"That bitch was trying to kill you!" Vania fumed, setting aside her steaming mug of soup as she battered the air angrily. Her wings, splayed out behind her through the gap in the chair back, twitched weakly with her movements. "We need to find a way to stop her!"

Eddin threw another log onto the fire. "Another blanket?" he asked, holding out a blanket.

"No. Thank you," Vania mumbled, sinking lower into her seat. "I already have three." She crossed her arms, muttering, "Bitch needs to pay."

Eddin pulled his own blanket closer as he took his seat. "We'll figure something out." As he picked up his mug and blew on the steaming soup, he reasoned, "She must know something we don't. And it scares her. Why else would she try to kill me?"

"Because she's a bitch," Vania mumbled. She retrieved her mug and took a sip.

"Because she's trying to isolate you. It's a common tactic of bullies," Derry said as he walked in. "Your butler let me in—I hope that's all right."

"Derry." Vania looked at him. Her eyes welled with tears. "She almost killed Eddin!"

"Of course it's okay. We're glad you're here. Have a seat," Eddin offered, gesturing to a chair on the other side of Vania. "There's more soup and more blankets. Did you bring Licia and the kids?"

"Thank you." Derry sat. "And, no, Licia and the kids are still at your mother's, Eddin. I don't like taking the children out in this weather."

"What I want to know is, why did she want the charm from Ab'bashura?" Eddin asked. "She knows what it can do."

"So she could destroy it, most likely," Derry reasoned. "Whatever it does, it must threaten her somehow."

G'har bustled over, K'venst close behind. "We have more soup, milady." He placed the silver tray on the edge of the oval table, putting its contents onto the tabletop. "And we've also brought heat crystals, to help warm you."

K'venst offered a basket full of glowing crystals. "D'tessa is working on drying out your clothing. May I suggest you consider a warm bath after dinner?"

"Thank you," Vania mumbled. "You can just leave those here," she gestured to the basket.

K'venst nodded and placed it at her feet. "Is there anything else you need, milady?"

Vania looked at Eddin and Derry. After they both shook their heads, she replied, "No, thank you, K'venst. G'har." After both servants retreated through the door to the kitchen, Vania sighed. "So, that charm worries her. Is that the only way to defeat her, then?"

"Can't be," Eddin said quickly.

"What does it do?" Derry asked.

"Traps her in my mind," Vania replied, staring into the opaque depths of her soup. "So, when I die, she dies." She glanced over at Derry and saw the concerned look on his face. "It's a weapon of last resort."

"I'll say," Derry muttered. "Guaranteed mutual destruction is never a good tactic. We will figure something out. Before it comes to that."

"How?" Vania whispered. "We haven't figured out anything, so far, but she's getting better and better at using her powers and controlling me." She groaned, setting her mug aside to rub her forehead. "And she's gloating."

Eddin growled wordlessly, glaring at Vania as if he could see the spectre of the goddess whispering in Vania's ear. He leaned over to look at Derry. "We also have the seal from Commander Aleira, but we've been warned to use it as little as possible. It also traps her and prevents her from hurting anyone... but it seals Vania away, too. We need to figure something else out. Ab'bashura said a stronger god could help us, but no temples will even try." He stood and took the basket from Vania's feet, then placed it under her sodden, drooping wings at her back. "How's that? Should I spread the crystals out?"

Vania groaned, the sound fading to a whimper as she forced her wings apart, feebly partially spreading them. "No, that's fine. Thank you, Eddin."

"I think K'venst is right," Eddin said as he sat back down. "A hot bath would help with how bad your back hurts."

"I can reach out to friends in other cities," Derry offered. "See if any of them can recommend a temple near them. For all the bragging and posturing the priests do, you'd think they'd jump at the chance to prove their gods' or goddesses' might."

"I'll... ask Mother to reach out to her contacts on A'mardis," Eddin added. "Many of them follow T'lurna. Maybe she can help against this storm goddess." He reached over and took Vania's hand. "We're going to figure this out. Together."

She simply bowed her head, eyes closing against her tears.