Arc 6: Chapter 19: The Back Halls
Emma helped me get my armor back on, despite Lisette’s misgivings.
“You’re not fully recovered,” the cleric insisted. “You should rest. Let Emma and I—”
“I need you here to tend to Beatriz,” I told her. “We’ve lost enough tonight, and you’re hurt too.”
Lisette hit her head hard when Catrin knocked her out. She seemed stable, but I wasn’t going to take the chance of losing my entire command.
“Besides,” I added, “I’m not going to just sit around and wait for the sun to rise. I need to know what’s going on outside.”
We were on the tower’s main level. Emma stood by the door leading out to the bridge which linked the dungeon tower to the rest of the Fulgurkeep. She had one hand on the arm of the figure next to her. Still clad in a burgundy dress ruined by blood, Hyperia wore a bag over her head. She seemed complacent and hadn’t yet said a word, but we were watchful of her. Dyghouls sometimes never regained their full faculties, depending on how much damage was done to the ghost.
The bag deprived her senses, which I hoped would keep her confused and slow down the process. It wasn’t as good as a grave. I’d heard of some risen who took days to realize they were still trapped in their own corpse, even weeks, but doubted we’d be that lucky.
“So what is the plan?” Emma asked tartly.
“Make our way back to the court. If everyone is feasting and having a grand time, we’ll end up looking foolish and I’ll have to face the music for the princess’s death. If the castle is full of enemies, we cut our way through everything that looks at us funny until we reach the Emperor.”
Lisette looked startled. “Do you think the castle will be full of enemies?”
I considered it, feeling more sure of myself with every moment. “Vander was going to accuse the Vykes of sedition and murder in front of several hundred people, many of whom are members of the Ardent Round. In addition, Hyperia will have been missing for hours. Our original plan was to secure her cooperation and take her before the court, let her talk Calerus down before he did anything rash. It’s too late for that, now. There were also Mistwalkers lurking outside the city the other night.”