Tallah

Tallah sat and observed the mind.

Not her own, but the bustling construct made of books, webs, and many, many spiders. It moved above her, invisible but quite vital. Ecstatic. If she wore the Ikosmenia, she was certain she’d witness a riot of illum in rainbow colours dancing in the air. Vergil had borrowed the mask, and Tallah was glad to be rid of it for a time.

The mind, more than the spiders themselves, was the real inhabitant of Grefe. The rest, the things with legs that skittered about, they were little more than a by-product of its birth, turned caretakers for its growth.

It’s a wonderful thing, Christina said. I’ve always assumed something like it was possible, but to see it in the real… simply wonderful.

I do not understand your fascination. Bianca had never been interested in the more esoteric applications of illum. Tallah couldn’t grudge her the disinterest. Bianca had lived for numbers and dedicated a significant portion of her life to the study of how best to tax the Empire’s many subjects without ripping the shirts off their backs. It’s a bloody mess that thinks that it thinks.

“Leave it be for a few more centuries and see what it becomes then,” Tallah mused quietly.

She sat cross legged on the floor. Spiders of various shapes and sizes scurried past, drew their webs, and avoided her. From time to time one would stop, regard her for an uncomfortably long time, then do some form of complicated bow and scrape.

They rarely spoke now. Most of the newest ones seemed afraid to do so.

Grefe was abuzz with the promise of a new generation of the critters. Whatever remained of the last one was busy finding and rounding up all of Erisa’s broods. A vast majority of those had simply ceased moving along with Erisa’s death, their shells vacated by the presence that had animated them. Some were merely half-witted, their minds incomplete and lacking.

As efficient as any creature she’d ever seen, the survivors were killing off the useless. No mercy. No consideration. Just bodies that could, in time, be replaced.

Terrifying creatures, if considered properly. If she wanted to destroy them wholesale, this would be the last good chance she’d have.

For now, Tallah closed her eyes and looked inward. She intruded among her ghosts.

Christina had laid out tea. She was the most adept at separating a space for herself in Tallah’s inner sanctums, and here she and the others were sat around the annoyingly low table that had really existed in Hoarfrost’s headmaster’s office.

“You’re a sight.” Christina greeted as she materialised a chair. “Rare that you come in.”

It was a rare moment when Tallah wanted to know her own mind. “I’d rather not think of what’s waiting deep enough inside.”

“And yet you never stop poking those places. Have a seat. You owe me at least a few evenings of proper tea and biscuits once you’re out of this hole.”

Tallah sat and leaned back. Even the feel of the chair was the same. How did Christina do it? Whenever she tried, it always defaulted to the dungeon—

“Stop that,” Bianca admonished as the walls turned to naked stone for a heartbeat. “We’ve seen quite enough of that place, thank you very much. Do not spoil our rest.”

Tallah stared at Anna.

Anna stared back. She had slitted, yellow irises. It reminded her uncomfortably of the flesh dolls she’d destroyed in the Sanctum. The ghost looked feral in some serpentine way, hair nearly the same colour as her skin making for an unpleasantly fleshy impression.

The eyes pointedly blinked horizontally…

“Why are you naked? You can make clothes.”

“Why are you wearing a Storm Guard uniform?” the ghost replied and hid her grin behind the rim of a tea cup. “You can change clothes, you know.”

Blast. She was too tired and too sore to think on that. She didn’t even pick up the imaginary tea.

It took several attempts for the right words to find their way out.

“I have failed here in spectacular fashion,” she said, each admission a small battle against her pride. It was a wounded thing, but it could still growl. “I am sorry.”

Christina and Bianca stared at her as if she’d sprouted a second head. Anna smirked.

“I’d say. How you ever beat me is beyond imagination. Have I hit you too hard back then? Caused some permanent damage your thrall’s too inept to heal?”

Tallah stifled the urge to smack the woman. She could, probably, do it even within Christina’s little protective shell.

Instead, she sagged back into the chair. “I’m not a great planner in the moment. I don’t believe that comes as a shock.”

“What shocks me is that you’re admitting it.” Christina sipped her tea. “Got a taste of mortality?”

“Got a taste of nearly failing, more like. We… I’ve blundered from one terrible situation to another. I’m mature enough to admit it: I do not plan well without sufficient information. From Valen to here, I’ve only somehow managed to make things worse for my own mission. I’m annoyed with myself.”

Christina allowed the walls of the illusion to fade. They witnessed the mountain and the storm lashing it. The walls came back before the rain could soak them.

“We’ve noticed. It’s why we’re in here and not out there. I’m no big fan of how you choose to prostrate yourself.”

Tallah rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Yes, yes, I’m aware. I… need your help moving forward.”

That got a collective laugh from the three. How quickly they’d bonded, as if their clique had never even dissolved in the first place.

“Weren’t we already bound to you regardless of our feelings on the matter?” Anna asked. Her grin had needled teeth that shone wetly in the candlelight. “You could have asked for my assistance without killing me, whore.”

Hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her anger flared. She pushed it down before bursting into flames, acknowledging the calculated insult.

“You wouldn’t have listened. What blood mage ever abandons their Sanctum once entrenched?”

“Of course I wouldn’t have listened. But I’d be less crossed now. And that is base slander from Aztroa’s college.”

“Ladies, let’s remain civil,” Christina intervened. “It’s hard for Tallah to do this. Let’s not make it harder.”

Both Bianca and Anna snorted and tried to hide their laughter behind the tea. Tallah stared flatly at her oldest head resident… and wondered if she could strangle the ghost until her head popped off. Christina smiled demurely.

“You can’t blame us for taking the piss, dear. We’ve had to exert ourselves quite severely to keep you alive. We’ve been helping to the best of our abilities thus far and you’ve needed it every step of the way.”

“I’m aware,” she admitted. “I am asking for your judgement when faced with further challenges. I don’t trust myself as well as I should right now. Catharina’s got a way into me and…”

How best to articulate that particular feeling of seeing Rhine’s wraith? Especially now that she knew what it was? Blood boiled in her veins at the sight; her mind went abuzz with the roar of a million wasps; every muscle on her tightened into knots…

They all winced as she reeled herself in. Yes, that would convey it properly enough.

“You were exposed in Valen,” Christina said, tone placating. “Shows that she never thought you were really dead if that was enough to form a link. What she’s doing is repulsive.”

Everything Catharina did was repulsive. This was just personal. “Using Rhine’s connection to me. I shouldn’t be surprised she’s this adept at wielding a soul.”

“I’m sorry dear. I’ve been trying to figure a way to banish her intrusion, but your are too tightly tied. Sisters and all that. Until I figure what the goddess did to shield you then, we will have to bear it.”

“Or…” She hated to admit it, but it had been on her mind for some time now. “Or we could go on and visit said goddess.” The bags of seeds and dirt waited in her rend, and Sil had mentioned that she knew now where the School was. “It’s actually what I want advice on—”

Anna clinked a teaspoon against the side of her cup and interrupted. “Anyone want to fill me in? I understand I’ve been drafted on a regicide bid with a god slaying fantasy on the side. But last I knew of our ash eater here, she was licking the empress’s boots. What’s changed?”

This time Christina didn’t intervene. Merely shrugged and leaned back. Bianca looked away.

“I don’t particularly want to see those things again. If you’ll be teaching by showing, I’d rather I were not involved this time.”

No, Tallah wasn’t keen on revisiting any of her memories just then even as they bubbled beneath the surface of her thoughts. Once she pulled back of herself, she was certain Rhine would be there, somewhere among the books, watching. Always watching. Always accusing.

It had been a trying few days in this accursed place and they’d taken their toll. She was too tired and too miserable altogether to go digging too deep just to show Anna why what they did mattered. It wouldn’t matter to her, but the ghost had been surprisingly compliant.

She drew a breath, held it, sighed. To Bianca’s tensed form, she just waved a placating hand.

“You’ll have to make do with just my words. This is what’s happened, in short form at least.” She picked up the cup and sniffed at it. How did Christina do it? For the life of her, she couldn’t imagine smell and taste, but the ghost did it flawlessly. Rose hip. The one tea Tallah hated the most.

“Yes, I did serve Catharina. You’d gone to ground by the time I rose through the ranks of the Empire so you wouldn’t know this. The rank I wore by the end was of Imperial Mercy.”

“Head inquisitor? An attack dog, in short.” Anna laughed. “It suits you. I’ve always thought you’d be perfect to sic on people.”

“Droll. Yes, I was sicced on people. I went after those that defied imperial law, with seven compliments of claws under my command. I was the one called in when some upstart channeller got ideas above their station and began opposing Catharina’s edicts.” She gave Anna a long, level glare. “Blood mages that did not take kindly to censure, for example.”

“I’d heard there was some fresh cull going on against my people. If that was you, I need to thank you. Drove plenty of them to my Sanctum.”

“I answered only to Catharina and to Leea, the Adjunct. Everyone else, the prince included, was mine to keep in check and oversee. I, as much as anyone could be, was the final word of the law in the Empire.”

“How’d you end up on a saltire rack, beaten black and blue, then? I’d be snide, but I’m genuinely curious.”

Tallah sipped the horribly-sweet tea. For as much as Christina and Sil pecked at one another, they shared similar tastes. She ignored Rhine’s wraith as it walked through the conjured space, seemingly lost, not seeing or acknowledging them.

“Bloody thing keeps skulking about now,” Christina complained. “Funny enough, this place blinds it.”

“Because it’s your layer, not mine,” Tallah said, not raising her eyes. She went on, “Do you know what Deidra did after Hoarfrost?”

“Haven’t the foggiest,” Anna said. “She and I were never particularly close.”

