[GW2] Hero's Dawn

[Merila]

[Hero's Dawn is the origin story of Merila Dorne and the first 'book' in a series of Guild Wars 2 stories centered on her and her friends, titled Legends of Tyria. Chapters will be posted weekly on Fridays/Saturdays.]

Chapter 1 - Defending Shaemoor

The coins clinked softly as she counted out the silver into the old woman's hand. 78, 79, 80. 80 silver. Gods be good, nearly a full gold. She sighed, slipping her much lighter coinpurse back into the small satchel on her hip.

"Thank ye kindly. Now, you keep that bear away from my apiaries, or I'll be calling the Seraph next time," the woman waggled a crooked finger at her.

"Of course, Mrs. Hausen," she nodded before turning and making her way down the path that led from the Hausen homestead to the main road. When she was well out of sight of the house, she put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. After a minute or so, a big black bear ambled out of the nearby undergrowth, loping easily across the grass to her side.

"I hope you're satisfied with yourself, Jeor," Merila scolded, her hands on her hips. "That was practically everything I had saved. And for what? Some honey?" He put a paw over his long muzzle, but she didn't fall for his act. This wasn't the first time the rambunctious bear had caused trouble for the farmers and families who lived on the outskirts of the tiny village of Shaemoor, and it would undoubtedly not be the last. She rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh, "Well, come on, then." He grunted, following her lead. As the two continued back down the dusty path towards the village and the main gate into Divinity's Reach, the capital city of Kryta, her thoughts turned inward.

Merila Dorne was not pessimistic by nature – she thought of herself as a realist. She knew Jeor was restless, just like she was. He had grown too large to be kept in her small house inside the city years ago, so she had been forced to let him roam in the surrounding countryside. He mostly kept to himself, staying away from the human settlements and the other bears. But he'd been making more trips into town lately, causing mayhem and panic whenever he did. He's probably just lonely, she thought.

She had had little time to spend with her furry friend in the woods of Queensdale, the lands that surrounded the capital city. For weeks she had been trying to earn enough extra money to travel to Lion's Arch in time for the midsummer festival. The festivities were practically legendary and she had dreamed of going since she was small. As a result, she had been spending most of her waking hours in Master Brek's tannery, scraping hides and mixing lye until even Jeor couldn't stand the smell of her. But business was not exactly booming, what with the centaur war and all, and she had barely scraped together half of what she needed to make the trip. And now it's all gone, she lamented, just like always.

She had run away from Queen's Heart Orphanage by the time she was six and growing up on the streets of Divinity's Reach, she had almost never had any money at all. What little she could scrounge through begging and thieving was often stolen right back by the thugs that ruled the city's underbelly. She learned quickly to give as good as she got, even if it meant finding herself on the wrong side of the law – anything was better than starving. Her quick hands and sharp tongue earned her respect among the gangs and she eventually developed a reputation as the one to go to if you needed a job done quickly and quietly.

But things changed when she got in over her head with Victoria. A vicious and cruel girl, already the head of a gang at 15, Victoria had been her worst bully for years and was quickly earning the moniker 'Bloody Victoria' for the way she liked to punish those who crossed her. Merila made the mistake of backing out of a job in progress, refusing to rob the very orphanage she had spent her early childhood in; and so the next day, Victoria and her brown-nosing flunky Pete cornered Merila in an alley, threatening to take the lost payment out of the young girl's skin. But Ariana Garret, a tall, blonde, and beautiful young Seraph, had happened by while taking her younger brother Auren to the practice yard. She had intervened, had even offered to train her along with Auren, if Merila wanted.

Merila had only been about ten herself at the time, already deeply distrusting of the armored soldiers that policed the city and surrounding countryside. But the older girl had defended her, something no one but her closest childhood friend had done. Eventually, her desperation overcame her doubts and she asked Ariana to teach her to defend herself.

As she spent more time with the Garret family, and less with the gangs, she developed a better sense of right and wrong. Mr. and Mrs. Garret often fed her and clothed her, treating her like their own daughter even before Merila had given them any reason to do so.

The Garrets were the closest thing to a real family she had, and she was beyond grateful for all they had done for her. She finally quit her gang for good when Ariana went missing, along with the rest of her squad, the Screaming Falcons. Her grief was enough to convince her to cut ties with almost all of her former friends, swearing an oath to Kormir that she would live a life of honesty and service in Ariana's honor.

And she had been trying. Mr. Garret had managed to secure her an apprenticeship at the tannery, and she often helped out around town. She was becoming better known in the area as a capable guide and amateur mapmaker than as a thief. But few of her talents seemed to lend themselves to real financial security, something that almost made her miss her criminal past. At least I can still hunt for food, she reminded herself.

It had been Auren who had suggested she take up the bow after a particularly bad sparring session when she was about 15. As he had aged, Auren had grown easily a foot taller and twice as wide as she, and he was strong and muscular from years of farm work. He overpowered her without effort with swords and it was only her speed that allowed her to escape the worst blows he had to offer. But she took to archery so quickly even the local Seraph were surprised, and after ten years of practicing every day, staging mock battles with Auren and hunting wild game, she was easily the best shot in Kryta. If only I could get out of the kingdom, I might find something more for myself, she sighed, her eyes finding the horizon. But, with all her money gone and nothing to look forward to but the long walk back to her neighborhood, it was hard not to feel defeated.

As the sun began to fade, she eyed the dark clouds gathering high up in the sky. Thunder rumbled off in the distance. Great, now a storm, she thought bitterly to herself. Jeor perked his ears up, a low growl in his throat. She looked down at him, opening her mouth to scold him again, when shouts reached her from the village. She picked up her pace.

Rain had started to fall by the time she made it to the town square. She heard a familiar voice up the road.

"Get to the inn! Please! It's not safe on the streets!"

She jogged over to the tall, blonde man with the square jaw. He was gesturing to the inn a dozen yards down the street, herding the few frightened villagers still out towards its open doors.

"Auren! What's happening?"

The man looked up at the sound of her voice, a small relieved smile on his lips, "Merila! It's centaurs! The Seraph have pushed them back to the garrison, but they've been regrouping. It looks like they're planning a full assault. Come on, Logan's been calling for reinforcements."

She nodded, her hand moving reflexively to grip the bow hanging over her shoulder, pulling it around and over her head. They both knew that Logan Thackeray, captain of the Seraph and a longtime friend of the Garrets, would not be calling for civilian assistance if the situation were not dire. She jogged after him towards the garrison, Jeor at her heels.

One of the Seraph met them at the gate, waving his arms and shouting, "The centaurs are attacking the south gate! If you can fight, get in there! Rally to Captain Thackeray!"

She nodded, not bothering to slow her pace. She pulled an arrow and nocked it, her eyes scanning the skirmish 50 yards ahead of them. Twenty or so Seraph were holding against about a dozen centaur at the south gate, frequently ducking behind shields to avoid the barrage of arrows coming from the centaurs' short bows. Logan stood at the front of the line, his sword a blur as he countered the blows of the centaur directly in front of him.

Auren turned to her, giving her a quick nod and a grim smile before rushing ahead to join the fight, his sword high over his head. She whistled to Jeor, pointing him towards the battle. He streaked forward, a black blur, his roar audible even over the noise of the storm and the attack.

Merila took aim, loosing arrows as quickly as she could draw them. Her eye was good, and she took down two centaur and wounded a third with her first three shots. Just like taking down geese. She was scanning the battle for her next target, an arrow drawn back, ready to fly, when she noticed one of the Tamini warriors rushing through her male allies, making a beeline for Captain Thackeray. Just as Logan turned, his reaction too slow to defend against the centaur's upraised spear, an arrow hit the fighter square in her chest, sending her flying back against her comrades. Logan looked up in surprise, following the path of the arrow with his eyes, back to where Merila stood. She gave him a quick salute, which prompted a smile before he turned to his next opponent.

A soldier on the wall shouted down to the fighters on the ground, "Get ready! There's another wave in-coming."

She glanced up the path leading out from the south gate and her jaw dropped open. A High Sage, easily half again as tall as any of the three dozen compatriots around him, stood across the moat on the nearby hill. Wind swirled around him as he summoned power from deep in the earth. He shouted to them where they stood under the fort gate, his bellow echoing across the bridge, "Pitiful humans. You think you can defeat me?"

Logan shouted back to the gathered fighters as he lead the charge forward, "Take down their leader! Quickly, on me!"

Merila sprinted ahead to follow, her eyes on Logan. They had only made it just across the bridge before they were all blown off their feet. Great boulders, each as large as a person, were spiraling up into the air, lifted by the Sage's power. They swirled together, forming into two giant hands that reached up into the clouds. Nearby debris was lifted up by the wind, spinning high above their heads.

Auren got to his feet a few yards from her, and she heard him mutter to himself, "By all Six Gods, what is that thing?"

Logan shouted over the din, gesturing to the elemental, "Take out those giant hands, and the whole thing will come crashing down! For the queen! Charge!"

She rushed in, bow in hand. As Auren moved forward to shield her, she pulled an arrow back, channeling her power into the long shaft. She held it, focusing her energy, then finally released it. It flew in an arc across the sky, bright with blue-green light, before striking one of the giant hands. A boulder shuddered from the impact before falling to the ground, its magic spent. One down, she thought, readying another arrow.

Merila continued loosing arrows one by one, putting all her power into them. One hand crumbled, it's enchantment broken by her vollies. She was breathing hard, nearly exhausted from the effort. She moved in closer, trying to get a better shot as Auren beat back the few humanoid elementals that came at them on the ground. She was almost directly underneath the remaining hand, steadying her shaking fingers to fire one last arrow, when Auren shouted to her, "Merila, get back! I think it's going to explode!"

A powerful blast shook her, and then the world went black.

[Merila]

Chapter 2 - The Perils of Friendship

Her throbbing head woke her. She opened her eyes, her vision blurry. She tried to sit up, but a gentle hand pressed against her chest and held her firmly against the bed.

"Don't sit up yet, you'll only hurt yourself," came a kind voice.

"Where am I?" she asked, her own voice sounding strange. Her mouth felt hot and dry.

"In the Temple of Dwayna," the voice answered. A mug floated near her face. She reached for it and pulled it to her lips, gulping greedily as the cool water flowed over her parched tongue. As she drank, the priestess continued, "You've been unconscious for three days. You were injured when the elemental exploded. Captain Thackeray brought you here personally," she said; Merila could hear the teasing in her voice.

"Was anyone else hurt badly?" she asked after she had drained the mug.

"Thank Dwayna, no. The rest of the Seraph were able to get behind Captain Thackeray's ward. That Garret lad was only in here a day, but he checked in on you. You'll be alright too, now that you're awake. When your vision has cleared, you can go. I'm sure you have plenty to do. You had quite a few visitors," the priestess smirked.

"Oh?" Merila asked, beginning to feel annoyed by the priestess' attitude.

"Oh yes. Villagers you rescued, some Seraph, and a nervous, shady-looking character who came by every day, but wouldn't give his name."

Merila frowned. Quinn. If he was desperate enough to skulk around the Temple of Dwayna waiting for her to wake up, he must be into something deep, she knew. She had known Quinn forever, or at least as long as she could remember. Another orphan, he had been her most trusted partner in crime. He'd saved her life more times that she could count, and though Quinn did a lot of stupid things – like crossing the wrong people and chickening out at the last minute – he had never betrayed her trust. Things had been strained since she had made her decision to leave the gang, but they did their best to stay friends. She had asked Quinn to get out too, but he wouldn't hear of it. 'The gang is family,' he'd told her, and she couldn't think of anything to say to argue with that. She'd felt that way too, once, and as hard as it was to look the other way when it came to his extralegal activities, she couldn't bring herself to abandon her oldest friend.

But things got a lot more complicated when Two-Blade Pete, the former second-in-command of her old nemesis Victoria, assumed leadership in Merila's absence. The stories Quinn told her of the jobs Pete had been sending them on turned her stomach. It had finally started to get to Quinn – he had been talking lately about getting out too, but she knew better than he did how someone like Pete would take that. She swallowed hard, her mind suddenly full of all the things Pete might do to Quinn if she didn't intervene. She let the priestess fuss about until she was satisfied that Merila hadn't suffered any lasting injury, but as soon as the older woman gave her assent, she had shrugged back into her clothes and was out the door.

–

She made her way as quickly as she could through the merchant district and around to the poor quarter she called home. The streets were narrow and crooked, but she knew them better than she knew herself and, taking a few shortcuts, she was at her front door in minutes. A thick-set young man was leaning against her porch, his black hair trimmed almost down to his scalp, his dusty blue coat bearing a few new holes in need of patching. He might have been handsome if he had wider-set eyes and his nose didn't jut out to the right, having been broken a few too many times. He looked up and licked his thin lips nervously as she approached.

"Hey, there you are. It's great to see you back on your feet. C'mon. Let's go for a drink, to celebrate your good health. I'm buying," he winked at her.

She raised an eyebrow, "You're buying? With what money?"

"I may have come into a little silver. C'mon, nobody likes a nosy drinking buddy."

She sighed. She had known Quinn for years, and not once had he ever 'come into' money in any way that even approached lawfully. But she worried less about how dirty the money was and more about who exactly had been its previous owner. She was about to voice her thoughts when an angry shout came from behind her.

"Quinn! You yellow-bellied cheat, I'm gonna gut you right here and now."

Quinn jumped, thrusting his hands out in front of himself as he backed away, "Wait, wait! What are you so mad about? I didn't do anything," he pleaded, glancing around to realize he had backed himself up against the side of her flat and had no where else to go.

Two-Blade Pete stepped forward menacingly, grabbing Quinn by the collar and pressing a small knife to his throat, "That's the point. You were supposed to back up Riot Alice. But you didn't do anything, and the Widowmakers took her."

Merila cleared her throat, her eyes hard, "Hello, Pete. It's been a while. What's the problem here?"

Pete startled at the sound of her voice, nearly dropping the knife. He gave Quinn another glare before letting go of the young man's collar and turning to Merila, "So, you're back. Just in time to protect your idiot friend again. Problem is: Quinn got one of ours caught by a rival gang. I want Alice back, or I want Quinn's heart on a stick."

She sighed, giving Quinn a hard look, "Alright. We'll get Alice back, then. You said the Widowmakers have her, right? We'll take care of them. And after that," she gestured to Quinn, "Quinn's account is settled. He owes you nothing."

Pete glared at her, his bulbous nose wrinkling in anger. He hated losing leverage, "Fine. You bring Alice to me, and we're square. If you don't," his eyes twinkled evilly, "you both bleed to death in the gutter."

She looked him dead in the eye, "Deal."

Pete laughed mirthlessly before turning and heading back out to the main street. "You know where to find me," he called back to them.

They both watched the back of Pete's head until it had disappeared around the corner. Then Merila turned back to Quinn, thumping him hard on the head.

"What were you thinking? Pulling out on Pete? And going up against the Widowmakers? Have you gone and traded your brain for a Skritt's?"

Quinn flinched, "Ow! Bloody Balthazar, Merila!  It's not my fault the Widowmakers got Alice! I told her to sit tight and wait for me, but when I came back she was gone," he rubbed the spot on his head where she had hit him.

"So of course you just ran rather than go after her."

"And go up against the Widowmakers alone? I ain't that stupid. But c'mon, you said you'd bail me out."

She jabbed a finger into Quinn's chest, "I did, but this is the last time I help you. If you can't clean up your act, it'll be on your head alone," she gave him a hard look. "And it will likely be your head, next time you cross Pete."

He threw his hands up defensively, "Okay, okay. I get it."

"Good. Then, lead the way. I want to get this over with before Pete changes his mind."

[Merila]

Chapter 3 - Paying Dues

Quinn led her through a few back alleys, stopping here and there to check the side streets before continuing on. He held out his hand as he stopped short at a corner, "The Widowmaker's hideout is just around the corner."

"Alright. Do you know the password, or did you just want to burst in there, guns-a-blazing?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest and cocking an eyebrow.

Quinn cursed, "Damn it, I forgot about the password. Any ideas?"

Merila glanced back down the alley in the direction they had come from. A figure in a red cloak was eyeing them. The figure turned quickly looked away when he realized that he had been spotted. Merila narrowed her eyes, "Yeah, one."

Then she darted forward, slipping quickly behind the man and twisting his arm around behind him. She forced him face first up against the brick wall of the alley, pinning his free arm underneath him. He cried out in pain when she twisted the arm behind his back up higher.

"What've we got here? One of the Widowmakers' stoolies, I'd wager," Merila hissed, tightening her hold on the man. She was surprised at how easy it was for her to slip back into her old life.

