing along the street away from the main entrance to the Slave House. A woman was walking towards them, wearing a tight orange dress, trudged towards them really, rubbing her bleary eyes with the back of her hand. According to Anton and Kal it was near identical to the clothes worn by a Seocurian woman named Adara that facilitated the sale of Marion, Kristof and Rasha. Surely this person would know more about Lucia’s location. Behind her were was a smattering of Seocurian Masters and Beast-kin slaves already at work, sorting through a pile of mixed goods. None were paying her any attention.

“She just came from inside the Slave House.” Sheso whispered. “She’s going to be a good start. Get your knife ready. This is going to have to be quick.”

Behind them Anton and Cetina waited wearing heavy cloaks. Behind them, where they had been accosted by the Seocurian men, Cetina had barricaded the alleyway to prevent any unwanted intrusions. Behind them floated the Nautilus, covered in dark pieces of cloth taken from the occupied house. Longinious had been slightly miffed when she admitted their white shells would attract immediate attention.

"At least Verona and Kal were able to convince her to wait inside." Calo mused. She pointed a shimmering hand towards the door, Verona peered from inside, she too wore a dark cloak while a hand tapped one of the blood filled clay pots on her hip. "Let's do this."

The woman's slow steps felt like torture. Clacks resounding in her head and reverberating through the stone. Sheso checked the street again, her heart sank when a pair of Seocurian Soldiers emerged and began following her. For the pair it was clearly a well walked patrol. Slouched shoulders, lazily wandering eyes and shuffling feet were not the sign of alert soldiers. However, not even the dimmest soldier would miss a bright orange dressed woman disappeared into an alleyway.

“Shit.” Sheso whispered. “I don’t think we can get this one.”

Calo lent over her head. “Guards. Do…” She held up the shadowy knife. “Do you think we’re even ready enough to take even one of them? They’re pretty big…”

Sheso’s heart turned cold. She knew what Calo was implying; they weren’t strong enough. Their trainers had gone easy due to their grandfather and Cetina could only do so much in so little time. Being repeatedly thrown into the dirt without her even breathing harder nor a drop of sweat on her face had been one of the worst moments of her life.

“Maybe… Oh. Maybe we don’t have to.” Sheso waved to Anton. “Do you have a gold coin with you?”

“Always.” Anton produced the golden disk. Sheso’s heart raced, remembering and knowing all the good just a single coin could have done for their clan when they were still on The Shadow Isles. “Need to bribe someone?”

“Yeah. Unless you can cause a distraction without alerting the entire city.”

Anton tossed the coin with a smile. “We don’t have a limitless number of these, you know?”

Sheso tucked the coin into a loose fold, thankful the coin disappeared, and ushered her sister towards the wall. This building, like nearly all free standing Seocurian buildings, had many wooden beams jutting out between each floor. Beyond being structural it held many hanging pots overflowing with plants and other gaudy ornamentation. Most importantly it was perfect for people like them. Perfect for two invisible people to scurry about like rats.

“Help me up.” Sheso pointed to the closest beam. “This’ll distract those two. When they’re fighting-”

“She’s almost here.” Calo whispered harshly as she offered her clasped hand as a foothold.

Sheso jumped up, using both her own legs and her sister's strength to propel her onto one of the wooden beams. With speed and grace naturally afforded to Dark Elves she pulled herself up with only the slightest grunt. She could have asked Cetina or Anton, both of whom were stronger than Calo, but she, they, had many reasons to show they weren’t dead weight.

With a second to steady herself Sheso leapt from beam to beam, crouching to avoid being seen. She almost smiled knowing she was all but invisible in the early morning light. The shadow cast by her was essentially invisible.

She jumped along the tightly packed wooden beams to just above the two soldiers. Now she was closer she could hear the two muttering about the Seocurian woman’s rear, the way the dress clung and accentuated the curves.

Ours are way better.

As the conversation quickly began to turn to what depraved acts they fantasied about unleashing on her Sheso decided to act. She tossed the golden coin to strike the furthest soldier on the shoulder. The clink of metal stopped both, they prepared their weapons but when one saw the glint of gold an argument started. Sheso knew, had been taught, that greed was a terrible and effective way to divide friendships and alliances.

Greed… I remember Leran telling us a story about this. Pirates using gold to get their pursuers to fight one another, then turning back on them and taking both the gold and their treasure. I… Dammit. What’s happening with her?

And this was no different. Neither man wondered where the coin came from, already the two were pushing and shoving. Sheso looked to the alleyway just to see the orange dressed woman disappear, legs and arms flailing in the air. Again neither of the men noticed as they had already drawn small daggers, stepping over the golden coin without letting the other out of their sights.

Sheso quickly vaulted back to the first beam and dropped down. Anton was a little shocked when she had to touch him to reveal her presence. He gently pushed her into the alleyway while moving a large plank of wood to partially obscure the entrance.

“It’ll keep them from looking.” Anton threw a few pieces of rubbish near it. “No one wants to search through a dirty alleyway. They still having fun out there?”

Sheso glanced out. The two soldiers had barely moved, still focused on one another while refusing to let the coin out of their sight.

