Hives & Heroism

Benjamin Medrano

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Epilogue

Hives & Heroism by Benjamin Medrano

© 2020 Benjamin Medrano. All rights reserved.

Contact the author at BenjaminPMedrano@gmail.com

Visit the author’s website at benjaminmedrano.com

Sign up for the author’s mailing list at http://eepurl.com/cGPT-b

Cover Art by Domina Art

Editing by Picky Cat Proofreading

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For my beloved, and my friends.

Prologue

Hoofbeats sounded like thunder as the army approached, and Joy couldn’t keep her mouth from hanging open, staring at the sight in wonder. Hundreds of horses were approaching, half of them bearing armored riders; the pennants fluttered in the wind, the midday sun making them shine even more brightly, just as their armor shone. While Joy was confident that any hive could defend itself from them, the five hundred knights and their warhorses were intimidating, as were the adventurers that accompanied them. In particular, she could see several familiar figures among those approaching, most important of which was Guildmaster Silverhoof.

“You seem impressed,” Cora said, her voice just barely audible over the rumble, though she wasn’t talking too loudly. Most of the local adventurers were watching from Bearton’s walls, and Joy was happy she’d come out as well. Duke Dorma’s army was impressive, and Joy was delighted to see them, even if she wished they’d arrived the previous day.

“I am! I’ve seen horses before, but never that many of them!” Joy replied in excitement, bouncing in place as she asked, “Why do the knights all have two horses?”

“One’s a warhorse, and the other is a riding horse. Warhorses are powerful, but tire quickly, so knights tend to have two or more,” Brianna interjected, leaning on the battlements as she watched the army, pausing for several seconds before admitting, “The Duke has some good horses, I have to admit. My father probably would give his right arm for some of those.”

“What? They wouldn’t take an arm for a horse, would they?” Joy demanded in horror, blanching at the idea of someone doing so. It was just icky.

“No, of course not!” Brianna said, doing a double take as she looked at Joy in chagrin. “It’s just an expression, Joy, saying that someone would give almost anything for something.”

“Oh, good,” Joy said, a rush of relief flooding her. “I never know if you’re serious or not!”

“It’s good you ask, then,” Stella said, looking at the army as it approached slowly. “Still, that’s a lot of soldiers… I wonder why they didn’t send any of them back, once they heard that we’d retaken the town?”

“Simple ’nuff,” another adventurer standing nearby said, chewing on a piece of jerky, which made Joy even more grateful she was upwind of him. If she remembered right, the man’s name was Carl, and he’d talked about taking back his retirement the previous day. “The Guildmaster said that she got a messenger from ’im last night, and he’s got a plan to deal with the army ants quick. Don’t know what he’s got planned, but I’d love to kick the horrors out of our neck of the woods.”

“Oh, that’s good!” Joy said, perking up and grinning. “I know the hive would be happy, too!”

“I think it’d make everyone happy, Joy. Except maybe the ants, but fortunately they aren’t terribly intelligent,” Stella told her, shaking her head slowly.

Joy nodded vigorously, grinning. “True! But did you see? James, Jean, Eda, Helen, and Marilyn are with them! I wonder why they’re here?”

“Really?” Cora asked, standing up straighter and looking at the approaching army. “Where?”

“Right there!” Joy said, pointing unerringly at the distant adventurers, who were all in a group.

“Huh, you’re right,” Brianna said, shading her eyes. “I didn’t know they’d teamed up.”

“They’re probably here to help Silverhoof,” Cora said, tilting her head slightly. “Still, if they’re all together… I’m guessing that James lured them in. Poor girls.”

“Mother preserve them,” Stella agreed, prompting a soft giggle from Joy.

She knew why they were saying that, though. They’d mentioned that would-be heroes like James were dangerous for those around them. Still, she looked forward to seeing them again, since they’d been nice to her.

* * *

“Hello, Fayliss.”

The casual comment stopped Fayliss in her tracks as the goddess stiffened, then looked at the corner of the gardens in surprise. A pale-skinned elven goddess with blood-red hair stood there, swirling a glass of glowing blue liquid slowly as she looked out over the landscape in front of her. The goddess’s eyes were glowing blue, the same color as her drink, while she wore a flowing black dress, which matched her black lips. She was beautiful, in a forbidding sort of way, and the sight of her sent a surge of mixed feelings through Fayliss.

“Avelin,” Fayliss replied shortly, folding her arms as she asked, “What are you doing here?”

“What, do I not even deserve to be called sister anymore?” Avelin asked, looking away from the vista and at Fayliss, smiling slightly. “I didn’t realize I had lost that much of your esteem.”

“You called me by name first, so I thought it right to return the favor,” Fayliss replied, not moving any closer, nor looking away from her sister.

“Ah, true. I didn’t even think of that,” Avelin murmured, tilting her head as she considered, then laughed. “My apologies, sister. I didn’t mean to deepen the distance between us. As to what I’m doing here… aren’t the Gardens of Reflection open to all deities?”

“Yes… though you and the other gods of darkness don’t exactly visit often. It makes me wonder what your motive is, this time around,” Fayliss said, relaxing ever so slightly at Avelin’s response, and unfolded her arms as she slowly approached.

“So suspicious! For good reason, at least regarding the other dark gods,” Avelin replied, laughing brightly, her dark beauty even more vibrant as she grinned. “You know as well as I do that the only reason I’m a goddess of darkness is that it’s necessary. You don’t bless them, you can’t bless them, so someone had to do it.”

“Oh? Then why haven’t I seen you in centuries?” Fayliss asked, reaching the fence and leaning on it. “Ever since the dark elves were created, you’ve been keeping your distance, and it’s only grown worse over the passing years.”

“I know. I just… it’s hard to talk to you without giving things away,” Avelin said, pausing as the goddess’s eyes darkened a little, shaking her head. “I felt guilty about what happened to the dark elves. The destruction they caused… I had no hand in it, but it grieved me. I didn’t want to see the look in your eyes, and once I stopped meeting with you, it was easier to stay away.”

“Ah,” Fayliss said, her mood darkening as she thought back to the schism between the elves. It’d been a bloody affair, and one which had caused her to weep for a long time. It was only made worse by Avelin’s absence, but… she didn’t want to say that. There was no need to make Avelin feel even worse.

For a minute they stood there in companionable silence. The wind brushed their hair, and the birds filled the air with their songs. It was serene, just as it’d been designed to be. The sounds from the arena couldn’t reach here, to Fayliss’s relief.

“I’m concerned,” Avelin said at last, then took a sip from her glass.

“Oh?” Fayliss asked, looking at her sister again, surprised by the troubled look she saw on her face.

“Yes. The balance between our factions… it’s difficult. Yes, it is almost impossible for one side to win, but that’s merely almost. According to the accord, it’ll be another generation before a Dark Lord or Hero is born,” Avelin said, looking back at Fayliss.

“That’s right,” Fayliss confirmed, wondering where the other goddess was going with the discussion. The gods had deliberately worked out most of the rules to keep the conflict in the mortal world as balanced as they could, at least once they’d realized that once one side won, the universe would end. None of them wanted that.

“The problem is that some of it isn’t in our control. Take Alethus, for instance,” Avelin said, flicking a finger and bringing up an image of a handsome incubus in black armor riding through a mountain pass as an army moved behind him. “He’s ambitious, and what he has planned… if he succeeds at his venture, you know that he’ll usurp the mantle of the Dark Lord. He’ll have a full generation to prepare for the Hero, and that could be catastrophic.”

“True,” Fayliss agreed, wincing at the thought as she straightened again, considering Alethus sourly. “He’s also the type to try seducing heroes to his side at every opportunity, which is frustrating at times. I’ve lost a paladin and priestess to him already. The problem is that we can’t interfere too directly. There are rules that not even Yonra is willing to break.”

“He likes existing. Still… why don’t you seem that worried?” Avelin asked, looking at Fayliss speculatively.

“Because things like this have a tendency to work out for the best, most of the time. Especially when things have started falling into place,” Fayliss said, banishing the image of Alethus as she smiled. “Destiny is a funny thing, and I’m wondering if the apis’s creation was really as unexpected as we thought.”

“What? Why would the apis matter?” Avelin asked, looking at her in confusion. “They’re interesting, yes, but they don’t seem like they’d have much impact on things.”

Fayliss blinked, then a smile slowly grew on her face as she chuckled. After a moment she spoke gently. “Oh, sister… I think you need to take a closer look at things. Care to join me for some research?”

Avelin looked at her suspiciously, but then the goddess slowly nodded.

Chapter 1

“Hi!” Joy exclaimed, and the apis waved at her, her gaze not wavering from the flower she was collecting nectar from. It was a large blossom for the jungle, nearly a full foot across, but Joy felt a little pity for the apis who lived in the Teeming Jungle, as the flowers were nothing compared to those in the Flower Forest. She couldn’t imagine how many flowers they had to harvest from to fill their inventories.

“Hello, Joy! Just a second, I’ve almost got all the nectar…” the apis said, biting her lower lip as her wings buzzed behind her, keeping her stable in midair.

“Oh, don’t worry! I just need to talk to you, and maybe send a message,” Joy replied, her wings beating rapidly as she waited patiently. She suspected that the others weren’t nearly as patient as her, but they were on the ground nearly fifty feet below them.

“Ah! Well, I just… there it goes!” the apis said triumphantly, extracting a handful of gleaming nectar which she poured into her belt pouch, then turned. “Okay, done!”

“Right, so, help showed up from Duke… drat, I forgot his name! The duke of the nation near here, the one who’s like a queen,” Joy said, waving her hand to the north. “They have a bunch of people, and they want to fight the ants.”

“Oh, that’s really nice of them!” the worker said, smiling broadly. “The ants haven’t been quite as aggressive today, but that’s because they’re swarming the spot you cleared yesterday.”

Joy nodded vigorously, enthusiastic since she’d heard just enough from Silverhoof to know that the man had something planned to deal with the army ants. She didn’t know what it was, but she’d been asked to arrange a meeting with the Shadebough Hive, so that’s what she was doing.

“I’m glad they aren’t attacking much! Anyway, the leaders of the people want to meet with someone from the hive and ask some questions, maybe ask for help getting rid of them. They asked me to tell you,” Joy explained. “Could you let an attendant know that there’s going to be a group of us coming?”

“Sure!” the apis said, grinning broadly. “I was supposed to get some more nectar and pollen, but if it gets rid of the ants, that’s lots more important! See you!”

The apis darted off through the trees as Joy waved goodbye, then Joy descended toward the others, making sure not to approach too quickly. The others had horses, and the last time she’d approached too quickly, Cora had nearly been thrown as her mount panicked.

This time the horse merely snorted, its hooves clopping in the dirt a couple of times, but Cora kept the sable horse under control, patting the side of its neck as she spoke. “There, there, she’s not going to hurt you. Just stay calm.”

Brianna snickered, but looked at Joy curiously. “So, what’d she say?”

“The ants have been swarming where we fought, so they haven’t been attacked too much. Oh, and she’s going to let an attendant know that we’re coming,” Joy said, smiling broadly.

“Good! That means our part is about done. Not completely, but just about,” Brianna said, glancing at the others. “Think we should go back to the edge of the woods to guide them?”

“Probably. Based on what we’ve seen, I don’t think taking horses into the jungle is a good idea,” Stella said, looking around warily. “Maybe warhorses would be alright, but those leopards… I don’t want to lose them, since they loaned them to us.”

“Well, we’d best go, then! I smell something furry off that way,” Joy said, pointing to their left as she took another sniff, tilting her head as she considered the musk, then added, “Probably a leopard. Maybe.”

“In which case we’d best go. I might not be scared of fighting them when they don’t ambush us, but I’d rather not waste the time or energy on them when we don’t have to,” Cora said, looking in the direction distrustfully. Brianna nodded, turning her horse around, and Joy giggled, nodding firmly.

“Sure! I’ll keep watch from above. Assuming one doesn’t pounce out of a tree. I heard the workers say they can climb,” Joy said, glancing at the trees warily. The idea of the cats jumping out of trees didn’t make her happy.

“I’ve heard something like that before, but I’ve never seen it myself,” Brianna replied with a nod. “Still, once we’re with the others, I’m pretty sure the monsters will leave us alone. Most of them aren’t willing to attack large groups.”

Joy nodded and moved a little higher in the air while they started back the way they’d come. She kept a hand on her sword hilt, watching the shadows around them warily. The Teeming Jungle wasn’t the sort of forest she’d ever get used to, she decided, even if the Shadebough Hive liked it. It was just as well, as she didn’t want to live there.

For a minute the walk was peaceful enough, the horses occasionally snorting or making other, presumably horse-like noises. Joy had to assume that, since the others didn’t look at them oddly. Then she caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye.

“Kitty!” Joy exclaimed, drawing her sword almost instinctively.

A growl from behind her prompted Joy to swallow, briefly hesitating as she debated what to do. Then she saw Brianna and Cora spin to face the leopard behind her as the leopard pounced, only to get a faceful of Stella’s shield as the horses screamed.

“Joy, kill it!” Stella called out, pulling her mace out and hitting the leopard in the side as she dodged a swipe of its claws.

“Right!” Joy replied, darting downward, and behind her she saw an orb of lightning flash at the other leopard, just as Brianna swung her sword at the feline. It wasn’t going to last long, she suspected.

Her target recoiled, growling, but it looked up just a bit too late as Joy came down on its back, punching her sword through its back, which made its rear half go limp. Still, the cat let out a loud yowl, trying to turn toward her. At least until Stella brought her mace down on its head, silencing the cat forever.

“Yuck, that’s icky,” Joy said, her nose wrinkling at the smell, and she drew her rapier out of the body, relaxing a little as she saw that Brianna and Cora had dealt with their leopard as well. “You alright?”

Brianna grinned in return, wiping her sword off on the leopard as she spoke. “Not a scratch! It was so busy dodging lightning that it didn’t have time to dodge. You two?”

“My shield got dented, but that’s about it,” Stella replied, then paused and grimaced as she looked down. “Nevermind, it also tore my tunic. I guess I’m doing more mending tonight.”

“Ooh, can I help? That looks like fun!” Joy asked, her eyes lighting up, prompting a chuckle from Stella.

“Sure, if you really want to,” Stella replied with a slight grin.

“Let’s get going, before any more monsters show up,” Cora suggested, and Joy nodded.

“Sure!” she chirped, wiping off her rapier, then sheathing it again while the three calmed their horses.

In short order she was flying again, and they made their way to the edge of the jungle where the light was much brighter, then out into the broad, grassy field that separated it from the neighboring forest. When they did, Stella let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m so glad to get out of there,” the human announced, looking back at the jungle distrustfully. “While I’m usually okay in the dark, there’s something unsettling about the darkness of jungles. I can’t quite explain it; it’s just… it’s completely different than mines, or being under the open sky.”

“I think it’s that you know that you aren’t alone, and there are creatures that’d love to eat you. With a cave, you generally can see where the danger is coming from. You don’t necessarily have that with a jungle,” Cora said, dismounting and calming her horse again as Joy descended, setting down on the ground almost silently aside from her buzzing wings.

“Ooh, that’s what it is? I don’t like it in there much either, though the other apis seem like they don’t mind,” Joy said, grinning as the others dismounted as well. There was plenty of space around them, making it hard for anything to sneak up on them, though she was certain some creatures could use the long grass to their advantage. “I just thought it might be me, and—”

The buzzing sound near her ear snapped Joy’s attention away from the conversation, and she spun, her rapier clearing its sheath almost faster than she could think. It flashed through the air brightly and barely slowed as it cut into her target.

Two halves of the inch-long wasp fell to the ground with the softest of sounds, while Joy’s breathing came hard and fast. She glared down at the wasp venomously, then cleaned it off the rapier. She’d borrowed one from the Adventurer’s Guild while she made a new one, and something about the rapier felt wrong, somehow, but she was determined to return it in good condition. A moment later she spoke softly. “I hate wasps.”

“Um, I don’t really blame you… but do you really need to cut it apart for coming near you? That was tiny,” Brianna asked, looking at the wasp, then at Joy again, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “Though I have to say, that was a really good strike. Most people wouldn’t be able to hit an insect.”

“It doesn’t matter how small it is, it’s still a wasp,” Joy replied stubbornly, stepping on the still-wriggling insect firmly and grinding it into the dirt. “I might leave a spider alone, but a wasp? Never.”

“Remind me to steer you away from wasp nests,” Cora murmured, looking at Joy with a gentle smile.

“Okay!” Joy said, cheering up at the comment. Then she noticed that Stella was watching the forest, her head tilted. Joy listened, and thought she heard the sound of hoofbeats coming closer. “Oh, is that them?”

“Most likely. I’m not sure how many of them there are, but…” Stella began, and let her voice trail off as people came into sight.

There were a bunch of them, Joy noticed in surprise. More than she’d expected to see, truthfully, as both Silverhoof and Abigail led the group, closely followed by James and his friends. Behind them, though, were five soldiers in heavy metal armor, though the leader’s armor was gilded in gold, and a quartet that were evenly split between magi and priests. They were all riding horses save for Silverhoof, who broke into a trot as he spotted them.

“Ah, there you are! Did you send the message already? I thought we might be relying on Abigail to lead the way to the hive,” Silverhoof boomed, grinning down at them. The bronze-skinned centaur didn’t look much different to Joy than he had before, with a sable lower body and his dark hair still in braids, but the fine leather armor which covered most of his body, as well as the halberd stowed behind his back showed that he was ready for war. Which was good, with army ants involved.

“Yes!” Joy said enthusiastically, grinning broadly. “I found a worker, and she took the message to the hive. We thought we’d wait for you here, since the leopards wanted to eat the horses.”

“Ah, a reasonable concern. A worker, though? Will they listen to her?” Silverhoof asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as the others caught up.

“Definitely,” Brianna chimed in confidently. “The apis don’t seem to care about what role one of them has in the hive, at least when it comes to getting information. They’ll listen to her when she gets there. I wouldn’t be surprised if an attendant comes to meet us.”

Abigail nodded, the red-garbed blonde looking at Joy thoughtfully, but she spoke after a moment. “I agree with them, based on my interactions with the apis who helped us. The attendant was very straightforward about what she was allowed to do.”

“Hm. Well, then we’d best be moving,” Silverhoof said, looking ahead of them as he rubbed his chin, then glanced back at the ornately armored man. “Sir Wilbert? How would you like to handle this?”

“You’re the ones who’d be doing the difficult work, so I think you should take the lead,” the man replied in a voice so deep Joy thought it should shake the ground beneath them. He paused, then added, “I see what Abigail meant about the jungle, though. Let’s leave the horses here with some guards. Once we have a plan, we can worry about getting the warhorses to the ants.”

At his words, the other soldiers began dismounting, and a moment later James and the other adventurers followed suit, gathering their equipment as they did so. Joy found it fascinating how they had special sheaths for their staves and the like to keep them on hand. It was mostly interesting since she hadn’t had the chance to ride a horse yet. They got nervous around her, and she didn’t know how to ride them, anyway.

“As you wish,” Silverhoof said, glancing at the jungle again as he grimaced. “I hate going into places like this. Give me a nice open plain any day. Hills are nice, too.”

“We were just discussing how unpleasant that was ourselves,” Cora said, smiling marginally as she bowed her head. “Do you wish for us to lead the way?”

“Please,” Sir Wilbert replied, nodding to her as his gaze drifted over Joy and the others. “You’ve been to the hive before, and your assistance might be crucial.”

“Alright!” Joy chirped, bouncing on her toes as she grinned. “If it’s to get rid of the ants, I’m sure the hive will be happy to help!”

“If you say so,” Abigail replied, her eyes slightly narrowed. At her reaction Joy’s smile faded a little, as she wondered what she’d ever done to the Guildmaster to make her dislike her so much. Then she decided it really didn’t matter as Wilbert turned to the soldiers.

“You four, take care of the horses and keep an eye out for trouble,” he ordered, looking at them levelly.

“But sir, you’ll be on your own!” one of the men protested, glancing at the jungle nervously, only for Wilbert to laugh, a deep, booming sound that impressed Joy still more, and made her think better of him.

“On my own? I’ll have Abigail, Silverhoof, and ten adventurers with me. I’ll be fine,” Wilbert said, grinning at them.

“Well said! I wouldn’t mind going into the jungle on my own, though I prefer not blundering around aimlessly,” Silverhoof agreed, adjusting his halberd. “Ready to go, James?”

“Yes, Guildmaster,” James said, the blonde human grinning broadly as he nodded to Joy. “Hey, how’re you four doing? Maybe we can catch up on the way in.”

“I’m doing good! It’s nice to see you guys!” Joy said, smiling back at him and the others.

Abigail’s eyebrows rose as she looked between James and Joy, then asked, “You know one another?”

“Let’s discuss this on the way,” Silverhoof interjected, glancing at Abigail in amusement. “I’m sure that you’ll find the story interesting.”

Joy nodded and grinned. “Well, in that case, the hive is this way!”

She was practically skipping as they headed into the Teeming Jungle again. They’d met old friends, and they were going to be killing army ants. What could be better?

Chapter 2

“…then she just stabbed him in the eye, and got thrown across the cave. I thought she’d bring down the ceiling, she hit the wall so hard!” James explained, gesturing upward.

“I missed,” Joy corrected, flushing as she looked around nervously. “I didn’t hit his eye.”

“That doesn’t mean you didn’t get close,” Jean murmured, her hands on her daggers. The blonde had gotten nicer armor since the last time Joy had seen her: leather with a faint set of runes engraved into its surface and filled with some sort of blue metal. It made her harder to see, which Joy thought was an interesting effect. “The rest of us didn’t manage to scratch Alethus. You sent him running, after drawing him into the mink nest.”

“He didn’t know minks didn’t like the taste of apis. I didn’t know for sure, but they didn’t like bees, so I thought it was worth the risk,” Joy confessed, a little nervous due to all of the attention she was getting, with almost everyone looking at her. “He wouldn’t do it again! Well, I don’t think he would. He seemed smart.”

“It sounds like you did good work both times you ran into his plots, even if he succeeded at his main goal both times,” Wilbert murmured softly, looking at her in consideration. “When you’re up against someone as powerful as that, even surviving is a victory in itself. Managing to injure him was quite impressive, and if nothing else you’ve cost him over four hundred soldiers for a month, unless he’s willing to risk them dying permanently. I don’t think he is, from what I’ve heard of his reputation.”

Joy paused at a familiar scent, and started to the right, explaining. “Spider lair. Not sure if it’s alive or not.”

“Right,” Silverhoof said, following her and frowning. “I wouldn’t have noticed anything.”

“You didn’t fly right into a web in your first visit,” Cora interjected, looking at Joy in amusement. “She specifically asked how to spot the spiders after that.”

“That would do it,” Eda murmured, smiling slightly as she looked around. She hesitated, then admitted, “I’m surprised you can see anything here. It’s so dark…”

“You can get used to anything, given enough time,” Abigail said, her tone much friendlier as she spoke to the young woman. “As an adventurer, it’s vital. Though, truth be told, I didn’t adventure for that much longer than I’m sure you have. I was offered a position with the guild, and I took it. I’m thinking about getting back into adventuring, though… I didn’t like being captured.”

“Ack, not you too!” Silverhoof protested, his head whipping around to look at Abigail in betrayal. “You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve heard that from over the last few days!”

“May I ask why? Brianna asked, blinking at Abigail in confusion. “I mean… I’ve heard that you have a lot of benefits as a Guildmaster.”

“I do. You get access to additional training and equipment, and can order gear that’s higher level through the guild’s network, which is quite useful,” Abigail acknowledged, glancing at Wilbert, who looked more curious than anything else. After a few seconds she continued. “The thing is, I know that several people on Bearton’s guild staff took the positions because they were tired of risking their life all the time. I’m among those, and I settled into the position fairly easily. However, when someone attacks in the middle of the night, and they’re strong enough you couldn’t even really fight back… it’s one of those things that shakes you up. I suspect that a couple of them are going to retire to someplace farther from the front lines, and maybe even take up a job as a Farmer or craftsman of some type. Others are like me, and the attack served as motivation. If we’re going to be in danger either way, we’d rather get strong enough that we stand a fighting chance.”

Joy nodded vigorously as understanding washed over her, grinning as she spoke up. “I agree with that! Sure, I wouldn’t hesitate about sacrificing myself for the hive, but I’d rather fight and win. I think most apis feel the same way.”

“Mm… I don’t blame you. Either of you,” Wilbert said, frowning thoughtfully as he looked at Joy. “I’ll admit I’d prefer to have Abigail stay in her position, but it’s not my place to try to keep her in place if she doesn’t want to do the job.”

“Agreed. It’ll just leave a lot of holes in the guild to fill, and that means even more paperwork. I’d rather wear lead horseshoes,” Silverhoof groused, prompting a chorus of laughter from around them.

“Hopefully it won’t come to that. I…” Abigail began, only for her voice to trail off as she looked ahead of them and frowned. “What’s that light?”

Ahead of them the jungle wasn’t as dark, with lights visible, more of them than Joy had expected, and she blinked, tilting her head as she narrowed her eyes… then smiled. She could just barely make out the shape of the Shadebough Hive, but against it were hundreds of tiny dots of golden light, as well as the main entrance. She didn’t see much in the way of apis from this distance, but she could smell their pheromones on the wind.

“It’s the hive!” Joy exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together. “They have lots of lights on the outside, like little lanterns! I wonder why?”

“You’d have to ask them,” Cora said, smiling back at her. “Though I’m not looking forward to going inside.”

“Oh? Why’s that?” Silverhoof asked curiously.

“Everything is yellow, and rather brightly lit. I started getting headaches and had a hard time judging distances,” Cora explained, but Joy wasn’t paying much attention, instead watching in fascination as they drew closer to the hive, and she started seeing more details, and curiosity welled up inside her.

The exterior of the hive didn’t look much different than it had before, as she could tell that sections of the paper covering it had been removed to allow light from inside to radiate outward. Joy might not understand why, but it was pretty, and she liked the look of it. More surprising was what else she saw and smelled, though. There were thousands of apis outside the hive, more of them arriving with every passing moment. She had no idea why so many of them were assembling, either. It took the others a little longer to notice, but there was enough movement that almost anyone would notice eventually.

“Uh, are there supposed to be that many apis around the hive? It wasn’t attacked, was it?” James asked hesitantly, peering forward warily.

Stella paused, then glanced at Joy and shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. If that were the case, Joy would’ve smelled it and told us. After the greenhouse incident… well, you’ll know if the apis are upset, believe me.”

“Yup! I’m not sure what’s happening. There are a lot of them outside, but they don’t seem upset. Maybe… nervous?” Joy said, sniffing, then shrugged. “Not angry, though!”

“Well, I suppose we’re about to find out what’s going on,” Wilbert said, a hand resting on his sword hilt. That made Joy a little nervous, but not too much since there were enough apis ahead of them that he probably couldn’t do too much damage if he attacked them.

All around her, Joy saw the others tensing, all but Brianna, Cora, and Stella. And her, of course, but Joy didn’t mind, instead moving forward until the apis swirled, and an attendant stepped out of the crowd to meet them.

“Welcome to the Shadebough Hive. Hello, Joy, as well as to your companions,” the attendant said, nodding politely as she looked the others over with interest, pausing before she asked, “May I ask what the big one is? We’ve not seen his kind before. He is male, yes?”

“He’s a centaur!” Joy volunteered promptly. “He’s Guildmaster Silverhoof, and his hooves aren’t silver. They were just white when he was young.”

“Ah!” the attendant said, looking down at Silverhoof’s hooves closely before nodding in satisfaction, while Joy heard Marilyn make a soft, choking sound. “Having silver hooves would probably hurt.”

“Ah, might I ask who you are? Our company is made up of Guildmaster Abigail the Red, Sir Wilbert the Lion, and the adventurers Eda, Helen, James, Jean, and Marilyn,” Silverhoof said, pausing before adding. “Obviously, you’re already acquainted with Joy and her companions.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. However, I am one of the queen’s attendants, and this day I am tasked with defending the hive itself,” the attendant said, laying a hand on her chest and bowing slightly. After a moment she straightened and smiled at them, though there was a nervousness to her actions that puzzled Joy.

“You don’t have a name?” Wilbert asked, frowning slightly, and the attendant blinked at him, then laughed and shook her head.

“No, I do not. While I find the idea interesting, we have no need for them,” the attendant replied, smiling broadly at him. “We can tell each other apart by scent.”

“I only have a name because Brianna, Cora, and Stella wanted to give me one,” Joy volunteered, smiling broadly at Cora. “I like the name, but I don’t need it. I know who I am.”

“It helps us tell who you are, Joy,” Cora replied, shifting from one foot to the other. “While you may be able to tell each other apart easily, it isn’t quite as easy for us. Why—”

At that moment a stir rippled through the apis, and a faint scent caused Joy’s eyes to go wide, and she gasped as a tall figure stepped out of the hive entrance. The apis queen was taller than anyone else in the area, even taller than Silverhoof, but what startled Joy was that the queen was outside. She wasn’t in the safety of the hive, and suddenly the presence of so many apis made sense to her.

“Analyze,” Joy heard Abigail murmur, then the woman inhaled sharply and spoke. “Level thirty-six? How did she manage to reach that level here?”

“Ah, my queen has arrived to meet with you,” the attendant said, smiling broadly at them as she added, “Please don’t attack her. I would regret having to stab you. Really, I would.”

“We… didn’t intend for anything of the sort,” Silverhoof said, and paused before asking, “Is this normal?”

“No,” the apis replied, turning to lead them through the other apis, toward where Joy could see a pile of cushions had been set. The other apis weren’t silent, as they spoke among themselves quietly, but they were paying close attention to the group, even as the attendant explained. “Normally, you would not be allowed to meet with the queen, but we’ve been raising a replacement, so she can risk meeting with outsiders. Especially if you can help us get rid of the ants… then we might be able to raise two queens, and found another hive! That would be good.”

“Ah. Good information to have,” Wilbert said, glancing to either side, while the queen settled onto the cushions, crossing her legs as she watched them approach.

The queen’s eyes were glittering a bright gold as they approached, but the woman didn’t do anything more, her hands resting in her lap. None of Joy’s companions seemed to be able to smell the rich, regal scent she exuded, and Joy almost pitied them.

Once they came close enough, though, the queen spoke, her voice rich and powerful. “Welcome, guests. I am the queen of the Shadebough Hive. Just to be certain, there is no need for any formalities. While I’m aware that the term ‘queen’ means something different in your nation, it does not have such meanings here. I am the leader of the hive, no more and no less.”

“Ah, thank you for meeting with us,” Silverhoof said, pausing to glance at Joy, then he shrugged. “I assume that you know why we’re here? Your attendant seemed to indicate so.”

“Yes. You’re here to speak with us about how to go about eliminating the ants that have been a plague for the last several months,” the queen agreed, and gestured at the cushions across from her. “Please, sit if you so desire. Let us speak, and I will determine whether the hive is able to help.”

“Thank you,” Wilbert said, stepping forward. Joy was about to follow when the queen looked at her and smiled.

“Also, thank you for the lemonade, Joy. It was quite pleasant,” the queen said, and glanced at Abigail as she added, “Additionally, I must thank the people of Bearton for the iron ore they gave us. My warriors have made good use of it, and it will be counted as toward what I asked of Joy. Ninety-eight pieces were given to us.”

“Oh, um, thank you!” Joy said, blushing at the close regard of the queen, and sat, unable to figure out what to say to the queen.

“You are most welcome,” Abigail said, looking between Joy and the queen, but she sat down as well, her movements somewhat slower, and all but Silverhoof joined them.

Then, with the dappled light of the hive playing over them and an enormous number of apis standing guard, the queen asked mildly, “Now, what is it that you had planned?”

Chapter 3

“So, the most important thing is how army ants react to things. If we weren’t worried about an invasion, I’d take this the more traditional way,” Wilbert said, leaning forward in his cushions, his unease about sitting seeming to have faded somewhat. “Normally we’d draw out a wave of them, cut them off and destroy them before repeating the process. It’s drawn out, and some people have to function as bait, but it allows us to whittle down their numbers before hitting their nest. We don’t have time for that.”

“Why not?” the queen asked, looking back at him curiously.

Silverhoof cleared his throat, glancing around, then spoke bluntly as the queen looked at him. “Lord Alethus is attempting to free an ancient evil, as I’m sure you’ve heard. What hasn’t been said is what the creature is. It’s a level eighty-nine apocalypse spider, a creature that would take dozens of adventurers of its level to defeat. If he succeeds in freeing it, the army ants would be nothing in comparison. I sincerely doubt that your hive would survive, let alone the kingdom.”

Joy practically stopped breathing, her eyes going wide and horror rippling through her as she shuddered at the name. A spider was bad enough, but the level described… she could hardly even imagine it. She opened her mouth to ask questions, but it was Cora who spoke.

“Dear gods… how bad is something like that? Could we get reinforcements, maybe slow it down…?” Cora asked nervously, the elf half-off her cushion.

“Irador would fall in a day, if we were lucky,” Wilbert said bluntly, shaking his head. “The spider is pretty much unstoppable, and even if high-level heroes reacted immediately, it’d leave some of the other regions weakened. We can’t risk the possibility, which is why we need to deal with the ants fast, and keep him from succeeding.”

“I believe I understand. How do you intend to go about dealing with them, then? The ants breed incredibly quickly,” the queen answered, ignoring the shock Joy could see on the faces of almost everyone else. She hadn’t realized that Brianna and the others didn’t known about the spider either. Not until now, anyway.

“Yes, they do. They have a queen, much like bees, but one which can reproduce far more quickly than you can,” Wilbert said, and shrugged as he added, “That’s their weakness, though. According to what I’ve heard, they can’t rear a queen quickly, so if she perishes, the entire colony of army ants will retreat, looking for the colony they split off of to join them.”

“Oh! You’re thinking to kill their queen, and make them run away!” Joy said, her eyes lighting up as she clapped her hands together, and Stella gave her a sidelong look.

“You… seem surprisingly okay with the idea, Joy. I thought you might object,” Stella said, sounding puzzled.

“Why? Apis queens don’t get along, and if there are limited food supplies, they’d fight over them. Right?” Joy said, looking at the queen, who nodded.

“That’s correct. Killing the queen of another hive, distasteful as the idea might be, is the most direct solution when you’re trying to survive. Besides, these are ants, not apis,” the queen agreed, sitting back slightly as she considered. “We know where the ants have their nest, but we haven’t seen any way to assault it. They are too numerous, and the entire nest is built of still more of them. While your idea has merit, I do not know how we would be able to reach their queen. My spellcasters certainly wouldn’t have the mana to blast through the outer sections of the nest, as I’m certain their queen is near the center.”

“We wouldn’t expect you to. Instead, we intend to take a different strategy,” Wilbert said, nodding to Silverhoof as he continued. “My cavalry is enough to punch deep into their lines without taking many losses, and that would allow us to approach the nest, especially when backed up by the adventurers. We wouldn’t be able to fight a prolonged battle, but we certainly can get close to the nest, which is the important thing.”

“Once there, I have an item that allows me to use a high-level spell a few more times. I hate to use it, but I can call upon two more Meteor Strikes, which would allow us to blast open the nest,” Abigail said, hesitating before she added, “I think your apis might have told you about the spell.”

“Yes, they did. Which means that once you’ve done so, you wish for my magi and archers to finish the queen since we can fly. Is that correct?” the queen asked, tilting her head slightly to the side, watching Wilbert calmly. The man blinked, then nodded slowly.

“Yes, that is what I was thinking. I wasn’t sure you’d realize why, but that makes it easier,” Wilbert said, watching the queen carefully.

“We may be new to the world, but that doesn’t make us foolish. Some of us are, but not all,” the queen said, considering for a moment, then focused on Wilbert. “Which is why I must ask, is the kingdom, or duke, likely to attack us in the future?”

“What?” Silverhoof said, recoiling slightly.

“I’m not a young queen. I have lived here for my entire life, and I have seen your adventurers many times. Perhaps the gods chose to give me the wisdom they felt was appropriate to my age, or perhaps all of the other queens learned it as well. Either way, I am aware that kingdoms tend to try to destroy threats on their borders. I wish to pursue peace with your realm, but that does not mean that your kingdom will feel the same,” the queen explained, prompting Joy to blink in confusion. She didn’t understand most of what the queen had just said, and she looked at Cora and the others, though she doubted they could explain in their situation.

“I… well, Wilbert? You know the duke better than I do,” Silverhoof said, looking at the knight, a hint of nervousness in his expression as he pawed at the ground with a hoof.

Wilbert didn’t reply initially, tugging instead on his mustache, then the man let out a soft sigh, and growled. “I hate politics. Abigail, how does the kingdom, and guild, regard the Teeming Jungle?”

“It’s relatively dangerous for the region, without most of the resources that we can get from other locations of similar danger. As such, adventuring parties rarely venture into it, except when they need particular herbs for potions,” Abigail replied, frowning. “As for the kingdom, I believe that most of the time they ignore its existence. I’ve never heard of anything being done with the jungle, or even any discussions of doing anything with it.”

“That’s what I thought,” Wilbert said, nodding firmly, then looked at the queen directly. “I don’t think you’ll have any problems with the duke, especially if you help us. The king… I don’t know how His Majesty will react, but I’m confident he’ll at least listen to the duke, and I can’t imagine he’s going to be upset about someone securing the border for him. If you were inclined to spread into the kingdom things might be more dangerous, but I promise I’ll argue against overreacting.”

“In addition, I know that the priesthoods have been cautioning rulers and organizations to give the apis a chance to figure out your societies. I can’t imagine that the king would want to alienate potential allies, particularly given what the Kingdoms of Darkness appear to have planned,” Silverhoof added, folding his arms.

The queen looked between them, then at Joy. Joy blinked a couple of times, then said, “Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

“I was curious as to your opinion, Joy. To my knowledge, you are the only apis who has lived among non-apis for long,” the queen said, examining Joy, and Joy squirmed in place.

“I… but, I’m just a worker! I don’t know more than a handful of Guildmasters, and the people right here!” Joy protested, anxiety causing her to squirm.

“You are still the most knowledgeable one about outsiders,” the queen said simply, and Joy felt her shoulders slump as the other adventurers stared at her, Abigail’s expression incredulous. But then she straightened, as the queen obviously expected her to reply.

“In that case, I would trust them,” Joy said, raising her gaze to meet the queen’s nervously. “It might be a mistake, but I haven’t had a Guildmaster lie to me, that I know of. Besides, if we don’t, how are you going to deal with the ants?”

“Poorly,” the queen replied with a faint smile, her gaze turning back to Wilbert as she nodded. “Joy’s thoughts mirrored my own, even if I have additional concerns. Will you assist in opening negotiations with your duke and king, afterward? I need to send a delegation, from what I understand.”

“Certainly. I know it would make milord happier to have something official to work off of,” Wilbert said, glancing at Joy in amusement as he added, “Though I wouldn’t have expected you to ask her opinion.”

“Apis don’t lie, at least not yet. I’m certain that may change in the future, but for now we’re an honest species,” the queen said, smiling. “Now, the next thing is to work out how we are going to go about this. My people will be ready whenever they are needed.”

As the queen spoke, a memory flitted through Joy’s mind, and she opened her mouth before she could stop herself. “Um, could I ask a question?”

The queen’s eyebrows rose slightly, and she tilted her head at Joy, speaking in amusement. “Of course you may.”

“Since you’re a queen, even if you aren’t a queen like humans, elves, or the other people have… can you knight people? We were discussing it a while back, and if you could, it might be able to help. Couldn’t it?” Joy said, looking at Wilbert, then at the queen. The knight didn’t look terribly pleased by her interruption.

The apis queen smiled warmly and shook her head, laughing softly. After a few seconds she spoke, her tone kind. “No, that is not an ability which is available to me, Joy. Instead, I have a different ability, which I believe is even more potent in the right circumstances.”

“Oh?” Wilbert said, looking more interested now. “Do you mind telling us what it is?”

“Certainly. The ability is Queen’s Edict, and it’s a passive ability,” the queen explained, glancing back at the other apis as she continued. “I choose what roles need to be filled in the hive, and about how many of them there should be, and as my apis level, they are given the opportunity to take the appropriate jobs until the appropriate number are filled. None of them gain what you would consider rare jobs, but it allows me to rapidly expand the number of magi, warriors, miners, or any other role that we need.”

“That… yes, that would be rather impressive,” Wilbert murmured, looking very thoughtful. “Not that I can see an easy way to use it to our advantage right now.”

Joy nodded, blushing as she spoke shyly. “Thank you for answering. I just… wondered.”

“You’re welcome, Joy. It was a thought, and one that might have been useful,” the queen said, and fixed her gaze on Wilbert. “Now, it’s time to work out… what is the term? Ah, yes, logistics, that is the word. I have forty thousand apis to call upon, aside from those that have duties I cannot call them away from. What are you able to bring into the fray?”

The look of shock on Wilbert’s face made Joy giggle, and she paused, then whispered to Cora. “Do you think I could borrow a hammer from someone? Those seem to work better for smashing ants.”

“I’m sure something can be arranged, Joy,” Cora murmured in reply, and the elf smiled at her fondly. “Now, shh. They need to talk.”

“Okay!” Joy chirped, and sat back as Wilbert recovered from his shock.

Chapter 4

“Yuck!” Joy yelped as the ant’s head cracked open, bouncing backward and glancing at her mace unhappily. It was half-covered in ant ichor, which was not a substance she liked thinking about. Or looking at.

The ants didn’t give her much of a chance to consider that, though, as two more lunged at her near-silently, with only faint squeaking sounds as their limbs rubbed against their carapaces. Joy jumped aside, bringing her mace down hard on the other, and just as she was about to attack the first, Brianna’s sword flashed, cutting the ant’s head clean off.

“Careful, they aren’t going to let you breathe!” Brianna said, glancing around them as the battle raged.

The rumble of hooves echoed through the air, and Joy winced as the knights on their warhorses slammed into the ants again. Two groups of knights were taking turns charging, each time punching deeper into the army ant swarm, and the sheer number of broken bodies they left in their wake awed Joy, even if it was also horrible looking. Some of the knights had been injured, but their priests had kept any of them from dying so far.

Some of the other adventurers hadn’t been as fortunate as they held the lines to either side of the advance, though, a thought which prompted Joy to dodge and smash another pair of ants. She didn’t like how the mace sat in her hand, but it was a lot better for dealing with the ants.

“How close are we?” Joy asked, hitting an ant a moment before Stella crushed it, and all the while making her way forward as best she could. She glanced up and grinned, seeing thousands of apis thinning the horde of ants from above. Lightning cracked, fireballs exploded, and spears lanced down from above as the apis darted down to strike. It was an awe-inspiring sight to Joy, especially since there were more apis above her than had been in Joy’s entire previous hive.

“I’m not sure!” Cora called out from behind them. She paused, then added, “Healing Glow!”

A warm yellow glow came from behind Joy, one which sent a wash of warmth through her, and she smiled as she kept beating back the ants. At least the new ability explained why Cora’s new job was called a Lifeglow Initiate.

“Just a little farther! Flaming Strike!” James called out from nearby, slamming several ants back with his shield and raising his sword, which glowed bright red as he unleashed a short wave of fire into the ants. It didn’t kill all of them, but the handsome man didn’t pause, following it up with another strike as he nodded in the distance. “Look ahead, the nest is huge!”

Joy glanced toward the knights, her gaze rising a little, and it took a moment for her to realize what she was seeing. She’d taken the raised area with ants boiling across it as a hill or ridge initially, but James’s comment caused her to rethink that, and she flinched as she realized that the ant nest was at least five apis tall, causing her to swallow hard. Then an ant tried to bite her leg off, and she yelped, falling back just in time. Her armor held as its mandibles snapped shut, but the force was bruising.

“Joy, pay attention!” Stella scolded, crushing the ant, and Joy blushed.

“Sorry!” Joy said, returning the favor as she smashed an ant trying to catch Stella off guard. “The nest is huge.”

“That is why we want to eliminate them,” Brianna said, chopping her way forward brutally, and spat. “Ugh, this is terrible!”

“Hold for a moment!” Silverhoof exclaimed, his deep voice carrying through the jungle with astounding clarity, and he quickly added, “Apis, please fall back, I’m going to clear the area ahead of us!”

Joy paused her advance along with the others, about to crush another ant, but at that moment a passing apis speared it and kept flying, the ant wriggling on the end of her iron-veined spear, at least until she flicked it off. The apis grinned at Joy, who smiled back, relieved by the moment of rest. The apis fell back rapidly, clearing the sky in moments, yet simultaneously taking up a formation that would easily allow them to dart back in quickly, a choreography that Joy admired. She hadn’t seen the same attitude from the adventurers, though the knights came close. They had a lot more shouting of orders, though.

Silverhoof was charging past the knights as Joy watched, and she took a swipe at another couple of ants, beating them back as they lunged forward, no longer being thinned out by the apis above. Mostly, anyway, as the occasional arrow pinned an ant to the ground. She could barely see Silverhoof, but she did see him raise his halberd, and hear his voice.

“Storm Crusher!” Silverhoof bellowed, glittering blue light gathering on the raised halberd, just as he swung it.

Opaque, violent winds appeared in the wake of his halberd, tearing through the air and rapidly forming a tornado around him. Joy’s eyes went wide again as ants were ripped into the air, and often into pieces, while the Guildmaster vanished into the winds. The tornado was huge, covering an area over twenty paces across, but she couldn’t spend too much time gawking, not with ants trying to eat her. She crushed them as quick as she could, building a small barricade that at least slowed the ants behind the first wave, those that weren’t crawling over the backs of their fellow ants.

The tornado died as quickly as it had begun, and the knights rushed into the gap Silverhoof had torn into the ant lines, with Abigail just behind them, and Joy saw she had a glowing red crystal in her hand.

“Down, Joy!” Cora called out, prompting Joy to duck, figuring she knew what was coming, and was proven right as the elf exclaimed, “Ice Blast!”

An orb of frozen blue flashed over Joy’s head and into the midst of the ants attacking her and the others. The orb exploded, and that was when Joy got something of a surprise, as the orb hit a larger area than she remembered them hitting. Several dozen ants were trapped in layers of frozen ice, their mandibles clicking angrily. Regardless, she joined Brianna and Stella in crushing the ants while they couldn’t move.

“Meteor Strike!”

Abigail’s voice echoed, and this time Joy was able to see the spell more clearly, since she wasn’t on the front lines. A flickering stream of orange light extended into the sky from Abigail’s hand, and an instant later a blazing object took shape far in the air above her. The glowing red-orange object was wreathed in flames, and it came down like it was completely unstoppable, prompting Joy to flinch. She’d never seen an object that size flying before, and it was terrifying.

The meteor came down with such speed that there was little time for anyone to react, but Joy crouched a little, expecting the shockwave this time, while hitting a last frozen ant. The ant fell, and others were following, but then the meteor hit the army ant nest and exploded.

Hot air slammed into Joy hard, and ants went flying in every direction, their legs milling about uselessly. An instant later there was a rain of ichor and bits of carapaces, to Joy’s disgust, but the smoke and fire cleared surprisingly quickly compared to the previous time… but that had been in a ravine, Joy realized belatedly.

“Wow,” Joy whispered, even as a chirping, almost keening sound came from what remained of the nest. The entire upper structure was almost entirely gone, a dozen feet of ants vanished without a trace, save for a few of them that were still holding pieces of ants that had been above them. More pieces of the vanished ants kept falling, and the ants in front of Joy hesitated for an instant, before quickly scrambling back toward the nest.

“Attack!” an apis cried out, one of many others, and the apis charged in, unleashing a hail of arrows, fire, lightning, and ice on the ant colony, along with other bolts of golden or purple light that Joy didn’t recognize.

The concentrated explosions caused the nest to crack, as the ants in the walls let go of one another and tried to scramble inward, different pheromones rippling off them in waves. Joy quickly realized that they were trying to cover the queen again, but the explosions kept knocking them back or freezing them in place, depending on what had struck them.

A few apis were also swooping in low to attack more closely, mostly to keep the ants from interfering, Joy noticed, and a few of them weren’t quite wary enough, as she saw them get pulled into the mass, and she cringed at the sight. Not many fell, but even one or two was more than she ever wanted to see fall.

“Dear gods. They’re not letting up at all. Aren’t they afraid of running out of mana?” Cora asked, as she and the others had stopped attacking, since none of the ants seemed to care about their force anymore, in their scramble to get back to the nest.

“Probably not? I mean, they’re trying to kill the queen, not fight for a long time,” Joy replied, glancing back at the elf and shrugging. “It’s what I’d do, if I were them!”

“I think that sometimes you apis are far too enthusiastic,” Brianna said, her sword still out as she watched the ants. “You throw yourselves into everything you do with all the energy you—”

Level Up: Apis Rogue Level 15: You gain Tendon Slice

You gain access to the Swashbuckler job, do you wish to change jobs?

A cheer interrupted her and echoed through the air as the apis suddenly dispersed, falling back rapidly, and an attendant swooped toward the lines, calling out. “The queen is dead! Might want to run, they’re going to be really upset!”

“You heard her!” Wilbert was the one who spoke this time. “Knights, fall back! Adventurers, retreat in waves, as planned!”

“We’re not soldiers.” Marilyn grumbled, barely audible, as the squeaking and screeches from the ants grew louder, almost more frantic. The nest was dissolving rapidly, and Joy’s eyes widened as the ants began boiling toward their position.

“I think the big man is right,” Joy said, flinching as the knights quickly began retreating, closely followed by Silverhoof. Abigail paused, unleashing a blast of fire that incinerated the nearest ants, then turned tail and fled.

The ants were coming toward them again, and if she didn’t know better, Joy would think they were furious. They weren’t, she knew. They were just attacking the nearest creatures instinctively. Fortunately, the orders before had been clear. The moment the main force had retreated, it held a position a few hundred feet back, and it was Joy’s turn to run away.

“Joy, remind me to avoid ants as much as possible, would you?” Stella asked, wiping her forehead. “We didn’t have any like this back home!”

Joy giggled, and grinned at the dark-skinned woman as she replied brightly. “Neither did I! But at least it’s exciting!”

“Joy, you seem to have the strangest ideas of what’s fun,” Cora said from ahead of her, prompting more laughter from Joy.

She wasn’t wrong, the apis supposed. Oddly, that just made her grin more.

Chapter 5

“The ants are retreating,” an apis said, barely having touched down a moment before, a smile on her face. “They’re following the path they took when they came here, so you’re right! They’re leaving, at least for now!”

“Thank the gods,” Silverhoof said, letting out a breath. “Part of me was afraid they might have an immature queen or the like. One would probably have died, with all the damage you dealt to their nest, but I couldn’t be certain.”

“You didn’t mention that before,” the queen replied, looking at the centaur as her eyes narrowed slightly, annoyance washing over her. “It would have been good to know.”

“It slipped my mind,” the centaur said, shrugging. “Besides, it wasn’t a problem this time, so hopefully no harm is done. I do apologize.”

The queen considered him for a few seconds, then inclined her head. “So be it. I will just remind you that information of that sort is important. We will track the ants to the edge of the jungle, to ensure that they leave.”

“That sounds excellent to me. Thank you very much for your support, as dealing with the ants without you would have been impossible,” Wilbert said, giving a half-bow to the queen. “Our current forces wouldn’t have been up to the task, and we can’t call on others now. Not with the other emergencies we’re dealing with.”

“Not helping would have been to risk the hive greatly. As it is, we lost a number of apis to the ants, as you lost a few of your number. I do hope they resurrected,” the queen said, inclining her head to the man. She found that she liked him a touch more than Silverhoof, though she wasn’t entirely sure why.

“As do I. Though speaking of resurrections, have you considered establishing a temple of your own, to allow your people to return when killed? I would think it’d make your lives less difficult,” Silverhoof said, a hoof pawing at the dirt.

The queen paused, looking around the tent for a few seconds. She didn’t know why the non-apis leaders had wanted a tent, when the jungle canopy provided plenty of shade and it wasn’t raining. Even so, she didn’t see any reason to decline when they’d asked to be able to set up the tent. Abigail might not have said anything yet, but the queen saw the woman nod slightly in response to Silverhoof’s words.

“We haven’t decided whether it’s in the hive’s best interests yet,” the queen said at last, and saw them look at her in shock.

“Ah… how would it not be in the hive’s best interests? You said that it takes a great deal of time to maintain your numbers!” Wilbert protested.

“That was primarily due to the ants. I’m a queen, and maintaining the hive’s population is relatively easy most of the time,” the queen said, shaking her head. “The issue is in regards to the workers and drones. They live only two to three years as it is, and most of them die from age, not due to violence. If we established a temple, some of those who died of violence would return, yes… but is it worth the cost? If we take the coins which that would cost the hive and use it for trade, is it more or less valuable to us? That is the question that the hive is currently considering.

“At present, the prevailing opinion of the attendants and humblebees is that it may be worth founding a temple for our queens and those who are most important to the hive. I have not chosen to interfere in their discussion, but I believe that they are taking the correct path,” the queen continued, looking at one of her attendants and raising an eyebrow, a little amused at the woman’s smile. “Is that still the opinion?”

“It is,” the attendant chirped, smiling.

“But… what about the workers and drones? Do they have a say in this?” Abigail asked, frowning. “It seems cruel to me.”

“They choose to give the coins to the hive. If they wish to choose their own path, they are welcome to do so,” the queen said, resisting the urge to sigh at the woman’s attitude. Those who weren’t apis didn’t seem to understand the unity of a hive. She did wonder if that unity would fracture as time passed, though.

“That doesn’t—” Abigail began, only to shut up as Silverhoof sighed and glared at her.

“Abigail, it’s their culture. If the workers are fine with it, that’s their choice, so leave it be,” the centaur said firmly. “I wouldn’t tell humans how to raise their young, so you should let the apis figure out their own path. Unless they’re performing actions that leave them opposed to us, I don’t see that it matters what they choose to do, especially when there are plenty of townsfolk who choose not to try to be resurrected.”

“As you say, sir. My apologies, Queen Shadebough. I simply feel strongly about things like this,” Abigail said, prompting a slight smile from the queen.

“I don’t mind much. Your attitude was moderately annoying, but I’m not going to let it affect my decisions,” the queen said with a shrug, growing slightly more amused by how Abigail’s cheeks flushed at her statement. “The simple truth is that an apis hive is extremely unified, at least right now. When a new queen is ready to take my place, I will leave the hive and find a place to perish. Most likely, I will take the time remaining to me to explore the rest of the world, but I doubt I will have much of a chance to do that. My duties take priority, and that is the attitude of most apis. If they choose to leave, they may do so. It’s simply a question of whether they wish to.”

“Hm, fascinating,” Wilbert said, coiling his mustache around a finger thoughtfully, then shrugged. “Regardless, I’m glad that everything went well. If you do decide to travel and visit Irador, feel free to contact me, as I’d be happy to show you around the city.”

“Thank you. Speaking of Irador, do you believe that the duke would object to me sending a small delegation to the city?” the queen asked, growing thoughtful. “I believe multiple delegations are in order, to be precise. I wish to contact the Tulip Hive, the hive in the Shimmerwood that Joy and her companions spoke of, as well as setting up relations with both the duke and the king of your country.”

“I don’t see why not. I’d be happy to put in a good word with the duke, and if they can be ready to move quickly, I’d happily escort them to Irador. We’re probably going to be heading toward the Shimmerwood as soon as we reach there, anyway,” Wilbert said, and grimaced. “That’s where the third seal fragment is located.”

That prompted a blink from the queen, and her head tilted. “Truly? Most interesting that an apis hive is located near each of the seal fragments. I wouldn’t have expected that.”

“You aren’t the only one who’s surprised. I know we don’t know everything about the seals, but I’ve come to suspect they help plant growth around them… that or they’re drawing power from what causes the plant growth. Either way, it makes guarding them difficult,” Silverhoof said, nodding politely. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to check on our wounded and prepare to go. I can’t be away from Irador for too long unless there’s an emergency.”

“Very well. I will speak with my attendants and determine what we wish to do. I believe that we will be asking Joy and her companions to guide them, but that isn’t certain,” the queen said, nodding to them politely, and she stood, picking up her cushions.

She had to duck inside the tent, and to duck still further to get out of it without tangling herself in the tent, but she managed without much difficulty. She emerged into the shadows of the hive and glanced around idly. There were more outsiders in the area than she was entirely comfortable with, but with the number of apis who were now able to guard the area, she wasn’t as worried, and the pheromones from her hive indicated that they agreed with her. Instead, she headed toward the hive entrance, a group of apis following her as guards, and she ensured that her pheromones communicated her desire to speak with the attendants.

The attendants began wrapping up whatever they were doing with alacrity and began following, to her satisfaction.

While she was curious to see the outside world, the queen also wasn’t sure she would be happy there. Everything she’d heard about the chaos of towns and cities was fascinating, but worrying at the same time. Still, she had time to decide what she wanted to do. For now, she had her duty, and that was far more important.

* * *

“You think that was fun?” Marilyn asked incredulously, prompting Joy’s grin to widen still more as the black-haired Mage stared at her. “We could’ve been killed!”

“Sure, we could have, but we didn’t die! I even got a level out of it!” Joy said, taking a sip of lemonade happily. She wished she could drink the lovely drink faster, but she was rationing what she had. “I got access to Swashbuckler, but I don’t think I’m going change to it. I like Rogue, at least for now!”

“Sounds like you’re adapting to the life of an adventurer well. Better than I did at first,” James said, slicing off some of the cheese and spreading it on his bread. Joy still didn’t understand why anyone would eat something that smelled so foul. “Did you get any abilities?”

“Yep! Tendon Slice!” Joy said, considering the idea, then shrugged. “I don’t know what it does, but that’s the name.”

“Ah, that one,” Brianna said, wincing. “I hate that ability. Not that it’s bad, Joy, just… painful to be on the receiving end of.”

“As to what it does… Joy, these are tendons,” Stella said setting down her spoon and flexing her fingers so that she could see the tendons sticking out slightly along her wrist. “They’re on the back of your ankles too, and they allow you to use your fingers or move your feet. Really, they’re in almost every joint, so Tendon Slice lets you disable people. It’s rather painful, and can bypass some armor, from what I’ve heard.”

“Oh. I guess that wouldn’t be fun,” Joy said, looking at her wrist and moving her fingers one at a time. She could see the tendons moving beneath her skin, which she found fascinating, and she grinned. “I can’t wait to try it on a bad person!”

“Joy, sometimes I think you like killing people… especially when you say things like that,” Cora said, looking a little pained.

“Oh, sorry,” Joy said, blushing and clearing her throat. “It isn’t that I like hurting people. I do like seeing what I can do, though, and if they’re going to try to hurt us anyway, why not hurt them back? I apologize first, most of the time!”

“That just makes it scarier, if you ask me,” Brianna muttered, to Joy’s confusion.

“Anyway, what’ve you five been up to? I didn’t realize that Jean and Marilyn joined your group, James,” Cora said firmly, looking at the man with her head tilted. “You’re building up quite the party. Are you a Paladin or something?”

“No, not yet. I’m just a knight, and working on building up to holy knight. The chances of getting something like Paladin before level thirty are slim at best,” James said, shaking his head slightly. “As for us, we haven’t been doing much. We did a couple of delves into the Blackstone Mines to improve our coordination and get our own pound of flesh from the motini, plus we even got some luminous titansteel ore. Not as much as you four did, but enough for our purposes.”

