Vero dozed peacefully in the hazy afterglow of their love making. She was jostled back into mild wakefulness when Dora nestled herself closer, and laid her head across Vero’s shoulder. Vero tilted Dora’s chin upwards to kiss her once, and administered several more when she remembered how pleasant Dora’s soft lips felt against her own.

  “I did tell you to stay in Velois.”

  “I tried Virgil, I truly did! I know you’re very brave, but you must understand that I have only the frail heart of a woman. And the heart of a woman in love is more frail than most. When you were gone perhaps a month, I began to suffer those terrible dreams. I saw you alone and in pain every night. It was so horrible I could no longer bear it. I knew I must find you again.”

  “Fool of a girl, I told you to remain in the south to keep you safe.”

  “But what does it gain me to preserve my own life, if I lose the one I love forever? I would rather to die by your side than live alone.”

  Vero was too much a student of human nature not to know that Dora could have recovered, and in time found another love. Never the less, the girl’s sentiment warmed her.

  She gave Dora a long kiss. “But how did you survive all this time?”

  “I worked out of the traveler’s inn where you left me for a time. The owner let me stay there in exchange for a portion of my profits. I think he was rather intimidated by my having arrived with a slayer, because he offered me a very fair deal with no grousing. And very lucky for me, as I had some fears at first that I might have to walk the streets. One can hardly make silver that way, and it’s much more dangerous besides. And that reminds me!”

  Dora stood up and went to the small storage chest in the room. She removed a fat purse, which jingled with coins when she moved it. Then returned to bed with it.

  “I’ve added to it since you gave it to me. See what a thrifty wife you’ve chosen?”

  Vero left most of her money with Dora before departing Velois, as she had not seen any sense in it being lost with her if she died somewhere in the mountains. She took the purse back from Dora and removed the coins one at a time to count them, laying them in geometric patterns across Dora’s body as she went.

  Dora continued her narrative, but with occasional breaks to titter with laughter when one of the coins tickled her. “Where was I? Ah! I was mostly hired by traveling merchants. Half of them claimed to miss their wives terribly, and half of them were very vocal at how glad they were to be at liberty from them. But both groups were equally eager enough to spend time with me, so far as I could tell.”

  Vero pondered which group was the most ignoble, while forming a circle of silver Velian crowns around Dora’s belly button. She admired the courageous honesty of the second group, but Vero could hardly pretend she did not know the urge to assuage earnest loneliness in the arms of whomever was close to hand.

  “Eventually I met one merchant named Josias. He claimed to come from Lusitan, but his skin was very dark like the people from across the sea. So, I suppose that he must have come from the very southern extremity, or that his family was transplanted from the Oasis Cities. He was fat and not very handsome, but he knew his business well, could read and write, and was also very kind to me. He led a large caravan taking spices and incense, among other things, into the north to trade for- whatever it is they trade here. Furs, mostly, from what I’ve seen.” Dora made no effort to hide her disdain for the region.

  “Hold still.” Vero balanced a pair of gold Republic Ducats over Dora’s chest, and constructed two towers there.

  Dora spoke carefully, so that her breathing did not overturn the coins. “It was only by good fortune that he mentioned he was coming here. By that time, my dreams had become terrible. Although my weakness shames me now, my emotions became too great to control, and I cried and blubbered to him as a child. Josias though, as I said, was very kind and comforted me until I regained some composure. He offered to let me join his caravan as his mistress until we reached Burgorod, and he even promised to do his utmost to help me find you before he departed back for the south.”

  “And did he keep his word?”

  “I am here, aren’t I? And haven’t I already told you he was very kind and helpful to me? You really are terribly suspicious of people, Virgil.”

  “It’s kept me alive, so far.”

  “Sometimes there’s much to be gained by trusting the good nature of others.”

  “And much to be lost.”

  “This circumstance was one of the former. I felt like a princess surrounded by so much luxury and protected by so many guards. I expect you took a more direct route, but the caravan had business to conduct other than my own. Eventually, we reached Burgorod and Josias asked the local merchants if a slayer had come to town recently. He found a peddler who claimed you sold him some used weapons and armor. I didn’t recognize the things, but he remembered that red hair of yours, so I was sure we must be close.”

  The gear she sold belonged to a robber knight and the band of brigands he led. They claimed Ramiro owed them money. When her attempts to negotiate broke down, she was forced to kill them.

  “From there, it wasn’t long until we found Ramiro, who told us about how you came here together, and that he was waiting for you to return. I didn’t believe him, at first, because I thought he was a terrible drunk and a liar.”

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  “He is.”

  Dora laughed for just a moment, before she upset the coins and sent them tumbling all over her. “Oh! I’m sorry, my love.”

  “Don’t trouble yourself, I still remember my count.” Vero began reversing the destruction.

  “But he showed me Papillon and brought me to the scholar, who still had the book Pentarch gave you that started this whole mess. I could think of no way to proceed further, and both Ramiro and Josias prevented me from attempting a climb into the mountains.”

  “Thank Luna’s grace for that.”

  “So, I decided to wait here with Ramiro for you to return. And now here you are, so I think the choice must have been a wise one.” Dora helped Vero reassemble the pattern.

  When they had finished, Vero started removing coins from the purse once again. “How long have you been here?”

  “It’s been two months, I think. Josias remained for the first month, but he needed to leave once his caravan finished its business. His wife and children back home miss him terribly when he’s away. I’ve stayed here about another month since.”

