Agernon opened the door almost instantly after Akna knocked. He ushered her inside. “Close the door. You didn’t lead them back here, did you?”

“Not purposely, but they’ve probably guessed where I’m going. It’s not like I go to many different places in this city.”

Agernon scowled. “You look like shit.”

Akna stumbled over to one of the chairs. “Yeah, well, it’s not like they just let me walk out, you know? Corvin!”

“Fair point.” Agernon hobbled towards her, his cane clacking.

“You heard?” She collapsed into the chair. Her muscles ached; her arm throbbed. She still couldn’t feel her feet.

“Not much. Only that there’s been some sort of coup at the palace.” He peered at her, his gaze moving from her arm to her feet.

“Lord Belone died last night. His son’s taken over and he’s let in some group of armoured warriors called the Red Knights or something like that.”

“Bloods,” Agernon sneered. “Felitïa’s told me of them. They’re the last thing we need right now.”

Corvinian ran into the room. “Akna! You’re okay! I was really worried.”

He rushed to her, but she waved him away. “Get my spears and knives. I’m going to need them.” She had made a point of leaving weapons here and at the Hall of Knowledge in case of emergency.

Agernon shook his head. “Forget the spears. Bring me boiled water—two bucket—and bandages. And a bottle of alcohol.”

“They’ll be here soon,” Akna said. “All I have is a sword I stole from a guard. If I’m to defend you, I need something better.”

“Don’t worry about that. We need to do something about your injuries. Corvinian, go!”

Corvin spun round. “Yes, sir!” He ran to the kitchen.

“I appreciate the concern, but it can wait.”

“No, it can’t. Your feet are frostbitten and you’ve obviously lost a lot of blood. That makes things worse for you feet. If you don’t want to lose them, let me do something. Give me that cloak.”

“But the guards.”

“I said not to worry about them!” He pulled at the cloak.

Akna groaned and untied it. She shifted in her chair so he could pull it out from behind her. “You’re sure?”

“Shush!” he snapped. “Lift your feet.”

She raised her legs and he laid the cloak on the floor under her feet. “Put them back.” He then wrapped the cloak around her feet. “That’s just a start while we wait for the water.”

Corvinian returned with a couple of buckets of steaming water. He placed them beside Agernon, then hurried off again.

Agernon only glanced at them. “Much too hot for your feet still. We need to raise their temperature gradually. We’ll start with your arm. As soon as I have those bandages, that is. Corvinian!”

“Coming!” Corvin rushed back into the room, hugging a bunch of cloth and bandages to his chest, and a bottle clutched in one hand. He dropped the cloth by Agernon and held on to the bottle.

The old man grabbed a cloth and dipped it in one of the buckets. He grimaced from the heat, but let the cloth soak a moment, then pulled it out and wrung it out. He began to wash her wound. As he cleaned the cloth out in the bucket, he spoke to Corvin. “Test the other bucket from time to time. Let me know as soon as it’s cool enough to put her feet in.”

Corvin nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Agernon finished cleaning the wound, and held out his hand to Corvin. “Bottle.” When Corvin held it out, the old man took it, opened it, and poured some of its contents over the gash in her arm. It stung like hell. He handed the bottle back to Corvin, and reached for a bandage.

Banging came from the front door. “Open up by the order of Lord Belone!”

Agernon scowled.

“I told you,” Akna hissed. “Corvin, go get—”

“No! I told you I’ll handle this.” Agernon handed the bandage to Corvin. “Bandage the wound. Make sure it’s tight.”

Corvin nodded.

More banging came from the door. “Open up, or we’ll break it down!”

Agernon rose to his feet. “I’m coming! Hold your horses! I’m an old man and can only move so fast!” He hobbled—even more slowly than typical—towards the door.

Corvin pulled the bandage tight. As soon as he tied it off, Akna tried to rise. Pins and needles shot through her lower legs and feet. She fell back onto the seat.

“Stay put,” Agernon hissed. He reached the door.

More bangs came from the door. “Open up, now!”

“All right, I’m here!” Agernon barked. “Before I open, tell me what this is about.”

“Order of Lord Belone! Open this door now, or we will break it down, and you will be arrested.”

Agernon placed a single finger on the door and traced a small spiral with it. He turned around and started walking away. “Very well. I’m opening the door now.” He banged his cane on the floor, and the door swung open on its own.

A Red Knight stepped into the house, and removed his helmet, revealing grey, thinning hair. His gaze fell on Akna just as the door slammed into him, knocking him aside. Other Knights at the door tried to block it, but it pushed itself closed again.

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The Knight—no, Blood; Akna liked that term—steadied himself against the wall. “How dare you! We represent—”

Agernon, moving much more quickly now, ran his finger along the mantel over the fireplace. The spills he kept in a vase there flew out and across the room. The Blood ducked aside, but several still hit him in the face, sticking in him like needles. He cried out.

Banging came from the door again—much heavier banging than before.

Agernon stopped at the far end of the fireplace and turned to face the Blood. “This is your one chance to turn around and fuck right off. Take it or face the consequences.”

The Blood pulled one of the spills from his face, grimacing. He pointed at Akna. “We represent your Lord. That woman is a wanted fugitive. We will take her by force if necessary. Submit now and you may be spared.”

