We approached Maria more respectfully, she couldn't tell us much about the clothes the Varga siblings would bring back from their chalet. They were thicker, winter clothes, muddy boots, nothing stood out.

  . . .

  Guards allowed us access to the Red Liars headquarters.

  "Look at this." I said pointing to a dry flower in a bowl of potpourri.

  "What is it? I don't recognise that flower."

  "It's called Atropa Belladonna. It can be used to make poison and other things. They cultivate it in mountains between the Noir sea and the Pacsian Sea. Still a large area, but it's something."

  "You know flowers?" Quizzed Isabelle.

  The ones that could kill you...

  "Medicinal ones, yes." I lied.

  "You think Armen will let me practice on Honest Jane?"

  "Torture you mean, if your uncomfortable saying it, you shouldn't do it. Though I have heard it referred to as 'advanced interrogation' if you prefer." I said.

  "Yes, advanced interrogation. I like that. So shall we go see him?"

  "Worth a shot."

  . . .

  Honest Jane was a weeping mess, supposedly good at strategy, planning and matters of money; she wasn't as fearsome as the three Red Liars Isabelle had slain. She insisted she hadn't liked the idea of raiding Xeothea's and had only gone along to make sure the other leader didn't go too far. She seemed genuinely remorseful, all my instincts told me she wasn't acting.

  She insisted she had never even wanted to be part of the gang. She was a grifter and a thief, not pretty enough to be a black widow. She'd been pressured to join and just ended up becoming important to the Red Liars.

  This was what general Armen told us, and we what had observed while allowed to be present during a round of interrogation.

  "She's afraid of the Varga siblings and other gangs, won't tell us anything unless we cut her a deal... tempted to make one. Honestly, I don't want you to go near her, I don't think she deserves your kind of treatment."

  "What can you offer her?" I asked, as Isabelle showed the slightest signs of sulking.

  "Hmm, there are work camps but she wouldn't exactly be safe within this kingdom... hold on." The general mulled over a thought for a moment. "I need to go ask the royal's something, be right back."

  "Be right back" were not truthful words. Me and Isabelle were left loitering around the castle dungeons for about three quarters of an hour.

  "Alright Jane, I have an offer to make you. You can hang tomorrow OR... One of our allied kingdoms will take you. The transfer won't be advertised, select few trusted people will know about it, I won't even tell you now where'll you'll go. In the other kingdom you can even have a new name if you like. For your crimes you'll be worked hard till you're an old lady. Best I can do.

  Jane, look at me. This is a good deal."

  It was a good deal and Jane knew it. She rocked back forth, head hung low before mumbling her acceptance.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The first thing she was asked to tell, so we could leave, was where the Varga chalet was. Best she could come up with was a possible place name she'd heard a few times, plus she'd heard them talk of mountain views, hiking and sledding. It was in another language, she wasn't sure of it. God something she kept saying. I listened to various variations she spat out before asking the general to see maps.

  Goderdzi, near the mountains, a local lord is a keen botanist, herbalists had gathered there, no doubt many gardens around, markets selling potpourri. Four days by foot and sea. The siblings used a horse and cart so maybe two and a half days.

  "If you want to go Isabelle, it's your call, but I think we need to ask Xeothea's for help."

  Backup plus hopefully transport.

  "Harvey. I'm a ranger. Do I want to go hunting in the mountains..." Isabelle's face was the bitchiest I'd ever seen it.

  General Armen wished us a safe journey then headed back to further interrogate Jane. Armed with his copies of the sketches and other intel.

  . . .

  Gwendoline agreed to help straight away. This left us with some time before dinner at the bath house, I acquired replacement throwing knives and perused shops with Isabelle.

  I managed to sneak a purchase while she browsed, outside the store I presented her with a cloak enhancing brooch. It was min lv30 but she'd get there soon. She almost enquired about mine, only to remember 'no questions asked'.

  Isabelle recouped some of her money selling the dark armour she'd bought for stealth in the capitol, she couldn't carry both her regular set and the dark, one had to go. She kept the clothes and aubergine coloured cloak. I pointed out her usual shinier armour could be covered by an oversized shirt or poncho, like her wolf hide one. Her helmet with a ponytail would be more awkward but not impossible to cover.

  She vowed to upgrade all her gear to darker versions using the bounty.

  . . .

  The ferry boat traveled smoothly across the Noir sea, it took over half a day. I used the time to do some tool maintenance. Isabelle had found a huskier woman's tunic, in black, to go over her armour. She busied herself sewing on fabric to create a tall hood to go over her helmet.

  Me and Isabelle were joined by Gwendoline, and escorting her was a lv41 witch called Melody. Melody also knew the language of the kingdom we were heading to.

  Putting reports together, trying to create a timeline, raiders matching the Varga siblings were responsible for several deaths. The brother was the likely cause of much of the damage to the outer wall and building. The sister was the prime suspect for killing a Xeothea warrior so brutally, she could not be revived. Gwendoline, the lv 62 ranger, was out for blood.

  To pass the time Gwendoline told us more about the raid. Seeing the siege turning bad, she ordered magic users to be gathered, barricaded into a room and defended at all costs. They were to save their magic for reviving.

  When the raiders left, they worked quickly, healing only what threatened life, using only the lowest level of revive. The revived would be weak, but they would be alive and that way more could be healed and revived. Xeothea's two clerics were miraculously kept from being taken, many more would not have been revived if they'd been taken.

  The disgusting brutes had shoved and punched Raquel, head of the medical ward, she was too old to take. I gained a lot of respect for Raquel finding out she was barking orders, healing and reviving, while herself suffering from a fractured eye socket and broken bones in her left hand. She took a mana potion and carried on to the point of unconsciousness.

  Xeothea's potion master had been among the taken. Not before she managed to buy herself time, throwing potions at her attackers, she stashed all the healing and revive she could, pouring a weak potion of invisibility over the trunk. The trunk was fading into visibility minutes after the marauders ransacked the room. That trunk saved several of her sister's lives.

  Gwendoline also told us of Trench's fate. It was deemed he had no more useful information, and so he was given a final meal. A kindness far beyond anything the organisation would ever do. More than that, he was taken outside, to feel the grass between his toes. He cried at the setting sun. When the sun dipped below the horizon, five archers aiming at his back, let loose their arrows.

  "Tell me please about the Red Liars, how exactly did you save those women and take down three quite high level villains?" Asked Gwedoline, looking between the two of us..

  "I actually got all the kills, Harvey must have thought it was good experience for me."

  I shook my head at Isabelle's incorrect guess.

  "Oh... how come then?"

  Isabelle's poker face was strong but her voice gave away genuine confusion. I was unsure how to answer.

  Melody misinterpreted my moment of thought. "Aren't you going to explain, why you let this woman do all the work?"

  I shot her an annoyed look that I hoped was sufficient to convey 'shut the fuck up'.

  "Our approach was different."