Isabella couldn't deny she had a great deal of trepidation whenever Bernadetta's name was mentioned. Rather than some trap, however, her cousin had elected to come here alone, unprotected and unmonitored. She had come to the heart of their power. And now… Isabella looked at her cell, fiddling with her fingers.

"She surrendered herself into our custody immediately." Gaspar crossed his arms as he stared into Bernadetta's cell. "She hasn't said anything yet. She says she wants to speak to Valerio."

"Valerio?" Isabella repeated. When she thought on it a little bit more, it made sense. "She must think that the wasting illness still has its hold on me. If that's the case, then…" she trailed off, putting the pieces together.

"I can talk to her, if you'd like," Valerio said. "Try and fish out what she's up to."

"That would tell her that I'm here," Isabella answered quickly. "Which is probably what she wants to know. Let me think for a moment."

Isabella tried to play through the situation in her head. Why would Bernadetta surrender herself to custody? She had preserved Alice's life, that much was true, but surrendering herself here was a tremendous gamble. If that was the case…

Hold on, Isabella thought. Why would Bernadetta assume that I've been able to cure the wasting illness? King Edgar himself struggled for the whole of his life without success. Then…

"She must think she has some bartering leverage," Isabella said in revelation, feeling some creeping joy. She tried to poke holes in that assumption. Bernadetta had always been one step ahead of her. What this yet another trap? "She must think she has something to offer that's too good for us to pass up."

"Like something related to the wasting illness," Arthur concluded, growing as eager as Isabella felt. "Or at the very least Edgar. She doesn't know. How could she?" He looked to her cell. "She doesn't have any sort of magic on her that I can detect. There won't be anyone listening in, nor revealing our location."

Isabella thought for a few moments. "I think that we need a clear demonstration that she has no leverage."

"You're not thinking of going in yourself, are you?" Valerio asked, the first to understand.

Isabella glanced at him. "What better way to set the tone?" No one protested openly, but Isabella could tell that people were uneasy. "I think that you people are forgetting that Bernadetta is human. I think that she's made a serious lapse of judgment. After all, who could predict that I'd be able to dispel the wasting illness where Edgar failed? The Archwizard spent a very long time searching for a way to combat the wasting illness. He failed, at every turn. Why would she possibly think that we could succeed?"

"…fair point," Valerio conceded.

At that, Isabella nodded to Gaspar. He led her into the prison of the palace, allowing her to enter the hall where prisoners were kept. He was already well-integrated into the Balat household. It was cold and damp down here. Bernadetta's cell was at the very end—a walled-off room with a thick iron door. Gaspar inserted a key, then opened the door wide.

"Gaspar," she greeted. "My answer hasn't changed. I'll speak to Valerio."

The knight-commander stepped aside, and Isabella entered. Bernadetta sat in a simple wooden chair at a simpler wooden table, wearing a humble brown robe with a cloak. She had been searched, and her items confiscated. Isabella reveled in the sight of Bernadetta's widened eyes, her dropping jaw. She didn't have much time to enjoy it—the young woman comported herself quickly.

"I came to inform you of your execution," Isabella said, pulling no punches.

Bernadetta inhaled deeply, then exhaled. That was the extent of the distress that she showed.

"You're up. How is that… that means… is Edgar gone?" Bernadetta asked, her lip twitching.

Isabella betrayed nothing, saying, "I've decided for it to be painless, considering what you did for Alice. The executioner is well-trained. In the north, executions are rather more frequent, so he's good at what he does."

Bernadetta blinked a bit quicker, then swallowed. "You wouldn't come here personally if there wasn't something you wanted from me."

"I wanted to see you suffer," Isabella said plainly. "Wanted to see you break. And then, I wanted to see the axe cleave through your neck. You may have valuable knowledge, but you've been too difficult to predict. It's safer for my plans to kill you now and remove an unpredictable variable."

"I'm in a prison with no allies," Bernadetta said. "I already am removed. But you're here."

"Nothing is surer than death," Isabella said.

"Unless you're King Edgar," Bernadetta posited.

Isabella crossed her arms, then looked back. "Gaspar, just kill her."

