"I remind you again that once that statue is gone, neither it nor the water will be recoverable," Taeseger stated.

  "For the love of the heavens, you don't need to repeat that a third time!" Ayden was getting quite frustrated, a feeling which Hamond shared. From the expression on Edeline's face, so did she.

  This was not quite how he had expected the meeting to go. Takhat's reluctance in the first half of it was no surprise, no, but Hamond wouldn't have thought the town's own alderman would so readily give up on Lasfont. The man's logic was sound, of course, but he would have thought Ayden would at least require some persuasion, or have felt a bit conflicted over the matter.

  The second part of the meeting so far had been nothing but Taeseger repeatedly trying to convince them that freeing the Sluice was a bad idea. Of course, the sphinx was still holding to the lie about it being nothing more than an enchanted statue. Hamond didn't mind, as trying to explain the Elemental Hex to even more people likely would just lead the conversation astray.

  What was clear was that Taeseger was desperate. Clearly the sphinxes wanted those spells of the Sluice, but everything Ugotlas had told them indicated they didn't truly need the water the spells provided. That pointed to another, more secretive goal.

  "Unless you have something new to tell us, the matter is settled." Edeline seemed to have come to the same conclusion. "The question that remains is if you plan to guide us there later today, or tomorrow?"

  "If I postpone it, I hold no doubt you will protest, yes?" Taeseger let out a rumbling breath. "Very well. The eyes of the heavens will judge you if you are wrong. Make your preparations. I shall seek you out later."

  Watching the sphinx walk off, Hamond had the impression that this meeting was only the first step. They'd have to convince the other Sekhmati along the way, most likely. That, or fight their way past them. While taking one sphinx wouldn't be a problem, a battle with several at once would be very difficult.

  Once again, it seemed there was no option but to risk it all yet again. Stay calm, Hamond reminded himself. He'd seen Ugotlas fight, and assuming a similar approach, there were weaknesses in their fighting style. That battle could yet be won.

  It only made him feel a little less miserable.

  "I still cannot understand why they did that," Edeline suddenly said.

  "What did they do?" Hamond asked.

  "Taeseger was not among the ones that approached Ugotlas and me earlier." Edeline's gaze went over to Ugotlas, who sat watching in a corner. "Maybe someone could tell me exactly the reason for this."

  "I can only say what I know, which is little. Taeseger is the youngest among us, a later addition who only arrived here shortly before I departed to the south. She is not of any of the Sekhmati abuati, so it is not impossible that they consider her...expendable."

  She, was it? Hamond had wondered if Taeseger's smaller size meant anything, but he was hardly an expert on sphinxes. Maybe if he had grown up in Remuat, it would be among the things he knew, but that was involve trading away knowing Edeline. That was something he would never want to give up.

  "Playing petty games when lives are on the line?" Ayden said with a snort. "Wish I could say I was surprised, but I'm not. Cursed sphinxes."

  "Am I included in that grouping?" Ugotlas asked. Hamond would wager a few pikers he was bitter, and understandably so.

  "Maybe or maybe not," Ayden replied, "You certainly haven't said a lot today. Can't judge you as standing with your fellows, but can't judge you as standing against them either."

  "I will admit I am in a difficult position. Any action that shows defiance again what the other Sekhmati are attempting would be met with judgment and retribution. Given that they have not deigned to share with me their plans, it leaves me with little I can do or say, particularly when any of them are present."

  With Ugotlas not knowing just what Taeseger's loyalties were, it made perfect sense. It reminded Hamond, more than a little painfully, of his time in the Spellking's court. He was genuinely sorry that the sphinx had to face the same. It was a little surprising, but Hamond had to admit it: he was coming to think of Ugotlas as a friend.

  "They can take their little games back to Remuat," Ayden said with a scowl, "Don't know how they think we'd be agreeable to them when our lives are at risk here."

  "They were counting on you being more attached to the town as you remember, not as how it is now." Edeline glanced away. "I can understand that feeling, wishing for things to be the way they were. But the lives lost cannot come back."

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  "They definitely figured out the captain," Ayden grumbled.

  "Why is Takhat like that though?" Hamond knew the answer wouldn't likely help them, but he couldn't help but question Takhat's insistence on restoring Lasfont.

  "Don't know the full story, but she's extremely loyal to Lord Lasfont. Whatever he said to her or promised her, it means she'd always stand behind his choices and give everything she has to her work in the city watch. To be honest it's probably more than him or any man deserves."

  "You sure you ought to be saying that?" Sethos spoke up. He'd been almost as silent as Ugotlas throughout the meeting, only asking a couple of questions of Taeseger.

  "Don't think anyone here is going to scream it from the hills," Ayden immediately said back.

  "Other than that girl who keeps peeking through the curtain?" Sethos glanced over at the doorway to the building's back.