“Once we were done there, since all of us had hit level fifteen or higher, we decided it was time to move on,” Eda said, the half-elf White Mage’s voice quiet as she glanced at Joy with a smile. “We went to Irador to do some shopping and decide on our next move. Likely as not we’d still be there, waiting for James’s sword to be forged, but then Silverhoof sent out a call for adventurers, and we got roped into the expedition. I’m amused that you four got pulled into it again.”

“Believe me, you can’t be as annoyed as we are,” Brianna said, sighing heavily as she sat back in her chair. “We thought this would be nice and quiet, and it sounds like we aren’t done yet. This Lord Alethus is really irritating me.”

“Oh? What do you mean? I didn’t hear anything,” Joy asked eagerly, sitting up, and Brianna and Stella exchanged looks.

“You know how we were planning to go to find iron ore? Well, the best source of it in the duchy is from a dwarven-run mine outside Clarion,” Brianna said unhappily, and Joy nodded quickly. She opened her mouth, then forced herself to stop, since Brianna was probably getting to the explanation. “Problem is, that’s where Silverhoof is going after Irador, as it appears the last chunk of the seal is in that area. They’re expecting a full invasion force from Skyfish Valley to hit the border any day now.”

“That sucks,” Helen said, looking at Brianna in sympathy. “You could go somewhere else, couldn’t you? I know James’s family has mines, right?”

“Ah, yes? But they supply the Royal Guard and army back at the capital,” James interjected hesitantly. “Sure, I know they have ore that they sell at the markets, but… how much ore are you needing?”

“One thousand four hundred and two chunks,” Joy said promptly. “I have about four months to get it to the hive.”

“Oof, yeah, I don’t think you’d be able to get it from my family. That’s a huge amount, and I think they only keep a hundred pieces in stock at a time,” James said, shaking his head. “They might be able to get you the ore in that amount of time, but delivering it… no, your best bet is Clarion, as much as I hate to admit it. My family would really like the business, but that kind of order is too much. Now, if you were after iron ingots, it’d be an entirely different story.”

“I’m afraid not. The apis use the raw ore to upgrade their equipment, so ingots wouldn’t do them much good,” Stella said, shaking her head and letting out a sigh. “Sounds like we’re going to be butting heads with Alethus whether we like it or not. Hopefully we can avoid getting stuck against him on our own, this time.”

“Hm, well… from what I’ve heard, Silverhoof is a level forty-five Wardancer. I’m sure that with some help he can take on Alethus,” James mused, and looked at the others, raising an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

“I think we’re way too low-level to get involved in a battle like that,” Jean said dryly, shaking her head. “We’re probably going to get dragged into the main battle, though. I don’t know how many troops Skyfish Valley can muster, but they’ve probably concentrated more soldiers in one place than the duke can get to Clarion in time.”

“Well, I… wait, is that…” Joy paused in mid-sentence, her antennae perking up as she caught the scent of another apis. The one who’d coordinated the attack on Bearton, based on the scent. “I’ll be right back!”

Joy got up abruptly, and Cora straightened, asking, “Joy, where’re you going?”

“An attendant wants to chat!” Joy replied, bounding out the door, nearly knocking over a knight as she passed, and she grinned at him as her wings snapped out and she took flight.

Bearton wasn’t very well-lit at night, with only the guild house and church having much in the way of light, but Joy could see well enough for the moment, since it wasn’t overcast. More importantly, she could easily smell the attendant, and quickly flew upward, to find that the attendant was waiting on the roof of the inn.

“Hi!” Joy said, landing next to the attendant, and had to stabilize herself as the shingle she stepped on moved.

“Hello, Joy,” the attendant said, smiling broadly. “We’d like to hire you to guide us to Irador.”

“Oh? How many of you?” Joy asked, gathering some of what hadn’t been said from the attendant’s pheromones. Obviously the queen had ordered them to go to Irador, and from some of the other aspects of her scent… they were probably going to be heading to other apis hives.

“About a hundred. The exact number hasn’t been decided, yet. We need to send some apis to the Tulip Hive with a few drones, a group to the Shimmerwood, and a group to wherever the king is,” the attendant explained, shrugging. “Mostly, we want to go with you because you answer questions better. We understand you, and you understand us. We can pay you coins, if you need them.”

“Oh, okay! I can’t say yes right now; I need to go ask the others,” Joy replied, thinking rapidly. “Is that alright?”

“Sure!” the attendant said, and Joy grinned and hopped off the roof, her wings beating again.

This time she didn’t head for the door, instead guiding her fall to an awning she’d seen earlier, one made of wood, and she perched on it, cramming her feet into a couple of useful crevices and leaning over the edge while hanging on with her hands so she could look in through the window.

“Hi! Sorry, I need to ask my friends something,” Joy said to the startled pair of merchants sitting just inside the window, and looked past them at the table with her friends. “Bri, Cora, Stella? The attendant wants to hire us to guide them to Irador. She says that there’ll be about a hundred of them, and they can pay us coin for it. What should I say?”

“Um…” Brianna began, looking at Cora and Stella for a moment.

A moment later Cora sighed softly and shook her head, sounding slightly amused. “When are they needing to go, Joy? We’re planning to leave pretty soon, remember?”

“Right, I’ll ask!” Joy said, popping back upward, and adjusted to being on her feet before jumping upward to hold on to the edge of the roof. She nearly head-butted the attendant in the process, as the woman had been starting to lean forward, and they both jerked back slightly. “Sorry! They want to know when you were planning to leave, since we were leaving in the next few days.”

“That would work fine,” the attendant assured her, smiling broadly. “We just need to make sure you’d guide us.”

“Okay!” Joy said, letting go and landing on the awning again. When she popped into sight, this time the merchants looked amused rather than startled, and she explained. “They’ll be ready whenever we want to leave!”

“In that case, we can do it,” Cora said, shaking her head slowly. “We’ll charge, say… five hundred coins for the trip. You know she could’ve come inside to ask us, right?”

“She doesn’t like the smell of your food,” Joy replied bluntly. “I’ll let her know!”

Joy heard laughter as she stood again and paused as she grew slightly dizzy, but she overcame it after a moment and hopped up again.

“I heard her,” the attendant said, smiling broadly as Joy popped over the edge of the roof. “I’ll organize the workers and drones, so we’re ready to leave whenever you want to leave. I’ll have a worker stationed in the apple orchard south of town.”

“Sounds good! See you then!” Joy said, waving as the apis took flight.

Then she let go and flew around toward the front door. Joy didn’t entirely understand why people objected to her using windows to enter buildings, when they didn’t have anything blocking the way.

Chapter 6

“This is chaos,” Cora murmured, her eyes wide as they flicked back and forth, barely able to keep track of the apis around them.

That morning they’d left Bearton to head to Irador, and they’d stopped at the apple orchard to meet the apis, which had been a startling experience even after her previous experience with the hive. A hundred apis had been waiting for them, scattered about and chatting enthusiastically, with eight male apis among them. A pair of attendants was with them, and they’d enthusiastically greeted Joy, handing over a bag of coins without a second thought. When Joy had handed it to Cora, she’d found that it had five hundred coins for each of them, which flustered Cora a little, but she hadn’t bothered arguing. She’d just told the attendants that they’d meant five hundred coins total, not each. They hadn’t seemed to care, and told them to keep the coins.

Now they were traveling along the road, and even the knights from Irador had slowed as they passed Cora’s group, staring at their company in shock. It wasn’t that there were apis, Cora knew. It was what the apis were doing.

The male apis and the attendants were the only ones following the road like Cora had expected them to. The other ninety apis were flying every direction, almost swarming above the road as they darted to and fro, examining every plant, rock, and other bit of the landscape that they passed. Cora saw an apis delicately gathering nectar from a dandelion, while another had viciously cut a wasp out of the air. It was impossible to keep track of all of them, and the one time that a pack of wild dogs had tried to ambush them, well… the apis had wiped out the dogs before Cora could even point her staff at them.

“You said it,” Helen murmured, her eyes wide as she looked around. “I thought they’d be all orderly, marching along the road or something. Instead… well, I have to wonder why they aren’t?”

“We’re looking at the things outside the jungle! We don’t know what will be useful, and what won’t be, so we need to check all of it,” the attendant interjected cheerfully from a half-dozen paces ahead of them. “Plus, we do need to eat, so they’re gathering nectar along the way. We have to be careful, though. We don’t want the bees to starve!”

“Oh. I’m surprised you could hear me over all of this,” Helen said, flushing slowly as she glanced at Cora and Joy.

Joy laughed, grinning broadly as she spoke. “We don’t talk much, so words stand out. We use pheromones to tell each other basic things… it’s how we know what needs to be done!”

“In a general sense, at least,” the attendant added, looking over her shoulder at them. “It doesn’t convey much detail, more general ideas of what needs to be done, but that’s enough for us.”

Cora nodded, glancing at Joy in amusement as she asked, “In that case… I’m curious why you haven’t been flying all over like that, at least not the other times we’ve been traveling.”

“Because I’m not in charge of a hive! I have all the food I need for a while, and I have the things I need, mostly,” Joy said, looking at her empty sheath as she shrugged. “I should be able to finish making a new rapier tonight, so that won’t be a worry. I just don’t see the need to look at everything. Just the things that I think are neat!”

“Of course you do,” Stella said, grinning slightly as she nodded toward a group of apis who were clustered off the road somewhere ahead of them. “So, what are they paying attention to?”

“They smell a bumblebee hive underground,” Joy said promptly, pausing to sniff, then shrugged. “They think they’re cute.”

That startled a laugh out of Cora, and beside her Helen chuckled, which spread to Eda, James, Jean, and Marilyn, before Brianna and Stella joined them. Cora wasn’t sure why she found it so funny, but for some reason the sheer ridiculousness of the idea entertained her.

“You think they’re cute? I wonder if you’ll think the same thing about giant bumblebees. They’re even bigger than a horse, and generally ill-tempered,” Cora said, prompting Joy to clap her hands together, her eyes going wide.

“They come that size? They sound adorable!” Joy exclaimed, her smile huge.

Cora laughed again, this time more warmth rushing through her. No matter what else happened, Joy could always brighten her day.

* * *

“Chain Lightning!” Alethus said, gesturing at the outpost ahead of the army, and mana surged out of him in a torrent.

A blast of purple lightning lanced outward from his hand, splitting into dozens of tiny streamers that struck every exposed soldier in the outpost. Their magi tried to block the spell, but only one of their shields held, and the other magi fell to the ground, heavily scorched, as did half of the other soldiers he’d hit. Even those who’d survived were staggered, and that was a deadly disadvantage under the circumstances.

His soldiers cut down most of those who’d been staggered in a handful of seconds, and Alethus let out the faintest sigh of regret as a pretty knight was beheaded. While he’d love to take the woman captive and turn her to his faction, it wasn’t worth the risk when waging war. Raids were an entirely different story, but he wasn’t on a raid. This was a focused strike, and they couldn’t afford to keep many captives, not until he was certain they’d succeeded.

The one enemy mage who’d survived looked around frantically, the dwarf’s face pale, and Alethus watched pitilessly as the man missed the soldier who’d slipped up behind him, and the man cut down the mage before he could throw another attack.

“It looks like we’re about done, Milord,” Minna observed, the brunette’s eyes bright with eagerness, which prompted a soft laugh from Alethus.

“Hardly done, not when this was just the start,” Alethus replied, shaking his head as he glanced around. The border fort wasn’t large, and he had to wonder why Duke Dorma hadn’t replaced the palisade with a proper wall and watchtower, but he supposed the man did have rather large borders to watch. This wasn’t one of his more heavily threatened borders, so that likely had contributed to how shoddily it’d been built. It had only taken six boulders from his giants to break the wall, which he’d hardly believed.

“Of course not, but I doubt the defenders will last more than a few more minutes,” Minna said, which prompted Alethus to nod in agreement.

Alethus’s army had dealt with three patrols in their approach, showing that Duke Dorma had learned about the attack, and the fort had been on guard when they’d reached it, which made Alethus suspect they’d missed some scouts. He wasn’t going to get upset over that, not when it hadn’t mattered in the end. Maybe if the duke had managed to reinforce the fort before they’d gotten there he’d have been upset, but he hadn’t.

Instead, the fort was practically his, and the path to Clarion was wide open. While there were a few places reinforcements could be dispatched from, there were ways to deal with that. Which meant he really should start giving orders.

“Right. Once the fort has been fully swept for defenders, I want Adran’s task force to set up shop here. He’s not to spend too much effort on repairing the wall, since we’re going to torch it when we leave, but I’ll leave the decision to him, since he’s holding the door open for us,” Alethus said, glancing over at his runners. “Let Drana know that she has permission to go north. I want the road from the northern forts demolished as soon as she can manage it. Gort has the western roads, and he’s to thin reinforcements as much as he can without getting mauled. I want him to stay alive, damn it. We’ve lost enough people in the debacle around Bearton as it is.”

“Yes, sir!” a trio of runners chorused, saluting before they rushed off to deliver their messages. Alethus watched them go, then looked back at the fort, where the fighting was dying down. There were a few survivors, despite not giving orders to spare anyone, but he wasn’t going to be upset with that. The only issue was whether he should order them to finish them off or not, and he wasn’t sure which made more sense.

“Why do you consider the losses so bad, Milord?” Minna asked quietly after a moment. “Last I heard, we only lost three of the regulars permanently, which is below average for so many deaths. I’d understand if we lost any of the captains, or even Damaris or Velk, but…”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted that they succeeded, but the cost was more than just a few soldiers and far more coin than I’m comfortable thinking about,” Alethus said, wincing as he considered the amount of coin that the soldiers had lost resurrecting. Over half a million coins had gone into resurrecting them all, and even if most of that had been personal funds of the soldiers, it was enough to make his heart bleed. He continued after a few seconds, a touch more reluctantly. “No, we also lost all of their support in the campaign, Minna. The soldiers would’ve been helpful, if only to shore up our flanks, but we lost the assistance of a half-dozen people over level twenty. That’s going to hurt in the bigger battles, no matter how much of a number advantage I think we have.”

“True… how many people do you think we’ll be up against?” Minna asked, starting to walk forward beside them as they advanced on the fort.

“Duke Dorma’s regular soldiers are all about level eight or nine at most. Those higher level than that often want higher pay, so go to other regions if there aren’t any positions for them to fill. Based on what I’ve learned, he has around a thousand level fifteen to twenty knights, and about four thousand soldiers of various types,” Alethus explained, rubbing his chin. “However, half of those are usually tied up in garrisons, so I suspect we’ll run into twenty-five hundred of his solders or so. The Adventurers Guild will complicate matters, but I’d guess they’ll add no more than two hundred people to the fight, but they’re going to be higher level, and better coordinated.”

“Ah. That will make Clarion a tough nut to crack, Milord,” Minna warned, frowning. “Even with our siege monsters and engines, their walls will help even the odds.”

“The goal isn’t to take Clarion, though. They can’t move the last fragment of the seal without risking the release of the beast, and neither the fragment nor the shrine are located inside the walls,” Alethus said confidently, and smiled broadly at her. “No, if they want to stop us, it’ll have to be in the field, and there we have the advantage.”

Minna visibly relaxed and nodded, her smile growing once more. “That will make an enormous difference, Milord. If we outnumber them by that much, even their knights won’t be able to make up the difference in that case. I’m sorry for making you explain it.”

“It’s fine, Minna. You’ve been focused on preparing the army, not on the specifics of how it’s to be used,” Alethus assured her, grinning broadly. “Now, if it were Adran, Drana, or Gort who didn’t know what they were supposed to do, then I’d be angry. I’ve discussed their roles extensively, after all.”

“True enough. So you’re not planning to occupy Dorma or Astonia afterward?” Minna asked, prompting another laugh from Alethus.

“No, no… we don’t have a large enough army to occupy Dorma while defending our own borders. The beast should be under my control once I release it, but I don’t want to risk being wrong. If I become the Dark Lord, excellent. If not, I’d rather have the chance to retreat and enjoy our victory,” Alethus said, his tone turning more mischievous. “You plan to be there to enjoy it with me, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, Milord,” Minna replied, smiling broadly in response as she dipped her head courteously.

That prompted another laugh from Alethus, since he knew better than to believe her public persona.

Instead, he watched the border fort for another moment before murmuring. “To the fall of Astonia… and my rise.”

Chapter 7

“Ah, Ethan? You might want to see this,” Laila said, and Ethan looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

His sister practically had her eye glued to the telescope, which he could understand. They’d both been confined to the palace since word of what was happening had reached their father, and they’d both started going somewhat stir-crazy. He’d occupied himself with trying to study more about magic, to see if he really wanted to progress further as a Mage or not. Unfortunately for Laila, all of her usual instructors were too busy to give her additional lessons, so she didn’t have much to use up her immense reserve of energy. She’d always been the more physically inclined of them.

“What is it? Not another column of knights, or a messenger from the capital, I hope?” Ethan asked, considering the angle of the telescope thoughtfully. It was pointed generally to the southeast, which gave him a thought… but no, Captain Wilbert had gotten there earlier that day, as had the majority of the adventurers.

“Nope. There’s an entire swarm of apis headed toward the east gate!” Laila said, her voice bright with excitement. “I can’t tell how many of them there are, not with how they’re flying about, but…”

“Apis? Swarming apis?” Ethan demanded, jerking to his feet and almost dropping the book. “They aren’t going to attack the city, are they?”

That drew Laila away from the telescope, and she stood, putting a hand on her hip as she looked at him in exasperation.

“Really? That’s what you think, after everything we heard about Bearton?” Laila demanded, glowering at him. “I said there was a swarm, because what else am I supposed to call it? They were bees! They’re just coming down the road.”

Ethan flushed, then rallied as he retorted hotly. “How was I supposed to react? You just said there was a swarm of apis heading for the east gate, and that they were flying all over!”

Laila sighed loudly and gestured at the telescope, her voice pointed. “Well, if you didn’t constantly have your nose in a book, maybe you’d have noticed that Sir Wilbert told Father that we’d be getting a delegation of apis in the near future. So go ahead, take a look! You might have to adjust the telescope.”

Ethan felt his flush grow a little deeper, but he had to admit Laila was right, even if he wouldn’t give her the pleasure of admitting it aloud. He’d been distracted, and after the first half-hour of the report Wilbert had given, Ethan had opened his book and ignored the rest of it. There was an advantage to being third in line for the duchy, behind Laila and his older brother.

Instead, he simply moved over to the telescope and leaned down to look through it. Unfortunately, all he saw was an open field, and he scowled, realizing that Laila had likely bumped it when straightening, so he panned around until he found the road, and adjusted the telescope to zoom out a bit… and stopped, stunned by the movement he saw. It took a moment for him to make sense of what he was seeing, with how much movement there was in his line of sight, so Ethan adjusted the scope a little more to bring the picture into focus, and internally he gawked.

Dozens of apis were flying every direction, and he thought he saw one of them smelling a bush of flowers. They were striking, with their primarily black armor and yellow stripes, along with yellow and black hair that drew the eye. He’d known that they were striking from the descriptions, but those were nothing like seeing them in person. It took him a few more moments to notice that a core group was walking on the ground, and that they weren’t all apis. Some of them were, ones who were mostly men, but there were also a group of what he guessed had to be adventurers. To him it looked like they were composed of a noble, his entourage, and a group of servants, from how low-level the equipment on the last three was. A moment later he realized who the noble was, though.

“Is that James Viermont? I didn’t know he was in the area!” Ethan asked incredulously. “What’s he doing with the apis?”

“How am I supposed to know?” Laila demanded, glaring at him. “I didn’t recognize him, so I’ll have to take your word that it’s him.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s him. I didn’t know he was around… and with the apis, he must’ve gone to help Bearton,” Ethan mused, then shrugged and grinned, pulling away from the telescope. “Either way, we should be able to find out more. I wonder what he can tell us?”

Laila shrugged, elbowing Ethan, which caused him to yelp as he staggered to the side and she took the telescope back. When she spoke, her tone was complacent. “I have no idea, and I don’t know if we can even get him to come to the palace. There is a war brewing, you know.”

“I know,” Ethan said, his smile fading as he regained his feet and his tone turning unhappy. “Believe me, I know that much. I just don’t see what we can do.”

“Nothing, as long as Father is intent on keeping us confined to the palace. He doesn’t think we’re anywhere near the point of being able to participate in a real battle,” Laila replied. “Though if he never lets us experience any danger, we won’t ever get to the point we can.”

Ethan shrugged, not bothering to reply. She was right, but answering would just convince her to belabor the point. Instead, he made a mental note to bring it up with their father the next time he was in a good mood. It might even work.

For the moment, he went back to his book. Hopefully they could get ahold of James and find out what the noble had been doing. That would be exciting.

* * *

“See? It’s a really big rock wall!” Joy exclaimed, gesturing at the wall as the attendants shaded their eyes, looking at it closely.

“Definitely rock,” one of them agreed, her head turning back and forth. “But I don’t recognize the stone between the rocks. It looks odd. Like chalk?”

“Something similar. It looks harder, though,” the second attendant agreed, and both of them looked at James expectantly, which prompted Joy to giggle in amusement. They’d learned that he was the one who knew the most about stone and metal, so looked to him first, now.

“Ah, it’s mortar. A mixture of different types of rock and water, which then dries into a hard material,” James said, looking at Eda with a helpless expression on his face. “It’s not as strong as most other types of stone, so they try to use a thin layer of it between stones to join them together… which pretty much exhausts my knowledge where it’s concerned.”

“Interesting!” the attendants chorused in unison, and Joy heard laughter from the guards at the gate ahead of them. They weren’t approaching too quickly, and there were several wagons ahead of them. She’d noticed that the guards had visibly relaxed when all the apis had landed and lined up to wait.

“So, what’re you going to do? Once we’re in the city?” Joy asked James, practically bouncing in place as she waited for the line to move. It was taking longer than she wanted, especially with how easy it would be to fly over the wall… but that would probably get her shot, so she didn’t.

“Let me think…” James began, only for Helen to speak up.

“First we need to see if our new weapons are available, then we’re going to be heading to the Crimson Rose to arrange lodging. Then we need to get our payment from the Adventurer’s Guild, and based on prior experiences, a few nobles are going to come calling,” Helen explained briskly. “I don’t know if we’re going to get involved in the conflict around Clarion, though.”

“Thank you, Helen… I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t keeping track of things,” James said sheepishly, and flushed at Joy’s smile. “Though I suspect we’re going to get involved either way. The idea of fighting an entire army makes me nervous, particularly that bastard Alethus, but if we don’t the entire kingdom could be in trouble.”

Jean nodded, her smile fading as she spoke. “I entirely agree. We might not be able to do much against Alethus or his lieutenants directly, but we’re stronger than most soldiers in the region.”

“Yep. From what my parents said of their adventuring days, even in higher-level regions most soldiers don’t tend to get above level twenty. Most of them top out around level fifteen instead,” Brianna interjected, nodding in approval as she glanced at Joy and grinned. “It’s mostly adventurers like us that push ourselves beyond that.”

“Or crafters. If they’re pushing the limits of their skills, they can get surprisingly high-level,” Stella added, prompting a nod from Brianna.

“Really? That’s good to know!” Joy said, looking at the attendants, whose pheromones showed that they were very intent on the conversation.

“The question is what we’re to do, once in the city. From what James has said, we will need to wait for an audience?” one of them asked, looking at them curiously. “We would just set up a camp, but we aren’t certain what to do. I don’t think that the inns could fit all of us, with how few rooms they have. And their objection to us all being in a few rooms.”

“If I were you, I’d speak to Guildmaster Silverhoof,” Cora spoke up at last, leaning on her staff as she looked at Joy. “He knew you were coming, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he and Sir Wilbert arranged for housing of some type. We’re planning to stay at an inn near the guild house, so we could show you the way.”

“That would be very helpful!” the other attendant said happily, smiling at Cora, then at Joy. “We might be able to find our way there eventually, but I suspect it would take longer than we’d like. Your cities are strange.”

“For you, maybe,” Cora murmured under her breath, barely loud enough that Joy could hear her, which prompted Joy to giggle. Cora blushed, then nodded. “Then we have a plan. All that’s left is to wait.”

“Yep! I wish we could just fly over the walls,” Joy said regretfully, bouncing on her toes again. “This takes so long!”

“Pheromones make it much easier,” an attendant agreed, sending a chorus of laughter through all the apis behind them.

“I’ll take your word for it,” James said, flushing slightly.

Fortunately, they didn’t have much longer of a wait, Joy noticed, her eyes brightening as the caravan that had been in front got moving. That left just one wagon between them and the gate guards, and as the man in the wagon got out to speak with the guards, another guard approached, his gaze fixed on the apis as he did so. When he was in easy talking distance, he spoke, looking at James.

“Sir Viermont?” the guard asked, causing Joy to blink in confusion. Beside her Cora’s breath hissed inward, but she didn’t say anything.

James winced, replying with a nod. “I’m James Viermont, yes, but I’m afraid that ‘Sir’ is inaccurate. I haven’t officially been knighted yet.”

“If you say so, but I was told you’re a noble, which is reason enough to call you sir,” the guard said, a smile on his face as he saluted and gave a half-bow. “Sir Wilbert told us to expect you. I’m told that you were helping escort the apis, so may I assume that this is the delegation?”

“That’s right,” James said, relaxing as he gestured behind him. “There are one hundred and two apis, and I’m accompanied by my four adventuring partners, and another adventuring group, made up of Brianna, Cora, Joy, and Stella.”

Joy waved at the guard at her name, grinning broadly. “Hi!”

“Ah, hello,” the guard replied, blinking at her, then nodded. “In that case, I’m supposed to pass you through. I’ve also been told that you should expect an invitation to appear in the palace, sir.”

“Of course I should,” James said, letting out a slight sigh. “Thank you, good man. I just have been trying to avoid letting my birth influence my life as an adventurer.”

The guard chuckled, smiling broadly. “I don’t believe there was much chance of that, sir. Please, go in through the center of the gate, but keep an eye out for wagons on their way out.”

“Thank you,” James said, and led the way around the first wagon.

Joy followed him, and she could smell the apis quickly following in an orderly line. She was curious what had prompted Cora to speak and considered for a few seconds, trying to hold in her curiosity.

“What does Viermont mean?” Joy asked after about five breaths, and Stella laughed.

“I’m fairly sure that it’s his family name,” Stella said, glancing at Joy in amusement. “I’m afraid I don’t know much more than you beyond that.”

“The Viermont family is famous throughout Astonia,” Brianna replied, crossing her arms as she glanced at James speculatively. “They have several holdings in other countries, so despite only being a barony, they have an enormous amount of influence and wealth. I’m told they make some weapons that are over level fifty.”

James visibly winced, shaking his head. “See? This is why I don’t tell people, if I have any choice in the matter. Everyone thinks that I get whatever I want, and that isn’t true. I have to earn all my equipment and pay for it the hard way. The only help I got from my family is in getting Eda and Helen their advanced jobs! I’m not even going to get knighted unless I earn it legitimately. The only reason I have the knight job is because I was made a squire when I was younger.”

They filtered around a wagon that’d gotten stuck about halfway through the gate, and as they did, Joy considered, then asked, “That isn’t the case normally? I’d think everyone would have to work for things…”

“Not for nobles,” Cora said, smiling. “Oh, some do have to, but in a lot of cases, the question is whether they’ll get knighted as soon as they’re fully mature, or if it’ll happen earlier. Having to earn it is a little unusual.”

“If it weren’t for how wealthy they are, and how many of the family are relatively high-level as well, I suspect that James would have had to deal with a lot of sneering, growing up,” Eda said, smiling at him affectionately. “Instead, they had to act like he was higher rank than he is.”

“Oh, don’t you even start,” James warned, glaring at Eda. “I don’t want them treating me differently because of this. I’m an adventurer, just like them. Sure, I might be able to arrange for better gear a little more easily, but it isn’t like I can call up a group of high-level bodyguards at the snap of my fingers. I want to be treated like everyone else.”

“But… but you are different. You’re you, and you have your own pheromones and everything,” Joy said, growing a little concerned by his comment. “If you didn’t tell us about that thermal shock thing, we wouldn’t have been able to rescue your friends!”

Jean snickered at that, and laughter rippled through the others as well. Then Eda teased. “See, James? If you ever want people who’ll treat you like you’re just you, obviously you need to visit the apis.”

“Apparently. Thanks, Joy,” James said, smiling warmly at her. “It’s just… you wouldn’t believe how many people decide to treat me differently when they find out I’m a noble. It doesn’t help when I just want to advance on my own merits.”

Joy shrugged and grinned, looking at the attendants as she spoke. “It’s alright! I hope you get to do that, then. I don’t know enough about the nobles to really understand, but I’ll treat you the same way. Promise!”

Her reply prompted another laugh from the others, just as they emerged into the city once more. There were a couple of guards talking to a merchant to their right, a man who looked distinctly unhappy to Joy, but otherwise the city looked a lot like it had the last time Joy had seen it, though some of the flowers she’d sniffed before they’d left the city had wilted at this point. That was a little disappointing, but Joy didn’t let it get her down.

There were plenty other flowers to smell, after all.

Chapter 8

“Joy, what are you doing?” Cora asked, resisting the urge to put a hand on her hip. They’d just gotten the attendants in to meet with Silverhoof, and in the several seconds she’d taken to point them in the right direction, the apis had darted over to the quest board.

“Looking at quests!” Joy said, grinning as she looked over her shoulder at them. “That’s what we do when we come here, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think we need any quests right now, Joy,” Brianna commented, letting out a soft laugh. “If we’re going to Clarion, then coming back again, I don’t think many would be appropriate. We also don’t want to get slowed down by a caravan or something like that.”

Joy nodded, stepping away from the board as she grinned. “Alright! I didn’t think of that part.”

Cora smiled and shrugged, glancing over at Viper, the lizardfolk secretary as she spoke apologetically. “Sorry for dropping the apis in your lap, Viper. If I knew where to take them, I would’ve done so.”

“It isn’t a problem at all, Miss Cora! We were warned they were coming, and I believe that there’s a defunct estate which the duke is planning to offer to them for a temporary embassy,” Viper said, smiling at her toothily. “I do appreciate the concern, however. These are trying times, with everything that’s been going on. I’ve also put in a good word in your file for other branches of the guild, should you ever travel beyond the borders of Astonia, as your actions kept a bad situation from becoming even worse.”

“How so?” Stella asked, her arms folded in front of her as she frowned unhappily. “We didn’t stop them from taking the seal piece, so I don’t see how we made it better.”

“You kept close to four hundred soldiers from getting away, though,” Viper said, his tone turning slightly scolding. “Certainly, the majority of them likely resurrected, but the amount of coin that costs is not insubstantial, and unless they wish to risk permanent death, those soldiers are going to be stuck in a city for most of a month even now. That doesn’t even take into account how much equipment they lost as well. Considering that four hundred soldiers is almost a tenth of the duke’s standing army across most of the garrisons, you did good work. Even if you had help.”

The explanation eased Cora’s mood, and she saw how Stella’s frown grew less pronounced. She suspected that neither of them had thought about that. Brianna might have, but Cora’s town had never been involved in large-scale warfare. They were too small for that. Either way, at least Cora’s month was about over. In a couple of days she’d be able to resurrect safely again, or at least mostly safely.

“Yes, well, the apis definitely helped. If we hadn’t had their assistance, we wouldn’t have been able to do anything,” Cora said, sighing softly as she shook her head, remembering all three battles where the apis had helped out. “It’s part of why we agreed to guide them here.”

“They paid us, too!” Joy chimed in, prompting a laugh from Brianna.

“More than we asked for, at that,” Brianna said, shrugging as Viper looked at him, and she explained. “We were coming this way anyway, and told them we’d escort them for five hundred coins. They took that as five hundred coins for each of us.”

“Ah, I understand. I see that I’ll have to recommend that we be exceptionally precise regarding any contracts we make with the apis,” Viper said, writing something behind the desk. “We don’t want to make them think that we’re trying to cheat them, or to have them think we’ve promised more than we have. Either would end poorly, I believe.”

“You might say that,” Cora replied dryly, thinking about the battles again. Forty thousand apis, two-thirds of the hive, was ten times the size of Duke Dorma’s army, based on what Viper had said earlier. That would go badly for Dorma, in her opinion. “In any case… do we need to stay to guide the attendants, or can we go find rooms of our own?”

“Ah, yes, one moment… I need to get you something,” Viper said, turning away to open a cabinet, one with a glowing spell-lock on the drawer. He shuffled through it, then pulled out an envelope. The envelope was made of crisp white paper, which immediately identified it as being rather expensive even if the wax seal and ribbon hadn’t. He turned to them, offering it to Cora, likely since she was the closest to him. “This is from His Grace. I happen to know that he very much appreciates the risks you took for the sake of the kingdom and his subjects, and wishes to express his thanks in person. Details are in the missive, but I expect you can present it at the palace gates. If you do so, I’d expect to wait until he can clear things from his schedule.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Brianna muttered, and Joy looked at her curiously, her antennae perking up.

“Oh? Do nobles not usually have much to do?” Joy asked eagerly, and almost visibly putting the human on her back foot.

“Er, it’s another expression, Joy. I was just being sarcastic,” Brianna replied, her cheeks flushing, which prompted a laugh from Cora. That got Cora a glare, but the human continued. “Most nobles of the duke’s rank are busy most of the time, let alone when they have a war to worry about. Waiting is to be expected.”

“Okay! I just wasn’t sure whether you were being serious or not!” Joy said, flashing a smile. “We’re going now, yes?”

“Yes, we are,” Cora said, smiling as she nodded to Viper. “Thank you, Viper. I hope you have a good evening.”

“And you as well,” Viper replied, nodding in return.

They quickly left the building, and as they moved, Cora examined the envelope carefully. There wasn’t much on it, other than the seal and ribbon. It did bear their names in an elegant hand, but Cora was more interested in the seal.

It depicted a mountain with swords sticking into either slope at an angle, one where they’d cross if they weren’t in the mountain, and she considered before asking, “Bri, is this the seal of the duke?”

“Let’s see… yup, that’s his,” Brianna said, waving at some other adventurers that were heading into the building. “I’ve never seen it like that, but if you look at his flags, it’s similar.”

“That’s what I thought,” Cora murmured.

“Wouldn’t it be his? He asked us to a meeting!” Joy chimed in curiously.

“It can. It’s also possible that someone else invited us on his behalf,” Cora said, shrugging uncomfortably, then slid the envelope into her belt pouch. “Either way, I just wanted to be sure. We can look at it once we have a room at the inn.”

“Assuming that they aren’t all full,” Stella said, frowning. “I wouldn’t be surprised if people are coming here, just to be safe. This is one of the most heavily defended cities in the duchy, from what I’ve heard.”

“We’ll see soon enough,” Cora said, though she didn’t disagree. People had a tendency to flee areas in danger, in her experience… except for those who stubbornly refused to give up an inch.

Unfortunately, it turned out that Stella’s prediction was accurate. The first four inns they visited were packed with travelers, many of which looked like merchants or craftsmen to Cora. At that point they ran out of inns that were on the more affordable side of things, and their choices were to look at the cheap inns, or the more expensive ones. Personally, Cora was relieved that Brianna flatly refused to consider the lower-class inns. They had far too much coin for that part of town, and thieves were always a concern, even if they usually avoided adventurers.

It took a little while to find an inn with room even so, but eventually they found a couple of rooms at the White Horse. The inn was more inconveniently placed than most of the expensive inns, which Cora suspected was why it still had rooms available, but it was rather nice. It also cost more than she cared thinking about per night.

“What does the letter say?” Joy asked almost immediately after she plopped down her backpack next to the nice bed on her side of the room, looking at Cora eagerly. That prompted a laugh from Cora, and she chided the apis gently.

“Hold on, Joy. We should wait for Bri and Stella,” Cora said, setting her staff in the corner, then removing her own backpack. She laid a hand on the bed briefly, and as she did so her lips pursed. It was softer than she’d expected, which made her think it was a feather bed, something she’d only experienced once or twice. Perhaps the amount the room cost made more sense than she’d thought.

“Right! Sorry, I was just curious!” Joy said, plopping onto her bed, then bouncing up and down several times. “The bed is soft!”

“I certainly hope it is, with as much as we’re paying for the room,” Cora replied, grinning at the apis and rolling her shoulders again. “It might be a minute or two before they come over.”

“Yep! I smelled more of the pheromones… but they weren’t that bad, so I don’t think they’re planning to mate,” Joy said, prompting another blush from Cora.

“Do you have to talk about that, Joy? It isn’t any of our business!” Cora protested.

“Um, but you said not to talk to them about it unless they brought it up, and not to talk about it in public. This isn’t public, is it?” Joy said, frowning as her wings fluttered behind her a few times. “It’s just the two of us.”

“It isn’t that. It’s just… for most species, choosing who they want to… to mate with is a very personal, private thing. Talking about it like that makes a lot of people uncomfortable,” Cora explained, cringing at even saying that much. She didn’t like gossiping about people to begin with, so this made her distinctly uncomfortable.

“Oh. Well, I’ll try not to talk about it, then,” Joy said agreeably, though it was obvious she didn’t understand why Cora didn’t want to talk about it. Instead she bounced a little, tilting her head back and forth as she hummed, then asked, “Do you think that Resha is done making our weapons and armor? She said it could take two or three weeks, if I remember right.”

“Mm… that’s a good question. I hope she is, since I’m sure that Alethus has more demons in his army,” Cora said, her mood sinking slightly as she considered what might be coming over the next week or two. “Even if she isn’t, we’ll do what we have to. My goal is to get to Clarion, get the ore we need, and get out. Hopefully we can avoid the war, but I don’t think that we’ll be able to.”

“Oh. I really hope it isn’t too bad. I don’t like it when anyone dies,” Joy said, her smile dimming as the apis let out a sigh. “Even bad people. I’ll still kill them, but I wish they didn’t try to hurt us.”

“Joy… I don’t think I’ll ever understand you,” Cora said, smiling at Joy as she shook her head in bewilderment. The idea of Joy feeling bad about killing people was odd, mostly because there was absolutely no hesitation in Joy’s attacks when in combat.

Joy looked at Cora in confusion, opening her mouth to speak, but at that moment there was a knock at the door.

“You presentable in there?” Brianna asked cheerfully, prompting a laugh from Cora.

“Of course we are! Come in!” Cora replied, grinning broadly as the door opened to admit Brianna and Stella, both of whom had left their weapons and backpacks behind, and she teased. “Why wouldn’t we be presentable?”

“I don’t know,” Brianna said, shrugging as she looked around, then took a spot on the wall as she shoved the door shut behind Stella. “Because the two of you have been spending an awful lot of time together, and I was wondering if you’re dating?”

Cora sputtered, while Stella let out a soft laugh, folding her arms for a moment, then stepping toward the table. Both of them stopped when Joy spoke, though.

“Nope! I can’t mate with anyone, so that isn’t going to happen. I just like talking to Cora. She’s fun and smells like a flower!” Joy chirped, prompting Cora to blink at Joy, then sigh.

“Ah, from the mouth of apis,” Cora murmured, debating for a bare moment, before she added, “Also, trying to hide the fact that the two of you are dating is a failing endeavor, you know.”

“What?” Stella asked, her cheeks coloring as she looked around, almost frozen in place. Brianna’s mouth was open, and the look on her face was almost enough to make Cora laugh again.

“I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about that,” Joy said, looking like she was puzzled as she stared at Cora, her hands rubbing together as the apis slowly made a wax disc. “You said so!”

“That was before Brianna decided to tease us. She brought it up first,” Cora explained, then looked at Stella, her voice turning a little gentler. “Joy noticed after the first fight with the ants. She smells pheromones, remember?”

“Phero—oh. Goddess… that is embarrassing,” Stella said, reaching up to rub her face. “I didn’t think… well, that makes this awkward.”

“You’re telling me. If my mother finds out, she’s probably going to kick my ass,” Brianna said, wincing as she regained some sense of poise. “I didn’t… well, let’s just say that she had some bad experiences when she was younger and leave it at that. I hope you aren’t going to spread it around?”

Joy opened her mouth, but Cora decided to quickly cut her off.

“If you hadn’t poked fun at me, I wouldn’t have brought it up to begin with,” Cora replied, shrugging and pulling out the letter from the duke. “Anyway, let’s just move on, shall we? I suspect there aren’t going to be any surprises here, but I’d rather check to be sure.”

“Sure!” Joy said, sitting up eagerly, and Cora rolled her eyes, expecting Joy to be terribly disappointed by the contents.

So she proceeded to crack the seal and prove herself right.

Chapter 9

The morning began well enough for the caravan. It was traveling from Clarion to Irador, carrying a variety of trade goods for the city. Certainly, the merchants and guards were tense, with word spreading about the potential conflict with the Dark Kingdoms, but they’d seen no sign of them yet, and they were getting close to Irador, which helped them relax.

The landscape was rockier in the region, a place more well-known for its goats than any crops, and as such it was also home to mountain cats, dragonlings, serpents, and other monsters which some low-level adventurers used to level while making the caravan route safer. The road was safe enough most days, so they traveled at a quick pace, at least until the war cries surprised them.

Guards were just starting to turn in response to the sounds from the west when a deadly hail of arrows and crossbow bolts lashed out from the east, slamming into them while their backs were turned, resulting in harrowing casualties among the guards and merchants. Moments later a lightning bolt slammed into several guards, and a ball of fire torched still more. The attackers surged in from the west savagely, with demons, elves, humans, and orcs among their number, along with a single ten-foot-tall ogre in their lead, heavily armored in splint mail and wielding a massive warhammer in both hands which crushed every foe in his path.

The caravan never stood a chance, as the attackers killed the guards, plundered what they could from the wagons, and burned the rest. Not a single person was spared or escaped the caravan alive.

Not that they needed to, since some of them would revive and tell others what had happened, just as Alethus had planned.

* * *

“We’re back!” Joy exclaimed, almost bouncing into Sharptooth’s Armory and looking around as she did so.

Draegur Sharpfang looked up from a ledger, blinking at her, then set his quill aside as he grinned broadly, speaking warmly in response. “That you are! For most guests, I’d probably need to make certain I was addressing them correctly, but you stuck in my memory, Joy. You’re back a bit early, aren’t you? I thought you were going to be gone for longer.”

Like the last time Joy had visited, the man was dressed in nice clothing, this time in a deep green that Joy rather liked, even if she felt that red or blue were better colors. She found his hair fascinating, with the black and orange stripes, and the tail swaying behind him amused her for some reason.

The others were just barely getting through the doors, and Joy grinned back at him as she replied. “Maybe? We had a really weird trip! We went to the bear town, got ambushed by people from the Dark Kingdoms, ran away, got help from the apis, helped save the town, found out the Dark Kingdom people were doing bad things, fought army ants, killed the Dark Kingdom people, then killed more army ants. Then we came back!”

“That has got to be the most concise, yet accurate, summary of our trip I think you could come up with,” Brianna said, looking at Joy in amusement as Draegur stared at Joy, then looked at Brianna and the others.

“Wait, you were caught up in the horrid mess I heard enveloped Bearton?” Draegur demanded, looking less amused and more stunned by this point. “I heard about it, but I thought that the rumors had to be exaggerated. Was there really an entire swarm of army ants south of the city?”

“There was,” Cora confirmed, smiling at him, though she didn’t look entirely happy. Joy had to wonder why. “With the help of the apis and knights, we cut our way into them and killed the queen, which caused the ants to retreat. Otherwise, I suspect they’d still be there.”

Joy nodded vigorously, shivering as she added, “They ate everything in the areas they’d infested. All the bees, flowers, animals… everything! It was terrible.”

“It certainly sounds like it would be,” Draegur said, straightening a bit. “However, I suspect that you aren’t here to tell me what you were doing while you were away. You were here to ask about your equipment, yes?”

“That’s right,” Stella said, folding her hands in front of her. “Though we’ll understand if it isn’t ready yet. Apparently, there’s a possible war coming with the Dark Kingdoms, and we thought having the weapons would be particularly useful.”

“Mm, understandable,” Draegur growled, nodding firmly. “Let me check with Resha and see if they’re done. I know she was ahead of schedule, but I’m not sure if she’s that far along.”

“Of course!” Joy said, her wings buzzing excitedly as she thought about the weapons. The luminous titansteel had been incredibly pretty, and she wasn’t sure how it would look when turned into a weapon or armor.

Draegur laughed as he turned to the door into the back and opened it, allowing a wave of warm air into the front room. Joy’s happiness dimmed as the smell of smoke and oil hit her, and she wrinkled her nose unhappily. She could not understand why anyone would want to work in places like that. Maybe they just didn’t smell things the same way as she did. What Joy did notice was a faint sound of metal rasping on metal, which struck her as odd. Still, she didn’t approach the door. Even if she wasn’t thrilled by the smell, the tiger-people might regard it as offensive. If it was their hive, she’d expect them to attack her.

“Resha? The apis and her adventuring party are back. Have you finished their gear yet, or should I tell them that they need to come back later?” Draegur asked, his voice clearly audible even turned away. He had a really deep voice, and the rasping sound stopped.

“They’re back? Already?” Resha demanded as something clattered in the background. “Good! I want to make sure that all of it fits right.”

“That sounds promising,” Brianna murmured, a grin growing on the human’s face, and Joy giggled.

“If you say so! Is this unusual?” Joy asked, tilting her head slightly.

Resha appeared in the doorway at about that moment, looking a lot like her husband, but with a wooden crate in her arms. She stepped through the door and set the crate down like it weighed nothing, speaking as she did so. “Yes, it is. I hadn’t touched luminous titansteel in a long time, so I wanted to make sure I could work it properly. I could, and did, so I spent extra time on your things every day. You’d better not break it.”

That made Joy’s mood dim a little, and she shuffled, looking down at her feet as she replied timidly. “Um, I can’t promise… how am I to stop an orc from stepping on it?”

Resha stared at Joy for a couple of seconds, tilting her head, then looked at Brianna. “What is she talking about?”

“We were in a fight with an orc who was around level twenty-five or thirty, and he knocked her down, then snapped her rapier with a stomp,” Brianna explained, shrugging unhappily. “I don’t think there was much she could do. His boss chopped straight through my shield like it was nothing.”

“Ah. That would be a little more difficult, I suppose. You shouldn’t be fighting someone like that to begin with, but you don’t always have a choice,” Resha said, her scowl fading, and she looked at Joy. “As to what I was saying, I meant not to abuse it. Use your rapier as a lever and you’re going to break it. Don’t do that; these were hard to make with as delicate as luminous titansteel is in its raw form.”

“Oh, okay! I promise, I won’t do that! That’s why I bought a crowbar!” Joy exclaimed happily, reaching into her pouch to produce the crowbar. She blushed as everyone in the room just stared at her.

“Makes sense, I suppose,” Draegur murmured, then turned to the crate curiously. “Now, shall we see the equipment? I’m curious how it turned out myself.”

Joy paused awkwardly, then slipped the crowbar back into her pouch. Obviously they’d thought she was being odd again, and she flushed, then shrugged it off, stepping forward as Resha removed the lid of the crate.

Chapter 10

The interior of the crate was slightly illuminated, but only slightly, which surprised Joy a little. The ore had glowed rather brightly, so she expected the entire interior to be glowing… at least until she saw the weapons that were now sticking out of the crate. There was a wooden staff, a rapier, a mace, and a sword that looked a lot like the one Brianna was currently wielding, though the hilt was a little different. Next to it was a shield on the top, emblazoned with a white circle on a field of blue, tiny stars around it.

“For the sake of stealth, I hid as much of the luminous titansteel as possible,” Resha said, picking up the staff, which had a spherical red gemstone about an inch across at the top of it, and she tapped the side of it. “This is iron oak with a luminous titansteel core. The others weren’t nearly as easy to work with, which is why the striking surfaces glow. Fortunately, the swords have sheathes to hide that. The mace, I’d just suggest making sure your cloak covers it when possible.”

“Very clever. I was wondering how I’d hide it, if it came to that,” Cora said, taking the staff and admiring it, a smile on her face. “You do excellent work.”

“Thank you,” Resha said in satisfaction, then grimaced as she added, “Though your armor was a nightmare. I finished it, but it wasn’t easy.”

Brianna’s sword didn’t interest Joy, though she did find the mace fascinating. Most of it looked almost like silver, but the mace’s flangs were each glowing with a white light. It made Joy wonder what her rapier would look like, and she was very, very tempted to take it out of the box… but Joy stopped herself, instead taking a breath as she reminded herself that she was supposed to be patient.

“May I look at the rapier, please?” Joy said, her voice almost trembling with excitement.

“Of course you may. You paid for it,” Resha said, and almost before she finished Joy lunged forward, snatching the sheathed weapon from the crate, and drew it almost as swiftly. The ringing sound chimed through the smithy, and Joy paused, looking at the rapier in awe as it shed light all around her.

The smoothly curved basket hilt protected her hand while not limiting her movements, and she admired the way the silver flowed together, almost like the veins through her wings. The blade, though… it was glowing crystal that almost looked like it spiraled up to the rapier’s tip. It didn’t, she could see the two edges of the rapier incredibly clearly, and could almost see through the blade entirely.

“It’s beautiful,” Joy whispered, looking at the rapier, almost entranced by the sight of it. It was so light in her hand, and she felt her smile widen still more. “Thank you, Resha!”

“You’re welcome,” Resha replied, a smile of amusement on her face. “It took some work to get right.”

“Well, you’re certainly an excellent smith,” Brianna said, admiring her own sword, which only had the edge of the blade glowing, while the rest of it was blackened, increasing the contrast. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a chance to hold a sword like this. Not that I could, as low-level as I was when I was younger.”

“Ah, the joy of having a hard time picking up weapons when you’re young and low-level,” Draegur murmured, grinning broadly.

“It certainly made studying weapons harder,” Resha agreed, looking far less thrilled than her husband did. “Do they feel like they fit your hands properly? What about the balance?”

“This is wonderful!” Joy said excitedly, turning away so she could make a few test thrusts and cuts, then nodded in satisfaction. “I like it!”

Murmurs of agreement came from the others, prompting another smile from Resha.

“Excellent. Then it’s time for you to check your armor,” the smith said, picking up the shield from the top of the pile and offering it to Stella. “Here’s the shield you requested. A solid piece, if I say so myself.”

“Thank you,” Stella said, examining the shield and smiling. “This will certainly help in combat. But the armor… ah, you enameled it?”

Joy leaned forward, just in time for Resha to remove the armor she’d made for Stella. The armor was composed of a corslet, greaves, bracers, and gauntlets, but the unusual thing was the color. It didn’t look like metal at all to her, with a smooth, dark blue surface, except for on the chest of the breastplate where there was a softly glowing circle like the moon, as well as several other patterns here and there on the armor. Well, and some silver trim, but Joy wasn’t paying attention to that. Beneath Stella’s armor was a near-identical set that was green with copper trim, just sized somewhat larger and without the chest symbol.

“I did. I thought it was the best way to keep you from imitating a lighthouse,” Resha agreed, smiling at Stella broadly. “You’ll note I used it to create a holy sigil for you, though. It should be easy to keep covered if you need to be stealthy, easier than your mace for certain.”

“Agreed. Thank you very much, Resha, I’ll have to try this on,” Stella said, and glanced at Draegur. “I presume you have a changing booth or something?”

“A couple of them,” Draegur confirmed, pointing at a couple of doors in the corner that Joy had almost overlooked. “Go ahead and pick one, neither is in use.”

Brianna picked up her armor in the meantime, examining it critically, and in doing so exposed what Joy was certain was her armor. Who else would have armor that had black and yellow stripes on it? Not much of the yellow, which glowed softly to her eyes, but it was there. It looked a lot like her current armor, and Joy grinned, quickly fastening her rapier to her belt as she leaned down. While she was distracted, Brianna quickly headed for the other changing room as well.

“That’s pretty! Let’s see…” Joy said, pulling out the armor to look at it closely, and almost dropped it. “Oof, heavier than it looks! Not much heavier than my current armor, though. I think it covers everything it needs to cover, too. Don’t want to get stung in the stomach.”

“No, that wouldn’t be good,” Cora said, peering past Joy. “And mine… how did you manage to keep it from glowing?”

“I didn’t. Not entirely, anyway,” Resha said, shrugging. “What I managed to do was dim it, then I sandwiched the titansteel between two thin layers of cloth. If something breaks the outer layer you’re going to see a slight glow, but I don’t think that you’ll run into that much.”

“I certainly hope not. If someone’s in range to stab me, it isn’t going to be pleasant,” Cora said, glancing at Joy as she added, her tone turning teasing. “Sort of like when Joy didn’t expect the orc to keep spinning when she dodged his axe.”

“That hurt,” Joy complained, wincing as her antennae drooped. “How was I supposed to know that would happen?”

“He was higher level than you. You shouldn’t have stayed inside his reach at all,” Cora said, pulling out her new clothing. It was a long-sleeved jacket, tunic, and trousers, Joy noticed, which looked pretty good to her. The jacket and trousers were a simple brown leather, while the tunic was a light green color that pleased Joy’s eyes.

“Right! I’ll try to remember that,” Joy said, glancing toward the changing room impatiently. She wanted to try on her armor, and she’d been lectured about not changing in public often enough as it was.

“How bad was this fight?” Resha asked, her eyebrows rising as she leaned against the counter.

“Really bad,” Cora said, letting out a sigh. “If it hadn’t been for the army ants wearing the invaders down, we’d probably have lost. Hell, if the orc’s axe hadn’t been damaged, I think it’d have cut straight through Stella’s shield.”

“Possibly,” Stella said, stepping out of the changing room and rolling her shoulders as she did so. “With a normal shield, certainly. But I’d used Mother’s Rampart, and it boosts the defense of the shield for a few moments, so it would’ve had a chance of working. Not a good chance, but better than nothing. This feels… odd. I don’t know why, but it feels loose.”

The armor looked pretty good on Stella, Joy thought, with how the etched symbol glowed behind the Acolyte’s holy symbol, and the dark blue complimented her well. She rather liked the shield, since it looked like it was larger than the circular ones Stella had used before. The biggest difference was that the armor wasn’t partly shrouded by Stella’s vestments that she usually wore with her armor, but Joy supposed she could change that later on.

“That doesn’t sound right,” Resha said, pushing away from the counter as she frowned. “Not your ability, but the armor. Let’s have a look at you.”

Stella nodded, stepping closer and turning in place as she replied. “I easily could have missed something, I guess. I’m used to my old armor.”

“Yes… and you did miss something,” Resha said, stepping up behind Stella as she reached under her arm to adjust something. “You didn’t tighten this strap here. That’ll help keep your breastplate secure.”

“Drat, thank you. I wondered why it felt loose,” Stella said, blushing as she reached over to touch the strap in question. “I guess I’ll just have to get used to the design. It’s different from where I grew up.”

“Unsurprising. Different regions have different designs for armor. Only the gods know why,” Resha said, nodding and glancing at the other door. “The only question is how it fits… Brianna, is it?”

“It’s fine!” Brianna called out from inside. “I’m just trying to get the door without dropping anything.”

Joy giggled and bounced over to the room, speaking brightly as she shifted her armor into one arm. “I’ll get it for you!”

She opened the door quickly, then backed up as she saw the human. Brianna had awkwardly stacked her old armor in her arms, along with her old sword on top of it, which explained why she had so much trouble with the door. Joy would’ve carried it differently, but she wasn’t Brianna.

“Thanks, Joy,” Brianna said, edging out into the room carefully. She stepped over to the counter and set her things down, prompting Cora to whistle softly.

“You certainly look more dangerous in that,” Cora said, her eyebrows rising, and Joy nodded in agreement.

Brianna didn’t look that much different than Stella, save that her armor was green, but with the sword at her hip she had a decidedly more predatory stance. It reminded Joy of a praying mantis, when she thought about it. Graceful, but deadly.

“I really like it. It fits better than my old armor did, too,” Brianna said, looking down and rapping the chest plate. “Not that it’s surprising. My old armor wasn’t a custom piece, it was just off the shelf.”

“That’s how most adventurers work, at least until they get to level twenty-five or so,” Resha said, nodding approvingly. “Unless your gear can be easily upgraded, like yours can, it isn’t worth the additional expense of getting it bespoke.”

“Bespoke?” Joy asked, almost pouncing on the word. She hadn’t heard it before, and she liked learning new things.

“Made specifically for a single person,” Stella said without pausing, and glanced at Cora. “Are the two of you going to change?”

“Sure!” Joy said, considering for just an instant before darting into the room Brianna had vacated. It was already open, so there was no reason not to use it.

The changing room wasn’t large, just big enough for Joy to be able to put on the equipment easily, plus a little more space, and it also had a footstool and a bench. She appreciated how compact it was, since it was the first reasonably-sized room she’d seen outside of hives.

Removing her armor was the first order of business, and Joy did it with alacrity, about the time she heard the other door close, indicating Cora had taken the next room. Joy examined her new armor, then put on the chest-piece, flicking her wings to get them through the wing-slits, and gasped as the cool metal touched her skin.

“That’s different,” Joy murmured, a little surprised by the sensation, since she’d never felt it from her own armor. It might be part of her innate armory ability, though. She adjusted the straps, then went for the next pieces of armor.

None of them felt quite right going on. They fit well enough, but there was something subtly off about them, which made a certain amount of sense to her. This armor was different than anything she’d worn save for the dress she’d bought, and that had been silky cloth, not leather and metal.

Eventually, Joy gave up on figuring out what felt wrong and focused on what felt right about the armor. Her wings fit through the wing-slits without issue, and she made an exploratory flutter, then took flight for just long enough to ensure it wouldn’t hurt her wings when she tried to fly, and noted happily that it wasn’t going to cause any problems there. Furthermore, the armor felt sturdier than the armor she’d been wearing lately, which made her happy.

“Right, that does it,” Joy murmured happily, nodding firmly to herself as she reached to open the door, then picked up her older armor, efficiently stacking it, then slid it into her backpack. She could deal with it later, assuming she wanted to fuse her new equipment with it.

When she stepped out, Brianna’s eyebrows rose, and the human grinned at her, speaking up. “Hey, you’re looking good, Joy! What do you think?”

“It’s sturdy, better than my old armor!” Joy said, tapping her side experimentally as she thought, then continued. “A little heavier, and it feels like something is off about each part. That’s probably from it being metal and leather, though! I’ve never worn things like this before.”

“Never… ah, yes, your armor is made of chitin. I almost forgot,” Resha said, momentarily sounding perplexed before she nodded. “Yes, it would be heavier. Metal tends to be denser than chitin is, and is generally stronger. Not always, as I’ve heard of some high-level insects having armor that’s stronger than enchanted diamondsteel, but generally.”

Joy nodded, bouncing on her toes a few times, then settled down as she made a decision. “I like it! I’m going to fuse it with my old armor, I think.”

“Er, fuse?” Draegur asked, blinking at her quizzically.

“Her Innate Armory allows her to take equipment that’s the same type as what she has and fuse them together. It gives the armor she can create the properties of the equipment fused with it, and if it breaks, she can make a new set, given a little time,” Stella explained, a smile playing at the edges of her lips. “After her rapier got snapped, it took her three days to make a new one. It was rather fascinating… she started by rolling out a hilt between her hands from nothing, then slowly just… pulled the blade out, bit by bit.”