“They’re fine.” Sheso said. “Now where’s my sister?”

“It was a good plan.” Calo pulled the cloth down just enough to reveal her face. “Pity we won’t get it back. And Leran would be pissed if he knew we just threw away so much money. Even though he’s done it himself.”

“And where is she?”

Calo waved her sister into the building. Already she had been blindfolded and gagged, dragged by Cetina and Longinious to where the Seocurian men had once sat before being sent to Atros.

“Excellent work.” Kal said calmly. The Half-Breed Beast-kin smiled faintly. “Didn’t need to destroy half of Danafra to do it too.”

Sheso removed the cloth covering her face to breathe a little easier. “It was the best plan I could come up with.”

“Stop struggling.” Cetina roughly threw the woman to the floor. “I don’t want to have to bind you up any further.”

She’s not going to go home after this. She knows that, but hopes beyond all hope she just may. Even if it’s without an arm.

The Seocurian woman trembled in fear, Sheso’s noise recoiled at the acrid stench now permeating the room from the trail left on her wake but none said a word. Verona made sure the door was shut before giving Anton a nod.

"I'm going to make this very simple." Anton placed a hand on her shoulder. "You tell me what I want to know and you don't get hurt. You shout or scream and you’ll be hurt extremely bad. Understood?"

Through the gag the woman whimpered but managed a terrified nod.

"Alright.”

Anton whispered the Truth Prayer, as he called it. Sheso wondered what it was like to be compelled to speak the truth no matter what. She was quite glad he hadn’t asked any of them. Being trusted was a good feeling, though it probably wasn’t an entirely good thing for him given his position.

“Do you work in the Danafran Slave House?”

The Seocurian woman tried to speak through the gag. Anton sighed, pulled the cloth free and asked again.

“Yes.”

“Good.” Kal drew closer to Anton. “Do you know of a Feline Beast-kin by the name of Lucia, who works in the Danafran Slave House as a… An announcer?”

“I do.” Tears and snot ran down the woman’s face.

Sheso was glad that the woman could not see her. Not seeing her eyes made it so much easier.

So pathetic. They abuse Beast-kin so bad, and then when it’s their turn they completely fall apart. Am I… Am I supposed to feel something? Right now I don’t.

“Why isn’t she announcing?” Kal asked.

The woman squirmed but refused to answer. Sheso began to wonder if it had stopped working when Anton repeated the question.

“She’s overdosed on Purple Shade so bad she can barely move.” The woman whimpered. “She could barely speak without it… Please. Please, just let me go. I won’t say anything.”

I would.

“More questions.” Anton spoke firmly. “Where is she now? Is she still alive?”

“She’s still alive. Somewhere in the Eucra Wing. Someone’s trying to get her better again, but I don’t know anything else I swear!”

“Who else cares about one Beast-kin in this wretched place?”

“I don’t know!”

Anton grunted and refastened her gag.

“Is this place easy to find?” He asked Kal.

“If I recall correctly, it’s near the back of the main Slave House.” Kal clicked her tongue. “Near to the city wall. But, but it’s quite large. Not just some little shack. I doubt there’d be many soldiers there.” Kal folded her arms, her clawed fingers digging deep into her elbows. “The Eucra Wing is where they dump the Beast-kin they don’t know what to do with. Too weak to work, too strong to warrant just killing. Maybe they’ll try and breed a few babies out of her…”

Anton held her shoulder. Kal’s lip trembled before she mentally fortified herself, her other hand curling into a fist while the other held Anton’s. She did not cry, stifled a single sniffle and gave Anton a reassuring pat.

“I’m okay.” Kal smiled weakly. “Honestly. I’ve been through far worse.”

“So do we send her to Longinious?” Verona asked. “Not like we can just let her go.”

The woman whimpered. Sheso felt nothing but contempt for her, but she knew that probably wasn’t an entirely good feeling. Despite being a part of the Seocurian Empire’s oppression it wasn’t her enslaving and abusing the Beast-kin.

But she is a part of it.

“That would be preferable.” Longinious chuckled. “She will likely know more than the others. We can decide what to do with her after extracting everything of value.”

“Alright.” Anton waved Calo and Sheso closer, towards the curtain. Cetina kicked the woman and hauled her towards the portal, shimmering a bright white light in a deeper room. “You’re up, you two. Are you comfortable with doing this?”

“We’re ready.” Calo planted her hands onto her hips. “We’ve got these clothes, your new creatures and a crapload of magic to rain down on Danafra if we need a distraction.”

Sheso nodded. “Let’s do this.”

---[]---

Sheso and Calo skulked through the shadows of the Danafran alleyways and wooden beam awnings until they reached the Eucra wing. Just as Kal described it was a large, imposing but relatively unassuming building attached to the rear of the main Danafran Slave House. The large stone wall continued until it reached the main city walls, more than high enough that no Beast-kin could hope to reach it without plummeting to their deaths, even if they leapt from the highest point. But Sheso was not worried. They were Dark Elves of the Green Moon Clan, and Dark Elves were built for this type of work.

