Rieren’s heart skipped a beat. All other noise in the area seemed to die down, as though the world itself could sense that she needed to listen close.

“What do you mean, Silomene?” Rieren asked. She had said deadly. That wasn’t good. “What is going on?”

Silomene needed another deep breath. It was as though every word was costing her a good deal of effort. “I need you to help me stop the murder of the Clanmistress.”

“Murder of who?”

“I know it sounds sudden and difficult to believe.” Her voice was hushed, likely to prevent Kalvia and her retainer from hearing them. Still, it was firm and insistent. “But please, believe me, the Clanmistress of the Stannerig clan is in grave danger. If we don’t do something to stop this, she could very well die. We can’t have that. Everything would collapse!”

Rieren swallowed. This was even more serious than she had at first thought. “Silomene, please calm down and start from the beginning. What do you know about this? How is the Clanmistress in danger? And when?”

Silomene did need a few moments to calm down. She closed her eyes and took some more long breaths, though those weren’t as heavy as before. When she looked at Rieren again, her agitation had been visibly reduced, much of it replaced by firm resolution.

“Lord Mercion, and perhaps a few others, had long suspected that the dissidents who had never approved of the two Archnoble clans’ union would eventually attempt something drastic,” she said. “The leader of the dissidents are the former Clanmasters. An hour ago, Lord Mercion discovered that his father, the former Ordorian Clanmaster, has decided to take matters into his own hand.”

“By murdering the current Clanmistress of the Stannerig clan?” Rieren asked.

“He certainly intends to confront her, and since it won’t do to have a protracted battle, it will likely be a surprise and potentially fatal blow. A quick assassination.”

“Mercion has gone to stop him, I imagine. But… you don’t think he will succeed.”

Of course, he wouldn’t. Mercion’s cultivation was severely lacking. He would never be able to stand against former Clanmasters who no doubt had to be several realms above him in strength.

“He cannot,” Silomene confirmed. “He is attempting to confront and stop his father, but that isn’t the issue. The Stannerig Clanmaster will likely be the one who prevents him from interfering.”

“Ah, right. They are both in on this together.”

It seemed strange to Rieren. She had witnessed the Clanmaster cooperate docilely with his daughter. His mentality hadn’t seemed so extreme that he could contemplate allowing his own child to be murdered. Had it all just been an act?

Had Gorint Malloh’s initial intent of killing the old Clanmaster off been justified?

“Has Mercion not told the current Clanmaster?” Rieren asked.

Silomene winced a little and shook her head. “If he learned of it, things would boil over even worse.”

“His wife, who he seems to love dearly and not just as part of a political marriage, is about to be murdered. Surely, he needs to be informed that she is in mortal peril.”

“Exactly, Rieren. Think what he will do if he finds his most precious thing lost forever.”

Rieren swallowed. Silomene was right. From their brief meeting, Merolk had shown not only that he loved his spouse a great deal, he was also stubborn and heavy-handed. If he learned that someone was threatening the love of his life, he would abandon his current duties and seek to eradicate the threat.

The sort of eradication that held the potential of tearing the clans apart. And that too at a time when they really couldn’t afford it.

For the dissidents who opposed the clans’ union were clearly a strong group. If the very former Clanmasters were their leaders, then they held sizable power and influence. Rieren could easily imagine their reaction upon learning the current Clanmaster had killed their leaders. They would pay no attention to his reasoning and exact their own brutal retribution.

Things would devolve into chaos and throw the whole Shatterlands into mortal danger. The monsters would roll in, taking over everything to turn the whole region into their devastated new home, much as they had done with the Pyrelands.

“And you came to me,” Rieren said faintly.

This time, Silomene hung her head. “I apologize profusely. I have been thinking for almost an hour, and I couldn’t find anyone else to—”

“No, you misunderstand me. I am glad you came to me, glad to know that I have your trust. Monkey’s balls, you should have come to me faster. You can take me downslope quickly on the lizard, yes?”

Silomene’s eyes were shining. She hastily wiped at them with the overlong sleeve of her robes, then shot to her feet. “Yes!” Her voice quavered a little, but less with anxiety this time and more with relief. She hurried over to the Spirit Beast and started tugging on its leash to bring it around. “El, it’s time to get going. Come on.”

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

As the large lizard was brought to face her, Rieren looked past it to where Kalvia and her retainer were watching proceedings with avid interest. Hmm…

“Silomene,” Rieren said. “Wait a moment. I need to say goodbye. I shan’t be long.”

Her friend pressed her lips together and nodded. She wasn’t exactly happy to see Rieren go, but she said nothing. Rieren was already doing her a great favour.

“What is happening?” Kalvia asked. She shot a sideways glance at Astern. “Do I need to tell him to shove off the mountainside?”

“I can shove off mountainsides quite easily, if need be,” Astern said. “’Tis no trouble at all.”

Rieren ignored him. “The Shatterlands are turning more tense. Greatly so.”

As quickly as she could, Rieren explained the situation to Kalvia. Her eyes had gone wide by the time Rieren’s tale ended and Astern had stiffened as well.