"What? No! No! I don't have anything to do with them, I swear!" he panted.

"Right. Then why are you carrying one of their pistols, hm?" She asked, her voice almost a snarl. She used her free hand to unholster the gun and waved it in the man's face.

"Alright! Alright! I've been in for a few months, but I didn't have anything to do with kidnapping Alice, alright? I got no problem with Two-Blade Pete!"

"Good!" she said, slamming him into the wall again. He howled as she twisted his arm back up, "Then you shouldn't have any problem telling us the password for the hideout."

"Okay, okay! I don't want any trouble," he gasped. "It's 'Salma's bloomers.'"

With that, Merila released him, and he fell to the ground, cringing as he rubbed feeling back into his arm. She turned her back on him, a look of disdain on her face, then nodded to Quinn, "Alright, you first."

Quinn smiled nervously, then made his way over to the tavern that served as headquarters for the Widowmakers. He knocked on the door.

A small window slot opened, and a gruff voice called out, "Password!"

Quinn did his best to sound casual, "Salma's bloomers. Now open up." When the door creaked open, he rushed in, knife in hand, overpowering the doorman in one quick motion. Merila followed, her sword out. They cleared the room in one quick pass, surprising the collection of thugs with their speed and ferocity. As Quinn gave one of the goons still conscious a quick thump to the head, knocking him back onto the floor, Merila scanned the bar.

"She must be upstairs," she inclined her head towards the stairway before crossing the room to it. Quinn followed.

They burst through the door at the top of the stairs to see Riot Alice tied to a chair in the center of the room.

"Took you long enough, Quinn. They're were getting ready to slice me up like a Wintersday roast. This almost makes up for you getting me caught in the first place. Almost," Alice narrowed her eyes at him while he and Merila quickly untied her ropes.

Quinn affected nonchalance, "Hey, I always clean up my own messes. You were never in any danger."

Merila sighed, "If you two are quite done, we need to get Alice back to Two-Blade Pete."

Alice nodded, "I'm right behind you. Anywhere's better than here."

They headed back down the stairs and made their way back to Pete's turf. Quinn sidled up next to Merila, falling in step with her.

"Listen, I'm sorry you got dragged into this, but hey, you're really bailing me out. Thanks," he smiled, trying to be charming.

Merila was unconvinced. "Maybe this time you could pay me back by actually staying out of trouble."

"Oh, c'mon. You wouldn't like me if I was a goody-two-shoes like your pal Auren."

She answered him with a glare, holding it until he wilted under her anger. They continued on in silence until they reached Pete's place.

--

Alice led them inside and around to where Pete sat at the bar, two empty mugs and one half-full one in front of him. He appraised Alice before turning to Quinn and Merila, "Lucky for you, Quinn, you made it. Good thing Alice isn't hurt."

Alice cuffed Pete on the ear, "No thanks to you, Pete. Were you gonna leave me with those goons? I thought you needed me for the apothecary job."

Pete gave her a nasty look, "Shut up about that. Now, as to you, Quinn. You're off the hook for Alice, but as part of the gang, I've still got work for you."

"That wasn't the deal, Pete. We dealt with the Widowmakers, Alice is back, and Quinn's out," Merila growled, her eyes flashing.

Quinn elbowed her sharply in the side, leaning in and whispering, "Don't stir things up. Pete can make things really difficult around here for me. As long as I'm on the streets, I need to cooperate with him."

"Don't be an idiot. Pete's not your friend. He thinks everyone's expendable, especially you. You're just going to get into trouble again."

"Sure, sure. I know that. C'mon, trust me. I just have to stay one step ahead of him," he smiled and winked.

She glared at him, her eyes narrow while she considered. Then she threw up her hands, "All right, if that's what you want. It's your life. But I'm out. Don't come to me when you get in over your head again."

Quinn frowned and looked at her reproachful eyes, "Now, don't be like that."

"I mean it," she crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to look resolute. "I can't keep getting dragged back into this. I'm trying to stay on the right side of the law now. You would do well to do the same."

"I will, I will. I just can't right now, okay?"

She frowned, looking at him with worried eyes. He put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll be okay, promise. I always land on my feet," he winked at her.

She shook her head, sighing. "Alright. Be seeing you, then," she said as she headed back out of the bar.

[Merila]

Chapter 4 - Crime and Punishment

Auren lunged forward, sword drawn. Merila braced herself for the blow, but even with her shield, she was still knocked backward by the force. She yelped when she landed hard on her tailbone, her shield clattering to the ground a few feet away.

"You moved too soon. You won't block me that way - you need to raise your shield just as I launch my attack," he explained patiently.

"I'm no good at this," she despaired.

"You're doing fine," Auren reassured her as he helped her to her feet. He picked the battered shield up, handing it to her, "You just need to work on your stance. Now here, get into position."

She did as he instructed, gripping the shield with her left hand and bending her knees. He came up behind her, using his strong hands to guide her, "Here, you want to bend your knees more, and widen your feet a little. Your legs are your strength and you've got to make them work for you, not against you."

Merila was sure that Auren made a good teacher; she was just a poor student. He had taken over training her in new techniques after Ariana disappeared - Merila had insisted on continuing in the Seraph's absence, as much out of a need to stay busy as anything else - and though she was good when it came to battle tactics and foot work, she was still struggling with the basics of defense. Standing there, waiting for someone to attack you, with only a wall of wood between you and their weapons, seemed idiotic to her. She would much rather evade the attack completely. But she agreed that it was worth at least knowing how.

When he was satisfied that she was in the right stance, he took up his position opposite her, ready to test her blocking again. When he stepped towards her, she thrust her shield forward, catching his blow hard against the wood. The force pushed her backward, but she dug her heels in and managed to stay upright.

"See?" he grinned at her. "No problem."

She lowered her shield and rubbed her shoulder, "Yeah, except you hit like a dolyak. I'll be sore for days."

"No pain, no gain," he told her.

Merila drew a pail of water from the nearby well while Auren put their weapons away. They leaned against the fence that circled the yard, drinking the cool water and resting.

"Still no word on the Falcons?" she asked finally, her voice soft.

Auren shook his head, his eyes sad, "No. Logan's looking into it, but there haven't been many leads."

She nodded. It had been over a week since the Falcon Company had been ambushed. Ariana had not been among the dead recovered, but the more time that passed, the less likely it was that she had escaped the centaurs. She would have come home by now, Merila thought.

"So I saw Quinn at the Temple of Dwayna. He came to visit you?"

Merila sighed, "Yeah, he did."

Auren's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "What did he want this time?"

"What makes you think he wanted something? Maybe he was just worried about me," she retorted, getting defensive. She knew she was being ridiculous - Quinn had only come to get her help, and she had jumped to the same conclusion herself - but it always riled her the way Auren talked about Quinn. Even when he was right. Especially when he's right, she thought angrily.

Auren raised an eyebrow at her, "Uh huh."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. He needed help fixing something with Pete."

"What'd he do this time?"

"He just backed out of a job. Left Riot Alice to take the fall with the Widowmakers. Honestly, I'd rather have him running out on Pete than doing his dirty work."

Auren snorted, "I don't understand why you let him drag you back into that mess."

Her eyes flashed, "You know perfectly well why."

"No, I know what he did for you in the past. I get that that means a lot to you, but what has he done for you recently? Honestly, ask yourself that."

Merila bit her lip, wanting to give him a sharp retort but not being able to think of one. She sighed, "It's not like he's that bad. Quinn's never had the brains to pull anything really devious off."

He shook his head, "Maybe, but he's spineless enough to go along with anything Pete comes up with. And you and I both know how dark Pete can get."

She looked away, trying to keep her frustration and anger in. When she didn't say anything, Auren put a hand on her shoulder, "If Logan didn't know you better, you might not even have gotten the chance to start over. You risk that every time you help him."

"I know," she nodded. "I just can't give up on him."

"Merila, you've given him the chance to change more times than I can count. He's made his choice. Let him go," he pleaded.

She looked into his blue eyes, knowing he was right and wishing with all her heart that she had his strength of conviction. She reached out and gave his hand a squeeze, "Just one more try, okay?"

Auren nodded, returning the warm squeeze. He waved goodbye and made his way through the gate to the small training grounds and back towards the farm.

She stayed leaning against the fence for a few moments, caught up in her thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever truly be free of her former life. She regretted a lot of the choices she had made, but she knew there was no changing them now. All she could do was make better ones moving forward, she knew. I wish Ariana was here. She would know what to do, Merila was sure.

She was still somewhat distracted as she ambled past the gate and around the corner, walking smack into a Seraph.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, steadying herself.

The Seraph's face lit up with recognition, "Miss Dorne! I was just looking for you. Captain Thackeray sent me, he needs to speak to you right away."

She swallowed nervously. Logan didn't often send for her, and admittedly, it was more often for her expertise these days than it was to arrest her. Her inside knowledge of the local gangs had proven extremely useful to the Seraph captain, and so long as she continued to keep her nose clean otherwise, Logan would vouch for her if needed. But she couldn't help but worry that this had something to do with the Widowmakers she and Quinn had left unconscious in the tavern the day before. Sighing, she nodded to the guard, "Of course. Lead the way."

--

Logan was at his desk, finishing up some paperwork when her escort led her into his office. He looked up when she entered, smiling, "Merila, thanks for coming. Not too busy to have a word with me, are you?"

She gave him a tight smile in return, "Of course not, Captain. What do you need?"

He waved a hand, "Please, call me Logan. We've known each other too long for titles. I was hoping you could help me. I need some information about a thug named Two-Blade Pete."

She grimaced, half wondering which of the Six Gods had a grudge against her today. She nodded, "Pete, huh? Yeah, I know him. He's always been trouble. These days, the less I have to do with him, the better I like it."

"Glad to hear that. His gang's mischief is getting downright deadly. I'm hearing whispers, and it sounds like there's going to be a big job coming. Know anything about what they might be planning next?"

"Funnily enough, I just was helping a friend of mine settle something with Pete. I overheard a member of his gang mention an apothecary. That mean anything to you?"

Logan scratched his chin, "Apothecary? Hmm. Pete's goons have been sniffing around that old apothecary in Shaemoor a lot over the past few days. That must be their next target. I'll dispatch a squad to keep watch on the place - they'll move if they see trouble."

Merila nodded. She was just about to turn and go when she felt a pang of conscience deep in her chest. She frowned, looking at Logan, "What'll happen to the gang when the Seraph catch them?"

He tilted his head, considering her, "I'd like to think that if they surrender peacefully, they'll get long prison stretches, but Kormir knows I've been having a harder time getting charges to stick to Pete's gang than I would have trying to fit a dolyak in a dress. But if they put up a fight, I can't guarantee they won't end up on the wrong side of a sword."

She took a deep breath, deciding it was worth a shot being honest with the Seraph captain, "My friend Quinn is mixed up in this. He's quick-fingered and slick as a skelk, but he's not a killer. Can you give me a chance to talk him out of it?"

He gave her a reassuring smile, "It's asking a lot, but for the Hero of Shaemoor, I'll definitely try. Get Quinn out fast, alright?"

"Thank you, Logan," she breathed a sigh of relief.

He clapped a hand to her back, startling her, "Don't mention it. Now get going, we don't know how much time we have."

[Merila]

Chapter 5 - The Apothecary Job

Merila had searched everywhere she could think to in order to find Quinn. She had dearly hoped to find him before the apothecary job, but as she ran down the list of his usual haunts and hiding places, she knew she was running out of time. As she exited the last tavern on her list, she decided it was no use and headed out the city gates.

She was just jogging up the path when she heard screams, the sound of breaking glass, and the woosh of a thatched roof going up in flames. She broke out into a hard run.

When she skidded to a stop in front of the burning apothecary, a dark haired thug was exiting with a burlap sack full of what she assumed was the bounty. He turned to the members of Pete's gang that were gathered a few yards from the house, swinging the sack over one shoulder, "Let's get this stuff back to Pete. The others will take care of the rest."

Alice scolded him as he walked away, "Be careful with that stuff. It's dangerous. Get it back to Pete intact, or there'll be hell to pay."

She rushed forward, grabbing Alice by the collar, pulling her until her face was inches from her own, "Where's Quinn?"

Alice only laughed, "Your friend Quinn's upstairs with the old lady. You better get up there before it gets too hot for them."

Her eyes went wide. She shoved Alice back and made a break for the house. Bursting through the door, she covered her face with her sleeve and raced up the stairs. She followed the screams into the room at the end of the hall, which was thick with smoke. Quinn and the apothecary were inside, tied back to back to two chairs. She pulled out her sword and cut the ropes, then reached out and pulled the old woman up. Quinn disentangled himself and followed her as she half-pulled, half-carried the woman out of the burning house. The three of them collapsed in the yard, coughing.

One of Pete's gang stepped forward and grabbed the old woman by the hair, dragging her towards the others while Alice pulled out a knife. The woman screamed, "Please don't kill me! I've given you everything you asked for."

Quinn struggled to his feet, still coughing, "What are you doing? Don't hurt her!"

Alice gave him a wicked smile, "We do what Pete says, and Pete says she dies."

"Yeah? Well... well, I say no way!" he shouted, tackling her. He and Alice struggled on the ground, her knife flying out of her hand and landing a few yards away. It wasn't too long before Alice had won, pinning Quinn to the ground.

The thug who had the old woman by the hair bent and picked up Alice's knife, "Say whatever you want, but I'm not leaving her alive."

Merila lept forward, kicking the knife out of the thug's hand before punching him square in the jaw. He staggered back, clutching his bloody mouth as he hit the ground. Merila straightened, planting herself firmly between Alice and the apothecary.

Alice, still holding Quinn down, cackled, "Look at you. Savior of old ladies and weaklings. You've grown as soft as that coward Thackeray. Pathetic."

At that point, Logan himself had strode up behind her. "Well, at least I'm not the one going to jail," he replied, gripping her arm and dragging her roughly off of Quinn and to her feet.

As the Seraph were gathering up the rest of Pete's gang, Quinn sauntered over to Merila, his cocky attitude back now that the serious danger had passed.

"See? Everything's under control. But it's good you showed up."

The older woman nodded, taking Merila's hand as she steadied herself, "We owe you our lives. Thank you. But they took my entire supply of rhizome powder. It's a strong poison."

Merila looked down at the woman in shock, "Poison?" She looked at Quinn in disbelief, "Quinn, what's going on? Come on. You wouldn't help stab one person, why would you help poison dozens? If you know what Pete's planning, you need to tell Captain Thackeray."

Quinn eyed her warily and glanced over at the assembled soldiers, making sure they were still out of earshot, "You're working with the Seraph? When did you become a rat? Don't you know you can't trust the law?"

"I trust Logan more than Two-Blade."

"Oh, so it's Logan now, huh? I see how it is," he teased her.

"Oh, for Dwayna's sake, Quinn, be smart about this, for once. Do you want to be caught up in this any more than you already are? Do you want to be tried for conspiracy and murder?"

Quinn blinked, fear settling in. Rubbing his head nervously, he stammered, "But I...but I...I...uh, you're right. Go ahead and tell Thackeray, Pete's planning a big job. I'm gonna lay low, yeah?"

Merila nodded, "You better go, then."

As Quinn slipped away, Logan approached her, accompanied by a beautiful red-haired woman. By her clothes and bearing, she was clearly nobility. Merila stared at her for a moment before turning her attention back to Logan.

"You're a little late," she gave him a hard look.

Logan shook his head, frustrated. "My men were two houses down and had eyes on the place the whole time, but those thugs lit another shop down the street on fire. They didn't realize it was a diversion until you raced past them," he glanced over at his squad disapprovingly. The soldiers stiffened and tried to look busy. He turned back to her with a sigh, "It's a good thing you got here, though. If you keep saving people like this, you'll be the one they're swooning over in the streets. But believe me, it's not as nice as it sounds," he said darkly.

The woman next to him cleared her throat, and Logan remembered himself, "Oh, right. Please allow me to introduce Countess Anise, Advisor to the Royal Court and Master Exemplar of the Shining Blade."

The Countess inclined her head at Merila, "Captain Thackeray speaks very highly of you. I'll be looking forward to more tales of your exploits."

Merila nodded, a little awed to realize who the woman was, "It's an honor to meet a member of the Shining Blade." She turned back to Logan, "The apothecary's safe, but at least one of Pete's gang got away with a lot of poisonous rhizome powder," she snorted, angry with herself. "I should have gotten here sooner."

