Selene let out a laugh as Raith flushed red with embarrassment. Thea gave a sharp intake of breath and whirled.

  “What the threaded fuck did you do last night? All you had to do was stay in your room.”

  Raith held up his hands in protest.

  “I thought he was stealing my armor.”

  The Earl frowned as he leaned forward, steepling his fingers.

  “Lord Raith, do you now accuse my court of theft?”

  Selene chuckled again, but Raith didn’t find anything amusing about this situation. From the ashen look on Thea’s face, neither did she. Weaver’s tits, they’d barely just sat down and he was already up to his neck in quicksand.

  [Life in Staccato]

  He felt a stab of guilt that this was Thea’s first introduction to the fae whom she had dreamed so long of meeting. Not counting Zinny, of course.

  Raith went to the desk and started going over his notes. None of the rules Thea had just gone over really seemed to apply, so he looked at the Rights of the Patrician.

  Nope, nope, nope…ah, there we go.

  ‘The Right of Mortal Custom ensures that we may observe our own traditions while in the court.’

  He set the world back in motion, and Selene’s expression went from amused to suspicious in an instant.

  “What did you just do?”

  Shit.

  He didn’t really need to hide his [Divine Skill] anymore, but that didn’t mean it was a good idea to advertise it either. It definitely wasn’t a good idea to lay all his cards on the table for these strange and dangerous fae. The best strategy at the moment seemed to be to ignore the question. Especially since he was walking a tightrope with the Earl at the moment.

  “I am not accusing anyone of theft, sire. But it is the Mortal Custom to knock and receive permission before entering someone’s private chambers.”

  The sluagh’s frown deepened, and he leaned back in his chair. He turned to the nuckelavee who’d accompanied him into the hall.

  “The brownie has insulted our guest. Remove his head and present it to Lord Raith in a basket of roses.”

  The giant fae moved towards the door but Raith held up a hand.

  “That isn’t necessary.”

  The Hollow Earl raised his hand a moment later, and only then did the nuckelavee stop.

  “What is it you request as restitution?”

  Thea nudged him under the table, but he didn’t need the hint. Not asking for something would leave an unacceptable imbalance, but asking too much would obligate him to the Weaver’s only know what. He remembered Selene and her armful of scrolls.

  “Does this castle have a library, sire?”

  “It does.”

  “Would allowing me access to read its contents be fair?”

  “For three hours. And you will remove nothing.”

  Raith smiled internally, but didn’t let it reach his face. He could probably read the entire thing in three hours. It occurred to him that he was speaking with an immortal fae, and better clarify one more thing.

  “Today?”

  The very slight upturn at Selene’s lips told him he’d been right to ask. The Earl was noticeably less pleased.

  “Today. When have concluded our repast, you will be shown to the library.”

  “Then I agree. Three hours in the library, today after breakfast, and nothing may be taken.”

  “An Accord has been struck.”

  Raith felt something akin to the binding of a [Quest] at the words, carrying a different kind weight that was no less real. The Earl resumed his smile, but this time it almost seemed like he meant it.

  “Now that matter is settled, do you and your companions intend to join the ranks of my Forgotten Ones?”

  “Is it required to maintain your hospitality?”

  “Of course not. Nor may I force any mortal into my service.”

  “Then the answer is no. We do not wish to join.”

  The cruel smile widened, and the hairs on the back of Raith’s neck stood up.

  “I see. In that case, we must discuss the matter of payment for your boon.”

  Thea shot up straight in her chair.

  “We requested no boon.” She turned to Raith and narrowed her eyes. “Wait, did you request a boon?”

  “I am certain I did not.”

  That sharp whisper cut across the table, dripping with gleeful malice.

  “Ah, but you did. When you used Remi’s gift to summon my champion. If it was not to become my servant, then it was surely a boon. Have you reconsidered joining us already?”

  Raith looked to Thea, who closed her eyes and hung her head. Nyhm was sitting very still, and Raith knew that he was preparing to fight everyone in this room if he needed to. Unfortunately, that was a fight they couldn’t win. Glancing towards Selene, he saw that she was watching with a carefully neutral expression.