“She became a revolutionary. Got this idea that the empress was evil incarnate and the empire was built to be a gilded cage for us all. Or some other kind of nonsense. Rhine… she had some hard times after Hoarfrost. Had a son. Cassian. He died. Died during an imperial raid on Old Forge. His father was on the wrong side and he also perished. I learned of it late.

“Rhine was found by Deidra before I had a chance to make my way South. By the time I arrived at Old Forge, they were in the wind.”

Anna was thoughtful for a while, her face twisted into a frown. Tallah expected some other jab or mean-spirited comment, but instead the ghost gave her a pitied look. “I’m sorry to hear that. Don’t give me that look. I am. I liked Rhine. She was a kind soul, and definitely a better conversationalist than you ever were.”

“She was, yes.” Tallah let out a shuddering breath, though she didn’t need to. “And I hunted her after that. In time she and Deidra grew close. Became lovers. Maybe more. In the end, I had them cornered in Marestra, had managed to cut through most of their ragtag forces, and was about to take Deidra’s head. One last push and clash, and she’d either be dead or in chains. Rhine intervened. Pleaded with me. Gave herself up for me to leave Deidra be.

“I accepted. Took Rhine in. We talked for a long time. She was tired of running. She loved Deidra, but was tired of being hunted, of always coming up on the losing side, of always remembering what the Empire took from her and never having the strength to change a single thing. She wouldn’t serve, but she would get out of my way.

“And for that, I pleaded with Catharina. She promised me a lighter sentence for Rhine, and a chance for later to be absolved of her crimes. My own work would see to it that she got the leniency I requested. I handed her over with the promise that I would be there for her when her sentence ended.”

“Given what I saw, your empress hasn’t quite kept her word.”

Anna flinched as the mug in Tallah’s hand puffed to smoke.

A bucket of ice-cold water poured over Tallah’s head a moment later.

“None of that!” Christina chided, holding the bucket.

Tallah sputtered and coughed, water already misting to steam, her glow diminishing. She’d been about to combust again, slip the leash as she talked. Bianca had made herself scarce.

“Bones of my sisters, do you know how hard it is to keep this place in one piece?” Christi went on as she rounded the table and sat down heavily. “Don’t dare wreck it. I need somewhere to be away from your nonsense.”

“Sorry.” Another cup of tea materialised in her hands, steam curling above the pink surface.

“And the two of you have lived inside this mad woman’s head for how long?” Anna asked, levity forced. Tallah could see her hands trembling on the cup. The ghost did not fancy another roll-around with her unchecked anger.

“Anyway.” Tallah shook water from her hair. Christina’s method was crude, but had worked well enough. “Yes, Catharina was not true to her word. Several turns later I became suspicious. Went and investigated. Discovered Drak’s Perch to be an empty prison, guarded tight but devoid of the prisoners I sent there. I confronted Catharina. She, at least, didn’t feign ignorance. Took me and showed me exactly where Rhine was.

“There is an entire prison built beneath Aztroa’s Crown. That’s where Catharina takes the channellers she captures. She has them tortured to breaking point and beyond. And then she does what I did to you. I found my sister… what was left of her. You’ve been seeing her around.”

“Why?”

Such a simple question and so many nights spent wondering of the why of it all. She sighed, sipped her tea, and leaned back. Wiped away some tears stinging at the corner of her eyes.

“Why… Only Catharina truly knows why she did as she did. I trust she has her reasons. She spoke of some of them when she came to inspect the work being done on me. I… wasn’t in the best state of mind to listen, as you might imagine.”

“This doesn’t explain why you’ve set yourself on an impossible task. Oh, I’m sure killing the empress is a fine reason to live for you, but what’s this malarkey about killing gods? I fail to recognise the connection.”

Tallah laughed at this, letting the anger go for a moment. If she didn’t laugh, she’d combust.

“Ort came to me while I was being held. He offered to free me, grant me strength, show me how to get my revenge.” She felt her grin growing near ear to ear and her teeth creaked as she clenched them. “He offered to teach me all he’s taught Catharina, if I only served him.”

Anna shared a look with Christina and they both burst out laughing a moment later. Tallah joined them, hands squeezing the cup so hard that it would have shattered in reality.

“Let me guess what he taught Catharina,” Anna said, between gasps of laughter.

Tallah gestured with her cup.

“He’s taught her the very tools and methods she’s used to take your sister’s soul, hasn’t he?”

A nod.

“And he offered the same tools to you.”

Another nod.

Anna pressed a hand to her face and still gasped out a few laughing breaths.

“Never lash out at the whip,” all three said in a voice. Bianca appeared a moment later, joining in. “Burn the hand that wields it.” An old, old motto that they all remembered intimately. Bianca and Christina had been whipped on their first season at Hoarfrost, before they formed their cabal. They’d swore never to accept it again. Zakovia had never recovered from what they’d done to her after that.

“Let’s kill the bastard, then,” Anna said. “How do we go about it?”

Tallah grinned. “You’ll either love the answer, or really hate me for it.”