Chapter 16
Harald scrambled to his feet, and realized he felt guilty, like a child caught stealing sweets. The Handmaidens lay strewn about them, brutalized and crisscrossed with cuts where their heads or limbs weren’t completely missing. A dozen corpses, their blood black and glistening on the grass.
He’d done this, yes, and how he’d done it might be… questionable, but he’d defended his friends. Anna. Eadwolf.
Eadwolf!
“Nessa,” he said, “check the roof. Eadwolf is up there. Make sure he’s all right.”
Nessa was nothing if not quick. She gave a curt nod and jogged back into the manor.
Brianna was striding down the driveway, eyes wide as she took in the massacre, but it was obvious the threat was over. Wyrmfall turned dark, and she pressed it to her back where it adhered once more.
“An attack while you were gone,” said Harald. “I figure they tracked us from the cathedral. I felt like something was watching us, but never saw sign of them. They must have watched the manor, and when they saw you leave…”
Brianna wasn’t disgusted or shocked by the corpses. If anything, she was stern, focused, cataloging details as she approached. “I’m seeing bite marks, slashes made by talons.”
“Shadowpaw, my Servitor mastiff.”
Brianna slowed as she drew close to the manor entrance, still casting around. “These corpses…” She raised a brow and looked at him. “This was your doing?”
“It was.” Harald tried to neither stick out his chest defiantly nor sound apologetic. He managed instead to sound calm, composed. “Eadwolf gave me some pointers after our duel. And my powers found a strange synergy with the abyssal nature of the Handmaidens.”
“Strange synergy doesn’t explain this.” Brianna came to a stop at last before them, hands on her hips, then frowned and glanced at Harald and Sam. “But what matters is that you survived. Anna? Eadwolf?”
“Nessa is going up top right now to check on him. They incapacitated him moments before I fought them.”
Brianna looked up at the dark roof of the manor. “One moment.” She took one large step and then leaped with such strength that she simply vanished, became a fleeting shadow that arced up and crashed down upon the tiles above.
“Could have saved Nessa the trip,” murmured Sam.
“Live and learn.”
A moment later, Brianna dropped back down, Eadwolf in her arms. His head lolled, but he seemed otherwise unhurt. “They’ve done something to his mind. A curse, or enchantment.”
She laid him on the grass.
“Will he be all right?” asked Sam. “I can… here. Let me see if…” She closed her eyes, and then a flicker of blue spread over Eadwolf’s body, like ghostfire that passes over a ship’s rigging at night.
Eadwolf stirred, eyelids flickering, then abruptly sat up, hand darting to the sheathed knife at his belt.
“Easy,” said Brianna, voice warm with relief. “The fight’s over. Pity they caught you sleeping on the job.”
“Sleeping?” Eadwolf twisted about, taking in the corpses, then scrambled to his feet. “Trapped in a nightmare, more like. These… creatures’ idea of a seductive dream is revolting.”
“I’m glad you’re all right,” said Harald, wanting to step up and clasp arms with the older raider, but he felt constrained, self-conscious, so he held back.
Eadwolf glanced at Brianna. “The pup did this? Doesn’t look like your work.”
“Because the bodies aren’t strewn about several city blocks?” Brianna snorted. “Correct. But I think he’s graduated from ‘pup.’”
Eadwolf eyed Harald. “This is impressive work. These demons took me down without much difficulty. I didn’t even hear what they were whispering to me before I passed out.”
Harald shrugged one shoulder. “They tried the same on me. But my Crown kept their whispers at bay. And my Ego is ranked at 32. I think that helps.”
“Thirty-two?” Eadwolf’s eyes widened. “Your…?” He coughed abruptly into his fist. “That’s respectable.”
“Respectable?” Brianna grinned. “That’s inhuman.
And accounts for much of this. This kind of demon—Handmaidens, they call themselves—rely heavily on subterfuge, misdirection, and enchantment.
My Predator’s Clarity and Ironclad Resolve would have safeguarded me against their machinations, but even so… how did you defeat so many?”
“Aye,” said Eadwolf, running his fingers along his stubbled jaw. “A dozen demons should have been well beyond your ken.”
“Well, for one, I had help.” Harald turned slightly to indicate Sam. “She’s a Netherwarden Knight. Her powers are designed to counter demons. Her Starfire Bastion played a huge role in degrading their Abilities.”
“Well…” began Sam, clearly looking to protest.
“And Nessa’s martial Abilities also enhanced us. Her Will of the Blade and Harmonic Resonance kept us sharp.”
“But?” prompted Brianna, brow raised.
“But… I don’t know. My own powers were perfectly suited to taking them apart. Constitution of 37 made me pretty tough—”
Eadwolf spluttered. “Thirty-seven? You’ve a Constitution of 37?!”