  It had to be Jylania. Hamond was going to have to make it clear Nela needed to sit down with her apprentice and lay out some rules. That is, unless Nela had already noticed.

  "Never mind that." Ayden clasped his hands together. "Back to Takhat...the way I see it, she probably feels like she'd be failing him and her oath if she didn't do everything to bring Lasfont back."

  "What do you think about that then?" Edeline blurted out. Hamond could tell immediately that she regretted asking.

  Ayden closed his eyes, considering the question. "I'm trying to do right by the people here. The truth is, I've heard plenty of them say they might head out of town when it's safe. Some want to go north, others south, but it's enough to know that we'd need even more men and women to replace them as well. And you know the problems with that."

  "Did you not mention this to Captain Takhat?" Ugotlas rose up and paced over.

  "Brought it up a couple of times, but I don't think she heard me. Or maybe she didn't want to hear me. The second time she said I should work on keeping the people happy, while she and her men worked on keeping them safe."

  Hamond's immediate thought was that Takhat was skilled at what she did, but outside of her experience the woman knew little. No, that wasn't fair to Takhat. There had to be more to her than that, with the whole mess pushing her to act a certain way. Just as his fear of the Witch of Wrath had pushed him to act the way he did.

  Just like it still kept pushing him.

  "Well, Sethos and I have things to do." Ayden stood up and stretched, one leg and then the other. "Heavens guide you."

  "Before you go, one more question." Edeline rose to her feet too. "What exactly do you do around here? We have not seen either of you before today."

  "Mostly make sure everyone has a places to stay, enough clothes and blankets, that sort of thing," Ayden answered, "With you lot being travelers, you had most of what you needed already."

  "Wait," Hamond said, realizing something, "If you were in charge of housing people, why didn't we meet you when we first arrived?"

  "Good question." Ayden shrugged, suddenly seeming like he bore a greater weight than he let on. "Might be someone decided to sneak around behind my back and handle it without me knowing. I wonder who that was."

  "I understand." Hamond could only guess what Takhat had been thinking, doing that on her own. If she had put her hopes on them, even before really knowing them...she had to be one of the luckiest fools in Hyarch.

  "Farewell then," Edeline said.

  "Farewell to you too." With that, the pair of men departed silently. Hamond got a glimpse of Ayden's face, and he looked surprisingly grim. Maybe he shouldn't have asked that last question, though he couldn't see how it would offend anyone.

  "I do not envy bearing the news he does," Edeline said after a long moment. She'd clearly seen that face too. Despite what Ayden had told them, there would still be some who wished to remain in Lasfont. They might be even harder to persuade than Takhat.

  "You may yet," Ugotlas warned, "We still need to determine possible strategies for the Sluice's spells. If we do not, the eyes of the heavens will witness our failure."

  "Without knowing the spells, what strategy can we even come up with?" Edeline got up and started pacing. "We do not even know if it will be just us three, or if we will have the aid of any number of sphinxes."

  "Perhaps it doesn't need to be decided by a clash of spells," Hamond said, an idea occurring to him.

  "How would it not be?" Edeline asked.

  "If we can talk to the Sluice, we can mention our experience with the Stormsage," Hamond explained, "The name of another of the Elemental Hex ought to carry some weight."

  "It would make the matter simpler, so it is worth attempting." Ugotlas's tail was twitching yet again, showing an anxiety that his words did not. "But we should also stand ready for that plan to fail."

  "In that scenario, I will try to rush for the statue and cast my spell," Edeline said, "A long battle would not favor us."

  "So you would rely on me and Hamond to counteract any spells, or otherwise draw the Sluice's attention. That sounds acceptable."

  "I know I'm not as fast a runner as you, with your spell and all," Hamond said to Edeline. There was one flaw that he saw. "But if you announce to Drimaera that you possess the Stormsage's knowledge, would she not focus immediately on you?"

  "That is...true. I could be the bait. Perhaps we will judge it based on who is there to aid us." Edeline looked between them.

  "Also an acceptable plan. Let us hope there will be no further complications."

  Hamond couldn't help but hope the same. Of course, there was still the Witch of Wrath, but at this point worrying about her was just going the cause him more grief than he needed. If she showed...fine, they'd deal with her then.

  "Anyway, we do not much more time, especially if we are going to let Nela and Myronel know what's happening." Edeline took a deep breath. "I can go tell Nela, while you go talk to my brother. Check to see how Sedat's doing while you're there."

  He'd half expected it to be the other way, with him going to see Nela. Still, Sedat being part of the group did change things in many ways, some of which Hamond was still adapting to. "I'll go at once. Let's meet near where the knights are being held."

  Ugotlas pivoted and padded away, tail still waving. "Then I shall see you both there." He paused a moment upon reaching the doorway. "May the eyes of the heavens favor us all."

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