At Thom’s insistence, they took a carriage. He said they couldn’t walk to Imani’s estate; that wouldn’t be proper. All the nobles and dignitaries needed to arrive in their own carriage. Gromphy couldn’t find one to rent, so he bought one. Esther began to think he had a dragon’s treasure within his trunk. However, as they bounced down the road, the goblin himself was inside the magical chest. The box was secured as luggage to the back of the carriage while Esther and Thom rode inside. Their driver took no interest in the odd trio and only did his job.
Thom wore a black suit with a red shirt and golden bowtie to match the trimming on Esther’s dress. He couldn’t stop talking the entire trip. The experienced woman could tell he had just enough priestly training to be excited about the adventure they were about to embark on but not enough to feel the emotion that should be consuming him: terror. Esther hoped he would survive and that she wouldn’t regret bringing him.
A series of bridges crossed the bog as it spread out into a delta on its way south to the ocean. The carriage moved to the west and then south. The clouds above remained, even though they were outside Therasphue’s city limits. Esther imagined that Imani would need to ensure his guests’ safety if he was going to hold an all-day affair and clouds were necessary. She hoped they weren’t permanent. What fun would a coastal estate be if you never got to lay on the beach and enjoy the sun?
They moved at a good clip, and the ride took 20 minutes. Esther was glad they had taken a carriage. Imani’s property was visible from half a mile away. It wasn’t tall, the highest sections rising three stories, and it sat in a valley between two hills, a stream running past it and into the ocean. To the south, Esther could see the sunlit waves outside the ominous cloud covering. The home was built like a fortress, with thick stone walls, a large gate surrounding the land, and guards posted frequently. As they pulled up before the high-arched opening in the gate, Esther saw two imposing gargoyles flanking the entrance, and she didn’t doubt that if someone tried to sneak in, the creatures would come to life and attack.
Esther needed to present the two crystal invitations to let the carriage through. The guard cast a detection spell to ensure only two people were entering, and the driver was instructed not to leave the carriage for any reason. Gromphy remained undetected in his trunk.
Once they passed inspection, the carriage moved inside the grounds, and Esther saw another security checkpoint further on. First, the driver navigated their coach to a parking area where over two dozen other carriages sat. He dismounted, opened the door for the lady inside, and tipped his hat as his passengers stepped out. He pointed toward the second gate further ahead and returned to his driver's seat to wait it out.
Thom wasn’t talking now, and his eyes looked about all around him, taking everything in as Esther led him by the arm toward two more guards. These were mages, and they stood at attention before a smaller archway shrouded in evergreen hedges. The outer fence was twelve-foot iron spikes, likely enchanted against all entry attempts. This inner courtyard was only walled off by bushes, and one could sneak through.
Esther saw the guards casting spells as they approached, and she prepared for action if they might be rejected. She had adjusted her Quick Change settings to accessorize her weapons to this outfit, hoping she wouldn’t need them. Her right hand clutched at her left, where she wore a new ring Gromphy had given her. The goblin said it would help them locate each other later since they would be separated. She hoped the magical item wouldn’t set off any alarms.
Neither mage made any aggressive moves toward them but waited patiently for the couple to walk fifty feet to their post. “Food will be provided inside,” one of the mages said to Esther. They didn’t look at Thom directly; the youth was still rotating his head in all directions, taking in the statues, sculpted trees, and lights. “You did not need to bring your own,” the guard continued.
Esther didn’t know what he meant. “Good to know,” she replied, not wanting to sound stupid. “May we go in?”
“You need these,” the second man said, offering Esther two bracelets. “They will get you past any warded hallways, and the hounds will not track your scent.”
“Hounds?” Esther asked.
“For security,” one of them said. “You understand.”
Esther nodded. “Of course.” She put the magical device on and turned to her date to give him the other one.
The mages stepped to the side so the couple could enter the primary grounds. Esther nodded and dragged her ogling date forward. They were 100 feet from the main house, walking along a cobblestone path toward the corner of the building. It was turned at a 45-degree angle, so they had a clear view down two sides of the first floor. It rose almost a dozen feet off the ground, a wide stair climbing to a 50-foot patio where a few guests milled about. She noticed some of them gave her a look, but no one stared for long. With so many powerful characters in attendance, a living vampire and a human weren’t of much interest.