“Pretty tough?” Brianna laughed. “No wonder. I bet you could take a direct swing from Wyrmfall if I didn’t waken her up.”
“Let’s not try it,” said Harald, raising both palms. “But yeah. That and… how to put it. My Well of Starless Dominion was draining them the whole time. And their demonic essence was just flooding into me. The more my Abyssal Imperium weakened and cut them, the more effective Well became, and we were able to last long enough that my draining power outpaced their ability to remain in the fight.”
“And you captured three of them as Servitors,” added Sam, tone uneasy.
Again Brianna re-appraised Harald. “You can make Servitors?”
Harald laughed weakly and scratched the back of his head. “Yes…”
“That, I’ve never heard of,” said Eadwolf, sounding almost angry. “Anyone? If you killed me, could you bind me into service?”
“No! Only dungeon monsters. Not real people.”
“And you have them now? These Handmaidens?” asked Brianna.
“I do.”
Her expression settled. “Then summon one. Let’s see what we can learn from it.”
Harald nodded, and reached into his Cosmos. Four presences were there, though three were clearly dark and intimately his own.
Darkness swirled by his side, and Elixethera appeared, drenched in darkness so that every surface was midnight black, her skin, her hair, her teeth when she smiled.
Eadwolf cursed and stepped back.
“Greetings, Master.” The Handmaiden’s voice was as before, rich and redolent with power and amusement. “Are we to kill these people?”
“No.” Harald studied the voluptuous demon with unease. “We’ve just got some questions. Answer everyone here as if I were asking.”
The Handmaiden canted her head to one side as she formed her lips into a petulant moue. “A pity. But very well.”
“Your name?” demanded Brianna.
“Elixethera.”
“Why did Eclavistra send you to Flutic?” demanded the Dragonslayer Knight.
“I don’t know.” The demon shrugged with fluid tranquility at the admission. “I have no memories of my past. Only the eternal and ever-present now.”
“They’re not like regular Servitors,” said Harald. “She’ll perish permanently when she’s destroyed, and… I guess she’s just a shadow of her former self. Do you remember anything from your previous life?”
The Handmaiden shook her head. “Nothing but veils of darkness. I know my name, my powers, and have my… appetites. But nothing remains from before. Only a ravenous desire to serve you, Master, in any way you desire.”
“Well, she’s clearly still a Handmaiden at heart,” said Brianna dryly.
Harald dismissed her, uncomfortable with the lascivious manner in which the demon was staring at him, and shuddered. “Too bad. Still, with these twelve dead, that means only eight remain.”
“Eight we can deal with ourselves,” said Brianna. “Or perhaps we should just send you to mop them up? I’ll catch up on some sleep while you’re gone.”
Nessa and Anna emerged onto the landing, Anna slowing as she took in the massacre, though she didn’t look horrified like she’d done that night outside of Gorkin’s estate. “It’s over?”
“Mostly,” said Brianna. “If I’d known Harald was this effective against the demons, I’d not have bothered visiting my old friends. Regardless, I broke off conversation when I felt this peril approaching. I was too late to be of help, but…” She grinned at Harald. “Turns out it wasn’t needed.”
“Harald, you’re all right? Sam?” Anna moved up to join them, and then exhaled when she saw them hale. “Thank the angels. What now?”
“Now?” Harald took a breath. “I think Brianna’s right. Together we can crush the remaining demons.”
“And the dwarves?” asked Nessa. “They’ll be put out if they march forth in all their best clothing and find the battle over.”
“You jest,” said Anna, “but you’re not wrong.
” She tapped her chin. “There’s room here to use the battle now in a different manner.
Before we were going to marshal the Houses to our cause.
Now we don’t need them. If we fight the remaining Handmaidens with the dwarves by our side, we’ll be making a powerful statement to all of Flutic.
As well as elevating the Deepforge dwarves as clear allies. ”
“What are you thinking?” asked Brianna. “A show of force to then negotiate from a position of strength?”
“Someone still has the Twilight Crown,” said Anna. “They know Vic’s coronation is a charade. But no one else does. If we defeat the Handmaidens and seize Vic’s fake crown, we’ll—”
They all turned as the sound of carriages came from the avenue outside. Four or five of them were rolling up, the hooves of their horses clattering on the cobbles, and in moments they came into view outside the gate.
Not hansom cabs, nor even private coaches.
Beautiful, ornate, official House coaches, and all painted in emerald green and bronze.
“House Veridian,” murmured Sam. “Lady Elara’s come to visit?”
“So it would seem,” said Brianna. “Let’s receive her here. This tableaux will be its own statement.”
Guards were leaping down from the carriages to open doors. Passengers were descending. An entire delegation had just arrived at Anna’s door.