Logan eyed her carefully before answering, "Don't beat yourself up about it. There's still time. If we can find out when and where they plan to use the poison, we can shut Two-Blade Pete down for good."

"Normally I could just walk in and ask to be let in on the job, but Pete's gang will know I was here. When he hears how many of his people I got arrested, Two-Blade will be out for my blood."

The Countess waved a hand and shook her head, "That's easy enough to fix. If you know where to go and who to ask, I can enchant your appearance so they don't know it's you."

Logan nodded, "You know their hideout better than anyone else on our side. It's dangerous, but if you're willing, I know you can handle it."

"Consider it done," she answered without hesitation. "Trust me, I want to put Two-Blade Pete out of business even more than you do."

The Coutness smiled, "Very well, then. I'll cast it on you now. Stand still for a moment." She waved a gloved hand, and Merila felt a curious tingling sensation spread through her body. She looked down at her arms and torso, which suddenly were clothed in the red, dusty cloak that were Pete's signature gang colors. Her hands were larger and dirtier than they had been, and when she reached up to touch her face, she felt a nose that wasn't hers and a long, jagged scar running down her now bony cheek.

When she looked back up at Logan, he was frowning, his eyes somber, "That poison will put a lot of people at risk. I'm counting on you to find out what Pete's plan is. Good luck."

[Merila]

Chapter 6 - The Greater Good

Merila made her way through the thick undergrowth that concealed Two-Blade Pete's hideout. It was exactly where it had always been, back in a cave to the west of Clayent Falls, the entrance of which was hidden behind a patch of bushes and brambles. She wasn't completely sure what she looked like, but judging by the dirt and grime coating the clothes and skin the Countess had conjured over her own, she figured she would definitely escape notice in Pete's gang.

As she jerked herself free from the last of the brambles, the momentum sent her tumbling out of the bushes and onto the rough stone of the cave floor. A beefy looking doorman who went by the name of Crusher Dan laughed, eyeing her, "Look what the skritt dragged in. Who are you?"

Well there goes the element of surprise, she thought wryly. She stood up, brushing herself off, "I'm new. Just got sprung and I'm eager to prove myself. Pete said to check around and make myself useful."

Dan looked a little unconvinced, but he stood aside anyway, "Good. There's plenty to be done. Just make sure you stay out of the way. And if nobody else has anything for you, check back with me," he flashed her a grin full of black and gold teeth, "I'll put you to work."

She balked at the implication and hurried through the door, giving the man a wide berth.

When she got inside, she was able to bluff her way into helping a greasy older woman by the name of Doc Howler process a plant she called wicked tangle. She listened closely to the conversations going on around her while she worked. Nothing of any interest was being said, and she had nearly decided to make a commotion and get some real answers when Howler came up next to her, "Careful! This is delicate work here. If you squeeze the wrong seedpod, we'll all be breathing aggressive pollen. Disaster! Side effects! Possible uncontrolled explosions!"

Merila's eyes grew wide, "What is this stuff? What are you making?"

Howler scowled, "What? You probably can't tell a swamp lily from a fire poppy. Hah! Or a swamp lily from an ettin's backside. We need it for the antidote. Two-Blade wanted extra-strong poisons, so the antidote has to be equivalent."

"Poison? Exactly how strong is this poison?"

"Don't worry. The gang'll be fine with the antidote. Only the fine, upstanding Divinity's Reach citizens will suffer," she said with a laugh, turning and walking towards another thug hovering nearby. "Hey! Look sharp, there! As soon as this batch of antidote is finished, we move out. We're headed to the big time, yes sirree."

As Doc Howler continued on, making her rounds in the cave, the thug to Merila's right muttered to himself, "She's round the bend, that one. If it hadn't been for her idea to put the poison in the city wells, Pete would probably have off'd her by now. It's not even that great of a plan."

Merila cleared her throat, "Hey, if Doc comes back, tell her I went to pick some more tangle out by the cave entrance. Better safe than dead," she chuckled, trying to put the bandit at ease. When he nodded in agreement, she let out a small sigh of relief, turning and making her way back up to the mouth of the cave.

But right as she turned the corner to head up to the entrance, she slammed into someone.

"Oof! I'm sorry, I wasn't looking-" she started, before getting a good look at the gang member she had run into. Her jaw dropped in shock, "Alice?"

Riot Alice was dusting herself off when she heard her name. She raised an eyebrow in suspicion, "Yeah? Do I know you? You sound familiar."

Ugh. Stupid. Of course my voice didn't change, she scolded herself. She quickly cleared her throat and lowered her voice, "Uh yeah. I used to run with Pete a long time ago. I just got back. I, uh, heard you'd gotten arrested on the apothecary job. Did you get sprung already?"

Alice laughed, "Yeah, you must've been out of the loop. We got a good deal going with the Seraph. A few of them are in the pocket of somebody pretty high up on the food change, so whenever one of our jobs hits a snag, he says the word, and we go free," she grinned. "Nifty, right?"

Well that explains a lot, she thought, connecting the dots to what Logan had said earlier.

Alice continued on her way, giving Merila a small wave, "Hey, make sure you're around later for the festivities. It's gonna be a blast!"

Merila nodded, more than a little uncomfortable, "I will, thanks."

Luckily, she didn't run into any other obstacles between her and freedom. Crusher Dan was off to the side taking a leak when she crept up into the daylight. She eased into the bushes as quietly as she could, ducking from sight when he turned back around. With one last glance back, she shoved through and out into the moa field that bordered the Falls, where she broke out into a run.

–

When she finally hit the city, she rushed through the streets and into the palace gardens, making a beeline for Logan's office. She slowed her pace before stepping through the door, trying to catch her breath. When she stepped inside, she saw Countess Anise was waiting with Logan. The two were talking quietly, then the Countess looked up and saw Merila, "Our clever friend has returned. Captain Thackeray and I are looking forward to your report."

Merila was still a little out of breath, but she told the two what she had found out, "Two-Blade Pete is planning to poison the city wells. While everyone's sick, they'll break into the shops and steal whatever they want. They're not being very precise about the dosage, though. They're cocky because they've come up with some kind of antidote." she explained.

The Countess frowned, "What a devious brute. He's going to hurt a lot of innocent people. Anyone very young or in poor health already could easily die from too much rhizome powder. Pete has to be stopped."

Logan nodded as he addressed Merila, "It gets worse. My sources tell me Pete's gang thinks Quinn snitched about the apothecary job. Pete wants blood; he knows where Quinn is hiding and will be on him before the day is out."

Merila felt like a stone had dropped into her stomach. "What?"

"We don't have much time. We've got to get to all the city wells before Pete's gang does," Logan gestured, checking his sword as he headed for the door. He paused at the doorway, "Look, I know Quinn's your friend. If you want to take off after him, that's fine, I won't hold it against you. You don't owe me or the city anything. But I'm not sure I have enough men already inside the city walls to protect every single well without your help," Logan said, frowning, his eyes sad. It clearly pained him to ask this of her.

She glanced back and forth between Logan and the Countess, unsure what to do.

"I know it's a difficult decision, but we don't have a lot of time. If you're coming, we've got to go."

Pete will kill Quinn, no question, she told herself. But I can't just sit around while innocent people die. Damn it, if I had just gotten to the apothecary faster! Inside she wanted to scream, but she knew what she had to do. She had given Quinn the chance to get out, and he had chosen this path, knowing full well where it would lead. She couldn't let the people of Divinity's Reach pay for her and Quinn mistakes.

"Alright, I'm coming with you."

She raced along after Logan as he barked orders to his soldiers. Countess Anise parted ways with them as they exited the palace, disappearing quickly among the crowd. She separated from Logan too when they hit the next side street, and he streaked down it toward the district well. She continued on until she hit the Kormir High Road, where she took a quick left and jogged up the ramp to the fountain at the top.

As she approached, she spotted Doc Howler making her way to the fountain with a jug full of a nasty purple liquid. She sprinted across the cobbles and tackled the woman bandit, knocking the jug away. It rolled a few yards and came to a stop at the fountain's edge.

Merila struggled with Howler, the two rolling from side to side, each getting in good hits on the other's face. By the time Merila had gained the upper hand and pinned Howler to the ground, they each had a bloody lip. Howler, however, also had a nasty black eye forming.

Doc Howler cried out when Merila raised her fist one last time, "No more! You win. Congratulations. You spoiled my greatest experiment," she spat.

Merila punched her anyway, appalled, "Experiment?! You were going to poison thousands of people! Hundreds could have died!"

At that point, Logan and one of his Seraph had made their way up to the fountain. Logan turned to Merila while his subordinate tied Howler's hands behind her back and began to lead her away. Howler threw her head back, hissing to Merila, "Too bad your friend Quinn won't be around to help you celebrate."

Merila spun around, "What do you mean? Where is Quinn?"

Doc Howler spat out a loose tooth, "He's dead, Hero. We heard about the apothecary. You don't ruin the apex of my scientific career without consequences. Two-Blade Pete carved him up real nice," she flashed an evil smile, chuckling.

Merila lost it. She tried to leap forward and grab the woman by the throat, but Logan had his strong arms on her shoulders before she got more than a foot forward. She screamed, "You think this is funny? I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you! You hear me? You tell Pete he's dead!"

Logan held her firmly despite her struggling, "Calm down. I'll make sure this piece of trash gets what's coming to her. Seraph! Take the prisoner out before I chop her up and feed her to the harpies."

The soldier nodded, quickly herding Doc Howler out of sight. Merila struggled for a few more seconds before giving up. When Logan finally released her from his grip, she turned to him, panting a little, "Pete killed Quinn... Pete's got to pay. I helped you, Logan, and now I'm calling in that favor. I want Two-Blade Pete in the ground."

He gave her a hard look, "Agreed. With the jail pretty much just a bed-and-breakfast for these scum, I don't think there's any other way to get him off the streets. But listen, Pete will be after you next – he can't afford to let you live. Why don't we let him find you? Meet me at the Salma district tavern, and when Pete comes for you, we'll be waiting for him."

She grit her teeth, her hands balling up into fists, "All right. But if Pete doesn't come to us, I'm tearing this whole city apart until I find him."

[Merila]

Chapter 7 - Breaking the Blade

Merila stepped into the tavern, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the lower light. As she made her way over to a semi-visible table near the window, she heard her name.

"Merila! Thank the Gods," Auren said. He was up at the bar talking with Andrew and Petra. Auren's stance was full of tension, his hand on the hilt of the sword at his hip, but all three of them had worried looks on their faces. "I've been looking all over for you – Two-Blade Pete's put the word out that he wants you dead. The whole city knows! What are you doing just out in the open?"

Merila leaned up against a spare table, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "Waiting to get snitched on. It won't take long for someone to run to Pete and let him know where I am."

Auren stared at her incredulously, "So, that's your plan? Confront him? For Grenth's sake, Merila, we're not kids anymore. Pete's gotten a lot more dangerous and you know he won't come alone."

At that moment, Logan walked through the door. Merila glanced at him and nodded before turning back to Auren, "And neither will I."

Auren let out an exasperated sigh as Logan joined them, "I suppose this was your idea, then?"

Logan cocked an eyebrow at him, "We can handle Pete. I know a charr that makes him look like a cuddly stuffed toy. Don't worry," he turned to look at Andrew behind the bar. "You and Petra should hide upstairs. Things might get rough."

"Of course, Captain Thackeray," Andrew said, nodding and herding Petra up the adjacent stairs.

Logan turned back to Auren, "Come on. This won't be a proper ambush if we just stand here out in the open," he gestured to the liquor storage behind the bar, leading the way in and pulling the door almost closed after Auren had followed him in.

Merila didn't have to wait long. She was checking her sword, the blade laying easily across her lap, when Pete sauntered in, flanked by three of his goons.

Pete eyed her menacingly, "Lookie here, boys. We found our rat. You think you're smarter than Pete, do ya? Think you hurt me? Let me tell you something," he took a few steps forward, his fingers twitching inches above the hilts of the knives he had holstered on either side of his broad belt.

"Better men than you have tried," she retorted, not bothering to look up from her sword.

"And failed?" he interrupted her, a mocking smile spreading across his flabby face, "Look, kid. I'm not easily intimi–"

"Tried and died," she cut him off, standing, sword in hand.

Pete hesitated for a moment, surprised by the fury in the look she gave him. "Huh. Maybe I underestimated you," he said, taking a half-step back.

Logan slammed the storage room door open, Auren quick on his heels. Both men had unsheathed their swords. The imposing Seraph crossed the room to where Pete stood, "More than you know. Prison's full, Pete. Let's skip the trial and go straight to the execution."

Pete jumped back, knocking into his goons and tumbling to the floor. He tried to scramble up and out the door, but Merila was on him in seconds. She kicked the blades out of his reach before pressing a knee onto Pete's chest, pinning him to the ground. She leaned forward, grabbing him by the hair and pulling his face up to hers, "I hope you had fun, Pete. I hope you really enjoyed what you did to Quinn. That way, when you reach Grenth, he'll see into your black heart and send you right where you belong."

He sputtered, his eyes wide with fear, "Come on, Merila. You don't have to do this! We can make a deal! Please!"

"Save your begging for the Six. I'm done making deals with you," she spat, before thrusting her sword into his belly and up into his ribs. When she slid it back out, it was dark with blood. Pete coughed weakly, red bubbles forming on his lips, and his whole body shook. He stared at her, and she stared back, watching his eyes until they rolled back and his body went limp. Then she wiped her sword on his dirty coat before sheathing it and sat back on the floor, slightly in shock.

Logan and Auren had dispatched two of Pete's lackies, but the third had slipped away in the scuffle.

"Good," Merila replied darkly when Auren told her. "That way everyone will know I killed Pete, and no one will dare cross me again."

Logan helped her up from the floor, pressing a warm hand on her shoulder, "That was impressive. You've stopped Two-Blade Pete for good, and those of his gang who aren't in jail will probably run far from Divinity's Reach. The city is in your debt."

"Thanks," she said, still dazed. She gave him a weak smile.

"I'm sorry about your friend, but your work here saved many lives. I'll see to it that the queen hears of your valor... and Quinn's sacrifice."

She laughed bitterly, "Bragging to the queen? Yeah. Quinn would've been beside himself."

Logan nodded to Auren, "Take care of her? I'll be in touch again soon."

Auren gave him a small salute, "Yes, sir."

Merila was able to hold herself up until Logan left, but as the door closed behind the departing Seraph, her knees gave out and she tumbled into Auren's waiting arms. A strangled sob escaped her lips. All the grief and anger and fear poured out of her as she wept in her friend's arms. Despite her clothes and skin being streaked with dirt and blood, he held her close to his chest, a hand gently smoothing her hair.

When her tears were finally spent and she had stopped shaking, he helped her to her feet. "Come on," he said, taking her arm. "Let me take you home."

She nodded.

At first she thought he was leading her back to her own apartments a few streets over, but when they turned left and headed out of the district, she knew he was taking her to the Garret farm. She gave his hand a squeeze, her eyes full of gratitude when he looked over at her. He gave her a squeeze back.

–

He helped her fill the big metal tub they used for washing out in the barn and after he fetched her a bar of soap and some spare clothes to change into he stood in the doorway with his back to her as she stripped off her grimy clothes and slid into the water. The cool water turned a little pink as the blood came off her skin. She dunked her head down, holding herself there under the water's surface. She wished she could just stay under, bitter at the world of stone and earth she had been born into, but she only lasted about a minute before the lack of air made her dizzy. She popped back out of the water with a gasp.

Auren had turned his head to see her out of the corner of his eye, concerned, "I hope you're not trying to get a name for yourself as the girl who drowned in a bath tub."

She spat water out at him, "Well, then you would be known as the man who let a girl drown in a bath tub. Which is worse?"

When he chuckled, she couldn't help but smile. He's the only one who thinks I'm funny, she thought, shaking her head. With a sigh, she picked up the soap and began scrubbing, only stopping when her skin was pink. She dunked her head under the water again, then stood, drying herself off roughly with the towel Auren had brought with her clothes. She pulled on the worn pants and shrugged into the cotton shirt.

For a moment, she just sat on the edge of the tub, looking into her hands. Then she mumbled, mostly to herself, "I don't know what to do now."

Auren looked over and, seeing that she was dressed, crossed the hay floor and squatted down in front of her, "Well, you could put your boots on and come into the house. I told Ma you were here, so she's probably putting something together for supper for you," he offered, taking her hands in his and looking up at her.

Merila frowned, "I meant in general."