  Raith puffed up his cheeks and blew out a long breath of air. He’d been outmaneuvered before they even sat down. That stuff about the brownie had just been the Earl toying with his prey. There was no way he was subjecting his brother and Thea to the servitude of this monster. Which left only one option.

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  “What is the price of the boon?”

  “Before we discuss that, I’d be remiss in my duties as a host if I kept you any longer from your breakfast. Please, everyone, eat this delightful food.”

  He reached over, stabbed a bite of the maggoty ham and set it on his plate. Cutting it delicately with a knife, he lifted a squirming bite and placed it in his mouth. Without chewing, he closed his eyes and appeared to relish the sensation of writhing maggots on his tongue.

  Raith’s stomach heaved, and Thea let out an audible groan of disgust. Nyhm and Selene, on the other hand, paid their host’s revolting fare no mind at all. They both filled their plates and began to dig in with relish.

  The Hollow Earl opened his eyes and slowly chewed, then furrowed his brows at Raith and Thea.

  “Is the food not to your liking? Forgive me, but I rarely entertain mortals at my table. If my chef has offended I will have him punished.”

  They began immediately piling food on their plates, careful to pick only from the mortal fare.

  “No, it looks delicious.”

  Their host selected a slice of bread. The only parts not black with mold were white and fuzzy with mold. The jam was dark red and spread thickly. Raith had no idea what it was and didn’t want to. He was just happy his sense of smell wasn’t as good as his sight.

  While Thea and Raith politely nibbled at their food, the Earl continued.

  “Countess, I trust your meal is also adequate?”

  He hissed the word ‘Countess’ like an angry cat. She dabbed a napkin at the corners of her lips and nodded curtly.

  “It does not cause offense. If only just.”

  “How delightful. Would you be kind enough to tell these mortals of the reason for your visit?”

  She arched an eyebrow.

  “I hardly think that is appropriate.”

  The Earl’s grin stretched.

  “Ah, but they shall be assisting us in our little mission. They can, after all, go where we are forbidden.”

  The Warden of Borders stared levelly at the Earl for several long moments before offering a slight nod and turning to address Raith.

  “Our esteemed host has unearthed whispers of a giant-kin plot. Rumors within my own demense have lent substance to these whispers. Together, they have allowed us to unearth a scheme that constitutes a dire threat to this realm.”

  She looked each of them in the eye in turn.

  “The formor plan to free the true giants from the godtowers.”

  Raith let out a gasp.

  “If the stories of their power are even half true, that could be a problem.”

  “It is true that a giant is possessed of quite some power, although much less so individually than a dragon. The danger the giants pose is that there are many of them. Worse, they believe it is their right to rule those weaker than themselves. And they won’t enforce their will with diplomats and treaties. Should they be freed, war will follow, and nowhere will be safe until the giants rule all of Tela.”

  “How sure are we that these rumors are true, and what can be done to stop them?”

  The Hollow Earl sat forward and clapped his hands.

  “Already so eager to pay the price for your boon. Isn’t it just marvelous how everything works out?”

  “Wait, we haven’t agreed to anything. What exactly is it you’re asking us to do?”

  The Earl inclined his head towards Selene, who continued.

  “The formorians are sending a team to the city of Tarn to retrieve a powerful artifact.”

  “I have never heard of Tarn,” Thea said.

  “It was once a grand metropolis of the gods. Now what you mortals call a dungeon.”

  “So you want us to enter an active dungeon and fight some elite formor strike team?” Raith chuckled humorlessly. “We don’t have anywhere near the levels to manage either of those things by themselves, let alone both at the same time.”

  Thea held up the stump of her arm.

  “How am I to accomplish such a task like this? Send those two knights back there, along with Gloam. Surely, any one of them is more powerful than the three of us combined.”

  “Ah, but we are forbidden by ancient Accords from entering the cities of the gods,” the Earl whispered. “Just as we are forbidden from entering their towers.”

  Raith shook his head in disbelief. They couldn't possibly be serious about this.

  “Surely you have someone better suited to this mission? Some mortal champions more powerful than us?”