And they were now Shadow Hunters. Anton’s Shadow Hunters.

I wonder if he really understands what he’s given us? I suppose that we need to do what we planned yesterday as soon as possible. Leran won’t be happy if we don’t do something, and soon.

“Too tall, even for us.” Calo waved her sister closer, crouching down at the closest wooden beam and hidden behind a large plant ornament. Sheso could barely see her, even in the light. If she wasn’t aware of her presence she would have run into her. That was something they'd need to work on. “We’ve got our ropes, but that’s not going to get Lucia out of there. Or safely either.”

“There’s always the fire plan.” Sheso managed a chuckle. “That always gets people’s attention.”

Sheso and Calo reached into their cloaks and drew a large rope bundle, tipped with a metal hook. As it was not a part of the Shadow Hunter garb it became visible the moment it came free. After checking no one was watching they threw the hooks over the wall and pulled. Calo swore as hers came tumbling back, landing with a loud metal clang. They both winced, Sheso was sure Calo was, but no one came to check. There wasn't anyone on the surrounding wall, and the few they could see on the city wall were thoroughly disinterested or pretending not to sleep. Calo threw again to more success. Their climb was quick and silent. Sheso dreaded to think how they would have struggled without Cetina’s relentless training. Always aches and pains in places they didn't know existed but the pay-offs were obvious. Once on top they pulled the bundles of rope up.

“Definitely going to need the fire plan.” Sheso crouched along the narrow wall. Both hands gripped the edge to steady herself. “No way this Lucia’s going to be able to climb this. But… But let's see how bad it is first. Maybe we'll make a hole in the wall and crawl through? I suppose we're pretty thin.”

Calo agreed. Sheso took her time to properly survey the building. The parts obscured by the wall were just as unremarkable as those above. Fortunately there were the wooden beams jutting out from the building, one layer just above a set of barred wooden slat windows, but only well below the top of the wall. Sheso wondered if keeping Seocurian aesthetics were as important as maintaining security. Below that was an empty courtyard decorated only with roughly cut cobblestone. No one was patrolling anywhere in sight. If Kal’s stories were true they had no need to. Not from this place.

Without sharing a word the two descended with the rope, pulled them free, refastened to the top most beam then climbed up to the window. They dared not attempt the jump. Dark Elves were skilled and nimble but they weren’t perfect, and there was no way they could survive the fall.

And it’s not like we can be healed if we’re dead.

Calo peered inside the window as she passed. She gave Sheso a nod, at least that’s what she thought it was given her near invisibility, both fastened the rope to the beam and spun it around their foot to give them a foothold whilst hanging in the air.

“Can’t hear anyone.” Sheso whispered. “No one inside.”

“Kal said it was for only broken slaves, before they get rid of them. If they’re in a cell that’s probably enough. Where could they even go?”

“It has been enough.” Sheso drew her dagger. “Until now.”

Sheso began to pry the wooden slats free, Calo held them as they came free. Once enough had been removed the two slipped inside. Not a sound emanated from their thickly padded feet. They could not see or hear anyone inside. There was nothing along the corridor they found themselves in. No rooms or ornaments of any kind.

“More windows.” Sheso pointed to the top of the far walls. Small windows sporadically dotted the wall. “At least we know they’re cells… What’s that smell?”

The two pulled the masks down and sniffed. The air held a faint aroma of something simultaneously sickly and sweet. The second breath was more than enough for Sheso. She’d smelt every day in the Green Moon Fortress.

“Death.”

Sheso was not sure who spoke, or if they both did.

Slowly they skulked along the corridor, Sheso drew small markings on the wall to guide them back in case they had to flee. Something their father had repeatedly told them after he’d nearly become lost infiltrating a mansion. He knew he'd just have been killed there. Neither wanted to discover what happened to interloping Dark Elves.

At the end of the corridor they found their first Seocurian guard. He was a portly younger man, with less armour than the patrolling Seocurian guards in the city but more than most. A tremendous yawn escaped his lips, head arched back before slapping down, wiping away spittle with the back of his hand.

“He’ll be a good start.” Sheso murmured. Calo agreed. “Do we really care if a slaver dies?”

“No. They would have sold us if we came to them for help.” Calo chuckled once. “I kinda’ like a lot of the Beast-kin too.”

The two hugged the walls as the Seocurian guard continued to stare blankly at the wall. Calo raised her closed fist. Behind him was a corridor, leading to the cells, but Sheso saw no one.

“Hey.” Sheso whispered.

The guard snapped his head towards Sheso, utterly confused by the disembodied voice. He did not even try to draw his weapon as were less than a foot away. Both drew their blades, still invisible, and plunged them deep into the man’s thighs. He let out a single cry before Sheso threw and wrapped her cloak around his head and pulled down hard. Striking the floor was enough to silence him, though he quickly began to whimper and try to stem the blood.

“Don’t move or talk unless we say so.” Sheso ripped her blade free. The blood coated floated with the knife. She pressed it against his throat. The man whimpered and closed his eyes.

Just like that woman…

“Lucia.” Calo twisted her blade with a sickening squelching noise. “Where is she?”

