"There apparently will be a verdict at Horus's new temple," said Ishtar. "Don't worry he's safely within my control, you don't have to make a prison of your own or anything. But continue to avoid Jessica's well. Unless they have an offering for me of course."

Ishtar had taken a bite out of the muffin in front of her.

"You wouldn't have asked us if that was it," said Layla. Also enjoying a pastry.

"No, there was something about Marty's trial. He wanted to hear what you saw."

"I would have thought, Rosie…"

"I think he's just making an excuse here to summon you two," said Ishtar, "so consider yourself summoned. You saw what Rosie did to that person he summoned."

Kurt gave Layla a mean stare. That was supposed to be the end of it. Horus was about to claw himself deeper.

L

After their visit with Ishtar. She was herself finding excuses to get sweets from their kitchen after all they had gone back to talk about it.

"So, what do you think he will do?"

"I'm not sure," said Layla, "he is not actually looking for his student. But it's unclear he sees much of a difference."

"What are you saying they would let him go?"

"I would think he would have got the True Sorcerer to come get him to be released."

"Then why bring us?"

"Who knows. Maybe he wants us to fight him if we wish to punish him."

"He'd lose," said Kurt.

"Well, without the wand I agree."

"With the wand he'd lose," said Kurt.

"Kurt, we tried to remember me, you, Harvey, and a dragon together, and he wasn't exactly losing by much."

"It's different this time because," Kurt looked around to make sure there was nothing there, as well as to make sure the fires were the kind that exposed shadows and whispered into Layla's ear, "Raykiel, my sword can stop him now unlike before. And I wouldn't toy with him, I would instantly go for his throat or heart. He wouldn't have time to adjust."

"Kurt, " said Layla. "You can't let them know. There's a possibility he might kill him just because he has a named wand."

"But that's what I'm saying, if I have to fight him I would have to show it. Then they would know. I'm not going to let him just kill me. There was this other thing once. But I haven't figured that out since."

"I understand Kurt," said Layla, "don't tell anyone else. Not any of the commanders, not anyone. But keep it with you. We need to be ready if something happens. We don't know what he's thinking; he might just want an audience for a sacrifice."

They had gotten reports that the charge went forward as expected after their intervention. They had made a sizable claim on the shadow clan's domain.

The verdict would come in four days; they were eventually informed. Boris was setting the schedule for them.

They were in a tough spot as they needed to also get to Belwark Harbor somehow and it was a long trip from Arrow mountains. And the trip on ship took more than two days. So they would have to alter their plans for trying to get Dakota Spring or LongBow Lake on their side.

They needed a negotiation party, and the logical choice was it to be Betsy. They could still travel by carriage but not open any gates or fly wyvern without their permissions.

Besty traveling with Mary could always run back quickly and take the longer boat ride.

One morning of training , during this was using a spare sword, to keep Raykiel secret.

"So you want me to do this, instead of Carl."

"Wouldn't that make more sense. And you know all the ins and outs."

"What about here?"

"Hire someone, promote someone. Baroness."

"We are doing the official ceremony before. And we will go with countess."

"I thought you wanted Baroness?"

"Well technically, it's Duke, Count, Viscount, Baron. I don't want to be the lowest. And Sara can stay up there. You are more of a prince so we just use the Lord because Layla is going to outlive you."

"Whatever you want, we can do it right now if you want. I thought at this level we got to choose anyway."

Betsy thought about this, "you know I would get a budget befitting my station."

"Of course, I basically ask you to pay for everything for me."

"I want Minotaurs Guards."

"Wait what?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No go ask Boris. You are supposed to make a keep, staffing and all that."

"Then I would probably put Joshua in charge of my day to day, I can manage him. And he should be able to handle my departure for the negotiations."

"Really?"

"He knows my system. I can find a human face."

"You mean an actual human."

"Yeah, someone can get some role."

"Then this afternoon, sunset. In the throne room. I will tell you who I want to go. Obviously you, Talia, and Harvey."

"Harvey really?" Harvey had grown as large as a bear with a long tail and long snake like heads recently

"Yeah why not? You think my cat isn't going to be there?"

"Really?"

"And then Sir Kitty."

"Sir Kitty?"

"Count Kitty is better, you're right."

So that afternoon at sunset. A group of people, animals and monsters came to witness the Layla officially bestow Countess upon Betsy.

Her cat was sitting on top of Harvey for the ceremony. Kurt had ordered him to take care of the cat a long time ago. He apparently took it seriously.

It was a simple short ceremony. Most kneeling and taking on a hat, a diadem as he was later informed of.

It wasn't like Layla's floating crown that seemed to just have some magnet connection that left it slightly raised over her head. But what other hat did that.

Susan had prepared cake for everyone, and somehow Ishtar found them for a piece. Never one to miss out on a cake.

"Thank you Kurt," said Betsy.

"I mean you deserve it."

"Thank you for that as well, but you know none of this happens with you. You can come in and take charge sometimes in a way I don't think you always realize."

"I heavily depend on my court."

"Ohh I guess I should get one of those too."

"Maybe you'll meet a nice young lord."

"Yeah yeah, I got one in mind."

"You think you're the only one?"

She smiled, "maybe not the only one, but the only with the proper status."

"What do you mean?

"I'm Countess Betsy, to some Barons."

"Well you know what to do."

"We will need to switch the gate during this for extended periods eventually."

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