"I know what you meant," he said softly. "But 'in general' is pretty big. Why not start with just what to do now, in this moment? Then when that's done, you think about the next moment, and then the next. And before you know it, you've gotten to 'in general' just on your own momentum."

She sighed, "Yeah." But she kept looking at her hands, which seemed small and childlike cupped in Auren's. She tried to sort through her thoughts, but they kept popping up out of order. One kept jumping higher than the others, "Do you think Ariana would be ashamed of me?"

She could tell by Auren's face that he had been expecting that question. He gave her hands a squeeze, "I don't. Why would she be?"

"I let Quinn die. I owed him everything – we were just kids when he found me, but if he hadn't, I would have starved. He taught me how to survive. I owed him my life."

"I know," he reassured her. "Sometimes being a hero means making hard choices. Ariana knew that. She had to make choices just like you did when she was a Seraph. I think she would have made the same decision, if she was put in your position."

Merila's eyes welled up again, her anguish bubbling back up to the surface, "I'm no hero. I killed Pete... I..."

Auren pulled her to him, letting her bury her face in his chest. "You did what you had to. If you had let him get away, even if you had let Logan arrest him, he would've been back on the street in a matter of days. His games threatened all the citizens of Divinity's Reach this time. Letting him go wasn't an option anymore," he whispered, stroking her hair. Then he lifted her face to look back into her eyes, "And you, being the good soul you are, will carry the guilt of his death for years. You took that burden onto yourself for the people of Kryta. That sounds pretty heroic to me."

Maybe he's right, she thought. Maybe it balances out.

He kept an arm around her waist as he stepped back from the embrace and she let him lead her out of the barn and towards the house. She smiled as he teased her, "Come on. Ma will worry. Besides, it's been ages since you've had dinner with us."

[Merila]

Chapter 8 - Missing Pieces

Merila was bent over a large, dusty tome at the kitchen table, her quill pen bobbing along energetically as she took down notes in the journal she held in her lap, when a hard rap on the front door caught her attention just as a small envelope was shoved roughly through the crack between the door and the threshold. She frowned, unhappy to be interrupted.

It had taken her the better part of a week to track down the book, which was one of the few collections of ancient Ascalonian myths and legends to survive the Searing, and another day on top of that to convince the current owner to let her borrow it. In the weeks following Quinn's death, Auren had been on her to find a productive way to distract herself. "Find a hobby," he had insisted. "Any hobby, so long as it doesn't involve drinking."

She had stuck her tongue out at him, annoyed by his presumption, but he had been right, as usual. She had let herself sink down into a slump, and only a sense of purpose would bring her out of it again. She finally decided it would be worthwhile to pursue her interest in the history of the fallen kingdoms of Tyria, and thus had made it her mission to read any and all books Divinity's Reach had on the subject.

She had just gotten to the chapter of the Searing and the fall of Ascalon when she was interrupted by the knock at the door. Merila grumbled as she rose from her chair, crossing the floor and bending to pick up the envelope. It was a bit scrunched and dirty from being forced under the door, but it was intact. She broke the wax seal and opened it, revealing a short note written in a hand she didn't recognize. When she pulled the note out, a small pendant fell out with it, making a small tinkling sound when it hit the floor. She picked it up cautiously, turning it over in her hands. It can't be... she thought to herself as she turned it back over in her palm. The piece was broken, a jagged line running along the side where the other half would fit and make it whole. With shaking hands, she reached under her collar and pulled out the necklace she wore, an old bauble she had had as long as she could remember. She held it up with the piece from the letter, lining the two broken sides up. Her heart jumped into her throat as they fit neatly together.

For the first time, she looked at the whole amulet. It was made of brass like the medals she had seen the Queen award particularly brave or faithful Seraph, and perfectly round, with a small wolf head etched into the circle. The wolf's muzzle was upturned in a howl. I've never seen this symbol before, she thought, touching the slightly tarnished pendant. A howling wolf on a full moon... what does it mean?

She turned the pendant over. On the back of her piece the letters of her last name were inscribed. At least, she had always assumed it was her last name – she had no other way to know, so she had taken on the five letters as her surname and hoped for the best. Now she could see that she had been right, at least about the fact that 'Dorne' was a family name and not something else entirely. On the second half of the pendant, the name 'Frederick' was visible, despite the wear. Frederick Dorne, she repeated the name in her head. My father, maybe? She frowned, frustrated at how many more questions than answers she had now.

It was only then that she remembered the letter. She placed the pendant pieces on the table and turned her gaze back to the note, her eyes quickly scanning the contents.

Congratulations on your recent accolades as the "Hero of Shaemoor." I'm a researcher for the Queen's archives, and I have recently uncovered some information regarding your parents. I thought you might want to see it. I would prefer to discuss the details in person, so if you will meet me at the palace gardens, I'll share them with you.

To prove I am what I say, I have enclosed half of an amulet, which I believe will match a broken one you've owned since you were born – something my research led me to uncover. I look forward to meeting you face-to-face.

It was signed simply "a friend." She frowned. Information about her parents? How convenient, she thought, skeptical. She'd spent years looking for any sign of who her parents had been and why they had abandoned her, but it was almost as if they had never existed. And now after she had garnered a little fame, here was someone claiming to be from the archives saying he – or she – knew something about them. As if I hadn't already checked everything in the archives. She looked back at the broken pendant on the table. But if it's a con, then how did they have that?

Merila looked between the pendant and the note a few times before letting out a low groan. Gods be good, I'm going to regret this, she told herself as she reached for her sword belt, pulling it off its hook by the door and buckling it around her waist. She slipped the amulet into her pocket and grabbed her bow as she headed out the door.

–

She had just walked into the gardens and past the first patch of trees when a shady looking woman flagged her down. She was wearing a heavy cloak, the hood of which covered her face. Only her long nose and thin lips were visible. The woman's appearance unnerved her, and she suddenly found herself wishing she had thought to bring Jeor with her. Too late for that now.

Merila eyed the woman warily, keeping her distance, "Are you the one who sent me the amulet? Can you tell me about my parents?"

The woman's mouth cracked open in what was surely intended to be a reassuring smile, but since her teeth were mostly missing, and those that were still there were yellow and crooked, it had the opposite effect. Her voice came out in a hiss, "I am and I can, Hero of Shaemoor. I thought you might be interested," she chuckled. "But I'm not just here to talk. I aim to reunite you with your parents."

For a split second, Merila's hopes rose, her heart in her throat, "Reunite us? Where are they?" But as the woman's smile twisted up wickedly, she remembered herself, "Wait a minute, who are you?"

The woman frowned, "Aw, don't be like that. I came a long way to find you, you know. And I'm sure they'll explain everything when you meet them..." she began, before her hand darted into the folds of her cloak and produced a curved knife. She jumped toward Merila, shouting, "in the Mists! Attack!"

Two other cloaked men appeared from behind the trees, both pulling knives. Merila had only just began to unsheathe her sword when two armored figures rushed past her and engaged her ambushers. Seeing the wreathed sword of the Shining Blade on their tabards, she breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to deal with the snaggle-toothed woman.

The woman's lip curled up a snarl, "Time to die, 'Hero!'" She pushed past her struggling compatriots, her knife out as she lunged at Merila. Merila countered the blade with her sword, pressing back against the woman's downward thrust. She gave a final hard push, knocking the woman backward and off her feet, the knife sliding across the stone floor. The woman, on her back and unarmed, put her hands up in defeat.

The two Shining Blade swordsmen had overpowered the other two attackers, both of whom now sat on the ground side by side, their hands tied behind their backs. One of them, a woman with long braided hair and dark skin, stepped forward to greet Merila, "Excellent work handling those foul cultists, Hero. May they know Grenth's justice. I'm Exemplar Salia of the Shining Blade. This is Exemplar Mehid," she said, gesturing to the handsome, dark-haired man standing beside her. She waved to get the attention of a few Seraph who had just walked through palace entrance, clearly drawn by the sounds of the scuffle. The Seraph made their way over and led the three cultists out towards the jail.

Merila nodded, a smile of relief spreading on her face, "You have my thanks, both of you. You say those three were cultists?"

Mehid inclined his head as he answered, "White Mantle, to be exact."

Merila raised an eyebrow in surprise, "I thought the White Mantle were just a children's tale told on Mad King's day."

"They're quite real, as you've seen," Mehid replied, gesturing to the door the three cultists had been led through.

"Why bother attacking me? And why would they have this amulet from my parents?" she said, pulling the two broken pieces out of her pocket and holding them out for the two to see.

Salia picked up the two brass pieces, squinting at them. She gave a small gasp of surprise as she inspected the amulet, "It's a mark of the Order of the Wolf." When Merila looked at her, even more confused then before, Salia explained, "A special group of spies Queen Jennah's father, King Jorah, organized to infiltrate the White Mantle. Their very existence was a secret known only to a few of the King's closest advisors, until they were exposed by a traitor in the Ministry. The White Mantle put an order out to have every last Wolf killed," Salia finished, looking at Merila seriously.

Mehid exchanged a look with Salia, then asked, "You say this was your parents'?"

"Well, I guess. I've had one of the halves as long as I can remember. I always assumed it belonged to them. The cultists lured me here with the other half."

He nodded, "They only target defenders of the kingdom and the royal family. Judging from that amulet, I'd say your family has been very loyal to Kryta. Very loyal, indeed."

Merila's head was spinning with the implications of everything Salia and Mehid had told her. Were her parents really spies for Kryta, killed for loyalty to the King? So, they didn't just abandon me? She took a deep breath, "But how did they even know who I am?" I don't even know who I am, she wanted to say.

Salia shook her head, "I'm not sure. But we uncovered a White Mantle hideout a few days ago, in a hunting lodge out near Beetletun. Mehid and I are leading a raid on the place. It'll be dangerous, but the cultists there may know more," she suggested.

Merila swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest at the thought that she might finally know what happened to her parents. She gave Salia a nod, "I know that lodge. I'll meet you there."

[Merila]

Chapter 9 - Ashes

Merila crouched with Salia and Mehid about 30 yards from the lodge, her eyes on the two White Mantle followers ambling towards the structure. When the cultists had turned to face the door, Salia signaled to move forward. The three of them sprinted silently across the grass and were on the hooded figures in seconds.

They flanked the two cultists, knocking them out before they even realized what was going on. Once they were down, Mehid nodded, pointing to the door.

They entered single file, Salia taking the lead and Mehid watching their rear. The inside of the lodge was empty and dead quiet. Mehid swept the main hall, checking the hallway and side rooms before returning to Merila and Salia, letting out a heavy sigh of frustration, "Damn it! Someone must have tipped them off."

Salia gestured towards the door at the far end of the room, "If any of them remained behind, they would likely be hiding downstairs. With the rest of the rats," she spat.

They made their way quietly over to the door. Merila pressed a hand onto the door knob and twisted it as slowly as she could. The door finally swung open with a soft click, revealing a set of winding stone stairs. Torch light was flickering, visible from around the corner, casting long, wavering shadows on the walls. Voices carried up from the basement.

"You incompetent fool! Failing's not enough, you have to lead the Shining Blade right to us?" came a woman's shrill voice, full of outrage and fear.

"It wasn't me!" squeaked the other, "I don't know how they found out! Please, don't kill me, Confessor!"

"Oh, stop your sniveling, you witless worm. I'll make sure they don't live to tell the tale. But we can't risk letting them find the blueprints," the Confessor snarled. The was a rustling of paper, then "Go, quickly. And do not fail me again."

Mehid nodded to Salia and Merila, "Quick, before he gets away," before hurtling down the stairs. They followed, swords drawn.

But when they rounded the corner, a tall, blonde woman was the only one there, standing across the room leaning easily on her staff. She met them with a vicious smile.

"Ah, the Shining Blade, here to ruin our plans. And the Hero of Shaemoor! What an honor! Happy to meet you, Hero," she mocked, before baring her teeth and raising a hand, "Happier to kill you."

A blast of fire flew from her extended fingers, smashing into the wall behind them, leaving a black streak where the flames had charred the stone. Merila dove to the ground as another flaming orb streaked past her with a hiss, barely missing her. She grimaced as the heat passed her face, singeing the skin on her left cheek. She rolled onto her side and climbed to her feet, keeping low to avoid the flames the Confessor was conjuring. Salid and Mehid were ducking fireballs and weaving around the now flaming furniture, but neither was able to get close enough to the sorceress to stop her. The room was filling with smoke, choking them. Merila covered her mouth with her sleeve, coughing.

I've got to stop her, or we'll all burn, she thought desperately. She reached over her shoulder, pulling her bow free and nocking an arrow. The Confessor saw her move and threw another blast of fire her way, but Merila was faster. She loosed an arrow, readying another as she dodged the fire. Her shots pinned the woman to the wall behind her, the staff falling from her hands. The Confessor let loose a scream of rage as she clawed at her clothes, trying to free herself.

"Come on!" Merila shouted, "We've got to get out of here!"

Mehid rushed to one of the tables, "Wait! There may be valuable information here. We need to search this place!" He gathered up the books and papers strewn about the table before reaching towards one of the burning bookcases. He would have begun pulling the burning books into his arms if Salia hadn't grabbed ahold of the back of his tabard, dragging him towards a small door off to the left. She flung the door open and rushed down the passageway, Merila right on her heals. They continued on for about 50 feet before coming to another set of doors. Salia burst through them, still dragging Mehid, and all three of them tumbled out onto the needle-covered forest floor, coughing and wiping their eyes.

"That passageway must be how her informant escaped," Salia panted.

Merila nodded, rolling over onto her back and catching her breath. When she had recovered enough, her eyes turned to the pile of books and papers Mehid had recovered from the hideout. The books were on varied subjects: Krytan history, asuran architecture, old magic. One book was titled "To Serve the Unseen," and another was on a weird kind of magic called bloodstones. She flipped that one open, skimming quickly through the pages. The book described how the gods of Tyria imbued something called the Bloodstone with magic, and then broke it into pieces. Who controls a bloodstone, controls magic itself, she read. I wonder what that means.

She closed the book and handed it to Mehid before inspecting another, full of arcane equations that made no sense. Or maybe I'm holding it upside-down, she considered. She flipped it over, but it didn't help. The last book was scribbled in a code of squiggles and strange drawings – the ravings of a madman, she decided. Amidst the gibberish, the words 'Eyes that Watch All' were written over and over. She sighed, frustrated at her lack of arcane knowledge. She turned to the loose pages, which were covered in writing that seemed mostly code. She flipped through, looking for something she could actually use, but stopped suddenly, her eyes going wide. The last page was a handwritten letter with a list of names, some that she recognized – including her own.

"Salia, look at this! It looks like a hit list..." she said, holding the page out where Salia and Mehid could see it. She read the names, "Captain Thackeray, Countess Anise... Look, I'm on here! 'Hero of Shaemoor, child of the queen's spies'?"

Salia grit her teeth, "Grenth's teeth! If they managed to take out all these people..."

"We have to warn Captain Thackeray. We can't let them get away with this!"

Mehid nodded, "You're right. Let's head to Captain Thackeray's office. We'll be needing the full strength of the Seraph and the Shining Blade if we're to track down the rest of the cell. We need to make sure no one else on this list dies."

Salia stood, sheathing her sword and brushing herself off, "Indeed. But how many assassins are already in position? Only their leaders know the truth. We need to cut the head off of this snake if we want to put down the Mantle for good."

Merila inclined her head in agreement, her expression grim.

–

The Countess was already with Logan when the three entered his office. Salia bowed, "Our apologies for the interruption, Master Examplar, Captain Thackeray."

Logan looked up, surprised, "Merila, I wasn't expecting to see you." He frowned when he noticed the soot on her clothes and the thin burn along her jaw line, "What happened?"

She grimaced, looking back and forth between Logan and Countess Anise, "We've learned that the White Mantle has been trying to eliminate the Queen's allies." She produced the letter, holding it out to Logan, "My name was on a list of targets we found. So were yours and the Countess', among others."

Logan's mouth dropped open, his face full of outrage, "The White Mantle? We can't let those roaches continue to spread. I'll mobilize the Seraph and we'll burn the cult to the ground."

The Countess held a long gloved arm out to block Logan's move toward the door, "Logan, no. You've been fighting centaurs too long. The White Mantle are cunning, treacherous foes. They will predict your moves, outmaneuver you," she continued, "The Shining Blade has been fighting them for a long time. We know the best way to deal with the Mantle: stealth and cunning."

Mehid nodded his agreement, "We need to move quickly. They probably know we're coming either way."

Logan caught Merila's eye. She gave him a quick nod, and he sighed, "Alright, let's do it your way. What's the plan?"

