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“Well that went better than expected,” Griff stated as he and Avera adjourned for the evening in the master bedroom that both Gustav and Josslyn had insisted they take.

“How do you figure that?” Avera grumbled. “Argent and Starlight threatened to start eating people for being less than awed. Gustav almost died of apoplexy and Josslyn fainted.”

“But no one died.”

“That is a low standard to set,” Avera stated with a sigh.

“What’s really bothering you?” Griff asked as he sat beside her on the bed.

“Hearing what’s happened since I left… It’s worse than expected and I have no clue how to even start fixing it. Without the dragons’ help, I don’t know how we’ll stop Zhos. And even if we do somehow manage a miracle and banish it, there’s still Benoit.”

“It sounds as if you’ll have support to oust him. It’s a wonder the man hasn’t been murdered in his bed already.”

“We should be so lucky,” she muttered.

“Don’t give up yet. If we can convince the dragons to help us?—"

She interrupted with an unqueenly snort.

“You should know that will be nigh on impossible. Argent is adamant in his refusal, and Starlight appears just as reluctant. Given their reaction, I can’t see the other dragons being any more amenable, especially since they were collared right after hatching.

Without their blood, I don’t see how we can neutralize Zhos. ”

“They’re not the only ones with blood that can paralyze. You know I’ll donate some pints if it comes to that.”

Left unsaid, he’d die to save her.

“But how do we even get close enough to use it? And if we do, I doubt our blood will be as potent as the dragons’.”

“The paralyzing effect only needs to last long enough for us to expel Zhos.”

“Expel how?” she exclaimed. “The rift is in the sky. We can’t fly.”

“What if instead of a dragon flying into this fissure between worlds, they dropped Zhos into it? Surely we could convince one of the dragons to do that.”

Her expression turned pensive. “It sounds like it would work in theory, but how do we get one of them to agree? Not to mention we don’t even know where to find Zhos. And before you say anything, it’s not in the spire anymore.”

“How can you know that for sure?”

She didn’t mention the nightmares she’d been having where Zhos taunted her, telling her she’d already failed. How she and everyone she knew would die. She couldn’t even be sure they were real. Most likely her own anxiety and fear of failure manifesting in her dreams.

“Silverlight told me. She took one look at the sky and said, ‘It’s back.’”

“If I were to wager a guess as to where Zhos went, then I’d say Velunda so it can seize the throne from Benoit.”

“Which will take a week or more to reach.” She flopped to her back on the bed.

“You sound as if you’ve given up.”

“More like I’m facing the daunting prospect of failure.

Between making it to Velunda without dying, locating Zhos in the castle—again, without getting caught—facing Zhos, who likely won’t stand still while we slap some blood on it, and then hoping a dragon will help us and drop it in the rift, it seems hopeless.

Especially when you add in the fact no one seems to know exactly when the rift will occur.

Starlight keeps saying soon. What if we’re too late? ”

He hated seeing her so despondent, but even worse, she made valid points. It did seem impossible. “Say the word and we’ll sail away.”

“To where? Anywhere we go will eventually be invaded by Zhos. I can’t imagine it will stay on Daerva. Once it spreads its malice, there will be nowhere safe. Not to mention, I can’t abandon my people. They’re suffering. I have to help them.”

“Tell me what you want to do. I’ll support whatever you need.”

She turned to him and, rather than strategizing, said softly, “Make love to me. I want to feel some measure of happiness before I have to deal with the ugly.”

“As my queen commands.” Griff planned to do so anyhow.

He could see the weight of Avera’s tiara of responsibility weighing her down.

A part of him longed to be the pirate Gustav accused him of being and toss her on his ship and sail away.

However, she’d never forgive him. Avera would attempt to make things right even knowing it might cost her life.

Griff planned to do anything in his power to ensure that didn’t come to pass.

He made love to his wife. He kissed and stroked her, ensuring her pleasure before taking his own. His deep satisfaction when she gasped his name was almost as good as sinking into her welcoming body.

Afterwards, they lay spooned, tucked tight to each other. They fell into a sleep that might have been restful but for the clanging of a bell.

Griff roused immediately, and Avera murmured, “What’s wrong?”

Gustav pounded on the door. “Let’s go, pirate. The fog is coming which means the monoliths will be under attack. We need all the wolfframm blades we can muster to repel it.”

