Naturally they stopped by the village of Sor's Hill on the way to Averell. Elly was already asleep on her horse without falling off, a trick Ruyo wished she'd learned herself. For the westlanders, visiting here was a novelty, but Ruyo didn't want to stay long. She engaged the town's water mage in a sparring match, winning easily and making a show of it for the locals. But she spoke with the man and with the mayor in private, too. "I've asked you for enough favors lately," she began.

The mayor said, "What, do you want to wreck your own shrine and have us rebuild it again?"

Ruyo woke Elly and brought her over to help explain. The two villagers listened, wide-eyed. "More of you would-be gods!"

Elly bowed. "I'll repay the favor as soon as I can."

"And what can you grant?" the mayor asked.

As Ruyo had coached her to do, Elly said, "Soon, I'll give you magic that hasn't been seen in ages. I'm only beginning, so this is a preview." She demonstrated conjuring a small orb of darkness like dense smoke.

Ruyo added, "The Lady of Night is still learning about her own powers. They'll be unique and useful. And if you end up not caring, there's little cost to you."

The water mage thought about it and shrugged. "We're not putting a lot of effort into using your shrine, Ruyo. I stop by every so often and offer a prayer for you, but most people don't bother."

"Thank you for what you do. Just having the thing around and used occasionally helps keep me sturdy." She thumped her chest.

The mayor said, "You know what? Get Moira to do this one."

Moira was the town's alchemist, from a family long accused of consorting with evil spirits. Supposed witches, in other words. Considering that she and others had gotten hurt by a rampaging earth spirit that also possessed her boar-like brother Miras, she was notorious now.

Ruyo turned toward the Brotherhood delegation, but their captain raised a hand before she could speak. "I'll take your word that she's not dangerous. She's not our priority anyway."

So they went to find the willowy woman who lived in a forest hut surrounded by a herb garden and windchimes that sang in the breeze. With the mayor in tow, Elly explained.

Moira looked her over. "I owe Ruyo, so I'm willing to help out. If I can get help actually building the shrine. What should it be like? The same as Ruyo's?"

Tulia said, "The gods can't help you directly with shrine building, but I can tell you Elly is an adventurer who's protected Ruyo in her travels."

The Witch Hunter captain said, "She's a native of Brotherhood, where we fight against evil. You might use symbolism of --"

Ruyo covered her face with one hand. "Look, just make it nocturnal. We'll probably end up reworking it later, once she's able to repay you and you can get a better sense of who she is."

Elly nodded enthusiastically.

#

The next afternoon, without waiting for the shrine to be finished, they made it to Averell. Watchtowers and sturdy walls protected most of the sprawling city, but the mercenary companies had kept the invaders far away. The party passed the Glasstown district and went right into the city.

They were drawing stares. Ruyo wore her practical travel outfit, mostly a dusty tan tunic and pants, but had a tough vest of sharkskin in her bags. Everything she wore was battered from months of rough use. Did the townsfolk recognize her or just notice the group of armed riders?

Nusina said, "You should think about some finer clothes."

Ruyo only now noticed that Nusina was plainly visible, a watery beacon marking the group. "Advertising, huh? You're probably right." She waved to the onlookers.

They went straight to the Water Temple, a two-story building made of concrete and stone hastily shaped by magic. The spellcraft gave the walls a swirling, wave-like look that was perfect for the theme. The door stood open and had a bored guard loitering just inside.

Ruyo said, "Roland, can you see to the horses? We can take the trade goods to market tomorrow and leave them here in the meantime."

Tamur started lifting saddlebags off the horses to carry inside. The guard said, "Hey, this isn't a warehouse." Tamur only grinned back.

Ruyo went in and said, "Hi; thanks for watching the place. The Council will want to speak right away with Lady Elinor, here. Please let them know we're around."

The man looked annoyed, then snapped to attention as he realized who she was. "Yes, Lady." He scurried off.

The Witch Hunters were going to earn their keep in this town. They'd made it clear to Ruyo and Elly that the Council would treat the new Lady of Night as an honored guest, or face problems.

When a group of guards arrived at the temple, it was with a minor nobleman at their head, bowing. "They're excited to see the new patron," he said. "Will you join us, Lady of Waters?"

Ruyo turned to the Brotherhood group. "Can you handle this?"

"Yes."

Elly was awake mainly through force of will. "I'm not up for being yelled at. I can show off my dinky magic but then I'm gonna crash."

The Hunter chief said, "We'll make sure they keep it short, but this is important. Come along."

Ruyo frowned as they escorted her away with the city men, who weren't thrilled about having Elly bring her own guards. Ruyo was pretty sure the city authorities wouldn't try to somehow pry Elly's divinity out... but not completely sure.

Tulia excused herself to find her former master, Quintus the mason-mage. Pir, the fire spirit, floated invisibly outside the chapel and didn't dare enter. Tamur finished unloading the horses and said, "What now?"

Ruyo gave Roland and the westlanders some money to go handle the herd. "Could one of you grab Pir, please? It must be a strain on the little fireball to hang around here." So Roland took on the burden of magically sustaining the spirit.

That left just Ruyo, Tamur and Nusina. No guests at the chapel right now. Ruyo stretched. "I'll probably have to do a bunch of blessings and story time in a bit. Going to rest until then."

The Water Temple's interior had benches facing a stone altar that glittered with glass. The room's walls sloped outward toward the top like a river channel. Up some steep stairs she found her little bedroom with a practice runic circle on the floor. Ruyo took a pen and ink from the shelf, conjured a sheet of paper, and wrote a note that she posted on the door outside. Services at sunset tonight.

Holding the door partway open, she said to Tamur, "Need some spending money?"

"I can live on bread, wine and a lady's smile... but you don't do wine." He stepped closer, loomed down, then seized Ruyo in his powerful arms. She was wide-eyed as she got lifted to her toes and he pressed his rough, scarred lips to hers. His necklace of claws and scales rattled against her chest. It was a little like being grabbed by a thorn-bush, a thought that made her giggle.

Tamur set her down and grinned. "If you want more, ask boldly."

Ruyo looked around, her cheeks hot and the feel of muscles still seemingly around her. Nusina floated above the man with a bucketful of water, but she shooed the spirit off. Then Ruyo dug through her pockets and pulled out a few coins. "Here. For, for the wine. Thank you. For that and for, well, everything."

She watched him go, whistling, and had a tough time thinking about magic research or much else for a while.

Nusina said, "I'd like to check on the Vissio family. Shall I wake you at sunset?"

"Sure."