Anise explained, "I propose we ambush them. We send an important official to Blackroot Cut, near one of the White Mantle's main hideouts. When they attack our bait, we wipe them out."

"Alright," Merila agreed, "but who?"

"I don't know how comfortable I am letting someone else be bait for these zealots. I'd rather it was just me," Logan argued, his hand on his sword hilt.

The Countess balked, "You, Captain? No offense, but the Shining Blade and the White Mantle have a long history. Don't you think I'd make a more tempting lure?"

Logan cocked an eyebrow at her, "No doubt. But wouldn't that seem a little suspicious? You out walking alone, the Queen nowhere in sight... At least I move about on my own regularly."

"Fair enough. I'll meet you all at the Seraph Protectors' outpost. Salia and Mehid have been a part of this operation from the beginning, so they'll remain your primary contacts with the Shining Blade. Stick with them until this is over," Anise pointed a finger at Merila.

Merila only nodded, not wanting to disagree with the Countess. She followed Salia and Mehid out.

Salia put a hand on Merila's shoulder, "You fought well. Those White Mantle cultists never knew what hit them. I'm glad to see you're living up to your reputation."

She sighed, "That sorceress was a fanatic. She was willing to let the lodge burn down around her to get to us. Are all followers of the White Mantle like that?

Mehid shook his head, "Not all of them. Sadly, many people don't even know they are being manipulated by the Mantle. But enough of them are, which is why it's so important that we stop them."

"My parents tried to stop them, and it cost them their lives," she said, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "I want the Mantle to pay for the lives they've destroyed."

"Revenge is a fine thing," Mehid acknowledged, "but beware. The White Mantle preys on those who are easily manipulated. And as Countess Anise often reminds us, vengeance makes a fine leash."

Merila grit her teeth, wondering how much she actually believed that.

[Merila]

Chapter 10 - Rending the Mantle

Logan wore a grim expression as Merila approached him under the grove of trees where they were laying their trap. He raised a hand in greeting when he saw her before turning to signal the others, "Alright, get into position, everyone. I'll approach, and when they make their move, you all rush in and spring the trap."

Salia nodded, "Where do you want us, then, Captain?"

As Logan scanned the area, Merila pointed to his left, "The ruins at the top of this hill would make for good cover. They're well elevated – we'd be able to see and hear everything."

"Sounds perfect," he agreed. As they made their way over and positioned themselves out of sight, he called over his shoulder, "Just be ready to move quickly when things get ugly."

Merila ducked down beside Mehid and Countess Anise, angling to keep her view of Logan unobstructed. The Countess chuckled beside her, remarking in a low voice, "Logan, playing the part of the helpless victim. This should be... interesting."

Salia was the first to spot the approaching cultists, letting a low hiss, "Here they come."

Merila tensed. She watched a hooded figure approach Logan, flanked by three armored cultists. The hooded woman had a high, creaky voice, and she let out a cruel laugh as she came to a stop a few feet from Logan, "Well, Captain Thackeray! A long way from home, aren't we? We were going to save you for last, but since you're here..."

Logan, unimpressed, affected a clearly fake tone of fear, "Oh dear. Oh, mercy. The White Mantle is upon me. Woe! Lamentation! Is this the end for poor Logan?"

Merila snorted from her hiding spot up on the hill. Salia elbowed her sharply in the side, but when Merila turned to look, the corners of Salia's mouth were twisting up in a barely contained smile.

The woman below them dropped her jaw, her tone full of surprise and outrage, "Are... are you mocking me? I don't think you understand how this works." She quickly composed herself, giving Logan an evil smile as she raised a hand to signal the goons behind her, "White Mantle! Give the captain a demonstration."

Logan drew his sword as the cultists stepped forward, "No, thanks. I think I already have a pretty good idea. Now!"

Merila leapt forward, her bow drawn, an arrow already flying through the air. It struck the first cultist before he had even made it within five feet of Logan. She readied a second, holding as she watched Countess Anise whirl into the fray, knives drawn. The second cultist gave a yelp of surprise as two of the Countess' throwing daggers appeared suddenly in his chest. He gave a soft gurgle before collapsing.

The sounds of battle drew another half-dozen White Mantle into the small clearing. While Logan engaged the hooded cultist leader, Salia and Mehid jumped into the fray, with cries of 'For the Queen, and for the Shining Blade!' as they crossed swords with the reinforcements. Merila watched them drop one by one, her arrows and the Countess' knives finding their marks in the cultists' necks and chests, until the only one left standing was their leader.

Logan blocked a swing of the woman's mace with his shield before conjuring a blue-white circle of guardian fire beneath her. Boxed in, she attempted one last desperate charge. Logan saw it coming, stepping easily aside and landing a blow on the cultist's exposed back. "White Mantle! Your cause is dead, and so are you!" he cried as she dropped to the ground.

The Countess stepped forward, holding out an arm to keep Logan back, "Or, at least you will be shortly. It's over, cultist. The only question that remains is, will you answer my questions and die a quick death, or will you defy me and die slowly?"

The cultist put her hands up, accepting defeat.

Anise squatted down, holding a knife to the woman's throat, "So tell me, then, my dear. What was the Mantle hoping to achieve with all these assassinations?"

The woman coughed, her voice wheezy when she answered, "We wanted you... out of the way. We were ready... to use the bloodstones... to overthrow the Queen, but we... needed to make sure her lapdogs wouldn't be there to protect her," she explained, her breath coming in gasps.

"And what about the Hero of Shaemoor? Why was she targeted? What do you know about her parents?"

"She got too close to Thackeray... we knew she was just as much of a threat. And her parents... they were Wolves... we had them killed with the rest... years ago. Left their bodies... in their house. In the Delanian Foothills. We didn't know she was their daughter... we got a tip from someone close to the Queen..."

Logan bent down, grabbing the woman roughly by the collar, "Someone close to the Queen? Who? Give me a name, damn it!"

The woman coughed violently, "Never got... a name... just a face... he..." Then she went limp in Logan's hands.

Anise sighed as she stood and brushed herself off, "I think we were too easy on them, personally. After multiple attempted murders and a planned coup, they got off light."

Logan groaned in frustration, "But they said someone close to the Queen slipped them information. Grenth torment me, is everyone in the ministry corrupt?"

"Calm down, Logan. Someone fed them information on Merila's parents, certainly, but we don't know that it was to hurt her." Anise gave Merila a smile, "It seems to me that targeting the Hero of Shaemoor was the biggest mistake they made. I think maybe whoever tipped them off is on our side after all."

Merila nodded at the Countess, "She said my parents had a house in the Delanian Foothills. That's south of Black Haven, right?"

"That's not very far from here," Mehid pointed out, "and there aren't many families living down that way. It shouldn't be too difficult to find the right house. If you'd like we can head there now. If there's anything worth finding, we'll find it."

Merila's heart lept into her throat, "Countess, could you spare Salia and Mehid for a little longer?"

Anise considered for a moment before smiling, "By all means. The Shining Blade is in your debt, it's the least we can do. If you keep being so useful, I may have to find a way to bring you into the Blade permanently."

She blushed, "Countess... l'm very honored, but..." She looked over at Logan, but the Seraph only shrugged.

The Countess noted the exchange before nodding, "Hmm... I think I understand. But if you ever change your mind and want a new patron... don't be afraid to ask," she waved serenely as she and Logan headed onto the path back towards the city.

Salia caught Merila's eye and gestured toward the fork that led south, "We'd better get going."

–

It only took them about twenty minutes to cross the open plains south of Blackroot Cut. Mehid had been right – when they crossed the clearing that bordered the Lionguard outpost of Black Haven, there were fewer than half a dozen small houses dotting the hills to their south. It was easy enough to tell by the smoke that rose from the chimneys which were still occupied.

They stopped at each house to ask questions, but none of the current residents knew anything about the Order of the Wolf, the White Mantle, or anyone by the name of 'Dorne.' But they continued on anyway, heading for the house at the edge of the ridge; the only one that showed no signs of life.

The paint was faded and chipping and the windows were shuttered, the weeds along the sides of the house reaching up over where the sills would have been. They stepped carefully through the overgrown grass, Merila leading the way. She pressed a hand to the weather-worn door, which creaked open slowly. The air inside was musty and stale. She stepped in, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness.

Inside, she could see that the main room was small. A heavy table sat in the nearest corner, near a fireplace. A cast iron cook pot still hung over the remains of a fire, years dead. A set of stairs leading to the second floor stretched from her right to the back wall, though most of the wooden steps were rotted away. Beyond was a door, which she assumed led to the back yard. She nodded to Salia and Mehid before heading towards it. The floorboards groaned under her feet as she passed through the empty house.

The backyard was as overgrown as the front, but she could still see the stones that marked out what must have once been a vegetable garden. Over a small hill, an oak tree towered over the far corner of the yard. There she could see the tops of two headstones poking out from a patch of long grass.

Merila held her breath, crossing the yard in several quick strides. She squatted down, holding the grass away with one hand and wiping the faces of the stones with her other. The names were worn with time, but she could still make them out. Frederick and Cecelia Dorne. Her hands trembled as she traced the letters with her fingers. Each headstone had an epitaph. Her father's read, 'Three joys gave his life meaning: his wife, his country, and above all, his child. May the gods bless and protect our beloved daughter, Merila.'

She held back a sob, her heart in her throat. She turned her eyes to her mother's gravestone, which read 'Cherished Wife, Devoted Mother, Loyal Servant of Kryta' beneath the name. The epitaph was her mother's own words: 'Our life's labor was to make a better world for the children to live in. May our beloved Merila find it so.' She sank to her knees, her chest full to bursting with hopes and prayers and unspoken grief, tears sliding silently down her cheeks.

She sat there, staring at her parents' graves, until Mehid and Salia finally crossed over to her. Mehid put a warm hand on her shoulder, "It seems the cell leader was telling the truth about your parents' deaths. I'm so sorry."

Merila nodded, "I'd always hoped my parents were still out there, waiting to find me, even if it meant accepting that they had abandoned me willingly. But at least now I know."

Salia assured her, "They gave their lives to defend Kryta against one of its oldest, greatest enemies. I'm sure they'd be proud of you."

A thought struck Merila, "These gravestones, though... Who placed them?"

Mehid shrugged, not having a sure answer for her, "Friends, perhaps? Fellow agents? We may never know. It was likely the same people who rescued you and took you to safety in Divinity's Reach."

To safety, huh? Merila thought bitterly. So I could safely spend my childhood on the streets? But it wasn't much use being angry about it. There was no changing her past, and she had long ago learned not to feel sorry for herself. She got to her feet and dusted herself off, "I want to thank you both for helping me find this place, and for telling me as much as you could. All my life I've wondered... and now I'll finally have a chance to move on."

Mehid gave her a warm smile, "Helping you with this has been our pleasure, believe me."

Salia nodded her agreement, "If the Shining Blade ever finds out more about your parents, you'll be the first to know."

Merila nodded, grateful for their efforts. She pulled the broken pieces of the Order of the Wolf medallion out of her pocket, placing a half carefully on each of her parents' graves. She took one last look at their headstones, at the loving messages they had left for her – the only things they had been able to leave for her – before turning and following the two Exemplars back out to the road.

[Merila]

Chapter 11 - Answers

Merila had made her way slowly back to her house, still mulling over the discovery of her parents' graves and everything she had learned. When she reached the door, she only stopped for a moment to pull an envelope out of the door frame before going inside. She stuck the letter into her belt, not ready to deal with whatever it might contain. But she hadn't been home more than ten minutes before there was a knock at her door.

"I'm beginning to feel like there's a conspiracy to never let me be alone," she said dryly as she opened the door, but the serious look on Auren's face caused the laughter to die on her lips.

"It's Ariana," he began, gesturing in the direction of the main gate towards the Garret farm, but she was out the door before he could say more.

He filled her in as they jogged through town, "Falcon Company was set up. Tervelan was paid to feed their patrol routes to the centaurs. That's how they were ambushed."

"But why?"

Auren shook his head, his jaw clenching in anger, "The Screaming Falcons were the most respected company in Queensdale. With them out of the way, the centaurs were emboldened. The attack on the garrison that made you the Hero of Shaemoor was a direct result of the Falcons' disappearance. They believed the Seraph were weak."

"I remember. There were dozens more centaur raids in the week leading up to the garrison attack. It was so bad, riots broke out all over the city. Everyone blamed Queen Jennah."

"Exactly. And the only people who benefit from making the Queen look bad are those in a position to assume power in her stead. Tervelan was taking his orders from someone signing his letters 'Minister Arton,' but that was just a frame-up."

"So it's someone in the Ministry, but not Arton?"

"The survivors of Falcon Company were being held by a group of bandits in the Kessex Hills. Logan and I took them out, but one of the thugs we arrested had a name for us – Caudecus."

"Legate Minister Caudecus? He's responsible for all of this? Is he the one who's been funding the gangs this whole time, is he the one making sure they never spend more than a night in jail?" Her eyes grew wide, "Auren... the survivors of Falcon Company? Is she-"

"She's alive," he beamed, "Ariana is alive."

Merila broke into a run, her boots thumping loudly on the cobblestones as she raced through the gate. She easily outstripped Auren, who disappeared in the cloud of dust she raised as she reached the dirt road leading to the farm. When she reached the house, she slid to a stop, rushed through the door, and streaked up the stairs into Ariana's room.

–

The woman who lay in the the bed barely resembled the Ariana that Merila remembered. She was thin and pale, her blonde hair dulled, and she had dark circles under her eyes. But when she saw Merila, she gave a weak smile, and some of her beauty was revived in the warmth of the look she gave her friend. Merila crossed to the bed and knelt beside it, taking Ariana's hands in her own.

"Merila," Ariana whispered.

Merila kissed her friend's hands, her eyes filling up with tears. All she could do was look at Ariana wordlessly. She heard Auren's heavy steps on the stairs and looked up as his frame filled the doorway. He was still a little out of breath.

"I don't even know how you run that fast," he panted.

"Well it helps that she's not as big as you," Ariana pointed out, chuckling. The chuckle quickly turned into a fit of coughing, which shook her weak frame.

"Are you alright?" Merila asked.

"I will be," she answered when she'd recovered. "Now that I'm home. We had almost nothing to protect us from the rain and the cold, and more than half of us developed this cough. But mother has already had a priestess of Dwayna to see me, and she said I should be fine in a few weeks if I stay in bed."

Merila smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile, but she was still worried by Ariana's pale complexion. The Seraph clearly needed rest. She leaned forward, wrapping her friend in a hug, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too. But I'm home now. And I'll be okay, I promise," Ariana said, returning the embrace. "I just need a little rest."

Auren nodded, taking Merila's hand, "We'll be downstairs if you need anything."

The two headed down the stairs and Merila took a seat at the long table in the kitchen. Auren sat across from her.

"I know she doesn't look it, but she will be okay. Though she may never regain her strength completely," Auren said with a sigh.

Merila nodded, but her thoughts grew dark. Of all the people in Tyria, why did something like this have to happen to Ariana? She had been the kindest soul Merila had ever known. First her parents, then Quinn, now Ariana. It seemed like everyone she cared for was getting hurt. She'll never be fit for patrol again, Merila realized bitterly.

"Merila-" Auren started, but Merila cut him off.

"I found my parents," she looked up at him suddenly.

"What? Where? Are they alive?"

"No," she told him, "They're not alive. I found the house they used to live in. Their graves were under an oak tree behind it."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, taking her hands and giving them a squeeze. "Did you find anything out about them?"

"They belonged to the Order of the Wolf," she explained. "A special group of spies whose mission was to infiltrate the White Mantle and bring it down from the inside. My parents were among those killed when the Order was revealed by a traitor in the Ministry."

Auren looked at her, the shock plain on his face. He shook his head, "I never would have guessed."

They sat in silence for a few moments. Then finally, Auren spoke.

"Merila, I need to tell you. I'm going to be leaving soon."

Merila looked up at him in surprise, "What? Why?"

"I'm going to join the Vigil," he told her. "With everything that's happened, with Ariana, with you and Logan, I just don't think I can join the Seraph like I planned. I always wanted to do good, to protect people, but there's so much corruption in the Ministry, it seems like half of the people in the Seraph these days are either cowards or traitors," he explained, anger leaking into his voice.

She couldn't argue with that assessment. With Caudecus pulling strings in the ministry, it seemed like it was almost impossible to get any real justice in Kryta anymore.

"So you're just going?" she asked weakly.