“Be it on yourself. Corvinian, get out of here!” Agernon traced a pattern on the wall with his finger, and slammed his cane into the floor with his other hand.

Corvin jumped to his feet and ran to the kitchen. Akna started to rise, but the chair moved. She fell back into it as it slid across the floor to the kitchen entrance, where it stopped.

The Blood tore the remaining spills from his face, just as the other chair slid across the room and slammed into his legs. It pushed him back against the wall. “You’ll die for this!”

Agernon dashed over to the kitchen entrance. “Can you stand?”

There was a crash as the front door splintered.

Akna pulled herself to her feet. The pins and needles tore through her and she nearly fell over.

“Corvinian, help her!”

Corvin took her arm and let her lean against him.

The Blood continued to struggle against the chair, and the front door splintered more and burst open. More Bloods entered the house. The small pot in the fire pit, as well as the vase and everything else on the mantel shot across the room, clattering into them.

Corvin helped Akna into the kitchen. Agernon followed. Once he was past the chair, he slammed his cane into the floor again, and the chair shot back into the front room. There was a thud and a yell.

Agernon waved them to the back of the room. Another clack of his cane, and the door into the back opened in front of them.

“Wait a moment,” Akna said to Corvin as they passed through the door. “I need my spears and knives. “Get them. Please.”

Corvin looked past her to Agernon.

“It’s okay,” Agernon said. “Get them. We may end up needing them. The Staff too! They mustn’t get it. Be quick!”

Corvin helped Akna lean against the wall, and then hurried down the stairs.

The grey-haired Blood appeared at the kitchen doorway, sword drawn. “You’re all under arrest.”

Agernon traced a pattern on the kitchen wall. The Blood raised his arm in front of his face as knives and forks rose from the table and wall where they were hanging, and shot at him. Most bounced off the chain links of his armour, but one knife lodged into his bare hand. Another flew over his arm and sliced his ear.

“Gods damn you!” The Blood rushed forward, other Bloods appearing at the door behind him.

Everything else in the room not fixed down flew at the Bloods. The heavy cooking pot in the fireplace, the chairs, the teapot on the table, dishes, wooden spoons. They battered against the Bloods, most of whom started to back away. The cooking pot smashed the grey-haired one in the head and he fell over. Even the main table itself flipped onto its side and rammed into the Bloods, helping them in their retreat and pushing their unconscious leader with them.

Agernon chuckled. He raised his cane and pointed at the Bloods still fending off attack at the other side of the room. “You really think I wouldn’t have a place I’ve lived in for nearly fifty years defended? I’ll make you shit-heads pay!”

Corvin returned from downstairs with the Staff and two spears in one hand, and a pair of boots in his other. He held the boots out to her. “I thought you might need these.”

Akna took them. “Thank you. Help me put them on.” She’d forgotten Felitïa had gotten her an extra pair to keep here.

Corvin leaned the Staff and spears against the wall, and bent down.

It was getting easier to move on her feet. The pins and needles weren’t gone, but she was getting used to it. She even thought she could almost feel it as Corvin slipped the first boot onto her foot.

The Bloods had smashed through the big, wooden table, though the cooking pot was still giving them trouble. Two, their armour battered and capes torn, managed to slip past and into the kitchen.

Agernon lightly tapped his cane on the floor. One thing not fixed down remained in the kitchen—a ratty old rug made from the fur and hide of a bear. It rose up as the Bloods walked over it, wrapped around their legs, and pulled them down.

Corvin and Akna finished getting her boots on. She took the spears and Corvin took a pair of knives from his belt and held them out to her. She took one. “You keep the other. You might need it.”

Corvin nodded. He put it in his belt and took hold of the Staff.

Akna held out the knife to Agernon, who was still eyeing the remaining Bloods across the room. He shook his head. “I don’t need it. Let’s go.”

Akna nodded and tucked the knife into her belt.

Corvin opened the back door and they all hurried out. Akna and Corvin started down the alley, but stopped after a few feet when they realised Agernon wasn’t with them.

He was still at the back door. His head was bowed, and he was muttering something. When he raised his head, there were tears in his eyes. He traced a pattern on the outside wall beside the door, then turned and walked unsteadily towards Akna and Corvin.

Behind him, the house shook and rumbled. A moment later, the wall cracked and the roof sagged. Then, with a cacophonous crash, the whole house collapsed inwards. Akna couldn’t be sure, but the screams of the Bloods inside seemed just audible over it all. Not that she cared. They deserved it.

Agernon slumped over as he reached them. Corvin caught him before he fell.

Akna looked past him at the pile of rubble where his house used to be. “Sorry about your place.”

Agernon was breathing heavily, gasping for air. “My...my strength is gone. It’s...up to you, girl. Get us to the Hall...of Knowledge. Quick as you can. There’ll...be more soon...and we’re...we’re not dressed for this weather. Boy, support me.”

“You got it, sir,” Corvin said.

Agernon lowered his head as Corvinian put his arm around him. “Fifty years of my life, gone.”

The poor man. He didn’t deserve this. Akna straightened up and clutched the spears tightly in one hand. “Right. We’ll stick to the alleys as much as possible. We’ll move as fast as Agernon can manage, but no faster.”

One thing was clear to her. She was going to avenge Agernon for the loss of his home. She was going to avenge them all.

Danel Belone had to die, and she would be the one to kill him.