“It’s not supposed to be painless, but if you’re going to go toe to toe with the Old God of War you’d better forget your pretty face.” Arden kicked the merchant softly in the rubs. “Don’t ever do that to Ruby again.”

“Yeah. If you think we’re angry, wait until she comes back.” Duffy frowned. “I should probably tell you…” He bit his lip.

Leopold rose slowly, until he held himself upright with his aching arms and gave the bard a wicked look.

“What is it?”

“Errr, well, you see when Ruby died it wasn’t her per say. Phoenix is gone and she’s sort of, ermm, different.” Duffy really didn’t know how to say it properly. He had seen Ruby anew.

“Different how?” Leopold reached for his top hat and propped it onto his brow.

“Her hair is grey.”

Leopold rolled his eyes.

“She sacrificed Phoenix to ensure our success. I can live with a little bit of a cooler temper and the occasional hair dye.” Leopold sighed.

They looked at one another awkwardly.

“I still can’t quite believe you destroyed the Ice Henge. How did you lot pull it off where others failed?” Arden referred to the Forgotten Ones, and wizards unhinged and gods enraged. He folded his arms across his torso.

“Like you said, Y’edda’s going to be weaker, but gunning for us. She won’t forgive us hamstringing her quite to blatantly.” Duffy knew the battle was over, but the war with the Thayne had only just begun.

“I don’t know about you, but having just died and seen the world change I could really, really do with a drink.” The merchant rose on uneasy feet and dusted himself down. Though his body was anew, his clothes bore the marks of his injuries. He didn’t care an inch how he looked, only that he very soon forgot everything he’d endured and fell into a deep, drunken stupor.

“That sounds like a bloody good idea old chap.” Duffy slapped his knees and bounded upright. Arden was already halfway to the drawing room before his brothers realised and broke into an uneasy stride to catch up.

“Should we get Lilith?”

“Lord no, she’ll gut you for so much as hurting a hair on Ruby’s head.” Arden winced. “I’ll tell her when this has all blown over to save you ruining another good shirt.”

Leopold could only nod in agreement as he entered the dusty drawing room and flopped into a leather wingback chair in front of an unlit fireplace. Duffy and Arden joined him with a bottle in each hand and a pile of cut crystal glasses tucked under each arm. They poured their own drinks and downed one before pouring another with which to toast.

“Here’s to the death of the Raven, the fall of the Haven, and the rise of the Craven.” They cheers, and felt the warm amber liquid remind them of what they were all fighting to protect: freedom.