"Not immediately," he reassured her. "Especially not with Ariana so ill. But once she's well, I plan to leave for Vigil Keep. I can do more good with the Vigil, and there are bigger concerns out there than just centaurs and gang feuds."

"I guess you're right," she admitted. She frowned, her brows furrowed, "I just don't know what I'll do without you here."

He laughed, "I'm not dropping off the edge of the world of anything. I'll write you as often as I can. Besides, I didn't expect you to just stay here in Divinity's Reach gathering dust. You always wanted to travel, right? What's stopping you?"

"Alright, alright, I see your point," she smiled.

"Good," he grinned, rising from his chair and pulling her into a hug. When he pulled back again, he gave her a puzzled look and pointed to the letter out of her belt, "But hey, what's this?"

Merila looked down in surprise. She had completely forgotten about the envelope she had pulled from her door. She pulled it out and examined it. The paper was thick and her name was written on the outside in an elegant, swirling script. She tore it open, pulling out a folded letter. She read it softly to herself while Auren watched her curiously.

"You are cordially invited to a party... in your honor at the royal palace! To celebrate your achievements in defending the citizens of Divinity's Reach from all who would threaten them..." she trailed off, noting the date and time at the bottom.

She looked up at Auren, her mouth slightly agape, "The Queen is throwing me a party. The Queen is throwing me a party."

He just chuckled, "I heard you the first time."

[Merila]

Chapter 12 - New Ties

The party was in full swing – servants circled the crowd, offering hors d'oeuvres and drinks, while the guests chattered away. Delicious smells drifted from the buffet tables lining the walls. A small band sat in a corner, plucking artfully at their instruments, a lively tune beginning to form just under the murmur of the crowd. The air was warm and the night was young, and the past hour had been the most agonizing Merila had ever experienced.

The party had been thrown in her honor – a full gala to celebrate the Hero of Shaemoor – but she found the haughty manner of the nobles insufferable. The extravagance on display filled her with a bitterness that threatened to crack the polite facade she put on for the guests. The money spent on a single gown was likely more than she could make in a year by honest means, and she wondered how much of the food and drink would be thrown out at the end of the night – food that could likely feed a family for a month, if not more. It would've been easier to ignore if the guests around her weren't so blind to their own privilege, but by the third time an admirer had approached her with an indecorous curiosity about her upbringing, she was ready to strangle someone.

It was hard enough for her to spend so much time in close quarters with so many people – she was used to spending her time alone, and she knew next to nothing of parties. The closest thing her childhood had offered were the small dinners she had had with the Garret family on her birthday. Those nights were some of her most cherished memories. Auren had been beside himself when he learned that, not only did she not celebrate her birthday, she wasn't even sure what day it was. He had taken it upon himself to assign her one, and when that day rolled around, had saved up enough silver to buy a small cake from one of the cheaper bakeries in Divinity's Reach. It had been the first cake she had ever tasted that wasn't stale and scrounged from a trash bin – it was chocolate with chocolate icing, and it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. She smiled to herself at the memory of Auren's boyish excitement, his cheeks red, the biggest grin on his young face as he thrust the cake into her hands. I wish he was here now, she sighed.

But none of her friends were at the lavish estate in the nobles' quarter. Auren had begged off, wanting to stay home and tend to Ariana – something Merila wouldn't in a million years hold against him. But clearly he was just as uncomfortable at the prospect of spending several hours surrounded by the rich and powerful families of Kryta as she was. And Quinn would probably just be looking to pickpocket the wealthy men and women attending while he laughed at their stuffy manners. If he was still alive, she reminded herself. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. No sense mourning any longer. What's done is done.

Even Logan had deserted her – though it was Logan who had convinced her that she really must attend, since the party was for her. Queen Jennah had made an appearance specifically to honor her for her efforts defending Kryta, especially her success in taking out a major White Mantle cell. But when the Queen retired for the evening, Logan made his excuses in order to depart with her. Coward, she thought, half jokingly and half bitterly. She had glared daggers at his back as he left, for all the good it had done her. The nobles had surrounded her again almost immediately, plying her with drinks, begging for retellings of her exploits. She had only just slipped away to a vacant balcony, slightly tipsy from the few glasses of champagne she hadn't been able to wave away. She took a deep breath as she leaned against the railing, savoring the coolness of the outside air.

"Well, if it isn't the Hero of Shaemoor," a teasing voice came from her right.

Damn it. She turned, trying for her best smile as she steeled herself for more tedious smalltalk and prying questions. The man who emerged from the shadows surprised her, however. She had seen him inside at the start of the party, had dismissed him as just another shallow socialite like the others. And he certainly looked the part – he was just as handsome and well-dressed as any of the other nobles, his black hair and goatee trimmed neatly, his tailored shirt and silk vest fitting snugly enough that the strong muscles underneath were just visible under the fabric. Definitely more handsome than the others, she noted now that she was seeing him up close, her gaze momentarily stuck on the hard lines of his chest under the soft cloth. But as her eyes flicked back up, taking in his face and his pleasant smile, there was something grim and hard in his deep amber eyes that convinced her that, no, he wasn't just another careless noble.

He chuckled, sensing her surprise, "It's good to know I'm not the only one who tires of the superficiality of high society."

Merila flushed, pressing her hands together nervously, "Well, I'm not used to meeting so many people at once. Especially nobles. I think I've met more tonight than I have in my entire life so far."

"I imagine you would be more comfortable battling centaurs and cultists than schmoozing with my friends inside," he smiled easily, gesturing back through the open doors.

She laughed, "That does sound easier." She glanced back inside at the women in their beautiful gowns, the men in their expensive suits and silk ties. Her self-consciousness returned, and she pressed her hands to her stomach, smoothing down the rough linen fabric of her shirt. She had asked Logan what she ought to wear, and he had thankfully suggested she stick to her hunting gear so as to be easily recognizable – she had no gowns, and he was right that she would feel more comfortable in her usual clothes. But she couldn't help but feel like the more wealthy nobles had been sneering at her commoner's clothes all night.

The gentleman on the balcony with her seemed to sense her fears, and, closing the distance between them, took her hand in his, raised it to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss onto her knuckles. A strange warmth flooded through her, and she flushed an even brighter red than before. Her breath caught in her throat as he raised his eyes to meet hers, a quiet fire visible in them.

"My lady, you have done more for the people of Kryta in the past month than any of these so-called 'nobles' will do in their entire lives. They could never look down on you – you are well above them." He looked at her earnestly, "And I am truly honored to meet you, Miss Dorne."

He inclined his head in a small bow, and she returned it. Her tongue felt thick as she finally found the words to reply, "I thank you, Lord..."

"Lethos, my lady. But please, feel free to call me Venitus. My father was always 'Lord Lethos,' and I'm afraid the title still feels strange directed at me."

Merila smiled, "Venitus, then. I appreciate your praise. All I can hope for is that I am doing good in the world, so it means a great deal to hear you say so." She began to relax. Maybe it was his kind words, his earnest eyes, or maybe just his dazzling smile and the more than a few drinks she had consumed already that evening, but she found herself feeling comfortable in his presence. She was grateful for his genuineness and flattered by his attention.

"Well, we know why I'm uncomfortable. What's driven you out here and into the shadows?"

Venitus smiled ruefully, "What indeed. My mother said I was blessed by Kormir. Cursed is more like it. I have the uncanny ability to tell when a person is lying."

Her eyes grew large, her expression curious, "Really?"

He nodded, "Which has done wonders for my social life, as you might have guessed. Most people lie, but the wealthy and the powerful lie more than most. And you can imagine how my romantic endeavors have turned out."

"Maybe you would be better off with the centaurs as well," she suggested.

They looked at each other for a moment before breaking out into laughter. And so the evening went, each telling stories and making pointed observations while the other laughed and commiserated. It was well past midnight when Merila noticed the already diminished crowd beginning to disperse.

Venitus glanced up, "Well it looks like we have outlasted the worst of the party. I would offer to escort you home, but I think I would be doing your reputation a disservice. Perhaps you should be escorting me home," he chuckled.

She giggled, offering a sweeping bow before saying, "If my lord is concerned for his safety, I would be more than happy to accommodate him."

He smiled another easy, genuine smile, though there was a touch of sadness in his eyes, "If you only knew how much I would like to take you up on that offer. I have enjoyed your company immensely. But alas, I have other business to attend to before I head home this evening."

"At this hour?"

"'No rest for the wicked,' as they say," he nodded, bowing to her. Then he took her hand, giving it another soft kiss before raising his eyes to hers. He smiled, but there was a strange glimmer in his eyes as he told her, "I hope to see you again, my lady. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask."

With that he turned and made his way back into the main hall and towards the stairs. She watched him go, still absorbing the whole encounter. What an odd man, she thought, now that she was alone and the effects of the alcohol had worn off. I wonder how honest he was being. She replayed the evening over in her head as she made her way home, finally deciding it was worth it to tread carefully with this Lord Lethos.

–

When morning came, Logan was asking for her. She made her way over to his office and found him pouring over several old tomes, a plate of half-eaten eggs and sausage sitting off to the side.

"Oh good, there you are, Merila. Enjoy the party?"

She twisted her mouth, trying to come up with the right word to describe the night, "It was... tolerable."

He laughed, "That sounds about right. You're probably going to hate me, but I need to tell you, I had an ulterior motive for leaving you there on your own."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. Had she been played by Logan Thackeray? I really am going soft, she concluded, clucking her tongue at her own heedlessness. "And that reason would be?"

"I needed you to meet Lord Lethos."

Merila was stunned. So her meeting with the engaging nobleman had just been a set up. No wonder he had been so charming. She began to wonder, was everyone around her playing games?

Logan noticed her expression and waved his hand, dismissing her worries, "No, it's not like that. I need you two to work together on something, and it was better for him to meet you on your own than at my insistence. He needs to trust you if we're to deal with Minister Caudecus."

She gave him a puzzled look, but nodded, and he continued, "We've known for a while that there's someone in the Ministry with deep pockets that's been bankrolling the local gangs; the same someone that set up the catch-and-release policy in the jail. Minister Zamon took the fall for it, and though he definitely was involved, you and I both know the problem hasn't gone away. That, combined with the evidence we have that Caudecus was behind the disappearance of Falcon Company has left me with no doubts he's the one pulling the strings."

She seethed, her thoughts on Quinn and Ariana, "And Lord Lethos comes into this how?"

"He's on the Queen's security council with me. He led the investigation against Zamon and brought him to trial. The man has a knack for finding out the secrets of powerful people, and he agrees with me that Caudecus is up to something. But we don't have enough hard evidence to make any accusations stick," Logan explained, standing and walking over to the window, his eyes scanning the passersby. "Caudecus is throwing a party next week, a banquet to celebrate our recent treaties with the charr. It's a perfect opportunity to do a little digging. I will be there myself, but as an escort to Queen Jennah, and I would rather not leave her unprotected. Besides, it wouldn't be very subtle for the captain of the Seraph to start interrogating party guests."

"So you need someone whose curiosity would go unnoticed? Like Lord Lethos?"

"Yes and no. Venitus will be attending, both as an important member of the Queen's court and as part of our investigation, but honestly, I'm worried about more than just Caudecus. The human-charr treaty isn't popular with everyone, and there's a group of separatists that are out for blood. They'll do anything to upset relations with the charr. I was thinking, if you accompanied Venitus to the party, we could kill two birds with one stone. He can investigate Caudecus while you keep an eye out for trouble."

"Me?" Merila asked, her mouth dropping open a little.

"Yes, you," he laughed. "You may be the Hero of Shaemoor, but fewer people know your face than you'd think. You did spend most of your party out on the balcony," he teased. The tops of her ears grew hot in embarrassment. He continued, "You've done undercover work before. I know you can handle it, and honestly, I would feel more comfortable with you in there than Venitus. He would never betray Jennah, I know, but sometimes I can't shake the feeling that he's not only on our side."

She took a deep breath, wondering what she was getting herself into, "Alright, I'll be there."

Logan smiled, "Good. I'll feel much better with you there." He gestured off to the east, towards Manor Hill, the richer part of the Salma District, "You'll want to go ahead and see Venitus. He'll be expecting you. I've already briefed him on my plan, but you'll need him to provide you with something appropriate to wear. You'll need to blend in this time," he said, smirking a little, "and somehow I doubt you already have anything that would do."

[Merila]

Chapter 13 - The Minister's Manor

Merila held her arms stiffly out at 90 degree angles from her torso as the yellow-haired, long-eared asura standing on the stool in front of her adjusted bits of fabric here and there, deftly pulling the needle she held in her long grey fingers in and out of the cloth. The soft green silk of the dress was beautiful and heavenly soft against Merila's skin, but she was half-dreading the point when the tailor would declare her finished and bring the full-length mirror back out. She had never worn a formal gown before and had no idea what the dress even looked like at that point. Every time she turned her head to look down, the asuran tailor had snapped her fingers and scolded Merila for moving.

Venitus had welcomed her graciously into his home, explaining that he'd taken the liberty of setting up a private fitting with one of the best tailors this side of Lion's Arch, "No, it would not do to just pull something off the rack. All the fashions these days are so ostentatious, especially the formal gowns. No, no, I'm sure we can come up with something better, something that will suit you more. And Lexxi is a genius, really. She does things with cloth that make me swear she's actually a mesmer," he had said with a grin.

And so Merila had endured a few hours of torment while Lexxi wrapped a measuring tape around various parts of her body, taking down the numbers and clucking to herself as she went. She had blushed bright red when the asuran tailor pressed the tape across her bosom, read the number out loud and made another clucking noise with her tongue, and had tried her best not to look across the room to where Venitus stood, his arms crossed in front of his chest, an amused smile on his face as he watched the tailor work.

Now that the day of the party had arrived, she was back in the drawing room of Lethos Manor, standing rigid on a short stool while Lexxi checked the fitting of the dress and made small adjustments.

After what seemed like hours, Lexxi stood back, tutting, "There, I think we've got it. Wait, don't step down yet," she said as Merila made to lower herself from the stool. The asura darted out of the room, returning quickly with a pair of embroidered slippers with short heels, the fabric matched to that of the dress. "Here," she said, gesturing for Merila to hold out a foot. Lexxi slipped both shoes on, then stepped back to allow her to step down and turn to face the mirror.

Merila took a deep breath and turned. And for a moment, she just stood there, transfixed. There she was in the mirror, but standing in the beautiful green dress Lexxi had designed for her, she was almost a different person. The silk was overlaid with a soft, sheer fabric that had been embroidered with tiny beads in the shapes of dozens of sparkling leaves. The neckline of the overlay was high, a straight line from shoulder to shoulder that exposed her collarbones, while the silk underneath came up to just above her bust. The dress hugged her waist and hips before dropping straight to the floor, the hem just high enough for the pointed toes of her shoes to peek out. The sheer sleeves clung down her arms before widening at her wrists, falling just above where her fingers began.

Lexxi looked pleased with herself when she saw Merila's expression. "Turn around and see the back," she insisted.

Merila turned and let out a small gasp. The fabric of the dress fell from her shoulder blades to the small of her back in a deep-angled V, leaving most of the skin bare. She turned to the asura, "Lexxi, it's beautiful."

"And you're surprised?" she scoffed. "Just be careful not to step on the hem. Enjoy your party," she said with a wave before disappearing down the hall.

Merila was still examining herself in the mirror when Venitus entered the room. She turned at the sound of his footsteps, and when he saw her, for the first time since she had met him, he was speechless. He blinked, twisting his mouth slightly in thought, before finally saying, "I will definitely need to give Lexxi a bonus."

She laughed nervously, which made him smile. Her eyes stayed on him as he walked over to her. He was even more handsome than usual in his tailored linen shirt and silver silk vest, the embroidery thread glinting in the light as he moved. He held a black velvet coat folded over one arm and was carrying a thin box about the size of a book in the other. "And, for the final touch," he said dramatically before taking off the lid and holding the box out to her. Inside were a pair of triangular earrings made of a light green stone, with a matching pendant on a fine silver chain. She reached out, touching the pendant gingerly. "Jade, from Cantha," he explained.

She gave him a puzzled look, "But we haven't traded with Cantha for over a century."

He nodded, "Indeed. They were my grandmother's. A few of the last items to make it here before the Empire was cut off by Orr." He stepped closer to her, leaning in and fastening the necklace around her neck. She could smell the perfume he wore; a soft mix of something like rose oil and cinnamon, she thought, and beneath that the slightest hint of sweat. Her heart was pounding as he carefully clipped the earrings onto her ears one at a time. Gods be good, get a grip on yourself Merila, she scolded herself. Remember why you're here.