  “The time of the Devoured Moon has only just passed,” Selene said quietly. “Our reach in the mortal realm is but a sliver of light, barely beginning to wax. Only the Earl retains his influence, and his dominion lies not in martial prowess, but memory and misdirection. In better days, we could have summoned true champions.” She leaned forward and addressed the Earl. “But sending these mortals to their deaths is no fair price for a boon.”

  The sluagh frowned and sat back into his chair and steepled his fingers.

  “While I am loath to admit it, perhaps there is some small merit to your point. What do you suggest?”

  She thought for a moment before responding.

  “Provide them with the equipment they will require to survive, including items from your treasury.”

  “I will not allow my treasury to be raided by mortals.”

  Raith paused the world for a moment to digest the reality of this discussion. Was joining the Forgotten Ones really worse than a death sentence? His needed to see what they could negotiate to tip the odds towards surviving this ordeal. After some thinking, he released his [Skill] to another suspicious frown from Selene.

  “Can you make us Forgotten for the duration of this mission? It would enable us to avoid being hunted by the formor or the dungeon’s denizens, who won’t even remember we exist while out of sight. That would significantly enhance our odds of survival.”

  The Earl countered the suggestion with a cutting whisper.

  “They will receive what provision they require, and I shall grace you with my power temporarily. But no one will plunder my relics.” He looked to Selene. “Your king has also commanded you to aid in this. If you wish to give these mortal nobles some further advantage, do it yourself. This is not my burden alone to bear.”

  The Countess turned again to Raith.

  “I will give you what help I may. The decision to pay this boon price is yours.”

  That was not entirely encouraging. He looked towards his companions. Thea’s jaw was clenched and her lips pressed thin.

  “I cannot do it. I’m of no use to you like this.”

  Before Raith could reply, Selene spoke up.

  “If you have no other engagements this morning, might I request some of your time to discuss that issue, little sister? I can make no promises, and I do not have the power to restore your limb. The blade which dealt the blow was cursed, and I can see it's lingering pollution. But perhaps we might find some small light in the darkness.”

  The look on Thea’s face nearly broke Raith’s heart. Unspent tears, held back by fierce anger that she refused to let go of as the only defense against the horror of her injury. He worried the sidhe might give Thea hope and then take it away, for which he would never forgive her. His dearest friend replied in a small voice, so unlike her usual self.

  “Thank you, Countess. I would like that very much.”

  If he turned down this mission now she may not get any help from the Countess. Another thought occurred to Raith.

  “Wait, I have one more thing.”

  The Hollow Earl arched an eyebrow and frowned. He did not speak, but just offered a level gaze that made Raith want to squirm.

  “We need you to get the Assassin’s Guild off my back.”

  Another smile twisted onto the sluagh’s face.

  “I would almost thwart them for the simple pleasure of it. I agree to this addition."

  Another thought occurred to Raith, and he hurriedly spat out.

  "And we need to remember all of this."

  Raith had trouble imagining exactly how it would complicate his life to not remember the conversations that took place within these halls, but he was positive it would be a huge pain in the ass. Raith tensed as the Earl frowned.

  "That request is not a simple matter, and the Rules that govern it may not be so easily cast aside. If you truly wish to remember, you must serve as my intermediaries.”

  “What does that mean, exactly?”

  “Acting as a courier of messages between my empire and the mortals. No more, no less. When your Duke, for example, wishes to purchase information that his spymaster cannot provide, he contacts us through one of our intermediaries. When I wish to deliver a message that cannot be forgotten, it goes through you.”

  “Just words, not deeds?”

  “Only words.”

  "Can you force us into some crazy journey to deliver a message?"

  The Hollow Earl looked offended.

  "My intermediaries serve me willingly and are paid well for their service. Many men would kill for the opportunity to play even the smallest role in my Empire. I cannot force you to do anything, nor would such crude measures be required. It is a service that may be resigned, or taken from you, at any time."

  Raith considered this, while the Earl rested his elbows on the table and leaned in.

  “Well then, do we have an Accord?”

  Raith looked once more to his companions, who each met his eyes and gave a firm nod.

  “We have an Accord.”