“It replaced my stinger,” Joy said, grinning broadly. “I just want to make sure I can replace it, if I have to!”

“Hm. That would be useful, though it could have disadvantages, if the equipment breaks when used by others. It means you couldn’t sell it when you outgrow the equipment,” Resha said, rubbing her arm thoughtfully.

“It does!” Joy confirmed, walking over to the others, then glancing back. She wondered what was keeping Cora.

Draegur laughed, glancing at Resha while murmuring. “At least it keeps your job secure.”

“Shut it,” Resha said affectionately, punching him in the arm. Draegur pretended to have been injured, but even Joy could see that he was just playing around. It amused her, and reminded her of the Shadebough Hive. The apis there had gotten along really well, unlike some of the humans she’d seen.

“I like it,” Cora announced, just as her door opened and she stepped out, wearing the trousers, tunic, and jacket she’d been given. It gave her a very different look than she’d had in her robes, and Joy blinked, perking up a little. Cora continued, reaching up to push her hair back as she continued. “The only problem is that it’s going to be somewhat warm, but compared to the risk of glowing, I think I can deal with that.”

Resha nodded, grinning as she replied. “I thought as much. Besides, I know a few of the shops in the area sell adaptation pendants, so if it’s too uncomfortable, you could always pick one up. They’re a little pricy, but unless you’re buying one which can deal with the worst sort of cold and volcanoes, you can probably afford it.”

“Ah, I see how it is! You’re hawking wares for other merchants now!” Cora teased, grinning broadly as she walked over, then spoke more seriously. “Honestly, I’ll probably do that. Thank you for the suggestion, because with summer approaching, this could get a bit uncomfortable.”

“True,” Brianna said, looking down at her armor and wincing. “This is going to get warm, too… maybe I’d better get one as well.”

“Ah, the trials of those who’re used to cooler climates,” Stella said, smirking slightly. “We’ll just have to see how I deal with winter, I suppose. Shall we go, then?”

“Definitely!” Joy said excitedly, her mood brightening as she opened her mouth, then paused and bowed her head to Resha. “Thank you for making this! I really appreciate it.”

The others looked taken aback for a moment, especially Resha, but after a moment they turned to the smith as well.

“Yes, we certainly are. Thank you very much for your skill, Resha,” Cora said warmly.

“If it saves my life, I’m going to come back just to buy you a drink,” Brianna added, prompting a grin from Resha.

“That I won’t object to. Take good care of it, you hear?” Resha told them, and gestured them out. “Now get moving. I have a sword to finish.”

Joy giggled and bounced out the door happily. She wished she could talk to Resha more, but even more than that she just wanted to get out of the smithing quarter.

It smelled terrible here.

Chapter 11

Cora rubbed her new adaptation pendant nervously, trying to ignore how uneasy she felt in the palace. It wasn’t easy, even in her new clothing, and especially not with Joy wandering around the room and looking at things. Part of Cora was terrified that Joy would break something, and that would be disastrous.

At least the initial meeting with Duke Dorma had gone well. Joy had performed the appropriate bow with exquisite precision and kept her mouth shut through all the formal proceedings. Cora was thankful that Brianna had been there to handle the formalities, as well as to coach Joy through what to expect. If she hadn’t been, Cora didn’t dare think about what the consequences could have been. Nobility didn’t take informality lightly, not in public audiences.

The room they were in was beautiful, but Cora had a hard time appreciating it. The stonework was cunningly worked so that it looked almost perfectly smooth, while the glass showed the balcony and expansive gardens of the palace perfectly. The furnishings were just as elaborate, with a carved and polished wooden desk, plush chairs, tapestries, a book-case with dozens of books… and several display cases, each of them filled with crystal or glass sculptures, most of which glowed with soft magic. Sculptures that Joy was examining closely.

“How did they get the glass bird inside the globe? Or the flower?” Joy asked, staring at a perfect glass orb, which had a hummingbird and flower suspended inside it, each elaborately colored so they looked almost real. Her nose was only barely not touching the globe, and a sharp breath might knock the globe off its stand.

“Either magic, or a really, really skilled crafter,” Brianna said, grinning broadly as she glanced at Cora in amusement. “Do you see any dimples in the glass where they might have put them inside to begin with?”

“Nope! Just smooth glass,” Joy said, looking at the flower critically, then added, “The flower isn’t right, though.”

“Oh?” Stella asked, stepping toward the apis. “What’s wrong with it? It looks like a lovely daffodil to me. And if you’re hoping to smell it, I doubt anyone would enchant a glass flower to have the normal flower’s scent.”

“Daffodils have six stamens, not five,” Joy said calmly, finally pulling away from the sculpture as she grinned. Cora could almost see the butler next to the door exhale in relief, a sentiment which she shared. “It’s pretty! Just not right. I’ve gathered enough nectar and pollen from daffodils to know.”

“An interesting observation, and not one I would have ever made,” Duke Dorma replied, stepping through the door behind the desk, a slight smile on his face. “I thought the sculpture was an excellent rendition.”

The duke wasn’t the tallest man that Cora had seen. He was actually somewhat effeminate, which surprised her, with a clean-shaven face and hair pulled back with a hair tie. Even so, the dark-haired man’s eyes were penetrating, and with the gold circlet on his head, while wearing a richly embroidered tunic and set trousers, he projected an aura of command that was startling.

“It is! Just not quite right,” Joy replied, smiling broadly at him, which caused Cora’s worry to intensify. Fortunately, the apis bowed her head and spoke more respectfully a moment later. “It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”

“Mm, I see that someone taught you what greetings are expected. From what Captain Wilbert said, you didn’t know much about nobility when he left Bearton,” Duke Dorma said, glancing around the room, and Cora hurriedly bowed at the same time as the others.

“I did, Your Grace,” Brianna volunteered, the woman looking a little uncomfortable as she hesitated, then added, “I do hope that I didn’t overstep my bounds.”

“No, you didn’t. Please rise,” Duke Dorma said, pulling out his chair and taking a seat. Cora straightened, wondering what this was all about, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t dare, since she knew that the duke could ruin their lives in a heartbeat if he so chose.

Joy wasn’t quite as reticent, though. Instead she smiled and spoke up brightly. “Have you met the other apis yet? They said they were coming here to meet with you, at least that’s part of the reason they came here.”

The duke smiled at that, inclining his head slightly. “Yes, I did. The delegation was… interesting. I’ve already sent a message to His Majesty, asking what his thoughts are about the apis, but I believe that his response will be favorable. I’ve already granted them leave to purchase land for an embassy, if they desire to do so. I’m curious what they will choose to do.”

That made Cora relax marginally, and she nodded slowly, thinking about what he’d said, and more importantly, what he hadn’t said. The question of whether the king would try to rule over the apis was a dangerous one, she thought. The apis were quite willing to defend themselves from any assailants, that much she knew from experience.

“Good!” Joy said, and glanced at Brianna as she asked, “What’re we supposed to do now? You didn’t give me any instructions for this.”

Brianna sighed, and Cora felt herself blush. She debated, then finally, reluctantly, spoke up. “My apologies, Your Grace, but we weren’t sure why we were being called here, and Joy…”

“Is an apis,” Duke Dorma finished for Cora, cracking a slight smile. “If I hadn’t met the other apis, I might have been less prepared for her, but I did meet them.”

Cora relaxed slowly as he spoke, some of her anxiety easing. She considered speaking, but closed her mouth before she could speak. The duke was likely going to explain himself soon enough.

“As I said when we met earlier, thank you for your service in Bearton. You didn’t have to take the risks you did to save the town, but you did without any indication you’d receive a reward. That is admirable, and not all adventurers would have done the same,” Duke Dorma said, proving Cora’s thoughts accurate. “Such decisions deserve a reward, even in times of crisis.”

Stella shifted, and Duke Dorma looked at her curiously. The woman cleared her throat, bowing her head as she spoke. “While I do not wish to downplay our actions, as there certainly was great risk involved, I cannot say that other adventurers would be wrong to flee. If it weren’t for us knowing about the Shadebough Hive and Joy’s company, I don’t think anyone else could have done anything. I heard that a group was almost wiped out trying to escape, with the ones who died resurrecting in Bearton, while the one who escaped barely got back to Irador alive. I would think that she would be more deserving of a reward than us.”

Cora winced, as a part of her was annoyed that Stella had contradicted the duke… but another part of her was glad that Stella had mentioned the others. They’d at least gotten through everything without any appreciable damage, whereas people as low-level as the adventurers who were in Bearton didn’t have much coin to their names yet.

“Of course, Tina’s party. If it weren’t for her, we would have had even less warning than we did, and I might not have been able to deploy troops to Clarion and the border in time,” Duke Dorma said, and Cora saw a shadow of unease in his eyes. “Not that it appears to have been enough… but that is beside the point. I’ve already rewarded Tina and her friends, I assure you of that. My question is, what would you like? I was going to offer to get you better equipment, but I’ve been informed that you took care of that already.”

“Um… well…” Cora hesitated, looking at Brianna as she raised an eyebrow. “Bri? Were you still thinking about becoming a knight?”

“Maybe, but that’s too much to ask for right now. I want to have the freedom to grow for a while more,” Brianna said, shaking her head. “No, I’m kind of thinking to try to become a Blademaster, so… is there any chance of you giving a letter of introduction, Your Grace? I’ve heard that the schools that can help gain access to the job are picky.”

That brought a smile to Duke Dorma’s face, and he nodded, sounding a little amused. “I don’t agree that knighting you would be too little for this, though some might look on skeptically if you weren’t bound to the kingdom. However, a letter of introduction would be simple. I will gladly provide such for you.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Brianna said, bowing more deeply this time. The duke looked at Stella, then Cora and Joy, his gaze curious.

“In that case, the question is what each of you would like,” Duke Dorma said, looking at them when they didn’t volunteer anything.

“While I deeply appreciate the gesture, Your Grace, I cannot think of anything which would be reasonable,” Stella said, bowing again. “Normally, I would ask for some amount of coin, but we got a rather large windfall not long ago, so such isn’t needed… at least not by me.”

“No, but perhaps there’s something else,” Cora said, her thoughts whirring, then she smiled, looking at Joy. “Do you mind if I ask for help with the ore, Joy?”

“Sure!” Joy said, a smile blooming on her face, one broad enough it felt like the sun had come out. “If you think he can help, anyway! I don’t know what I’d want, anyway.”

“Hm? Ore?” Duke Dorma asked, looking a little confused.

“Yes, Your Grace. Iron ore, to be specific,” Cora said, bowing her head again. “See, we’re going to Clarion to get iron ore. Joy’s life span is very, very short. Most apis that aren’t their queens live only two and a half to three years, and she has less than six months left. However, there’s an item that allows them to evolve into a queen if they reach level twenty. The Shadebough Hive agreed to trade us a vial of it if we supplied them with one thousand five hundred chunks of iron ore, which they use to upgrade their equipment. Bearton gave them… ninety-eight chunks, as I recall, which they counted against the number. We’re going to Clarion to try to purchase and transport the rest to the hive. I don’t know how easy it would be to get, though, even if we have the coin for it, so if you could help, that would be greatly appreciated.”

Duke Dorma looked a little surprised, examining Joy for a few seconds, then turned his attention back to Cora, obviously considering for a few seconds. She wasn’t entirely certain what, but since he didn’t seem upset, she dared hope things wouldn’t be too difficult.

“Fascinating. From what Sir Wilbert said, I knew that the apis had a very different society, but I had assumed a large part of it was how recently they changed. This, however… it explains things a bit more to me. With such short lifespans… well, it would change society enormously,” Duke Dorma said, his voice musing, but then he smiled. “Fortunately, you’re in luck. I happen to know that with the unpleasantness, the Clarion mines have ceased shipping out their ore. They would be hesitant to trade as much ore as you’re asking for, but I’m certain that with my sponsorship, the guild would be willing to supply you with what you need, assuming they have it on hand. Which they likely will, due to the shipping difficulties I mentioned. I may even subsidize some of the purchase.”

Cora felt relief rush through her at the duke’s assurances. Oh, she was certain that part of the reason he was offering was to try to get on the good side of the Shadebough Hive, but she wasn’t going to argue with that.

“Thank you very much, Your Grace,” Cora said, bowing deeply before him. Joy paused, then followed suit, though hers wasn’t quite as smooth as Cora’s was.

“You’re welcome. I’ll have the letters delivered to you on the morrow,” Duke Dorma said, his dismissal obvious. “I do hope that you’ll continue to act as you have thus far. The world needs more adventurers like you.”

“We’ll do our best, Your Grace,” Stella said, bowing deeply.

“Bye!” Joy said, waving at him as she smiled broadly, then turned to follow as Cora and the others left.

For the most part, Cora was just happy that nothing had gone wrong during the meeting. Despite everything Joy had done, she was always afraid that someone might find her offensive, rather than innocent.

Now they just had to get off the palace grounds without Joy burying her nose in a flower bush.

Chapter 12

Duke Dorma flipped his lucky coin a few times, snagging it out of the air each time as he watched the door where the adventurers had left. Their requests had surprised him a little, after how many adventurers reacted when they were allowed to ask for a reward. He used it to test adventurers a lot of the time, and this group had passed. At least they hadn’t asked for half his treasury, like another group had.

“How long are you going to keep spying? They’re gone,” he said at last, not bothering to look at the door behind him. The sound of swearing caused him to sigh, and he spoke more sternly. “Language, Laila. You’re a lady, and that means acting properly, even when surprised.”

For a few seconds there wasn’t a response, then the door creaked open and he turned to face his children.

The twins were little alike, something that amused and relieved the duke most of the time. He’d taken after his own father a little too much, so having them end up a little less like him was good. Unfortunately, Laila had taken after his personality a little too closely, which made him a little more worried at times. The two looked embarrassed, but Ethan brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face as he straightened, and Laila had her chin up in a way that made the duke narrow his eyes.

“Laila…” he said, his tone warning. “Am I going to have to replace your swordplay classes with more etiquette lessons? I thought we had a deal. You take the lessons seriously, and I let you train with the guard.”

“The guard isn’t here, or they’re busy!” Laila protested, and Duke Dorma sighed.

“Yes, they are. But that doesn’t mean that the moment that you don’t get your way, you can ignore our agreement.” He said sternly, shaking his head. “Bad enough that you were spying on a private audience, but this… I’m disappointed.”

Laila flushed, and at last the duke could see realization dawn in her eyes, then she flushed as she looked down at the floor in shame. That was what he’d wanted, in all honesty. For her to think through the consequences of her actions. It wasn’t as though she’d eavesdropped on anything that was vital to keep secret, but if she had, he’d have been far more upset. At least if she’d done so and he hadn’t noticed in time.

“I’m sorry, Father,” Laila said softly, prompting him to nod in approval.

“Good enough. You didn’t decide to eavesdrop on me and Lady Estril, so you’ll get out of this with your skin intact,” Duke Dorma said, a hint of humor in his voice, which faded as he turned to Ethan and added, “You are a surprise, though. What were you doing, Ethan? Normally, I don’t have to worry about you doing something foolish.”

“I allowed my curiosity to get the best of me, Father,” Ethan replied, bowing his head as he continued, obviously having thought about what he was going to say while Laila was being lectured. “We’d seen the apis earlier, but were too late to make it to either of the public audiences, and I was curious about them. So was Laila, for that matter.”

“Ah. Mm… well, if you were going to be eavesdropping, I’d like to hear your opinions. What did you think of Joy?” Duke Dorma asked, suppressing the hint of a smile that tried to creep onto his face at the memory of the apis. It would be so easy to underestimate the species after interacting with them, he knew. They were simply… disarming, in their simplicity and straightforward manners. That was also what made them so dangerous.

“Well… honestly, she sounded kind of… simple-minded. Not very smart, or anything of the sort,” Ethan said, frowning. “Like someone who would be really easy to manipulate.”

“Yeah. I expected someone more… I don’t know… sinister? Quiet and deadly?” Laila added, shifting from one foot to the other. “She sounded a lot like some of the airheaded other noblewomen, the ones who don’t have anything in their heads but parties.”

“In which case you’re both underestimating her,” Duke Dorma told them, a little frustrated that he was right. “Is she a simple woman, with simple motives? Yes. However, she isn’t stupid, and her mind is extremely quick, from everything I’ve learned. She led a demon who’d nearly reached level fifty into a trap that nearly killed him, helped rescue Bearton against horrific odds, and more. The apis are far more dangerous than their pleasant attitude may indicate… and yes, they’re all about that enthusiastic, from everything I’ve heard. They’ll also happily smile at you one moment, and if you’re threatening their hive? You’ll be lucky if they warn you, instead of simply stabbing you until you stop moving. Don’t assume that they’re easy to manipulate, because if you offend them I doubt you’d survive for very long.”

Both of his children’s eyes went wide, and the duke sighed, looking at them in concern. Certainly, neither of them was his heir, but one wrong decision by Danni could change that. It was the nature of the world they lived in, and he didn’t want them to risk themselves too much.

“Are… are they really that dangerous?” Ethan asked nervously. “I mean, I heard that a swarm of them was bad, and that the entire hive could be incredibly dangerous, but I just… they look harmless, mostly.”

“I don’t claim to understand why the gods made them look like pretty women and men, but who am I to fathom the mind of a deity?” Duke Dorma replied, shrugging as he pondered the apis yet again. “They aren’t harmless, that’s for certain. If one of their hives wished to, I suspect they could overrun the duchy. Even the small hives are reported to have fifteen thousand apis at a minimum, and as far as I can tell, all of them fight. That exceeds our army by a large margin… but at the same time, I don’t think that will happen.”

“Why not?” Laila asked, frowning. “You’re usually more concerned about dangerous neighbors. Like the Dark Kingdoms.”

The duke smiled at the question, as it was at least rather astute, and he nodded in approval. “I see you’ve been paying attention to those lessons. Yes, if they were like most neighbors, I would be far more concerned than I am. However, the difference between them and the apis is simple. Our land is rather inhospitable to the apis.”

“What?” the two chorused in tandem, then glared at one another, prompting a chuckle from Duke Dorma.

“How is our land inhospitable? They seemed happy enough as they approached the city,” Ethan said after a moment, obviously trying to get a step up on his sister. She scowled at him, which made the duke want to roll his eyes. The two always were trying to stand out from each other, yet the moment one of them was threatened by an outsider, they closed ranks. He found it a bit frustrating at times.

“The three sources of food that they prefer are nectar, pollen, and water. Though they primarily turn the nectar into honey. Some of the local beekeepers have mentioned that sugar water can also work with normal bees, so that would likely be a food source for apis, but sugar is rare around here,” Duke Dorma explained, and shrugged. “It’s likely the same reason that giant bees don’t exist everywhere. There simply aren’t enough flowers in most regions to allow them to survive. The Flower Forest, the Teeming Jungle, and the Shimmerwood… those are all of the areas in the duchy that the druids think apis can comfortably survive in. Due to that, I don’t see any reason that they’d try to expand into the rest of the duchy.”

Ethan nodded, looking a little thoughtful as he tapped his chin. He opened his mouth, but the moment he did Laila chimed in, as if she’d been waiting to interrupt him.

“Does that mean you’re looking at them as potential allies, or subjects?” Laila asked, her eyes shining brightly. “I mean, the goblins venture near the Flower Forest frequently, and there are the Dark Kingdoms near the Teeming Jungle and Shimmerwood.”

“Not subjects,” the duke said quickly, wincing at the idea. “I doubt they’d take that idea very well, and they don’t do thing by halves from what I’ve heard. Allies, though… that I’m hopeful for. We’ll see what happens, though. His Majesty will make the final decisions, but I think he’ll listen to my recommendations.”

His children nodded in understanding, and looking at them, Duke Dorma thought they truly did understand, which helped him relax a little.

“I have a few more meetings to attend to, so I think it’s time to get going,” Duke Dorma said, standing at last. “I’ll try to arrange for the two of you to get out into the city if you do well in your lessons, alright?”

That got a much more enthusiastic response from them, as Laila cheered and hugged him. “Of course, Father! I’ll do my best!”

“Good, good,” Duke Dorma replied, chuckling as he looked at Ethan, who simply had a smile of satisfaction on his face.

Now he just had to make sure they didn’t find out how grim the situation really was. They didn’t need to know that he’d already made preparations to have them evacuated to the capital if the worst occurred.

For now, he preferred to give his children at least the illusion of normality. That didn’t stop the worry that Duke Dorma felt, but it helped.

Chapter 13

“Congratulations, you survived your meeting with Duke Dorma,” James said, raising his mug slightly, then he took a sip of the foul-smelling liquid within, the hubbub of conversation through the inn making it a little harder to hear him than normal. Joy didn’t care what he’d told her, ale smelled terrible. Instead she focused on what he said, frowning.

“Was it likely we’d die? Were we walking into a spider’s web or something?” Joy asked in concern, causing James to splutter slightly, then pull the mug away from his mouth, coughing and pounding his chest with a free hand. “You didn’t warn us…”

Helen helpfully patted James’s back, a smile on her face as he regained his ability to breathe, while Eda shook her head and answered for him. “No, you weren’t. Unless you did something incredibly offensive, the worst that likely would happen would be him dismissing you with nothing. What James said was a turn of phrase, much like your comment about a spider’s web.”

“Oh, another expression, right!” Joy said, smiling broadly as she sipped her water. One of the servers had tried to convince her to try the apple juice, but Joy had refused firmly. Her experiences with most juices so far had been poor, to say the least. Most humans and elves didn’t seem to have a good sense of smell, and to her most of them smelled spoiled.

With his throat finally cleared, James coughed once more, then spoke breathlessly at last. “Eda’s right, that’s what I meant. The duke is one of the better nobles I know of, but he’s still fairly strict.”

“That’s more than I could tell you,” Cora said, sitting back in her chair as she nursed her cup of wine. “Where I’m from we don’t even have a king or queen. The forest is governed by… what did you call it, Bri?”

“A republic,” Brianna replied simply, using her dagger to spread some soft cheese across a slice of bread. “Your villages each choose a person to represent them in matters of state, and the resulting council organizes your defenses and negotiates with other countries.”

“Right,” Cora said, nodding in satisfaction. “Some other elven nations have kings or queens, but not where I grew up. The only nobles I met before the duke were Bri’s parents, and they’re landed knights.”

Joy’s eyes went wide at that, her mind boggling at the idea of a country being run by someone who wasn’t a queen, but then she calmed down as she made sense of it. It would be like each hive choosing to have their queen organize defenses with other hives, she reasoned… or maybe it would be like their attendants meeting with one another to negotiate. It still was strange to her, but that idea didn’t make her eyes cross.

While Joy thought, James nodded, leaning forward and setting his mug aside. “Yeah, that’s fair. From what you’re saying… I’m guessing your parents have land on the northern border? If the two of you are childhood friends, I can think of a half-dozen villages that are just across the border from one another.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Brianna said, nodding agreeably as she thought, then shrugged. “Bakersfield, as a matter of fact. Nothing too impressive, really.”

“Ah, I’ve seen that one on a map,” James mused, and Marilyn rolled her eyes before interjecting.

“So, what’re you four planning to do, now that you’ve met the duke and gotten your new gear?” Marilyn asked, resting her elbows on the table as she leaned forward.

“We got a letter from the duke that should allow us to purchase iron ore from the Clarion mines,” Cora said, patting her belt pouch as she smiled a little more. “The next step is to go arrange for the purchase.”

“Then we have to get Joy to level twenty,” Stella added quietly, frowning thoughtfully. “With the likelihood of a war breaking out while we’re there, I suspect we’re going to gain more levels than we’d necessarily prefer just getting there.”

“Damn Alethus anyway,” Jean groused unhappily, slamming her mug down on the table, her cheeks a little flushed. “Why can’t the Kingdoms of Darkness just leave us alone?”

“I’ve been curious about that. I mean, as long as we have enough flowers to feed our hives, I don’t see why we’d need to get more space,” Joy agreed, toying with her mug handle idly.

All of the others looked at one another at that, seeming to hesitate, but it was Stella who sighed, then spoke.

“Because greed is a powerful motivator, Joy,” the human said, her voice soft. “Some people desire coin, enough that they can get literally anything they want. Others want land, others want to be the strongest… and some wish to rule over everyone else, and are never satisfied if someone has what they don’t possess. I wish I could say that was unique to the Kingdoms of Darkness, but it isn’t. You’ll see adventurers who will do anything to grow stronger for the sake of their goals, even betraying others. While unfortunate, it simply is what it is.”

Joy opened her mouth, then paused and sighed, shaking her head as she murmured, “They’re like wasps.”

That prompted a ripple of laughter from the others, and Joy relaxed, smiling warmly at them. She didn’t always understand why she caused them to laugh so often, but she rather liked how it relaxed them.

“Anyway, I was wondering… we’re thinking to try to help defend Clarion if Alethus’s army gets there. Considering the situation, the guild is offering a rather large reward to any adventurers that help, and with the risk of the seal on the monster getting released… I really want to keep that from happening,” James said, visibly shuddering for a moment. “I was just thinking, do you want to team up for the trip? I heard that a caravan got wiped out by one of Skyfish Valley’s raiding parties, so I think we should be trying for strength in numbers.”

“Those Skyfishers are mean,” Joy said, frowning heavily, and Marilyn laughed in response. Joy paused, looking at the others as she asked, “What do you think? I don’t know what to do. The idea of a war is just… I don’t think it’s like the fight with the ants.”

“I don’t know… a pitched battle isn’t much different, except that the opponents tend to have ranged weapons and can think as well,” Brianna said, shaking her head slowly. “It means you have to be careful not to overextend yourselves, especially since high-level members of either side can devastate you if you aren’t careful.”

“Sounds accurate to me,” James agreed, nodding. “The ants just had sheer numbers going for them, as well as being utterly fearless.”

Joy nodded in understanding, while Cora toyed with her mug for a few seconds, thinking, then asked, “What do you think, Bri? You too, Stella.”

“Teaming up seems like a good idea to me,” Stella said simply.

“My main concern is that even nine of us aren’t that many people. A caravan would’ve had a lot more than nine guards, so if we’re ambushed by the same people…” Brianna said, letting her voice trail off.

It definitely didn’t make Joy happy, as she considered, then offered, “The apis were planning to go to the Shimmerwood, though. I’d guess there will be twenty of them? Maybe more or less.”

“That would probably help, but it wouldn’t necessarily be enough,” Cora said, considering for a few more seconds, then looked at James. “Do you think that there will be a caravan from the Adventurer’s Guild soon, one that we could join?”

“Probably,” James said, tapping his mug handle idly as he thought, then shrugged. “I couldn’t say for certain, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t form a caravan or something. No one likes getting picked off piecemeal. It’s that or hunting down the raiders, which I don’t see happening right now. Better to form a tempting target for them and draw them out than to reduce the forces available at Clarion.”

“I hate being considered bait,” Brianna said, her expression turning sour as she sighed. “Still, I suppose it’s better than the other options, and there’s no guarantee that’s what they’d want to do.”

“So, is that a yes?” Marilyn asked, nursing her drink. “A smaller adventuring party makes sense when you’re dealing with a delve or exploring, but when it comes to these big battles, I don’t think it’s nearly as safe.”

Joy nodded firmly in agreement with that. In the battle against the army ants, she’d seen how having plenty of others covering their backs had helped keep them from getting ambushed from behind.

“I don’t see why not,” Cora said, smiling a little more. “We have to go there anyway, after all.”

“We might even be able to convince the apis there to help!” Joy said, so excited that her wings buzzed involuntarily behind her. A barmaid who’d been behind her yelped and almost dropped her tray.

“Could you not do that? I thought a giant wasp had gotten into the inn somehow!” the barmaid protested, prompting Joy to blush in embarrassment.

“Sorry, it’s habit!” Joy apologized while the others laughed.

“I… well, just try? Please?” the barmaid asked as she continued past, heading toward a cluster of merchants in the corner.

“I will!” Joy assured the woman, and turned back to the others, still feeling a little guilty, but protested plaintively. “My wings don’t sound that much like a wasp’s, do they?”

“Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference,” Brianna replied, and smiled guiltily as Joy gave her a hurt look. “I’m sorry, Joy! It’s just… your wings sound like insect wings to me. All I could tell you is that something like a fly has a bit higher pitch.”

“I… well, I guess you just don’t hear things like me,” Joy said, a little crestfallen at the explanation, and she felt her antennae droop. “I didn’t think I sounded like a wasp to you.”

“You don’t sound like a wasp. You sound like a giant insect,” Eda quickly assured Joy, the half-elf smiling gently at Joy, while Cora took her hand and squeezed it. “For the most part we can’t tell the difference, so I’m not sure why the barmaid used a wasp as an example.”

“Well… I guess,” Joy said, letting out a soft sigh as she slumped in her chair. “I hope the apis are friendly, like the Shadebough Hive was.”

“We’ll see when we get there,” Cora said calmly. “For now, I think we should finish our food and head back to our inn for the night. There’s no telling whether we might have to leave tomorrow or not.”

“True enough,” James agreed, and quickly added, “Oh, and don’t worry about paying for the meal. It’s the least I can do for all of you.”

“Thank you, James. May Mother Moon bless you,” Stella told him, glancing at Brianna. “Are you almost done?”

“Just about, yes,” Brianna said, picking up the slice of bread she’d spread cheese on to eat it quickly. Cora laughed and let go of Joy’s hand as she stood up.

“In that case, I think I’ll head back now. Care to join me, Joy?” the elf asked, smiling warmly at her.

“Sure!” Joy replied, quickly standing as she waved at the others, adding, “See you tomorrow! Most likely, anyway!”

“Good night, Joy,” Jean replied, nodding to her.

With that, Joy followed Cora out of the inn, humming happily under her breath as they emerged into the cooler air of the night. The streets weren’t completely dark here in Irador, unlike Bearton, where only a handful of buildings had lanterns to illuminate them at night. Instead, there were frequent lamps along the street that burned some type of liquid to light the streets. Joy didn’t much like the smell, but she didn’t mind the light. Neither did the handful of people who were traveling along the street at night, most of them in well-made clothing.

There were also lights illuminating many windows as she and Cora walked along the street under the night sky, more in the wealthy district than in other parts of town, and Joy looked up at the stars, considering them for a little while. She’d never paid them much attention as a giant bee, since they weren’t important to her. It was only on exceptionally bright nights that she’d gone out foraging, after all.

“Do you look forward to becoming a queen?” Cora’s question almost surprised Joy, as quiet as she had been.

When Joy looked down at the elf, she noticed that Cora didn’t look entirely happy. About what, Joy couldn’t honestly say, but that concerned her. The question, though… that was harder to answer, and Joy pursed her lips, thinking for several seconds, then shrugged.

“I don’t know,” Joy said honestly.

“What do you mean?” Cora asked, looking at Joy in surprise.

“I just… if I become a queen, I’ll live longer! That idea sounds nice, but I don’t expect it,” Joy said, trying to work through her thoughts, which were being a little odd. “It sounds nice… but at the same time, I don’t really want to settle down, but I’ll have to. A queen needs to found a hive. I’ll miss traveling with all of you, and figuring out what else there is in the world. So… I don’t know.”

Cora stopped, and Joy paused as well, curious as to why. Cora studied Joy for a few seconds, then murmured, “You are… so you, Joy. I don’t blame you. I’ll miss you, too. But at least we’ll be able to visit, hm?”

“Yep!” Joy said, smiling broadly at the elf, who laughed and slipped an arm through Joy’s and continued down the street happily.

It really was a pretty night.

Chapter 14

The street in front of Irador’s Adventurer’s Guild was chaos, and Joy looked around in interest as Viper looked up at them, adjusting his spectacles again. There were twenty-three wagons which bore the symbols of the Adventurer’s Guild, Joy noticed, and as they watched men and women were loading the wagons with supplies, including a familiar-looking crate that made Joy twitch. She remembered how one of them had exploded in Bearton and made specific note of the wagon it was being placed in, resolving to keep plenty of distance from it.

“Yes, we’re preparing the caravan to reinforce Clarion. I expect the caravan to depart around noon,” Viper said, glancing around in dissatisfaction as he added, “I’d hoped that it could leave earlier, but logistics turned out to be somewhat more difficult than anticipated.”

“I’m not surprised, with the attacks on outlying villages and the like,” James said, rubbing his chin as he looked around. “The question is, can we join you?”

“Me? Oh, I’m not going! I’m not much good in a fight, I’m a secretary. Someone has to keep track of the books while the Guildmaster is away,” Viper hastily corrected, shaking his head. “As to joining the caravan, that depends. You aren’t asking for spots in the wagons or supplies, are you?”

“No, we can handle things like that ourselves,” Cora said, shaking her head. “We’re mostly not wanting to go there with only nine of us. Maybe more if some of the apis join us on our trip to Clarion.”

“Ah, of course! As to that, the Guildmaster said that as long as anyone can defend themselves and doesn’t slow the caravan down, he’s willing to let people accompany them,” Viper said, visibly relaxing. “We’ve had a few merchants who thought that a free escort would be wonderful and that the caravan would be moving at a much slower pace than it will be.”

“What about the apis? If they want to come with, would they be able to?” Joy asked quickly, grinning at Viper. “I’m sure they can defend themselves! They’re close to my level.”

“I don’t see why not,” Viper said, pausing as a man trotted up to him, holding a rolled-up piece of paper, and the varana added, “My apologies, but I need to go. I have plenty more to do if I’m to get the caravan moving even close to the time I’d like.”

“Thank you for your time, Viper,” James said, bowing his head slightly, then turned to step away from the chaos. Cora and the others followed, and he cleared his throat. “Well, it seems that they’re leaving even earlier than I expected. I honestly thought that they’d be leaving tomorrow, not today. Do we go with them?”

“I’d say yes,” Brianna said, tapping the hilt of her sword restlessly. “We don’t want to be on the roads by ourselves. Which, of course, means we need to get the supplies we need.”

“Agreed,” Helen chimed in, frowning. “That and gather our gear from the hotel.”

“Fortunately, we’re essentially ready,” Stella said, glancing at Brianna as she added, “I’ve had some poor experiences with thieves, so I pack my things every morning.”

Cora grimaced, then nodded. “I understand that. I had one too many times with other people snooping through my things, so I do the same. Mostly, I think we need food.”

“I don’t!” Joy chimed in happily. “I’ve got everything I need, except for water!”

“Right, mostly because you eat different food than us,” Brianna agreed. “Which means we need enough food for three of us for about… two weeks, on our side. I’d rather have enough for both ways than just one way, in case of a siege.”

James nodded, glancing at his companions as he spoke. “That sounds about right. I’d say we should split up and meet back here since we need to pack. What do you think?”

Cora nodded, looking at Joy as she added, “In that case, how about you and Stella go get the food, Bri? I think someone needs to let the apis know about this, and I figure Joy and I are the best ones for that.”

“Sure, I can do that. You can pay me back later,” Brianna agreed after looking at Stella, who nodded. “Are you okay with that, Joy?”

“Yep!” Joy said, almost bouncing as she grinned broadly. “They’ll want to join the caravan, I bet!”

“Well, since we’ve all got our tasks, let’s go. See you a little later,” Jean said, and turned to leave.

With a wave, Brianna and Stella followed them, and Joy laughed, grinning at Cora as she asked, “Do you know where they are? The apis, I mean?”

“Oh? And you don’t, for once?” Cora asked, a teasing note to her voice.

“Nope! The smells in the city cover it up,” Joy replied readily, looking around curiously. “I could probably find them, but that would take flying, and you say not to do that in the city.”

“True. As to that, I asked yesterday, and I heard that they purchased an old building for their embassy,” Cora said, gesturing for Joy to follow her as she started down the road. “I think they’ll be there.”

“Okay!” Joy said, quickly following the elf as she led the way. “I’m glad you asked where they were!”

“So am I,” Cora said, smiling warmly back at Joy, moving at a quick pace. “Hopefully they’re ready for something like this, but… based on our experiences at the Shadebough Hive, I doubt it will matter. Most of your people seem to be able to prepare incredibly quickly.”

“Yep! If we decide we need to do something, we just do it. Spending lots of time isn’t worth it. That’s time that workers could be out collecting nectar and pollen!” Joy replied promptly, smiling at the elf happily.

“It also makes sense when I consider your shorter lifespans,” the elf replied, her tone musing. “I think it just startles everyone else, since I can only think of a handful of people who act as quickly, and most of them are impulsive. Your people aren’t really impulsive, though.”

Joy nodded in agreement, not answering this time since it didn’t seem like Cora was wanting one. She was getting better at telling when others were talking to themselves.

They wound their way through the bustling city streets, having to stop a few times due to wagons blocking the roads, and as they did, Joy couldn’t help her amusement. The streets were even less crowded than those of a hive, yet at the same time everyone moved so much slower. People bumped into one another, didn’t take advantage of openings, and generally seemed ignorant of how much better things could flow if they just paused to let others through the gaps. Joy didn’t understand it, but she didn’t need to. She did wish she was allowed to fly down the streets, though… it would make this much faster.

Once they were about halfway across the city, Joy perked up as she caught the scent of other apis. Their pheromones were distinctive, and they were upwind from her, so she sniffed a couple of times, then smiled as she said, “I smell them!”

“Really, from this far away, in a city?” Cora asked, pausing to look at Joy in surprise. “I thought you said their scent was covered by the city’s smells.”

“They’re very easy to tell apart from humans, if you’re close enough,” Joy informed her, grinning. “Besides, they’re upwind! They’re just on the other side of that row, right?”

She pointed at a row of townhouses, and Cora nodded, her surprise turning to amusement as she replied. “That’s right. They purchased a building to use as their embassy, and Viper said that it was surprisingly old and run-down.”

“Ah, that explains it!” Joy said, grinning even more as she took the lead, darting through gaps in the crowd with ease.

“It explains what?” Cora asked, the elf seeming to struggle to keep up.

“They’re building stuff! I don’t know what, but something,” Joy said, slowing down slightly to let Cora keep up more easily. “I can smell the wax.”

“Of course you can. I should’ve expected that,” Cora said, following Joy as they circled the end of the row of townhouses. “It does explain why they’d… oh. Oh my.”

They’d just come into sight of the lot where the apis were, and Joy could easily pick it out for several reasons. For one, there was a half-dismantled building in the middle of a rather large lot, with apis swarming over it, prying off wooden panels and bricks. For another, there was an enormous crowd of people surrounding the grounds, along with a group of harried-looking guards trying to keep them back.

Around the lot, the apis were industriously at work, a dozen of them sorting through the dismantled parts of the building, while several others were making huge sheets of wax in ways that looked a lot like walls to Cora, and still others were tearing out the gardens. To Cora it looked like they’d been at work for several days, even though she knew they’d only purchased the property the previous day.

“Why are they dismantling the building?” Cora asked, a little confused. “I mean, it makes sense for them to repair the building, or add new outbuildings, but why tear down the old one?”

“Humans waste a lot of space in their buildings,” Joy replied instantly, moving more slowly as she watched them. “I think they’re using the useful parts of the building for framing and things like that.”

“Ah,” Cora replied, a little startled for a moment, but her surprise faded as she thought about the way space had been used in the hive she’d spent time in. Add to that Joy not being comfortable even in a small room alone, and it made more sense. After a few seconds she added, “It looks like the main problem will be getting to them, though, with the guards there.”

“Nope! I’m apis too, remember?” Joy said, grinning broadly at Cora. “I think the guards will let us past! That or an attendant will come talk to us.”

“True enough,” Cora said, moving a little more quickly at the thought, at the same time watching the apis work.

The women and handful of men were astoundingly efficient, she noticed. They didn’t even explain what they were doing to one another, almost seeming like they were instinctively determining what their role in the construction project was. If she remembered right, that was likely their pheromones at work, since the apis didn’t seem to communicate entirely aloud, at least not among themselves.

One apis was breaking free the bricks from a chimney with her crowbar, each movement carefully designed to do the most work with the least effort, and almost before the brick had settled back into place she was moving to the next brick while another apis snatched up the brick and handed it to another to set in a pile nearby for the other apis to sort through.

Nearby, two apis were doing similar work removing nails strategically along a wooden wall, then they pulled out the last nails and almost effortlessly caught the section of wall before it could fall, hauling it over to where another couple of apis could move it outside for examination as well. The ones examining the reclaimed material were also working quickly, separating them into piles. Cora suspected that they were sorting them according to what could be reused, and what couldn’t.

Then they reached the crowd, and Joy wormed her way through to the front with remarkable ease, assisted in part by how a lot of the people pulled back, gawking at her as they realized that she was apis as well. Cora simply took advantage of those openings to follow Joy, thankful that the apis was as good at making her way through crowds as she was. They made it through to the front in a handful of moments, at which point Joy stopped in front of the blinking guard.

“Hi! I need to talk to the attendants!” Joy told the man, whose jaw worked a couple of times as she added, “Cora is with me!”

“I… alright, I thought all of you were here already, though,” the guard said, stepping slightly to the side so they could slip past. Joy did, and Cora followed, replying as she did so.

“Joy’s an adventurer, not part of their hive,” the elf explained, a bit relieved to be past the crowd. “We escorted them here.”

“Oh, that explains it. I’ve heard about her,” the guard said, understanding dawning on his face, and Joy giggled ahead of Cora. Cora smiled as well, a part of her happy that Joy was starting to be so well-regarded around the city.

One of the attendants took the moment to break away from her work helping with the wax walls, wiping her hands off as she approached, smiling warmly as she did so. The woman looked at them curiously, her antennae waving, then nodded.

“Hello, Joy, Cora. What brings you here today?” the attendant asked, looking at them curiously, and Cora quickly shuffled her thoughts back into order.

“We’re getting ready to leave for Clarion, and the caravan we’re going to join is leaving by noon at the latest,” Cora replied. “There have been raids on caravans by groups from the Kingdoms of Darkness, so it’s rather dangerous to go there in small groups. We thought that if you wanted to send a delegation to the apis in the Shimmerwood, going with the caravan would be the best choice.”

The attendant’s smile broadened as she nodded quickly, reaching up to tap her lip as she spoke. “I understand! That’s good to know, and may change our plans. Did all of you hear that?”

As she spoke, the attendant turned to look at the construction site, and the other apis didn’t even pause in working as they responded.

“Yes!” the apis chorused, prompting a blink of surprise from Cora. It was mostly how coordinated their response had been that surprised her.

Another attendant working in the former entryway of the building spoke a moment later, dismantling a cabinet as she spoke. “If that is the case, the Shimmerwood delegation should leave with them. It will slow down the construction of the embassy slightly, but making contact with the Shimmerwood hive is far more important than this.”

“Agreed!” another attendant called out from the scrap pile.

“In that case, who wants to lead the expedition?” the first attendant asked, looking at the other two attendants, who were working on another chimney and a wax wall respectively.

“I will,” the one at the scrap pile said, looking up from her work. “The queen spoke to you about the expedition to the human capital, so you should lead that.”

The other apis nodded in agreement, and one spoke up. “Workers, we need three drones and twenty workers for the trip. Choose which ones are going to the Shimmerwood, and be ready to go well before noon.”

Another chorus of agreement came in reply, to Cora’s private amusement, though they didn’t stop working. The attendant turned back to her as she asked, “Will that work?”

“It should work just fine,” Cora assured her, glancing at Joy, who had her hands behind her back, and the elf could see that Joy was holding them there firmly. After a moment more she asked, “Is something wrong, Joy?”

“I’m trying to resist the urge to help,” Joy said, her gaze intense as she focused on the scene in front of her. “There’s so much work to do!”

“There is,” the attendant agreed with a smile.

“Speaking of which… why are you dismantling the building?” Cora asked, gesturing at the building. “It looks like a lot of it was solid enough.”

“Yes, much of it was, but it also had lots of holes and pests that we didn’t want to deal with,” the attendant said, looking at the remains of the building. “Some parts of it might have collapsed soon as well, and there were parts we had no need for, such as the kitchen. After some discussion, we decided what we wanted to do. We’re going to dismantle all of it, and use what we can to frame the walls and roof, building living spaces around the edge of the property, and one of the workers who is a crafter says she can make something called amber in panes. We believe we can make most of the land into a greenhouse like the ones we were shown for gardens. That will be needed in the winter, and will also help feed apis here.”

“Amber… oh! I didn’t know you could make panes of that!” Cora said, remembering the substance. Her mother had used it in her jewelry at times, and had told her that it was hardened sap originally, but she could make it via alchemy relatively easily.

“The humblebees said that it was something we could use instead of glass, using the plants we like,” the attendant said.

“Ooh… I look forward to seeing that!” Joy said, her eyes brightening. “I’ll definitely come by when we’re done in Clarion!”

“Agreed. But now I think that we need to go find the others,” Cora said, tugging on the apis’s sleeve gently. “Just so you know, the caravan is forming in front of the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“Thank you; we’ll make sure to be there in time,” the attendant assured Cora, nodding politely, then turned back to the work.

“See you later!” Joy said cheerfully, and turned to leave with Cora.

Making their way out of the grounds was a little easier, and as they did, Cora saw something that made her smile. Sitting on a house balcony that neighbored the apis, she could see a man sitting in front of an easel, furiously painting as quickly as he could. He probably wished that the apis would slow down, Cora suspected, but he certainly wasn’t going to have that happen.

“So… you think the building will be done by the time we get back?” Cora asked Joy, stepping past a couple of men that were looking at them in a way that made Cora self-conscious.

“Yep! I think they’ll be done within a week!” Joy replied happily, prompting Cora to look at her in surprise.

“Really? That fast? I mean, I saw how quickly they were building the Tulip Hive, but I didn’t think that they would be able to build something as complicated as a greenhouse that quickly,” Cora said, considering the greenhouses she’d seen.

“They’ll probably surprise you,” Joy said, grinning even more. “The main problem is going to be materials! They only can make so much wax each day, so that will slow them down, once they run out of the wax they stocked on the trip here. Remember, we work a lot!”

“Fair enough. Now, let’s go find Brianna and Stella. I want to make sure she doesn’t get all salted pork or something like that for food,” Cora said, shaking her head again.

“Sure!” Joy agreed, following Cora as they left the apis embassy behind.

Though she didn’t say it aloud, Cora agreed with Joy. She was really curious to see what the embassy looked like when it was done. For now, they had other concerns, though.

Chapter 15

The caravan moved at a decent enough pace, though even so it was slower than Joy liked. She wanted to move faster, to feel the wind against her skin, and yet she really couldn’t. Silverhoof didn’t want people leaving the caravan without permission, and while he’d grudgingly allowed half of the other apis to forage as they moved, functioning as scouts at the same time, he’d flat-out refused to let her join them since she was part of an adventuring party instead.

On the other hand, the caravan was also larger and more eclectic than she’d expected. There were some merchants with them, though not many, and the majority of other people were adventurers in a wide variety. Some of them were rather imposing to Joy, in armor that was brightly colored and who exuded auras like the leaders of the Skyfishers who’d been in the Teeming Jungle, while others felt more like Brianna, Cora, and Stella, or even weaker. More interesting to her were a handful of people they were escorting, a group that Silverhoof had called engineers, and the bits of their conversation that Joy had caught intrigued her, because it sounded to her like they built things. She wasn’t sure what these ‘siege engines’ were, but she was curious to find out what they were talking about so intensely around the campfire at night.

The other adventurers had been interesting to talk to, particularly a boisterous, large man who’d spun tales of how his father had delved into hidden ruins buried in the clouds across the sea to the north, places where the very air itself could come to life and attack intruders, or where giants could form the very clouds themselves into fortresses and homes. Others had talked about deserts, volcanoes, and jungles that she could hardly imagine, and which Joy found herself thirsting to see for herself. Specifically, one of them had talked about a jungle with flowers even larger than those in the Flower Forest, one ruled by strange, glittering fey creatures. That was something which Joy wanted to see… and a part of her regretted that she probably wouldn’t get to see it, if she founded a hive of her own. No matter how incredible the world might be, she couldn’t abandon her duty.

Unlike her, the others seemed less impressed by the stories than Joy was, and on the second day of their trip Joy asked, “Have you heard their stories before?”

Cora glanced over at Joy curiously, tilting her head as she asked, “What do you mean?”

They were traveling along a rocky section of the road, one with virtually no cover, and with no sign of any people around. Goats were common enough, though. Large, vicious-looking goats that stood well clear of their path.

“The other adventurers. You and Brianna just look at each other and smile, while Stella seems a little more interested. James and the others often don’t even listen!” Joy explained, gesturing at James, who flushed slightly at that, clearing his throat.

“It isn’t that, Joy. It’s just that…” James began, pausing before finishing, somewhat lamely. “I’ve just heard that sort of thing dozens of times before.”

“It doesn’t help that it isn’t firsthand experience, either,” Cora added before anyone else could speak. “If any of them had spoken from personal experience… well, believe me when I say that all of us would have been listening as closely as you were. But they’re just too low-level to have gone to any of those places.”

“Really?” Joy asked, perking up a little more.

“She’s right,” Stella said, adjusting her pack as she looked around. “Most low-level people live on this continent, Joy, along with countries on Avda to the south, and across the archipelagos that surround us. Avda is a smaller continent, just to be clear. Only those who’re above level fifty generally cross the sea to any of the continents that they’re telling you about, because those places are just too dangerous for anyone lower level to survive easily.”

“Um, why?” Joy said, looking between all of them, getting the sense she’d asked a silly question from the way they looked at one another.

“Who wants to field this one?” Brianna asked, cracking a smile.

“Not me, that’s for sure,” Eda said, shaking her head firmly. “That’s way out of my league. I don’t know enough.”

“I have some hints, but I think the one person here who has the background to know best is James,” Cora said, a smile flittering across her lips, and James looked at the sky as he sighed.

“What did I do to deserve this?” James asked helplessly, prompting a giggle from Joy.

“You tried to recruit Joy, then took us into the Blackstone Mines,” Helen replied, prompting a chorus of laughter from everyone in earshot.

“And as well you did,” Jean murmured from behind them. “What would have happened otherwise doesn’t bear thinking on.”

For a few moments everyone was silent, and as they were, Joy hopped onto a rock, then from it to several more in succession, smiling as she tested her balance. One of the rocks wasn’t as stable as the others, but it just added to her satisfaction when she bounced off it to the next stone.

“To a large extent, the number of people who’re so low-level on this continent is due to our own successes,” James said at last, letting out a sigh. “It’s said that in the beginning, all of the continents were about the same. The same sort of creatures lived on them, and everything had the same starting point. But here there were more humans, elves, dwarves, and other species, and we grew stronger than the ones on the other continents. Where most of them were wiped out, we thrived, fighting back against monsters that would wipe us out. Instead we destroyed many of the species that were the gravest threats to us. Yet without those threats we’ve also become weaker, one generation after another. Without those threats to push us to ever-greater heights, we atrophy. Only the threat of the Kingdoms of Darkness and some other regions and monsters allows us to reach the higher levels these days, and those who wish to push beyond… they cross to other continents, where many of those beings that could destroy countries still live in great numbers. At least, that’s what I’ve heard from my parents and teachers.”

Joy’s eyes went wide and she inhaled, then paused to think, trying to imagine what he was talking about. Before she could say anything, Cora spoke softly.

“That… is far more detailed than what I’d thought. I knew that we’d made the world relatively safe compared to in the past, but I didn’t think… well, it doesn’t matter, I suppose. That’s the problem of being from a small village,” the elf said, her gaze somewhat distant.

“The nobility keeps track of things like this. It’s part of why we deliberately leave some areas wild for adventuring, so that we don’t weaken ourselves still further,” James said, shrugging uncomfortably. “I’ve heard that the Kingdoms of Darkness have more dangerous regions still around, plus they encourage infighting between their members to push themselves to higher level, so we need what we can get. It isn’t pleasant to think about.”

“Oh! That’s why the Flower Forest doesn’t have people trying to take it over, right?” Joy asked, clapping her hands together as she put what he’d said together.

“That’s right,” James said, smiling wryly at her. “There’s lots of relatively small areas where different creatures can fight with one another, growing stronger and proving to be good challenges for young adventurers. Some of them could be cleared if we wanted to, while others would be almost impossible, these days. Like the Shimmerwood, we just don’t have a strong enough army to deal with it. I guess that’s just nature finding a balance, though.”

Joy considered that for a moment, a little surprised that the Shimmerwood was that dangerous, since there was a hive there. If anything, it made her even more curious about the apis who lived there. They had to be surviving somehow, which made her think that they might be even more powerful than the Shadebough Hive, which was a slightly daunting thought.

That was when Joy heard hoofbeats approaching, and she glanced back to see Silverhoof approaching, the centaur Guildmaster scowling as he approached. A wisp of concern went through Joy, since he was approaching them, but she banished it a moment later. They hadn’t done anything wrong, so she shouldn’t be worried.

“Are you lot busy?” Silverhoof asked bluntly, adjusting how the halberd stowed across his back hung. Cora glanced at James, who cleared his throat and replied.

“Not especially, Guildmaster. We’re just keeping an eye out for ambushes,” James said, nodding to their left. “Is there something you needed us for?”

“Yes, as it happens,” Silverhoof said, glancing to the northeast. “Some of the apis reported that they noticed something odd about a half-mile north of us. While they said they could investigate, I don’t want to push that onto them, not when they aren’t really adventurers.”

“What sort of ‘something odd’?” Cora asked, frowning. For her part, Joy paused, turning to face the Guildmaster curiously.

“That’s the problem. It’s a cave, and the apis said they smelled a bunch of people inside. We don’t know much more than that, though they didn’t think there were more than a couple dozen of them at most,” Silverhoof said, frowning. “I want people to scout it, and the nine of you are a solid party. It could be people who escaped a raid, prisoners, or even a raider camp. Are you willing to take a look?”

“Why us?” James asked, his eyebrows rising. “We aren’t the strongest people here.”

“No, but you have an apis with you. She’ll be able to follow the trail of the other ones, and she can fly. That’s better than any of the higher-level adventurers, and most of the ones I have aren’t as willing to work together,” Silverhoof said bluntly. “The biggest of their groups is one of five, so I’d rather entrust this to you. Besides which, if this is a distraction to pull someone out of position, I’d rather have the heavy hitters here.”

Joy frowned at that, a little uneasy about the idea of adventurers who weren’t willing to work together. That was practically alien to any apis and made her view some of the adventurers she’d been listening to a little differently. Not working together could get everyone killed, and she didn’t want that to happen.

While she thought, a bunch of the others looked at one another, while James simply nodded politely as he replied. “I understand, Guildmaster. We’ll look into the cave.”

“Good. I’ll have several of the others here to cover this part of the caravan shortly,” Silverhoof said, nodding firmly as he turned and trotted off toward the head of the column.

The others didn’t say anything until Silverhoof was well away from them, far enough that Joy doubted that the Guildmaster could hear anything. Then Jean spoke, her voice flat.

“He considers us expendable, doesn’t he?” the human asked unhappily, frowning.

“I don’t think so. I think he was being honest in fearing that this could be a trick,” James said, shaking his head slowly. “It could also be that we’ve gotten out of tricky situations way out of our league a few times, so he’s willing to give us more dangerous assignments. I don’t know which it is, but either way, what can we do?”

“True enough. This is why I didn’t join the army,” Brianna muttered, letting out a heavy sigh. “I hate having to take orders which are really dangerous.”

“Um, I could ask the attendant to have an apis follow us,” Joy volunteered hopefully.

For a moment the others were silent, but then Stella spoke gently. “Silverhoof said that he didn’t want the apis investigating the cave, Joy.”

“No, he said he didn’t want to push investigating onto them since they aren’t adventurers,” Joy corrected, smiling broadly. “He’s right, they aren’t! But I’m not saying I’d ask them to investigate, just to have someone follow us! If we get in trouble, she can come back and get help.”

That caused the concerned expressions Joy saw to ease, and Cora smiled warmly at her as she asked, “Could you ask the attendant, then? It would be a huge weight off my mind.”

“And mine,” James chimed in, smiling at her appreciatively. “The last thing I want is to get trapped again.”

“Sure! I’ll be right back,” Joy said, and quickly took flight, following the trail of pheromones leading to the queen’s attendant.

It was so much more convenient to find other apis than humans, elves, or even centaurs, Joy thought. They just didn’t have as obvious of scents.

* * *

“Why are you sending them to investigate?” Abigail asked, nodding toward the departing adventurers from atop her horse. She noticed the faintly caustic note to her voice and wished she could do something about it. Abigail hadn’t been able to suppress the faint grudge she felt toward Joy for what she’d done to Abigail’s Guild house, even if the apis hadn’t known what was going to happen and hadn’t done it intentionally.

“Would you trust Elton and Meldith to cooperate?” Silverhoof asked, popping a nut into his mouth while sorting through the small pouch of other nuts idly.

“Them? Gods, no!” Abigail said, flinching at the very thought. “Those two have hated each other ever since they broke up. I swear, dating inside the same adventuring party is a recipe for the worst relationships ever.”

“Not necessarily. Some of the tightest-knit adventuring groups I’ve seen have been made up of family or lovers,” Silverhoof countered, swallowing before he continued. “However, most of the adventurers who’re stronger than James and the others have been rivals for too long. There’s a fair amount of bad blood between them, and I just don’t trust them to do the job without coming to blows. Not unless there are enemies for them to focus on.”

“I suppose. I just…” Abigail paused, struggling with herself, then shrugged. “Can they really do the job? You don’t even know what’s out there.”

At that Silverhoof chuckled and shook his head. “Oh, they’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

“Why do you say that?” Abigail demanded. “They’re not even level twenty!”

“No, they aren’t,” Silverhoof agreed, popping another nut into his mouth and chewing with relish before swallowing.

“Then why are you so confident?” Abigail asked, her impatience growing.

“Because they have Joy with them,” Silverhoof said, nodding toward the apis as he grinned. Abigail inhaled, but he wasn’t done, cutting her off. “How many people do you know of who can say they not only escaped from an enemy over thirty levels higher than them but sent them fleeing and heavily injured? Who could walk into an ambush of higher-level opponents, fight their way out of it, find reinforcements in the unlikeliest of locations, and retake Bearton afterward?

“Joy may not be powerful on her own, but she has something else important. She’s instilled a sense of bravery and unity in her companions that I admire,” Silverhoof continued, looking after her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say she has the makings of a Hero. They’ll succeed at the job, just wait and see.”

Abigail tried to come up with a reply, and just couldn’t. Instead, she looked after the departing adventurers and wondered.

Chapter 16

Cora could only occasionally catch buzzing from the apis that was following them, which was almost more distracting than if she were listening to it constantly. Even worse, when she looked back she’d only caught a glimpse of the apis once. How the woman could hide so easily while flying through the hills was beyond Cora’s understanding, but the apis of the Shadebough Hive seemed to have a knack for it.

Of course, the distraction had also nearly led to Cora twisting her ankle once, and only Brianna’s swift reaction had kept Cora from tumbling down the hillside, which would have been really unpleasant. The sheer number of rocks at the bottom of the hill would have made that painful, if not deadly.

To be perfectly honest, though, the countryside northeast of Irador wasn’t terribly inviting to begin with. Most of it was rocky and infertile, while the handful of useful areas had small villages at this point, mostly functioning as places to stop for travelers heading toward Clarion and the border. Cora expected she wouldn’t have bothered coming this way at all if it hadn’t been for their current quest, and she glanced at Joy, who had a broad grin on her face, her antennae twitching as the apis looked around.

“We’re close!” Joy said, focusing on the area ahead of them as she sniffed, then nodded. “Yep, I smell something, too. I don’t recognize it, but there are people, too.”