“I am telling you this so you can make a more informed decision.” It was Rieren’s turn to cast a sidelong glance at Kalvia’s retainer. “I understand this makes the Shatterlands worse in his eyes, but at the same time, this region will need all the help it can get, now more than ever. Take that into consideration.”

“What are you going to do?” Kalvia asked.

“Stop this stupid assassination plot.”

If there were more questions from Kalvia, they had no time to discuss them. Rieren left her and her retainer, then rushed over to Silomene, who was already astride El. Accepting her friend’s proffered hand, Rieren climbed onto the Spirit Beast’s back, which then flapped its mighty wings and took off.

The biting wind whistled past Rieren’s ears. She unwittingly lowered her head a little so that her face was a little shaded behind Silomene’s back.

“I’m sorry I didn’t try to contact you sooner,” Silomene said. “I should have done it so much earlier.”

“You came in time, hopefully. The Stannerig clan’s estate is not far from here. We will get there soon.”

“No, I meant after the incident with the Avatar.” She turned back a little, enough for Rieren to see the remorse etched on her face. “I wasn’t sure where you’d gone, though I knew you weren’t dead. The rumours helped with hope. But I didn’t even try to find you or contact you. Not that I knew how or where…”

Rieren patted Silomene’s back. “The fault lies with me as well. I did not bother sending you any messages, even though you were the only one who stood up for me.”

“Then we both have some forgiving to do, it seems.”

“Well, I will go first this time. I understand I did not make it easier to find me at all. For that, I apologize.”

“I thought we were exchanging forgiveness, not apologizes.” Silomene laughed a little. “But I also want to thank you properly for agreeing to come with me.”

“You are welcome.”

The gratitude was obvious in her voice. Gratitude, and relief. Rieren could understand.

“Maybe you are,” Silomene said. “But you should know the truth that I… I really don’t have anyone who I could have confided the matter in. And I do not trust myself to be able to deal with it in an effective manner. If I did, I would no doubt fail, and my family would be free to finally discard me.”

Rieren frowned. “Nonsense. They need their scion alive and happy to take over the clan.”

Silomene’s next laugh was mirthless. “They only truly care for my survival so long as I serve the clan’s purposes. They hold some distant hope that I can possibly seduce Lord Mercion and become his bride, and once I birth a whelp, I can be safely forgotten so that my child can grow and take the reins of the clan.”

Rieren stayed silent. She had been right in assuming that if Silomene got directly involved with this debacle, she would likely be the first to fall when the dust settled. That was, if Rieren didn’t step forward.

But more importantly, she hadn’t thought that Silomene had been wrestling with such matters. She knew that certain powerful clan leaders made terrible parents. But Silomene had turned out so bubbly, so hopeful and kind and positive… Rieren grimaced. The fact that she was so good despite her clan’s influence only made her climb higher in Rieren’s esteem.

Their flight was short. The Stannerig clan’s grounds were indeed quite close to the Enlightenment Locale, especially when travelling upon the back of a flying lizard.

“Stay back for now,” Rieren said as she climbed off the giant lizard’s back.

“No, I can’t remain here.” Silomene tied the Spirit Beast’s reins to the gate at the back. “I am coming with you.”

“Suit yourself then, but you must do as I say, understand?”

If they were counting just the years of this timeline, Silomene was the older one here. Rieren ought to maintain the order of respect and defer to her as the elder. However, Rieren was certainly older if both timelines were combined and she wasn’t one to put much in the way of senseless societal customs.

Silomene nodded. “Let’s go.”

They entered the estate proper from the rear, making sure they made as little sound as possible and channelled no Essence whatsoever. Everything was dark and silent. It was impossible to tell if they had arrived on time or if they were too late to save the Clanmistress.

Only time would tell.

Now that it had been well over a week since Rieren had last been in the compound’s main building, she didn’t perfectly recall which direction she was supposed to go. Besides, she hadn’t exactly been taken to the Clanmistress’s personal quarters last time she had been here. Her bedroom would likely be her assassin’s target, and Rieren didn’t know the way there.

It was a good thing Silomene had accompanied her. Through the narrow, dark corridors, the other woman guided her unerringly towards their destination.

Rieren’s senses were on overdrive. Her hearing was trying to pick up every little thing her mind could latch on, and every hair on her body was standing up as though they were feelers trying to detect the world around her.

She reached out a hand to stop Silomene as they looked like they were going to arrive at their specific destination soon. Then she leaned in close to speak as quietly as possible right into Silomene’s ear.

“You need to stay back,” Rieren whispered. “I do not think the perpetrators are here yet. As such, I will prepare a trap for them. And unless things get dire, you must not interfere. Is that understood?”

Silomene looked questioningly at her, but when the resolution on Rieren’s face didn’t change, she merely nodded. Then she stepped back, slowly retreating the way she had come. It was a little cruel to dismiss her so, but Rieren didn’t need distractions for what was to come next.

Everything had to be just right.

The Clanmistress’s bedchamber was just a few steps away. As Rieren approached, she summoned her Domain, though she exerted her will to keep it low and placid. Storminess wouldn’t do now. Quiet was key.

Rieren would either approach the ones she meant to stop, or as was more likely, she would arrive before them, in which case, she would need to prepare a trap.

Reaching the door, she took a deep breath, turned the handle, and went in.