Esther could see the light pouring out of the primary audience hall behind as high arching-stained glass windows lined both sides of the building. None of the half dozen men and women outside gave Esther a second look as she and Thom walked past them and into the estate. The vampire escort wasn’t used to such nonchalant treatment. Usually, when she walked into a room, all eyes turned her way, and most men lost their train of thought.
The indifferent treatment continued as the two new guests entered Imani’s home. Over sixty people filled the room, and if they were supposed to be the most powerful people in the realms, it wasn’t at first apparent. They were mostly dressed in black with a few splashes of color in the form of bowties, ribbons, or sashes. Esther saw no scales, fangs, claws, snake-infested hair, or any other sign that monsters surrounded them. She saw long, shapely legs, strong muscles, dazzling jewelry, and plenty of cleavage. Esther needed to make a note to tell Gromphy that last part.
Music sounded through the hall from a few carefully positioned players. Esther was surprised to hear such perfect harmony from musicians scattered about but guessed a spell was probably at work. Potted plants, statues, and other artwork decorated the large room, with several chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Esther took careful note of a few gargoyles stationed strategically around the room.
Not everyone was dressed in black. The waitstaff wore almost nothing. The young women all had a red scarf over their chests, with an even smaller piece of fabric around their waist, hiding little. The young men only had the bottom half of the outfit. It reminded Esther of Drescher’s stronghold, the Lion’s Den. Only there, the patrons had been slapping, groping, and harassing the servers at every chance. Here, the guests gave the waitstaff room; they didn’t stare at their mostly naked bodies; and they politely thanked them for the offered drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Thomas had said his sister would be here.
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Not wanting to endure that awkward encounter, Esther remembered that she was also here for a reason and needed to find a way for Gromphy to sneak into this house. It didn’t seem possible, but she should at least look. She turned to Thom, whose jaw was almost on the floor, a little drool in the corner of his mouth. “Keep it together,” she whispered, leading him into the crowd. She plucked a couple of drinks off a tray and offered him one. “Blend in. Also, tell me who we are sharing this party with.”
Thom froze, not lifting a finger to take the glass Esther offered him. “Theresa?” he finally blabbered.
The young waitress from whom Esther had taken the drinks had already turned away from the pair, walking a route through the crowd as if scripted. Esther glanced down to see that her loin cloth did even less to hide her backside. Thom noticed too. “Theresa,” he repeated, “what are you wearing?”
The waitress had stopped when Thom had said her name the first time, and now she clicked out of her routine to turn and gape at her brother. “Thomas?” she hardly recognized him in a black suit. She had tried not to look any guests in the eyes since she had been told it would creep her out.
“What are you doing here?” they both said at once.
“You knew I was working here today!”
“You knew I wanted to come here!”
“Okay, okay,” Esther said, hushing them both. “You guys can talk about this tonight after you both get home safely,” she stressed the last word, and the two youths got the hint and lowered their voices. “Thom is with me,” Esther said to the girl. “We have a job to do, and so do you. Go.”
Theresa looked between Esther and Thom and nodded. She turned and disappeared into the crowd. The brother stared after her for a while, still in shock. Esther took his hand and forced the wine glass into it. “Drink this,” she said. “It will help.”
The young man downed the liquid in one gulp, the alcohol burning a track down his throat and yanking him out of his stupor. He shook his head and looked at the empty wine glass with respect. A male server swept past him and took the goblet before he could say anything.
“Good,” Esther said, sipping at her drink. “You found your sister. Do you know any of these other people?” As she led him through the crowd in the opposite direction, Thom kept his voice low and began pointing out people he recognized.
A renowned succubus clung to the arm of a mage specializing in targeted summoning. A werelion had two women with leopard print scarfs and tiny black dresses hanging on his every word as he told a story. A priestess who served a chaos demon was in discussion with a female druid with a spiderweb tattoo on her neck.