“Great. And that cave doesn’t look terribly inviting,” James said, frowning as he stepped up next to a rock and peeked around it, shading his eyes and frowning. “I think I see a privy near the cave, too. A rather big one.”

“Is that the smell you couldn’t figure out?” Stella asked, looking at Joy, and the apis giggled, shaking her head.

“Nope! I know the smell of poop, and that isn’t it,” the apis said bluntly, causing Cora to blush. “It smells different. Want me to go look? I could circle around and peek down from the top of the cave.”

Cora frowned, speaking cautiously. “That would put you easily in the line of fire, Joy. Again.”

“But we need to check the cave, and there isn’t an easy way to get near it without being seen!” Joy protested, gesturing over the edge of the ridge, and Cora hesitated, then stepped up to take a look herself.

Unfortunately, it looked like Joy was right. The cave was about ten to fifteen feet across, and it gave anyone inside a clear line of sight at pretty much all of the approaches. Even the top of the cave would be difficult to get onto without flying. Then Cora’s eyes narrowed as she spotted something rather odd. The sun wasn’t quite directly above, and was coming at an angle, which should have cast a slightly uneven shadow from the cave rim, yet the shadow she saw wasn’t uneven. Instead it was almost perfectly straight and very dark.

“I think that we’re onto something,” Cora said, frowning. “It looks like someone used an illusion to make the darkness in the cave deeper. Probably to conceal its contents from observers, but I can’t be sure.”

“Why’s that?” Helen asked, peeking over the edge next to her.

“The shadow doesn’t match the upper rim of the cave,” Cora explained, nodding toward the cavern. “Plus, it’s too stark of a difference. There should be more light inside.”

“Yeah, I see it, now that you’ve pointed it out,” James murmured.

“Me too,” Helen said, tapping the hilt of a dagger restlessly. “And that approach… I see what Joy means.”

“So, should I? I mean, if nothing else I can just go up,” Joy suggested, looking back and forth restlessly. “We’re supposed to investigate the cave.”

“Well, the problem is going to be attacks at range. I think the only ones who specialize in those are me and Jean, though maybe Eda and Stella might have some…?” Cora said, looking at the two women, and Stella grimaced, shaking her head.

“Sorry, my abilities are mostly defensive in nature, since I get up close in combat,” Stella said apologetically.

“I have a couple of spells, but they’re less effective than yours,” Eda said with a nod. “That should help, right?”

“Yes, since that gives a third of us who can engage immediately, and even if the cave gives whoever’s inside a good way to keep an eye out, it also means we can bottle them up relatively easily,” Brianna said, looking at Cora speculatively. “That’s what you’re planning, right? To let Joy investigate, and if they spot her, we hit them with ranged spells and keep them from using any number advantage against us.”

Cora couldn’t help a smile, shrugging sheepishly as she nodded. “Yes, that’s about what I was thinking. It isn’t the best plan in the world, but I’m no tactician. I don’t see what else we can do, with how few of us there are and how little we know about what’s in there.”

“Nah, I don’t think you’re wrong. Eight of us over here, and there aren’t that many avenues of escape for anyone inside… I think it’s a workable plan,” Brianna said, her expression musing. After a few moments she glanced at James and asked, grinning, “What do you think, James? You do seem to be the ‘official’ leader of our group, as far as Silverhoof is concerned.”

The man grimaced at that, shaking his head firmly. “No, no… you’re all equals, thank you. If I’m in charge, that’s only until we get to Clarion and for convenience. I’m trying hard not to let a little authority go to my head. That’s a good way to get in trouble.”

“We know; Bri’s just teasing. At a bad time, too,” Cora said, glowering at Brianna.

“Now’s exactly the time to tease,” Brianna shot back.

“Er, regardless of that, I agree that the plan seems like a good one,” James interjected hastily. “Brianna and I can cover the front, with Helen and Marilyn covering our flanks while Stella keeps an eye on all of us, plus Cora, Eda, and Jean in the back as ranged attackers. It feels pretty balanced to me, as long as no one attacks us from behind.”

“The worker would warn you if she spotted something coming!” Joy interjected brightly, nodding to the rear. “She doesn’t want us to get hurt.”

Cora glanced back, and this time she spotted the apis, who was carefully inspecting the flowers on a bush, but glanced up to smile back at Cora and wave before going back to whatever she was doing. It was so strange to see, but Cora wasn’t about to argue with the apis. Having backup was important.

“It sounds like we have a plan, then. Joy, how long do you think it’ll take you to circle around?” Stella asked, unlimbering her shield.

“Not long! A couple of minutes at most,” Joy replied instantly, gesturing at the rocky terrain as she added, “This place gives plenty of places to hide, and I’m not as good as the Shadebough apis are.”

“Then I’d say we should get ready while you circle around,” Cora said, taking a deep breath. “Just be careful. More careful than last time, hm?”

“I will! I really don’t want to get hit by an axe like last time,” Joy assured her, then darted away, ducking to keep her head out of line of sight. The only thing that concerned Cora was that Joy didn’t sound like she regretted getting hit that much.

“Why do I not believe her?” Cora asked after a second, looking at Brianna and Stella helplessly, prompting a chuckle from Brianna.

“Because she’ll happily throw herself in the way of an attack on one of us, of course,” the human said, drawing her sword and examining it for a moment before nodding in satisfaction. “At least none of us are going to be right there, and I’m pretty sure there aren’t any webs to trap her, so she should be fine.”

“Besides, we’re here to back her up, and aside from the occasional leopard or carnivorous mountain goat, there aren’t that many dangerous creatures around here,” James added, smiling wryly. “I’m more worried about us, if I’m being honest.”

Cora thought about trying to reply to that, then gave it up as the others positioned themselves, preparing her staff and trying to calm down. Hopefully whatever was in the cave wasn’t too bad.

* * *

Joy fluttered over a rather large pile of dry branches that’d been tossed around the back of the hillside with the cave, a little amused at the sight of them. Those would make it difficult to bypass them without making a bunch of noise, at least if someone couldn’t fly, and she thought they looked like they’d been placed there deliberately. Mostly she wondered where they’d gotten so many branches, at least for a moment. Then she was past them and set back down to scramble along the rock, mentally focusing on hiding. That would help, and she didn’t want to give away her presence by flying. Her wings made a little too much noise, and she couldn’t help hoping that she’d get an ability to quiet them still more in the future.

The rocky slope wasn’t too hard to climb down quietly, though Joy noticed several stones that would be easily dislodged, and carefully avoided them, though she made note of where the larger ones were. If she could drop a rock on a bad person’s head, she wasn’t going to object.

She slowed down as she approached the lip of the cliff, though, adjusting to where she was moving on her hands and knees, noting that it was a lot more difficult to move upside-down than it had been as a bee. It was an idle thought, though, and she cautiously poked her antennae over the lip first.

The first thing Joy noticed was that it was quiet in the cave. Far, far too quiet to be natural, especially with the smell, which caused Joy’s nose to wrinkle. The smell of smoke pervaded the air, like there was an active fire inside, and the unidentifiable stench was even stronger now. There were also the smells of a bunch of people, far too many for Joy to individually identify, but they were fresh enough, and she smelled a lot of filth. The thought briefly made her wonder why the others had looked at her so oddly when she’d talked about poop, but it wasn’t something that she pondered for long. Joy slowly lowered her head until only her eyes were past the lip, then blinked in surprise.

The shadows of the cave were even starker now that she was looking at them up close, so stark that they couldn’t even be called shadows at all. It was like a wall of shadow, without any of the gradients that she was used to, no additional shadows from reflections of light, nothing. It was unnatural, and she briefly wondered if she should try to poke her head into the cave, since she couldn’t see anything. That was when the air inside the cave shifted suddenly, the unfamiliar scent approaching, and Joy instinctively recoiled.

An instant after she recoiled, a thin black stinger the size of her rapier blade lanced through the air where her head had been, shooting into the distance very rapidly. Joy didn’t have much time to wonder what it’d been, not since a moment later a creature pounced out of the cave, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

The creature was a huge cat with tan fur, its mane a well-groomed brown, and it opened its mouth to roar, revealing immaculate, sharp fangs. Worse, the feline was glaring up at her as it unfurled its bat-like wings, and its tail was tipped by dozens of thin black stingers.

“Uh-oh,” Joy muttered, blinking at the creature in shock.

Chapter 17

“Oh, crap. Analyze,” Cora whispered, her eyes going wide at the sight of the creature that had just attacked Joy. She didn’t need to know what the manticore was, just what level it might be. Then she got extremely unwelcome information as well.

Lesser Manticore (Level 22)

Attack Power 25

Defense 21

Abilities: Companion, Spike Throw, Spike Growth

“We’ve got a Beastmaster!” Cora exclaimed, beginning to stand just as several more humanoid figures rushed out of the cave. She just hoped they weren’t all as powerful as the manticore, or they would be in deep trouble.

* * *

“Spike, what are you—” Dan began, but his voice cut off as he stepped out of the cave and looked up. The welcome fresh air was forgotten as his eyes went wide, meeting the wide-eyed gaze of yellow-haired, black-garbed woman with insect wings clinging to the hillside above the cave like a spider. He froze for an instant, and the woman smiled at him sheepishly.

“Hi!” she said, sending a chill down his spine, especially when he heard something to the south and caught movement from the corner of his eye. He’d heard about how deadly and ruthless the apis were, and Dan really didn’t want to follow the example of Damaris.

“To arms! Spike, kill—” Dan began, and yelped as the apis took the moment to throw three daggers in a row at him, dancing out of the way barely in time before finishing. “Spike, kill her!”

“That’s mean!” the apis complained, just as more of Dan’s soldiers began rushing out of the cave, and he hoped the others were getting into their armor.

Especially as the first fireball came flying at him from the south, and Spike snarled, whipping its tail at the apis and launching a spike, which the woman unfortunately dodged as she jumped into the air. Then Spike took flight, chasing the apis, and Dan didn’t have much time to worry about her. He hoped Spike would deal with the woman quickly, then they could deal with the damned magi.

* * *

Joy took flight just barely in time, dodging another spike from the flying kitty with spikes. She did not understand why it had both the wings and the spikes, but she didn’t understand a lot of things. She knew that it would hurt if it caught her, though, so she focused on dodging.

The monster roared again, lumbering into the sky after her, and it looked so silly that Joy couldn’t help giggling, grinning as a ball of fire crashed into the hillside next to the cave, followed by a couple of bolts of light and ice. She saw several Skyfishers hurrying out of the cave to help the second man, one who wore leather and had a bow in his hands. She wished he hadn’t dodged… and the distraction nearly proved her undoing as she almost failed to dodge the cat swiping at her with its claws. She barely bobbed down out of range, and the creature overshot, going rather far past her as it slowly turned.

“Catch me if you can!” Joy said, her thoughts racing as she watched the cat turn, her wings beating rapidly to bounce her around in the air randomly, just in case anyone was going to take a shot at her.

The cat was big, and obviously stronger than Joy was, but at the same time she’d already spotted a major weakness of it, and that was its maneuverability. It just couldn’t turn quickly, though its tail spikes gave it a ranged attack Joy couldn’t match. Still, she could probably deal with it, given some time. She just had to avoid getting hit.

Joy’s smile vanished as she glanced down again, just in time to see the man fire an arrow at her friends. James blocked the arrow with his shield, but it punched right through the shield and bounced off the man’s armor, leaving a scar in the pretty metal, and her friends were advancing right into the teeth of ten soldiers she could see, and that worried her. The last Skyfishers they’d run into had been really tough.

The flying cat turned, and Joy spoke, her tone warning as she drew her rapier. “Leave us alone or I’ll have to hurt you, kitty. I mean it!”

The only response from the cat was a snarl and lash of its tail, sending two spikes flying at her, which Joy barely managed to duck, as it had aimed at the direction she’d dodged the previous time. That was a bit of a warning sign to her, but she didn’t let it faze her. Instead she focused still more, glancing down as she flittered to the side, causing the creature to course-correct toward her, while she gauged just what she was going to do, filtering out the clash of metal on metal below her.

“This could hurt,” Joy muttered, then called out. “Here, kitty, kitty!”

That just seemed to irritate the flying cat more, and it roared as it lunged toward her, its claws outstretched and maw wide open. Joy briefly considered trying to thrust her sword down its throat, then abandoned the thought. Instead, she waited until almost the last moment.

“Speed Burst!” Joy exclaimed, and the world seemed to slow down briefly as she shot up and forward, so close she could see the whites of the cat’s eyes. This time she didn’t go entirely past the cat, though, as her free hand snapped out and grabbed on to the cat’s mane, which bodily yanked her down behind it… just as she’d planned.

Joy didn’t second-guess herself, reversing the blade to get it close to the base of the cat’s left wing, and she used her next ability just as the cat was starting to struggle to throw her off. “Tendon Slice!”

Her blade cut into the cat’s muscle, and the next instant the left wing went limp, causing the creature to begin falling very rapidly as its roar turned a touch less ferocious. The wind whipped by, and Joy found herself being dragged with the monster as it fell toward the cluster of Skyfishers attacking her friends.

As she fell, Joy found herself grinning, and she exclaimed, “Whee!”

* * *

“Ah, hell. Lightning Blast!” Cora said, throwing a ball of lightning at one of the enemy soldiers, then ducked as the archer took another shot at her, wincing as the arrow buried itself halfway into a boulder. If he hit, that would hurt.

Her lightning blast hit the soldier, but she cursed as he barely flinched, the armor obviously designed to help against magic. That made her scowl, since it meant that her attacks wouldn’t work as well, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. Brianna and James were holding off the enemies relatively well, though their methods were dramatically different. James used his shield to block most attacks, while her friend was swinging her sword hard enough that most of her opponents didn’t dare try to get into the gaps. That would be close to suicide, with how it’d open their flanks to Helen.

“Whee!”

The sound of Joy’s voice from above startled Cora just as she was about to cast a spell, and she glanced up just in time to see the manticore falling out of the sky with one limp wing, the other wing beating frantically as it tried to correct its course, all while Joy was holding on to its mane with an incredibly broad grin, her rapier in her other hand.

“Scatter!” one of the enemy soldiers exclaimed, her voice frantic as the woman fell back, just in time for Jean to hit her with a large stone sphere. The other soldiers tried to scatter, but they didn’t have enough time as the manticore came slamming down into the middle of them, landing fully on one unfortunate man, and scattering the others like a flock of chickens with a fox in their midst.

“Spike!” the archer in the back exclaimed in anguish, a look of horror on his face. Almost as if in response, Joy regained her feet, letting go of the mane, and spoke.

“Stab! Penetrating Strike!” the apis said, stabbing the manticore twice rather viciously as it tried to regain its feet. Behind her, the creature’s tail lashed around, and Cora’s eyes widened in horror, opening her mouth to warn her.

“Careful!” Brianna interrupted, bringing her sword down with a grunt, half-severing the tail before it could launch a spike, and the next second Marilyn slammed a dagger into the manticore’s throat, though it glanced off the first time, while Stella stepped forward to club it over the head with her mace.

The other soldiers were still regrouping, Cora saw, but her vision focused on the archer, whose shock had turned to rage as he took aim at Joy. Cora snapped to a decision, aiming her staff at him as she snapped out.

“Ice Blast!” she said, launching a ball of icy shards at the man just before he could loose his arrow. The attack threw him off-target as he dodged, and she said, “Jean!”

“On it! Earth Spike!” Jean said, her eyes glittering.

The man tried to dodge again, but the rising shard of stone was fast enough that it clipped his leg, slowing him down just as Cora cast another spell.

“Lightning Blast!” Cora spat, launching a ball of lightning into the man’s face, prompting a scream as he staggered backward and fell over.

As they were attacking him, the others finished off the manticore. The enemy soldiers looked shaken to Cora, but they hadn’t given up yet, a bit to her surprise.

The rest of the fight wasn’t nearly as bad, though, as Joy dove into the fight gleefully, as though she was completely oblivious to the odds. Just about everyone took injuries except for Cora and the other magi in the back, but Eda’s spells dealt with the injuries almost as quickly as they were inflicted, prompting a wave of envy to flow through Cora. A White Mage was an amazing job, and one that not just anyone could get.

Things grew a little more complicated when another wave of soldiers came out of the cave, this time with a mage to back them up, but by that point all but one of the enemies were down, and between Cora and Jean, they managed to take down the mage before he could get off a single ball of fire, one which scorched Joy’s wings. A minute or two later the fight was done, and Cora slowly lowered her staff, internally grimacing at how much mana the battle had taken.

“What were they doing with better than twenty soldiers here? And a manticore?” Cora asked, wiping her forehead.

“A manti-what?” Joy asked, prompting a chuckle from Brianna. “I leveled after killing it!”

“A manticore, Joy. That beast that you rode down into their soldiers, and I’m not surprised you leveled,” the human explained, jerking a thumb toward it. “Have to say, that was a lot easier than all the stories I’ve heard about fighting them. Usually manticores can keep their distance, so they’re hellish for people like me.”

“Oh! I was just more maneuverable than it. It had really big teeth,” Joy said, looking at the manticore, and Cora saw her mouth the name, as if memorizing it.

“It did, and you scared me half to death when it fell. You almost hit me,” James said, kneeling next to the archer, then nodded in satisfaction. “This one’s alive, so we can take him to Silverhoof as a prisoner. Any others?”

“I think we have another, but most of you were slightly overly enthusiastic in stabbing,” Stella commented dryly from near another fallen soldier. “What about the cave? Shouldn’t we investigate it?”

“Probably,” Cora said, looking at the others.

“How about you all take a look? I’ll disarm and restrain these jerks.” Marilyn suggested, prompting a sigh from James.

“I’ll go first, then. I’ve got the biggest shield, and I don’t think we’re going to be able to see anything before we’re inside,” James said, adjusting his shield again. Even if it had a few holes in it, the shield looked like it was in pretty good shape.

“I’ll be right behind you,” Stella said, straightening and readying her own shield. “If you get shot, it’s best to have a healer on hand.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” James replied dryly, and started toward the cave cautiously, his shield raised and ready to block any attacks. Everyone but Marilyn began following him, though Cora kept well back from him, hoping that would give her time to react if someone attacked.

James stepped through the shadows and vanished, without a sound coming through. A moment later Stella stepped through, followed by Brianna, Joy, and Helen. Cora exchanged looks with Eda and Jean, who waved her forward, so she cautiously stepped through the curtain of shadows.

The interior of the cave was far better-lit than she’d expected, with a large, straw nest that she assumed was for the manticore and what had to have been a guard post. There was a larger cavern with bedrolls and a smokeless fire down a short passage, where she could see the others, their weapons at the ready.

Cora also heard sobbing, and a man’s shaky voice. “Don’t come any closer! If you do, I’ll kill her!”

That made Cora’s stomach sink.

Chapter 18

There wasn’t a smile on Joy’s face anymore. Most of the time she didn’t mind other people attacking them, at least not like they usually did. The nature of the world was that some people had to fight to get territory to survive, and she really didn’t begrudge them that. She’d kill them first if she could, but that was just being fair. This wasn’t like those times, though.

In front of them was another large cavern, in the back of which she could smell a bunch of filth where someone had been defecating. Hammered into the wall were a dozen metal spikes which had chains attached to them, each of which were attached to the manacles of two or three men and women. The men were outnumbered by women about two to one, with twenty-six of them present in all, and they all were wearing clothing that was stained with dirt. Most of them were human, but there was a single half-elf man and two dwarves among them. Her gaze was focused on the man in front of the captives, though.

The man looked a lot like the soldiers outside, except that he was a fair-skinned half-elf with sharper features than she was used to, and his silver eyes were darting between them nervously. He was holding a dagger against the throat of a terrified human woman with brown hair and eyes, and a trickle of blood was beading on either side of the knife. In all, the entire scene made her think of how a spider would cocoon its victims and let them struggle, and that made Joy angry. It was a very unusual feeling, and it fueled her focus as she stared at him.

“Now, don’t be hasty. If you do that—” James began, but the woman yelped and her eyes widened when the man pressed the dagger against her throat a little harder.

“I said not to move! I want all of you out of here!” the man snarled.

“No,” Joy said, her tone flat, and she saw Stella flinch in the corner of her vision.

“What?” Brianna asked, looking at Joy in confusion just as the man snarled.

“You don’t care about her life?” he demanded, glowering at her. “You’re one of those freakish apis, that’s right. You don’t care about anyone but—”

“You can kill her, I’m sure you can. Maybe Stella or Eda can help her in time. If not, hopefully she’ll resurrect, and I can give her the coin before she dies,” Joy said, staring at the man in the eyes and seeing his confusion and terror grow. “You won’t kill more than one of them. But if you hurt her more, I won’t kill you, not right away. I’ll hurt you, then I’ll find a wasp nest, shove your face into it, and hold you there.”

The man went pale with horror at that, while the woman looked at Joy in shock. The others didn’t seem to know what to say, but after a few seconds Stella spoke.

“Joy? Are you feeling okay?” the woman asked cautiously. “Making threats like that…”

“It isn’t a threat. It’s what I’ll do,” Joy replied, glancing at Stella as the anger flowed through her. “He’s acting like a spider. Trapping others, toying with them while they’re going to lose their lives if we leave, and if we don’t he’ll kill her. He might kill her, and I’ll feel terrible for her since that shouldn’t happen to anyone, but I’m not going to let him do this to other people. He stops, or he gets a face full of wasps like he deserves.”

The shock on the faces of her friends was a little surprising, since Joy didn’t understand why they were so surprised.

“You… you…” the man stammered, his knife practically vibrating as he stared at Joy in horror.

“Let the woman go and drop your weapons. If you do, we’ll take you prisoner, and you’ll be well-treated. Better-treated than the captives behind you, anyway,” Cora said from behind Joy, a note of concern in the elf’s voice. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard Joy talk like that, so I think she’s serious.”

“Yeah, she absolutely hates wasps, so you must’ve really pissed her off,” Brianna agreed, lowering her sword slightly.

The man stared at Joy for a few more seconds, then his hand practically convulsed as he let go of the dagger, letting it clatter to the floor as he stumbled backward, releasing the woman as well. The woman began to collapse, sobbing, but Stella rushed forward to support her.

“F-fine, just keep that… that monster away from me!” the man replied, his voice shaking almost as much as his hand had been.

Joy sniffed, her rage subsiding as she smiled broadly back at him. “Says the person who was threatening to kill people who couldn’t even fight back. Coward.”

She was about to start forward when someone stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Joy blinked, looking back to see Cora right there. The elf’s concern was obvious, and Joy tilted her head curiously.

“Don’t go toward them. Not right now, anyway,” Cora said gently, shaking her head. “You scared us with how you were acting, Joy, let alone the prisoners. If you go too close right away, they might panic. Let us reassure them first, please?”

“Oh. I wasn’t angry at them, though,” Joy said, frowning deeply. “He was being mean to them.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean that you weren’t scary. When you’re that serious it’s… startling,” Cora said, picking her words carefully, and the look on her face made Joy’s antennae droop slightly.

Ahead of them, Helen was disarming the soldier while James kept watch over both of them, and Stella was healing the woman who’d been taken captive. The woman was sobbing, and Eda and Brianna seemed to be looking for a way to free the captives. Joy hesitated, frowning a little, then nodded reluctantly, depressed that she’d made another mistake.

“Okay, I can do that. What should I do?” Joy asked, feeling a little depressed. She thought she’d been doing the right thing.

“Why don’t you go see what you can get off the manticore? We’ll finish up in here, and come out soon. Promise,” Cora reassured her with a smile, which improved Joy’s mood a little.

“Alright, I’ll do that. See you soon!” Joy said.

“Good,” Cora said, smiling even more.

With that, Joy took a last glance at the captives and turned to leave the room.

Hopefully they wouldn’t hate her. She really didn’t want that.

* * *

Sorting out the situation in the cave took longer than Cora liked, though at least the prisoner didn’t give them any more trouble. If anything, the man had practically collapsed in relief after Joy had left, which both amused and concerned Cora.

Joy’s response stuck out in Cora’s memory like it’d been etched there, in part because of how incredibly out of character for the apis it had been. Only a minute or two before, Joy had been laughing as she rode the manticore down out of the sky, her enthusiasm obvious, and then… then there had been no happiness or smile on Joy’s face as she looked at the man. Instead, she’d spoken in a perfectly even tone with her rapier in hand. If there’d been seething rage in her voice it would have been more understandable, but instead the apis’s tone had been… neutral. No rage, sadness, or any other inflection. Just like someone bored commenting about the weather. That was what made it more terrifying than anything else she’d done.

Not that Cora had had much of a chance to dwell on it, with all of the captives they’d freed. Many of the people there were a bit traumatized, particularly the woman who’d had the knife to her throat, but in the process of freeing them, Cora and the others had picked up some information that both frightened and enraged her. She suspected it was even worse for Eda, Jean, Helen, and Marilyn, since they’d been in the same position as the others not long before.

The captives had been taken by soldiers from Skyfish Valley, and they were a mix of adventurers, soldiers, merchants, and townsfolk. The invaders had taken people they thought their lord would find attractive or who would be particularly useful, and Cora thanked the gods that they’d rescued them when they had, since it sounded like they’d have shipped the captives off to Skyfish Valley in the next day or two, once they were sure they didn’t have any others to send with them.

Fortunately, most of the people were in good shape since the soldiers had planned to take them with, even if most of their gear was missing and their clothing was spartan. So, as they started out of the cave, Cora stepped into the open, relatively fresh air with a sigh of relief, and paused on seeing Joy sitting on a rock, humming brightly as she played with a cat’s cradle, giggling as she tangled her fingers in the string.

“Joy, where did you get that?” Cora asked, glancing at the body of the manticore and wincing. The creature was missing the spikes on its tail and a large part of its hide, then its body had been dragged off to where it was mostly out of sight, which was kind of the apis.

“I got it from the worker! She saw some children playing with one in town and thought it was neat, so she bought a bunch to take to her hive. When she saw I was bored, she gave me one,” Joy replied, giggling as she untangled her fingers. “I’m bad at it, though.”

“It’s mostly a matter of practice. I played with those when I was young, too. My mother taught me stories using one,” Cora said, relaxing a little as she saw that Joy looked like she was back to normal. “Did you get anything useful off the manticore?”

“Eight spikes, six claws, and two sections of manticore hide,” Joy replied promptly, wrinkling her nose as she added, “I don’t like harvesting from animals, but I guess I sort of have to, sometimes.”

“I don’t blame you. It doesn’t look pleasant to me, and I’m not the one gathering the items,” Cora agreed, taking a deep breath as she hesitated, then asked cautiously. “Are you alright?”

“Hm? I’m fine, see!” Joy said, quickly standing and pirouetting in place, simultaneously slipping the string into her belt pouch. “I got a couple of bruises from the fall and cuts in the fight, but Eda healed those!”

“That’s good, but it isn’t what I meant,” Cora replied, a hint of frustration rushing through her, though she chided herself a moment later. Joy just didn’t understand other people sometimes; that’s why she had to talk to her. “It’s just… you scared us in there. You scared the captives, too, even if you didn’t mean to. It’s just that you seemed to stop caring at all, instead of being happy, angry, or anything else.”

“But… but I was angry! I was really, really mad at that person making the threats!” Joy protested, a hint of bewilderment on her face as she gestured at the prisoner, who was tied to the archer, with Marilyn watching over the two of them like a hawk.

“It didn’t sound like it. It sounded like you didn’t care,” Cora said, frowning now. “I mean… you’ve heard how we sound when we’re upset, right?”

“Yes, but… but that’s you,” Joy replied, biting her lower lip as she considered, hesitating, then continued cautiously. “I just… when I’m angry, I don’t do what you do. I just… focus on the threat. The other things are just distractions.”

Cora opened her mouth to reply, then paused as what Joy was saying finally clicked into place.Why Joy had sounded so detached was because it was her form of anger, and slowly Cora felt heat rise in her cheeks from embarrassment. She hated the idea that she’d jumped to conclusions, but she had the sinking suspicion that she’d done exactly that. It did bring another question to mind, though.

“I… well, my apologies, Joy. I misunderstood what you were doing,” Cora said, clearing her throat as she looked to the side. “That said… may I ask why you were so angry, then? I know that the situation was terrible, but you’ve never seemed so upset before.”

Joy looked at Cora curiously, then replied simply. “They were helpless.”

“Um… what do you mean?” Cora asked, the response confusing her even more.

“The people in chains. They were trapped, unable to even defend themselves. They may as well have been cocooned by a spider, waiting for them to do what they wanted to them. That makes me mad,” Joy explained, the slight smile on her face incongruous with the content of what she was saying. “I don’t like it, not at all.”

There was a crunch from behind Cora from a boot grinding a stone into the dirt. Before Cora could turn her head, Brianna spoke, allowing Cora to relax a little.

“Interesting, but… why don’t you object to ambushes, if you dislike people being helpless?” the human asked, stepping into sight with Stella beside her.

“People being ambushed aren’t helpless. They have the chance to spot it, to defend themselves. If they fail… that just happens. Sometimes you get the wasp, sometimes the wasp gets you,” Joy explained, shrugging as her smile faded. “Before, I didn’t have to worry about losing my stinger. Oh, I’d die if it lodged too deep, but that was part of life. Now… I didn’t think about it when we rescued the others, but… it bothers me. We should have a chance to fight, even if we die. Maybe not bad people, though…”

Joy frowned, obviously not liking that thought, and Cora couldn’t help relaxing a little more at the apis’s reactions. For all her oddities, Joy was nothing if not honest and willing to accept when she was wrong. That made Cora happier, and she glanced over at Brianna and Stella.

“Well, we’ll just have to tell the others what was going on. That might ease their minds a little, hm?” Cora suggested, prompting a smile from Stella.

“That seems like a good idea to me,” Stella agreed, and Brianna laughed, gently punching Cora in the shoulder, which nearly knocked her over.

“Well, we’ve got a while to do it, since we have to catch up with the caravan,” Brianna said, grinning broadly. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

Cora nodded, reaching up to rub her shoulder as she replied. “Sure, as long as Joy is ready.”

“Whenever you are!” Joy chirped, grinning broadly. “I’m glad we got rid of the Skyfishers! Well, most of this group, anyway!”

Nearby, Cora saw one of the dwarves glance in their direction, the man’s eyes widening as he mouthed ‘Skyfishers’, then a smile began to grow on his face, and that warmed Cora’s heart.

Maybe convincing them that Joy wasn’t that bad wouldn’t be too hard.

Chapter 19

The others didn’t smell the smoke at the same time that Joy did, and she stiffened, sniffing the air as her antennae perked up, and she asked quickly, “Is the caravan under attack?”

“What? If they are—” James began, only to be interrupted.

“Not anymore!” an apis worker replied cheerfully, popping her head out of some nearby bushes. The apis was carrying a bow, and Joy noticed that the quiver on her back was mostly empty. “The attackers retreated a little while ago… um, I don’t remember how you track time, but they aren’t nearby anymore!”

Joy smiled a little as everyone else relaxed, particularly the former captives. The only exception were the two prisoners, who looked more disappointed than anything else.

“Still, how bad was it? If they attacked the caravan…” Cora’s voice trailed off as she shrugged, looking a little worried.

“They tried to pull people to one side while they hit on the other, but they didn’t succeed! We shot a bunch of them when they tried, and that didn’t go well. I think there were some losses, but I’m on patrol duty. We don’t want them coming back,” the apis reported, grinning broadly. “The worker who was with you already told the attendant about what she saw, so they should be expecting you!”

“Glad to hear it. Thank you for the warning,” James said, bowing his head slightly, and the apis grinned, waving at Joy as she darted off to the next set of bushes, practically vanishing as she did so.

“You know, suddenly I’m wondering if us getting sent off might not have been a good thing. At least we got through the fight with minor injuries, by and large,” Brianna said, frowning as they started forward cautiously. “If anyone attacked the caravan, they’d have to be tough enough to think they had good odds.”

“Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean we’d have been in good shape,” Jean replied, scowling as she added, “That manticore would’ve been a pain if Joy hadn’t taken it out of the air. It was high-level enough that most of our attacks wouldn’t have been able to do much to it.”

“Yep! My rapier bounced off twice after hitting the ground,” Joy confirmed, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the memory. “I wish we wouldn’t run into bad guys so much higher level than us.”

“You aren’t the only one,” Cora said, letting out a sigh as she shook her head. “Hopefully, after this entire war is over we can get back to dealing with more reasonable challenges. I feel like these fights have aged me years.”

Joy had only barely opened her mouth when Stella spoke quickly. “Which is a figure of speech, Joy. Stress can make us feel older, but it doesn’t actually age us.”

“Oh, okay!” Joy said, smiling brightly, but then she came over the ridgeline and into sight of the caravan, and her smile dimmed. The sight before her wasn’t a pleasant one at all, and she looked back and forth, taking it in and making certain she understood what she was seeing first.

Two of the wagons in sight were damaged heavily, one with the canopy burnt, and another missing a wheel entirely. Neither had horses in their harnesses, so Joy couldn’t tell if the animals had been hurt or not. More important were the dozens of craters and upthrust rocks that indicated people had used magic around the road. Then there were the bodies. At least thirty bodies littered the sides of the road that she could see, and as she watched there were adventurers picking their way through the battlefield and checking the fallen. Many of them were stripping the bodies of equipment, and as she watched, one of them called a healer over.

“Joy?” Brianna prompted, and Joy blinked, looking at her before speaking.

“I don’t see twenty-three of the other people in the caravan,” Joy said clearly, assuming that was what Brianna was asking about. “However, they could be on patrol like the apis or on the other side of the wagons.”

“Er, that’s good to know, but I was mostly meaning we should keep moving. We want to get these people to Silverhoof as quickly as we can,” Brianna replied, jerking a thumb at the people behind them, and heat rose in Joy’s cheeks.

“Oh! Yes, sorry!” Joy said, moving forward at the prompting.

Joy skipped down several convenient rocks on her way to the bottom of the hillside, one of which seemed to have been made by a mage, since the rock was at a completely different angle than the others… well, that and the blood she could smell from beneath the stone pillar. Then she hopped off and glanced up, seeing an adventurer she remembered from the trip up. The woman was stockier than most of the other humans Joy had seen, and while she wasn’t as muscular as Resha, the woman was quite respectable. Much of her brown hair was obscured by a bandage with a little blood soaking through it, but at least the woman didn’t brandish her axe at Joy, as the huge weapon made the apis slightly nervous.

“You’re back. I hope your little job went better than ours,” the woman said, spitting on the ground as she looked Joy over, then the people behind her, frowning. After a moment she added, grudgingly, “It must’ve, since I don’t recognize any of the people with you.”

“Yep! We ran into a manticore and some Skyfishers, then rescued people they’d stolen,” Joy explained breezily, smiling as she passed the woman. “We’re going to tell the Guildmaster!”

“You… wait, a manticore, really?” the woman demanded, prompting a giggle from Joy.

“Yes, a manticore,” Eda replied, the half-elf sounding a touch breathless. “We’re lucky that it was after Joy from the start, since she managed to bring it to the ground. That fight would not have been fun otherwise.”

“Okay, that makes more sense. Most groups like yours would’ve gotten pretty badly hurt by a manticore in my experience… flight makes a huge difference,” the woman said, a note of envy in her voice, but Joy kept moving, looking around as they moved toward the caravan proper, then she caught a glimpse of Silverhoof.

The Guildmaster was standing next to Abigail and an orc man who looked like he was giving a report of some type. Joy headed toward them, the others in her wake, but before she could get close the explanation came to an end, and with a curt response Silverhoof sent the orc on his way and started to turn to Abigail, only to stop as he spotted Joy and the others. Joy immediately raised her hand to wave at him and quickened her pace. As soon as she was in easy earshot, Joy spoke.

“We’re back, Guildmaster! We captured a couple of Skyfishers, killed the others, and rescued their captives!” Joy said cheerfully, grinning at him happily.

“Indeed? Well, it certainly looks like you came out of things mostly unscathed,” Silverhoof said, his gaze drifting across the people behind Joy for a moment.

Abigail scowled unhappily, her voice barely audible as she spoke. “I wish that we could say the same about the caravan.”

“Yes, but that’s the vagaries of battle, Abigail. With any luck, those we lost will be recovering in Irador,” Silverhoof replied, giving her a somewhat chiding look, then glanced over his shoulder as he called out. “Andrew! Would you take the prisoners off their hands and get the captives a meal and better clothing?”

“Right away, Guildmaster!” a human man replied, quickly turning away from the wagon he’d been examining and trotting in their direction. Marilyn handed off the rope with the two prisoners, and Andrew cleared his throat, adding, “If all of you would follow me, we’ll help you get situated. Sorry if the items we have are a bit mundane, but we’re a relief caravan.”

While he was dealing with the captives and prisoners, Joy and the others managed to reach Abigail and Silverhoof, and Joy stopped, bouncing in place as she looked around. It didn’t smell like any of the apis had died, she decided, since all of their scents were still fresh enough that they’d been nearby recently. The exceptions were the ones that likely were on patrol, but they’d been by recently enough.

“So, we heard from an apis that you had an encounter with enemy soldiers and a beast of some sort, but I’m afraid that the details were rather murky,” Silverhoof said, tapping his flank impatiently. “Would you mind explaining in more depth?”

“James, I’m pretty sure this is your job,” Brianna said sweetly, causing the man to sigh and look upward for a moment.

“This is what I get for teaming up with other people, I suppose,” James complained, prompting a smile from Silverhoof and Abigail, then he lowered his gaze and spoke more seriously. “First off, the cavern was warded to keep sound and light inside. We found a charm that created the effect, but it was designed to only be activated once, so we broke it after leaving. Inside were fifteen soldiers from Skyfish Valley, including a level 22 Beastmaster who is one of our captives, and an equal level manticore.”

“I almost got hit in the face by a spike!” Joy chimed in, thinking back on the experience with a wince. At least it had missed. Abigail and Silverhoof both looked somewhat surprised at the explanation, much like the previous adventurer.

“Yes, and you’re also the one who cut a wing and brought it down on the enemy soldiers. It saved us a lot of danger,” Helen said, grinning broadly, then added, “Joy was scouting ahead, and the manticore went after her initially, then she cut a tendon and rode it down into the ground battle.”

“Hmm… well done, then. I’m surprised that you came through with as few injuries as you appear to have sustained if that’s the case,” Silverhoof said, stroking his beard. “I keep forgetting just how useful flight is, but between the battle against the army ants and this, I’m reminded that having it is very useful. It’s unfortunate that personal flight is difficult for any adventurer under level thirty or so.”

“If I may, what happened while we were gone? We heard that there was an attempt to attack the caravan from both sides, but not much more than that,” Brianna asked, frowning. “It looks like there was a fair amount of damage.”

Abigail and Silverhoof exchanged looks, then the centaur lowered his hand, sighing as he spoke heavily. “Honestly, we’re fortunate we took as little damage as we did. A company of soldiers had laid an ambush along the road, and if they’d been able to draw us to one side, the results could have been devastating. We still took nearly two dozen casualties, and had seven deaths, but we were able to reverse the trap somewhat and mauled them in turn.”

“At best guess, we killed or injured about half their force and sent them fleeing. Unfortunately, we don’t have a group that can easily pursue,” Abigail continued unhappily. “If we try, they could easily lead us all over the countryside, and we might not be as fortunate if they lay another ambush. Reinforcing Clarion takes priority right now.”

Joy opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Silverhoof spoke firmly. “Unfortunately, as much as I hate to let them go without giving chase, Abigail is correct. The duke has trackers better suited for this, and with the casualties they’ve taken, this will severely hamper them, especially since no towns with a resurrection shrine have been taken by the invaders yet. We’ll inform the army at the next town, and hopefully they’ll be able to hunt them down.”

That didn’t feel right to Joy. Her instinct as a former worker was that they should hunt down the invaders and eliminate them before they became a bigger problem, and she considered speaking for a moment, but then Cora laid a hand on her shoulder, drawing Joy’s attention.

“We can’t solve everything,” Cora said, a sympathetic smile on the elf’s face. “There’s just no way that we can be in enough places at once, Joy. Just like your hive was forced to make an unpleasant decision about you, the duke and Guildmaster have to do the same. They’re prioritizing the safety of the nation.”

“I… is that really what has to be done? They’re a blight, a threat like… like a spider on the main path to a verdant flower patch!” Joy protested, her frustration growing more potent rather than weakening.

“That… is quite possibly the strangest comparison I’ve ever heard, but I suppose it’s not a bad one,” Silverhoof interjected, a hint of bemusement on the man’s face. His expression turned solemn after a moment, and he spoke a bit more sternly. “However, I think you’re looking at things too simply, Joy. I’m told that you encountered a group of apis getting rid of a spider near the Shadebough Hive, is that right?”

“Yes!” Joy said, remembering the fortunate timing that had rescued them from the spider and leopards.

“Good. They were dealing with a nearby threat, yes, but the only reason they did that was because they had the forces to spare for that. If they hadn’t possessed the numbers to fend off the army ants and to deal with the spider, which would they have chosen?” Silverhoof asked, looking at her steadily. Joy bit her lip as he paused, and after a moment he continued. “That’s right, they’d have focused on the ants. We don’t know how many soldiers Alethus has, but I’m unfortunately certain that he wouldn’t have invaded if he didn’t think he had enough to challenge us. That means that every soldier and adventurer we can get to Clarion is vital, Joy, and this group… it’s here to delay us, and to draw resources away from Clarion. It’ll succeed, but we’re not suited for dealing with them. The army has people who can deal with them better, so we’re going to leave them to the army. Does that explain why I’m making the choice I am?”

Joy considered for a moment, then slowly nodded, still unhappy about the idea, and she hesitated before speaking. “It does. I guess this is why I’m not a queen. They have to think about things like this, and I… I didn’t think about it.”

Silverhoof chuckled at that, reaching out to pat Joy on the shoulder as he nodded, smiling back at her warmly. “And knowing that is good. If you’re going to become a queen like you’re planning, you need to start thinking about the bigger picture, Joy. Now, I’m afraid we need to get the caravan put back together so we can get moving, hm? Rest while you can; you’ve all earned that much.”

“Okay!” Joy said, her eyes brightening a little at his praise. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Silverhoof replied, and watched for a moment as Joy retreated along with the others.

A few seconds later, Jean murmured. “He really seems to tolerate your questions well, Joy. I wonder why?”

“Probably because he knows she isn’t trying to second-guess him,” Brianna replied before Joy could. “Joy doesn’t know a lot of things, so her questions are relatively harmless, at least compared to some people.”

“If I don’t ask questions, how am I supposed to learn?” Joy asked, shrugging and smiling at them with a lopsided smile. “The one thing that makes me restless is how often I’m asked to rest! I like to be busy, not sitting around waiting!”

A nearby man looked up from a wagon at that, frowning at Joy for a moment, then spoke up gruffly. “If you really feel that way, we could use some help with the wagon that lost its axle. Damn thing weighs a ton even unloaded, so help unloading and fixing it would be useful.”

Joy’s eyes went wide at that, enthusiasm rushing through her as she asked, “Really? You’ll teach me how to fix the wagon?”

The man blinked and looked at the others as a ripple of laughter rushed through Joy’s companions.

“Well, I won’t, since it isn’t something I know how to do, but one of the engineers will, sure. They know how, and have been crafting the parts for it,” the man said, sounding a little dubious, now. “You’re really interested in helping?”

“Of course! I’ll be right there!” Joy said, and dashed off toward the wagon in question.

Behind her, Cora raised her voice as she called out. “Just don’t exhaust yourself, Joy!”

“I won’t!” the apis replied, quickly darting past a pair of startled adventurers, her enthusiasm only growing.

She couldn’t wait to learn how to fix the wagon!

Chapter 20

Gort swore foully as he looked at the cave, rage seething through him yet unable to find an outlet. It was bad enough that his attempt to ambush the caravan of adventurers had been an abject failure, but he’d also lost the prizes that he’d acquired for Lord Alethus. He’d always appreciated that his lord had made an ogre one of his war leaders, which was why he’d gathered some promising captives as gifts… only to lose them at the last moment. That ashamed Gort, and he glanced at the corpse of the manticore with a grimace. Dan had loved Spike, and Gort could only imagine how poorly the man had taken the manticore’s death.

At that point a pair of soldiers stepped out of the cave, and a woman shook her head at Gort unhappily.

“Sorry, sir, but there’s no sign of any of the attackers having been killed. It looks like it was a fairly small group, and we’re not finding the bodies of Dan or Phindel,” the woman reported, a hint of anxiety in her gaze. “I suppose they could have run, but…”

“But Dan would never have run from someone who killed Spike,” Gort finished, running a hand over his head unhappily. “Either he chased them, or he was captured. I hope the first, but if you didn’t find any of the attackers, that’s not likely.”

The woman nodded in agreement, not looking very happy, and Gort growled, shaking his head. “Well, either way, we don’t have time to find out. Hopefully they’re on their way to the rendezvous point, but we can’t risk getting hurt even worse in tracking them down.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, saluting crisply, and Gort looked back at his personal guards and grimaced.

They were down several members, and all because the monster of a centaur who’d led the charge at him. Gort had barely avoided being cut in half by the man, and that was what had convinced him to call for a retreat in the end. While Alethus and a few of his personal team could face someone like the centaur in personal combat, anyone else would be ripped limb from limb.

“Maybe we can slow down some other groups. I hope Drana is doing better than us,” Gort muttered, grimacing again, and he started away from the cave.

No matter what else, he was certain that Alethus wouldn’t allow their losses to be for nothing.

* * *

“Are the spikes in place?” Drana asked, tapping her side impatiently. With each tap she felt the stump of her pinkie throb, almost as if in anticipation of what was coming. She wasn’t surprised, though she sometimes wondered why demolishing things excited her so much. Regardless, she kept her gaze fixed on the cliffside above the winding road that led to Duke Dorma’s border fortresses.

The road was broad, cut deep into the mountainside above a gorge, and Drana could only wonder how long it had taken to build the road. On the other hand, it would take no time at all to destroy it, assuming her people had done their jobs properly.

“Yes, sir! We just finished placing the last of them.” Jacques replied, mopping his forehead with a cloth as he glanced back. “All soldiers are accounted for, and we followed your orders to the letter.”

“Good,” Drana said, nodding sharply as she stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, looking down in fascination. It was a good fifty-foot drop to the road below, which was about seventy feet above the riverbed below. If she’d miscalculated, the activation of the spikes would drop her that entire distance, and even at her level the chances of survival were poor. That was what made it so much fun, though, and she looked up at the sky, which was mostly clear, with a light breeze and just a scattering of clouds marring the endless blue.

“Everyone fall back,” Drana ordered. At the sound of feet rapidly moving back, she grinned broadly, knowing that they really didn’t want to get caught in the destruction. Most of them were fond of demolition work like her, but few of them were as willing to take the risks that she did. After a minute she glanced back and nodded in satisfaction, seeing that all of her soldiers were out of the line of fire. Nodding, she reached into her coat, murmuring, “Alright, let’s do this!”

She pulled the core spike out of her pocket and admired it for a moment, inordinately pleased with her work. It looked a lot like a beast’s fang, if she was honest, but it was made of smoothly polished alabaster and had been carved with dozens of tiny runes, into which she’d inlaid the proper mixture of gold and other reagents for the enchantments she used. Weeks of work would boil down into only a few seconds of use, but that was what she’d signed up for.

Holding the spike in the air, Drana savored the moment, then spoke the command words she’d chosen. “Split the earth and shake the heavens!”

At her words the core spike lit up from within, shivering for a moment, then began to dissolve in her hand. Simultaneously, there were dozens of deafening cracks that split the air. She saw the other spikes erupt into huge, jagged chunks of stone that shattered the ground around themselves.

In the process, the formerly stable cliffside began to shift, and a rumble echoed down the gorge as the cliff began to collapse in a massive, two hundred-yard-long wave. The ground beneath Drana’s feet was shaking, and as the wave of stone fell, she began to laugh and dance, watching the destruction as the landslide ripped away the road, triggering further landslides up and down the canyon from where she was standing. The collapse came astoundingly close to her, the dirt churning and falling away only a few feet from where Drana was standing, sending a jolt of adrenaline through her. The only thing that would be better was if there had been enemy soldiers in position to be buried, but Drana couldn’t have everything.

The landslide went on for a surprisingly long time, but eventually the ground settled into its new position, and Drana waited for the dust to clear, curious to see if the damage was enough to satisfy Lord Alethus.

It took a while, but the dust began to clear eventually, and as it did Drana’s smile grew even more. After a moment she announced, “Excellent job, everyone! No one is going to be using that road for a while!”

“How bad… oh. I didn’t think we’d do that much damage to it!” Jacques said, stepping up next to her and stopping, his eyes wide as he looked back and forth.

Drana watched his reaction with pleasure, as seeing how other people responded to devastation never got old. The road was entirely gone for at least half the length of the collapse, and in the other areas it was rare that even a quarter of the road was intact. Huge chunks of the cliffside had sheared off and fallen into the depths of the canyon, forming an impromptu dam across the river, which was churning brown where it hit the rubble, and on the other side the water level was starting to drop. Drana paused as she noticed that, recalling that the river was one that fed a small lake in Lord Alethus’s domain, but after a moment she shrugged. Either the dam would hold for a while, or it wouldn’t. It wasn’t her fault if the lake dried up.

“There must have been more instabilities in the cliffside than expected, but I consider it a job well done,” Drana replied, grinning down at the road again, then shrugged. “Either way, it’ll keep anyone along the border from reinforcing Clarion easily!”

“Very true, sir.” Jacques replied, saluting respectfully. “I’m always amazed at how skilled you are at this.”

Drana laughed, patting him on the shoulder as she replied. “Practice, Jacques. It’s just practice. Now, let’s get out of here, hm? The Lord is doubtlessly anxious to hear about our success.”

“Yes, sir!” Jacques said, starting toward the other soldiers, who had already begun moving toward the trail that would take them down to the road where it was still intact. More soldiers were waiting for them on the road, both to deal with any interlopers and to take word to the main army if Drana had miscalculated, but fortunately that purpose wouldn’t be needed.

Drana paused, taking a moment to take in the damage she’d dealt to the mountainside and road, then turned to follow the others. She did love her work.

* * *

Alethus opened the message pod and pulled out the slip of paper which had been stashed within it, thankful that the messenger bird hadn’t been eaten by any of the monsters in the area. Windbirds were fast and agile, which was why most countries used them for messages when they didn’t have magical means of communication, but that didn’t make them invulnerable.

Reading the message, Alethus felt a smile grow on his lips, and after a moment he spoke. “Drana has successfully destroyed the road leading to the border fortresses.”

Minna looked up from the map she was consulting with a broad smile. “Truly? That will make things far easier for us to deal with. They don’t have anyone in the region who can rebuild roads quickly, after all.”

“No, though they do have dwarves in Clarion. They’re far too industrious for my taste, but any repairs would take a few weeks at a minimum, which should be more than enough time,” Alethus said, going over the brief message again, then tossed it into the nearby fire, glancing toward the map again. “Assuming we can get to Clarion fast enough, anyway. I must admit, I’m annoyed at how quickly the duke responded.”

The army was currently on the edge of the Pike River, where originally there had been a sturdy bridge that Alethus had intended to use in the invasion. Unfortunately, Duke Dorma had removed the bridge, leaving only a handful of stone pilings, and his scouts hadn’t been able to catch the force which had removed the spars and other parts of the bridge. Now they were waiting for the engineers to build replacements, and that was taking more time than Alethus liked. Certainly, it might only be a delay of a day, possibly two, but even a day could make all the difference in the world. Still, they wouldn’t be expecting him to use magic items to cross Broken Horse Gorge.

“Fair, but at least Gort has dealt with several caravans and taken care of a few patrols,” Minna said, tapping the map as she looked at it speculatively. “The only problem is that he might get too adventurous and bite off more than he can chew.”

“Hopefully not, but… he does get overenthusiastic at times, doesn’t he?” Alethus replied, a smile flickering across his face at the memory of some of the ogre’s antics. Gort was surprisingly intelligent for one of his people, which was why he’d been promoted as far as he had. The biggest problem was that Gort tended to be a little too appreciative of that from time to time.

“He does. As long as he doesn’t lead an army straight back to us, I’ll be happy,” Minna said, sitting back in her chair with a sigh, and looked up at Alethus in concern. “Sir, are you sure about this? Going into the Shimmerwood with only a handful of troops is incredibly risky. What if a few of the high-level adventurers are watching for something like that?”

Alethus resisted the urge to sigh at Minna’s protest. The dark-haired woman was a little overprotective from time to time, which he appreciated, but also found aggravating. Which mostly depended on the day and his mood. Setting the message tube aside, he moved to the small bar to pour a drink as he replied patiently. The ruby-hued wine was beautiful in the dim light, and he could practically taste it already.

“That’s doubtful, Minna. Most of the adventurers who’re high-level enough to be a significant threat are retired or old enough that they won’t be as tough as they used to be,” Alethus said, corking the wine bottle again and swirling his glass. “My trip to the Blackstone Mines was far more dangerous, since Isolde was nearby. According to my informants, she hasn’t left for Irador, so at least I don’t have to worry about her. Of the semi-active adventurers, the only one I’m concerned about is Silverhoof, and he’s the Guildmaster of the entire duchy. Besides, he’s lower level.”

“He doesn’t have to be high-level. Might I remind you of what a mere level twelve apis did to you?” Minna asked, her tone growing cold. Alethus sighed, taking a sip of his wine.

“That was different. I was overconfident and followed her into a den of multiple flower minks. If I’d been on my guard, I could have destroyed all of them, but I thought I had her trapped,” Alethus said, turning back to Minna as he shrugged helplessly. “Believe me, I don’t intend to make that mistake again. Unless I’m sure that there aren’t any monsters in the area, I’m going to keep my guard up.”

“I’d rather you kept your guard up all the time,” Minna replied, which prompted a chuckle from Alethus.

“No, I don’t think so. That would just wear me out, and there’s only so long you can be on edge before you start missing things,” Alethus told her, shaking his head. “Believe me, I’m going to do everything I can to keep myself alive! All of this is pointless if I die, so I’m going to be cautious, on that you have my word.”

“If you say so, Milord. I’ll make sure you have an army to come back to,” Minna said, a hard glint to her gaze as she looked up at him.

“I never doubted that, Minna. You’ve always been a good commander,” Alethus said, smiling warmly at her.

“Thank you, Milord,” Minna said, the faintest hint of a blush softening her usually harsh attitude.

Alethus rather enjoyed the sight, but he knew better than to say anything about it. That would make the night end quite poorly.

Chapter 21

“Ack, bad beasty! Get away!” Joy yelped, ducking as several silver streaks shot past her, one hitting her right arm and penetrating the armor, causing her to hiss in pain.

The streaks had come from the oversized porcupine-like creature only a few paces away, and it trilled shrilly, revealing a mouth full of very unpleasant fangs. Joy didn’t like the beast at all, especially since it had just launched its spikes at her, and it almost looked like its spines were made of steel.

“Some help would be nice!” Brianna called out, falling back from another of the creatures quickly, several spikes protruding from her armor as she did so. Then she threw herself to the side as the creature curled into a bristling ball of spikes and rolled at her, barely getting out of the way in time.

“We’re trying!” Cora snapped back, and Joy glanced over and winced.

Nearly two dozen of the creatures had hit the side of the caravan almost at the same time, and the results hadn’t been pretty. A few adventurers had already splattered them, but a bunch more were still fighting like they were, and Joy wished that they hadn’t gotten two, unlike most of the teams. As if it sensed her distraction, the porcupine lunged forward, snapping viciously at her.

Joy bounced backward, her wings snapping out to give her bounce more height, and as she went upward she snatched a dagger from her belt and spat out, “Flurry of Blades!”

Her arm pumped three times, launching the dagger and two spectral copies of it into the porcupine’s face from only inches away. At that range it was pretty much impossible to miss, and the first dagger put out one of the creature’s eyes, while another bounced off its skull and the other bit deep into its mouth.

The creature fell back slightly, gagging a little in the process, and as she landed Joy took advantage of the moment to attack again, announcing, “Penetrating Strike!”

Joy’s rapier punched deep into the creature, and Joy twisted the blade firmly before recovering it, dancing backward again, worried that the creature might attack her again. Fortunately, the creature simply staggered toward her for a couple of steps, blood staining its jagged teeth, then fell to the ground in a heap of gleaming spines. Joy did not like the idea of trying to harvest anything from it.

Boom!

The explosion caused Joy to flinch backward, glancing to her right, and her eyes widened as she did so. A huge ball of fire was fading from near the front of the caravan, and she could see rocks and bushes flying all over. Including toward them, and Joy sheltered her head as rocks and vegetation pelted her.

“What just happened?” Joy asked, peering in the direction cautiously, and from behind her she heard a pained giggle.

“That was a higher-level mage cutting loose,” Jean said, limping toward her, a spine sticking out of her leg. “Abigail, probably. Damn, I hate steelspikes…”

A blast of lightning dropped the creature attacking Brianna and Stella, which caused Joy to relax slightly, wincing as she looked at the spike in her arm and hesitantly jiggled it. It hurt, but it didn’t have the telltale feel of something with a barb, so Joy braced herself and pulled it out, resisting the urge to yelp.

“They’re called steelspikes?” Joy asked, examining the spike with a scowl, not terribly pleased by the yellow blood staining its tip. “I don’t like them. Why’d they attack us?”

“It’s mating season for them, and we were moving a little too fast,” Brianna said, stopping and resting, one hand on the side of a wagon. Unlike Joy and Jean, it didn’t look like any of the spikes had managed to pierce her armor. “We got into range of a lot of them before rousing their anger, rather than just a handful, like if we were traveling at the speed of most caravans.”

“That’s the price of being in a hurry,” Cora muttered, shaking her head as she stepped closer, looking between Joy and Jean, then extended a hand and spoke. “Aura of Life.”

A gentle green glow grew around Cora’s hand, then surrounded her entire body as it radiated in the area. Warmth seeped into Joy’s arm, and she let out a soft sigh as the pain from where the spike had hit her eased. It didn’t heal as fast or completely as when Stella had treated her, but it certainly felt better than it had before, and the healing seemed to be continuous.

“Thank you, Cora. I have to say, I do love having multiple healers around,” Jean said, pulling the spike out of her leg with a wince. “I always worry about what might happen if Eda gets taken down.”

“Which is why I insist on each of you having at least one healing potion,” Eda said from behind Joy, her voice slightly tart. “That way, you have a chance to survive if I’m killed, or you can save me if I’m just disabled.”

“Besides which, I’m not much of a healer. I have the Minor Healing spell as well, but I’m not as good as a dedicated healer like Eda, or even an acolyte,” Cora said, nodding toward Stella, who looked like she’d finished off a steelspike with James a moment before. “Heck, I’m starting to get concerned. I’ve got seven abilities now aside from my elven ones, and as soon as I have eleven, I’m going to have to pick and choose which ones to have ready every day.”

Eda nodded, her frown easing slightly as she spoke. “I hear you there. I think it’s why so many spellcasters choose to specialize. Once you get dozens of spells of different types, it gets hard to choose which to prepare.”

“Oh, right! I’d forgotten there was a limit on the number we could have ready for a day!” Joy said, embarrassment rushing through her, and she mentally reached out to check what abilities she had.

Innate Abilities: Advanced Harvesting, Apis Crafting, Innate Armory.

