Chapter 6

“Really? Come on! I was looking forward to this banquet. I haven’t eaten since I got here and we spent all day getting my hair fixed and this dress fitted and now you want me to topple a monarchy?”

Sir Tanel struggled to close the door as Lilith began her tirade.

Wendel started laughing at Lilith’s retort. He knew it was a coping mechanism by now. “Oh ha ha. Come now Lilith I need you to be serious for a moment. For the second time today it seems we are in a bit of a rush. But for your sake I will try to explain. You see, we started finding bodies last year. They were devoid of all life, but had no injuries. When we took them to the temple of Lathander they could not be raised as their souls were in hell being consumed to fuel the eternal war. We kept finding bodies usually one or two a month in the same sad state but we couldn’t find the culprit through traditional means. We were thinking of hiring some professional demon hunters when the Duchess suggested we use devil pacts to ask for the answers. But the pacts failed twice.”

Lilith had a pretty good idea why the pacts failed but she held her tongue while Wendel continued.

“Finally a pact completed and Maldeval gave me an answer. He said ‘The killer you seek is the false Duchess who rules your town of Daggerford.’” Wendel said with a breath of embarrassment in his voice. “But it cost me a toe.”

“So this false Duchess has been feeding on this town for a year now. And this absolutely can’t wait till tomorrow?” Lilith asked while begging just a little.

“Well, as we discussed, we are pretty sure you will be here tomorrow but we aren’t 100%. So to be on the safe side tonight is the night.” He said in a hushed tone. “I have my guards in place, all you have to do is grab her and bring her to Wendel’s tower outside the keep to the north. There would also be a lot less violence if you could reveal her disguise at the same time. I wouldn’t want any honest guards to get caught up in our plan. We couldn’t tell all of them, Not without the Duchess catching on.”

“After you are introduced Celeste will go to the tower and begin casting a magic circle to imprison the succubus. So once the party starts you have about one hour to get her to the tower before the spell completes” Wendel explained.

Lilith looked around at how serious they both were and looked at Celeste’s face. Turning to look back at Wendel Lilith said. “I’ll do it but you still owe me a banquet because I am going to ruin the hell out of this one.” Lilith let a wry smile show on her face to indicate she was only half joking. “I have an idea though I need to try something.”

Lilith accessed her spell codex and looked at Misty step so she could see how it worked. It seemed to work with just a pointed finger and a thought. ‘Well that's easy enough’ Next she placed a hand on her demon plate armor and saw the magical runes for it show up in her codex in a separate folder from the spells. She accessed it and read off just the rune for her greaves. Lifting her dress she could clearly see the armored boots and greaves upon her feet. Her flats were nowhere to be seen. She let go of the armor but the icon with all the runes listed stayed in her codex as she was now wearing part of her armor. Lilith next tested out the runes for her gauntlets. They appeared without her having to touch the cuirass much to her surprise. With her experimenting over, she dismissed them making her look as if she was dressed for a party. She could still her the metallic sound of her greaves but she figured no one else would know what that meant.

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Live music was then heard playing from the grand hall in the Ducal residence. It seemed the party was getting started whether they were ready or not. “We had better get going” Sir Tanel said gently while turning back to the doors.

“Tanel, make sure to stand in the middle of the party where all your guards and guests can see you I have another trick up my sleeve.” Lilith said with a big smile on her face.

“But Lilith, you aren’t wearing any sleeves.” he said with a slight smirk before he exited the room after giving her a knowing look.

A moment later, Wendel and Celeste took their leave as well but left the door open for Lilith as she now sat in an empty room with nothing but her thoughts and a lot of weight on her un-sleeved shoulders.

After checking her dress and her hair for the last time, Lilith went to the entryway to stand in line with the other guests and wait for her name to be called. She could hear the metallic report of her armored boots as she walked but the music helped to hide that now that the band could be heard more clearly. It seemed even magical metal makes noise when walking.

After about 10 minutes she was announced. “The champion of Daggerford Lady Lilith of Avernus.” Lilith walked forward and proceeded as the steward directed her to sit opposite of the Duchess at the largest and longest table in the room. It was obviously the most prestigious seat in the house aside from the Duchess and her family who were sitting to her sides. The Duchess stood and greeted Lilith with a smile “Lady Morwen” she said while presenting her hand. Lilith took the hand and pretended to kiss the illusory signet ring on the lady’s hand. “It’s so good to finally meet you. I understand you set those orcs running with a single blow. That truly is a deed worth celebrating.”

Lilith wasn’t surprised that the noble woman was polite and kind. Instead she was surprised by the horns, tail, and bat like wings that were clearly visible behind the illusion the succubus was wearing. It sure was lucky that Wendel had warned her or else she might have declined to kiss her hand and left early. Lilith sat across from her with her back to most of the party, her sleeveless dress putting her slim and toned muscles on full display. “I am afraid that the orcs will be back before winter the rest of their army didn’t seem as well fed as the brute I killed.”

“Is that so” The Duchess replied wryly

“Yes and Wendel has my name now, so you can call me back any time you like, especially if you throw a party like this every time. It’s a good thing you didn’t drain him dry I bet his soul is just dripping with magic and regret.” Lilith said, letting on that she could see exactly who she was talking to and was more interested in being invited back to the next party.

“Well if they do return, I don’t think our army will have any trouble holding the walls, especially with you cutting down their ladders and working your magic with that wonderful sword.”

“I named it Ember.” Lilith said with a smile “And when the time comes for this town you just let me know.”

“Yes indeed but next time you visit I will have a new dress made for you. Something in black.” The succubus said with a raised eyebrow as if it had some other meaning that Lilith couldn’t understand. She was suddenly glad she had chosen the blue and white dress.

“But for the moment I am going to see if I can break a few hearts before I turn into a pumpkin” Lilith began to stand and bow to her hosts.

“Pumpkin?”

“Oh I am departing at midnight as you know”

“Yes and do talk to me again before you leave” the succubus asked and commanded at the same time.

Lilith bowed a second time and turned to go talk to some of the guests. She began working the crowd at first she spoke to some of the well dressed gentlemen and asked about what the town traded in. Next she began walking up to any of the town guards and telling them exactly what she could see and what they were planning to do. Most of the guards were not surprised but a few went over to Sir Tanel and whispered in his ear as if to tattle on the evil demon.

Much to their surprise Sir Tanel replied “It is true the Duchess is a demon and we have our own demon to help us arrest her tonight.”