“You’ll-”

Sheso punched his face. Her hand screamed in pain but the message went through.

“Where?"

“Ground level.” He gritted his teeth as Calo twisted the blade once again. “Cell seventeen.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

I wish we could do that Truth Prayer thing that Anton and Kal can do. Would make everything a lot easier.

“I’m not.” The man whimpered. “Please. Just let me go. I… I haven’t done anything-”

Sheso struck him again, this time in the mouth. It was not enough to break his teeth but blood began to flow along the grooves. “These cells. How are they opened?”

“You need keys.”

“And do you have them?” Calo began to search through the man’s clothes. She quickly held up a small ring of jingling metal keys. “Guess these are those, right?”

Calo dangled them in front of his face, to which he gave a weak nod.

“Good. Now, these cells?” Sheso pushed the blade harder against his throat when he glared at her. “On this level. How many Beast-kin are up here?”

“Twelve. No idea what’s happening to them, since they’ve failed their training. Probably to be killed or sold off to some sick-”

“I don’t want to hear why.”

Calo walked to the nearest cell, she quickly found the right key and pulled the door open. She recoiled, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. Sheso didn’t need to ask when a swarm of flies burst out and collided with her nearly invisible form.

“Get up.” Sheso nearly pulled him up by the knife. “You can stay in there until we’re done.”

As he began to stand upright Sheso pulled him back down so her blade would still reach. Neither she nor Calo were particularly short but they weren’t that tall either, especially compared to Anton and Cetina. Average height, even for a Human.

I wonder if there’s magic to make us taller? Tall shoes would just make us fall over, like a lot of women I remember watching.

Sheso led the Seocurian Guard to the cell door, and gagged once again. Inside lay three Beast-kin, dead and starting to rot. The white fur of two Canine and one Turtle lay in the corner. Judging by the skin hanging onto their bones they had starved to death, though they had not resorted to eating one another.

“You’re fine with this?” Sheso fought to control her anger. “Leaving them in there? They can’t work if they’re dead!”

“I just do what I’m told.” The guard whimpered. “I don’t decide which one of these things gets fed or-”

Sheso had heard enough. She kicked the back of his knee while cutting his throat. A spurt of blood coated the interior of the cell as he slumped down. Sheso gave him another kick in the back and he completely fell in. Blood began to leak from his wounds, quickly reaching the feet of the Beast-kin and being absorbed by their fur. Calo waited until she stepped back, closed and locked the door.

“He’d have screamed to alert the others.” Calo said. “And we don’t have the poisons…”

Calo trailed off. The practical reasons were obvious, but Sheso just wanted to kill him.

“Is that the first person that I’ve killed?”

“What?” Calo attached the key ring to her belt. It remained visible so she tucked it against her skin.

“We’ve killed lots of Goblins, but when we’ve been with Anton we haven’t killed anyone. Not even that piece of shit guy in Frindal. What was his name?”

“Don’t remember.” Calo began to walk away. "But it's your first. Right?"

Even without looking Sheso knew what expression she held.

"This is hardly the time for your fantasies."

"Mine? You were the one getting all hot and bothered thinking Anton and Temur were humping. That you had to come to me so you could get it out-"

"First time for me, wasn't it?"

Calo chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so." She placed an invisible hand on Sheso’s shoulder. "Guess I've got to catch up or I'll never hear the end of it tonight."

The two continued their descent. Every level had two or three guards, wearing the same armour as the other and just as distracted and disinterested in their work. They decided to only interrogate one before killing and dumping him. The rest they simply killed. It was a strange feeling to kill someone with just a slash to the throat while being completely invisible. Like it was just cutting meat. The slaver guards had no idea what was coming, nor could they ever lock eyes with them as they fell and died. That alone made it so much easier to take their lives.

At the bottom level they dispatched the last guard and barricaded the only door with his corpse, wedging an armour shard underneath.

“Said it was the third door.” Sheso spun the latest ring of keys. Each level had its own set, why she didn’t know. Or care to know. “For cell seventeen. Any thoughts on getting her out if she can't move?”

"If she's able to move we might be able to pull her up." Calo shrugged as she walked towards the cell. "I don't really want to. It's a long way up, and if the hook doesn't latch on properly again… I don't think Anton's going to have much of us to work with."

"Definitely crawling then." Sheso said softly. "Get Anton to cut a hole in the wall with that Longinious after causing a ruckus."

"So long as she's alive." Calo clicked her tongue. "Not too many of those in here."

A few floors above Calo had decided to check the cells. Rescuing Lucia was their top priority but every rescued Beastkin was a bonus. Not to mention they would work extremely hard for Atros. Those thoughts were quickly dashed. Most of the Beastkin they found were either dead, or certainly wished they were. One shark Beast-kin had a rotting and bloated arm, yet he, or she, still lived. Barely. Calo asked if they wanted to go and received a weak nod. She exited with a bloodied blade and no desire to enter another.

"No. We can only hope."