She held her breath as he lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers, inspecting her. "Yes, I think that will do," he said smiling, his eyes twinkling with laughter. He held out his arm to her, which she took gently, allowing him to lead her out the door and to the carriage waiting outside.

–

When they had settled into the carriage for the ride to Beetletun, Venitus turned serious. He leaned forward and looked at her, his face inscrutable, "I wanted to congratulate you on your success against the White Mantle. Kryta will be safer for it, at least until they regroup. But that could take years."

"Thank you," she told him, unsure of what else to say.

He pursed his lips before speaking again, a tick she was quickly learning meant he was considering his words carefully. He was clearly thinking through how much he trusted her with. Finally he spoke, his tone low, his gaze quiet, "My mother was among those killed when the Mantle was purging spies from its ranks."

"Lady Lethos?" she asked, confused.

He gave a soft laugh, "No. Lord and Lady Lethos were my foster-parents. My birth mother left me in their care when she entered the cult. My father had been murdered by a cultist not long after I was born. My mother volunteered to spy on the Mantle, as much out of grief and a desire for vengeance as for love of king and country," he said darkly.

"I'm sorry," she offer him a sympathetic smile, her brows knitted in concern.

He waved a hand, "It's alright. I barely remember her. No, Lord and Lady Lethos were my 'real' parents in almost every meaningful way. But for her sake, I thank you," he smiled, inclining his head to her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the creaking of the carriage and the clopping of the horse's hooves on the cobblestone road the only sounds. As they approached Caudecus' estate, Merila finally worked up the courage to ask the question that had been troubling her since the whole way there, "Why trust me with all of this?"

He looked at her, a strange flicker in his eyes that she couldn't place. "Why shouldn't I?" was all he said before the carriage came to a stop and he offered his arm to help her out.

Merila's mouth dropped open a little when she stepped down and got a good look at Caudecus' mansion. It was larger even than the Lethos family manor, three stories tall, with a covered walkway, its roof supported by huge columns that surrounded the lower level. There were at least a dozen chimneys poking up from the grey tiled roof high above her. The path leading up to the entryway was lined with colorful flowers and artfully shaped topiaries. She thought it was nice, if a little over-the-top, but she couldn't help noting bitterly that the Minister could likely house all of the homeless in the Salma district and still have room to spare.

"It's an epidemic among the wealthy, I'm afraid," Venitus commented dryly. "Too much gold, and not enough taste."

A snort of laughter escaped her before she could stop herself. Venitus chuckled, pleased with her reaction. He led her up the path to the open door, following the guests already heading that way as more arrived behind.

The next hour was a whirl of faces and names as they mingled, and Merila tried her best to pay attention. It would do her no good to learn something important if she couldn't even remember who had said it. But after a while, the faces and conversations blurred together. She didn't know how Venitus remembered it all. He had introduced her again and again, to those who did not know of her fame as the Hero of Shaemoor, or did not recognize her – which, combined, accounted for nearly everyone. Even Logan had mistaken her for just another noblewoman when he had bumped into her early on, accidentally knocking a drink out of her hand. The Seraph captain had apologized profusely at first, until he realized it was her.

"Well I'll be damned," he had said, smirking as he looked her up and down, "who would have guessed you'd clean up so well, Hero?"

She had glowered at him, but he just chuckled and headed back to where Jennah was speaking with another minister. She turned her back on him and made her way back to Venitus' side. The more people they met and spoke with, the more respect she developed for what the man did. He seemed to know the names and titles of everyone in attendance, as well as all of their friends, children, and distant cousins unable to attend, and he was quick to flatter and flirt. She had been a little disheartened as she began to realize that the easy, disarming charisma that she had been so drawn to was not just for her. But she started to pick up on the way he subtly turned his charm up or down depending on whom he was speaking to, tweaking it just so. He gave enough of himself away to put them at ease before asking pointed questions, and he almost always walked away with information that seemed useful.

She was impressed, but she couldn't help but feel like he must be playing her too. He's a chess master, and we're all just game pieces, she despaired. All that talk in the carriage was probably just another calculated move. She knew she would be safer if she walked away from the game entirely, but she found herself too intrigued by it. Maybe she would get burned, but it would be worth it if she could learn even a few of his tricks.

Taking her lead from Venitus, she began walking through the crowd, listening to conversations. Most of the guests were making smalltalk, or anticipating the show that the Minister had arranged for his guests – an inventor named Uzalon who would be displaying his latest inventions. Some of the charr were glancing around nervously at all of the humans, but most seemed to be enjoying themselves. She did her best not to stare at a large, bearded norn as she passed by, having never seen one before. Merila only half-listened as he complained to his female companion, "These human lands are not to my liking. The weather is too hot, the beds are too short, and the ale is too weak! But my father says travel broadens the mind..."

She continued on, watching, thinking to herself. She had heard more than a few guests mention Ebonhawke, the human stronghold on the edge of charr territory. Merila knew that the majority of the separatist cells were located in or around the fortress, but she wasn't sure if that meant any mention of Ebonhawke should be treated with suspicion. She was about to find Venitus to see what he thought when she noticed a sylvari standing off by himself near one of the fountains watching her. Intrigued, she made her way over to him.

He smiled when she greeted him, commenting, "I find these parties fascinating. So many complex connections."

"Do you often attend human gatherings, Mr..."

"Dagonet, please. I do come when I can. I have known Minister Caudecus for years," he explained.

She gave him a pleasant smile, "The Minister seems to know the most interesting people."

"Indeed. Though, I do find it odd that he surrounds himself with so many who do not like his Queen. Is that normal behavior in human politics?"

Merila hid her surprise, shrugging, "I'm not sure, myself. I don't know much about the inner workings of Queen Jennah's cabinet."

"Ah well. Enjoy the party," Dagonet said with a wave, making his way over to where a servant stood with a tray full of appetizers.

Merila was about to move on when she heard a small snort coming from down near her waist. She looked down and was surprised to see an asura. She was dressed in a blue and gold robe, and the goggles that sat on her forehead glowed with a strange blue light.

"You look like you're looking for something. Or someone," the asura observed.

"Do I?" Merila asked, trying to be nonchalant.

"I don't blame you. Something is off about this party. I have a lot of unanswered questions."

"Such as?"

"Such as why Caudecus has chosen to display the talents of this Uzalon character. I've never heard of him! He can't be much of an inventor, and if he's not, then what purpose does he serve? At least Phlunt over there has a reputation among the engineering community. And I have reason to believe that Uzalon has been passing off my master's discoveries as his own!" she blustered, her eyes flashing angrily.

Merila considered her words, looking over at the guest the asura had pointed out, the one called Phlunt. He was an older asura, with pinkish-grey skin and bald head, and he stood off to the side of the courtyard speaking enthusiastically with a few party guests, waving his arms around wildly. She nodded to herself as her gaze moved onto Uzalon, an older man wearing a top hat, who was unpacking several large mechanical devices near the front of the courtyard.

"So, why are you acting so suspiciously?" the asura asked pointedly.

"Oh, I'm just keeping an eye out for Logan," she half-lied. "He's worried for the Queen's safety."

The asura snorted, "Logan! He still has stars in his eyes for his Queen." She shook her head as she turned and waddled off towards one of the many refreshment tables, "Useless!"

Merila's eyes widened as she realized to whom she had been speaking. Zojja! Merila silently chided herself for not recognizing the asura – though she had not met any of them personally other than Logan, one would be hard pressed to find anyone in Divinity's Reach who didn't know the names and faces of the members of Destiny's Edge. If she's suspicious, something must be up! She scanned the crowd for Venitus, quickly spotting him and hurrying over to explain what she had overheard.

"That does sound odd. If the sylvari is correct, then I don't think we can trust any of Caudecus' people. I've also heard a few strange stories about this Uzalon character – none of them good. I think it's time to consult Logan," he noted, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Logan was less than pleased.

"From what you've told me, and what I've found out myself, it sounds like this Uzalon may be up to something," he frowned. "Jennah is convinced that Caudecus is trustworthy, so I'd rather not make a scene if we can help it. If nothing else, maybe Uzalon will tell us more about his employer."

Merila nodded, letting Logan lead the way to where the inventor was setting up for the demonstration.

"Uzolan! I must speak to you of a threat to the Queen!" Logan gestured to where Jennah was standing a few yards away, speaking with one of the charr ambassadors.

Uzolan jumped at Logan's voice, fear spreading across his face. "Threat to the Queen? Then you know about our plot!" he shouted, reaching for a large remote controlling device. "We will not be stopped! Golem! Initiate plan Alpha!"

All three of them jumped back in surprise as what had appeared to be several different mechanical devices rattled along the ground before sorting themselves into a large golem. The golem raised its arm, which had an odd cannon-like attachment on it, and aimed it towards the Queen, firing several purple orbs in her direction.

Logan leapt forward, crying out, "Jennah! Look out!" But he was too late.

Shimmering purple light had appeared on the ground under the Queen and the charr ambassador. The air around them seemed to dance as the light spread upward. Then there was a bright blinding flash, and when Merila's vision cleared again, both Jennah and the charr were gone.

[Merila]

Chapter 14 - Loyalty

"What the- Jennah! It killed her!" Logan shouted. He was about to launch himself after Uzalon, who was backing away towards the kitchens, when Zojja stepped forward, one hand waving at Logan dismissively.

"Hold your tears, Logan. She and the others are fine. That golem used a teleportation ray on them."

"Teleported? Where?"

Zojja eyed Logan skeptically, "Ah, so now you need my help." She sighed, "Alright, alright. Let's see... It looked like a short-range teleporter. I can track the energy signature. Hang on," she said, pulling a small device from her belt and began pushing a few buttons.

Most of the guests had fled the main courtyard when the golem had activated. Those few remaining were being escorted out by Caudecus' servants. Uzalon had taken the opportunity to sneak off, and though the other Seraph had done a thorough search of the immediate area, the inventor was nowhere to be found.

Venitus had instead recruited Phlunt, the short, bald-headed asura Zojja had told her about, to help him power down the golem. Phlunt seemed pleased enough at the attention, though he gave Zojja a wide berth as he worked. When the golem had been deactivated, he waddled off with the other guests. Venitus returned to Merila's side just as Zojja finished calibrating her tracking device.

"Got it! Through that door there," she pointed to the nearby kitchens. She led the way through and down into the storage cellar, Logan, Merila, and Venitus on her heels. They followed the energy signature down through Caudecus' ample larder, past row after row of root vegetables and cheeses, wine bottles and barrels of ale, before coming to a stop at the end of the long room, a plain wall in front of them. Logan let out another impatient groan, but Zojja only tutted, putting out her small hands and feeling along the wall. After a few seconds, she had located a seam in the wall, barely visible in the low light, and pushed the hidden door open.

A gruff voice greeted them from the other side as a burly man put out a hand to stop them. Logan shouted to him, "One side! We're coming through!"

"No one gets in here! Uzolan's orders!" the door guard replied.

"Uzolan is a traitor, stand aside!" Logan cried, unsheathing his sword. When the guard didn't move, Logan rushed him, sending him flying backward and into the rock wall that lined the passageway. He hit the wall with thud, sliding down to the ground, a thin line of blood trickling from one ear.

"Come on," Logan gestured for them to follow down the tunnel. The walls and floor were stone, with jagged edges and large outcroppings jutting out from the low ceiling. The sound of low voices drifted to them from farther down the path. The four of them followed the tunnel to its end, hanging back at the edge of the passageway. Merila carefully eased her head around the corner, just out of sight of the flickering torches, and scanned the room ahead. The torch light revealed a large cavern filled with crates; she could see from some of the open lids that they were filled with weapons – axes, short rifles, and grenades, from what she could tell, but most of the crates were closed or out of sight. On the far side, she could see a door, the crack at its foot revealing daylight on the other side. The way out, she decided. Three cloaked figures were struggling across the room as they attempted to force the semi-conscious charr ambassador into a cage.

"Calm down and get that charr in the cage! Boss says she lives until they're done with the queen. Then we can kill her," one of them snarled.

Merila turned back to the others, whispering, "There are only three of them, but I don't see Queen Jennah. Only the charr she was speaking with."

Zojja shook her head, fiddling with the dials on her reader, "The energy signature ends here. They teleported Jennah and the charr here, but they must have moved the Queen elsewhere."

Merila nodded, "Well, let's see what these goons know." She reached reflexively over her shoulder, but felt only cloth and skin. Damn it, she frowned, remembering that she wasn't dressed for battle. She sighed before turning to Logan and Venitus, "You two want to handle this?"

Logan grit his teeth, "Gladly." He readied his sword and leapt forward, surprising the three kidnappers. As he engaged one, his powerful swings driving the bandit further and further back, Venitus stepped forward, his hands glowing with eerie green light. A black green mist swirled up from the ground under the remaining two thugs. They looked down with panicked faces, their fingers clawing at their throats as they fought for air, but within seconds, their eyes rolled back and they collapsed to the ground. The mist slowly dissolved.

Well that was different, Merila thought. She had not realized that Venitus was a necromancer, though she had never seen one engage in combat before either. She was impressed with his power, if a little queasy at the sight of its effects. But she shrugged off her discomfort and moved forward to inspect the bandits.

"Separatists by the colors," she noted. "No doubt trying to sabotage the charr-human treaty. Uzolan must be working with them."

"And I'd bet my left arm that Caudecus is also involved," Logan growled.

"To what end, though?" Merila asked.

Venitus gestured with his hands as he explained, "From what I've heard, it sounds like the minister will do anything to make the Queen look bad. If siding with the separatists and sabotaging the treaty Jennah has worked her entire reign for creates discontent among the people of Kryta, it gives Caudecus justification to move power away from our monarch and towards the ministry. Which gives him more power."

Merila shook her head with a look of digust, "So funding the gangs, sabotaging the Seraph, all of this, is just a power play to gain political control of Kryta? Caudecus is supposed to be a servant of the people, and instead he's playing games with innocent lives for leverage?"

Venitus shrugged as he unlocked the cage holding the charr and helped the ambassador to her feet, "I'm alright," came her low rumble. "I just need a minute to steady myself. They took the queen out into the valley. They mean to kill her. Lead, and I will follow."

Merila searched the nearby crates, grumbling to herself. The first few only contained hand-to-hand weapons, though she tossed a scepter she found to Venitus. He gave her a grateful smile. While rummaging in one of the nearby barrels, she gave a small laugh of triumph as she found what she was looking for. Slinging the quiver of arrows over her shoulder, she tested the bow. It'll do, she decided. She gave Logan and Zojja a nod before following them out the far door back out onto the grounds.

–

Standing about about thirty yards ahead was a tall brunette woman, her back to them as she threatened the two cowering men in front of her.

"Fools! You let her slip her bonds? I should have you gutted."

"Don't worry, she can't keep that shield up forever. The moment she drops it, she's ours!" one of the separatist thugs assured her, rubbing his hands.

"You had better hope so. Now go, before I decide to skin you both anyway," the woman snarled.

The two goons quickly scampered around the hill. Logan made to follow them, but as the woman turned, Merila froze. No! Not her!

"Ah, Captain Thackeray! What a pleasant surprise," Victoria inclined her head slightly in a mocking bow. "Oh, and look, you've brought friends." She caught Merila's eye and broke out into a wide, vicious grin, "Hello, little one. No going further for you. It's too dangerous. You might get hurt."

Merila kept her eyes on Victoria while she gestured to Logan, Zojja, and the charr, "Go, now. Get the Queen. Leave her to me."

She was surprised to hear Venitus' voice coming from just behind her on her right, "It's alright, Captain. Go, quickly."

Victoria gave a high laugh as the other three disappeared from sight around the hill. She took a step towards Merila, "You've been a busy little girl, haven't you?"

Merila steeled herself as she stepped forward, trying her best to appear nonchalant, "And you've gotten ambitious. Kidnapping the Queen? Biting off a little more than you can chew, aren't you?"

Victoria chuckled, moving in a wide circle as she spoke, "Perhaps. What's it to you? I heard you were going in for 'Queen and country' these days, but I didn't honestly believe it was true. But here you are!" she gave a look of mock outrage. "Running around with Logan Thackeray, attending the Queen's galas with..." she turned to Venitus with a touch of greed in her eyes, "rich noblemen as your escorts."

Merila's anger boiled up at the look Victoria gave Venitus. He still stood just to her right, his hand ready on his scepter if she needed him, his face unreadable. She took another step, trying to keep herself between him and the woman in front of her, "Leave him out of this."