Job Abilities: Basic Apis Flight, Enhanced Stealth, Flurry of Blades, Penetrating Strike, Rolling Dodge, Minor Speed Burst, Tendon Slice.

Quickly counting them, Joy let out a sigh of relief as she nodded, smiling as she said, “I have seven, too! Other than my innate ones, I mean. I can’t believe I forgot!”

“I think that’s understandable. I think we’ve mentioned the limit what… once? Maybe twice?” Brianna asked, shrugging. “Besides, it’s not something you really have to worry about before level twenty-five or so. Unless you get incredibly lucky and learn a few of the universal abilities before that.”

“Good luck with that,” Stella said dryly, having come into earshot a few moments before. “That’s insanely rare. How many of us have learned more than Basic Salvaging?”

Only Cora and James raised their hands, to Joy’s surprise, and the two of them exchanged looks as he asked, “Let me guess… Analyze?”

“That’s right,” Cora said, smiling wryly. “It’s a common ability among elves, since we all have Keen Senses. I sometimes wonder how useful it actually is.”

“I don’t know. Gauging the strength of enemies before you run into them can be pretty—” Helen began, only to be interrupted by a bellow from Silverhoof, who could barely be seen from the head of the column.

“What’re you doing, standing around and chatting? Support your neighbors so we can get moving!” the Guildmaster roared, a bloody halberd held in one hand.

“Yes, sir!” Brianna replied, almost snapping to attention, then blushed as Cora chuckled. “Cora!”

“Ah, the joy of being raised in a military family,” Cora said, and smiled. “Well, if he’s that insistent, I suppose we’d best get to work, hm?”

“Sounds like it,” James said, nodding toward the front of the caravan as he suggested, “We’ll take the front, you take the back?”

“Sure!” Joy said, rolling her shoulder, then nodded in satisfaction. Her arm seemed to be pretty much healed, so she grinned at Cora broadly as she added, “Thanks!”

“Just try not to get hurt more,” the elf replied, and they quickly split up to help the other adventurers.

As they moved, Joy did briefly wonder why they were the ones being yelled at. The other adventurers were supposed to be higher level than them, for the most part.

* * *

“There are intruders within our territory, Your Majesty,” the attendant said, and the queen paused, looking away from the pot of soil she’d been watering.

“There are usually intruders in our territory. What type are these ones?” the queen asked, her voice patient despite her annoyance. Some of her hive had been taking too many lessons from the pieces of knowledge they’d learned about the other civilizations throughout the world. She preferred efficiency over formalities.

“Fifteen humans, four dwarves, and a strange human-like creature that smells like a dog, Your Majesty,” the attendant replied, a frown flickering across her face. “They have moved to a cave approximately a tenth of a sun’s flight west from the hive and begun setting up a camp.”

“A cave,” the queen said, not asking a question, as confusion rippled through her. There weren’t any useful minerals in the ground below the forest, from what little she’s managed to learn, which made that unusual. Beyond that, none of the humans and other species had spent the night in the forest in her memory, at least not by choice. It made the entire situation perplexing. “Have they done anything else?”

“They fought off an annoyed bumblebee and a couple of the ghost wolves, Your Highness,” the attendant said promptly. “What would you like us to do with them?”

“Nothing,” the queen replied after a moment, mentally dismissing the thought of the intruders. “If they are not damaging the flowers or attacking our workers, ignore them. I’m far more concerned about the wasp nest from last week. Are you certain there’s no way to easily set it on fire?”

“Unfortunately not, Your Majesty. The only entrance is through a crevice, and the wasps guard it heavily. If we’re to burn their nest, we’ll have to fight through the guards and at least some of the swarm to do so,” the attendant said, her gaze darkening at the change in subject. That much the queen entirely agreed with her on. The huge, black-bodies wasps were making life dangerous for the workers.

“Then we’ll have to do so. I want one-sixth of the hive to deal with the wasps,” the queen said, coming to a snap decision. “They’ll set it on fire, make sure it stays on fire, and kill any wasps that try to flee. Especially their queen.”

“It shall be done, Your Majesty,” the attendant said, bowing and heading for the exit.

With her gone, the queen turned her attention back to the large flower pot and her watering can, debating on whether she should add a little more water or not. The bits of information she’d gotten on gardening were maddening with how little there was on cultivating trees. Yet she was so hopeful that she could grow the tree in question, since its nectar had made the most delightful honey.

“I think a little more water,” the queen decided at last, picking up the can to carefully water the soil and the seed within.

If she didn’t succeed, she could always try again. It was the only way for her to learn how things were done.

Chapter 22

A horn sounded from Clarion as they crested the hill, and Joy blinked, since the sound was a little different than most of the horns she’d heard before. There was something clearer about the sound, and she couldn’t help a frown, wondering why it sounded different. It didn’t help that there was far too good of a chance of the question not being answered, either. The only thing to do was ask before she forgot, and at almost the same time she opened her mouth, someone in the front of the caravan began to blow their horn in a particular pattern.

“What’re they doing? And why does the city’s horn sound different?” Joy asked, shaking her head.

“The city is challenging us, to make sure we’re friendly. The response pattern is telling them who we are,” James replied, looking up at the city ahead of them in admiration. “As for their horn, I’m pretty sure that’s a trumpet.”

“That’s made out of metal, Joy, unlike the ones made from animal horns,” Cora clarified a moment later. “At least, I think it is.”

“Oh! That’s good, then!” Joy replied, nodding quickly.

Clarion was ahead of them, and Joy was surprised by the sight. Irador had been amazing enough to her, as it was built in a relatively flat area, but this area wasn’t flat, and Clarion had been built into a mountainside, one of only a handful of mountains in the area.

The city had been carved into the lower reaches of the mountainside, with odd terraces forming what almost looked like stairs leading up to the city walls below it. It was hard for Joy to tell for certain, but it looked like many of the terraces were flooded with water, confusing her, especially since there were people wading through them as well.

Within the walls, each of them tall and thick-looking, the city was filled with stone buildings and a castle built into the mountain itself, which Joy thought was both fascinating and a little impractical.

“Why is the castle built into the mountain?” Joy asked, looking at Brianna, who let out a soft sigh and smiled at Joy.

“Because the walls won’t stop anyone who can fly, Joy. Most monsters can’t fly, and the same is the case for the majority of enemies from the Kingdoms of Darkness, but enough can that it makes defending cities more difficult than you might think,” Brianna said, gesturing at the city. “Clarion is a fortress, but if an army with enough flying soldiers attacked, they’d probably go from being able to hold out for months to a handful of weeks or less.”

“Which is why cities tend to have a lot of weapons intended to deal with flying enemies,” Cora added, giving Joy a stern look. “It’s why I didn’t want you flying around Irador. You could be killed far too easily if someone got nervous.”

“Oh,” Joy said, blushing, then nodded toward the odd terraces. “What’re those? They look like weird stairs!”

“Rice paddies,” Eda said succinctly, a smile flickering across her face. “Rice was imported from one of the other continents, and in areas like this it seems to grow well. The only problem is that it needs lots of water.”

“Wait, that’s what a rice field looks like?” Stella asked incredulously, looking at the fields in surprise. “I… it grows underwater?”

“Don’t ask me!” Cora said, raising her hands as several people looked at her. “I barely know as much as Eda where rice is concerned.”

“And I don’t know much more than what I’ve said,” Eda added, flushing slightly. “It takes a fair amount of water, and I know that it grows even when submerged, at least some types of it do, but that’s it.”

“I can add a little to that, though,” James volunteered, smiling broadly. “Clarion chose to import it and learn how to grow it because it can be grown practically anywhere, as long as you have the water. This entire region is so bad for crops that they hoped it’d give them some local food aside from sheep and goats.”

“You know a lot about this!” Joy said, grinning at him, and James coughed, looking away in embarrassment.

“I wouldn’t say a lot. It’s more that my family talks about how to make our holdings more profitable. Clarion is an example of something we could do, but we’re waiting to see if there’s any problems that crop up before we decide to try it ourselves,” James explained, shrugging as he looked at the terraces ahead of them, then added, “Personally, I think it looks like it’s going well. The problem is with soil fertility, I suppose, and whether it’ll last. I just don’t know enough about it… and it isn’t really my specialty. My sister is the one into agriculture.”

“For someone who doesn’t know much about it, you sure seem to have picked a lot up,” Brianna said, the teasing note to her voice causing him to flush even more.

“It’s called self-defense. If I just pretended to be paying attention, she would’ve been pissed enough to beat me up,” James replied, looking uncomfortable enough that it made Joy smile more. “I’m not the youngest, but that saddled me with even more responsibilities. Do you think all nobles have it easy? Only one child inherits, by and large!”

“A definite point,” Brianna conceded. “I’m lucky that there really isn’t much chance of something like that coming up in my family. Sure, one of my siblings might get knighted and granted the lands after my parents die, but it almost certainly isn’t going to be me.”

“You don’t want the responsibility, for one thing,” Cora chimed in.

“Says the lady who doesn’t have to worry about any of it,” Brianna shot back. “You’re not even a citizen of Astonia!”

Joy just listened as the others bantered, a smile growing on her face as she learned even more about her friends without them even seeming to intend for it to happen.

As they spoke, the caravan moved steadily toward the city. It would require going up a couple of switchbacks, Joy saw as they got still closer. When she looked at the rice paddies, that made a lot of sense, though. There was a lot of distance to climb, and the wagons held a lot of stuff.

The conversation petered out as they started up the hillside, each of her friends running out of breath in turn, and Joy glanced at the sky as a strange creature flew overhead, one with the wings, claws, and head of an eagle, and the rear body of a lion. It seemed to have a rider, which intrigued her, but she didn’t say anything more, not wanting to force her friends to talk under the circumstances. The creature flew past them and over the city, something which surprised her, after what the others had said about it being dangerous to fly in a city.

“Was that… a griffin?” Cora huffed, and Helen nodded.

“Yeah. It was,” the human replied, glancing up curiously, then focused on the road. “Probably a patrolling knight or something.”

Joy mouthed the word to herself and smiled. The odd creatures that were a combination of multiple other animals amused her for some reason. She wasn’t entirely certain why, though, and she began to hum a bright tune as she bounced her way up the hillside. It was a little tiring, but that didn’t bother her at all.

Ascending the hillside, Joy also got the chance to examine the terraced fields more closely, and what she saw fascinated her. Like James had said, there were plants growing under the water’s surface, the tips just barely breaking the surface at this point, creating a pretty sheen of green across the water’s surface. The water itself wasn’t very deep, and a canal ran alongside the road for part of the trip, burbling and with multiple sluice gates to allow it to be redirected. The entire setup was incredible to her, and it made Joy admire the people who could come up with things like that even more. Apis built things, but most of the things they made were so simple in comparison. It was another thing she was going to have to think about if she was going to become a queen.

“I don’t like it,” Joy murmured, a hint of sadness rushing through her at the thought of not being able to travel anymore.

“What was that?” Stella asked shortly, glancing over at Joy curiously.

“Not anything important! I just was thinking, I’ll miss traveling like this once I’m a queen,” Joy replied with a broad smile at Stella. “There are so many neat things to see, and so many things to learn!”

“Ah! Fair, fair,” Stella replied, smiling at her warmly, then let out a sigh of relief as they crested the last of the terraces. “Oh, thank the Mother for flat ground! That would be horrid to try to climb while under attack.”

“Which is probably why they built the city here,” Brianna said, slowing down to take a few deep breaths before continuing. “It’s in a strategic location and easy to defend.”

“But we’re here! Now we just have to wait until we’re in the city, and we can go find the dwarves!” Cora said cheerfully, looking far better than she had climbing the hill. “I can hardly wait!”

“You’re going to have to! The caravan’s stopping,” Joy said, giggling as she pointed at the lead wagons, which were creaking to a halt.

“True, but that’ll change soon enough,” Cora said, still looking happier, now.

Joy just nodded, slowing along with the others, and she fluttered her wings several times, looking up at the city walls in interest.

They were really big.

* * *

“It’s good to see you again, Guildmaster. And the supplies you brought with you are quite welcome as well,” Sir Wilbert said, offering a hand to Silverhoof, who chuckled as he took the hand and shook it firmly.

“The supplies are hardly that extensive, and it isn’t like we brought that many people with us. I swear, half of the adventurers in Irador suddenly remembered ‘urgent business elsewhere’ as soon as word about the invasion began spreading,” Silverhoof said, shaking his head in remembered irritation. “I wish they’d think about the future for once.”

“Even the number you’ve brought will help immensely, let alone coming yourself,” Wilbert said, gesturing Silverhoof over to the couch and table in the middle of the room. There was a broad cushion on the floor as well, which made Silverhoof much happier. Many places didn’t have comfortable furniture for centaurs, so he appreciated those who took the effort to be more welcoming. On the table were a couple of bottles of alcohol and several glasses, which didn’t bode well to him.

“I see few other choices if we’re to keep the beast from being freed. I don’t know that many people in the country who are powerful enough to defeat Alethus in single combat, and while I can’t guarantee my chances against him, with a little help I can probably do the job,” Silverhoof replied, settling onto the cushion carefully. “How are things looking up here? I know there was discussion about guarding the last piece of the seal, or even bringing it here to safeguard it while we brought in reinforcements.”

“Yes, well… reinforcements are going to take longer to get here than we hoped, and Damiel told me in no uncertain terms that we don’t dare move the last piece,” Wilbert said, his smile fading as he sat on the couch, lines of worry appearing on his face. “We can’t be certain that Alethus is responsible, but the road linking us to the main border fortresses was severed two days ago. A huge landside took them out, and I’m guessing that it’s his doing. Any reinforcements are going to have to circle the Agate Range, which is going to slow them down immensely.”

“Damn. That does change things…” Silverhoof said, tugging on his beard thoughtfully for a moment as his thoughts raced, then focused on Wilbert as he continued. “Why does this… Damiel object to moving the seal fragment? He’s the Tarngard researcher, yes?”

“According to him, the two pieces that have been removed have caused the spell sealing the spider to begin fraying, though the damage isn’t catastrophic as of yet, primarily due to the one piece still being maintained,” Wilbert explained, leaning forward as he met Silverhoof’s gaze. “If we remove the last one, the spell will fray still further, and if it’s removed for even a few weeks before all of the pieces are replaced, the spider could break free within a year or two on its own. The only option to prevent it would be to reseal the monster, and we don’t have the resources to do so easily. Besides, asking anyone to make that sacrifice… it just isn’t reasonable.”

Silverhoof winced at the explanation, shaking his head in dismay. Not being able to move the seal fragment would make defending it even more difficult, and with the road taken out of commission… he quickly ran the numbers internally, and his frown deepened. It would likely take a week and a half for the nearest other reinforcements to reach them, and that could be disastrous. Besides which, there was no way the duke would agree to moving the seal fragment if it would simply ensure freeing the monster that their attackers were trying to release.

While he was thinking, Wilbert poured some whiskey into a glass, then held up the bottle, looking at Silverhoof curiously. The Guildmaster debated for just an instant, then nodded. Usually he didn’t drink when working on business… but this wasn’t a good situation, and it wasn’t like he was going to let himself get drunk.

“That’s going to make this difficult. Are all of the knights here?” Silverhoof said, taking the glass once Wilbert finished pouring. Wilbert chuckled darkly, shaking his head while corking the bottle again. Silverhoof took a sip of the whiskey, pleasantly surprised by the flavor.

“I wish. We’ve got half of them here, but the other five hundred are parceled out to other towns and cities in the region. Our opponent is hitting just enough outlying towns along his route that we can’t afford to fully draw down defenses. Sure, they’ve been driven off in most cases, but that’s entirely due to the garrisons in place,” Wilbert said, grimacing and sitting back again, letting out a heavy sigh. “No, he’s deliberately making certain we can’t concentrate our army to face him, and it’s galling. Unless we give up on the smaller towns, there’s nothing to do, and trying to evacuate the civilians would be a complete disaster. He’d burn down the towns, attack the refugees, or both.”

The whiskey didn’t taste nearly as good by the time Wilbert was done, and Silverhoof debated, tapping his flank as he tried to come up with a strategy or solution… but there was a sinking feeling in his gut. One he really didn’t want to think about.

“He’s going to try to pull us into a field battle, isn’t he?” Silverhoof asked, hoping he wasn’t right.

“That’s my best guess,” Wilbert agreed grimly. “The artifact and the vale are well away from Clarion, which means it’s going to be a nightmare to defend either, and every report indicates he’s going to have at least a two to one number advantage over us. I’m afraid they might have a level advantage, too, and that doesn’t bode well. I don’t see a good way to come out of this on top… not unless we can assassinate Alethus or something.”

One possibility finally came to mind, and Silverhoof grimaced, not entirely happy with the idea of making the suggestion, but it had to be said.

“I doubt any assassination would be successful, however… I do have a thought, though I don’t know how feasible it is,” Silverhoof said slowly, frowning.

“Oh?” Wilbert asked, his eyebrows rising.

“Has anyone in the area met the apis in the Shimmerwood? Talked to them, I mean,” Silverhoof asked, and smiled wryly. “If the spider escapes, I suspect they’ll be in danger, after all.”

“That… is an excellent question. I know they’ve been seen, but as to meeting them… that I don’t know,” Wilbert said, sitting forward again as his mind began to work almost visibly. “With as dangerous as the Shimmerwood is, and how the apis in the Teeming Jungle were able to hold off the army ants for so long, they could make all the difference in the world.”

“Assuming they’re willing to help us at all,” Silverhoof cautioned. “While the Shadebough Hive was willing to assist us and rather friendly, we can’t assume that all of them are going to act the same way.”

“True. Still, I can check and see if anyone has met them, then we can figure out how to approach them,” Wilbert said, setting down his glass and smiling warmly at Silverhoof. “At least this gives me some hope!”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Silverhoof said, and smiled wryly as he added, “And if it looks feasible, at least I have an excellent set of ambassadors with me!”

Their laughter filled the room at that.

Chapter 23

“There’s a lot of smoke around here!” Joy said, waving a hand to try to clear the air in front of her face, and Cora almost laughed. That was a vain effort, even if Joy was trying hard.

Besides, despite what Joy might be saying, the apis was looking around with an eagerness that belied her words.

The road was lined with masonry buildings, most of them storefronts, and there were an enormous number of metalworkers about. Smiths were forging everything from nails and horseshoes to a man working on a breastplate farther down the street, while yet another looked like he was working on barding for a horse. When she thought about what might be coming, though, it made sense to Cora. No knight would want to be dismounted in combat, or to lose their warhorse. Those were quite expensive from everything she’d heard.

Also present was another industry that hadn’t been as common in Irador: that of the masons. The sheer number of stone or fired clay bricks available startled Cora, and it was them that Joy’s attention seemed to be focused on, as she watched a human woman squaring a limestone block. They continued past the hawkers, and Cora’s eyes brightened as she saw a sign ahead of them, hanging in front of a squat but well-constructed building. It was relatively small, but next to a large warehouse, and the sign proclaimed it the ‘Clarion Mining Guild.’

“I think that’s it,” Cora said happily, and glanced toward the horizon to gauge how much time they had. “The sun’s going down, but hopefully they haven’t closed yet.”

“If all else fails, we can always come back tomorrow,” Brianna said, a hint of distraction in her voice as she looked at a rack of weapons in front of a smith on their right. “Is it wrong I half-wish we’d come here to look at gear first? Resha’s stuff is good, don’t get me wrong, but I kind of wish I’d been able to browse a little more.”

“You just love ogling weapons,” Stella replied dryly, shaking her head. “No wonder you want to become a Weaponmaster!”

Joy giggled as Brianna flushed, and Cora couldn’t help her own smile. They moved forward at a more sedate pace, and Cora glanced at Joy, considering for several seconds.

“You like constructing buildings, Joy?” Cora asked, tilting her head slightly. “You seemed fascinated by the construction of the Shadebough embassy, and now there’s this.”

“Because it’s neat! I did a lot of building before I became a forager, making cells and other walls,” Joy said, pulling her gaze away to grin at them. “I don’t know how to build things like your people do, either! If nothing else, the shape of your buildings feels really strange to me. Six walls just feels sturdier.”

Cora smiled at that, replying softly. “Perhaps, but it isn’t quite as easy as a square building.”

“Maybe we could get you a book about architecture? I’m sure that there would be some around here,” Brianna suggested, causing Joy’s face to light up with enthusiasm, and she clapped her hands together.

“That would be amazing! They write books with things like that in them?” Joy said, bouncing on her toes eagerly as she moved forward with renewed vigor. It was drawing a lot of attention, Joy noticed, and a wry smile crept across her face. Joy seemed to be the center of attention far too often, and without even trying.

“I think they write books about virtually anything you can think of, Joy. Even about gardening and cultivating flowers,” Cora replied, and was startled to see the apis’s eagerness increase even more.

“I have to buy some. Those would be incredible!” Joy said, glancing back down the street speculatively, her wings fluttering experimentally, only to have Brianna rest a hand on her shoulder.

“We’ll go looking for a few books tomorrow. Right now we need to see about getting the iron ore we’re here for,” Brianna said gently, exchanging an amused look with Cora. “I know the idea excites you, but you don’t need the books right now, Joy.”

“Alright, I just would love to learn more about growing flowers!” Joy exclaimed, though her antennae drooped slightly.

Cora laughed and stepped up to the door of the building they were here for and rapped firmly on the door. It was heavily built, with numerous iron bands reinforcing it, she noticed, which she suspected made it rather heavy.

“It’s not locked!” a man yelled from inside, his voice deep enough that she was surprised the door didn’t vibrate in response.

When she pressed down on the latch, though, she got another surprise, as the door opened smoothly at a light touch, rather than requiring the effort that Cora had expected. Putting aside her surprise, Cora stepped inside and looked around, taking in the office with just a bit of surprise.

She’d expected the office of a mining concern to be rougher and a little dirtier, but that would be a disservice to the room she’d stepped into. Oh, it wasn’t immaculate or anything of the sort, but it was clean, well-maintained, and had been well-constructed as well. Paths may have been worn into the hardwood flooring, but it was still in excellent repair, and shelves on the walls displayed everything from a worn pickaxe and helmet to samples of different types of ore, and on one wall was a large parchment with what looked like a contract of some sort written on it. There were two people in the room aside from Cora and her friends, one of them a human man and a dwarven woman who were behind a broad counter.

The dwarven woman was wearing half-moon spectacles and a finely tailored blue blouse that showed a slim figure for a dwarf, while her brown hair was combed back and held in a bun. Her eyes were a light brown that shone with intelligence from behind her spectacles, which she adjusted so she could look over them at Cora and the others. Conversely, the human had a bald head, a deep brown beard, and a barrel-like build, while he was wearing relatively mundane clothing that was immaculately kept. He looked at them and frowned, his darker eyes going over them each in turn.

“Adventurers, are you? This is a surprise. Are you certain you have the right place?” the man asked, straightening from where he’d been examining a document in front of the woman.

“Guildmaster, please,” the dwarf said firmly, looking up at him chidingly. “Guests are guests.”

The man opened his mouth, then shut it as she gave him a firm look, and Cora couldn’t help thinking back to Viperbite and Silverhoof’s relationship. She did wonder why secretaries wore spectacles so much, but it could just be a useful item for their profession.

“My apologies for the intrusion so late in the day, but we’ve only just arrived in Clarion and had business to discuss with you,” Cora said, nodding respectfully to the Guildmaster as she pulled out a letter. “My name is Cora, and with me are Brianna, Joy, and Stella. I have a letter of introduction from Duke Dorma, as we’re currently looking to purchase a large amount of iron ore.”

The dwarf smiled warmly at that, while the Guildmaster blinked in surprise, then the woman spoke. “May I see the letter? I doubt that you have any need to lie about such, but it’s best to check your credentials.”

“Of course,” Cora replied, stepping forward to hand it over, while Brianna and Stella hovered near the front door, mostly out of the way. Meanwhile, Joy had started examining the different ores, her wings fluttering behind her off and on, something which drew the attention of both of their hosts. Neither commented about her, though the Guildmaster did clear his throat while the secretary opened the letter.

“How much iron ore are you looking for, that you needed a letter of introduction? We sell a good deal of ore to merchants and smiths as it is, though that’s slowed down with the attacks on caravans,” the Guildmaster asked, a finger tapping the counter slowly.

“One thousand four hundred and two chunks of ore,” Joy replied precisely, before Cora could even open her mouth. The apis looked away from a green-hued stone with a grin as she added, “It’s for the Shadebough Hive!”

“The what?” the human asked, but the secretary cleared her throat, handing the letter to him.

“I believe this will answer some of your questions, Guildmaster,” the woman said pointedly, waiting until he’d taken it before continuing. “The amount of ore they were looking for isn’t specified, but it does mention that they need a great deal of it. I’m not certain what you mean by the Shadebough Hive, however.”

“The apis who live in the Teeming Jungle, a short distance south of Bearton, call their hive the Shadebough Hive,” Cora explained, feeling a little more at ease as the Guildmaster read the letter. “We need to get them a total of fifteen hundred pieces of iron ore for a trade, and already acquired ninety-eight earlier. Unfortunately, we don’t have an enormous amount of time to acquire it, which is why the duke pointed us in your direction.”

“Mm, I think I understand the basic situation. Is there some particular reason you’re after ore, rather than ingots? Five hundred ingots would be far easier to transport,” the Guildmaster said as he lowered the letter to the counter, then paused, shaking his head as he added, a little exasperated, “No, no, introductions first. I’m Clifford Carpenter, Guildmaster of the Clarion Mining Guild. This is Jenna, official secretary and bookkeeper for the guild. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”

“It’s our pleasure, Master Clifford,” Stella replied politely, bowing her head gently. “To answer your question, the apis have a way of working ore into their innate weapons, so ingots are of limited value to them.”

“That’s right,” Cora said, happy that she wasn’t the only one talking, and continued calmly. “They were fighting army ants at the time we visited, and the lack of iron ore was severely hampering their defense.”

“Interesting,” Clifford murmured, looking at Jenna with a considering look, then shrugged and said, “Well, why don’t you come back to my office? We can discuss things further while Jenna figures out what we have on hand.”

“Not that it’ll take too long,” Jenna replied, standing up and stepping over to the section of the counter. She shuffled something around, then pulled out a large, well-worn ledger as she smiled.

“Of course, Guildmaster,” Cora said, following the man as he led them toward a back door, which he opened to reveal a well-appointed office. On the wall was a painting of a younger-looking Clifford, back when he had at least some hair on his head, and beside him was a stockier dwarven man with a bright red beard and hair, reaching up to rest a hand on Clifford’s shoulder.

Clifford followed Cora’s gaze to the painting and smiled warmly, pulling out his chair, which was a stuffed leather piece that had seen years of use. When he spoke, his voice was filled with respect. “That’s my predecessor and old master, Farl Deepspike, more commonly known as Guildmaster Red. He’s Jenna’s uncle, and owns one of the larger mines in the area. Please, sit down, though I’m afraid I don’t have enough chairs.”

“I’ll stand!” Joy volunteered, and Cora nodded in turn.

“As will I. I don’t want to scuff them, and my gear is likely to do that. More likely than Stella’s, anyway,” Brianna said, examining the two wooden chairs in front of his much-scarred desk, which had several polished stones sitting on it, one of which was serving as a paperweight. “You have nicer furniture than I was expecting, but I’ve never been to a mining concern before.”

Joy was looking at the desk as well, and belatedly Cora took a seat as Clifford chuckled, shaking his head as he settled down.

“I think you misunderstand what this is. Most of the mines around the city are independent, run by different miners and such. I doubt many of them have anything as nice as this, in any case! I’m just the head of the guild, and we help negotiate with the government and the other guilds. We also sell ore and ingots on behalf of many of the mines, so that they don’t have to worry about finding purchasers,” Clifford explained. “That’s why you’d even be able to get ore from us. Now, normally we don’t sell more than, say, a hundred units of a material to those we don’t have an agreement with, but the duke’s sponsorship means that I’m willing to make an exception… assuming that we have the stock, and that you can pay for it.”

“That’s good to hear,” Cora said, slowly relaxing as she smiled at Clifford. “Our biggest problem is that we have no more than four months to get it to the apis at this point, so we aren’t able to go much farther afield.”

“Indeed? May I ask why you aren’t able to wait?” the man asked, settling back in his chair as he looked between them. “While I don’t see the harm in selling the ore, it just seems odd to me.”

Cora opened her mouth, then hesitated, wondering how to approach the subject, when Joy spoke again.

“I’ll die in five months!” Joy chirped, then corrected herself. “About five months, give or take a little… I don’t know exactly when I hatched, after all.”

“What?” Clifford demanded, sitting forward again rather abruptly. Cora pinched the bridge of her nose as he looked at her and demanded, “How would iron ore help with that?”

“Apis are quite different from humans, elves, dwarves, or any of the other species I’m aware of, Guildmaster. Aside from their queens, it appears that all of them live for approximately two and a half to three years,” Cora said, letting out a sigh as she smiled at him. “Believe me, finding out Joy didn’t have much time left was an immense shock to us. Especially since Joy used the item that would have allowed her to extend her life to save me from death.”

“It was the right thing to do,” Joy said, folding her arms in front of her. “I’d do it again.”

“Which is why we’re so concerned about replacing it, Joy,” Stella replied, shaking her head slowly as she picked up the explanation. “The apis have an item that allows them to raise queens, but which can also cure virtually any poison below level… seventy, I think it was. If an apis uses it when they’re level twenty or higher, they can evolve into an apis queen, and they gain the lifespan of a queen, which is around a century. We found a hive that was willing to trade us one.”

As Clifford’s eyes lit up, Cora quickly added, “I should note that they were giving us an immense discount when doing so. They normally wouldn’t trade the item at all, not when it takes a minimum of three months to create a single dose of it.”

“Ah. Well, there goes my idea of trading a lot of ore for the item in question. That sounds like it would sell for a huge amount on the open market… but it does explain why you need ore, and as quickly as you’re wanting it,” Clifford said, pausing as the door opened to admit Jenna. The dwarven woman was carrying the ledger, a ribbon in place to mark the spot, and he smiled as he asked, “So, you’ve determined whether we have the stores on hand?”

“Of course I have. As I said, it didn’t take long,” Jenna replied mildly, circling around the desk to hand him the ledger. “Due to the current disruption, there is more than enough stock to cover their request and all outstanding deliveries.”

Clifford opened the ledger and ran a finger down a column, his eyebrows rising slightly as he looked over the numbers, but he didn’t say anything immediately, so Cora waited as patiently as she could. It wasn’t easy, but she managed, and without giving any of the others more than three nervous looks.

“Alright, as I said, this isn’t something we normally do, and since you aren’t one of our regular partners, we’re not going to be giving you a discount for buying in bulk,” Clifford said, then smiled wryly as he added, “Though the prices are a bit lower since some of our members would really like to offload their stock, so you’d be getting a slight discount either way. Jenna, how much would their request run, at nine point three coins per chunk? Rounding up to the nearest coin, of course.”

Jenna paused, tilting her head for a moment, then spoke calmly. “Thirteen thousand thirty-nine coins.”

Relief rushed through Cora, but she struggled not to show it on her face. Any one of them could probably cover that amount, but she was certain he wasn’t done yet. Clifford looked at her speculatively, almost as if he knew what she was thinking, then spoke again.

“Obviously, that’s simply the cost of purchasing the ore. While I’m certain you could figure out the issue of transporting it yourself given some time, we do have contacts with a number of teamsters. The biggest problem you’d be looking at is the current threat of war,” Clifford said, his smile fading as he added, “The attacks over the past week have shut down all of the caravans, and I sincerely doubt you’d be able to convince any teamsters to transport two wagons of ore absent heavy security. Even without that, you’re likely looking at around a thousand coins to transport that to Irador, on top of the cost of the ore.”

Cora looked at Brianna and Stella, and the looks on their faces told her a lot about how relieved they were. On the other hand, Joy looked mildly interested at best. Since none of them looked like they disagreed, Cora cleared her throat and sat forward.

“Fortunately, the ore is within the price range we were expecting. As for transporting it, that shouldn’t be a problem… though we were intending to wait until the invasion is resolved,” Cora told Clifford, meeting his gaze levelly. “We’ve learned enough that it sounds likely that the war will be over relatively quickly, one way or another.”

“Hm, fair enough. But that means you’ll probably want to secure the ore before anyone else learns that and snaps it up. If you’re not planning to move it immediately, your choice is to store it elsewhere, or we would charge a storage fee. Not a huge one, but it would add up,” Clifford warned, a smile playing across his lips. “We’re a business, and we intend to make a profit for our members.”

Cora let out a faint sigh, then nodded. “Of course. In that case, could we hear how much it’d cost to store the ore for, say, a month?”

The resulting conversation wasn’t terrible, but Cora was well aware that she wasn’t able to secure the best deal in the world. On the other hand, compared to Joy’s life?

It was positively cheap, when she looked at it that way.

Chapter 24

“Morning, Cora!” Joy’s voice came from far closer than Cora was expecting, and she began opening her eyes groggily.

Cora caught a glimpse of their inn room, the sun barely peeking through the window, but her view was obscured by a rapidly approaching apis bosom. Then Joy hugged her, in the process pinning Cora’s head to the bed and her pillow. The incredibly sudden lack of air sent a surge of adrenaline through Cora, waking her up quite thoroughly. But, considering how she was tangled in the blankets and unable to breathe, she couldn’t do much more than flail helplessly and make muffled sounds, as she tried to tell Joy to let go of her.

It took several seconds for Joy to let go. Several seconds that felt like an eternity to Cora, but then the apis let go, and Cora sucked down lovely air, reeling from the shock of her awakening.

“Were you trying to say something?” Joy asked, tilting her head as she looked at Cora. “I couldn’t understand you!”

“I was saying that I couldn’t breathe!” Cora said, blinking and levering herself upright, feeling decidedly off-balance.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was just so excited to get started for the day that I didn’t think about it!” Joy apologized, bouncing backward, and in the process showing Cora that for once in a long while the apis wasn’t in her armor, and she wasn’t in her dress, either. Instead, she was wearing a yellow silk blouse and black trousers, neither of which Cora remembered seeing before. Cora blinked again, then her gaze drifted to the apis’s bed. At least Joy had learned not to jump into Cora’s bed for company every night.

Next to Joy’s bed was something that looked incredibly odd to Cora. The apis’s rapier was covered in a thick layer of wax, and next to it was a pile that looked suspiciously like Joy’s armor, also covered in wax. Cora blinked and yawned, shaking her head to try to get rid of the remaining cobwebs.

“It would’ve been nice to be able to sleep in for once,” Cora said, untangling herself from the blankets and wishing that she had it in her heart to stay angry with Joy. Some days she liked being able to hold a grudge, but she couldn’t with the apis. Instead, she asked, “What’s going on with your sword, and I’m guessing your armor? And why are you excited to get started?”

“I did let you sleep in! I woke up when the horizon got brighter!” Joy replied, her grin huge, then she looked at her bed and added, “But I decided to fuse my equipment! It’s odd, seeing it sort of melt into each other, but now it needs a few hours to settle in together. Maybe most of a day.”

“Ah, I suppose that explains it. I wondered how it would work…” Cora said, her thoughts moving slower than they normally would, then shook her head firmly. “Anyway, why are you so excited? We’re stuck here until the military figure out where the enemy army is.”

“Because you said we could look for books today!” Joy said enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling brightly as she smiled even more. “The ones about flowers and buildings!”

“Um, I thought it was Brianna who said that we could look for books,” Cora said, resting her feet on the floor. The inn was at least warm enough that the floorboards weren’t too cold, so it wasn’t that uncomfortable. Nowhere near as uncomfortable as the smile on Joy’s face fading, making Cora feel like she’d kicked a puppy or something.

“You don’t want to come with?” Joy asked plaintively, her eyes wide as she stared at Cora.

“Ah… I didn’t say that, Joy. I just said that I thought Brianna was the one who told you that, not me,” Cora said, shifting in place uncomfortably, then winced as she realized that one of the muscles in her back felt like she’d pulled it or something. She slowly rolled her left shoulder, trying to work out the kink as she continued. “I’m willing to come with, but give me some time? My back is a little sore, and I do need breakfast.”

“Yay!” Joy said, her smile returning fully in an instant, which prompted a smile from Cora, even as she wondered if Joy had been manipulating her.

Likely not, but it made her wonder.

* * *

Joy thanked every one of the gods that breakfast was over and that they were out of the inn. She normally didn’t enjoy the smell of the meals that Brianna, Cora, and Stella ate, but this morning’s meal had been absolutely terrible. Worse, they didn’t seem to be aware of just how foul cheese smelled to her… and apparently Clarion’s goat cheese was considered a specialty. It horrified her, though she didn’t tell them that.

Now they were out in the clean air of the city streets, and she took deep breaths of the air, thankful that the prevailing wind was blowing the air from the smithing district away from them. She could just barely catch the scent of flowers on the wind, and she perked her antennae up, trying to figure out where the flowers were coming from.

“Where’s the Shimmerwood?” Joy asked, after a moment.

“It’s north of us. Northeast, really… it stretches from the edge of the Iron Hills to the northern border of the duchy, and is contained by the gorge along the Mantis River,” Brianna replied, gesturing to their north idly. “If it weren’t for the land on the other side of the river being pretty infertile, I suspect it would’ve spread even more.”

“Right! Then I can smell its flowers, barely. They smell a little different,” Joy said, sniffing a little more, then shrugged, considering what she knew about the forest. It wasn’t much, unfortunately.

“They probably would. I’ve heard that the entire forest is filled with illusions, making it difficult to navigate even for people who know it well, and that the flowers have a scent that disorients a lot of people,” Cora said, looking around the street with a frown. “It’s part of the reason that a lot of adventurers don’t go there, even when they’re close to the level of the creatures inside. It’s far too easy to get lost, and that can be bad when you’re pushing your limits.”

“Oh!” Joy said, adding the information to what she knew. It fit rather well, though it did make her wonder if the local apis were different. Or perhaps apis were immune to the illusions, which would be interesting. “I wonder—”

Before Joy finished, Stella cleared her throat and spoke apologetically. “Sorry, Joy, but I think that store sells the sort of books you’re looking for.”

Joy looked in the direction Stella was pointing and her eyes lit up. The sign proclaimed the store the ‘Clarion Book Emporium,’ and even from outside she could see shelves upon shelves of books, their spines gleaming softly in the light.

“Ooh, yay! I hope they have the sort of books I want!” Joy said, starting forward, but Cora caught her arm, laughing as she kept Joy from rushing into the main road.

“Careful, Joy. There’s a wagon coming,” Cora said with a smile. “Besides, I think we should warn that books are pretty expensive. There are a few spells that help copy them more quickly, but by and large they’re written by hand the first time, so you’re probably going to have to pay a lot for anything useful.”

“Oh? How much is a lot?” Joy asked, waiting as the wagon passed, the draft horse’s hooves clip-clopping on the cobblestone road. She also was mentally going over the number of coins she had, since she’d paid for a quarter of the costs from the previous day. It’d been only about thirty-five hundred coins, since the others had insisted on splitting the cost evenly. That left her at about thirteen thousand coins, between their expenses and various rewards.

“What… two thousand coins for a book?” Cora asked, looking at the other two.

“Don’t ask me!” Brianna said, raising her hands and shaking her head quickly. “I haven’t dealt with books very much.”

“Mm… that sounds right to me, at least for tomes that are useful to their readers. The ones that cover rare subjects, like advanced magic or high-level creatures, tend to cost significantly more,” Stella said, tapping her belt idly. “Some of the more common books can be as little as a thousand coins, at least where I came from. Holy texts and more basic books… I’m not sure what Joy’s books will be considered.”

“We can find out!” Joy replied, pausing impatiently, and asked, “Can we cross now? I don’t see any nearby wagons.”

Cora laughed, letting go of Joy’s arm, and they crossed the street. This was a little nicer than some of the other areas of the city Joy had seen, with smoother roads and buildings that had better materials, which she took to mean it was what the others called an ‘upper class’ neighborhood. Not that Joy really understood what that meant.

She reached the store door and paused, examining the iron bars on the other side of the glass window in the center of the door, then shrugged and opened it. There was a tinkle of a bell from above her, and Joy glanced up to see the bell just above the door where a protruding bar would tap it when the door opened. That was interesting… but more interesting was the store itself.

The front room wasn’t quite as large as Joy had thought it was from the outside. Several bookcases surrounded the room, with a couple of them in the center, making efficient use of the space available. She approved of that, even if she didn’t necessarily approve of the smells. The oil wasn’t too bad, nor was the ink, but the leather wasn’t a scent she was fond of. The smell of paper was overwhelming, though, and that wasn’t too bad, as she looked at the leather-bound books and stepped deeper into the shop, which was virtually silent aside from the sounds coming from outside.

Until a human woman poked her hair around a corner, anyway. The woman had brown hair pulled back into a messy bun, which was held in place by what looked to Joy like an ink pen. She had brown eyes and a small, upturned nose, while she was wearing a tan dress and an ink stained brown apron. As the woman smiled warmly at Joy, a hint of confusion in her gaze, Joy noticed that she had numerous ink stains on her hands as well.

“Welcome to the Book Emporium! I’m sorry, but I just have to ask; are you an apis?” the woman asked, looking Joy over with interest.

“I am! My name is Joy, and I came from the Tulip Hive!” Joy replied, smiling broadly at the woman.

“That’s in the Flower Forest,” Brianna interjected, smiling as she added, “Remember, Joy, most people have never seen an apis yet. That’ll change over time, but unless a lot of apis start traveling, I doubt it’ll change much.”

“Oh, of course!” Joy said, nodding in understanding.

“Well, it’s good to meet you, Joy. I’ve only heard a few rumors about the apis north of here, so I wondered what your people were like,” the woman said, then shook herself as she clicked her tongue chidingly. “Ah, but where are my manners? I’m Angela, the current manager of the Book Emporium! Here we have the finest collection of books in all Clarion! How can I help you?”

“I heard there were books about flowers, and… what did you call it, Brianna?” Joy asked, looking at the human, flushing in embarrassment. She knew she’d learned the word, but it slipped her mind at exactly the wrong moment.

“Architecture,” Brianna said, an amused smile on her face. Stella cleared her throat and spoke up gently a moment later.

“To be accurate, Joy is looking for books on how to cultivate a variety of flowers, as well as a basic book regarding architecture. She’s built things as a giant bee and as an apis, but normal architecture is unusual for her,” the priestess explained gently. “I don’t know if anyone else is looking for anything, but I’m curious if you have any holy texts regarding Mother Moon. I have one from my homeland, but I’m curious if there are any regional differences between here and there.”

Angela nodded, tapping her chin as she thought for a moment, then answered. “Yes, that helps, as there are an enormous variety of books regarding flowers and architecture. Narrowing it down to cultivating… there are three that I can think of, and one architectural book. As to your request about the holy text, I believe we have one, but I’ll have to check in the back. Tomes regarding the less commonly worshipped deities are kept in the back rooms.”

“Excellent,” Cora said, looking at Joy as she added, “I’m afraid that I don’t need anything, and I doubt Brianna does either, so… could we see the books in question?”

Once Brianna nodded her agreement, Angela smiled broadly and spoke. “Of course! If you’d follow me? Each of the books I have in mind has their own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s mostly a question of your personal preferences which will be the most useful.”

Joy nodded, though she was curious what the woman meant. Angela quickly circled one of the bookshelves, obviously knowing exactly where she was going, and pulled three books off the shelf, and as she did, Joy’s eyes widened. The smallest of them was about an inch and a half thick, and the largest was two inches, making them rather weighty when she considered that they were about as long as her forearm.

Angela carried them seemingly effortlessly as she pulled another book out of a separate section, asking, “If you’d follow me? We have a few book stands over here to let you look at them before making any decisions. Be aware that I insist on being present if you’re examining a book, as we’re not a library.”

“Of course,” Cora murmured, smiling wryly as they followed. “Alas, adventurers move often enough that paying for access to libraries isn’t very effective.”

That was an interesting comment, making Joy wonder what the mage meant, but she was quickly sidetracked as they entered a room with several chairs, as well as a couple of odd desks at angles, with a raised ledge near the bottom. Angela set one book on a desk, the raised ledge holding it in place, then placed the others on a shelf to the side.

“So, this is the first book, and the shortest. It has basic information on cultivating flowers, but it doesn’t have as many details about the properties of the different flowers, and it has relatively few illustrations for demonstrating the techniques. It does have some, but it’s not as detailed,” Angela explained, opening the book and carefully turning the pages, showing that it had been written in a careful hand, each page holding a fair amount of text, and with occasional outlines of flowers or diagrams on them, ones which Joy quickly realized were supposed to be showing garden layouts. The problem was that she wasn’t sure what some of the symbols meant, and Angela turned the pages quickly enough that she didn’t have time to puzzle them out.

“What about the others?” Cora asked, looking at Joy as she added, “Do consider which one will be most useful for you, Joy. I’m not sure how well you’d learn from descriptions.”

“Me neither!” Joy admitted cheerfully, looking at Angela enthusiastically. “Sorry, but I’m not used to books. I haven’t had the chance to go through one before.”

Angela smiled warmly as she nodded. “To be honest, most of the common folk haven’t, either. They cost enough that some families don’t own any, or if they do, they’re handed down through the family. Now, on to the next one. This one has less information about cultivating, and more about the properties of flowers and where they grow, along with more numerous sketches to help identify them.”

The shopkeeper closed the first book and set it aside in favor of the next book. This one immediately intrigued Joy, since it had text, but almost every page had an illustration of a flower. Each of them was set up so that it had a picture, then a full description of the plant that flowed onto the following page. She quickly identified the different sections the author used to describe the environment the plants were native to, what uses they had, and what dangers often surrounded them before Angela closed the book and set it aside to pick up the third book, the one that was much larger than the others.

This one she opened, and Joy’s eyes went wide as she saw the first part was a detailed description of different garden styles, complete with illustrations and diagrams. Like the others, it wasn’t in color, but it showed a lot of how things were put together, and after that it had gardening techniques, also with numerous examples, then it was followed up with descriptions similar to those in the second book, save that they stated which garden types and gardening techniques worked best for the style… Joy fell in love with the book almost on the spot, and was terribly disappointed when Angela closed it.

“As you can see, each of the books addresses different aspects of flowers and gardening. Personally, I suspect the second book is more useful for adventurers, simply because it can tell you what sort of dangers might be in the plant’s general area and allow you to identify those which are poisonous,” Angela said, and smiled wryly as she picked up the book on architecture. “On the other hand, this is a little simpler, because it addresses building things of stone, wood, and even sod or clay. While techniques may vary at the more advanced levels, you’re wanting a basic approach, which this can provide.”

She opened the book, and while it had diagrams and the occasional illustration, it was largely filled with descriptions of techniques with diagrams and formulae accompanying them. It took Joy a few moments to understand what different bits talked about, then she felt it falling into place, mostly due to her background building things in a hive. What she often did by instinct, the book described in a formulaic way… and it also had approaches that might be useful.

“Neat!” Joy said, her eyes bright as she looked at the books, torn between which ones she wanted. She was about to say more, but Stella interrupted smoothly.

“May I ask how much each of them costs? Also, what of the book regarding Mother Moon?” the human asked politely, a warm smile on her face.

“Ah, of course. I’ll tell you the prices, then leave you to discuss while I see if we have the holy text in question.” Angela said, smiling warmly as she closed the book on architecture. “This one is eight hundred coins, the first two books on gardening are each one thousand coins, and the last is one thousand five hundred coins. Now, I’ll be right back. Please don’t touch the books, or if you do, be gentle.”

“Sure!” Joy said, watching her go, then looked at the books closely, her thoughts moving rapidly, and once the woman was out of the room, she spoke. “I want all of them. But I don’t need them all.”

“No, you don’t need all of them. Spending over four thousand coins on books that aren’t going to be that much of a benefit for your current job seems like you’re going a bit overboard,” Cora replied dryly, folding her arms as she watched Joy in amusement. “It’s your money, though. I don’t have any right to tell you what to do with it.”

“The question is what you’re going to do with your money. I’ll admit that we have a lot of coin for our levels, but we spent a fair amount getting more equipment. You definitely don’t want to go below the two thousand mark, in case we reach level twenty,” Brianna added, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Stella cleared her throat, speaking up in a chiding tone. “Pardon me? Joy is the one of us who burns through the least money. If I still have eight thousand coins, I’m certain that she has much more than that.”

Joy giggled as Brianna flushed, and the human shifted in place looking away in embarrassment. “Ah, that… is a definite point. And one I hadn’t considered.”

“She’s right! I have about thirteen thousand coins,” Joy said, grinning broadly. “I’m thinking I want the big gardening book and the architecture one. They seem like they’d be the most fun, and they’d be useful once I become a queen. I can always get the others later if I want them.”

Cora stared at Joy for a moment before reaching up to rub her eyes, chuckling softly. “I’ll never get over an apis being the wealthiest one of us. I suppose there is something to be said about not caring for most luxuries. Or food.”

“Ah, to be able to subsist on honey,” Stella teased, and Brianna made a face.

“Thank you, but no. I like the variety of food I get to eat,” Brianna said firmly. “I’d get sick of eating the same thing all the time.”

“I get sick smelling your food,” Joy replied, blushing despite herself as she looked away. “But that’s what I want to do. Buy those two books.”

“Then buy them, once she’s back. Just remember not to tell her how much coin you have,” Cora said, rolling her eyes. “Mostly, I’m amused that she didn’t really need to leave, even if it was polite.”

“Sure she did. I was serious about wanting a holy text of Mother Moon,” Stella interjected.

Joy giggled at the look on Cora’s face, her smile growing even wider. About that time Angela returned, a book in one hand, and a soft cloth in the other which she was using to gently wipe off the blue-dyed leather cover.

“I was able to find one! It hadn’t been touched in some time, so I’ll have to go through it and make sure the pages are in good condition, but I’m fairly confident that it’s intact,” Angela said confidently, a smile on her face as she glanced around at them. “While I’m doing that, have you decided if you want any of the books?”

“I have! I’d like the architecture book and the big flower book,” Joy told her, bouncing a little as she admitted, “I’m really looking forward to going through them!”

“I’m glad to hear that. Now, let’s go through this book. I don’t want to sell anything in poor condition,” Angela said, visibly relaxing as she sat at a desk.

As Stella edged forward to look over the shopkeeper’s shoulder, Joy stepped back to give more room. While she was curious about the book, Stella was the one who wanted it.

Besides, if Stella bought it, she could always ask to look at it later. For now, Joy was looking forward to reading her own books.

Chapter 25

“I think we’ve found it, sir,” Reska said, her voice barely audible over the breeze, and Alethus suppressed his sigh of relief.

He’d underestimated the Shimmerwood, and Alethus had determined that far later than he’d ever admit. Not to anyone, and especially not to Minna, since she’d never let him live it down. But to be perfectly fair, he’d never encountered an environment like the Shimmerwood before.

At first glance, the forest looked positively benign, if a little brighter than Alethus liked. Flowers and berries shone with internal light that sparkled in the day, and at night they provided illumination that was enough to travel by. The trees and foliage were also brightly colored, either in vivid greens, but also ranging into pastels and warm colors of orange, red, and pinks, while the breeze carried odd waves of pretty pollen through the air. It was lush, pretty… and utterly deceiving.

The lights and pollen had lulled him into a false sense of security, and it’d taken Alethus half an hour to realize that he’d completely lost track of where the sun was. The innate magic of the Shimmerwood refracted and scattered the light of the sun, hiding it from sight. Even worse, that same magic made it impossible to keep track of landmarks, since it made trees and plants appear to change positions after as little as ten paces. Beyond that, the forest’s inviting appearance hid other dangers as well.

An hour before, Alethus had almost lost one of his soldiers to a strange wolf which melded into the magic of the world around them, turning almost entirely invisible until it attacked. Its fur had been a ghostly, almost crystalline white, and it’d almost taken Yord’s arm off before Alethus had killed it. That had been only the first danger, as they’d almost blundered into a field of poisonous flowers, which fortunately Reska had realized were dangerous beforehand, and that had only been two of the problems. If Alethus hadn’t been here, he was grimly certain that he’d probably have lost at least half his soldiers. Possibly more than half.

Alethus had even been forced to use one of the artifact pieces he already had to home in on the location of the last one, something he suspected that the defenders didn’t realize was possible, or they’d have increased security on the one near Bearton far more heavily to begin with. It took one of his precious abilities for the day, but it was well worth it, especially since he was going to replace it the next day… assuming that they retrieved the last fragment today. With that in mind, he carefully looked over the fallen tree Reska was crouching next to.

The first thing Alethus noticed was that the magic of the forest was making it difficult to see the people in the clearing, as well as their fortifications, but that went both ways. He couldn’t make out details, but the short palisade that had been built in the clearing was obvious either way, as was the ground that had been cleared around it. Someone was standing in what looked like a short watchtower, something that almost made him snort in derision, since keeping watch here had to be a nightmare. He suspected ranged weapons weren’t terribly useful in the Shimmerwood.

Far more surprising to him was the body which was a dozen paces outside the palisade, at least that was what Alethus thought, with the way distances were distorted. The huge, bison-sized body was black, with red and black fuzz on it, and he clicked his tongue internally at the size of the giant bumblebee. It was a little on the small size, but he certainly wouldn’t have wanted to deal with one of the flying beasts, not without a significant level advantage. He’d heard that they were incredibly tough for their levels, but at least they were few and far between.

“Can you get any sort of count on how many people are in there?” Alethus asked softly, nodding toward the palisade.

“Not with the way the forest is screwing with my senses, sir,” Reska said, a scowl on her face as the demoness glowered at the palisade, tapping the tree slowly with one claw. “I think that it’s about forty feet across, but it could be twenty or sixty, for all I know. The tower helps a little, since it obviously only holds a single person, but there’s no way to tell about anything else. It could be anywhere between five and fifty people.”

“I sincerely doubt fifty, but I take your meaning,” Alethus said, inclining his head as he considered the palisade again, then snorted. “I’m not sure why they bothered with the tower. Do you think they can see through this… warping?”

“I doubt it. I know some people at high levels can pierce illusions easily, but at this level? No way. Maybe at your level…” Reska said, smiling wryly at Alethus, which made him chuckle.

“Ah, I only wish I could. This entire forest is… obnoxious. Too bright, and nothing is quite as it seems. The way it nearly tricked Daven into stepping off a cliff was nasty,” Alethus said, his smile vanishing. “Still, we do have a couple of options that can use this to our advantage. If they can’t see clearly, do you really think they have good odds of seeing someone from stealth?”

“Most likely not. I know the idea of having someone sneak up on me here gives me the creeps. That wolf was pretty much a wolf rogue, if you ask me. Or assassin,” Reska replied, shivering visibly. “I swear, no wolf should be that silent.”

“Agreed, but… Quin?” Alethus asked, turning his head to look at the soldiers behind him.

Alethus had only brought ten people with him, since he wasn’t confident that they’d be able to get more people past Duke Dorma’s patrols. As it turned out, he probably could have made it past with more, but it was a little too late by the time he found that out. However, those he’d brought with him were among the elites in the army, none of them below level twenty, and most of them were level twenty-five.

Quin was one of Alethus’s quieter soldiers. A slim, dangerous half-elf, she wore drab leather armor and simple daggers, but those belied her skill, as she was also one of the best scouts Alethus had, at least at her level. If anyone could get in close and take a look around, it was her. She looked at Alethus and arched an eyebrow, then bowed her head. It was a shame she didn’t talk more, since he thought she had a beautiful voice.

“Would you investigate?” Alethus asked, jerking his head toward the palisade. When she nodded, he quickly added, “Be careful, though. It isn’t worth risking your life over, since I doubt they have anyone inside who can rival me.”

That caused Quin to smile, though the smile was small and brief. She simply bowed her head, then she seemed to fade into the background as she started moving toward the palisade.

It only took her a few moments to move past Alethus, and a few moments later he lost track of her entirely, which startled him as he looked around, pursing his lips. If it only took that much movement to lose Quin when he knew she was there…

“I doubt they’ll see anything at all,” Alethus murmured, prompting a smile from Reska.

“Agreed. She’s usually hard to spot, but this is ridiculous,” the demoness said, turning back to the tree and waiting. “Now, we just have to wait.”

Alethus nodded and fell silent, trying to set a good example for the others. It also allowed him to think about everything else regarding the invasion and what they’d seen. Watching a small, bright purple dragonfly flit past, Alethus couldn’t help a smirk. He’d heard that there were apis in this forest, but at least his agents indicated that they hadn’t been in contact with the city, and had been rather standoffish in general. That was a relief, after the hive near Bearton had very nearly ruined his plans entirely.

The problem was that there was no guarantee that would remain the case. The last group had been brought into the fray by apis, and his agents also had informed him that the apis from the southern hive were moving to visit the others. That could very easily turn disastrous for him, no matter how much Alethus wanted to keep it from happening. The only way to make certain they couldn’t ruin his plans was to strike so quickly they didn’t have time to interfere. That was a large part of why he’d come ahead of the army, if Alethus was being honest. Well, that and the fact that bringing an army into the Shimmerwood likely would have been an absolute disaster.

It wasn’t a pleasant thought, but it helped keep Alethus focused on his goals. Then he heard a shout from inside the barricade, causing him to tense, ready to draw his sword. Beside him, Reska had her hand on the hilt of a wand, staring at the walls of the palisade cautiously, and he thought he heard the scrape of a sword clearing its scabbard behind him. None of them moved forward, though, sending a wave of relief through Alethus. The last thing he wanted was to have them blow their cover early if it wasn’t the alarm being sounded by them spotting Quin.

Then a blue bird the size of a horse came flying down out of the sky and slammed into the tower. At least, he thought it was the size of a horse, as it knocked the person in the tower off it, then the tower began to collapse.

“I… sir?” Reska asked, looking at him in shock, and Alethus looked back at her, then at the compound, where he heard shouts, along with the beating of wings and some bird’s deafening chirps.

“Well, I supposed that with so many giant insects here, it stands to reason that the giant birds would come here for meals. Not something I considered before this, but it’s reasonable,” Alethus said, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. “Hold steady, though. I don’t want to jump into the middle of a mess like that… especially if the bird might do our job for us.”

“Yes, sir,” the others chorused quietly, putting their weapons away.

Alethus waited, listening to the sound of battle, including cursing and multiple spells. Then he jumped as Quin appeared next to him.

“The defenders are occupied fighting a giant bluebird, which is doing appreciable damage, but will not be victorious. There are twenty of them, including three magi and a priest, the rest are a variety of skirmishers and warriors,” Quin told him in her quiet, smooth voice, then slipped back with a bow. Alethus let out a sigh, shaking his head as he thought, then shrugged as he came to a decision.

“Right, well, at least it’ll make this easier. Alan, how easy will it be for you to break the wall?” Alethus asked, looking at another soldier, and the man eyed the wall for a moment, then shrugged.

“Depends on the wood and how deep they’re embedded, but I think I can topple them with one spell… well, a five-foot chunk or so,” the blond man said confidently.

“Good. Then everyone, get up to the wall. Leave a five-foot gap in the center for Alan to drop, everyone else, be prepared to rush the guards,” Alethus said, looking them all over. “Me and the warriors in the front, followed by archers, then magi. We’re to take them alive, I’ll remind you. Knock them unconscious or disable them; we don’t want Clarion to know they were defeated until we’re out of the area.”