Gaspar walked in, drawing his sword as he stepped. Bernadetta watched him, her breathing growing quicker. When he pulled his sword back and thrusted, she shouted and raised her hands, defending herself with the shackles around her wrists. She caught the blade in a chain link, then wrapped the chains around to restrict it. Gaspar grabbed her arm and pulled, giving him time enough to push the blade past to slice into her neck rather deeply.

Bernadetta fell off her chair and scrabbled backward, bleeding from her neck. Gaspar threw aside the chair and walked forward as she held her neck.

"That's enough, Gaspar," Isabella finally said, and he stopped in place.

Bernadetta continued to crawl away until she found the corner. Her neck was bleeding steadily, and she bunched her hood to block the wound as she stared in fear and panic.

Isabella walked over and picked up the chair Gaspar had tossed aside, then set it upright. She sat, staring down at Bernadetta as she held her bleeding neck in the corner of the cell. "I'm sure you could tell for yourself that he wasn't holding back. If you had done nothing… you'd be dead, now."

Bernadetta stared, her breathing quick.

"You're on a knife's edge, Bernadetta. I'm quite ambivalent, enough that I'm willing to leave your life or death to chance," she said. "All of what's happening is partially your fault. If you truly wanted to end Edgar, to save yourself… you could've told us his location yourself when he was still afflicted with the wasting illness. You could've been on my side in truth. Perhaps I could've even forgiven you. No doubt you knew that I could win with your help, but still you played this game." Isabella narrowed her eyes. "Trying to play both ends against the middle."

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The woman said nothing, briefly pulling back her hand to see how much blood was covering it. Then, she resumed applying pressure.

"I'm leaning toward killing you," Isabella said honestly. "You're the only person who's evaded me this whole time. So… as you just did with Gaspar… you need to defend yourself. You thought I would be afflicted with the wasting illness. You thought to exploit our desperation for your personal advancement. But you were wrong. Defend yourself, Bernadetta. Defend your life. And if I spot even the slightest effort to change your situation… it's over. I simply can't risk it."

"…I might die from this wound," Bernadetta posited.

Isabella stood. "Like I said… I'm willing to chance it." She looked at Gaspar. "Have your people guard her. If she communicates anything other than 'I'd like to speak to Isabella,' instruct them to kill her."

Gaspar nodded as Isabella left the room. The thick metal door shut behind her, and she walked back to join with the others she'd left. They seem to have heard the exchange. In the downtime, someone else had joined them: Allison of Balat.

"Huh. My sister said you were very sweet and kind," Allison remarked.

"That woman deserves that and more," Arthur said.

"I wasn't criticizing," Allison assured them. "Rather, I'm relieved. Daddy can do things like that, but it doesn't take away from who he is. Life springs from death. The two are closely linked."

Those words reminded Isabella of the fact that Allison was sorely needed to examine how Arthur could be prevented from meeting the faith that he seemed convicted was inevitable. The twins Allison and Abigail would be indispensable in discovering how he could avoid the consequences of what he'd done.

"I came down to inform you that Felix has finished examining the artifact that awoke," Allison continued.

Isabella perked up. "Is it a concern?"

"Mmm… more a curiosity than a concern," Allison explained, shrugging.

"Because I had thought that perhaps my presence…" Isabella began.

Allison nodded knowingly. "I had a similar thought. But Edgar has been in this palace just the same as you. It didn't reactivate then, according to my father. No, this is something else," Allison said ponderously, her red eyes growing distant. "Well, all of this can wait till tomorrow! It's been well over twenty-four hours since your arrival. You should lay your head down on some of our soft pillows, wrap up in some furs, and rest well. Heaven knows that I need it—and if I do, you probably do as well."

Isabella exhaled. Her fatigue was certainly less intense since she surrendered her soul to the elves, but she was still tired. Tomorrow would be a long day. She didn't entirely know what it held.

***

Isabella flexed her hand. In response, fire flared into the air. She opened and closed her hand, marveling at the sensation. It couldn't be compared to using magic. With magic, there didn't seem to be much happening internally. The only thing that occurred was its exit from the body, and a spell would then distort it as planned—a familiar, a burst of flames, et cetera. The powers of the Thalvassë were decidedly different. Rather than needing to memorize complex spells, it seemed as though the body itself was the conduit for power.