Cell seventeen was unremarkable, like everything else in the building, with only a roughly hewn stone marker inserted into the centre of the door. Calo took a deep breath and turned the key. Inside lay a single Feline Beastkin huddled in the corner, with nothing to her hut and skinny, dirty white coated dotted with large brown patches. Dried blood had formed on her back along with deep scratch marks.

Rasha said the Purple Shade did things to your thoughts. Terrible things. Just like what you'd do for another does.

"Lucia." Calo whispered.

The Beast-kin’s normal length tail, Sheso quickly discovered that Kal's was an extreme example, twitched. Her head twitched as her body twisted and contorted, trying to get as far away as possible.

"I'll do whatever you want." The Beast-kin whimpered. "You can hit me, strangle me… I just want some more. My… My head feels like it's about to split open."

The whimpering demeanor immediately vanished. With predictable catlike reflexes she twisted to face them, thin limbs and wickedly sharp claws gripping onto the wood. Mostly. Some of her claws had been ripped out.

"You promised me when I let you…" Her eyes widened and her stance softened. "What?"

"Are you Lucia?" Calo asked. Sheso heard Calo draw her blade, only then did she realise she had already drawn her own.

"Am… What?" Her eyes were darting between them, they could make out the shimmer but didn't understand what they were.

"Are you Lucia?" Sheso asked.

"They…"

A smile crept over her face, one that Sheso didn't like. It was one worn by the crazed, like when they couldn't stand the hunger in the Green Moon Fortress and tried to eat one another or run towards the attacking Goblin hordes.

"They call me lots of things. Lucia is one of them." Lucia still didn't understand what she was looking at. "And who… Is it true? You're really them? You've come to save us?"

Neither Calo nor Sheso responded immediately. Regardless, Lucia began to crawl forward, trails of bloodied drool running down the corner of her mouth and absorbed by her dirty white fur.

"My… He said there was someone coming. Someone that I knew, from long ago." Lucia stopped halfway across the cell. "Are you… Ghosts? That must be it-"

"We are here to rescue you." Sheso said. "Do you remember a Half-Breed Beast-kin called Kal?"

The moment Lucia heard her name her entire body went rigid. She even stopped breathing, and Sheso was certain her heart momentarily stopped. Tears welled in her eyes as her body crumpled to the floor.

"She's dead?" Lucia whimpered, one clawed hand gripped her forehead, the other into her leg deep enough to draw blood. Her body began to twist back into its formerly huddled shape. "Oh Kal… I'm so sorry. Marion… She did her best. I did my best to keep you safe, even lying about breaking Rafiki's vase, but it wasn't-"

"She's alive."

Sheso winced at how loud she spoke. It cut Lucia out of her twisting, but she didn't return to normal. She simply looked at them with dead, tears-stained eyes.

"She's not dead." Sheso knelt down to one knee, keeping the invisible blade tight in her hand. "She's alive. So is Marion… Um. So is Eider, Ulyaa and Irso. Even Rasha."

Lucia's eyes narrowed to slits. "She hatted Rasha."

"They've… Reconciled their past and get along well now too."

I've heard that it's Kal that commands Rasha in bed…

"And she's sent us to get you."

Lucia remained distrustful, a reasonable reaction.

"We're Dark Elves." Calo began. "We're not spirits or ghosts. And we're not Seocurian."

Calo removed her hood. The moment her dark skin emerged Lucia recoiled, fear, terror and anger flowed through her body. Calo pulled her ear out and wiggled it up and down. Lucia’s anger vanished, her brows furrowed deeply.

"I… I've seen people like you before." Lucia swallowed hard, the lump on her throat pushed hard against her skin. “Yes. Yes, I remember now. It’s hazy, but I remember you.”

Lucia’s eyes scrunched tight, wincing as she hit her head with the palm of her head. “They sold for a lot. I remember them crying… So much crying. So much…”

Very few Dark Elves left The Shadow Isles. They’re probably one of ours. I wonder if Anton could see about buying them back? If Kal spoke true about the price of one of us, we’d need to steal a hell of a lot of gold.

“I… Yes.” Calo smiled. “Now, we need to go. Right now. I’m sure there are going to be guards coming-”

“How have they not found you?”

“We’re invisible.” Sheso pulled down her hood and waved an invisible hand in front of her face. Lucia quickly understood.

For someone they said was crazed on Purple Shade she’s quite… Well, she’s thinking straight. Maybe she’s been weaned off by how little she was able to get from the guards?

“So we need to go.” Calo ushered her closer. “How strong are you? Do you think you’re able to climb up a rope?”

“Not without my son!” Lucia nearly lunged at them, only stopping when her arms crumpled and her head struck the floor. Sheso knew she couldn’t possibly make the climb, even climbing down. “He was the one that said people would come and rescue us. And I won’t leave without him.”

The crazed eyes returned, along with the thumping of her head. “My lovely little boy. So kind and bright. He… He said that something good would happen. He screamed last night. Said there was something trying to burst through his back… To think he meant that Kal was still alive…”

Lucia began to mutter to herself. Calo’s invisible hand groped for Sheso’s arm.

“Anton said that someone in Seocuria was going to get a new Glyph. Didn’t think it would be Lucia’s kid.”