Another chorus of acknowledgement came in response, and Alethus smiled, gesturing them forward as the battle raged, not bothering to draw his sword this time.

After all, if he used it, he’d cut them in half, and he didn’t want to violate his own orders.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Alethus let out a sigh of relief, stepping away from the unconscious priest. He’s poisoned the man with a spell, leaving him writhing in agony, so he suspected the man was far happier unconscious, especially since Alethus had removed the poison as well. The other defenders were all alive as well, all but a woman who’d been thrown from the tower by the bird. That adventurer had died before they even got through the wall, so Alethus was confident she wouldn’t be able to warn anyone in Clarion about what had happened.

The other guards were in varying states of unconsciousness, and as Alethus watched, Reska was hurriedly ensuring that a human woman she’d mauled didn’t die. He found it ironic that her eagerness to show off her skills had come the closest to killing the defenders, though admittedly most of those unconscious weren’t in much better shape… and they’d given a surprisingly good accounting for themselves, considering how badly the bird had mauled them. A bird which had managed to escape before they killed it, prompting Alethus to scan the sky for it warily. He did not want it to ambush them while they were cleaning up.

“How’s Aline?” Alethus asked, frowning as he realized that he couldn’t see nearly enough. He couldn’t wait to get out of this damnable forest.

“She’ll live, if only just,” Selvert said, the dark elf priest looking up from the fallen woman with a wry smile. “Avelin must’ve been fond of her, since that sword would’ve killed her if it was even a tiny bit higher.”

“It was that close?” Alan asked, his eyes widening. “I know gut wounds are bad, but…”

“The rapier nearly punctured her liver. If that had happened, I doubt I’d have gotten to her quickly enough. As it is, I wouldn’t expect her to be at full strength for a while,” Selvert said, shrugging and standing up, his brown skin looking unusually bright due to their surroundings. “She should wake up in a minute or two.”

“Excellent. In that case, please keep watch while I retrieve the artifact,” Alethus said, lowering his gaze as he smiled. “We don’t want to have a bird distract us, do we?”

“No, definitely not,” Reska said, looking up nervously. “The wounds that thing’s beak left are nasty.”

Alethus chuckled and turned his attention to the rock outcropping that was in the middle of the palisade. It was surrounded by several tents, some of which had been knocked over or burned in the fighting, but for the most part the camp had survived intact. He ignored the tents as he approached the outcropping, feeling the faint pull of the artifact fragment. It led him to the wall where the entrance had to be hidden, and Alethus examined it for a few seconds.

The stone looked completely featureless except for natural weathering someone might expect, though it was smoother than normal. In that regard it was much like the one he’d found in the Blackstone Mines, and Alethus couldn’t find the trap it likely bore, let alone disable it. That wasn’t to say he couldn’t deal with it, though, and he extended a hand, holding it only inches away from the stone.

“Boneshatter,” Alethus said simply, feeling mana rush through him, then out of his hand and into the wall. Despite the spell being designed to maul nearby creatures, it worked perfectly fine on the stone.

Cracks spread outward from his hand across the wall, taking the shape of a small tunnel’s outline, and Alethus smiled still more, lowering his hand and taking a step backward. Then he kicked the middle of the door firmly, making certain to retract his foot quickly as the shock caused the barrier to fall apart in a rumbling cloud of dust and stone.

Light rippled out of the cave as the dust settled, and Alethus couldn’t help a wince as he felt the holy energy radiating out of the chamber, energy that was painful for him even at the best of times. It wasn’t enough to keep him out, but that didn’t mean he liked it. Still, he also wasn’t suicidal, so he waited, curious if the defenders had taken the time to set up traps or place another guardian inside the chamber. The pure white light seemed to shift as he watched, filtering through the dust… and he was able to see the chamber fully at last.

Much like the first one he’d seen in the Blackstone Mines, this one was filled with huge crystals that seemed to have been formed of luminous titansteel. Alethus had briefly considered trying to destroy the ones in the Blackstone Mines but had decided not to risk what might happen if he did. Anything that could maintain the ward on the monster ever since the fall of Tarngard had an incredible amount of power, enough to easily kill Alethus if he wasn’t careful. While he’d likely resurrect afterward, it wasn’t worth risking permanent death off a temptation.

More important was the formation of crystals in the center of the room, almost like a pedestal. Above it floated a stone ball an inch or two across, surrounded by a slowly orbiting spell diagram formed of pure magic. That was what Alethus was here for, and a thread of worry eased at the sight of the last piece, since a part of him had feared that it might be the piece of a different prison entirely. That wasn’t likely, since Duke Dorma had tried to defend the location, but confirmation helped. Final confirmation would have to wait until he assembled it, though.

Examining the floor of the room again, Alethus scowled on seeing that his method of opening the cavern had sent dust everywhere, making it difficult to tell if there was a trap or not. That said, it looked like there hadn’t been anyone inside in a long time…

After a moment of thought, he shrugged and walked in confidently, ignoring the stinging sensation of the holy energy around him. He took several steps, then relaxed as nothing tried to stop him. If someone was going to trap the room, they almost certainly would have done so in the first several feet, so he was likely safe. With that in mind, Alethus quickened his pace, and in moments he was in front of the pedestal. Looking over the stone again, he inhaled, gritting his teeth… and reached out to take it.

Holy energy seared his hand, jagged black markings etched into his hand as he took the artifact, and Alethus hissed, yanking the stone orb back… and the magical diagram faded away abruptly, even as the energy that was hurting him faded. Looking down at the stone, Alethus ignored the burns as he considered it, then slid it into his belt pouch and nodded, turning to leave quickly.

“We have what we came for. Drag them into the cave, and if they aren’t restrained, tie them up. I don’t want them getting out for at least eight hours,” Alethus ordered, glancing around as he added, “If you wish to loot anything, you have ten minutes to grab it, then we’re leaving.”

“Sir!” the soldiers replied, most of them saluting, and Alethus smiled broadly.

Things were progressing almost exactly as he’d planned.

Chapter 26

Cora heard the rustling of paper as she poked her head into the inn room, then paused.

Joy was sitting on the bed cross-legged, the book on architecture open and sitting on the nightstand. The apis had a look of intense concentration on her face as she looked at a page with what Cora thought was the diagram of an aqueduct on it. Yet… Joy looked so serious that Cora would have thought she was considering a matter of life or death, not construction.

“Joy? Are you alright?” Cora asked, tilting her head a little and examining Joy’s armor. It had changed after integrating the new armor, though not much. There were just a few softly glowing lines on it, which was far less than her rapier had changed. That was an intriguing spiral of black chitin and glowing titansteel, which fascinated Cora.

“Hm? Oh, yes, of course!” Joy replied, blinking and almost instantly turning back to her usual, cheerful self, which eased Cora’s worries. “How are you?”

“I’m fine… I was just concerned with how you were glaring at the page,” Cora explained, stepping inside and shutting the door behind her. “Is there something wrong with it?”

“Oh, no, no, not at all! I just don’t understand all of this!” Joy said, smiling broadly as she looked at the book and patted the page gently. “I understand the words, most of them, and I understand most of the math once it’s explained, but sometimes it… it doesn’t come easily to me. With wax, I could do a lot of this so much easier, but using rock? Chipping rock until it’s the right shape, using, um, mortar and things like that… it doesn’t sound like it would be as easy. It might last longer, though, and I wonder if I could use wax for some parts, to let me build things faster and—”

“Joy?” Cora interrupted, almost feeling like her eyes were going to cross from the way Joy was going on. If she started talking about the actual math, Cora’s brain might melt. She was a mage, certainly, but that didn’t mean she was good with numbers.

“Yes?” Joy said, pausing and tilting her head, her antennae perked up.

“I appreciate that you like architecture, but I know almost nothing about it, and it isn’t something I really want to learn about,” Cora explained gently, hoping it wouldn’t offend Joy. Fortunately, Joy simply smiled and nodded.

“Oh, then I won’t tell you about it! I like building things, and being able to move water like the book says these aqueducts can is amazing! I was worried when I looked at the irrigation stuff in the gardening book, but then I saw this… I’m sure I can do good things with it!” Joy said, grinning broadly. “But you came back for something else, right? Are we going somewhere?”

Cora blushed as she realized she’d almost forgotten the reason she’d come back to the room to begin with, but Joy was usually distracting. She nodded, leaning against the door as she thought for a moment, shuffling her thoughts into order.

“That’s the question, isn’t it? As amazing to me as it is, Sir Wilbert sent us a message. He was curious if you’d be willing to serve as an ambassador to the apis hive in the Shimmerwood. They’re talking about trying to get their support in keeping the invaders from getting their hands on the last piece of the seal, or even in defending from the invaders until reinforcements arrive,” Cora explained, frowning slightly. “The Shadebough apis are preparing to leave; I hear they’ve hired an experienced adventurer who’s going to guide them to the hive—”

“Sure!” Joy said in the middle of the explanation, her grin huge, and Cora’s eyes widened slightly.

“Um… are you certain, Joy? The Shimmerwood isn’t safe, and you didn’t even ask about the reward,” Cora said, though she was expecting Joy to not care about the second part.

“The reward doesn’t matter!” Joy said blithely, proving Cora right and making the elf smile, but Joy continued without pausing. “I want to meet the Shimmerwood apis; it could be important when I become a queen! Plus, I want to keep everyone safe from the Skyfishers!”

Cora blinked, looking at Joy for several seconds as she tried to figure out what Joy was meaning. Wanting to meet the apis made complete sense, yet how selfless she was about wanting to protect other people… it made Cora curious.

“May I ask why you’re wanting to protect everyone?” Cora asked curiously. “Meeting the apis makes sense; you’re going to need to exchange drones, from what you said, but I’m not sure why you care about everything else.”

Joy simply stopped, looking at Cora for a few seconds. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, her words simple. “Everyone deserves to have the safety of their own hive. Everyone.”

“But…” Cora began, startled by Joy’s reaction, then fell silent. After a few seconds she spoke cautiously. “But we don’t have hives. I know you said that Brianna, Stella, and I are like your hive, but that isn’t the same.”

“Sure you do! You may not think of them as hives, but you have them. Some people may choose to be like wasps, nasty and mean, and others are like selfish spiders, but even most of them have their hives,” Joy said, rocking back and forth on the bed, smiling warmly as she did so. “Most of them, it’s their family, but not all! For Silverhoof and Viperbite, it’s the guild! For the duke, it’s the entire duchy. For some people it might be a village, a city, or maybe just their friends. Unlike apis, you aren’t anchored around a single queen, because you’re all queens. It lets you choose your own hive… and you deserve to have it be safe. The Skyfishers are like a nest of invading wasps, though. They need to be stopped before they destroy the hives of others.”

Cora didn’t know what to say to that, staring at Joy for a few moments, a little ashamed at how… how benevolent Joy was, in most ways. Yes, the apis could be incredibly ruthless when in combat, and usually was, but at the same time she was also one of the kindest, most selfless people Cora had ever met. It was possible that all the other apis workers Cora had met were the same, but she didn’t know them. She did know Joy… and it sometimes made Cora wonder about her own motives.

“Well, in that case I think you’d better come downstairs to chat with Brianna and Stella,” Cora said at last, trying to bury her mixed feelings. “We all expected you to say yes, so they figured they’d start trying to work out what supplies and other preparations we needed to make.”

“You know me well!” Joy said, grinning broadly as she unfolded her legs and hopped off the bed, then paused. “Ah, one moment!”

The apis turned back to her book, moving the ribbon to mark her page and closing it gently before nodding. “There we go, I’m ready!”

“I don’t know about ready, but let’s go downstairs,” Cora replied with a laugh, opening the door so Joy could go out, then followed her, locking the door behind her.

The inn they were staying at wasn’t as nice as the one in Irador, which honestly relieved Cora, as the cost was also lower. Perhaps she shouldn’t be worrying about ten coins a night more, but that much coin added up quickly. The timbers that framed the walls were rougher, while the walls were relatively simply-cut cobblestone on the first floor, and plaster on the second.

Music drifted up the stairs, and Cora raised her eyebrows, since there hadn’t been any musicians downstairs when she’d come up before, and she quickened her pace, since she rather liked the tune the fiddler was playing. It was bright and quick-paced enough to add a spring to her step.

When Cora reached the common room, she almost immediately spotted the bard, a modestly handsome human man with brown hair and a serviceable performer’s outfit. His fiddle was well cared for, and he was performing by the fireplace while people tapped their feet in time to the beat. A lot of the people in the room were watching him, and Cora saw that even Brianna and Stella were watching him from their place next to a window, a window where an apis was resting her head in her hands, her elbows on the sill.

Joy followed Cora through the bustling room, and Cora was relieved that despite the business being busy, it wasn’t so crowded that she couldn’t get through reasonably. Soon enough they reached their friends and Cora settled into a chair with a sigh.

“As expected, Joy agreed to the request,” Cora said, smiling at them and the apis as she added to the worker, “You were right.”

“I thought so!” the apis said cheerfully, waving at Joy as she added, “I wonder why they didn’t just ask you directly, rather than asking us?”

“Good question!” Joy replied, taking the seat next to Cora and adjusting her position so it didn’t press against her wings too hard. “Why did they ask me, anyway? I’m not even an attendant!”

“They did,” Brianna interjected dryly. “But it sounds like the attendant told them that she wouldn’t be a good choice.”

“That’s right!” the worker agreed, nodding rapidly. “We know a little about the outside world, but not much, and she can’t speak for the queen. Joy’s an independent apis, and she knows more about the world than we do. She’s the best person to explain things to another hive.”

“That… makes a sort of sense, but I’d think that an attendant would be able to speak with more authority. Or at least would be able to convince the other apis a little more easily,” Cora said, picking up the mug she’d left behind and examining the wine inside it. The wine in Clarion wasn’t what she’d consider bad, but it wasn’t excellent either. It made her wistful for the sweet elven wines of home… though she knew Joy wouldn’t like those either.

“Sure, if she was speaking for our queen! But she won’t be, she’ll be speaking for herself, while on another task. It’s not as, um… convincing?” the worker said, shrugging carelessly.

“Nope!” Joy agreed, smiling broadly as she added, “I don’t know that I’ll be convincing, but I’m going to do my best! What one hive thinks is important isn’t necessarily the same as others. I think the threat of some gigantic spider in the region will convince them to help, but how am I supposed to know? They aren’t me!”

“That’s definitely true,” Stella murmured, smiling at Joy a little. “Still, we’re looking at going into an area that’s far more dangerous than anywhere else we’ve gone before, Joy. Even if we have other apis and a guide, we could end up in severe danger. Are you sure you want to risk that?”

“When haven’t we been in a lot of danger?” Joy asked, then began ticking off things on her fingers. “First we got sent deep into the mines and ran into Alethus, then we ran into the Skyfisher raiders, got ambushed by leopards and a spider, fought the Skyfishers and nearly died, fought the army ants and more Skyfishers who nearly killed us… this is normal.”

Cora opened her mouth to protest, but stopped, thinking it over, then laughed, shaking her head as a hint of amusement welled up inside her. “I guess that’s true. Ever since we met you, we’ve been going from one disaster to another. Let’s break the habit after all of this is over, alright?”

“I don’t know… you got yourself killed chasing a huge payday about the time Joy became an apis,” Brianna countered, grinning broadly.

Joy began to giggle, and Cora simply glared at Brianna as the other worker started laughing. After a few seconds, Cora spoke tartly. “I see that someone doesn’t want a nameday present.”

Brianna only smiled more at the threat, and Cora sat back in her chair with a sigh. She didn’t like the idea of venturing into the Shimmerwood, but neither was she going to avoid it. If they could get the help of the apis in driving off the invading army, that meant they could get Joy’s pure royal jelly sooner, which would make it worth the danger.

Besides, they might manage to level up again, which Cora wouldn’t object to.

* * *

Alethus paused, listening to the rumble of movement in the camp, and he slowly relaxed as he did so. It had taken them until nightfall to return to the camp, and once again Alethus’s ability to track the other pieces of the seal had served him well, as otherwise he was certain they’d have gotten lost in the Shimmerwood, or at least have taken the wrong route out of it. They’d had a single close encounter with a group of patrolling knights, but despite Alethus’s temptation to wipe them out, instead he’d hid with his soldiers as they passed. Destroying Dorma could wait until later, and he hadn’t wanted to complicate his trip still further.

Now he could hear everything from a few of the smiths working to the grumbling of several trolls about the rations. He was back in the camp… and it was time to see if he’d truly succeeded. So Alethus took a breath and opened the iron box resting on his chest.

Inside the box were the two pieces of the seal that he’d previously retrieved, and he studied them for a moment. Between the two pieces, they formed half of a stone disk, with a space almost perfectly sized to fit the orb he’d acquired earlier. One half had a hole large enough to fit someone’s thumb, while the other half had four holes large enough for fingers… it made for an odd key, but Alethus shrugged, pulling out the stone orb as well.

The moment he did, all three pieces began to glow softly, and Alethus smiled, murmuring, “Excellent. Now, let’s see…”

Lowering the orb into the space between the two other pieces, Alethus saw them vibrate as it came closer. And the moment he placed the orb between them, the two chunks snapped together, barely avoiding his hand as they fastened securely around the center of the orb. They didn’t quite form a single piece, but they fit together perfectly, causing it to glow even brighter.

“And now… now I’m ready,” Alethus said, smiling broadly as he looked down at the stone, then began to laugh.

If Duke Dorma was wise, he’d start running now. He might even get away.

Chapter 27

“You all have your potions?” Drake asked, adjusting his bandolier again, and Joy couldn’t help wrinkling her nose unhappily, looking at how he had a half-dozen vials on his bandolier.

“Yes,” Joy said, not wanting to even think about how the potions would taste. Her two experiences with them made her wonder if dying and resurrecting was really that bad.

Drake nodded in satisfaction, seemingly unaware of her thoughts. The man was different than most of the humans Joy had met so far, as he wasn’t wearing the nicest clothing he could buy. He was grizzled, with a few days of stubble on his face, and his brown hair was streaked with gray. Something about his skin reminded Joy of an old tree, tough and resilient, and his brown eyes were constantly on the move, looking around quickly. His clothing was relatively drab, with numerous scars where it looked like claws had scraped it, but he moved with a silence that Joy could only envy.

More interesting to her were Drake’s weapons. He had a large, oddly curved blade Brianna had called a kukri, as well as six throwing daggers that Joy had seen so far, and he had a pick hanging from his belt, one which looked like it’d seen a lot of use. The man was also rather dour, the exact opposite of Joy in most ways. She wondered why he never smiled, but there wasn’t much she could do. Except maybe try to convince him to smile.

One of the drones was holding a potion, looking at it skeptically before he looked at Joy, asking quietly, “Do these really taste that bad?”

“Um, I don’t know about that one; the ones I had were different colors. That’s an… antidote potion?” Joy asked, peering at the green potion, then looking at Brianna for confirmation. When the human nodded, trying to hide her smile and failing, Joy continued. “The ones I had were a strength potion and healing potion. They tasted… I can’t even describe how they tasted! I thought my insides were going to spray out of my mouth. It was the worst thing I’ve ever felt, and that includes being stung by a wasp!”

Drake stopped, looking at Joy oddly as the apis all shuddered, and the drone spoke again while he put the potion away. “I’ve never felt like that, but I’ve heard about stings. I’ll have to try not to get poisoned.”

“You should be doing that anyway,” Drake said bluntly, frowning. “The potions are for emergencies anyway, so you shouldn’t use them unless you have to. You’re all too low-level to take the Shimmerwood lightly, even if there are other apis in there. I don’t even know if they’ll talk to you; they’ve avoided adventurers and hunters alike.”

“They’ll talk to us! They may tell us to leave, but they’ll talk,” the attendant assured him, smiling broadly as she added, “And we’re taking it seriously, promise!”

That didn’t seem to reassure the man, as he sighed and looked at Brianna, Cora, and Stella, asking, “What about you three? I don’t want to have the deaths of another group of adventurers who didn’t listen on my conscience.”

Cora laughed, shaking her head as she replied. “Master Drake, believe me when I say that they are being serious. Apis have an… odd view of the world, from our perspective. Don’t take their attitude as them blowing off your concerns; they’ll do exactly what you say once we’re in the forest. As for us, we’ve no intentions of getting ourselves killed. I’ve done that one too many times as it is, and I don’t care to repeat it.”

“Agreed, though fortunately I’ve avoided any deaths so far,” Stella said, pausing to kiss her holy symbol again, then continued. “I’ll follow your directions.”

Brianna nodded, adjusting her pack. “We’re ready whenever you are.”

“Good. And it’s just Drake, no need for any Master or such. Calling me that puts my teeth on edge,” Drake said, nodding toward the gate. “We’ve got about a half-hour walk to the edge of the forest, and even if it goes well we’re going to have a rough time getting back before dark, so let’s get moving. I don’t like being in the Shimmerwood after dark.”

“Okay!” Joy said, her smile broadening as she and the other apis almost instantly fell into order for the march, prompting him to pause, looking between them suspiciously, then he shrugged.

“Huh. The strangest things, I swear…” Drake muttered, and began leading the way toward the gates.

“If he thinks that’s strange, I wonder how he’d react to all the other things we’ve seen you do,” Brianna commented quietly, prompting a giggle from Joy, but she followed alongside Cora, their adventuring group behind the apis, who Joy had noticed had already taken positions to protect the drones and the attendant from attackers.

They drew a lot of attention as they made their way out of the city, enough that a few guards approached Drake, and he spoke quietly enough she couldn’t hear him, though she smelled the amusement from the apis ahead of her. Then they were out the gate, and Joy’s eyes brightened, since this time they were facing east instead of north, with the sun shining down on them. A breeze brought the scents of vegetation to her, and Joy raised her antennae again, tasting the wind. She opened her mouth, then shut it again, deciding to enjoy the open air in silence. Air that didn’t smell of oil, smoke, and unwashed humans.

“You like it out of the cities, don’t you?” Stella asked, and Joy looked back at her in a little surprise. The human smiled warmly as she shrugged. “It’s your back and wings. You fluttered them a bit, and I could see how you relaxed.”

“Oh! I didn’t know that,” Joy said, twitching her wings deliberately, then trying to flex her back, trying to figure out what Stella meant by relaxing it. She wasn’t sure she could tell, but she looked forward again as she replied. “I don’t like smoke. I like flowers, vegetation… it’s where apis belong. Out in the world, where we can find food. Stone isn’t as interesting.”

“I suppose. For most people, a city is a place of safety… but at the same time, there are plenty of people who feel more like you. Elves like to build smaller villages, from what I’ve seen,” Brianna said. Cora snorted, shaking her head as she spoke up.

“There you go generalizing again. Elves don’t only build small villages, and there are varieties of elves, too. There are big cities, stone cities, and more among the elven nations,” Cora explained. “Back home, the larger cities aren’t as cramped as human ones, and there’s more vegetation in them as well. The problem is that they’re harder to defend, so the army tends to be filled with people who attack from the shadows, then retreat. It constantly keeps attackers on edge, and it allows them to wear down opponents. But if the enemy can keep going through that and reach the city…”

Cora’s voice trailed off, and Joy nodded in understanding. “Then the city won’t be defended well enough.”

“Exactly. I think the cities are nicer, but… there are lots of problems with having the sort of cities I prefer,” Cora said, letting out a sigh. “I swear it’s why goblins and elves have such an enormous vendetta against one another. When they reach our cities, they devastate them, where most human cities can wait them out or drive them off.”

Joy nodded, considering what to say, only to be distracted first as she saw the Shimmerwood and instantly understood the reason for its name.

The pastel colors of the forest were incredibly pleasing, the sort of shades that instantly made Joy think of nectar-laden flowers, and her mouth started watering almost involuntarily. At the same time, she could see colors swirling on the wind above it, as well as the bright arch of a rainbow extending almost from one horizon to the other. To her, it looked almost like an apis paradise. Though if the others were right, it was anything but a paradise, which was a little disheartening.

“It’s beautiful,” Joy said, and heard Drake snort from the head of the line.

“I’d like to hear you say that after that ‘beautiful’ place tries to kill you,” the man said bluntly, prompting a laugh from Joy.

“Of course it’ll try to kill me! Most bright-colored plants are either full of lovely nectar or poisonous. Sometimes both!” Joy replied happily. She also saw the guide almost trip as he looked back at her in surprise.

“Try not to tease the man, Joy? He’s supposed to be guiding us, and I’d rather he didn’t make a mistake because you distracted him,” Brianna said, sounding almost as amused as Joy felt.

Joy smiled back at Brianna, shrugging as she said, “I’ll try! I wasn’t teasing him, though. It’s really true. If something is brightly colored, it’s often deadly! Except for flowers, which usually want bees to come over.”

“If you say so,” Brianna said, laughing softly, but then they had to speed up, as Drake picked up the pace.

It was while they were approaching that Joy first noticed how the air seemed to shift and move ahead of her. Drake had warned them about it early on, and Joy couldn’t help her fascination as she watched it, and it only took her a few seconds to realize that, despite what he might have said, there was a pattern to the shifting. When she paused for a moment, holding completely still, the view didn’t shift at all, which meant that the shift occurred as she moved.

Joy considered that as she moved, and she came to a snap decision while they approached. Navigating the Flower Forest as a bee had been simple enough, and not because she’d known directions or anything like that, and it wasn’t like she followed a trail like ants did. No, what she’d done as a bee was keep track of what things were in particular places along her route, and that allowed her to retrace her steps.

It was possible that the Shimmerwood would change things enough that wouldn’t work inside it, but if Joy was right, she’d be able to retrace her steps perfectly. It would also explain why the local apis didn’t have any problems in the forest at all, a thought which made Joy smile.

She couldn’t wait to meet the other apis.

* * *

“Wolf!” one of the drones called out an hour later, pointing to his left, and Joy pounced without even thinking, ignoring the four wolves that Brianna, Stella, and the other apis were dealing with, while four of the apis swiveled without a word to help her, just as Cora and Drake turned as well.

Drake swore as he turned to face the pair of wolves that seemed to materialize from nowhere, swinging his kukri with almost perfect timing to hit the first of them, leaving a deep gash in its side. A moment later two apis descended on the wolf, stabbing it viciously, while Joy and the others intercepted the other… not before Cora responded, though.

“Ice Blast!” Cora exclaimed, launching an icicle into the wolf’s side. The wolf staggered, its legs not working quite right, and Joy coordinated with the other apis silently, the two of them flanking its front, one blocking the wolf’s view of Joy as she circled around its side.

Joy rolled forward, pleasant scents surrounding her as she crushed clover beneath her, then bounded to her feet and called out, “Penetrating Strike!”

Her rapier lanced toward the base of the wolf’s ribcage, and while it tried to react, it was just a little too slow. The blade pierced deep into it, and Joy winced at the feeling, twisting her blade inside it before pulling back, dancing a couple of steps away, glancing around as the wolf collapsed.

Joy didn’t see or hear any more of the wolves, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. She was mostly impressed that the drone had managed to tell they were circling around in time, so she glanced around again and started toward the one Drake and the apis were fighting, just in time for it to drop to the ground, bleeding out profusely. Behind her she heard several yelps and a howl as the other wolves began retreating, leaving half their number on the ground, dying.

“Damn it, I hate it when I run into ghost wolves,” Drake said, scowling. “Normally they know better than to attack me, but I guess they found you lot a bit too tempting.”

“Oh! Maybe they think apis are tasty? That’s different than the flower minks… but I guess that’s normal,” Joy wondered aloud, and another apis nodded.

“Yep. They were sniffing and focusing on us a lot. I think they were after the drones,” the worker said, looking at the apis in question, which made the pair of males give them a sheepish look.

“We are the lowest level,” one admitted. “We couldn’t contribute much.”

“No, but it explains things. Wolves tend to try to pick off the weakest members of a herd,” Drake said, scowling and shaking his head. “We’d best get moving, though. There are plenty of scavengers in the forest, and I’d rather not have them try to eat us as well. Is anyone hurt?”

“Not anymore,” Cora replied, looking down at her arm as she added, “I’m really glad we upgraded our armor. That bite might have crushed my arm if I hadn’t.”

“It probably would have. Our armor before this was appropriate for level ten, so…” Brianna began, her voice trailing off, then shrugged. “Anyway, Drake’s right. I don’t know what types of scavengers he’s talking about, but I’d rather not run into them.”

“Bears, coyotes, vultures, other wolves, insects… I can’t begin to count them all,” Drake said, nodding off to the right. “That way. It should take us to a stream where we can wash off the blood and keep going. I don’t want to leave a clear scent.”

“Okay!” Joy said, wiping off her rapier on the nearest wolf, then sheathed it again. The blade glittered as it came clean, still a narrow, razor-sharp blade, but she liked how the chitin and titansteel complemented each other, forming a pretty spiral of black and glowing white.

She quickly followed as Drake led them to the side, and Joy couldn’t help a smile at how he seemed to blur and almost disappear as soon as he got very far. The other apis were close enough to see easily, though, so she quickly followed them, ducking under the branch of the tree they were passing, trying not to scuff its bark or leaves.

Joy also thought she could smell other apis, ones that weren’t from the Shadebough Hive, but the scents were older, as if they hadn’t come through the area recently. She kept sniffing as she moved, but wasn’t able to localize anything.

Winding their way through the trees, Joy habitually extended a hand as Cora stumbled, catching her without even looking directly at her. The blonde smiled wryly at Joy, nodding as she whispered. “Thanks, I should watch where I’m going better.”

“It isn’t your fault. The air shifts even if you’re looking at your feet, it’s just not much of a shift,” Joy said, grinning in return. “It took me a bit to notice!”

“Wait, you can tell that? How?” Brianna asked incredulously, though she kept her voice down as well. “I didn’t think your eyes are that much better than mine!”

“Oh, I just watch specific things,” Joy explained, and nodded at a rock. “Just… where the position of the rock shifts as I move. I know how I move, so I can tell how things shift based on that.”

The others fell silent again, and after about ten steps, Stella spoke up quietly. “Nope, I can’t keep track of it, not in that amount of detail. I can tell that my line of sight isn’t quite right, but nothing more.”

“I can’t, either,” Cora admitted, shaking her head. “Elves have keen senses, but I’ve never focused on training it to that degree.”

“Heh, whereas I can catch the edges of it. I might not be up to Joy’s standards, but I think I could figure it out with practice,” Brianna gloated softly. “Thanks, Joy. I never thought to look at the world that way.”

“You’re welcome! It’s just how I navigated as a bee. I kept track of all the plants and flowers around me, and used them as landmarks,” Joy explained happily, her wings buzzing. “I just—”

She fell silent as she realized that the others had stopped ahead of them, and Joy frowned, looking at one of the apis ahead of her. The woman shrugged and said, “I don’t know what’s going on! Mister Drake is stopped, looking at something.”

“Oh! What’s he looking at?” Joy asked, trying to peer past them, but with the way the air blurred, she couldn’t see anything more than the fact Drake was crouching ahead of them, though she could hear a burbling stream just beyond him.

“I don’t know!” the apis replied, and looked at the drone ahead of her. “What about you?”

“I can see some… footprints?” the man replied hesitantly, reaching up to rub his chin. “I’m not sure.”

“You all can come forward,” Drake called out, his voice low. “It looks like this spot is relatively safe… even if it looks like someone came through here recently.”

Joy quickly moved forward as the other apis approached as well, and the area came into better focus as she did so. The apis were approaching the small brook with numerous river stones in it, trees on either side of the water, while Drake was crouched over several tracks in the mud next to the river, and the man was frowning deeply.

“What’s wrong?” Brianna asked him, stepping around Joy to look at the tracks. “Don’t other adventurers come into the Shimmerwood? Or hunters?”

“Yes, but these tracks… they aren’t those of hunters, and I’d have heard of a group of at least six adventurers coming out here,” Drake said, gesturing at the tracks unhappily. “These were left yesterday, and no adventurers have come out here about that time. The last people who did are the soldiers sent by Captain Wilbert, and they shouldn’t be wandering around. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it makes me suspicious.”

“Do we need to worry?” Joy asked, tilting her head curiously as she looked at the tracks. Her mind immediately turned to the Skyfishers, since they were in the region, and the entire reason for her coming along with was to forge an alliance to defeat them. Unfortunately, she could tell that there were tracks, but she couldn’t say much more than that they were shaped like a boot sole.

“No, I don’t think so. They aren’t anywhere near us, and we aren’t going in the same direction,” Drake said, standing and looking around, frowning for a moment more, then shrugged. “It isn’t like I like seeing unknown tracks in the Shimmerwood, but they’ll likely just get themselves killed and have learned a lesson about biting off more than they can chew.”

“If you say so,” Cora said, circling Joy with a wry smile as she added, “Personally, I’d like to wash off after fighting those wolves. I don’t like having blood or slobber on me.”

“It also helps us not draw anything nasty down on our heads. If I never encounter another rainbow serpent again, it’ll be too soon,” Drake said, shuddering visibly as Joy stepped past him, pulling out her rapier to wash it off, but he roused her curiosity in the process.

“What’s a rainbow serpent?” Joy asked, crouching next to the stream and getting to work.

“A nasty piece of work, is what it is,” Drake replied grimly. “It’s a flying snake about twenty feet long, with scales that change colors like the rainbow, at least when it isn’t turning invisible to try to bite your head off. They can control elemental powers, and the damnable things change their strengths and weaknesses as they use different ones. So if they use an ice power, they become vulnerable to fire briefly, and vice versa. Even then, they can also use illusions that make them incredibly hard to hit, which makes them one of the nastiest things to run into in the Shimmerwood.”

“That sounds terrible,” Stella said, shuddering visibly. “I’ve never run into a monster with more than one or two special abilities, never anything like that.”

“With any luck, you won’t this time, either. They’re mostly nocturnal hunters, so I stay the hell out of here at night,” Drake told her. “It’s an unusual one … but if you see something scaly in a pond or clearing, make certain it isn’t a napping rainbow serpent before attacking. You’ll probably die if that happens, and I’ll be busy running away as fast as I can move.”

“They’re that mean?” Joy asked, standing up and flicking the water off her rapier’s blade, then ran a finger along its length to check for any burrs. There weren’t any she could detect, prompting her to smile.

“Yep. Some people think they’re related to dragons, but I think they’re wrong. Most dragons are vicious, but they aren’t that damned mean,” Drake said, shuddering. “I’ve heard of rainbow serpents toying with someone they’re hunting for days before finally closing for the kill.”

“Lovely, another monster I don’t care to encounter, though I think most high-level monsters probably would be on the list,” Cora murmured, prompting a giggle from Joy.

“The higher level they are, the more dangerous, right?” Joy said, grinning broadly at Cora. “If we’re going to level, we’re going to run into things like that, right?”

“True enough. I bet that’s why most adventurers retire before they reach level thirty or so,” Brianna agreed, looking around cautiously.

Joy paused at the thought, tilting her head as she considered the idea. Retiring was a little like what she was going to do if she became a queen, but it didn’t feel quite right to her. After a moment she asked, “Are you going to retire? You, Cora, and Stella. I guess I’m going to kind of retire…”

Brianna paused at that, looking at Cora and Stella for a few seconds, then she shrugged.

“I don’t know,” the human said, letting out a sigh as she shook her head. “While I don’t think I will at the moment, who knows what will happen in the future? We could have a terrible fight which scares me enough that I change my mind, or I just get tired of the danger. I don’t know, Joy.”

“Agreed. I know I will retire at some point, assuming I don’t die permanently before that,” Cora said, rinsing her hands off as she stood, looking at Joy thoughtfully. “Elves live too long to do anything else, as far as I’m concerned. That said… I have no idea what circumstances would convince me to retire, since I have a lot of goals for the future.”

Stella laughed, shaking her head as she looked at Joy and grinned. “Whereas the only reason I can see for me retiring is if I manage to find a place I want to found a new temple of Mother Moon. Until then, my duty is to bring light to dark places and show others that not all darkness is the domain of the Dark Gods.”

“But… the moon isn’t dark. It shines silver!” one of the workers objected, frowning slightly. “I don’t understand.”

Joy nodded, and Stella laughed again, her smile widening as she spoke. “This isn’t where I intended to explain my faith, so I’ll keep it short. Drake probably will appreciate that, too.”

“Damn right, I would,” Drake said, his head turning back and forth slowly as he kept watch, and Joy giggled softly.

“The moon is dark, at least for large parts of the month, portions of it are shrouded by darkness. Yet Mother Moon is the goddess of all of it, and by extension she’s also a goddess of the night,” Stella explained patiently. “She gives light in the darkness and eases the fears of those who must travel by night. She’s a duality in many ways, for there are no other members of the Gods of Light whose domain is the darkness, just as few of the Dark Gods have light as their domain.”

“Oh! I understand now!” the worker said, looking thoughtful as she looked at the attendant, who nodded at her, smiling warmly. Joy could smell her approval regarding the question, as well as how pleased the apis as a whole were. They all liked learning, as it added information for the hive to use.

“Good. Now, let’s get moving. We’ve got miles to go, and are burning daylight,” Drake barked gruffly.

“Um, how can we burn daylight?” the same worker asked, and Joy giggled as the man sighed heavily.

Chapter 28

“Sir, the army is ready to march!” Minna reported, her gauntlet clanging against her breastplate as she saluted, her eyes glittering with excitement.

“Indeed? Excellent.” Alethus turned his head to look, and as he did so smiled in satisfaction, looking across the field and the soldiers that were assembled in glittering, orderly ranks.

His army wasn’t at full strength, as much as he hated the fact, but even so he had just over seven thousand soldiers present, along with nearly a hundred combat beasts, ranging from a pair of wyverns to manticores to a dozen stone elementals. The combat beasts would be in trouble if they faced the enemy without support, but that was why he had an entire army, and Alethus looked at the contingent of trolls in their armor and massive weapons with satisfaction, then glanced at his handful of sky knights, ready to take flight on their riding drakes. He wished he had more than twenty of them, but it was incredibly difficult to raise riding drakes.

But they were assembled, and that meant it was time to start moving. Alethus marshalled his thoughts, looking across the men and women who served him again, then spoke at last, raising his voice so that they could hear him. Most of them, anyway.

“My loyal soldiers, it is time at last. Our preparations have been made, and they have not been in vain. Today we march toward our goal, the destruction of Astonia! All that stands in our way is the army of Dorma and their adventurer allies, and we outnumber them better than two to one,” Alethus told them, smiling broadly, but allowed his smile to fade after a moment as he continued. “Unfortunately, like a cornered rat, they will likely fight viciously to stop us. Expect them to throw everything they have at us, and prepare accordingly. Nevertheless, we shall prevail! Accompany me on our way to victory!”

With his final words, Alethus thrust a hand into the air. In response his soldiers began to cheer and roar, and Alethus smiled in satisfaction, turning to face northwest, nodding to Minna as he spoke more quietly. “Onward.”

“Yes, Milord,” Minna said eagerly, and pulled out her signal horn to get the army moving.

It would be a day or two before they engaged the enemy, Alethus knew, but he didn’t mind the wait. Duke Dorma couldn’t stop him, if the duke was even present.

* * *

Sir Wilbert looked at the message and his fingers tightened, crumpling the parchment before he forced himself to relax, swallowing a curse. He only hesitated for a moment, then stood, abandoning the now-empty message tube as he circled the desk and stepped into the hall. His guard snapped to attention and saluted, prompting Sir Wilbert to give him a nod before he continued down the hall toward the marquess’s office. The two guards outside the door stiffened as they saw him, and Wilbert forced his worry down, trying to make his expression less worried. He wasn’t sure he succeeded, but he stopped as he stepped close to the guards. Each was equipped with good-quality breastplates and weapons, appropriate for soldiers of their level. They were likely around level fifteen, which was fairly high for guards in the region.

“If she’s available, I’d like to speak with the marquess,” Wilbert said, nodding to the guards respectfully. “I’m afraid it’s urgent.”

“Of course, Captain. Let me see if she’s available,” the female guard replied, knocking on the door, then slipping inside when she heard a murmur of assent. The male guard looked at Wilbert, concern in his eyes.

“They found the invaders?” the elf asked, his gaze drifting down to the message in Wilbert’s hands. Wilbert debated for a moment, then shrugged.

“Yes, but don’t go spreading it around just yet, if you would? I figure the marquess will let the army know soon enough,” Wilbert told him, and the guard nodded in response. Then the door opened and the other guard stepped out, nodding to him politely as she gestured to the door.

“The marquess will see you,” the woman said, moving to the side, and Wilbert nodded to her.

“Thank you,” Wilbert said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

The office he stepped into was nicer than his own, with a view of the small garden adjacent to the courtyard through large glass windows. That was a fair expense, but one which he didn’t blame the marquess for making, assuming it hadn’t been something inherited from her father. Cabinets to either side of the large desk held numerous books, while a map case rested on the left wall. A few paintings of the last four generations of marquis and marquesses adorned the walls, while the rest were covered by tapestries to keep it warmer.

Behind the desk was Marquess Elmira Clarion, and the woman sat back in her chair to look at Wilbert with a level gaze. She had almost no expression, which Wilbert found a touch unnerving, but he didn’t let it get to him. She was an ordinary-looking woman for the most part, not especially pretty, and with normal brown hair. It was her commanding mannerisms that really set her apart, as well as the fine clothing she wore, from a sky blue tunic with gold embroidery and buttons to the leather trousers that Wilbert suspected cost as much as his armor.

“Captain Wilbert,” the marquess said after a moment, her voice sharp and pointed. “I take it your scouts found the invaders at last?”

“They have, and in a spot I didn’t expect,” Wilbert said, bowing his head politely, then stepped forward to offer her the message as he continued grimly. “They somehow crossed Broken Horse gorge. I’m not certain how, but it explains the delayed reports from the scouts in that region until now. I suspect they must have been captured.”

Elmira took the message and read it herself, her eyes narrowing as she did so. The woman didn’t react any further at first, then looked up at Wilbert. “That puts them two days away, Captain. I thought we would have more warning than this.”

“As did I. I thought they’d have to maneuver around Broken Horse, and had placed more scouts in those areas,” Wilbert agreed, nodding unhappily. “If they remain where they are, I might be able to gather a few hundred more soldiers by recalling my detachments, but they’re out of position.”

“And worse, neither the seal piece nor the shrine are inside the city walls,” Elmira said flatly, a finger tapping the desk slowly, setting the map aside. “I’ve been erecting defenses around the shrine, but they are quite limited. The chances of the army stopping Lord Alethus at this point are poor.”

“I agree,” Wilbert said heavily, taking a deep breath, then let it out. “The only way I see us winning is if they make a major tactical blunder, or if the apis come to our aid. If we could kill Lord Alethus and retake the fragments that would also help immensely, but we can’t count on that.”

“No, we can’t. Nor can we count on the apis choosing to aid us like they did with the army ants in the Teeming Jungle. Unlike then, their hive is not in immediate danger. I give high odds that the spider ignores the Shimmerwood entirely as it destroys the rest of us,” the marquess said grimly, sitting back in her chair. “Creatures of that power and level are not fools, and it will destroy us to ensure we don’t seal it away again, even if we aren’t capable of doing so.”

Wilbert bowed his head, not having the heart to try to disagree with her. He hoped that the apis would be more amenable than the marquess was suggesting, but he didn’t dare say so aloud.

“May I have permission to rally the army? Or will you be taking command?” Wilbert asked instead.

“I will be in command of the army; you will lead the knights,” Elmira said, scooting back her chair to stand, and she smiled coldly. “Even if we’re to die, I will ensure that we make them bleed for every inch of ground.”

“As you say,” Wilbert said, bowing to her.

As he did so, he deeply hoped they were wrong about the apis.

Chapter 29

“You’re foreign apis!” the worker said from her perch in the tree, looking down at Joy and the other apis in surprise, and everyone else stopped abruptly, looking up at the apis in shock. Joy really pitied how poor of a sense of smell the others had, since she and the Shadebough apis had known the worker was there as they approached.

The worker was a little different than Joy or the Shadebough apis, too. Where the Shadebough apis had a slightly darker coloration than Joy, with a little more black than yellow, this worker had a lighter coloring, and her shoulder-length hair had a few locks of pink hair and glittering lines across her armor to help it blend in more. Mostly, it was impressive that she’d managed to hide at all, but Joy took it in stride. It was easy to hide in the Shimmerwood, as far as she could tell.

“We are! I’m originally from the Tulip Hive, now I’m an independent apis, and they’re from the Shadebough Hive!” Joy replied happily, smiling in return as she added, “My name is Joy, and I was sent to be an ambassador to your hive!”

“Oh. You named yourself?” the worker asked, causing Drake’s jaw to work a little. “Why?”

“No, Brianna, Cora, and Stella named me,” Joy said, gesturing at them. “Names are useful for telling each other apart for them. They can’t smell the difference between our pheromones.”

“No wonder they’re so weird,” the apis said, tilting her head to the side and looking at the group, then focused on the attendant. “You’re an attendant, and you have drones with you. Why are you here?”

“Our queen wishes to exchange drones with your hive if possible,” the attendant replied, giving a friendly smile as well. “She also wanted to learn about other apis hives in the region. We can’t survive entirely on our own.”

The worker nodded, then took flight as she replied. “I’ll tell the guards you’re coming. No attacking, or we’ll stab you!”

The apis quickly darted off, her wings buzzing as she quickly vanished from sight.

“Okay!” Joy called after her, then grinned as she spoke more normally. “That went well!”

“What was that?” Drake demanded. “Every time I’ve seen the apis before this, they’ve just looked at me once and ignored me! She actually talked.”

“We weren’t giving off hostile pheromones, and she wasn’t being territorial,” Joy told him with a shrug, grinning as she continued. “Besides, how am I supposed to know what they’re thinking? They’re not me!”

“Beyond which, the two apis hives we’ve encountered were both different,” Cora said, edging around a root carefully. “Joy’s former hive was built mostly underground, but they were building a palisade with buildings a little closer to those that humans use above ground. Comparatively, the Shadebough Hive was more like the beehives I’m used to, the ones with a papery covering on the outside, even if it was at ground level.”

“The trees couldn’t hold the hive in the air. It weighs too much!” the attendant volunteered.

“Ah. That… is interesting. The hive ahead was more like the second, at least before they changed into apis. I haven’t gotten close enough to see it since then, not when the priests said not to provoke them,” Drake said, frowning at the attendant and Cora, then shrugged. “Either way, let’s go. The sooner we’re there, the sooner we can leave.”

“Sure!” Joy said, bouncing in place, and the moment he started moving, Joy followed, though she was mostly following the faint trail of pheromones the worker had left… and the scent of the hive itself, of course. That was potent now, with as close as the hive seemed to be. Joy couldn’t be certain, but she thought that it was smaller than the Shadebough hive, and bigger than the Tulip Hive. Thirty or forty thousand apis, she was guessing, but she couldn’t be certain.

As they moved forward, the trees grew a little less common, then they entered a clearing of glittering purple grass and green flowers, among which dozens of apis were moving, collecting nectar efficiently. And beyond them was the hive.

It was far different than either the Tulip Hive or Shadebough Hive, which didn’t really surprise Joy at this point. Each hive made their own decisions, and it was mostly a question of how they’d differ, rather than if they would or not. This hive was far more… orderly, she decided after a moment, looking at the vast structure.

The hive reminded her of the walls around Clarion or Irador, in at least broad strokes, but in other ways it was very different. It was a vast, wax hexagon that thrust upward from the soil at a slight angle, rising to slightly more than the height of four apis. While the view of the structure was somewhat warped by the air, Joy smiled to herself, happy to see something she understood, even if the hive looked far larger than it needed to be.

“That looks nothing like what I remember. It was more like a blob near a bunch of trees!” Drake protested, looking at the building in shock. “How did that get there?”

“They built it, obviously,” Cora replied, looking only slightly surprised by the sight as she leaned on her staff. “When I visited the Tulip Hive with Brianna, they’d built a palisade and a half-dozen decent-sized buildings in less than a week. It’s been a lot longer than that, so it makes sense that these apis could’ve built something like this. That said… am I mistaken, or are they expanding it more?”

“Looks like it!” Joy said after a moment, spotting a cluster of apis on the roof, adding what looked like walls to her. “They’ve been working hard!”

“They have. I’ll have to ask why they chose this design. The queen will probably want to hear about it as well,” the attendant agreed, looking at the apis, then started forward again. “We’d best go meet them!”

“You do that. I’m going to stay right here, if it’s all the same to you,” Drake said, not moving forward even a step. “I’ve seen what happens to people who poke their heads into a beehive, and I don’t want any part of it.”

“In which case, we’ll see you soon, Master Drake,” Stella said, bowing courteously to him, then looked at Joy. “Joy, if you would lead the way? You’re the ambassador.”

“But… they’re leading the way!” Joy protested, pointing at the Shadebough apis, which she’d already started to follow.

“Perhaps, but you’re our friend, and if anyone can keep the local apis from overreacting to us and stabbing us a lot, it’s you,” Cora replied dryly. “I’d rather not get killed by them again.”

Joy glanced back at Drake, who was watching them dubiously, then shrugged, looking forward again.

“I don’t think they will! They’re watching us, but they don’t seem afraid. If they’re not afraid, they won’t attack us without fair warning, unless we do something stupid,” Joy said cheerfully.

“That’s the hope,” Brianna muttered softly, her hand near her sword hilt, but carefully not on it.

That was good, Joy thought. Having her hand on the hilt might have been seen as a threat.

* * *

“Other apis?” the queen said, sitting up a little more as she focused on the worker. “And one of them is named? Along with their hives? How fascinating.”

“It is, Your Majesty! They’re approaching the hive now,” the worker replied from where she was kneeling, her excitement palpable even though she was trying to hide it. “They wish to meet with you, both groups!”

“Of course they do. The other hive’s attendant and the drones may come in, as may this… Joy and her companions. Keep watch on the other human that is outside the hive, but let the other workers do as they wish,” the queen said, her thoughts racing. The idea of apis from elsewhere was quite exciting, as it happened. She wondered if they were anything like her own hive.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” one of the attendants said, bowing deeply, then stood to leave, with the worker quickly following her.

The queen watched them go, then looked at the other attendants as she said, “Prepare some honey for them as well. Not much, but enough for guests.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” they chorused, and the queen resisted the urge to sigh as they started moving, vaguely wishing they wouldn’t be so formal with her.

She felt terribly alone, which was part of why she was looking forward to the meeting.

* * *

“This is very different than the Shadebough Hive,” Cora said, looking around the room as they moved through it, following the worker leading the way.

“It reminds me of the Tulip Hive a bit, though,” Brianna replied, then gestured at the honeycomb cubbies along the wall as she added, “Though those are different.”

The interior of the hive was different than Cora had imagined, and she could hardly imagine trying to navigate it as an outsider. The first room had been an apis version of a gatehouse, with numerous arrow slits in the walls and what looked like heavy doors that could be dropped into place, but beyond that it was like being shrunk and set inside a beehive, with doors connecting each honeycomb to the next. It was also quite warm inside, and Cora had to wonder where the light was coming from, since she didn’t see any obvious sources like the Shadebough Hive had possessed.

More interesting were how the walls of each of the chambers were lined with hexagonal cubbies, many of which were sealed off and full of liquid. Cora had also seen some cells with what looked like tiny apis curled up inside them, surrounded by liquid, but she hadn’t had a chance to slow down and look at them with how quickly they were moving. The exception were the rooms which looked to be set aside for sleep, as the apis had crammed them full of what appeared to be bunks, and Cora had seen a trio of apis on a single bed with their equipment neatly organized next to their bed. Cora wouldn’t have expected one apis on the bed, let alone three.

“It has more flat ground to work with,” the Shadebough attendant replied cheerfully, looking around in curiosity. “We had to go up instead, and the trees gave us lots of support.”

“Where the Tulip Hive didn’t have as many trees, and was originally underground,” Joy added, smiling at their guide. “You have a nice hive!”

“Thank you, we’ve been working hard on it! There was a bit of a fight last week, when a group of wasps attacked, but they aren’t a problem anymore,” the worker replied cheerfully. “We set their hive on fire, and the warriors killed them as they fled!”

“Good work. It’s what they deserve,” Joy replied firmly, and Cora winced a little. She couldn’t really blame the apis for hating wasps, since they were a nasty insect, but how vicious the apis could be concerned her at times.

“Is there anything in particular we should do when we meet your queen? In other countries there are sometimes formalities,” Stella said, watching the apis calmly. “We don’t want to offend her.”

“Well, we kneel, but you aren’t members of the hive. I don’t know what you’re supposed to do,” the worker replied, slowing down as she looked thoughtful, then shrugged. “I don’t think you’ll offend her! She told us we shouldn’t kneel, but we wanted to.”

Cora glanced at Stella, and she could see the slight bemusement in the human’s eyes. Cora had no idea why the apis would want to kneel yet wouldn’t mind if other people didn’t, but she wasn’t about to argue. Kneeling to other people felt uncomfortable to her, and she couldn’t quite express why.

“Thank you for explaining,” Brianna said when neither of them responded. “Is it much farther? Unlike apis, we can’t really smell pheromones.”

“Nope! Just a few more rooms!” the worker said, quickening her pace again, and Cora had to work a little more to keep up. She’d never understand why all apis seemed to have inexhaustible stores of energy.

After a couple more archways, Cora saw a pair of apis with spears standing next to another room, one which didn’t look much different from the outside except for a light purple cloth blocking the doorway. They looked at Joy and the others warily, then nodded, one of the women speaking.

“Your workers can explore the hive if they’d like. Her Majesty wishes to speak with Joy and her companions, as well as the foreign attendant and drones,” the guard said, her tone surprisingly formal for an apis.

“Okay,” the Shadebough attendant agreed, and looked at her workers as she said, “You heard her.”

“We’ll stay close!” a worker promised, then scattered with the others as they went into nearby rooms.

Once they were gone, the other guard used her spear to hold the silken cloth blocking the doorway aside and said, “Welcome to our hive; the queen awaits you.”

“Thank you!” Joy replied, quickly entering the room, and Cora smiled helplessly, starting to follow, but she paused as the Shadebough attendant and drones moved first. Then she was cut off by Brianna and Stella, which caused her to end up entering the room last.

The first thing Cora noticed was that the room wasn’t the plain, almost featureless yellow wax as the rest of the hive, and the ceiling rose almost twice as tall as the other rooms. It was carved with images of flowers and other plants which had been painted with different colors of paint. Neither the images nor paint were of incredible quality, though they were good enough to adorn most village temples.

The rest of the room was interesting as well, as there was a small dais raised above the floor in the back, on which rested a large apis sitting in a pile of cushions. The apis was obviously the queen of the hive, and she had a woven circlet of violets resting on her head, while a necklace of daffodils was around her neck. She had wings that glittered with bits of magic, and she was looking them all over with interest, several attendants to either side of her, and a large wax pot filled with damp soil beside her. More surprising to Cora, there were also eight cushions on the ground in front of the dais, before which were simple wax chalices filled with liquid.

“Please sit. Her Majesty has kindly chosen to offer you honey to restore your energy,” one of the attendants told them, smiling warmly at Joy and the other apis, before giving the humans and Cora skeptical looks. She opened her mouth, then shut it, looking at the queen as if she’d been reproached. For all Cora knew, she had been… Cora didn’t really understand how much the apis could say to one another via their pheromones.

Joy waited until the Shadebough attendant and drones chose their spots, with the drones sitting to the left of the attendant as they settled onto the left set of cushions. Almost immediately Stella and Brianna headed for the right two seats, and Joy moved toward the one next to Stella, leaving the only unoccupied cushion as one almost in the middle. Cora grimaced slightly, since that left her in the center, which wasn’t what she’d hoped for. She didn’t like being the center of attention, but she moved toward the cushion after only a moment of hesitation and settled down onto it. It was a bit lumpy, but surprisingly soft despite that, and Cora looked down into her chalice, taking a moment to swirl it. How viscous the liquid was told her it was honey, and Cora resisted the urge to wince. That much honey would not settle well, so she set the chalice down gently.

“Thank you for the honey!” Joy said, looking into her chalice and smiling. “It smells really good! Oh, my name is Joy, and the nearby country asked me to be an ambassador to your hive! Well, maybe not the country… the people in charge of their army, anyway.”

“How fascinating. A country, you say? I assume these are the enormous, strange hives which I was granted knowledge of during my transformation?” the queen asked, looking at Joy closely, and when Joy nodded, the queen smiled. “I have wondered about them. However, first I need to speak with someone else.”

She turned to the Shadebough attendant, then at the drones as she smiled broadly. “You look different than the drones of my hive. You’re here to exchange drones with my hive?”

“Yes. My queen, of the Shadebough Hive, sent us out to meet other hives and exchange drones if possible,” the attendant said, bowing her head slightly, though she looked almost as excited as Joy did. “She is preparing to pass her position to another queen and wishes to ensure that there are drones for her, as well as to make contact with other apis.”

The queen’s smile grew even wider at the explanation, tilting her head as she asked, “Where is your hive? No other bees in the forest turned into apis, so I feared for the future at first. I would love to make contact with your hive.”

“South of here, by a little over a week in a direct line. Possibly two weeks, depending on your speed,” the attendant explained. “It’s in the Teeming Jungle.”

“I don’t know where that is, but I will find out,” the queen said, obviously musing for a few moments, then looked at the drones as she asked, “Do you wish to join my hive? It may be why you are here, but I will not require it of you.”

“Yes!” one of them said, watching the queen worshipfully between sips of honey. Another pulled the chalice away from his lips, swallowing before he spoke.

“It’s why we came here. Our old queen asked for those of us who wished to join other hives,” the man explained, his voice rich and resonant.

“Did she? What an excellent notion. In that case, I believe I will have to do the same,” the queen said, looking at an attendant as she continued. “Escort her to the other drones, and ask if there are any volunteers to join her on her trip back to the Shadebough Hive. She may choose from among those who volunteer.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” one of the attendants said, bowing her head to the queen, then looked at the three apis, who all stood at the same time.

The queen watched them leave, then her gaze drifted to Cora, followed by Brianna and Stella. She looked at them for a few seconds, then asked, “An… elf? Or are you a faerie? And I believe the others are humans, yes?”

“Yes, I’m an elf,” Cora replied, her cheeks heating a little with embarrassment.

“And we’re humans,” Brianna confirmed, shifting in place. “We’re friends of Joy’s.”

“They’re my adopted hive. Sort of, anyway!” Joy chimed in cheerfully, prompting the attendants to stir.

“Your hive? I heard that you were an… independent apis,” the queen said, almost looking like she was testing the words, and a little doubtful of them.

“That’s right!” Joy confirmed. “My queen sent me and several other apis out with the intent of founding a new hive. I ended up using my pure royal jelly to save Cora, but we’re going to trade for a new vial with the Shadebough Hive.”

Joy gestured toward Cora as she said the elf’s name, prompting Cora’s flush to grow deeper, and she cleared her throat, looking down as she spoke. “What she did was more than I could have asked of her. Joy had known us for perhaps three days when she chose to do so, and in so doing… well, once we found out, we decided that we had to replace the jelly if we could. It has been an adventure, doing so.”

“That it has. Like walking into a war zone,” Brianna murmured, at which Joy giggled.

“Ah, much is explained. You won’t be founding your hive near mine, will you?” the queen asked, her smile fading almost instantly, to Cora’s surprise. “I’m not certain the forest can support more than three hives, and I will likely be splitting off a new hive soon.”