The statement roused Avera who rolled from bed and began to dress.

“Need I remind you that you don’t have a blade that can counter those creatures,” he stated.

“No, but I do have blood,” she replied, flashing him a look. “I wonder if smearing it on a regular sword will be as effective.”

Griff groaned as he realized her intent. “You’re going to insist on trying aren’t you?”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t fight?”

He knew she would. He didn’t have to like it though. They dressed quickly and headed downstairs where Gustav stood waiting—with Starlight.

Griff arched a brow. “I’m surprised to see you out of bed.”

The dragon-woman waved a hand. “I was already awake. Thought I’d go see what the fuss was about.”

“This ain’t some party, so stay out of the way,” Gustav warned as they exited the house and made their way rapidly on foot to the top end of the street.

Griff could see the roiling fog, a wall of it that stopped at a pair of fat pillars, the stone of them old and crumbling. All that protected the town from being taken over.

A curious glance had him looking behind to see the fog encircled Seaserpent’s Bay. The pier and his ship were hidden by the mist. He suddenly was very glad Gustav insisted they leave no crew on board overnight.

As they jogged, he huffed, “How is it the fog stops where the dock meets land?”

Gustav didn’t look at him as he replied, “Same symbols that are on the monoliths are etched on the stones supporting the pier. Given the protection is lopsided, I’m thinking at one time there used to be more.

As it is, we have just enough coverage to keep everyone safe at night so long as they don’t stray. ”

As they reached the pillars, Griff noted only six men, three of them standing between the markers with ropes around their waists while the other three remained a pace behind.

“Why don’t you have more fighters?” he asked.

“You should know how rare it is to find a weapon of wolfframm,” Gustav reminded. “It’s the only thing that can kill the mist monsters.”

“I might have a solution for that.” Avera pulled forth the sword she’d borrowed from Griff’s armory and showed no hesitation as she slashed her forearm. Blood welled and she gestured to Gustav. “Come here.”

The old soldier frowned. “Why?”

“I assume you’d rather not become Zhos’ puppet.” She dipped her fingers in the blood and dabbed it on his forehead.

Gustav’s eyes widened. “That has been an issue, hence the tethers. When one gets their mind taken, he’s yanked between the stones to set him right again. Makes for a tedious battle since they can only manage a few strokes before the fog takes them.”

“Hopefully, the blood marks will keep Zhos away.” Avera marched to the soldiers waiting and smeared them with blood, ignoring their frowns as she tried to explain how it worked.

If it worked.

“They’re coming,” Gustav announced ominously, holding his sword, the blade red with Avera’s blood.

Seeing as how Griff would rather be in bed with his wife, he charged ahead into the mist, unafraid, his courage fueled by the knowledge that if he took out the monsters quick enough, Avera wouldn’t have to put herself in danger.

He paused just past the pillars and listened. The cloying fog muffled sound. Then again, would he even hear the creatures, given their unnatural origin? The mist itself didn’t touch him. On the contrary, it recoiled from his presence.

Gustav joined him and said, “If Avera’s mark fails, don’t let me hurt her.”

A man who’d rather die than harm the little queen.

Seeing Gustav and Griff standing with no issue, the other men, armed with wolfframm blades, crept out. They radiated fear, forcing Griff to ramrod his spine and use his captain’s voice. “Steady boys. They’re close.” He couldn’t see them but his skin prickled.

The first creature lunged from the mist, silent in its attack.

Only a shift in the swirling fog betrayed its arrival.

Without thought, Griff swung, the blade lopping off the demon’s arm.

It didn’t cry out or react to the injury, merely swiped with its remaining limb.

A slash to its neck took its head and it collapsed into nothingness.

It was only the first.

More emerged from the fog, hideous beasts with mishappened features, their eyes aglow over slavering maws full of sharp teeth.

Griff and the men with their red marked foreheads and wolfframm forged blades formed a line and fought. Sword and daggers against things that felt no pain but also lacked the cunning of a living creature.

He’d slain his third beast when he heard his wife shout, “It works.” He took a moment to glance behind him, spotting her in a pocket clear of mist, bravely thrusting with a blade smeared in her blood.

“There’s more coming. We need more fighters,” Gustav yelled even as his sword swept through a monster’s torso.

Avera dashed back to the pillars where the men without the wolfframm weapons waited. Griff couldn’t worry about her as more monsters emerged, a veritable army of them.