Sheso glumly nodded. “The Gods work in strange ways. The Dusk Reavers bringing Anton and inadvertently saving us? Anyway… Lucia? What’s your son’s name? And where is he?”

“Please tell us he’s in this building.” Calo quietly muttered.

“Yes! Yes he’s here.” Lucia pulled herself up on shaky legs. “On the second level, if he’s still there. Lux… His name is Lux.”

“Lux.” Sheso exited the cell and cut the cloth free from the nearest dead Seocurian guard. It would be bloodied and rough but it was better than being naked. “Do we still have those keys? I don’t have one for that level, I think.”

“Let me check.” Calo began to pull out the chains of keys. “I’m pretty sure I have those.”

The bloodied pieces of metal became visible as they exited Calo’s clothes. Lucia looked increasingly worried, she understood just how they’d acquired them.

“Here.” Calo held up the key. “We’ll have to open all the cells. Um…” She glanced at Lucia. “What do we do with the Beast-kin that aren’t Lux? They can’t-”

“Can’t you take them with you too?” Lucia gingerly took the cloak, picked at the sticky blood and wrapped it around her shoulders. "If… If you could take me, and my son, surely you can take some more?"

Sheso shared a glance with her sister.

"We were only expecting to get you out." Calo spoke softly. "Another small Beast-kin, I'm assuming that he's not that old?"

“Lux is fourteen cycles.” Lucia faintly smiled. “Almost an adult… Oh Gods.” Lucia whimpered. “He’s old enough for them to do what they did to me… To him.” One of her hands scratched her naked breast, Sheso only then noticed her nipples looked like they had been damaged and healed poorly. “They’ll…”

“That’s not going to happen.” Calo gently placed a hand on Lucia’s shoulder. Immediately she recoiled from the touch, even wincing along with her tail darting between her legs and ears pulling down. “We’re going to get him. And then you can show him to Kal and everyone else.”

“I…” Lucia barred her teeth. “Alright. They don’t want me anymore. So this isn’t a trick…”

“No.” Sheso pushed the door open and pointed to the dead Seocurian guard. Lucia had no reaction upon seeing the corpse. “Now come on, we don’t have a lot of time.”

—[]---

"She's alive?" Anton's voice echoed through Sheso’s skull. It was an odd feeling, one she knew she would rapidly become accustomed to. "That's fantastic to hear. I know that Kal will be delighted to hear that."

Sheso smiled and nodded. She pulled a face, realising that Anton had no way of seeing her expression. Calo, a few paces ahead as they climbed the stairs to the second level, glanced back and smiled pitifully. She knew what she had done. Lucia, still wrapped on her stolen Seocurian clothes, struggled to make the climb. Calo had to hold her arm and almost pull the Beast-kin up. Raising her legs was quite the struggle. It was clearly impossible for her to make the climb in either direction.

“But there’s no way that we can get her back by going over the wall. She’s simply too weak. And… She has a child. Lux.”

“Well, that’s not too surprising.” Anton sounded rather grumpy. “Given the place… Are you going to get them?”

“We’re on the right floor.” Calo’s voice now entered Sheso’s mind. She glanced back and smirked. “But I doubt he can carry his mother, especially if he’s in this place.”

“Any chance you can cut a hole in the wall?” Sheso asked. “And very quietly too? We’ve created quite a mess here. Killed every Seocurian guard we could find…”

Calo looked back to her sister, Lucia stopped and was very confused.

“Wasn’t going to let them go after seeing what happened to them in here.”

There was a pause before Anton spoke again.

“We’ll get Longinious to cut a hole in the wall. You can crawl through. I take it Lucia’s not particularly chunky?”

“What?” Calo almost chuckled aloud. She scrunched her face tight when she remembered where exactly where they were. “No. She’s very thin. Can barely walk. She’ll need one of those healing prayers of yours. To say the least.”

“We’ve brought a few more of your Clan to Danafra. Just for support. Oh, and Mezot and Axia.”

Sheso was sure Anton was happy with himself, she could just see his smiling face.

“We’ll get as close as we can to the wall. Let us know when you’re ready. The city’s continuing to wake up and it won’t be long before there’s traffic everywhere. So please hurry.”

“Will do.”

“What’s happening?” Lucia’s clawed feet tapped nervously on the floor. “Is something wrong? Please… I just want my son to get out of here…”

Calo gently held her shoulder. “Everything’s fine.”

“Lux?” Lucia said loudly. Sheso was glad they’d already dealt with the Seocurian Guards. “Lux? Are you here? It’s mommy. Are you here?”

Sheso concentrated, the rest of the world drifted away, until she heard something. A faint voice from the far side of the building. It was a young boy’s, followed by a harsh cough.

“Lux!” Lucia broke free from Calo. Her run was little more than an enthusiastic shuffle but Sheso knew the desperation in her stride. “Lux! Don’t worry. Mommy’s coming for you!”

Sheso tapped her sisters’ side as they gave chase. “Do you think Lux will be like Kal? A Half-Breed?”