“Nope! Cora said there was a nice spot up north, near where she grew up, so I was going to go look there,” Joy explained, and almost as quickly as it had vanished, the smile reappeared on the queen’s face.

“Good! I’d hate to have to go to war with you,” the queen said cheerfully. “Why are you here? You do seem rather concerned.”

Joy didn’t seem even slightly disturbed by the implicit threat, Cora realized after a moment. Her friend was acting almost like she’d expected that response, and Cora examined her more closely, wondering just how often bees fought one another, and if apis would do the same. With how ruthless they were… a shudder ran down her spine as she considered what an all-out battle between apis would look like. That would be unpleasant, she decided.

“Well, I’m sure my friends can explain more than me, but I think I understand the major bits,” Joy said, reaching up to tap her lip. “The nearby kingdom is called… Astonia, I think. The part of it closest is called Dorma, and they’re both part of a group called the Kingdoms of Light, which are kind of like a group of friendly hives that help each other. We’re also near the border of another group of kingdoms called the Kingdoms of Darkness… they’re mean, at least the ones I’ve run into. I think they’re more like wasps.”

“Not all of them, but many are, yes. You’ve mostly run into their soldiers, Joy,” Stella spoke up quietly. “They’re invading our lands, so of course they’re mean.”

“Oh, that’s good! I was afraid all of them were like that!” Joy said, grinning at Stella as she squirmed into a more comfortable position on her cushion. “But one of them is a really mean demon named Alethus. He’s leading his army of Skyfishers, they’re from Skyfish Valley, to attack this region. He’s trying to release a massive monster called an apocalypse spider from a prison, and if it gets out it’ll probably destroy the entire kingdom. It might even come here.”

“That is a truly unpleasant thought,” the queen said, frowning as she sat back in her cushions, while another stir rippled through the attendants, who looked at one another in concern. “I believe I understand the situation. An ambassador is for making requests, isn’t it? They want to ask for help?”

“They do! A piece of the thingy to unlock the spider is here in the forest, so they sent people to guard it, but the Skyfishers outnumber the Dormans about… two to one?” Joy asked, looking at Cora curiously, sending mingled affection and embarrassment through the elf.

“You should know better than to ask me about military matters,” Cora replied helplessly, shrugging as she looked at Brianna. “I think that’s about right, but Brianna would probably know better.”

“Not much better, but I’ve tried to learn what I could on the trip,” Brianna said, pausing to think, then shrugged. “Just so you know, I’m not certain about the numbers involved, but here’s what I know. Duke Dorma has approximately two thousand soldiers in or around Clarion, with five hundred knights backing them up, and we also have two hundred adventurers. While in the caravan, I heard that Skyfish Valley has a standing army of eight thousand soldiers or so, in addition to some of their city guards. At a guess, two to one is likely going to be accurate, though I’m not sure what level each side is going to be… based on what we ran into around Bearton, I’m guessing that Skyfish Valley’s army is going to have around a three-level advantage over the Duke’s, and a five-level advantage on equipment, since gear comes at five-level increments.”

Cora winced, suddenly aware of how much danger the army was going to be in. That sort of advantage would give the invaders about three-quarters odds of piercing the armor of Duke Dorma’s soldiers, which would be devastating. She’d realized that the… the Skyfishers were dangerous, but not just how dangerous. She hated using Joy’s term for them, for some reason, but she had to admit it was easier.

“Right, so they outnumber them by a lot,” Joy agreed, looking back at the queen again. “The leader of the army sent me to you to see if you would be willing to help. Even guarding the thingy so they can’t free the spider would help a lot, though they would like support in the battle if you would help.”

The queen’s smile had faded by the end of Joy’s explanation, though she was watching Brianna and Cora thoughtfully as well. She leaned forward, tilting her head as she asked, “You ask me to risk the apis of my hive for those who aren’t apis. Are you sure the spider will come for us if it’s released?”

“Nope!” Joy replied, sending a chill down Cora’s spine. Sometimes the apis was a little too honest. “It probably will, eventually, but it’s a spider. I have no idea what it will do.”

Sitting back, the queen watched Joy for a few more moments. Eventually she asked, “Why ask us? We aren’t of their hive. You aren’t of our hive. We recently dealt with a hive of wasps, but they were a threat to us. They attacked us. These Skyfishers haven’t.”

“Because it is a nearby hive, even if it isn’t anything like our hives. Every elf, dwarf, human, or orc I’ve met is like one of our queens. They live a long time, and can do so much. If we let them die, then if we need help like the Shadebough Hive did, we won’t have anyone to help us,” Joy explained simply, shrugging as she admitted, “If you don’t, I’ll understand. You have to do what’s right for your hive. I came here to tell you what they were asking for. They offered other stuff, like to try to trade with you and things like that, but I know that isn’t important. You’ll do it, or you won’t. I have a couple of gifts, but I’m going to give that to you either way.”

The queen nodded, leaning forward again, one finger tapping the edge of the pot of dirt, and each tap was oddly loud to Cora’s ears. In many ways, this could be where the fate of Dorma was decided, she realized at last. Worse, only now did Cora understand that some part of her had expected the apis to just… agree. To help without hesitation, as so many other apis had helped them so far. The idea of the queen not helping hadn’t occurred to her.

“I will have to consider, and to consult with the hive. We took losses dealing with the wasps, and throwing ourselves into a fight that isn’t ours feels wrong,” the queen said at last, tilting her head as she looked at them. “Thank you for asking, Joy. Meeting you is… intriguing. I have never considered what an independent apis would be like.”

“I’m glad to meet you! You’re a lot like the Shadebough queen, but different, too! Sparklier,” Joy replied, smiling broadly as she pulled a few jars out of her backpack. “These are something called lemonade, which the people in the cities make. It’s my blend, using a type of fruit called a lemon and honey to make a drink. They use sugar and water instead, but honey is better. I hope you like it!”

One of the attendants stepped forward to take the jars and gave one to the queen, who opened it, and her eyebrows rose as she took a sniff and smiled. “This smells good; thank you!”

“You’re welcome!” Joy said, looking at the pot before asking, “What’s the dirt for?”

“I’m trying to grow a tree. There’s a flower that produces the nicest nectar, and I wanted one of my own,” the queen said, looking at the pot as she shook her head. “No matter what I do, it doesn’t seem to grow.”

“Um, well, I’ve been reading about gardening, so I just started… but you’ve been watering it and letting it have sunlight, right?” Joy asked hopefully, and the queen blinked at her.

“Water, yes, but not sunlight. There’s light in here, which I thought was enough,” the queen said, looking a little confused. “Am I wrong?”

“Well, the book I read said that it depends on the plant, but almost all of them need sunlight to grow,” Joy explained. “You can’t give it too much water, either! You don’t want to drown the plant.”

“Oh,” the queen said, closing the jar of lemonade as she looked at her pot, then nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Joy.”

Cora hesitated, then decided that it was time to interject. While she hated to do so, the queen was rather approachable, so…

“If you don’t mind me asking, when do you think you’ll make your decision? About helping?” Cora asked nervously, hoping she wasn’t making their chances worse.

“In a day or two,” the queen said, looking up from the pot to meet Cora’s gaze. “But I don’t think we’re going to be able to help guard the thing in the forest, if what you said is right.”

It felt like an ice block had formed in Cora’s stomach, and she almost forgot to breathe. There was something about the woman’s eyes that made her worry grow rapidly, and Cora wasn’t sure what it was.

“Why do you say that?” Stella asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

The queen looked at one of the attendants, and the woman stepped forward, looking at Stella as she spoke.

“We noticed some intruders a few days ago in our territory, intruders that built a wood wall around a spot and stayed there. They must be the guards you mentioned, but yesterday they were attacked by another group, then were tied up and left in a cave that was opened,” the attendant explained, making the icy feeling grow still worse. “They may still be tied up.”

“Oh no,” Cora said, barely managing to speak with how the blood was draining from her face. “If they already have the last seal piece… that’s really bad.”

“We don’t know that they have it,” Brianna interrupted, reaching over to put a hand on Cora’s shoulder, prompting her to look into the human’s eyes. “We can check and find out, still. It could be bandits, even if I doubt it.”

“You’re right!” Joy added, straightening as she looked at the attendant and queen. “Thank you! We probably need to go, and thank you for the honey!”

The queen nodded in reply, watching them as Cora quickly scrambled to her feet and followed the others out of the room.

“I hope they’re wrong. That the fragment hasn’t been stolen,” Cora said numbly, fear rippling through her.

“So do I,” Joy agreed, taking Cora’s hand as she smiled warmly. “We’ll figure it out, though. Promise!”

Something about Joy’s smile pierced through the icy fear, warming Cora’s heart.

Chapter 30

The queen watched the four leave, then tapped her pot and looked at the attendants. “Please have this put somewhere it can get sunlight.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” one of them said, bowing as she took the pot in both arms and left. Another began cleaning up the chalices and honey, which the queen had noticed had barely been touched by the non-apis. They ate other things, if she remembered right… but it was still something which unsettled her.

After a minute, she asked, “Should we help them?”

The attendants looked at one another, none of them replying with words. She could smell them, though, as their pheromones told the tale. Their opinions were… conflicted, to say the least. A large number of them were uneasy about interfering in a battle outside the Shimmerwood, and they remembered how some of the adventurers had hunted them before. On the other end of things, the idea of any spider that had ‘apocalypse’ in the name terrified them, and some of them wanted to deal with it before it was freed. Even among the seven attendants in the room, there wasn’t a consensus, though.

Considering, the queen looked down at the jar of lemonade and turned it slowly, noting how the construction was subtly different from the wax jars she was used to. Joy’s sincerity had been obvious, and the apis had been genuinely fascinated by their hive and wanted to help. That, combined with the high regard the Shadebough attendant had for Joy, helped her come closer to a decision. Perhaps non-apis wouldn’t have noticed the way the drones had also respected Joy, but all of her apis had.

“Spread the explanation. Tell all of the attendants, drones, and workers, as well as those with newer jobs,” the queen said at last, straightening slightly. “I wish to smell all of their opinions where this is concerned. We stand alone in this forest, so if we are to go to war or not, the hive must make a decision.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the attendants chorused, and they scattered just as abruptly, racing in every direction as she watched. The queen watched them go, then gave a wistful smile as she was alone at last.

“I don’t even know what I would do,” she whispered, then shrugged. “Good luck, Joy.”

* * *

“You want to go where?” Drake demanded, scowling. “That isn’t part of the deal!”

“No, it isn’t. But the apis said that the guards around the seal thingy were attacked yesterday and tied up. Shouldn’t we help them if they’re still trapped?” Joy asked earnestly, a hand holding the other tightly behind her back. She was nervous, but trying not to show it.

“Err…” the man began, looking a little torn as his scowl grew less pronounced. Joy just waited for him to reply, but after a minute he spoke unhappily. “Look, I understand the desire to help them, but I don’t even know where the guards are. The Shimmerwood is a big place, and it isn’t like I followed them when they left.”

“That would be a problem. I’m worried that Sir Wilbert doesn’t know, either,” Brianna said, looking around nervously as she continued. “That’s probably why they left them alive, assuming the apis are right. I’m sure they’re not lying, but maybe they’re mistaken? I hope so, anyway.”

“While it would be nice, I think getting our hopes up is not a good idea,” Stella cautioned. “The only issue is that, as Drake said, we don’t know how to find the people there.”

“No, but the apis here do. Maybe one of them would lead us to the location?” the Shadebough attendant offered, looking far happier than Joy felt, though Joy could understand why.

Three drones were in the middle of the Shadebough workers, and these were more like the local apis, with odd, brightly colored highlights to their hair and armor, though they were still very distinctly apis like her. The way that Brianna and Cora had ogled them also indicated to Joy that their physiques were attractive to non-apis, though Joy wasn’t entirely certain why. Oh, they had good proportions of shoulders to height, and had plenty of toned muscles which would be helpful, but she didn’t really understand it. That was part of being a worker, she suspected.

“I suppose. The question is if they’d be willing to show us there. I don’t like the idea of following someone else through the Shimmerwood, but at least they’d know where they were going,” Drake conceded, somewhat to Joy’s surprise. He’d been obstinate and dour enough that she’d been worried he’d outright object. Looking at her, he scowled and said, “What? Just because I think a lot of you people coming in here are idiots doesn’t mean I want people to die.”

“I didn’t think you did! I just thought it was odd, since you’ve been grumpy. Did you sleep on a rock or something like that?” Joy asked, at which point his expression grew even darker. She also noticed the inquisitive pheromones the attendant emitted, asking one of the local hive members to come over.

“People like you are exactly the problem,” Drake replied crossly, folding his arms. “Your type irritate me, and I’d rather you left me alone.”

“Then… why did you let the apis hire you?” Cora asked curiously. “They’re almost all like her.”

“Their coin spends as well as anyone else’s,” Drake replied simply, looking at the attendant as he asked, “What about it? Can you ask them?”

“Sure! We’re just waiting for one of them to come over,” the attendant said cheerfully, looking toward the field expectantly.

Joy nodded, deciding to let the subject drop with Drake, since he didn’t like it. Instead she bounced in place, looking around at the fields as she wondered what the apis were going to do with them. She wanted to figure out how the gardening she’d started looking at would apply to a field like this, but she didn’t know enough yet. Besides, the apis seemed to be rather happy with it as it was.

A minute later an apis broke away from the others, cleaning her hands off as she flew toward them. The woman landed again only a few feet away in an elegant, practiced motion that Joy envied. She must have had a lot more practice than Joy had… but on the other hand, Joy also spent a lot of time walking alongside her friends.

“Hi! You needed something?” the worker asked, looking at the Shadebough attendant curiously.

“Yes! We wanted to check on the group of intruders that one of your attendants mentioned, who got tied up in a cave, but we don’t know where it is. Could someone guide us there?” the attendant asked, a bright smile on her face. The worker’s pheromones seemed amenable, causing Joy to relax.

“Sure! I don’t know the way, but I know a worker who does, and I heard there’s some good nectar and pollen near there. I’ll be right back!” the worker said, and darted off quickly.

“Ah… is nectar and pollen the only thing they care about?” Drake asked, frowning as he watched the apis leave.

“Pretty much!” Joy confirmed, shrugging as she added, “That might change, though. We need ore to improve our weapons and armor, and I don’t know if we’ll need other things, but right now all we need is food to get us through winters.”

“Hrrm. If it weren’t for how cheerful you lot were, I might actually like you,” Drake muttered under his breath, sending a ripple of laughter through all the apis.

Moments later the worker returned with five other apis accompanying her, two of them with bows, one with a staff, and the remaining all with the usual rapiers that Joy was used to. The worker smiled at them as she said, “We’re ready! Follow us, we’ll lead you to the other intruders. Oh, and we’ll take you places you can walk, even if walking is boring.”

“It’s very appreciated,” Cora replied, smiling wryly at them as she added, “Though I do wish I could fly myself. It would be more convenient!”

The apis giggled, then started heading to the southwest, Joy thought. It was hard to tell, with how the sun was radiating all around them rather than from a single glowing orb, but she thought she was getting used to it.

But mostly she quickly followed Drake, wanting to see if the seal piece really had been taken. That would be bad.

Chapter 31

The apis led them through the Shimmerwood quickly and easily, faster than even Drake had, which seemed to annoy the man inordinately, though Drake kept it to himself as much as possible. Cora couldn’t really blame him, since he was considered one of the leading experts on the Shimmerwood, but she also understood why the apis were able to do so much better. Drake visited the Shimmerwood, but the apis lived here. If they couldn’t navigate it, they’d have died out long before.

That didn’t mean the trip was completely safe, though. They’d run into another pack of ghost wolves along the way, and had only narrowly avoided an encounter with a hill troll, something which had put Cora’s hackles up a lot. If it weren’t for the apis warning them, they wouldn’t have had time to hide before the troll wandered past, a hulking mountain of muscle, claws, and fangs.

“Why were you so scared of the troll?” Joy asked quietly, her head swiveling back and forth regularly as she continued to lead from just behind Drake and the fluttering apis. “It looked mean, but you all hid.”

“Because fighting a hill troll when you aren’t the same level as it is a quick form of suicide,” Brianna replied tartly. “Maybe Drake could’ve hurt it, but we’d have had a terrible time of things.”

“Hurt it? Sure. Kill it? Hah! That’d be the day,” Drake said, snorting softly. “Damned things heal like you can’t believe, unless you use fire on them. Magical fire, I mean, and even that’s a short-lived effect.”

“What?” Joy asked, her confusion growing, and Cora gave the two a chiding look as she spoke.

“You’re just confusing her, so give me a moment,” Cora said reproachfully, and Brianna blushed.

“Sorry, Cora,” Brianna said, looking away.

“It’s fine. Now, trolls can heal from almost anything, Joy. The only thing that slows it down is magical fire, but I don’t have spells that do enough damage to stop it,” Cora explained. “We’d have to take it down, then blast it with fire over and over again until it actually died. The problem is, they’re incredibly strong, and if it got its claws into one of us, it could rip us clean in half. If it was a regular troll, I might be willing to take our chances, but hill trolls are stronger, and that one was level thirty. I don’t think risking our lives over a single wandering monster is worthwhile.”

“Oh! That explains it!” Joy replied, nodding in understanding. “Are those common here?”

“Nope. That one is Old Cragtooth, a nasty bugger that was chased into the Shimmerwood by the army ten years back,” Drake said grimly, shaking his head. “Then he slaughtered the troops chasing him, and he’s rarely left since. He’s not good at navigating the wood, but he’s strong enough to fight almost anything here and win. Except for the rainbow serpents, but they’ve taken to leaving him alone, and he’s not quite stupid enough to keep picking fights with them, damn it.”

“I wondered why something like that was here,” Brianna muttered, at which point Joy paused, spotting a building ahead of them… well, a building of sorts.

She recognized the type of wall that’d been around Bearton and the Tulip Hive, though this one didn’t look quite as nice. The fence was made of sharpened logs that would have been somewhat imposing normally, but a chunk of it had been ripped open and a dozen logs were on the ground or halfway there.

“That doesn’t look good,” Joy said, prompting another snort from Drake.

“Duh,” the man said, pulling out his odd knife again, and started forward. “Let’s find out just how bad this is, shall we?”

“Um, thank you for guiding us!” Joy said, looking up at the apis, and several of them grinned at her.

“You’re welcome!” one said, waving as she started off to the side. “I hope you stop the bad person from releasing that spider! I don’t know if we’ll help, but it sounds bad.”

“Agreed!” Joy called after them, then turned toward the palisade, drawing her rapier as she asked, “Can I fly now, Cora?”

“Sure. Just try not to make yourself into a target,” the elf said, passing her cautiously, her staff at the ready.

“Right!” Joy said, taking flight, and as she did, she noticed that the Shadebough apis were hanging back, guarding the drones. It made complete sense to her, since the entire point of why they’d left the hive was to bring back drones. They wouldn’t take nearly as many risks now, she suspected.

The distortion in the air was far more obvious when flying, Joy noticed almost immediately, as things below her twisted subtly, but it wasn’t enough that she lost track of where things were. It did give her an immediate vantage point to see past the wall, though, and she cringed at the sight. There were numerous tents that had been ripped and torn, sagging close to the ground, and a watchtower in the center of the encampment had collapsed as well. She couldn’t see anyone outside, but she did see a wooden barrier in front of a cave in the hillside, one that reminded her of the glowing doors she’d seen in the Blackstone Mines and Teeming Jungle.

“Um, it was definitely attacked,” Joy said, flying a little lower and looking at the others, with Drake leading the way. “I see a barricade over the cave, but no one is outside.”

“Which means they might still be inside,” Stella said quietly, looking around in worry. “We ought to check on them, but I don’t want to be ambushed by any monsters that are inside.”

“Exactly,” Drake agreed. “Can you look and see if there’s anything around? A lot of the creatures here can’t fly, so you’ve got a bit of an advantage when scouting.”

“Sure!” Joy chirped, and quickly began to fly around the perimeter, though she was careful to keep an eye out for any flying opponents as well. She didn’t want to be ambushed by a giant wasp, since the apis had mentioned destroying a nest. Just because they said they killed them all didn’t mean one hadn’t gotten away, or been away when they attacked.

Circling the area didn’t reveal any danger, though, to Joy’s relief. She did smell a little smoke from inside the cave, though, including some rather nauseating smells, like the food Brianna and Stella preferred. So, when she got back to the others, she spoke up.

“Nothing nasty around that I could see or smell! I did smell fire inside the cave, and they might’ve been cooking? I’m not sure,” Joy reported brightly.

“Cooking? That’s a good sign, I hope,” Drake muttered, moving forward cautiously. “Let’s have a look, shall we?”

Cora nodded, taking a moment to look up at Joy and smile, then slowly began making her way forward, with Brianna covering the rear while Stella watched the right. Considering their formation, Joy shrugged and focused on the left, wanting to make sure all of the directions were covered.

The others picked their way through the wreckage of the camp carefully, and as they went, Joy heard Drake mutter, “Looks like most of the tools are already gone. That’s a good sign… but scavengers have been through. That isn’t good.”

Joy opened her mouth, then shut it again, not wanting to upset the man further. She didn’t understand why he liked being so grumpy, but she wasn’t going to aggravate him. A minute later he reached a spot about thirty feet from the door and stopped, studying it for a moment.

“Hey, anyone alive in there?” Drake called out gruffly.

For a moment there wasn’t a response, then Joy heard some shuffling from inside. A woman replied after a few seconds. “Dad? Dad, is that you?”

“Alley?” Drake asked, looking unusually startled for a moment, then scowled as his face grew dark with anger. “What are you doing in there?”

Joy’s mouth opened in shock as part of the barrier was pulled aside, revealing a young woman with the same brown hair and eyes as Drake, though she was much, much younger than he was, and who was wearing stained clothing. Behind her were several other people, including a man with the ears of a wolf.

“I… I was helping guard the seal fragment,” the young woman said, cringing as she added, “It didn’t go well.”

“You told me you were going to Irador with a caravan! I’ve been worried sick, ever since the caravan went missing!” Drake exploded, sheathing his dagger roughly, and gestured around. “You lied to me?”

“Um, Master Drake… I’m sorry to interrupt, but we are in a bit of a situation here,” another man interrupted, and Drake glared at him.

“I can see that,” Drake said, his teeth grinding together for a moment, then he inhaled slowly and let out the breath. “What happened here?”

“We were guarding the seal chamber, and a giant bluebird attacked. It wrecked the watch tower and killed Ilma before we drove it off,” a priest said, poking his head around the corner, then carefully stepped out of the cave, with some others following him. Joy noticed that none of the people she saw had weapons, which prompted a little worry from her. “Unfortunately, that’s when we were attacked again.”

“Skyfishers?” Joy asked in the momentary pause, at which point a couple of the people stopped and stared at her. One of them opened his mouth, then shut it for a moment. Finally he spoke.

“An apis? Not one of the ones we’ve seen around here… but yes, a bunch of very powerful soldiers from Skyfish Valley attacked us,” the man said, grimacing and shaking his head. “We didn’t stand a chance after the other fight. They knocked us all unconscious, tied us up, and left us in the cave. They even stole our weapons and armor, so once we broke free, we barricaded ourselves in. All except for Ren. He decided to try to get to town to warn the Marquess about what happened and get help for us. I hope he’s alright.”

“Ren? Well, if any of you could get out without weapons, it’s him,” Drake said, his scowl easing ever so slightly, though he was still glowering at the woman he’d called Alley. “I’d give him even odds… but hell, that means you failed, didn’t you?”

There were murmurs of agreement, as well as quite a few of the people looking frustrated, embarrassed, or even terrified… and Joy couldn’t help a wince of her own. If Alethus already had the last piece of the seal, that was really bad. So she turned to Brianna, Cora, and Stella.

“What do we do? If he already has the seal thingy, aren’t we in trouble?” Joy asked nervously.

“Maybe, but if we’re fortunate, it’s going to take him some work to get to the place where he can release the monster. That should give time to try to stop him,” Cora said, biting her lip as she hesitated, then spoke again, worriedly this time. “I just don’t know that we can do much of anything, Joy. He’s incredibly powerful in comparison to us, remember? The last time we ran into Alethus, I almost died, and we barely got away.”

“Sure, but we hurt his army, didn’t we?” Joy pointed out hopefully. “I just… we can’t get the ore to the Shadebough Hive if it gets out, right?”

For a moment the others went silent, and Joy could see Cora wince.

“She’s right,” Stella said softly. “If Alethus succeeds in releasing the spider, we’ll be lucky to escape with our lives, let alone get the ore to the other hive. Not to mention the devastation it’d wreak.”

“Hellfire,” Brianna cursed, running a hand through her hair angrily, then hissed as her gauntlet caught some hairs. The woman scowled, then nodded grudgingly. “Yeah, I guess we don’t have much of a choice. As long as we aren’t going up directly against Alethus, I think we’ll be alright. We took out one of his captains, even if we had a little help from Abigail, so I’m guessing we’d be able to do well against them.”

Joy nodded vigorously and looked at Cora hopefully, and the elf sighed, covering her eyes with her free hand. It looked like she was thinking, and in the background Joy could hear Drake talking to the people they’d rescued. To her, it sounded like he was planning to escort them out of the Shimmerwood as well, though he did sound rather aggravated about the entire situation.

“This is a terrible idea. I don’t see that we have much of a choice, but it’s still a terrible idea,” Cora said grimly, shaking her head as she lowered her hand. “Yes, I agree that we need to help. But my one condition is that we do everything we can not to die, okay?”

“Okay!” Joy chirped, her spirits rising abruptly, and she grinned broadly. “If the apis help, that would be great!”

“Be as that may, we could use you lot’s help getting ready. If we’re going to get back to Clarion before sundown, we’re going to have to move,” Drake barked at them, his scowl so dark that it reminded Joy of thunderclouds.

She giggled at the thought, and Joy nodded happily as she replied. “Okay, what do you need me to do?”

The man paused, looking a little surprised at her response, but Joy didn’t mind. She wanted to help, after all.

Chapter 32

“Ren? What happened to you?” Captain Wilbert demanded, standing up abruptly as a guard helped the man into the room.

Ren looked like he was in terrible condition, with a gash in one arm from what looked like wolf fangs, he was half-covered by mud, and there were numerous scrapes along his face and neck. Still, his green eyes were bright despite his dirt-caked face, and Wilbert could see the barest hint of his curly red hair under the mess. What Ren was wearing was an entirely different question, as was why he was missing any boots or shoes.

“I’d say that was the most adventurous day of my life, sir,” Ren said, limping over to the nearest chair, while the guard helped him into it, a look of concern on his face. “We’ve got a problem, but I imagine you can tell that much.”

“I’m getting that impression… did the bluebird come back or something? Ilma resurrected back in the city and told us about how she died, but we haven’t had anyone else show up,” Wilbert said, his frown growing deeper as he realized that Ren wasn’t in armor, and was unarmed. That didn’t make any sense at all. “What happened?”

“Lord Alethus hit us as soon as we drove off the damned bird. Knocked all of us out, tied us up, and made off with the fragment,” Ren replied flatly, sending a wave of horror through Wilbert. Before he could process, the man continued. “They stole all of our combat gear, but thank the gods they didn’t have a thief with Pickpocketing, or we might’ve lost our coin for resurrections, too. I volunteered to come back and let you know, plus to get someone to pull the others out. It’s been about a day since he hit our camp, and my trip was… unpleasant. I ran into quicksand trying to get away from a pack of ghost wolves, and lost my boots in the process. I swear I found every sharp rock between here and there, and it’s a miracle I didn’t die.”

“Gods above,” Wilbert breathed, his face paling as he considered the consequences, then hissed angrily. “He left you alive to ensure we couldn’t intercept him. Damn him to the hells, he specifically set out to make it impossible to stop him, and even if we do, the damage he’s done… gods above.”

“That’s about what I thought,” Ren replied, nodding slowly as he shifted in his chair. “That said, what about sending a group to rescue the others? We may not have done much good when he ambushed us, but if we can get gear we might be able to do some good against his army.”

“Of course I will,” Wilbert said reflexively, glancing at the window, and his lips pressed together tightly as he saw the angle of the sunlight. “Likely not today, not with how late it is, but we can get a rescue party out first thing in the morning. I don’t want to risk them getting lost in the dark.”

“Can’t blame you there,” Ren admitted, letting out a deep breath. “I swear, I nearly got lost after the wolves, and that was a bad few minutes. I… don’t know that I’m going to be able to go back in there for a while.”

“Nearly dying can do that to you,” Wilbert said, pushing his fear to the back of his mind for the moment and instead focusing on the man in front of him. “How about you visit the healers, then get cleaned up? You need some time to recover, and I suspect that will leave you feeling like a new man.”

“You’re probably right,” Ren admitted, starting to climb to his feet, and the guard helped him up.

Wilbert looked at the guard and said, “Please make sure he makes it to the priests and doesn’t drown? A hot meal and getting him to a bed wouldn’t be amiss, either.”

“I’ll make sure he gets what he needs, sir,” the guard replied, his face solemn as he nodded to Wilbert, then helped Ren to the door, leaving tracks of drying mud behind them. Wilbert didn’t mind the dirt, though, not with everything else he’d learned.

“Gods damn it,” Wilbert muttered at last, shaking his head slowly. He opened his mouth to continue, but he just didn’t have the words, not with fear slowly coursing its way through him.

He’d thought that their best option was to keep Alethus away from the last piece of the seal, but now… now that was a vain hope. Part of him wanted to curse loudly, or smash the desk, but he resisted the urge. It wouldn’t do any good.

Instead, Wilbert pulled out an ink pen and piece of paper, jotting a quick note to Silverhoof, and another to the Marquess, who was out inspecting her own soldiers. They needed to hear about this as soon as possible, no matter how bad the news was.

Sealing the letters, Wilbert rang the bell on his desk, and after a moment one of his guards opened the door, speaking calmly. “Captain?”

“I have two letters here, for the Marquess and Silverhoof,” Wilbert said, looking at the woman in the eyes. “They need to be delivered as quickly as possible. This is urgent.”

The woman’s eyes widened and she straightened, saluting in response. “I’ll see them delivered immediately, sir! Will there be anything else?”

“No. Just… be ready to mobilize. Unless I’m very mistaken, we’ll be leaving tomorrow,” Wilbert said, and the woman visibly swallowed.

“As you say, sir,” the guard said quietly, taking a couple of steps forward to take the letters.

Wilbert said nothing more, simply watching her go… and once the door had shut he rested his head on his hands, his elbows braced against the desk.

“Gods, give us the strength to defeat them,” Wilbert whispered, trying to fight the despair trying to overwhelm him.

* * *

“It isn’t going to be hard to predict his approach at this point. Lord Alethus isn’t even trying to hide, and he doesn’t need to,” Marquess Clarion said, trailing a finger along the map, drawing a line that passed between Clarion and the Shimmerwood, leading toward the shrine to Clarion’s north, which was next to what looked like a gigantic rock formation. “He’s heading straight for the shrine, and he’s got more than enough soldiers to overwhelm us in the field.”

“Is there anywhere we can hit him along the way that’d be advantageous to us?” Silverhoof asked, tugging on his beard as he looked at the map. “Not that I’m seeing any, I’m just wondering if there’s something we missed.”

“Not really,” Wilbert replied unhappily. “If we’d realized he was near Broken Horse, we might have been able to pin his army against the gorge and kept him from taking advantage of his numbers, but he started moving first. There’s lots of broken terrain around Clarion, which is very disadvantageous for knights.”

“Agreed. With him heading straight for the shrine, we have two options to intercept him and not hamstring ourselves, and the only way we’d use the second is if he veers west of Clarion,” the marquess said, shaking her head slowly. “Either we block the path between Clarion and the Shimmerwood, using them to cover our flanks, or we fight him in the Sordan Flats. Of the two, I’d prefer the east, since at least he’d have obstacles on both flanks.”

“Um…” Silverhoof paused, examining the map before nodding grimly, letting go of his beard as he did. “You’re right, those are the best options I can see. What I’d give for a company of centaur archers… we’d be able to winnow him down a little first.”

“If we had them, I’d give you free rein to harass them as much as you wanted,” Wilbert assured the centaur, then paused as Silverhoof frowned at him, and asked, “What did I say?”

“Free rein, really?” Silverhoof demanded, crossing his arms in front of him.

For a moment Wilbert didn’t understand what Silverhoof meant, but the marquess’s glare jarred his mind into motion, and his eyes went wide.

“Oh. Oh! I’m sorry, Guildmaster, I didn’t mean to offend,” Wilbert apologized quickly, flushing. Comparing centaurs to horses was a sure way to anger them. “I’m just too used to dealing with knights.”

For a few seconds Silverhoof glared at him more, then the Guildmaster nodded, speaking grudgingly. “Apology accepted. However, even if we can’t do that, perhaps some of my adventurers hiding in the edge of the Shimmerwood would be a good idea? We could ambush their flank, even if it is a bit risky.”

“It is, but it might not be a bad idea. If we get apis reinforcements, then maybe—” Marquess Clarion began, but her mouth snapped shut as a knock sounded on the door, and the woman pulled away from the table turning to glare at the door and ask, “What is it?”

“My apologies, milady, but word has come from the gates that the adventurers have returned from the Shimmerwood. They’re also accompanied by the survivors of the encampment,” a man replied, his voice somewhat muffled by the thick door.

The marquess’s eyebrows rose as she looked at Wilbert and Silverhoof, then she smiled slightly. “Well, at least something useful came of them going into the forest. Hopefully they also convinced the apis as well.”

“Possibly, but we shouldn’t count on it,” Wilbert said, a tiny bit of relief coursing through him, along with hope that he tried to tamp down. Instead he asked, “Shall we ask them here to check?”

“Certainly,” the marquess agreed, stepping over to the door and opening it. On the other side was a messenger, one with a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. Wilbert imagined that was from running the message from the gates. The man stood at attention at the sight of them, and Marquess Clarion cleared her throat.

“Please send a request for the adventurers to join us here as soon as they are able. We wish to know what the results of their journey were,” she said, her tone severe, and the man saluted, bowing deeply.

“I will go at once, milady!” the man replied, and turned to dash off.

Closing the door, the marquess turned back to them, continuing. “Now, then, if we have apis reinforcements, having a front in the Shimmerwood makes sense, but I’m not sure if it would be the best use of our resources. How about…”

* * *

Cora glanced at Joy in exasperation as the apis pouted, and she demanded, “Really, what’s so bad about coming to report in, Joy? They need to know what we found out.”

“I wanted to read my book, so I could give more advice to the queen if we visited again,” Joy replied unhappily, her antennae drooping. “We just got back, and the moon isn’t out tonight! That’s when it’s time for a working apis to relax.”

Glancing at a window, Cora had to admit that Joy was right about the time. The sun had sunk beyond the horizon, and even the colors of the sunset were fading. It was late, and Cora’s muscles were aching slightly from the day of travel. At least they’d managed to get everyone to the city with only two ambushes by monsters. The second one had left several injuries across the group, but between Stella and the priest they’d rescued, they’d managed to deal with those. Cora was just happy the lack of equipment hadn’t left the spellcasters among the guards completely helpless.

“Joy, you’re silly,” Brianna said fondly, shaking her head. “You just have the oddest ideas of when to rest. Most people rest when they’re tired.”

Joy stuck her tongue out in response, which prompted Cora to laugh and scold her. “Joy, don’t do that! It’s a bad habit to get into, and I don’t want you to be rude to the marquess.”

The guard leading them was having trouble keeping an impassive expression as well, Cora noticed wryly. Not that she was surprised. Joy’s antics were certainly improving her mood, even under the terrible circumstances.

“Okay,” Joy said, sulking for just a moment more, then snapped back to her usual enthusiasm as she added, “Hopefully this doesn’t take long! I really want to read a little more, there’s so much to learn!”

“We’ll see. Just be patient,” Stella advised kindly, and Joy nodded.

That was when they reached a door with a pair of armored guards, and Cora could just barely hear the rumble of Silverhoof’s voice through it. That relaxed her a little, since at least he could be relied on to keep the nobility from trying to order them around much.

“We’re here to answer the marquess’s summons,” Cora told the guards, inclining her head respectfully.

“Of course,” one of the guards replied, and the man rapped on the door behind him once, then called out, “Milady, your guests have arrived.”

“Send them in,” a severe voice replied, and Cora winced. She didn’t know much about Marquess Clarion, but the little she’d heard indicated that the woman wasn’t fond of levity and was rather cold. That was part of the reason she’d cautioned Joy not to stick out her tongue, to keep from angering the woman who ruled the city they were in, as well as the entire march.

While Cora was thinking, the guards opened the door and Joy stepped in, with Cora immediately on her heels. Cora might not be as knowledgeable about human etiquette as Brianna was, but she wasn’t going to let her go into this alone.

Inside the room were three people around a broad map table, the room illuminated by the dying light outside and lanterns set in front of polished mirrors. The room was relatively bare, save for what Cora assumed was a map case along the wall and a cabinet of drawers, and a carpet beneath the table made it slightly more comfortable-looking. On the table was a map of the region with tiny wooden icons in the shape of soldiers placed here and there on it, particularly in Clarion, while another set of tokens was somewhat to the southeast of the city. That looked foreboding to Cora.

She tore her gaze away from the map to study those around it, though. She already knew Sir Wilbert and Silverhoof, so she focused on the woman in the room and was a little surprised at how ordinary Marquess Clarion was, aside from the hard glint from her eyes and severe expression. Cora would have thought she was a governess or the like in most situations, though the woman wearing full plate rather dissuaded her of that opinion.

“You must be the Marquess! Hello, I’m Joy!” the apis said, bowing deeply and holding it, somewhat to Cora’s surprise, though she quickly followed suit, and heard creaking from behind her as Brianna and Stella did as well.

“Mm, I’ve heard of you, Joy. Rise, all of you,” the marquess said, her voice cool and controlled, and as Cora straightened she saw her make a gesture, and the door closed behind them. The woman examined Joy for a few seconds, then spoke. “Sir Wilbert hired you to make contact with the apis in the Shimmerwood and request their assistance. What was their response?”

“If you’d keep it quick, that would also be appreciated,” Silverhoof rumbled, prompting the marquess to shoot him a glower, but the centaur didn’t seem to mind.

“Okay!” Joy said, tilting her head as she paused, obviously thinking, then nodded. “We went into the forest, found tracks, fought a few times, then met the apis. Their hive doesn’t have a name, but is interesting! I told them what was going on and asked for their help. The queen said she would have to think about it and would decide in a day or two. They told us that the guards around the seal thingy were attacked, so we went to check on them, and escorted them out of the forest. Then we came here.”

Joy fell silent at that, folding her hands behind her back and bouncing on her toes as Silverhoof, Sir Wilbert, and the marquess stared at her. When she didn’t say anything more, Sir Wilbert asked, “That’s it? They were going to decide in a day or two? The spider could destroy them utterly!”

“Yes, it could. But they asked me if we could guarantee that the spider would come after them. I couldn’t, and they’d know if I tried to lie, like some other species do. I wouldn’t want to lie, anyway,” Joy replied, her voice still startlingly cheerful. “We’re not in their territory, and neither is the spider, plus they recently fought a giant wasp nest and destroyed it. I don’t know how many of them they lost, how big the hive is, or anything else. They’ll decide, then they’ll carry out their decision.”

“Damn,” Silverhoof muttered, his voice heavy as he looked at the map. “I’d hoped they’d give their assistance, but a day or two… that doesn’t give much time. Even if apis do mobilize quickly.”

“It doesn’t,” Marquess Clarion said, her voice icy as she looked at the map. “The invaders are advancing even now, and we expect to meet them in battle the day after tomorrow. You had best get some rest so you can set out with us—”

“No,” Silverhoof interrupted bluntly, crossing his arms in front of his chest, and Cora cringed a little as she saw the anger flicker across the noblewoman’s face as she looked at the centaur.

“What was that?” Marquess Clarion asked, her voice icy.

“I said no. You have no authority to give them orders,” Silverhoof said, not a hint of give in his voice. “The treaty regarding members of the Adventurer’s Guild that Astonia signed is quite clear. While the guild can be asked to offer generous rewards to adventurers to gain their assistance in battles, the adventurers cannot be compelled into service of any nation. We choose to assist.”

For an instant the tension in the room was as thick as a sheet of ice, but then Cora cleared her throat nervously and spoke. “Ah… to be fair, we already planned on participating. We need the attackers to be driven off as much as any of you.”

The marquess looked at Cora sharply, then nodded. “Good. The army sets out to make preparations at dawn, so I suggest you prepare to set out. It will be an ugly battle.”

“That it will,” Sir Wilbert said, nodding slowly.

“Thank you for your understanding,” Stella said from behind them, and Cora caught a glimpse of her bowing her head and followed suit. Joy imitated her a second later, then they withdrew.

Brianna waited until the door was closed to speak, and when she did, her tone was wry. “Well, that was fun. She’s even more difficult than I’d heard. Yeesh… trying to order around adventurers isn’t the best idea. Even the king doesn’t do that.”

“Stress can do funny things to people,” Cora said, letting out a sigh, then glanced at Joy. “Do you think the apis will make a decision in time?”

“Yep!” Joy chirped, visibly relaxing as she began to retrace the route they’d taken earlier. The guard who’d been their guide quickly moved to take the lead, which amused Cora somewhat. “What it will be, I don’t know, but they’ll make a decision either way. I think they’ll help, but I don’t know.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Cora said, feeling a little more at ease.

“Agreed. Are you still going to read tonight, with us leaving in the morning?” Stella asked, and Joy gave her a grin.

“Of course! I need to learn while I can, and we’ve got a whole day before the Skyfishers get here, from what they said! That’s plenty of time to rest,” Joy replied, prompting a laugh from Cora.

“Well, try not to keep me up, hm?” Cora asked, hugging the apis gently, and Joy giggled, nodding enthusiastically.

It was just a matter of making their way to the inn, then she could rest, Cora knew. For good or ill, they’d see what happened in two days.

Chapter 33

“This doesn’t look good,” Besalk said, the god of luck looking down on the mortal world as he drummed his fingers against the edge of the viewing pool.

“You don’t say?” Xinra replied sarcastically, her gaze piercing as she pointed at the armies arrayed on the battlefield. The goddess of strategy and warfare didn’t look happy at all, which was likely made even worse by some of the others present. “We have a well-prepared army of over seven thousand that’s going to be facing an army of less than four thousand lower-level people. This is going to be a massacre, assuming the apis don’t help. I never thought that I’d be hoping that one of Yonra’s creations would be stepping in, but this looks bad.”

“Agreed,” Ithran said, the dark god of strategy and Xinra’s primary rival, his voice deep and booming as he crossed his arms unhappily. He had dark hair and eyes, and Fayliss often wished he hadn’t ended up on the other side. Regardless of her wishes, he continued. “Oh, I wouldn’t mind him kicking the stuffing out of one of your followers; it’s what he has planned after that that has me concerned. I haven’t seen a single indication of a Hero rising, and if he becomes a Dark Lord, we could have a severe problem.”

“Then do something about it,” Xinra demanded, slapping her hand down on the rim of the pool hard enough that the image of Alethus’s army rippled.

“I can’t. No more than you or Besalk can,” Ithran retorted in annoyance. “If he’d asked me for advice, or my clergy, I’d have advised against it, but the rules are in place for a reason, and unless you think we can convene a full conclave of deities in time to change them, we’re stuck with this. Stop blaming everyone else for when your plans go awry.”

Xinra scowled, but she didn’t have a retort for that, to Fayliss’s relief. Instead, Fayliss mentally focused on her own subject of interest, and couldn’t help a smile at how Joy was poring over the book about gardening. The apis was an enthusiastic reader on the subject, and it made Fayliss happy. As did what the apis were doing.

“I believe the apis will come to the assistance of the defenders. In how much force, I’m uncertain, but if even a quarter of their numbers arrive, it will tilt the balance sharply,” Fayliss said, and paused before continuing. “For that matter… I’m not entirely sure what condition the spider is in, but it’s possible that they could kill it if they threw enough of them at it. Most armies broke and ran before beasts such as it, but the apis are fearless in the defense of their hives.”

That made everyone pause, and Ithran’s gaze grew slightly distant for a few moments. Then he shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. The spider was nearly unscathed, and while the apis could put out its eyes and do a great deal of damage to it, there are only forty thousand of them. They’d be slaughtered in the end.”

“Perhaps, but it would buy Astonia time. With a bit of luck, that could make the difference,” Besalk said hopefully. “I hate to think about what that would do to the hive, but that could make all the difference in the world.”

“Yet it isn’t something I want,” Fayliss said, shuddering at the thought of all the dead bodies. Even now she was a touch disturbed by how strangely the apis reacted to their own dead, but that was their nature. She did hope they’d learn to treat their dead more respectfully, but that was an entirely different subject, not one which affected the balance of power of the entire world. She just found it disturbing how they treated the bodies like meaningless husks.

“Yes, yes, we know, you’re trying to become the patron of the apis,” Xinra replied, rolling her eyes. “But when our fate is at stake, it stands to reason that some sacrifices may have to be made.”

“I may not agree with you often, but here I concur,” Ithran said, prompting a nod from Besalk, and Fayliss’s lips pressed together more tightly.

She didn’t say anything more, not since it was obvious that there was little she could do to change their opinions. Instead, she looked at the pool once more, with the rippling images of a city and an army, and made a decision. Joy may have only prayed to her once, but that was more attention than she’d paid to any other deity. So Fayliss silently stretched out her power and laid a blessing on the apis.

It wasn’t much, and it wouldn’t help in battle. That wasn’t a domain where Fayliss’s power extended, but even so… she had to give Joy something of a fighting chance. Unlike so many other deities, Fayliss was convinced that the apis were going to have a far greater impact on the future than expected.

Why else would Yonra have pushed so hard for their creation? He was a god of chaos, which meant any element he introduced was going to have unpredictable consequences.

* * *

Joy paused in reading the book, tilting her head curiously as an odd perfume swirled around her. It was from a rose, that much she knew, but it was strange, more potent than it should be indoors, and she sniffed once, then twitched her antennae. It hadn’t come from the door or window, and it certainly hadn’t come from Cora, who was sleeping on her bed soundly. No, it’d come from somewhere else entirely, and that puzzled Joy.

Sniffing a couple more times, Joy looked out the window and realized that it was later than she’d thought, with the moon now high in the night sky, and she whispered. “Uh-oh. If I don’t get some rest, Cora will scold me again. I’ll just have to read more later.”

Slipping the ribbon into place, Joy closed her book gently, giving the cover a gentle pat, then blew out the candle with a single, precise breath. Joy didn’t like the candle, but it wasn’t easy to read without it. It made her think she might have to get a magical lantern… or maybe she should just find another piece of luminous titansteel to put in a lamp. Then she stopped and shook her head.

“I’m dumb! I have the core from that elemental thing still, I could use it!” Joy murmured, smiling in amusement as she considered the idea, then froze as she heard Cora stir.

The apis held still while the elf squirmed into a new position, then slowly let herself breathe again. She hadn’t meant to disturb Cora, but apparently she needed to be quieter. And as much as Joy longed to join Cora in bed for the warmth and company, she’d learned that the woman wasn’t comfortable with that.

So instead Joy crept over to her own bed, removing her armor as quietly as she could, then slipped under the covers. The perfume was gone now, she realized. So she quietly murmured. “Must’ve been from someone else passing by… it was nice perfume.”

Then she snuggled into the covers to sleep, falling unconscious in a matter of seconds.

Chapter 34

“This is weird,” Joy said, perching on the waystone, almost looking like an odd sort of gargoyle, with how she was crouched with her knees angled outward beside her.

“Why is it weird?” Cora asked, looking up at Joy in amusement. “I mean, most of us would say you are weird, with how you’re perched up there.”

“Yup,” Brianna agreed, pulling the stem of grass she’d been chewing on out of her mouth and smirking up at Joy. “You’re really odd, Joy. It’s why I enjoy your company so much.”

Ahead of them was the army moving slowly down the road, with even ranks of common soldiers bobbing along, while knights and their horses filed by on their flanks. Above circled a dozen griffins with their riders, and Cora gave them frequent glances. Like most of the adventurers, Brianna, Cora, Joy, and Stella had chosen to let the army take the lead so they didn’t have to deal with quite as much crowding.

Joy simply giggled, nodding ahead of them as she explained. “They’re just so… so disorganized! I’ve seen a bunch of them nearly knock each another over, and the road isn’t that bumpy. I guess they aren’t terrible… but I wouldn’t want to march alongside them.”

“Ah. I’m afraid that not everyone is as instinctively organized as the apis are, Joy,” Cora replied, looking at Brianna in amusement. “Humans, elves… we learn to work together, but even then there’s plenty of room for misunderstandings. Personally, I think that your hives look like complete chaos, even if you get things done quickly. I just can’t see the order to it.”

“Huh. Maybe it’s the lack of pheromones…” Joy said, her tone musing, which prompted a laugh from Stella.

“Regardless, I believe it’s time to get moving,” the priestess interjected gently. “Unless we want to be the last people to the site. I doubt we want to deal with whatever work they’ll push on whoever’s last… no matter what Silverhoof might say, he has to keep the marquess reasonably happy.”

“Too true,” Brianna said, wrinkling her nose. “And if we can keep out of her sight, so much the better. I think today is going to be unpleasant, and tomorrow will be worse.”

Cora’s smile faded, and she nodded grimly as she thought about the battle to come. They didn’t have good odds, that much she knew… but that was also why they’d all made certain to not change their resurrection point away from Irador. If the worst came about, they could always run from there, where they’d have better odds.

That would likely be a death sentence for Joy, though, so it was the last thing Cora wanted to do. Almost as though she knew what Cora was thinking, the apis looked down at her and grinned.

“Let’s go, then!” Joy chirped warmly, launching herself off the waystone vigorously, her wings buzzing loudly as they took control of her flight and guided her to the ground nearly twenty feet away. “The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get rid of those Skyfishers!”

Cora’s worry eased, and she laughed as they began to move. At least Joy didn’t change.

* * *

The wyvern roared as it came in for a landing, and Alethus shielded his face just to be safe. The creature’s wings sent debris flying in every direction, then the ground shook as it touched down heavily. It snarled and snapped once, then settled down as its rider patted the side of the wyvern’s neck and dismounted.

“You have news?” Minna asked impatiently, tapping her foot on the ground as she scowled at the man, and Phillip gave her a lopsided smile.

“Of course! I wouldn’t be back if I didn’t,” the blond man replied breezily, stretching, then bowed his head respectfully to Alethus, his fit figure shrouded in the dark blue leather he favored. “I have returned, my lord.”

“I can see that. How was your flight, Phil?” Alethus said, resisting the urge to smile. Phillip and Minna had never quite seen eye to eye, but as long as they didn’t actively fight he didn’t mind. They didn’t like each other, but at least they respected the other’s skills.

“It was good! Real good, since there are nice thermals in the area,” Phillip said, grinning broadly at Alethus as he straightened. “Better, I was able to spot the enemy moving. I couldn’t get too close, not with their griffin’s patrolling, but it looks like you’re right. I saw at least eight columns of soldiers and horses moving toward the passage between Clarion and the Shimmerwood, and they might’ve been digging pitfalls. I can’t be sure, could be ramparts as well, but I doubt it. They don’t have time to do that right.”

“Hmm,” Alethus mused, exchanging a look with Minna, who frowned.

“Are you certain you want to face them head-on, sir? It wouldn’t be hard to change course to go around the other side of the mountain. At least there it will uncover their flanks,” Minna asked. Behind her, Alethus could see the army continuing to move at the same pace.

Alethus chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, it would. However, it’d also add about a day to our journey, and I’d rather not give the duke or king any more time to respond if I can help it. Destroying their army and releasing the beast is better… and besides, I feel like it’d be a hollow victory if we just released the beast and ran. I need a victory to have a chance at becoming the Dark Lord. That’s why I’m going to cut my way through them and head directly for the shrine while you crush them in detail.”

“As you wish, sir,” Minna conceded, her irritation barely visible, and Alethus laughed again.

“Well, they don’t have much in the way of air support. Twelve griffins that I saw… they might have more, but I doubt it, or they’d be with the army,” Phillip said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “We’ve got three times as many, so even if they’re higher level than us, which I doubt, we should be able to take them down. Then we can bombard their lines from above pretty easily. Should distract their magi.”

“Yes, but you’d likely be taking a lot of fire as well. I don’t want to lose you or any of the others,” Alethus said, grinning at Phillip as he added, “It cost far too much to raise the wyverns and riders!”

“Your concern honors us all, sir,” Phillip replied sardonically, giving an overly exaggerated bow, then his expression sobered. “That said, I completely understand, my lord. It would be dangerous for us, but that’s what we trained for. If we’re not supposed to fight, what’s the point of us having trained at all?”

Alethus looked at the man for a moment, then slowly smiled, pleasantly surprised by the response. Then he nodded, murmuring, “Good man. I don’t disagree, but I’m also not lying about how valuable all of you are. Keep yourselves alive so you can rain death on them for many more years, you hear?”

“Sounds like a plan, sir,” Phillip agreed, grinning broadly again.

“However, the question remains, when do we wish to meet them, sir?” Minna asked, a hint of irritation in her voice as she glared at Phillip. “The majority of our army is human, but I suspect that even more of theirs is.”

“True. Which means the best time to fight them…” Alethus let his voice trail off as he considered, then shrugged. “Dusk tomorrow. That will give us plenty of time to get into position, and they’ll just find it more difficult to deal with as time goes on.”

“As you wish, sir,” Minna said, bowing deeply with a hand on her chest. Phillip followed suit, and Alethus smiled in satisfaction.

“Now, let’s go. They can’t reach us tonight, so I expect the cooks to make the best meal they can,” Alethus said, turning to follow the main column of soldiers. “If they’re going to fight, I’d rather the troops went into it well fed.”

Phillip laughed as he headed back for his wyvern, replying cheerfully. “I can get completely behind that, sir! See you at the camp!”

Alethus chuckled, listening to the dragon growl, then the air blasted against his back as the man took flight again. Alethus watched the wyvern ascend and nodded in satisfaction. Phillip would keep any flying creatures from ambushing them, of that he was certain.

“I wish he was more respectful, sir,” Minna said after a minute, her voice cool.

“Of course you do. You come from a line of knights and always keep proper manners in mind. He was an orphan and bandit and comes from a group whose highest form of respect is how casual they are with one another. You’re opposites,” Alethus replied, his pace casual, yet still fast enough to gain on the soldiers. That was an advantage of being higher level than any of them. “You’re both excellent at your jobs, which is my main concern. Thank you for organizing the army, Minna. I’ll be counting on you to command the army when I leave tomorrow.”

She didn’t reply immediately, which didn’t surprise Alethus. After a minute she spoke, the faintest hint of emotion in Minna’s voice. “I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations, sir. I just wish that you’d let me send people with you.”

Alethus laughed at that, turning to grin at his loyal assistant as he replied, amusement coursing through him. “Oh, I know you do! But you’ll need them more than me, and believe me, none of them would be able to keep up with me, and I’m not even going to teleport!”

“If you say so, milord,” Minna acquiesced, and Alethus turned back to their path.

Tonight was going to be a good night, he thought. And the next day would be even better.

* * *

Joy took a sip of her lemonade and watched the other adventurers, as well as the soldiers beyond them. Her spot on a lower branch of a tree gave her an excellent vantage point to watch from, and it allowed her to see more than just people. The army had split into dozens of encampments, but even so she could see the subtle divisions between them, divisions that most of the others didn’t seem to notice.

The army was made up of predominantly Warriors, from what Brianna had said, and the men and women in it didn’t really like the adventurers, knights, or magi. Conversely, they seemed to be very fond of the priests, who were on good terms with each of the other groups. Probably because they healed people, Joy suspected, but she wasn’t sure. The knights mostly ignored the dislike of the soldiers and stuck to themselves, though a few associated with the adventurers and priests. The magi were mostly sticking to themselves, as were the adventurers, but even among adventurers she could see divisions that seemed to be based on background, level, or experience, and Joy didn’t understand it. She couldn’t see how any army made up of people who were so divided would be able to succeed… but she also acknowledged that she didn’t know that much. She could easily be wrong.

Slightly more comprehensible to her was how different people were dealing with preparing for the next day. Joy saw an archer checking all of his arrows and several bowstrings, while a group of soldiers were playing a game involving dice and coins that kept getting passed around. Some adventurers were telling stories and boasting about what they’d do, while a Shaman had moved to the edge of the camp to watch the stars and meditate. Every one of the humans, elves, dwarves, and other species was unique in a way that Joy wasn’t… and she found she envied them.

Stella was reading the book she’d purchased, the one about Mother Moon, and Joy made a mental note to ask her more about Mother Moon the next time they were in private. After the last time when asking about the goddess had caused Brianna and Stella to get in a fight, Joy didn’t want to ask about her with Brianna around.

Brianna was checking all of her equipment, and had her belt out as she organized potions to make them more easily accessible, something which made Joy’s nose wrinkle. She couldn’t understand why anyone would drink potions, with how they’d turned her stomach. The mere memory of the flavor made Joy’s stomach lurch, and she quickly took a swallow of the lemonade, the pleasant, home-like flavor calming the roiling sensation.

Cora was the one who Joy’s gaze lingered on the most, though. The elf was carefully going over her clothing, cleaning it carefully so that the outer layer of cloth was as perfect as possible, and she showed a deft hand at mending the tears in the fabric, which hid the glowing armor beneath it. A cloth to buff the buttons to a dull shine, the way she cleaned her staff as well, making it look as though it hadn’t been through several combats since it was made… Cora had a ritual all her own, and Joy half-wished she had one of her own. Her armor, daggers, and rapier were all ready, and she didn’t feel nervous about what was coming. Instead, all she felt was… she didn’t know what it was that she felt.

The clip-clop sound told Joy that Silverhoof was approaching, but she didn’t turn to look at him, instead taking another drink, savoring the flavor and glancing up at the stars that were beginning to shine even brighter, now that the sun had gone down. Joy wondered what the stars were, tilting her head… then shrugged and asked the question.

“What are stars? Or the sun, or the moon?” Joy asked, looking over at Silverhoof curiously, which prompted the centaur to blink at her.

“That sounds more like a question for a philosopher, not me,” Silverhoof rumbled in reply, approaching a little closer, his head about level with the leg she had dangling off the branch. “I know they shed light, that they form patterns in the sky, like the Cauldron, the Bow, and others… but what they are? No idea. Some of my people claim that they’re the souls of those who’ve died, looking down on us. I disagree, but only because they don’t seem to be increasing in number. Why do you ask?”

“No reason, really. I’ve just watched them a lot since becoming an apis, and I wondered,” Joy said, taking a sip of her lemonade, then looked down at the Guildmaster, thinking for a few seconds. Then she continued. “Can we win, Guildmaster? With everything I’ve heard… lots of people sound confident, but I remember things. I was one of a dozen bees that fought a wasp before I changed, and four of us died before we killed it. It was bigger and stronger than us, even if we outnumbered it… but here, they outnumber us, and no one has said we’re bigger and stronger.”

Silverhoof didn’t reply, instead reaching down to pluck a stalk of grass from below the tree. He rolled it, then stuck it in his mouth to chew it slowly. Joy didn’t rush him, waiting patiently as she watched Brianna pull out a whetstone for her dagger.