Victoria only laughed. She ran a finger along the handle of one of the blades hanging at her hip, "But I know you better. I heard about what happened with Pete. You butchered him like a stuck pig, didn't you? The street's still in you, girl, you can't hide it. No, no. No matter what Captain Thackeray might think, no matter what fine dresses you wear or parties you attend, you're still just a stray dog who needs to be put down," she spat, flinging one of her daggers at Merila.

Merila dodged, but not quite soon enough. The knife sliced across her shoulder, rending the sleeve of her dress and leaving a nasty gash across her upper arm. She grimaced as she hit the ground, putting a hand up to the bleeding wound. Damn it, she cursed, pulling an arrow and nocking it. She let it fly, but Victoria ducked out of the way, throwing another blade. The two woman circled closer, dodging each other's shots as the distance between them shrank to only a few feet. Merila had managed to hit Victoria once, the arrow sinking into the skin of her thigh, though she had broken the shaft off and tossed it aside without slowing. But as a second knife grazed Merila's cheek, forcing her to dodge away, Victoria swung around, grabbing Merila around the neck with one hand, the other forcing the younger woman's arm high behind her back. Venitus lunged forward, but Victoria only pulled Merila's arm higher, eliciting a cry of pain that stopped him in his tracks.

"Oooh, I wouldn't come closer if I were you," Victoria teased, before turning her attention back to Merila. "Don't struggle. You'll only make this harder," she purred, her fingers tightening around Merila's throat.

Merila looked over at Venitus, her eyes pleading. His jaw was set in a hard line as he raised his scepter, green light glowing at its tip. "Let her go," he demanded.

"Or you'll what? Kill me?" Victoria jerked Merila's head forward a little, making her gag. "You'll only end up killing her too."

"If you want a hostage, take me. I'm much more valuable," he insisted. "Just let her go."

Victoria sneared, "What a gallant suitor you have, Merila, dear. But I don't think he understands how this works. I've owed you this for a long time, dearie. Say hello to Quinn for me."

Venitus took another step forward, his hand outstretched, a glowing green orb growing in his palm.

Victoria squeezed Merila's throat, her long nails digging into the skin, "Either I kill her, or you do, but she dies either way."

Merila's eyes were watering, her chest burning from the lack of air. She managed to choke out, "Do it!"

Venitus didn't hesitate. The air around them grew thick and acrid, burning Merila's eyes. She heard Victoria let out a shriek as the acid mist began eating at their skin. Her grip loosened, and Merila shoved away, falling to the ground with a hard thud. She gasped, swallowing a bit of the poisoned air and choking. She pulled herself along the ground until she reached the clear air, coughing as she collapsed a few feet away. The exposed skin on her face and neck still tingled.

She still lay there, breathing heavily, when Venitus rushed over and kneeled at her side. His eyes were wide with worry as he propped her up with one arm, "Are you alright?"

She tried to answer, but only a strangled croak came out. She swallowed and nodded.

Victoria's body lay unmoving across the way, her skin bright red with burns, her eyes still wide with fear. Merila eyed her for a few moments to make sure she didn't rise, before turning her head down to inspect her own body. Her skin was a little pink, but the top of her dress was discolored and several large tears at the sides and sleeves were stained with blood. She looked up at Venitus, finally wheezing weakly, "I ruined the dress."

He led out a laugh, his handsome face breaking into a relieved smile, "I'll just have to buy you another."

She gave him a weak smile, but her eyes drifted back down to her hands as she tried to sort through her thoughts. I guess it's over now, she realized.

"You had a history with her?"

Merila looked up at the question, considering his concerned expression. She nodded, "Victoria. I..." She hesitated, a wave of shame washing over her. She gave herself a small shake. No sense hiding from it now, Merila. She took a deep breath, "I used to run in her gang. We had... a relationship. She was grooming me to be her second. But she always had bigger plans than that. There was no line she wouldn't cross, and she liked to use people," she explained, wiping absentmindedly at the blood on her dress. "She pushed me too far on a job. Asked me to rob the orphanage and then set fire to the place to cover our tracks."

He raised his eyebrows, "She asked you to burn down a building full of children?"

She shrugged, "She was trying to send a message to the other gangs. Like I said, there was no line she wouldn't cross, and she wanted to make sure everyone in the city remembered that. I refused, of course, but I'm sure you can tell how well she took that." She looked back down at her hands, "You don't just leave the gangs. Even if they don't kill you for deserting, the things you did, the people you hurt... that doesn't go away."

He covered her hands with his, giving them a gentle squeeze, "We've all done things we regret."

She nodded, still caught up in memories of her past. After a few minutes of silence, she finally looked up at him and asked, "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That I meant it when I told you to take the shot?"

Venitus narrowed his eyes, pursing his lips in thought. Finally, he met her eyes with his, and the earnestness she saw there surprised her. His voice was quiet when he spoke, "I could see it in your face. You have... a sincerity about you that I've never seen before. I knew you meant it, knew what you were planning, without a moment's thought."

"Oh!" she gasped softly, her eyes wide.

He gave an odd chuckle, "That's not something I'm used to, admittedly. I've told you before, I don't make many friends doing what I do, seeing what I see when I interact with people. I have few people I trust enough to be myself with. But I find myself... trusting you, easily." She held her breath as he leaned in closer, "Merila, I..."

He trailed off as voices drifted over to them from down the hill, the puzzling expression on his face fading back into the mask he wore. Merila jerked backward at the sound, her eyes quickly sweeping up the path until she spotted Logan, who was making his way back up to the manor, the Queen on his arm.

"Caudecus is guilty of many things, Captain, but he was not responsible here. The Separatists were planning to capture him as well," Jennah was explaining. "Perhaps for his protection, he should stay at the palace. Temporarily of course."

"Your Majesty, you can't be serious," Logan exclaimed, his tone incredulous.

"Very serious, Captain. I think it best the minister stays where I can keep an eye on him. For his own safety."

"Then I should remain as well. To help keep an eye on him."

"No, no need for that. I appreciate your rescue, but you have your own journey. One that leads beyond Divinity's Reach," Jennah nodded to where Merila and Venitus were still kneeling on the ground. "And it's something I think our friends here can help with."

Logan shook his head, "There are dangers that threaten you here."

"There are dangers that face all of us, Logan. All of our world. There are things only you can do," she gave him a gentle smile before turning to Merila, "Miss Dorne, I wanted to thank you personally for assisting in my rescue."

Merila stood up slowly with Venitus' help, giving the Queen a short bow, "Of course, Your Majesty. I'm happy to be of service."

She nodded, "I'm very glad to hear that. I think I might have more need of your bravery in the future. There are many threats that face Kryta, and all of Tyria. Can I call on you, when the need arises?"

Merila wasn't sure what the Queen had in mind, but she agreed, "Certainly, Your Majesty."

The Queen gave her a genuine smile, "Logan was right about you. We are very lucky to have someone with a heart like yours protecting Kryta," she noted as she allowed Logan to lead her back into the Manor.

Merila looked over at Venitus, who placed a bracing hand on her arm, "I wonder what she meant by that?"

Venitus cocked his head, considering, "Well, knowing the Queen, I doubt we will need to wait long to find out."

[Merila]

Chapter 15 - In the Name of the Queen

Merila fiddled nervously with her sword belt. She had never been summoned to the Queen's throne room before. Whenever Logan had needed her for something, he had just met her in his office. But this time, his note had said that Jennah herself had requested her, by name at that. Merila knew it had to be serious.

Finally, one of the palace guards appeared and escorted her into the hall. Queen Jennah was sitting on her throne with Logan standing at her side. They were talking in hushed voices, but both looked up when she entered. She approached slowly, coming to a stop a few yards away, and gave what she hoped was an appropriate bow.

"Your Majesty," she greeted them, "Captain Thackeray. I was summoned?"

Logan nodded, his hand resting easily on his sword hilt, "Yes, thank you for coming. There's a matter her Majesty and I were hoping you could help with."

Merila tilted her head, her eyes narrow with concern, "Of course, you know I'll do anything I can to help. What's the problem?"

"Are you familiar with Lychcroft Mere, in the southern Kessex hills?" When she nodded, he continued, "The area's been hit hard by our war with the centaurs. Most of the lumber there goes to build catapults and defenses, so it's common practice to use strips of marsh moss instead of firewood on cold nights. But the Seraph have brought me recent reports that Risen undead – servants of Orr – have been seen in the swamp."

Merila dropped her jaw in shock, "Risen? The dragon's minions, this far north? If they've come as far as Lychcroft Mere, they could be anywhere in Kryta! Any of the villages could be in danger of attack."

Jennah echoed her fears, "Precisely. The three Orders of Tyria are pushing to be involved, but they can't agree on a plan of action. While they bicker, my people are at risk. Merila, I have summoned you to act as Advocate of the Crown. I want you to meet with the orders and take charge of the situation."

Merila eyes went wide, and she quickly bowed before the Queen, "Your Majesty, I'm honored by your trust in me." When she raised her head, she saw Jennah was smiling.

"I have been watching you for some time, my dear, even before the events at Minister Caudecus' estate. You have proven your devotion to the people of Kryta and to me many times over. And Logan has reassured me that you are more than up to the ask. I have complete faith in you," she said.

Logan caught her eye and smiled before explaining, "You'll be dealing with the Vigil, the Durmand Priory, and the Order of Whispers. All three specialize in fighting Zhaitan and its minions. But since they all use different methods, it'll be your job to decide which plan is best – and then act on it."

Jennah nodded, "You will have the full authority of the crown to handle this situation. Will you accept this task?"

"Your Majesty, I will. I'm honored to serve Kryta and my queen," she put a hand to her chest respectfully.

Jennah smiled, "Thank you. The Order representatives will be waiting for you here in the palace gardens this afternoon. I look forward to your report."

Merila bowed again before making her way out.

–

She was not surprised when she rounded the corner into her neighborhood to see Venitus leaning against a tree a few yards from her front door. Merila had been surprised the first time the handsome nobleman had shown up on her doorstep, especially considering how she had not yet told him where she lived, but it had become so commonplace that now she only laughed and shook her head at the sight of him. In the weeks following the detente at Caudecus' estate, Venitus had insisted on seeing to her recovery personally, but once she was well, he continued making excuses to visit. It wasn't as though she minded his company, though, especially now that Auren had left for the Vigil. As odd as it was to replace the blonde, easy-going farmboy with the dark-haired gentleman, she did find that the pain of Auren's absence was eased somewhat when she spent time with Venitus.

But her new friend could not have stood out more among the poor tenants who lived on her street than if he had shown up dressed as a clown. His expensive clothes and genteel manner advertised his wealth and she worried that he would one day end up on the wrong end of a mugger's blade. She had insisted that if he wanted to continue to visit her there, he would need to tone down his attire, and to his credit, he had tried. But even in common linen and leather, one couldn't help but notice him.

As she headed towards him, she noticed that he had another book in his hand. She felt herself smiling despite her worries. He was always bringing her books – usually something from his family's libraries he thought she might like to borrow, though sometimes he would purchase one for her when the merchants from Lion's Arch were in town. She now had a modest collection on an improvised shelf in her bedroom.

It meant more to her than she could say, having access to books like this. She'd had little schooling growing up, so when she finally learned to read when she was ten or so, she read every scrap of paper she could get her hands on. But Venitus' books were different – they were real books, like the kind she read in the Queen's libraries and archives, not just the almanacs the Garrets had or the inventory logs Master Brek had her keep. She couldn't get enough, and spent most of her free time with her nose in one. She hoped her enthusiasm was proof enough how grateful she was.

"That was fast," she called to him when she was close enough.

He turned at the sound of her voice, smiling, "Your audience with the Queen didn't take as long as I would have expected."

She rolled her eyes at him, "And of course you know she summoned me."

He gave her a sly grin, "It's my job to know these things."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. I wonder what else it's his job to know, she worried. She led the way to her door, opening it and gesturing for him to go on inside.

As they stepped into her small apartments, he made his way to his usual chair at her kitchen table, setting the book on the tabletop. When he had first visited her here, she could barely bring herself to let him inside. Her small two-floor residence was barely the size of the closets in the few estates she had been to. But he hadn't seemed to notice that the room only fit the table and chairs she had, leaving just enough room to navigate around them and to the stairs, or that the table and chairs themselves were cheaply made and well-worn. His focus was always on their conversation. And though at first he stood out in the small kitchen like a peacock amongst chickens, he had become a fixture in her home.

"What did you bring me this time?" She asked, gesturing towards the book.

His handsome face broke out into a broad smile, "Guess."

"Hmm..." she considered, tapping a finger on her lower lip, "The Life of Turai Ossa?"

He smirked, "No."

"The Rise and Fall of Rin?"

"Nope."

"Oh, is it that history of the kings of Elona you were looking for?"

He shook his head.

She let out a frustrated sigh, "Alright, I give up. What is it?"

He turned the book around so that faced her, slid it across the table, and opened the cover up to the title page.

"A History of the Durmand Priory?" she looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

"Not as exciting as the others, I suppose, but it will do you good to read it. I know the Queen wants you to meet with representatives of the three Orders. She has a slight ulterior motive for that – Jennah is hoping to position someone she trusts in one of them in order to keep an eye on their activities." He waved a hand when he saw the doubting look she gave him, "The Orders serve Tyria's interests, but those are not always Kryta's interests."

"But why does she think I would be in a position to tell her anything if I joined one?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You'd be an asset to any of them. Jennah sees what is obvious to anyone who knows you – you will do great things."

She blushed, "If you say so."

"I do. But Jennah is mistaken if she thinks you'll end up anywhere other than the Priory," he smiled, clearly pleased with himself.

Merila furrowed her brows, pondering his words. She flipped through the first few pages of the book, skimming the sections that laid out the principles on which it was founded and its ongoing mission. She liked what she read well enough, but since she wouldn't be making her decision right at that moment, so she closed the book and set it aside.

"Thank you, really. It will be good to read up on the Orders before I meet their delegates, even if I don't end up deciding to join one of them," she smiled, her mind still puzzling over Jennah's request. Then a thought struck her, "You belong to one of the orders, don't you?"

A glint of surprise was visible in his eyes, but it was gone in seconds, "I have been an agent of the Order of Whispers for some time now. Lady Lethos was a member, when she was alive. I was inducted as soon as I came of age. I was very eager," he explained, noting the curious look on her face.

"But isn't that a conflict of interest?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

He considered her for a moment before answering, "I love my country, and my queen. But the world is bigger than Kryta, and the dragons threaten all nations indiscriminately. Sometimes we have to make difficult choices."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally she asked, "You think I should join the Priory, even though their interests are at odds with your Order?"

"The Whispers is not for everyone, my dear. It takes a certain kind of person – one who doesn't have a problem with secrets. I may value the truth, but I know the value of silence as well. You, on the other hand," he inclined his head towards her, "would likely find the weight of all those secrets, and the lives they affect, to be a burden. You live out in the open. I would not wish the life of a Lightbringer on you."

Merila nodded, though she was a little irked by his answer. She knew the reputation the Order of Whispers had, and she certainly did not like the idea of living in the shadows and on the edges of the law – she had done that enough for one lifetime already. But the suggestion that she could not handle keeping secrets needled her. As if he knows everything about me, she scoffed.

But in truth, she couldn't picture herself in the Vigil or the Order of Whispers. She knew that all three Orders did good in the world, and she could see the benefits of each approach to the threats that faced Tyria. But both Orders seemed so reckless with the lives of others. The Whispers so often risked both agents and civilians while they held back, waiting for the 'best' opportunity to strike, and the Vigil preferred swift, military action over less straightforward but less bloody methods of war. She had no doubt that Auren was managing just fine, but she had a hard time believing she had the mettle to send troops into battle knowing not everyone would make it back alive.

She was still deep in her thoughts when Venitus surprised her by reaching across the table, taking her hand in his, "I'm afraid there's another reason I wanted to visit today."

She narrowed her eyes, worried, "Oh?"

"I need to leave the city for a few weeks. Orders. It won't be too dangerous, but I don't know for sure when I will be able to see you again," he said, leaning forward a little, his eyes sad.

Her heart fluttered at the look he gave her, but she gave herself an internal shake, scolding, Let it go, Merila. It doesn't mean anything. She affected a look of mild concern, "But you will be back?"

"Of course. It's just hard to say for sure when. But if you write to me, I will answer as often as I am able. I would be most grateful for news of the city – or of your own travels, if you decide to join the Priory. I would hate to miss out on your adventures," he teased, laughter back in his eyes.

The thought made a wide smile spread across her face. "My adventures," she laughed. "Imagine that."