  The purse had run out of gold and silver. Vero upended the rest of the assorted copper coins and quarters over Dora. “And did you share the same arrangement with Ramiro that you kept with Josias?”

  “Virgil, you’re not becoming jealous, are you?”

  “No.” Vero considered it a statement of intent, rather than a truth or falsehood in the traditional sense.

  “We didn’t, actually. He’s made a couple of lewd suggestions, but he makes those to everyone. Even to other men, when he’s very deep in his cups. But he never tried to touch me once. Not even a pinch of my bottom, which I would become a rich woman by, if I could find a means to monetize them.”

  Dora had made no mention of the letters Vero left with Ramiro either. Vero suspected that Ramiro did have a bizarre scoundrel’s sense of honor. Except that it was so warped, one could hardly recognize what was forbidden and what was permitted.

  “What about Josias?”

  “What about him?”

  “Did he pinch you? How did he touch you? Was he very skilled in the arts of husbandry? Could he make your back arch in pleasure as I do?”

  Dora turned over and sent all the coins tumbling off. Vero had already counted them all; Dora had indeed added to the purse since she left it to her.

  She held Vero, and pressed the slayer to her chest. “No one makes me feel as you do, my heart.”

  Vero knew she was behaving like a child, but she still enjoyed Dora’s attempts to soothe her. Dora smoothed and untangled her hair.

  “He made love rather feebly, actually. He only made me shiver with delight twice. Once, after he offered me a place in his caravan. And once again, when we had arrived and I knew you were near. Both times, only because I thought of you.”

  They all met together again for supper in the common room. Dora sat close to Vero, and she kept an arm around the girl’s waist. Ramiro occupied himself trying to carouse with Conner. Isolde, Heward, and Pentarch kept gloomy expressions. Alexius meditated in the corner.

  “Now that Vero has decided to rejoin us,” Pentarch began. “We need to determine our next steps.”

  “I already know my own next step,” Isolde replied. “I was sent to evaluate the prospects for an alliance with your order. I’ve come to my conclusion. Now I wish to return to my colleagues.”

  “The Curia’s betrayal threatens us all, your lodge included,” Pentarch countered.

  “That’s true. But to be honest, from what I’ve seen so far, I’m not certain this company is the best equipped to deal with that threat.”

  “You’re not one of us. I have no right to order you to do anything.”

  “For my part,” said Heward. “I will stand beside the Lady Veronique, until the danger to her is passed.”

  Vero expected as much, but she felt some gratitude anyway. She had already explained all that transpired to them. Heward was very much of the opinion that, even if this present plot to use her as an instrument of their vile schemes was thwarted, the threat to her had not passed while the perpetrators and the hellmouth to the Fiend they served remained.

  It still follows you in your dreams.

  Pentarch nodded. “Your sword will serve us in good stead, brother. I also believe it would be dangerous to leave the priest behind.”

  “To say nothing of dishonorable,” Vero added. “He was maimed in aid of us. Whatever happens from here, his fate is tied to ours.” A cold breeze blew among their company, and Vero turned to see Elizaveta standing at the open doorway to the inn. “As, it seems, is hers.”

  Seeing her rich attire, the proprietor rushed to bid Elizaveta and her maids to enter, making no mention that they were out after curfew. They wordlessly joined their company. Vero suddenly felt self-conscious about how affectionate Dora was being.

  “My thanks, for your timely intervention in our escape,” Vero said, when the silence became grating.

  Manners overruling all else, Fra Heward rushed to add his own thanks.

  Finally, the mood relaxed enough for conversation to continue. It was decided that Isolde, Ramiro, and Dora would remain there for the time being, with Elizaveta’s maids and the blind priest. The rest of them would go to the storehouse where the other slayers were waiting for them. There they could plan what to do next.

  Dora was not pleased to be parted again so soon, but Vero told her to keep a firm eye on Isolde until they returned. Having a mission seemed to mollify her. After bidding farewell with a kiss, they left the inn.

  They managed to avoid the night watch and reached the storehouse. As expected, the others were already waiting for them, having their own supper. Inside the stores were endless crates of supplies; food, arms, and reagents. Vero filled her pack liberally, as they were never going to be returning. She then filled another for Dora.

  She's not going to like the weight of this.

  There were also a few cots, but most of them would be sleeping on the floor, it seemed. At least she could use Dora's room at the inn.

  Only two of the three watchmen stationed to guard the storehouse were there with them. Vero did not ask what happened to the third man.

  When they had made certain that they were not being overheard, Pentarch stood up in the middle of them. “First, there are matters of organization which I trust we are all in unanimous agreement on. The Curia have betrayed all principles, not only of the Order, but those of all natural or godly character entirely. There is no precedence for a crisis of this scale. I suggest that we vote on the matter of their expulsion in a general council of all slayers present, regardless of rank.”

  Everyone was in complete agreement, on both counts. Heward and Elizaveta respectfully stood aside until Order business had concluded.

  “Next order of business,” he continued. “Our master rolls now number only four, two of whom are not present. As this isn’t a sufficient quorum to grant ranks, I suggest the emergency promotion of Phillip, Michel, and Tobin to the rank of master slayer be submitted to a general council of all Order members present.”

  Again, there was unanimous consent.

  “Right.” There were no congratulations offered to the new masters, and Pentarch did not wait for them. “Does any master slayer present object to the immediate promotion of all current apprentices, including Veronique, to the rank of journeyman?”

  All master slayers voted in favor.

  Conner looked pleased. Vero hardly felt anything.

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