Esther was impressed at his knowledge. She only saw them as normal-looking people as they passed by. But she only half-paid attention as she looked around for a way to get Gromphy inside. The hounds would be an issue, but he would have to deal with that himself. Then there was the problem of moving about within the home. If only those wearing bracelets could enter certain doorways, Gromphy wouldn’t be able to explore much, even if she could get him in.
Esther saw a pair of women entering the banquet hall from her right and spotted a door swinging closed behind them. She led Thom in that direction. “Ah, I believe those are the Diwilight sisters,” he said when he saw the women. “Their father is an aasimar warrior for Delgran, I believe. I’ve heard they can each best any five men in combat.” Esther eyed up the sisters as they passed, noting they were shorter and slighter than she was. Also, their dresses were disheveled, and their hair wasn’t perfectly straight. She wasn’t impressed.
“I once took out six half-orc guards by myself,” Esther said.
“Really?” Thom replied, looking at her with new respect. “No wonder you got an invitation to this. How did you do it?”
Esther ignored him as she pushed through the double doors and found a hallway beyond. Her bracelet tingled as they moved through the passage, and she understood this was a restricted area. Doorways lined the corridor with stairs leading down at the far end. That was the best bet to get to the basement. Half a dozen rooms, three on each side, lay between them and the stairs. Esther poked her head into the first one to see what kind of entertainment Imani offered his guests. She gasped.
Eight naked men lay in a pile in the corner of the room as if they had been tossed there like dirty laundry. The chamber contained several chairs, ottomans, a wet bar, a wash basin, and the largest bed Esther had ever seen. A few of the men were regaining consciousness and moaning as they worked to untangle themselves.
“What in the realms . . .” Thom said, looking over her shoulder.
“You said those sisters could take on five men each?” Esther clarified. “Looks like four to me.” She didn’t linger and returned to the double doors leading to the hall. Thom stared another few seconds before one of the men saw him and asked for help. He closed the door and hurried after Esther.
The rouge examined the two doors and how they floated on double hinges so they could swing in either direction. While they were perfectly balanced and shut to within a quarter of an inch, they didn’t look very strong. With a sharp tug, she ripped a screw from the wall, and the left door hung imperceptibly crooked, so it didn’t close properly. Now when Esther moved through them, her bracelet no longer tingled. “They need to close completely to reset the ward,” she said to herself. “See, Jace, I can do it too.”
Thom walked up behind her, but she moved back into the banquet hall before he could ask her what she was doing. Esther walked to the nearest stained-glass window, which started a foot off the floor, but she knew it must be close to thirteen feet from the ground outside. Still, it was the best chance for Gromphy.
“Is this how you will get your goblin friend in?” Thom asked from behind her. He was so distracted by the scenery that he had forgotten why Esther was actually there.
“I hope so,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. Everyone was drinking and laughing. No one was looking at her. “You don’t suppose the window opens?”
“I doubt it,” Thom replied. “They are usually just for show. Be careful.”
Ester had pulled one of the diamond-handled daggers the gnomes had upgraded for her out of her inventory and was prying at the fitting between the lead casing of the window and the stone wall. She didn’t see a hinge for the window but thought a few of the panels were loose. If she could knock one out, it would fall to the ground outside quietly, resulting in a hole large enough for Gromphy to squeeze through. Just a little more . . .
The panel popped out, but she wasn’t ready for it, and the knife slipped out of her grasp and followed the piece of glass outside. All her momentum was leaning into the window, and her shoulder hit another higher panel, shattering it. It had been supporting a few others, and they fell out, crashing onto the stone windowsill like cymbals. It was like she had pulled a keystone out of an old brick arch, and pane after pane started falling, some hitting the ground outside, but most of them smashing to the floor at her feet.
The intricate pattern in the window prevented the entire thing from collapsing, as most of the glass was still supported by the few panels remaining at the bottom, but as Esther looked up, she saw that close to half the window was gone. It was a hole large enough for a troll to move through.
“Uh, Esther?” It was Thom.
She didn’t want to turn around. The sudden silence in the room after the shattering glass was deafening. She heard no music, and the thrum of conversation was gone. Eventually, she knew she had to look and turned around. No one was drinking and laughing, and everyone was looking at her. She smiled bashfully and waved.