Those who’d been crowding by the pillars, watching, came charging into the fray, their blood-smeared weapons allowing them to help against the wave.

And still they were too few.

Gustav fought with the deadly precision of an experienced soldier, so when he retreated from his area to near Griff, he wondered why.

The old man huffed, “This is more than we’ve ever seen before, and the men are tiring. We need to find their origin.”

The statement reminded Griff of the first time he’d encountered the mist beasts, rising from a puddle in a basin in the old mariner chapel.

“I’ll find the source,” Griff declared, even as he wasn’t sure how. He forged ahead into the mist, the moist fog parting as he passed and widening as Avera joined him.

“What are you doing?” he barked.

“Helping you.”

He could have snapped and told her he didn’t need help. It would have been a wasted breath. Avera wouldn’t leave his side or leave others to battle.

Monsters surged from ahead, their silence more jarring than their existence. He and Avera found themselves surrounded and fought back-to-back, grunting with exertion as they slashed. It seemed hopeless until a sudden light illuminated the area. The mist beasts cringed at its brilliance.

Starlight stood to their left, bathed in radiance. “Quickly now. It’s hard to hold the magic in this shape.”

“Let’s find the source,” Griff shouted and ran forward, Avera by his side.

They came across it suddenly, a barrel with its top pried open still sitting in a wagon with a slack-jawed driver.

As Griff neared, a beast formed, rising from the moisture, taking shape?—

Avera sliced through its body before it finished. “I’m going to nullify the water.”

He would have asked what she meant, only she leaned over the barrel and shoved her arm inside it, the same one dripping blood. Intent on her task, she didn’t see the driver turning with a knife, his glazed expression showing he wasn’t in control.

Griff sprinted the few paces between him and the man, knowing he wouldn’t make it in time. His arm drew back and then forward, launching his sword.

It flew and speared the man in the chest. The driver toppled from the wagon as Avera straightened herself with a pleased, “I think that should do it.”

Indeed, no more mist rose from the barrel.

She noticed the body on the ground holding a dagger with Griff’s sword sticking out of its chest. Her eyes widened. “Oh dear. That was close.”

Too close.

As suddenly as it rose, the mist dissipated, and Griff could see the combatants, some leaning on sword pommels, huffing from the exertion, a few sitting on the ground, and at least one dead. No monsters remained, not even the bodies as they evaporated on death.

“Let’s get you a bandage for that,” Griff said softly as he led Avera back towards the town.

As they moved past Gustav, he was patting the men on the backs, offering a gruff, “Good job. You kept us safe for another night. I think you earned an ale. Tell Kor to put it on my tab. But first, be sure to send a new squad to keep watch.”

“You think they’ll come back?” asked a young fellow with a scratch on his cheek.

“Doubtful, but best we be vigilant,” was Gustav’s sage advice.

Starlight joined them by the pillars, lips pursed as she murmured, “Zhos has learned new tricks in its prison.”

Griff’s brow creased. “Didn’t it use the fog and shadow beasts in the past?”

She shook her head. “It used to require being in the presence of people to take over their minds, and while it could lob fire and lightning, it never did anything the likes of this.”

“Meaning it’s gotten stronger,” Avera murmured, her shoulders rounding.

“More like had time to hone its skills,” Starlight stated. “Good thinking, using your blood to diffuse the situation.”

Avera shrugged. “I had to do something. I’m just glad it worked.”

“A good thing it did. There’s never been so many,” Gustav exclaimed. “I’m glad you were here to help, or the pillars likely would have fallen, and with them the town.”

As Griff and Avera returned to their bedchamber to try and salvage a few more hours’ sleep, Avera softly said, “Zhos knows we’re here.”

“I figured that. He’s trying to kill us.”

“Yes.” She heaved out a breath before laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

Her lips quirked wryly as she said, “Because it just let us know something very important.”

“What?”

“If it fears us then that must mean it knows we can stop it. Maybe our blood isn’t useless after all.”

“I’m not slitting my throat to freeze it, and neither are you,” he replied harshly.

“That would be wasteful, as it would only be temporary. Still, it’s good to know it’s worried.”

So was Griff.

It didn’t help that the next day Avera announced, “We need to leave immediately for Velunda.” The capital of Daerva.

The queen was going to take back her throne, and foolish or not, Griff would be joining her.