“I’m just more interested in whether or not she even wants the child.” Calo clicked her tongue. “Kal wasn’t wanted by Marion, yet she loves her all the same.” She nodded towards Lucia as she stepped around a Seocurian corpse without even looking. “I think she definitely wants this one.”

If that happened to me, could I ever love my child? I… I don’t know. Maybe? It’s not the child’s fault, but it would still be difficult.

Lucia ran, shuffled rather, past the corner and shouted again. This time Sheso could hear the voice without concentrating. Lucia tried to pull herself up and see through the narrow window.

“Lux? Are you there?”

“Mom?” The soft voice returned. “Is that you?”

“Yes. Yes it’s me. Just…” Lucia worryingly glanced at Calo and Sheso, both of whom only had a small portion of their faces free. “Remember what you told me last night? When your body hurt?”

“Yes. It… It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Lucia breathed much easier. She rested a hand on her chest, the other onto the door. “Well, my lovely Lux, it’s happening.”

“What?” The boy sounded very confused. “Mum. What are you saying?”

“It’s going to be alright now. Lux, everything’s going to be alright.”

“They aren’t going to take me away…”

“No sweety. Everything’s going to be alright.”

Lucia stepped away from the door. Calo murmured something and unlocked the door. Sheso heard clawed feet scraping against the wooden floor as Lux hurriedly stepped back. When the door swung open they were slightly surprised by Lux’s appearance. Whilst clearly a young male Feline Beast-kin, with the same coat as his mother, he lacked their long and pointed ears, instead they were extremely long, long enough to reach his shoulders. They were quite wide and covered in an exceptionally thin layer of fur. In some parts it was so thin it was possible to see the veins running underneath the skin.

At least they gave him pants… Where’s his tail?

Lux held his hands close to his chest. Unlike his mother they lacked claws, even though his feet had a wicked set that would rival even Anton’s new feet, and looked very, very soft. His grey eyes locked onto his mother and he lunged towards her. The two collided and spun, both pawing at one another while whimpering in near silence while tears flooded down their faces.

“We’ll ask Kal what he is.” Calo muttered to Sheso. “Never seen one with ears so long. Even more so than Rasha.”

“Yeah…”

Lux’s long ears jumped straight up. Both twisted to focus on where they stood. His eyes could see their floating faces, the shimmering body underneath, and he recoiled in fear. Without a word he spun Lucia behind him and held out his thin, trembling arms. Sheso noticed many small blood pock marks on his upper arm even through his white coat.

“Oh.” Lucia held Lux’s shoulder tight. “It’s okay, sweety. It’s okay. These are the people that you saw. They’ve come to save us.”

“They’re Seocurian-”

“Dark Elves.” Lucia’s words caused his ears to drop. Sheso noticed the muscles around the base of his ears were quite pronounced. “Dark Elves, not Seocurians. They’re here to save us.”

Calo and Sheso removed their hoods and showed off their ears. Lux gently ran a soft hand over his back. Lucia clicked her tongue and turned him around. A dark orange tattoo covered his back; at the centre lay a drawn bow with a large arrow, surrounded by a menagerie of animals that Sheso barely recognised. She did recognise a Panther, just like those the Dark Elves in The Shadow Isles.

Fliodher, Goddess of the Hunt. I wonder if we should have prayed to her first?

“My dream… It felt so real…" Lux began to cry. "She said that someone would come-"

Calo clapped her hands, the sound was muted. "Lux. Lucia. We're running out of time. The longer the sun stays in the sky the more Seocurian’s there'll be and the harder it'll be to get out."

"So we need to leave." Sheso ushered them out. "Now."

"Okay…" Lux glanced at his mother. "Where are we going? The pretty Human didn't say where."

"Let's just follow them." Lucia smiled, holding her son's shoulders tight.

Sheso quickly gathered another set of clothes from the dead Seocurian guard. Lux was far more worried about the blood than her mother was.

"And what about the other Beastkin on this floor?" Sheso asked. "Some might have heard…"

Calo pushed the Beastkin to her and peered into the neighbouring four cells. She shook her head as she returned.

"Remember that Shark-kin? Like that." She caught Lux’s attention as they began to descend. "How come you aren't like the others?"

"They… They only brought us here recently." Lux kept his voice soft. "Mum, I don't know. They gave me what they gave you and-"

"Don't talk about that." Lucia wrapped her arms around him. "I don't want to think about…"

Lucia began to scratch her arms enough to draw tiny droplets of blood.

Sheso took the lead and crossed the floor to the front, still wedged shut by the dead soldier. After pulling him free she pried the door open. Much to her relief the cobblestones were free of activity. Above on the city wall the guards continued to languish and act disinterested. Just what they needed.

"Anton? We're ready to go. What's the plan?"

"Look to the wall, near the bottom. You'll see us, we'll, you'll see Longinious. Crawl through the moment the stone's gone. There's a fair few people about now."

Sheso waved Calo forward to take her position while she slunk outside, keeping in the shade and darkness.

