Before I take a single step, a green blur flashes past me. In less than a blink, Kierra has Talia in her arms, holding her tightly but gently. Watching Kierra gently stroke her hair and Talia melt against her, all the horrible feelings that have been weighing on my shoulders disappear. When Alana steps over and grabs my hand, I feel good for the first time since our flower was taken.

It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. We fixed it. I fixed it.

And nothing like this is ever going to happen again.

“Lou.”

Yulia’s probing tone attached to my name jolts me out of the moment, reminding me that our saga within this city isn’t over. It also draws my attention to the other people in the room. Thankfully, my future sister-in-law doesn’t look overly bothered being ignored. The others, on the other hand, are incredibly nervous. I can smell the fear wafting from the corner of the room they’re huddled in. Three of them, hunters based off their reactions. The question is, what are enemies doing in our safe room?

“I—"

“Who are they?” I interrupt, waving a hand in the strangers’ direction. The simple gesture makes them flinch. They’re doing a fantastic job of convincing me they aren’t threats, which is rapidly improving their odds of surviving.

“They were in the building where I was held and helped me escape,” the snow bunny quickly explains. “I promised them that they wouldn’t face repercussions.”

I see. They betrayed their people to save their skins. Is it something I respect? No, but I will uphold Yulia’s promise. It’d be shameful to return goodwill with death and it could serve me well to have a reputation that encourages others to work for me. Mercy is beyond me, at least for a while until I can learn to balance it with excessive violence, but rewarding good behavior should be fine.

“Well, what are you people waiting for? The fighting’s over, the city’s safe…relatively. Get out of here.”

The hunters look at each other, having a quiet conversation. Before they can come to a conclusion, Yulia raises a palm toward them but addresses her words to me. “A moment, Lou. I was thinking that they could assist us.”

“Oh?” My tone suggests how much I doubt it.

“Yes. The fighting may be done but the city is still dangerous, the future uncertain. It may have taken them a little push, but they did the right thing. I think that deserves to be rewarded.”

“Are their lives not reward enough?” Kierra growls, never taking her eyes off Talia.

“…in the coming days, weeks, even months, the city is going to look for someone to show them the way forward. We can show them retribution…or we can show them mercy.”

“No. More. Mercy.” Each word is bitten off, the last said with so much heat, the snow bunny can’t hold my gaze. “…but you have a point. Someone has to decide what happens next. Which reminds me. Geneva?”

The succubus casually leaning against a wall walks over to me, tail slowly waving through the air. “Yes, Lou?”

“Drag the Teppins home. We need to talk.”

“As you wish.”

As the door closes behind her, I turn to the hunters. “She thinks you can help me. Do you?”

It takes them a moment to realize that I’m talking to them, but when they do, a younger man, only a few years older than me I suspect, practically swallows his tongue in his haste to answer. “Yes! Uh, my lady! Whatever you need. Right?” The other two, an older man and a young woman, both nod enthusiastically.

“Whatever I need, huh.” I move past Yulia and stand before them, looking them up and down. Relying on and trusting my senses.

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The younger man that was so quick to talk is the calmest of them. He’s afraid, a little, but his expression is exaggerated and that hurried tone of his was faked. His heartbeat is slow and steady, his brown eyes calm. This bastard is weighing the odds, isn’t he?

The older man isn’t nearly as composed. Oh, he’s not quaking in his admittedly nice boots and his expression is rather composed, but the fear coming off him is real. The real tell is his gaze. It bounces around the room, particularly between Kierra and me. This is a man keenly aware of the danger we represent.

The woman is unquestionably the most afraid. Her lips are trembling, her eyes are flighty, and the fear coming off her is so strong it’s offensive. Ugh. Why am I bothering with this? I don’t even want to be around these three, let alone find some way to use them. The younger man can’t even be trusted, I’d bet my last crown on it.

