Far underground, beyond crags of broken bone and pits of rock, a small party of completely impartial judges convened to decide Nia’s fate.

“For causing such grave injury to her majesty, she deserves no less than death by a thousand rocks,” Grimli said, nodding to himself. “No, a hundred thousand rocks. No a hundred million thousand. And not rocks, but boulders, or maybe entire mountains—”

“The amount of rocks hardly matters. For destroying my Chickenductor, the only appropriate punishment is for her to rebuild it,” Viktor said, shuffling in front of Grimli and retaking the dim spotlight which shone through the cracked ceiling. “Rebuild it with handcuffs and feetcuffs. And blindfolded. With no instructions, and accompanied only by Grimli’s terrible singing, dawn ‘till dusk. Then, once that’s complete, off to the gallows.”

“I object very seriously to your insinuation that my voice is a punishment—”

From the back of the small cavernous room, Sumire elbowed past both of them.

“This is why no one puts you two in charge,” she interjected. “We hang her. Plain and simple.”

“No one is hanging, bouldering, or musically torturing anyone.”

The room quieted as Momo limped forward, stepping towards the center of the room, where Nia’s cage lay. It was an enclosure of impenetrable, magically-enhanced rock-steel. The woman on trial was binded to a chair, her hands and ankles restrained with mana-depleters.

Momo, balancing her weight on her crutches, leaned forward so her face was nearly pressed to the bars. It was there that she studied Nia; the woman’s gaze was pinned to the floor. Her body was sickly and thin, covered in tiny cuts, consequences of her connection with the Husk. She hadn’t said a single word since they dragged her down here, to Gorim’s former cell. The most impenetrable place in Morganium.

“Nia, what do you think your punishment should be?”

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For the first time, the assassin looked up. Her eyes were dead like carcasses.

She laughed dryly.

“Death seems straightforward enough.”

Momo rolled her eyes.

“Come on, you can do better than that. I doubt your sister would be happy to hear you took the easy way out.”

Her eyes seemed to brighten just a glint at the mention of her sister.

“Vivienne. What are you planning to do with her?”

Momo looked at her oddly.

“Do with her? I’m not Viv’s keeper. By her own accord, she’s decided that she’s going to co-lead the city rebuilding effort with Sumire. She has a wealth of experience leading cities—definitely more experience than me—so I’m in no position to say no. But I think she’s mainly doing it so she can visit with you. Actually, I don’t think that, I know that. She said it to me herself.”

Nia stared at her for a prolonged amount of time.

“That so?”

“Yep,” Momo nodded. “Swear it on Morgana.”

Nia hummed, fidgeting with her chains.

“Then, as long as you’re keeping Vivienne safe,” she thought aloud, “I don’t care what you do with me. My only request is that he”—she pointed to Grimli—“and his vocal chords stay as far away as humanly possible. Thank you.”

Grimli fumed. Momo laughed.

“Less ambitious than I’d like,” Momo said. “But better than wishing for suicide.”

Momo tapped her chin for several seconds in thought, then drew one of her rapiers from her hip. Nia’s eyes followed the tip of the blade nervously—and then, when it made no threatening turn towards her—with curiosity. It was obvious that she was impressed by it, in a morbid sort of way.

“Are you going to stab me?” she asked.

“Stab you?” Momo yelped. That certainly hadn’t been her intention. “What would give you that impression?”

“Well, you are pointing a big long sword at me.”

“I’m pointing it at you to make a point,” Momo grumbled. “Not to threaten you.”

“Aren’t those one and the same?”

Momo sighed.

“No,” she said. “The point is—I know what your punishment is going to be. I’ve known the whole time, I was just double checking that you weren’t going to keep singing Sera’s praises all night long. Then, regretfully, I would’ve had to turn you over to Viktor.”

It was unclear if Viktor’s proposal simply frightened Nia more than her love for Sera, or if her love had simply withered out in the Husk’s aftermath, but either way, the woman stayed stoically silent. That was good enough for Momo. Momo’s plan didn’t require undying loyalty, after all. It simply required expertise.

Expertise from the best assassin in Aloysius.

“You, Nia Nightsbane,” she said, taking a deep, uncertain breath in. “Are going to teach me how to use this thing.”