Leopold approached the outskirts of the Ice Henge with decreasing enthusiasm. As he neared the crags the bitter howl of the wind gave way to a deep vibrating hum that vibrated through his bones. When he was a child he often thought it sounded like snoring giants. When he found out that was precisely what it was, he stopped playing quite so close.

“Hello old friend,” he mumbled, spying a raven perched on the nearest of the icy henge. He cocked his head to one side, surprised to see it but at the same time, expectant.

“You took your time,” it cawed.

The merchant stopped ten feet away from the finger of ice and rested his hands on his hips. He could hear Ruby and Duffy approaching behind.

“I thought you were dead.”

“Lady Clarissa Montague is death.”

Leopold rolled his eyes.

“Well, yes, but you took War’s hammer to the chest. Not many would live through that and sit waiting like a school mistress to chide an old friend.”

“Oh, I’m not going to chide you.” The raven’s eye glinted as it took flight and dropped in a spiral to the snow below.

As Ruby and Duffy appeared at Leopold’s side, the Raven burst into purple flames and from the flickering prangs of magic emerged a woman whom Ruby was less than pleased to see. She drew her sword, who would have thrown her own daggers had she eyes, and took a defiant step forwards to bar Clarissa’s advance at her husband.

“Oh, Ruby dear. Please. Leopold and I are just friends, and whatever reservations you have about that are worthless.”

“Worthless? Everytime you come back into his life one of you ends up dead or broke.”

“Ruby. Really now…” Duffy looked gingerly at his brother in law. “I’m sure Clarissa is here on business.” He mouthed ‘isn’t she’ at the merchant. Leopold nodded back, and rested a palm onto Ruby’s sword hand.

“Clarissa wants the same thing we do. Do you think I’d give up divinity and spend millennia trying to find you again just to commit adultery with an old flame?” He raised a frosted eyebrow.

“Old?” Clarissa chuckled.

Ruby’s finger pointed fiercely stayed any further jibes from Raven. She sheathed her sword.

“Last I heard you tried to run Leopold through when he put everything on the line to help you.”

“A misunderstanding. War is quite persuasive in the heat of a battle, but I saw the error of my ways and made it possible for Leopold to escape.” Cocksure, Clarissa mimicked Ruby’s defensive stance but plastered a polite smile across her face.

“She did?” Ruby turned accursedly to her husband. “He forgot to mention.”

“We are not here to rehash the old days.” Leopold pointed at the henge behind Clarissa. “We’re here to destroy that, and in doing so move on from our past. Or have you forgotten?”

Clarissa clapped. “Precisely. I’ve been standing guard here for over seven years,” she counted on her fingers, “or something like that. Leopold asked for my help, here I am.”

“He forgot to mention,” Ruby replied, though her voice eased off its threatening tone. It was as close to forgiveness and acceptance as she was going to give. “Why are you here?”

Leopold sighed. It was going to be a long night.