Was it already too late? Had the priestesses used the room key to do something while I was eating breakfast? I should have demanded the locks be changed as soon as we arrived.

  “Relax your shoulders, dear. Your stance is too tense, it will make you slower to react. You don’t need to worry so much. I’m just out for a stroll, as Helian is unavailable at the moment.”

  I turned to my right in shock, only to see Helian’s eyes, pitch-black and deep like wells, twinkling as she smiled.

  “For now, let’s focus on this situation, shall we? That thing on the ground seems concerning, and I’m guessing you want these priestesses to leave?”

  The young priestess’s arms were no longer extended, and the eldest priestess stared at Helian with a furious expression as she spoke. “Filthy creature, what have you done? The saintess’s vessel must not be defiled by you!”

  The tall priestess shouted. “We’ll cast you out, foul demon!”

  Duchess Coroban sighed. “It’s always the same with these people. They’re so prejudiced! In any case, it seems reasoning with them won’t work, so do you mind if I try a more coercive method?”

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Well… beggars can’t be choosers. “Uh… if you like, Your Grace, I would certainly appreciate your help.”

  As Helian’s hands closed tightly over empty air, a thought occurred to me.

  The priestesses spoke of a vessel. Once Duchess Coroban was cast out, what would replace her? Did they hope for the vessel to be empty? What if the problem, in the first place, had something to do with Helian and not with her body? If she were gone, she might actually wake up.

  But that would be a worst-case scenario. Roiling flame came into being in the shape of a scythe’s long handle and razor-sharp blade, blazing in Helian’s hands. The priestesses retreated in panic as she tapped the ground with the tip of the blade and the high-pitched sound echoed through the room and down the hall.

  “If you ladies would be so kind as to leave and go back to your duties, I would greatly appreciate it.”

  The eldest priestess pointed her cane straight at Helian and shook it. “Use whatever cantrip you like, it’s no match for the power of Metis!” As she said this, the stern priestess nodded to the others, and they began to advance into the room, shoulder-to-shoulder.

  Helian swung, and the young priestess’s extended hands separated from her now-cauterized arms, but she did not scream, even as the flames crackled and acrid smoke wafted through the air in coiled shapes, like ivy.

  Oh, that’s very bad. We would have to kill them.

  “Your Highness, I’m afraid I have bad news.” As Duchess Coroban spoke, Helian stepped back, and the flames dissipated. “It seems staying out here is more difficult than I expected, so I’ll have to go. I wish you the best of luck.”

  Oh, that’s very bad.