Orfeus looked xem in the eye and said, “A wonderful dance,” enunciating clearly. She couldn’t dance enough to cue up an illusion that way, didn’t have enough attention for a proper one, all hazy and spinning as she was.

Significance blinked. Fortunately, xe was nonsensical. “It is, isn’t it?” xe said.

Orfeus added, through her wavering focus, “Your batteries are on fire.”

Significance turned, staring, to where the tidy stack of energy cells seemed to be flickering with yellow and red. Xe howled and flung xemself at them. There was no chance of getting out of her bonds, but she jerked herself forward with all her strength, and jerked the chair forward, teetering it off balance. It crashed into the ground with Orfeus under it face-first. She spat out blood, blinded with pain. The illusion would have dropped now.

The chair weighed heavy on her. She wriggled forward, just an inch. Another.

Significance came striding back. Xe grabbed the chair backing and lifted it easily up, and frowned down at her. “What’s that meant to achieve exactly?” xe said.

Orfeus spat at xem, which was satisfying. Red stains on cream robes.

Significance gave a dainty little shrug and let go of the chair. Orfeus jerked her hands frantically, like she could get them in front of her face, but she couldn’t. Instead she twisted her body, turning just enough so the chair fell on its side instead of square on her face again. She lay there for a second. No time to get her composure back.

She flicked out her cauterknife from her sleeve and cut frantically at her bonds. “What?” Significance said. Then xe laughed. “Oh, the Order’s advanced since last I looked. Oh, I’m so proud of them.”

No time for history right now. The sharplight wasn’t enough. Orfeus, praying urgently in the back of her mind to any god that would listen, flicked up the setting. Snakebite flared sharper. More than sharp enough to cut easily through her flesh and bone. She might lose her hands after all.

Achingly careful, she severed through the base of the shackle loop, and it came free. Orfeus exhaled roughly and thumbed the knife back off. She couldn’t handle that burning intensity of blade.

Significance just watched her.

Orfeus gave xem a hot, bloody glare over what felt like a broken nose, and pulled the vial from her boot.

A bolt of electricity impacted directly into her hand, and she hadn’t even seen Significance move. Her teeth rattled, and for that brief moment it felt like her skin was on fire. The vial and the knife dropped from her nerveless fingers.

O’Hallow stepped forward at xyr leisure and kicked at the cauterknife. It went rattling away. Orfeus watched blankly as xe picked up the little vial of magic that was her last best chance. Watched as xe straightened, and pushed the needle into xyr own arm.