But I suppose this is the least I can do for Yulia, given what she’s endured. Sigh. At least I can push them onto her. Originally, we were going to send the snow bunny home as soon as possible but with all the danger gone, there’s no need to hurry. As Alana said, let her bounce around a bit, show her face and be fawned over. Then we’ll send her home with a couple of wagons full of goodies and let her loving husband hug away the whole horrible experience.

“Alright, fine. I assume if you were smart enough to free Yulia then you told your families to get out of the city?”

The younger man grimaces but it feels faked again. Is he searching for sympathy? The other two nod. “Get out of here, make sure they’re okay. Tomorrow evening, I expect to see you at the Teppin estate.” I look back and forth between them as they just gape at me. “Well? What are you people still doing here? Go!”

They scurry out of the room like rats fleeing a housecat. I scoff when the door slams shut behind them. “What is it you think they can help us with?”

“Organizing the hunters. Splintering what remains of them before they can re-organize. Putting them to work to finish up the March quickly.”

“You think you can get them to do that? They’re not dogs, easily tamed with a few treats. And they’re going to be angry. Those three came to their senses and managed to save themselves some hurt but a whole lot more didn’t. They’re not going to be in the mood to listen.” It’d be the smart thing, but if this mess has taught me anything, it’s that intelligence loses to greed.

“Not treats, Lou. Fear. They’re beaten dogs. I was on the street during your…demonstration. The hunters aren’t loyal or trustworthy by any measure, but they are done fighting, at least in the short term. You can trust that.”

Trust they know what’s good for them? Hah. “It doesn’t matter. You can be the face of this thing, but Geneva’s going to be running it.” Let someone else worry about a succubus pulling their strings. “Don’t look at me like that. You just said it yourself, they can’t be trusted. You can make suggestions, but she will make sure the caravan stays on the road and isn’t attacked by monsters, so to speak.” My eyes narrow as I see her dissatisfaction. “Don’t argue.”

“…very well. This is your city now, Lady Tome.” Her tone is a mix of amusement, sarcasm, frustration, and, most importantly, respect. “We shall do things as you say.”

“Good. We can discuss it more back at the estate. You all can head back first while I go get the kids. But first.” I move over to the two women who haven’t let go of each other this whole time and clear my throat. Kierra gives me a side-eye. I flash my best pout and she relents, chuckling softly as she releases Talia from her arms.

Those damn hunters. They didn’t mistreat her, but her disheveled appearance and her bloodshot eyes show that captivity wasn’t good for our special mistress. Don’t those bastards understand that a flower wilts if it isn’t cared for properly? It must have been hard for her.

Yet, her demeanor is impeccable. She immediately moves into my arms as I raise them, pressing against me and laying her head on my shoulder. I know she isn’t scared but I still rub her back soothingly. “You okay?”

“Perfectly fine.”

“Yeah? They didn’t hurt you? Didn’t scare you?”

She lets out a breath of air, which is as close as she comes to chuckling unless she’s faking it. “My interrogator rightly assumed that pain wouldn’t motivate me. As for fear, there was nothing to be afraid of.”

“Nothing, huh?”

“I was an asset whose value was tied to my life. They would not kill me. So long as they didn’t kill me, you would find me and make me whole. There was nothing to fear.”

My heart swells at her words, one of my hands traveling into her hair that feels a bit greasy. She must be miserable in this state. A flower is meant to be pampered. Talia may be detached, but she is passionate about her self-image these days. It’s the only thing she is passionate about besides her magic and her role, which is tied to her pursuit of magic.

She follows my gentle tug and raises her head, slowly opening her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, staring into that exotic gaze. “This should never have happened.”

“I forgive you.”

Ah. How does she do it? Always knowing just what to say. I didn’t want to be told it wasn’t my fault. It was. “It won’t happen again.”

“Under these circumstances, no. And should it happen again, you will come for me again.”

I suppose I’m only one woman…being. But she trusts me. That I know from the easy conviction in her tone. Good enough. I pull her into a kiss, smiling as I do.