"Fire is the easiest," Valerio explained, sitting across from her. "Force, and will. That also means it's the easiest to use by accident. When I was getting started, slamming my fist on a table in rage could turn into a major incident."

"I imagine I'm less inclined to do that than you are. And the others?" Isabella pressed.

"Teaching those will be a bit more involved. Not to mention messy," he said, looking around. "Would hate to return the favor of the archduke's hospitality by rendering one of his rooms uninhabitable because it's flooded, or wrecked by gales of wind. Myself… I can't employ water without significant concentration. Wind, contrarily, came naturally to me."

"Because of your free spirit, I imagine." Isabella looked out the window, watching the outside.

"More tea, Your Highness, Your Grace?" Alice asked, holding the pot.

Isabella turned to look at her, and then smiled brightly. Alice was whole and healthy. She had been Isabella's largest concern. They'd taken measures, but Isabella had been worried enough to consider finding someone else to play her role. Alice insisted, however, and Isabella relented.

"Please," Isabella said, and then leaned back as Alice happily poured some into her emptying cup.

Valerio watched the stream of tea. When Alice turned to him, he shook his head and held his hand out to give his answer. He looked at Isabella once more. "Saw you reading that packet of documents Felix provided," he said. "About the Eagaliteh."

Isabella nodded. "I did. It suggested that to call them an organization would be inaccurate. They're a connected cadre of highly skilled mages who share a few traits in common—desire for collection, expansion of knowledge, and self-preservation. They have no binding ethos or central authority." She set her elbow on the table and propped her head against her hand. "If Felix's reports are accurate, they aren't the type of group that would collaborate together to intervene in the politics of a kingdom. They prefer to avoid public scrutiny, standing outside it all. Felix's reports indicate they're probably only involved through the intervention of an individual or a small coven—which is to say, what they're doing isn't something sanctioned, but an individual action."

Valerio nodded, absorbing it all.

"Pivotally, Felix has located a member of the organization." Isabella leaned in. "He… or she, I'm not sure… lives here, in the north. The archduke is hoping that a meeting can be arranged."

"And what of Bernadetta?"

Isabella gestured. "I received a note this morning that said she had already requested to speak to me." She smiled slightly. "I told them to tell her I'd see her when I was free."

Valerio entwined his hands together. "And when will you be free?"

"Oh, who can say? There's so much to do." Isabella looked around. "This morning… I think I'd like to speak with Abigail and Allison about helping Arthur."

"I'll speak to the archduke," Felix said. "I need to be sure of security. Gaspar's presence is assuring, but…"

"Bring Arthur," Isabella insisted.

"Why?" Valerio asked at once.

"Were you not ambushed in the royal palace?" Isabella said. She meant it as an innocent question, but Valerio grimaced. "I-I didn't mean it like…"

"You're not wrong, either way," Valerio conceded. "Arthur's insights will be useful."

"…and it gives me valuable time to explain things to Abigail and Allison," Isabella said. "That was the other half."

Valerio stood. "I'll attend to that immediately, then."

He quickly left the room with a pace indicating his eagerness. He was probably uneasy about safety—she smiled warmly.

As she sat there, Alice spoke up. "Your Highness…"

"Yes?" she turned her head.

"I feel… I feel I should speak for Bernadetta," she said. "Despite everything, she did save my life."

"Alice…" Isabella thought about how she should respond. "Bernadetta had every opportunity to prevent all of this," she explained. "She was the one to deliver word to the king of my abilities. I have little doubt this could've ended without bloodshed had she cooperated. But just as much at fault is me," Isabella said, looking out the window. "I didn't take her seriously." She shook her head. "Even if I must be cruel, I won't make that mistake again. Not for her, nor any others that prevent Edgar's downfall."

"I don't wish for you to dirty yourself like that," Alice said earnestly. "I… I've talked too much, haven't I?"

Isabella reached out and took her hand. "After all you've done, there's no way that could be possible." She rose. "Perhaps you're right. Pragmatism isn't engaging in undue cruelty."

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