As she waited her heart began to race. This was always the worst part of any mission. The waiting. It was something that Leran and Cagec had drilled into their collective heads. The knowledge, the dread, that at any moment a guard could walk around the corner, that someone above would spot the shimmering invisibility and raise the alarm. Sheso took slow, deliberate breaths to calm herself but it was only partially successful.

“Come on…”

After a dozen more tense breaths she saw a purple light emerge a foot from the base. The light effortlessly cut through the stone and some began to topple free.

“Calo. They’re doing it now. Bring them over.”

Lucia and Lux emerged, hidden underneath their heavy clothes, and dashed towards the wall, pushed forward by a shimmering figure. Calo and Sheso pushed them to hide in the shadow of the wall. The patrolling guards were still unaware of what was happening beneath them.

“Don’t touch it.” Sheso pulled Lux’s hand away as the purple energy field neared.

The stone fell away and the butt of a white spear pushed some stones free, followed by a flurry of hands pulling them through.

“You think you can make it?” A familiar voice asked. It wasn’t one of the people they arrived in Danafra with. “It’s not that wide.”

“Sounds like one of our Clan.” Calo muttered to her sister. She knelt down and clicked her tongue. “Should be.”

“Are we supposed to crawl through that?” Lucia asked, holding her son closer.

“I’m sure you’ve been through a lot worse.” Sheso pushed her closer. “A better life just through that hole. And Kal.”

“I… Right. Come on, Lux.”

The two Beast-kin crawled through. When they were through, Calo ushered Sheso to make the crawl. It was a very tight fit, Sheso knew she wasn’t fat in the slightest, but she felt the sharper edges tugging on the Shadow Hunter clothes.

Please don’t rip. Can Tethra’s magic even fix something like this?

When Sheso emerged hands flailed at the air and pulled her out. She was greeted with shade, and Anton and Verona’s smiling faces, along with six Dark Elves mulling about a large cart right next to the wall. Their clothes were of Seocurian design, except for the head-wrappings that covered their longer ears and perfectly straight hair.

“Did you leave those men wearing anything?” Sheso pointed to a few spattered blood stains on their collars. “Or are they naked in At… Home?”

“They’ll be fine.” Anton said. “And your Clan members are exceptionally good at their job.”

Anton motioned to the cart. “Only took them a minute and they’ve already captured a cart.”

The two Ix hauling the cart, large reptilian beasts of burden used on the mainland, were being fed by a Dark Elf and were loudly enjoying themselves.

A Dark Elf reached into the hole and pulled Calo through. The dust now covering her made her much easier to see.

“Huh. Hey.” Calo gave the Dark Elf’s hand a pat, to which he seemed to appreciate. “Cart? And the two?”

“Already hidden with the supplies.” Verona smiled. “Kal’s going to be ecstatic when she sees them. That tail of hers was about to rip through her clothes.”

“I… Shit.” Sheso pulled close to the cart. “Seocurian patrol.”

In the distance a group of six Seocurian soldiers made their way along the wide, empty street. Sheso felt Calo land next to her.

“Why… Why aren’t you hiding?”

“We’ve already got that sorted.” Verona waved her hand around Sheso’s head, smiling when she made contact. “These soldiers don’t want to help people like us.”

Two Dark Elves rolled two wooden wheels to the far side of the cart. Sheso glanced underneath, the far wheels were missing. They continued to fix the cart, the soldiers gave them a glance but otherwise ignored them.

Do they not care? There mustn’t have been any real fighting since Kal escaped. Never heard of any wars, either internally or with the others…

Anton waited until the Seocurian soldiers were out of earshot and the wheels had been fixed. He and Verona approached the rear and pulled back the heavy cloth covering the barrels and crates. Lucia and Lux huddled in the centre, totally bewildered by what was happening to them.

“You’re safe now. Just a little longer and you’ll get to see Kal, and everyone else.”

Lucia wanted to shout with joy but restrained herself. Lux was confused as to why a Graterian man was helping them, but was smart enough not to question it. Yet.

Anton motioned for them to enter the cart. “Just in case anyone’s watching.”

When Sheso and Calo had taken their seats Anton held their shoulders. “Thank you. I don’t think we’d have been able to do it so quietly.”

“There’s a whole bunch of dead Seocurians in there.” Calo said dryly.

“True. But it’ll take them a while to figure out what’s happened.” Behind Anton the Dark Elves were stuffing the hole with the stones. “Remind me to repay you two once we’re back home.”

Anton took a step then stopped. “Oh, and returning those clothes too. Can’t have you two running about in our home like that, now can we?”

Sheso knew Calo wanted to say something. Much to her surprise she refrained and slid down into the cart. Sheso did the same as the cloth was placed over them. With a slight jolt the cart began to rattle forward.

“Our first mission went quite well.” Sheso spoke softly, mainly to herself. “Not bad, don’t you think?”

“The first of many I hope.” Calo shuffled closer. In the dim light Sheso could see her hand outstretched. “Cetina’s going to be happy all that bloody training of hers has finally paid off.”

Sheso took her sister's hand into a tight embrace and pulled her close. She didn’t understand why but she began to laugh, softly of course, along with her sister, uncaring of the two Beast-kin watching in confused silence.