“With most people, I’d reassure them. But you don’t want that, do you?” the centaur said at last.

“Nope. I’ve been in fights where I thought I’d die before,” Joy replied, grinning down at him. “I’m just… curious. I don’t know so many things.”

“Then I’ll give it to you straight. Once we engage the invaders, our chances of winning are slim,” Silverhoof said, letting out a sigh as he shook his head. “Gods… the only reason we have a chance is the same sort of thing as when we fought the ants. If we can take out Alethus and take back the shards, we can get them away from the enemy. They don’t have the numbers to take any major city quickly, so if we could do that, it’d turn things around… but they know that as well as we do. The ants operated on instinct and didn’t realize what we were doing. This time will be different. If the apis come to our aid, that could change the entire course of the battle, though. That’s why I came over to talk to you, to see if you think they will.”

“I don’t know,” Joy said simply, shrugging and swirling her cup thoughtfully, a little surprised by how little lemonade was left in it. She hadn’t thought she’d drunk that much. “I know I would help if I were them, but I’m not. Everyone thinks that we’re all alike, us apis… but we’re not. Hives are different. The Shadebough Hive is more aggressive than the Tulip Hive, and they’re better at hiding. The Tulip Hive is better at building things than the Shadebough Hive. I wasn’t at this hive for long enough to understand them fully, but what I did see… they’re planners. They’re preparing for the future and carefully deciding what is best for them.

“I think that will convince them to help us. I don’t know, though. If they do decide to help us, it could be too late, too,” Joy said, looking at Silverhoof seriously. “Everyone is saying that we might fight the Skyfishers tomorrow. If the apis decide late, the battle could be over. So I don’t know.”

Silverhoof remained silent for a few seconds, watching her, then Joy’s friends. After a minute he sighed again and nodded. “That’s not what I wanted to hear, but at least it’s some hope. If I can catch Alethus one-on-one, or with a few people helping me… I might be able to handle him. I suppose I should just pray to the gods that we prevail.”

That caused Joy to glance at the centaur curiously, then she asked, “Does praying help?”

“Well… I think it does. If nothing else, it makes me feel a little better,” Silverhoof replied, giving her another odd look, then chuckled. “Though I suppose it might seem strange to someone who isn’t religious. I’ll leave you to your night, Joy. I hope you get enough rest, as tomorrow could be quite unpleasant.”

“You too!” Joy told him, then drank the last of the lemonade wistfully. She was running low after the gift to the new apis hive, but Joy wasn’t upset about it. She still had another jar of it left, and plenty of honey.

The sound of Silverhoof’s hooves vanished into the distance, and Joy debated for a few seconds before levering herself off the branch and dropping to the ground. With a flutter of her wings Joy landed lightly, then headed back for the tiny camp where her friends were waiting.

“Did you have a good conversation with the Guildmaster?” Stella asked idly, a finger slowly moving down the page of her book.

“I think so! He just wanted to know how likely I thought it was that the apis would come help,” Joy replied happily, plopping down next to Cora. “How’s your book?”

“Mostly the same as the ones back home, with a few minor differences so far,” Stella said, looking up and smiling wryly. “I’m mostly amused at how calm you seem to be. We could die tomorrow, you know.”

“Bearton could have been attacked by wasps and we could’ve been eaten. A wall could have fallen on us. I could have dodged the manti-thingy’s spike too slowly. There are lots of times when I could have died. That’s how we met!” Joy replied, grinning broadly at the human. “I’m not dead yet, and I want to enjoy myself! Even if being downwind of the army smells terrible.”

All three women laughed, and Brianna nodded, setting the whetstone aside as she murmured, “Entirely agreed, and if I can smell it, I don’t envy you. You have a point, though. I’m not sure if I can keep myself from worrying, but I’ll try.”

Cora nodded, propping her staff against her tent as she looked around the campfire at Joy, then at Brianna and Stella. Joy tilted her head curiously, and the blonde elf smiled back at her.

“I was just thinking… tomorrow is going to be difficult. Yes, we might die, but we’re going to do our best not to. Promise?” Cora asked, offering her hand to Brianna, who was to her left, and Joy to her right.

Joy took her hand, while Brianna laughed and did the same, extending a hand to Stella. Joy belatedly followed her example, while Stella smiled and closed her book, then took each of their hands.

“I promise,” Stella said simply, Brianna rolled her eyes in response.

“Can’t we put a little more enthusiasm into this? Let’s not just survive, but win,” the human said, sounding incredibly determined.

“Sure! Let’s kick some Skyfishers all the way back to their valley!” Joy said, grinning broadly. “Then we can get the ore and leave!”

Cora’s smile made Joy even happier, and the woman murmured, “That sounds like an excellent plan to me.”

Chapter 35

“Still no apis,” Marquess Clarion said grimly, her gaze fixed on the army that was approaching.

Sir Wilbert nodded, resisting the urge to ensure his sword was easy to draw. As unhappy as he might be, their opponents were at least an hour away from being able to attack them, and he didn’t want to make the soldiers even more nervous.

The opposing army was an imposing one; even Sir Wilbert had to admit that. Lord Alethus’s pennant was a black shield on dark blue, with a silver trident over the shield, and his army mirrored the colors, with most of them wearing black or blue armor. It was sinister-looking, and made worse by the orderly contingents of trolls, a few giants, and mingled species that made up much of his army. Even more worrying were the war beasts and three dozen wyvern riders, which would make holding their lines much more difficult.

It didn’t help to have known how outmatched they were to begin with, not with the consequences of failure looming large in the back of Wilbert’s mind. He had family in Irador, and if the apocalypse spider escaped… the thought made his skin crawl, and reinforced his determination as well. He hoped that the knights felt the same, but unfortunately he couldn’t guarantee that.

“I’d hoped they’d come, but… it seems we’re going to have to do this on our own,” Wilbert said, trying to work out the knot he could feel in the middle of his back.

“Which is what I expected,” the marquess replied coolly. “Never rely on those you don’t know personally. You are only setting yourself up for disappointment. Besides, we already planned for this, so you’d best go. We have to draw out Alethus for Silverhoof.”

“Yes, Lady Clarion,” Wilbert acknowledged, bowing at the waist before her, then he turned to leave.

As he moved, he glanced at the makeshift earthen ramparts protecting the regular soldiers and wished they’d been able to do more than build the short pits and mounds, and to adorn them with something better than common stakes. It would help, but it wouldn’t be enough to even the odds.

No, too many of those present were going to die, Wilbert knew. Some of those wouldn’t have the good fortune to resurrect… and even if they did, if the spider was released their chances of escaping its wrath were minimal at best.

“Gods, protect us from the coming shadows,” Wilbert murmured softly, keeping quiet enough that he hoped no one else heard him.

* * *

“Looks like they did their best to set up a welcome for us,” Alethus said, a cold smile on his face as he surveyed the field ahead of them, a field which had the long shadow of the mountain slowly covering it as the sun sank from the sky.

The ground was a little rocky, but not enough that it would cause problems for the Astonian cavalry, which were flanking the modestly fortified area where the bulk of the enemy army was. About two hundred to three hundred knights were on either side of the defenses, and while Alethus couldn’t see past them to be sure, he suspected that priests and magi were behind each block of soldiers, ready to use their spells offensively or defensively.

“The question is… where are the adventurers?” Alethus murmured after a few moments, scanning the lines, then glancing toward Clarion, which was somewhat distant but visible, and the Shimmerwood. “They could be prepared to sally from the city, in the forest… or they could be behind the main lines, prepared to reinforce the soldiers when things get tough.”

“I’d guess a combination, my lord. Or they might have prepared to punch down the middle once we’ve engaged, to try to get to you,” Minna said, looking back and forth cautiously. “I intend to have four companies guard each of our flanks, and keep the trolls in reserve to deal with any trouble spots.”

“That’s your prerogative, general,” Alethus said, looking at her as he smirked. “As long as you’re cautious, I’m sure you’ll be able to tear them apart. Engage at your discretion. I’ll be heading out shortly.”

“As you wish, my lord. I wish you luck,” Minna replied, bowing her head respectfully, and she gave him a rare smile as she added, “I look forward to hearing of how you succeeded.”

“And I look forward to hearing about your success,” Alethus replied, laughing loudly for a moment, then he leaned forward and gave her a brief kiss. Minna stiffened slightly, then relaxed into it, a hint of red rising in her cheeks.

When he broke off the kiss, Minna cleared her throat and asked, “Is that really the sort of example you want to set before battle, sir?”

Chuckling, Alethus shrugged, glancing around the ranks of soldiers before he replied, his tone slightly wicked this time. “I somehow doubt it’s going to cause discipline problems, not when everyone knows perfectly well that you’ll crush them if they step out of line. Do me proud, Minna.”

And with that he started toward the front lines at a steady pace, his smile widening as he moved.

Alethus had been waiting for this day for years.

Chapter 36

Joy wrinkled her nose and moved from one branch to another, trying to mitigate the smell of the dead wolves. She didn’t know why they’d attacked such a large group of adventurers, but being downwind wasn’t pleasant. Her group was toward the middle of the adventurers, who’d spread themselves over a broad area of the forest edge, so she couldn’t move much, not without drawing an annoyed glance from Silverhoof.

Moving did reduce the stench a little, to Joy’s relief. She settled down, watching as the Skyfisher army slowly moved forward, and Joy couldn’t help frowning, since the armies were very mismatched in some ways. To their right was Duke Dorma’s army, which was made up almost entirely of humans, with a few members of other species among them, and the horse-mounted knights.

On the other side of the field, the Skyfishers had very different creatures with them. There were a couple of lizard-like creatures wreathed in fire, several stone elementals, what looked like a bull made of solid stone, a dozen oversized rodents the size of a wagon, and the flying lizards that Cora had called wyverns, and that didn’t even consider the huge creatures with the army that reminded Joy of the ogre they’d barely avoided in the Shimmerwood. The biggest difference was that instead of wielding a tree trunk, these ones were wielding maces like Stella’s. Huge, spikey maces that looked like they could squash Joy with a single swipe.

“That looks bad,” Joy said at last, looking at the flying creatures as well. “They have even more flying monsters than I thought they would. The griffins might have a bad day.”

“Yeah, unless the magi can shoot them down… but I’m guessing the bad guys have magi of their own, if they came here,” Brianna agreed, looking over the tree she’d crouched behind warily. The woman drummed her fingers on the tree, considering before she added, “Hitting them in the flank is not going to be fun, with some of what I’m seeing. Still, we should be able to do a lot of damage. I hope we can, anyway.”

“I’m sure that we’re capable of that. We’ve fought them before,” Stella said, her voice cool and unruffled, almost serenity incarnate.

“Maybe, but… wait, is that…” Cora began, but her voice trailed off as a figure moved forward out of the Skyfisher army, and Joy perked up.

“That’s him, isn’t it? It’s Alethus!” Joy exclaimed, her eyes widening as the pale-skinned, dark-haired figure began to rush toward the army lines.

“What?” Silverhoof demanded, the centaur straightening abruptly. “What in the hells does he think he’s doing? Everyone, we might be attacking sooner than expected!”

The next moment Alethus sped up, and what happened after that made Joy cringe.

* * *

The first arrows flew at Alethus, and he laughed, suddenly moving at full speed as he channeled mana into his boots, making it almost seem like he was flying. He could fly, but he didn’t feel like making himself into even more of a target than he already was. There was a reason he was targeting a formation that he was fairly sure didn’t have high-level people in it.

Instead, his speed made it so the arrows and bolts landed behind him, then he extended a hand at the line of soldiers ahead of him and spoke calmly, focusing on an unfortunate man in the middle of a formation. “Chain Lightning!”

A bolt of lightning lanced out from his hand at the man, and almost at the same time a glittering shield sprang up in front of the soldiers. The lightning slammed into the barrier and shattered it without even slowing down, then hit its target. The man convulsed and fell, smoking, as the bolt split and hit every other soldier within thirty feet of him, who staggered and fell to the ground screaming.

Alethus was sure that some of the soldiers had survived, but he grinned broadly at the ripple of terror that swept through the enemy army, as well as the pale faces of those nearest him… including a small cluster of magi and priests. Unfortunately for them, he was practically on top of them before they could react.

“Hell Quake!” he called out, jumping into the air, red magic swirling around his hand, and when he came down in the middle of the broken formation, he slammed his palm into the earth. The magic pulsed outward as the earth began to shake, and seconds later blasts of fire erupted from small fissures that opened, scorching those around him, including the magi blocking his way.

The enemy was beginning to react, but Alethus didn’t give them time to start pinning him down. The two spells had eaten a fair chunk of his mana, so he straightened, pulling a mana potion off his belt and downing it in a single pull, then tossed it aside as he bolted past the army and toward the shrine, laughing victoriously as he did.

Alethus almost hoped that some of the knights or griffin-riders would be foolish enough to chase him, since they wouldn’t last long and it’d make their army’s situation even worse.

* * *

“Uh-oh,” Joy said, her eyes wide, and Silverhoof cursed loudly, then spoke.

“Abigail! You’re in charge of the flanking attack. I’m taking a group after Alethus; he can’t be allowed to release that spider!” Silverhoof barked, glancing at the fire mage, then looked at the two closest groups of adventurers, which included Joy and her friends. “The nine of you are with me. Come on, people, we need to get you horses and to move.”

“But, how’re we supposed to stop something like that?” Brianna protested, even as she stood to follow him, and Silverhoof gave her a grim smile.

“Sorry to say, but sometimes what we need isn’t more power, but a distraction. He’s going to have to use more of his mana to break through the shrine’s defenses, so we might be able to take him down. Now move,” Silverhoof said, and he jerked his head to the north.

Joy sighed, a sudden feeling of foreboding washing over her. This wasn’t going to be good; she could just tell.

Chapter 37

Minna watched coldly as her army slammed into the defenders like waves crashing onto the shore. The knights charged an instant later, and she smiled as they ran into the pikemen and salamanders she’d arranged to meet them. No horse liked fire, and the knights could roast in their armor for all she cared. Beyond that, Lord Alethus had also weakened the enemy’s defensive lines with his attack, so she’d already given the orders to focus on that location.

Glancing up at the sky, she smirked as she saw the griffin-riders fighting the wyverns. She might not like Phillip, but the man was an incredibly skilled warrior when it came to aerial battles. Unfortunately, the griffin-riders looked like they might be higher level… but on the other hand, that wasn’t enough to make up the difference in numbers.

“Those should be dealt with soon enough,” Minna murmured, watching as fireballs and lightning bolts lashed out in either direction, while the magi blocked as many of the attacks as they could on either side. The defenders had a good position, that much Minna had to admit, but it wouldn’t help for much longer.

The wave of fire that erupted from the east and washed over her pikemen made her smile vanish, though. Dozens of adventurers appeared from the forest to hit the flank, and Minna swore under her breath, as she hadn’t been expecting an enormous wave of fire like that to hit them.

“Get the injured out of there! Tenth company, slow the adventurers while the trolls move to reinforce you. Giants, widen that weak point, and don’t let them recover!” Minna snapped, irritated that the enemy had done even that much damage, and the giants began to throw boulders at the soldiers trying to fill in the spot where Alethus had decimated them. Almost as if in response, the first enemy siege engines began throwing ballista bolts and stones at her soldiers, ripping holes in her lines.

Still, it could always be worse, and they’d deal with the enemy if given a little time. She wasn’t going to fail Alethus.

So she watched pitilessly as her former countrymen fell in pools of blood. She’d far rather they knew when to give up, since they were killing her soldiers.

* * *

Wilbert’s mount didn’t want to approach the salamander, and he couldn’t blame it. He didn’t like charging toward a gigantic lizard-like creature covered in fire either, but he didn’t have much choice, not if they were going to have a chance to stop the army. It didn’t help the yawning pit in his stomach when he thought about the demon who’d ripped through their lines effortlessly, but at least he didn’t have much time to dwell on that.

The impact of his lance hitting the salamander slammed Wilbert back in his saddle, and the creature gave a deep, throaty bellow of pain as the weapon ripped deep into it, staggering at the same time that Wilbert dropped the haft. His sword cleared its sheath an instant later and arced through the air, blinding the creature on one side as Wilbert raced past, heat scorching his horse and heating his armor, then he was past the beast and charging at the pikemen following the beast. He hoped the magi would deal with the injured salamander quickly, but as the highest-level knight present, he had to do what he could to thin the enemy numbers.

“Wind Slash!” Wilbert called out, whipping his sword through the air. In its wake a brilliant green wave of energy erupted, lashing out across the battlefield and cutting down over a dozen soldiers in an instant, then it hit something harder.

The energy slammed into the haft of a pike and cracked as it drove the woman back several feet, then the effect shattered, barely leaving a scar on the weapon. The woman wasn’t much different than the rest of the pikemen around her, but Wilbert’s eyes narrowed as she rolled her shoulders and smiled from under her helmet.

“You must be the leader, hm? That means there’ll be a reward for your death,” the woman said, her voice barely audible over the battlefield as she took a combat stance.

“Maybe, but you might have bit off more than you can chew,” Wilbert replied flatly, focusing on the fight in front of him.

If he could deal with some of the commanders, his troops would take fewer losses. He had to deal with this quickly.

The next instant he spurred his mount forward, and he didn’t have time to think.

* * *

“What should we expect?” one of the other adventurers called out, a dwarven man who was in fine clothing similar to Cora’s, though instead of a staff he had several wands sheathed on his belt. The man was riding a horse, much like all the adventurers save for Joy and Silverhoof.

“The shrine has been fortified, so you’ll know it when you see it. I’m hoping that the defenders will have held them off, but I’m not expecting it,” Silverhoof replied, his voice loud as he raced across the countryside. “It’s in a stone amphitheater of sorts, one carved into a hill and completely surrounded by rock. We have to keep him from using the key if we can. Try to distract him, and I’ll do my best to kill him. If we can get the key away from him, try to evacuate it to Clarion.”

Joy was honestly having a difficult time keeping up with the horses, which finally explained to her why people would use them to move around. The only advantage Joy had was her ability to ignore obstacles. She dodged over a tree the others had to circle around, gaining a little more speed, and peered ahead of them. She thought she saw torches from somewhere ahead, but it was hard to tell with the sun setting. She also had to force herself not to look behind her, since they could hear the battle even from here.

“What if he’s used it?” Cora asked, seeming to struggle to make herself heard over the wind. She did not look comfortable on the creature, Joy thought.

“Then we’re screwed, and we need to run as fast and far as we can,” Silverhoof said grimly, his voice slightly strained due to the effort of moving. “It’ll take some time for the seal to release the spider, but there’s no way we’ll get far enough if it comes directly after us. I wish we could reseal it, but none of the merchants had the item necessary, and I couldn’t ask anyone to make the sacrifice involved.”

“What sort of item?” another asked curiously as Joy glanced down at the silver-haired woman. It was a neat hair color she’d never seen on a human before.

“That’s the problem; it can be almost anything with an enormous amount of light-aligned energy. Angel blood, pure holy water from a high temple, a sun-blessed topaz, a light golem core… anything like those. They’re rare, though,” Silverhoof explained. “Trying to find those is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. The Seldrim guild was going to try to find one in the Blackstone Mines—”

“Like a light elemental core?” Joy interrupted, her thoughts leaping to the crystal in her inventory. “I’ve got one!”

Silverhoof nearly tripped, and the centaur slowed slightly, his head whipping around as he demanded. “You have what? How?”

“She ripped it out of a luminous titansteel-laced elemental we were fighting in the Blackstone Mines,” Brianna said, a hint of shock in her voice. “I thought she’d sold it.”

“I forgot about it,” Joy admitted in embarrassment. “I was thinking about turning it into a lantern.”

One of the other adventurers made a choking sound at that, which Joy ignored. People were so strange sometimes.

“Hells, well, maybe there is something to be done, but… no, I still can’t ask anyone to do that. Resealing the monster requires either an enormous number of powerful magi, or someone to give up their life,” Silverhoof said, and before anyone could say anything he added, flatly, “With no chance of resurrecting afterward. So don’t even think about it. We need to stop him first.”

“Uh, we’d better hurry, then,” Joy said, peering ahead of them. “I don’t think the defenders slowed him down much.”

Ahead of them, Joy could see a rocky, flat-topped hill. It had a large hole in the center, along with what looked like a tunnel in the side of it, and beyond it was an enormous rock formation. The rock formation looked odd, but as the sunset’s light played across it, Joy’s blood chilled as she made out the shape of legs.

The legs attached to a central body that was partially embedded in the ground, which was the main reason Joy hadn’t identified it immediately. The central body had to be at least two hundred feet across, and with the legs extended… Joy shuddered, since she suspected the creature could cover almost an entire hive within the spread of its legs. She did not want to see it when it wasn’t stone.

More to the point, below the hill was a palisade with numerous torches next to watch posts, or at least most of them had been watch posts. The gate had been staved in as if hit by a boulder, and one of the posts was half-collapsed and on fire. Joy couldn’t see anyone moving in the camp, which was bad. Really bad.

Silverhoof cursed loudly and redoubled his pace, not talking anymore.

Chapter 38

“He must have rammed the gate,” Brianna said, her words quiet, yet Cora shuddered anyway on seeing the damage that had been done. It reminded her of the horrible cracking sound from when Alethus had thrown Joy into the wall when she stabbed him. She could hardly believe how strong the demon was, and that hadn’t even been intentional. This had been.

The gates had shattered, and in breaking them Alethus had snapped the support of one of the watchtowers, which was now on fire, providing lurid illumination for the scene of horror that was in front of them. Dozens of bodies littered the ground, most of them scorched by lightning or fire, but a few had met a grislier fate. One body of a woman was twisted in death, her skin turned pitch-black and with blood on the ground in front of her, obviously killed by some horrifying poison, while another four had been cut to pieces by a sword. The poison in particular terrified Cora, since she remembered being poisoned by Alethus. Considering this, he’d been toying with her.

Past the small huts which the defenders had built, some of which were burning, there was a doorway leading into the hillside, one with a pair of stone doors that were ajar. The doors were carved with images of what Cora thought were human knights facing a vast spider, and she felt her fear grow just a little more. If the spider escaped, there was no telling how dangerous it would be.

“We don’t have time to check on them, so keep moving!” Silverhoof barked, moving through the devastation without pause. Anger surged through Cora, then faded as she saw the frustration and grief on his face.

“Yes, Guildmaster,” Cora said, quickly dismounting, relief rushing through her as her feet hit the ground. She didn’t like riding horses, and she’d never quite gotten used to the experience. Brianna grabbed the horse’s reins and quickly tied it to a nearby post, though lightly enough the horse could run if needed.

Joy landed by the door, the apis fidgeting as she asked, “Should I go in? I can’t smell much with all the smoke.”

“Once all the others are ready, yes,” Silverhoof said, and Cora winced, hurrying over to the apis.

“How bad is it? For you, I mean,” Cora asked quietly, glancing back as the others hastily secured their horses and pulled out their weapons. They didn’t have much time.

“Oh, not that bad. A lot like the camps, honestly,” Joy said, wrinkling her nose unhappily. “It smells a lot like human meals to me.”

The idea of the smell of charred flesh smelling like Brianna’s food churned Cora’s stomach slightly, but she nodded, opening her mouth to reply, but a little too late as Brianna and Stella approached, along with the others.

“Are you—” Stella began.

Crack!

The sound was like lightning had struck nearby and Cora blanched, as the sky was completely clear. Or it had been, as clouds began to coalesce above them.

“No time. In!” Silverhoof ordered, shoving the doors open to reveal a ten-foot-wide passageway with light coming from the far side.

Brianna and Stella glanced at each other and nodded, and Brianna took the lead on one side, Stella right behind her, while the human warrior with his shield took the lead on the other, Silverhoof right behind him. Cora followed Joy as they started down the hall, and Cora couldn’t help wishing that James and his friends were with them rather than a group of adventurers she didn’t even know.

The hallway seemed both too long and far too short to Cora, and a handful of seconds later they emerged from the tunnel into the amphitheater, if one could call it that. It was closer to a wide, stone pit that had been carved into the middle of a hill, with a sharp upper edge and a view of the night sky. There were a couple of pillars in the middle of the chamber, but Cora’s gaze was drawn by what was on the opposite side of the room.

Carved into the wall was an archway like a door, but inscribed into it were arcane runes that she didn’t recognize, each symbol glowing a dull, throbbing red. In the middle of the door was a receptacle, a circle a little larger than Cora’s hand, and in it was a strange device, one which looked like a disk with an orb in the middle of it, with five holes in the disk. In front of that was what looked like petrified vines extending from the floor to hold a large crystal orb, one that was shining with a dull purple light.

“Crap, where is he?” the dwarven mage asked, taking a step to the right, and Cora tore her gaze away from the objects to search for the demon.

He was nowhere in sight, and Silverhoof cursed, then said, “Fan out! I don’t want him to take us by—”

Cora had just taken a step away when she caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of her eye. She opened her mouth, beginning to speak, but she was just too late.

Alethus dropped from above like a massive bat, his wings extended and his sword out, and his voice boomed loudly in the chamber. “Eviscerating Strike!”

The demon landed right behind Silverhoof, and the Guildmaster began to turn raising his halberd as Alethus’s sword flashed… then stopped as the blood began to spurt. Cora froze in terror as Silverhoof literally fell apart, blood spraying those who were too close, then finally reacted.

“Fire Blast!” Cora snapped out, launching a ball of fire at him, at the same time that two others acted.

“Frost Spike!” the dwarf spat, a note of panic in his voice.

“Crushing—” the warrior began, but that was when Alethus struck.

The demon ignored the two spells, as they practically bounced off his armor, and instead lashed out with each wing while his sword flashed. The blade cut straight through the warrior’s shield and beheaded him, cutting his ability short. The wings hit Cora and the dwarf painfully, launching her to the side, bouncing painfully off the wall, and he spoke.

“The dangerous one is gone; now to deal with the rats,” Alethus said disdainfully, then chuckled before speaking in a commanding tone. “Pheromone Field!”

Pink mist blasted outward from the demon, filling the room, and where it passed the others ground to a halt just as they were beginning to move. When it hit Cora, she’d just barely begun to sit up, and the results were… odd.

Cora’s thoughts slowed down from their panic, as a sense of peace and tranquility fell over her. Two people had died, certainly, but that didn’t affect her, no… she was just fine, and the contentment put a smile on her face as her gaze drifted to Alethus.

She admired the way he looked, content to just look at him, to watch languidly as he straightened, flicking the blood off his sword. The man had paler skin than Cora normally liked, but his dark hair was attractive, as was his confidence… but then he turned to Joy and paused, sending a thread of worry through Cora, though it died as quickly as it appeared.

“Wait… you’re an apis. And you’re with a priestess, a warrior, and a mage,” Alethus said, glancing at Stella, then Brianna and Cora as his eyes narrowed, and he smiled coolly as he looked at Joy a little more closely. “That means you’re the one who caused so much havoc in Bearton. You got Damaris and her entire detachment killed, and you’re the one who lured me into that mink den.”

The demon stepped toward Joy, then took another step, a smile growing on his face, Cora had to admit it was a rather attractive smile, too, staring at him dreamily, and he laughed, reaching up to raise Joy’s chin so she looked him in the eyes. “You know, that actually rather impressed me. You lured someone who could kill you almost effortlessly into a trap that almost killed him. That isn’t going to save you this time, though… unless you choose to serve me. I wonder, what will you choose?”

A hint of dread tried to well up inside Cora, but it died under the contentment smothering her thoughts. That same contentment was part of why she saw what happened next, instead of turning her head away.

Joy’s left hand drew the dagger from its sheath silently, and with as closely as Alethus was studying the apis’s eyes, he never saw it coming before Joy shoved it into his left eye.

“Gah—” Alethus began screaming, then gagged as Joy punched him in the throat.

“Tendon Slice,” Joy stated calmly, her rapier whipping through the air and into a seam of Alethus’s gauntlet, then the man’s sword fell from nerveless fingers. “No. That’s what I choose, because you’re a bad man. You’re worse than a wasp.”

Cora simply watched in contented shock along with everyone else as Joy advanced on a man over twenty levels higher than her without the slightest hint of fear on her face.

Chapter 39

Blood stained the ground, and Wilbert staggered slightly as he blocked an attack from the troll, the force of the impact driving his boots deeper into the dirt while his bones shuddered. He didn’t fall, though, and the troll blinked at him in confusion, just as someone behind him spoke.

“Sir, duck!” a man exclaimed, and Wilbert almost instinctively followed the command.

Metal shrieked as a steel-clad shaft ripped through the troll’s armor and the monster’s body. The ballista bolt barely slowed down as it tore into the enemy lines, and the troll fell as Wilbert straightened again, his blood running cold as he glanced back, seeing the ballista was only a dozen paces behind him, its crew frantically racing to reload.

They’d only been fighting for a handful of minutes, and they’d already been pushed back over fifty yards, Wilbert realized, the enemy now well past the berms they’d laid down, and the sheer number of bodies on the ground was terrible. Wilbert’s hopes were beginning to die, with the way clouds were forming to the north, toward the shrine, coupled with how the battle had been going.

Screams from behind him caused Wilbert to flinch, and he barely caught sight of the ballista being blown apart as a wyvern-riding mage strafed it with a fire spell, sending the crew fleeing. Wilbert didn’t see any of the griffin-riders anymore, and he hadn’t seen a sign of Marquess Clarion since the battle started, save for her banner, which was still waving.

“With me! For Duke Dorma and Astonia!” Wilbert bellowed, shaking off his fear as best he could and charging back into the attackers. Beside him, a dozen other knights and soldiers, and even one adventurer, charged into the battle.

Yet as he moved, Wilbert wondered if he’d lost his nerve, with how his hands were ever so faintly trembling.

That was when the buzzing sensation grew louder, to where he could hear it, and he looked to the east, his eyes widening.

* * *

Minna didn’t have any words as she paused, staring to the east with her mouth slightly agape, shock almost overwhelming her.

She’d read the reports of what had happened in Bearton. Damaris had been extremely open about her failures, as well as everything they’d experienced when facing the apis, yet her reports had only spoken of a few hundred apis throwing themselves into battle. While the apis were fearless in the face of death and incredibly deadly, Minna was confident that her army could take on an equal number of apis without difficulty, even without the ability to fly.

The countless figures she saw above the Shimmerwood weren’t equal in number to her army, though. She couldn’t tell how many of them, not as they were illuminated by the sun’s dying light, but there had to be over ten thousand of them, maybe twenty thousand, rank upon rank of them flying in vertical walls that ascended toward the clouds above, their wings flashing as they caught the light. The sheer number of apis was chilling, and she cleared her throat and called out, “Defensive formation! Apis incoming, watch the air!”

The army shuddered as its advance halted, and Minna saw the wyverns stop chasing the one remaining griffin. They wouldn’t be able to stop the apis, Minna knew, but they’d probably be able to slow them down, as her soldiers started to reorient themselves.

* * *

The queen’s wings were beating much more heavily than any of the other apis, and she looked down on the battlefield curiously. It was different than she imagined, but the smell was a terrible one. That, combined with the clouds above, made her wonder if they weren’t too late. If they were, she’d have to call out the rest of the hive, but for now they had a target.

“Which are the enemies?” the queen asked, and one of the scouts nearby spoke up.

“The ones with the flying lizards, and with all the big monster-things. Not the four-legged mounts, the other ones,” the apis said, her voice bright. “Joy was with them earlier, but one of the others killed people and broke through, so she went chasing them with other people!”

The queen nodded, amused that the apis had determined which side was which by the presence of the foreign apis, but it made more sense than any of the other options. She wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between the factions otherwise.

It also helped that the hive had made their decision nearly unanimously. While some of them were skeptical about the idea of helping non-apis, the idea of a massive spider preying on others in their region when they could stop it horrified the majority of the workers. That was why a full half the hive had come… and why the queen had come herself.

Drawing her rapier, the queen focused on the flying lizards with their riders, as well as the army below, and she pointed at them, the blade gleaming in the final rays of sunlight as it sank beyond the horizon.

“Royal Command, destroy the enemy,” the queen said flatly, and a dusting of glittering gold pheromones and magic exploded out from her to cover the apis who’d accompanied her, covering them in light.

“For the hive!” the apis chorused almost as one, and charged forward at the enemy while the queen hovered, watching pitilessly.

Those who would release a titanic spider on the world deserved no pity.

* * *

“Gods…” Minna breathed, the blood draining from her face as the apis swarmed over Phillip and his wyverns.

No army she’d seen would or could charge dragons without hesitation. They were too dangerous and powerful… yet the apis didn’t even hesitate. The wyverns and their riders fought desperately, taking down as many as a dozen apis in one case before being overwhelmed, but they only took down a handful before being perforated with dozens of arrows and rapiers, while thousands of glowing golden apis flew right past them, descending on her army without a hint of hesitation.

Above them all was a single large apis that glowed more brightly than all the others, a handful of others guarding her. Not that anyone would be able to reach her through the wall of wings, swords, spears, arrows, and magic. Minna ground her teeth together angrily as she unlimbered her axe, tearing her gaze away from the apis leader.

“G-General? Orders?” one of Minna’s assistant’s asked, his voice trembling as he looked into the sky.

“We can’t escape that, so fight with all you have. Maybe you’ll even live,” Minna said, spitting on the ground as she added, “Lord Alethus will avenge us, so do everything you can to honor him.”

“Yes, sir!” the rest of her command team said, preparing their weapons as they waited for the descending wave of death to fall upon them.

Part of Minna wondered if this was how some of the ancient generals of the Kingdoms of Darkness had felt when their opponents had summoned hundreds of angels to battle them, but she dismissed the thought after a moment. It was pointless, and if she was going to die, she was going to take as many enemies with her as she could.

“For the glory of Skyfish Valley! Hellfire Slash!” Minna cried out, swinging her axe viciously, mana surging into it and unleashing a massive blast of fire into the air, one that scorched fifty or more apis from the sky. Minna smiled, but her pleasure faltered as those behind the ones she’d killed just focused on her.

That hadn’t been the reaction she’d expected.

* * *

“Gods above,” Marquess Clarion murmured, unintentionally mirroring Minna’s reaction as she watched the apis. Pain was radiating through her, and her left arm was useless after the troll had crushed it into a pulp, but she was in far better condition than many of her soldiers. Beyond that, the scene before her was enough to make the pain feel like almost nothing.

The apis hadn’t even paused in their assault once they began, no matter how many losses they took. Their magi rained spells on the enemy, barely avoiding their own people, and some of the apis deliberately threw themselves in the way of attacks to allow their sisters to strike fatal blows. The idea of such an army existing only a day’s travel from Clarion chilled her blood, especially since the walls would be useless against them.

“Should we assist the apis, milady?” a man asked quietly, relief in his voice, and the Marquess had to wonder if her reaction was the unusual one, but she banished the thought, focusing on her reply.

“No, I believe the apis have the fight well in hand, and I don’t want them to attack us by mistake,” she told him, turning to the north as she added, “See about tending to the wounded… now we just have to hope that Silverhoof succeeded.”

“Yes, milady!” the man confirmed, saluting promptly as he turned to carry out her orders.

Meanwhile, Marquess Clarion simply wondered which was a greater threat. The apocalypse spider, or the apis?

Chapter 40

Alethus swung at Joy, but between clutching at his throat and the dagger in his eye, Joy was able to duck under it, if just barely. Truth be told, she rather enjoyed the relaxing pheromones he’d emitted, but most of them had no effect on her, since she wasn’t a queen. Mostly, they helped her keep calm even when her friends were worryingly immobile. Instead, Joy spun around as he passed her, and her blade flicked out again, this time at the back of his knees.

“Tendon Slice! Tendon Slice! Oops, that one didn’t work, so…” Joy said as Alethus’s right leg collapsed, but the thin armor on the left held, and she lined up the attack and focused still more. “Penetrating Strike!”

The blast flashed with sizzling white mist as it punched into his leg, and the demon let out an anguished scream, before gasping, face down on the floor, and with an arm starting to lever himself around. “H-how—”

“Oops, can’t let you talk; no spells for you!” Joy said, pouncing over his waist, slamming him painfully into the floor as she did so, and punched him in the throat again, reducing his words to a gurgle. “Throat punch! No, it isn’t an ability, but it sounds like one!”

The apis thrust her sword through the man’s other elbow, with a similar burst of mist and sizzling sound, and his visible eye rolled back in its socket, the man writhing beneath her. Joy looked at him, and decided that she should explain, at least briefly. No matter how angry she was with him, he deserved that much.

“I am, or was, an apis worker. We don’t have the bits for sex, so sex pheromones don’t work on us. I stopped because everyone else stopped, and it seemed to make you lower your guard. You’re like a really, really nasty wasp, so I decided that deceiving you was fair,” Joy said, smiling as she glanced at Brianna, Cora, and Stella a little guiltily. “Sorry for worrying all of you! Anyway, I was going to kill you, but then I realized you’d probably just resurrect. So I’m going to knock you out, and they can imprison you. Good night!”

With that, Joy grabbed the man’s head as he gurgled, obviously trying to protest, and she cringed as she slammed him into the ground several more times until he went limp.

“I hope that didn’t kill him… but he’s high level; I’m sure he has a really hard head,” Joy reasoned, watching Alethus for several seconds to be sure he wasn’t faking like she’d been. He didn’t seem to be, so she shrugged and got up, noting that he was bleeding from the wounds she’d inflicted, but he probably wouldn’t bleed out… and as she looked at the sky, Joy felt the faintest hint of regret over what was coming, and what she knew had to happen. There wasn’t a question of what she was going to do, though. So she turned to her friends.

Level Up: Apis Rogue Level 2—

Joy banished the notification from her mind before it could finish, since it really wasn’t going to matter in a minute.

“I’m sorry,” Joy said simply, giving them a lopsided smile. They looked a little dazed, but at least they hadn’t been hurt in the fight. That comforted Joy, as did the faint scent of an apis queen she smelled on the wind. That was reassuring, so her friends wouldn’t die, at least not as long as the spider didn’t get out.

The confusion in Brianna’s eyes was telling, though Stella seemed to be figuring something out, from the way her confusion gave way to worry. It wasn’t enough to overwhelm the pheromones, though, and Joy let out a sigh and shrug while pulling out the elemental core, looking at Cora as the elf’s worry gave way to panic at the sight of it.

“It’s a choice. One of us, or Clarion, the local hive, and who knows how many other people,” Joy said, and glanced at the other adventurers who were still alive: the dwarf, a half-elven man, a human priestess, and a human woman in dark leather armor. Most of them looked more confused and relieved, which was fair. She didn’t know them, either. Joy continued after a moment, sadly looking at the remains of Silverhoof and the other man who’d died, then pulled her gaze back to her friends. “All of you will live a long, long time. Me, though? I could, if we got the ore to the Shadebough Hive… but I’ve never expected that. If I can keep all of you, and everyone else alive? That’s worth it. It’s easily worth it. Don’t let Alethus get away, alright? It’s been fun!”

With that, Joy took off her backpack and belt pouch, setting them on the ground in front of the others. She wouldn’t need any of them, and she turned to the stone pillar, approaching it and the weird door behind it. She examined them in confusion, glancing up at the storm clouds as she thought.

“Now, how does this work?” Joy asked under her breath, looking at the elemental core, then at the door and orb. After a couple of seconds she shrugged, extending the glowing core to touch the orb, and her eyes went wide as the core flared with light, then dissolved, the light sucked into the orb instantly. “Ooh!”

Light flooded the orb and lanced upward into the sky in a pillar, the blast bursting through the clouds instantly, and the clouds rippled outward as a hole was punched through them and they faded, revealing a star-strewn sky above. The runes on the door changed from a dull red to soft blue, and Joy smiled, though she felt another pang of regret.

“I’m never going to get to finish reading my books,” Joy murmured sadly, turning to the orb, which she suspected was the part that controlled all of this. It made sense, with how the resurrection shrines had a stone at their core.

“Joy, no!” Cora’s voice was startling, and Joy’s gaze jerked upward to see that Cora had dragged herself away from the wall, and the elf was visibly struggling against the effect of the pheromones.

“Cora,” Joy said, looking at her in concern, and the elf paused, her desperation still obvious but restrained for a moment. The fear and worry in her eyes… it hurt, a little, and Joy spoke to her, her faint regrets growing stronger, but she pushed them down. No matter what else, she wasn’t going to leave sad. So she gave the elf a wide smile as she laid her hands on the orb. “I enjoyed my time with you, Cora! Bye!”

The orb flared, and heat surged through Joy’s body. All around her she saw tiny flecks of gold, and she could feel the orb tugging at her essence. Joy let herself flow into the orb, closing her eyes as liquid gold swirled through the air, and she began to sing.

“I’m a bee, I’m a bee, but not a bum-ble-bee…”

* * *

Golden light surged into the night sky, swirling through the air like a liquid as it circled the shrine, and Fayliss silently watched it move while the other gods debated. The magic moved for what seemed like an eternity, then it was drawn upward like it’d been pulled into a funnel, and the magic formed into immense, golden chains. Chains that wrapped around the figure of the apocalypse spider that was slowly turning back into flesh, and the chains tightened harshly, spearing deep into the earth.

The spider’s flesh turned back to stone in a handful of seconds, and as it did so, Fayliss felt a single tear trickle down her cheek.

Chapter 41

“No, no, nonono!” Cora exclaimed, grief overwhelming the sense of contentment chaining her, but it was too late. Far, far too late. The last notes of Joy’s song were still echoing through the chamber, and it felt like someone had reached into Cora’s chest and grabbed her heart.

Joy was illuminated from within, and the last sight of her was as the apis’s body simply… dissolved into motes of light that burst outward in every direction, and that was like the hand had pulled. Cora couldn’t even breathe as Joy’s armor and sword fell to the ground, clanging on the ground. She didn’t react, she couldn’t react as the light above her flared, her eyes fixed on the remnants of her friend… and the tears began welling up in her eyes.

“Not… not like this. Not…” Cora breathed out, anguish overwhelming her as the light in the orb went out, and there was a clicking sound from the carving on the wall. The runes went dark as well when the orb and two halves of the disk popped out, falling to the ground with a heavy clatter, a sound that felt almost as terrible as the ache in her chest.

Joy’s last smile was like a knife, a memory that twisted in Cora’s mind, suffocating her as tears flowed down her cheeks without pause. Unbidden, memories welled up in her mind, of other times with Joy. When she’d come back from shopping with the bright yellow dress that suited her so well. The time Joy had poked her head through the window from the top of the sill, bouncing up and down. And how Joy had pranced along the road, singing happily as she explored the world that Cora took for granted.

“Gods, no. Give her back. Don’t… oh, you bastard,” Cora hissed, her gaze turning to the unconscious body of Alethus, and her sorrow ignited into rage that burned away the last of the contentment. She scrambled to her feet, her voice rising as she exclaimed, “If it weren’t for you, she’d be fine! She’d be here with us as we headed to Bearton, and nothing would have gone wrong. No, she’d never have been in danger at all, because she’d never have used her pure royal jelly! I’m going to—”

As Cora raised her staff to cast a spell, Brianna almost tackled her, dragging Cora backward as she exclaimed, “Cora, no!”

“Let go of me! He’s the one who did all of this, and he should pay—” Cora replied hysterically, struggling against her friend, but her struggles slowed as Stella interrupted, and as she saw the tears on both of their faces.

“I know. I know he did, Cora. He took… he…” Stella sniffled, blinking rapidly as she inhaled, then spoke shakily. “He did take her from us. And by Mother Moon, if it’d bring her back, I’d kill him myself. But it won’t. You heard her, Cora. She left him alive so we could stop him from trying again. If he does… if he comes back he could succeed.”

“Don’t… don’t let her sacrifice be for nothing. Please,” Brianna said, her voice practically a whisper.

“I… but… but she’s… she’s gone,” Cora replied, her rage flickering, then slowly dying as the tears trickled down her cheeks, shock beginning to set in as she stopped struggling.

“I know. And she… she didn’t even hesitate. Gods damn it,” Brianna replied, and that was just a little too much.

Cora sank to the floor, sobbing, and was joined by both of the others. She didn’t care how the other adventurers were watching, still frozen in place by Alethus’s ability.

She’d sacrifice them all to have Joy back… but at the same time she realized Joy wouldn’t want that, and she began to cry even harder.

* * *

“This is different!” Joy said, blinking as she looked around the room. It was a modest-sized room by most human standards, but the walls were covered by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and there wasn’t a door or source of light, despite which she could see clearly. The shelves were filled with scrolls that packed every available bit of space, and Joy was sitting in a chair in front of a broad, scarred desk.

On the other side of the desk was a figure that Joy didn’t recognize. The person, she thought they might be human, with how pale their fingers were, was wearing black robes and their face was shrouded in darkness so deep she couldn’t even make out their eyes or face. In front of them were over a dozen documents, and the figure shifted in place.

“Fortunately, you aren’t the first apis I’ve had to deal with, so I know how to explain this,” the figure said, his voice deep and distinctly male. “I’m Death, and you died, which you know perfectly well. Unlike the others, I can’t simply send you to an appropriate afterlife, not since you decided to make your death so… dramatic. I have requests from twenty-nine deities to send you to their domains. Due to how short your life is, though… that makes the decision harder.”

“Oh? Harder how? Joy asked, her attention snapping to the documents, but her enthusiasm faded slightly as she realized that she didn’t even recognize the letters on them.

“You haven’t had enough time to show which afterlife suits you best, and which you deserve,” Death replied bluntly. “Thus, you need to choose one. I have requests from—”

“Wait a second, please?” Joy interrupted. “Which afterlife will Brianna, Cora, and Stella go to?”

Death paused, his hood shifting slightly as if he was looking at her, then he spoke. “I don’t know. I won’t know until they die.”

“Then I’m not going to choose. Not until they get here,” Joy said, sitting back in her chair and smiling. “Maybe I could help you! I’m a hard worker, and it looks like your shelves need organizing!”

“I don’t need help. I know where everything is,” Death said, a note of exasperation in his voice. “And you are required to choose.”

“No,” Joy replied, turning to look at the shelves doubtfully. “Those look like they’re crumpling, but if you’re sure about the help… can you tell me why we can’t put more than one stack of empty containers in our inventory?”

Death sighed loudly, and Joy giggled.

Chapter 42

Tears streamed down Cora’s face, and she almost dropped the book. She swallowed her sob, her hands shaking as she looked down at the cover and the ribbon marking the place in it.

“I don’t even like gardening,” Cora whispered, grief almost overwhelming her again. She hadn’t been able to return to the room for more than a handful of seconds two days before, as the sight of the books had reduced her to a sobbing mess. She’d paid for an entirely separate room, which had baffled the innkeeper initially.

“You don’t?” Stella asked, tears glittering in her eyes, but the human was more composed than Cora was. Perhaps it was her faith helped, but there was a reason it was Stella helping Cora pack rather than Brianna. Her old friend hadn’t really broken down until after they’d gotten Alethus into custody. Stella continued, distracting Cora from her thoughts as she continued. “I thought elves liked plants.”

“Most elves like plants. Some of us like them well enough, but don’t like taking care of them,” Cora replied, giving a wan smile as she slid the book into her backpack along with the architecture book. “Still, I suppose I’m going to be learning anyway. There isn’t… isn’t much else she left behind.”

“No, there isn’t. Mostly memories,” Stella said, closing her eyes as she inhaled, then let the breath out. “Though she’s left a lot of those.”

“She has. And not just for us,” Cora said, her memory drifting back to the aftermath of the battle, and to their audience with the apis queen.

The queen had listened to their descriptions of what had happened, and she hadn’t interrupted, even when they’d broken down so many times. She’d simply listened patiently through it all, then had stepped forward to lay a hand on Joy’s rapier, drawing it and examining it for a few seconds, then had spoken.

“If a member of our hive had made such a sacrifice, we would have remembered them. We will remember all of those that made the sacrifices today, for they did so to shield the hive from danger. Joy is different,” the queen had said, and Cora had almost retorted angrily, but the woman had continued first. “Joy is different because she sacrificed for another hive. She gave up her future, a hive of her own, to shield everyone else from harm. That is even more impressive than what we did, and for that we will honor her. Know this. Her tale will be passed down to every queen of my hive. I only ask that you remember her as well… but given your reactions, I believe that request is unneeded. You have our sympathies.”

The queen had left after that, but the sight of thousands of apis bowing their heads in the direction of the shrine had shaken Cora. It had also helped assuage her grief, if only a little. In comparison, she didn’t really care about the kind words Marquess Clarion had spoken, words with little substance as far as Cora was concerned. It was the aching gap Joy had left in Cora’s heart that she cared about.

Every hour, she expected Joy to pop around the corner, exclaiming in excitement as she talked about keystones, fertilizer, or some other discovery she’d made. Instead… their days were a little darker, a little gloomier. And Cora hated that, since she knew Joy would disapprove.

“Hey, are you okay in there?” Brianna asked, the faint tremble to her voice audible even through the door.

“We’re just about done. We’ll be out in a moment,” Cora said, looking around the room one more time. She jumped when Stella patted her on the shoulder, and Cora returned the human’s smile, anguish spiking through her yet again. It would fade over time, she was certain… but she doubted it’d ever be easy to think about her friend. Her lovely, enthusiastic friend who’d been just so… so much more than Cora had ever expected.

Cora’s hand found the latch almost without her noticing, and she opened the door, only to pause, a little startled to see Sir Wilbert standing there, out of his armor and in the garb of a simple nobleman. He was next to Brianna and had an awkward smile on his face. At least his sympathy had been unfeigned, so Cora nodded to him, trying to force back her grief.

“My apologies for visiting without notice, but I heard the three of you were leaving today,” Wilbert said, clearing his throat as he shifted from one foot to the other. “I didn’t expect that, since the memorial service is tomorrow.”

“Yes, well, we have ore to deliver to the Shadebough Hive. The sooner they get it, the more secure they’ll be if the army ants return,” Cora replied, forcing a smile onto her face as her back tensed. “It… it’s what she’d want us to do. Besides, the Marquess seemed more worried about the apis than she was about the enemy army.”

Wilbert visibly winced and glanced around, clearing his throat. When he spoke, his tone was quiet enough that Cora doubted anyone else in the area could hear. “Yes, well, you’re not wrong. Unfortunately. I know the duke appreciates what they’ve done, though, so I promise, we’ll see if we can’t find a solution. As a matter of fact, I’m here on the duke’s behalf.”

“Ah,” Stella murmured, and Cora felt her tension ease slightly. “What does His Grace have to say?”

“First off, he asked me to inform you that Silverhoof has recovered in Irador, and is looking forward to giving you a proper reward for what you’ve done. His Grace instructed me to inform you that if you ever need anything, to let him know and he’ll see what he can do,” Wilbert said, and his gaze turned frosty as he added, “He also is ensuring that Alethus isn’t going to be going anywhere. His Grace promises that Alethus is going to live a long, healthy life in the darkest hole he can find for him.”

“Good,” Cora said, her rage burning away much of her grief, and her eyes narrowed as she continued. “And if he ever does escape, I’m going to hunt him down if it’s the last thing I do.”

“We’ll hunt him down,” Brianna said softly. “The maniac killed far too many people. We won’t let him do it again.”

Stella nodded, and Cora felt mingled amusement and grief that this, much like Joy’s previous sacrifice, had united them so thoroughly. It’d certainly given them a goal to strive for, and she wiped her eyes to brush the tears away.

“I’m glad to hear that. In any case, I won’t keep you for any longer. Good luck,” Wilbert said, bowing his head to them.

Cora gave him a faint smile and turned to leave with a heavy heart.

Epilogue

“I don’t care how; I want her out of my waiting room,” Death said, and Fayliss couldn’t help a smile at his tone. She’d never known Death to get so flustered before.

“Can’t you just make a decision for her?” Xinra asked, twirling her wineglass and studying the ruby liquid within it. “You have before.”

“No, because she has too short of a life and did too much in that time. There’s no way to determine her proper destination with all of your interfering,” Death shot back in annoyance. Xinra opened her mouth to retort, but laughter interrupted her.

“It sounds like you need a solution for a single little apis,” Yonra said, the god of chaos standing in the doorway to the discussion hall with a huge grin on his face. “I told you they’d be interesting.”

“Interesting problems, perhaps,” Death said, crossing his arms. “If this becomes common, I’m going to have to ask for the power of summary judgment.”

“I doubt it will come to that,” Assyran said evenly, opening his eyes at last as his gaze drifted across the room. “What occurred with Joy was unusual in the extreme, and a relief for many of us. That has made her fate much more complex, and such shouldn’t occur again. Not easily. The question is, how do we resolve this? We cannot force her on to an unjust afterlife.”

“Which is why I have a solution,” Yonra said, prompting Fayliss to narrow her eyes slightly.

“Oh? What sort of solution is it this time?” Fayliss asked, her tone a touch frosty. “Last time may have worked out well, but I find it hard to trust you.”

“Agreed,” Xinra said instantly. Yonra rolled his eyes as he ambled his way over to a chair and flopped into it.

“So skeptical, aren’t you? My solution is simple enough, though. Why don’t we just offer her a chance to reincarnate?” Yonra suggested, and murmurs of surprise, then approval rippled through the room.

Fayliss blinked, then her lips curved into a half-smile as she glanced at Avelin. Her sister met Fayliss’s gaze and quirked an eyebrow, at which point Fayliss whispered, “Shall we sow a touch of chaos of our own?”

“Let’s,” Avelin murmured, just as quietly.

None of the others seemed to notice as their fingers touched under the table, and power bloomed.

* * *

Joy blinked as she looked around the room she’d just appeared in, one that was much, much bigger than the one she’d been in before. It looked a little like the temples that she’d visited before, but instead of statues of the various gods, there were a few dozen people in the room, each of them glowing with power. She even recognized several of them from the temples, and her eyes widened a little. The room was indescribably grand, and she heard a swirling sound behind her.

Glancing back, Joy saw a broad pool of gray water with a swirling whirlpool at its center, but the water was strange, as it didn’t bubble or burble; the water was perfectly smooth until it reached the whirling pool, and something about it felt strange to Joy. Still, she looked away after a moment, smiling at the various deities.

“Hi, I’m Joy! You’re all gods, right? It’s nice to meet you!” Joy said, smiling at them as she tilted her head. “Why am I here, though? I thought I was stuck in Death’s room until I made a decision.”

“Which you should have already made already,” Death muttered.

In the back row, Joy saw a human woman with roses in her bright purple hair sitting next to a pale elven woman with dark hair, both of them gorgeous beyond words. The human looked like Fayliss, and she gave Joy a smile and waved slightly, which Joy returned, a little stunned to see her looking so much like her statue. She wished she could tell Cora about the goddess, which sent a flicker of sadness through Joy.

“We’ve come up with a potential solution to that,” a bearded human man said, drawing Joy’s attention back to the god who was standing closest to her. “See, we can’t have souls just waiting, Joy.”

“I want to go where my friends do,” Joy replied, crossing her arms and settling in place. “If I don’t know ahead of time, I just have to wait.”

“I understand, but that’s why I have a solution,” the man said, grinning at her in a way she didn’t quite trust. “How would you like another chance? To be born again, and a chance to see them again? To live a long, full life?”

“Really?” Joy asked, enthusiasm rushing through her. “I’d love that! Then we could explore the world together!”

“If that’s the case, you just need to enter the pool behind you,” another deity said, the dark-haired man’s voice calm and unruffled. “It will cause you to be reborn as soon as an appropriate body is found.”

Joy hesitated for only an instant, then turned and dove into the water, though she didn’t expect that diving wasn’t as easy as she’d thought it was when watching humans, and she hit with a somewhat painful splash. The water was cool, and Joy shivered as heat was leeched from her body.

“Really? You didn’t even tell her that it’d wipe away her memories, and that she might not come back as an apis?” a woman protested, and Joy suddenly surfaced, panic rushing through her.

“Wait, I didn’t want that!” Joy protested, floundering and splashing inexpertly as she tried to jump into the air, but the water gripped her tightly and was tugging her toward the center. Maybe she should have learned to swim at some point, Joy realized. The problem was that no bee swam, to her knowledge.

“Then you should have chosen an afterlife,” Death said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Joy was about to speak when the elf next to Fayliss spoke, even as she was dragged toward the center of the pool.

“Don’t worry, Joy. My sister and I anticipated this,” the goddess said, a slightly more formal note to her voice.

“Indeed, we knew you’d agree… which is why we’ve both blessed you. You’ll keep your memories, my dear, and you’ll come back as an apis,” Fayliss said, her smile like a blooming rose as she added, “Enjoy the flowers properly, hm?”

Relief rushed through Joy, and she stopped fighting the current as she heard the deity who’d offered her reincarnation demand, a note of panic in his voice, “You did what?”

Then the whirlpool swallowed her, and everything went black.

* * *

For a time everything was dark and warm. Joy couldn’t see, and she ate when she was hungry, and slept when she wasn’t. Then it grew a little brighter, and she was occasionally able to see the shadows of other people. Food grew less prevalent, and she started to feel like she was… confined, or pressing against the walls of somewhere. It was cozy, though, so she didn’t mind.

Not until she ran out of food, though, and woke up at last. Then she snapped fully to consciousness, blinking and squirming. The walls around her were warm but solid, and the light was coming from above, so she squirmed, pressing firmly against the ceiling, and it cracked. She redoubled her efforts, and a moment later the wax gave way, allowing her to pop her head out of the wax cell and take her first breath of fresh air.

In front of her was the small room of an apis hatchery and an apis. The worker smiled at Joy, picking up a wax cup of honey as she spoke, her voice gentle. “Welcome to the world, little one. You must be hungry, so here you are.”

Joy looked at the cup, then up at the woman as she grinned, seeing how tiny her hands were, and she chirped, her voice unusually tiny compared to her memory, “Thanks! Hi, I’m Joy!”

The worker paused at that, and her pheromones gave away her surprise, then she nodded. “So you are. I’ve never had a hatchling speak immediately, let alone one with a name. Let’s get you out of there, and you can explain it to me?”

“Sure!” Joy replied, and raised the bowl to her lips to drink deeply.

She needed to eat so she could grow strong, then she was going to have to train. She checked her level, and paused for an instant then mentally shrugged. She’d expected to be level one, but she had no idea what a ‘gilded apis champion’ was. She’d have to figure it out later, as she had far too many levels to make up, now.

The worker picked Joy up, pulling her out of the cell, and Joy giggled, lowering the bowl as she kicked her legs curiously. This would be fun.

The End

* * *

I felt about like Cora did in the scene with Joy’s death. Despite having expected the scene from all the way back in Sting & Song, the scene hurt like nothing else. Yes, I knew it would be temporary… but she still died. And she sacrificed herself without hesitation, as I knew she would.

Joy is the sort of person I wish I was, in a lot of ways. I don’t wish I was as ruthless as her, mind you! But her bright, sunny nature, her optimism… I wish I could be more like that. She’s an inspiration for me in many ways, an ideal to strive for. And with any luck, there will be many, many more books with her in them.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed Hives & Heroism! It wasn’t the easiest book to write, as I lost my beloved cat Baloo in the middle of it. I think that’s part of the reason Joy’s death was so heart-wrenching for me.

This is not the end, though. I simply have to find a good book to title Apis & Asps!

If you want to find more of my books, you can find them at the following link.

Books by Benjamin Medrano

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Also, if you’d care to review this story, I’d greatly appreciate it! Again, thank you for reading Hives & Heroism.