They didn’t want to give her any credit at all. They wanted her to be a victim so that they wouldn’t feel ashamed of serving her, so that they could pretend they served out of a sense of honor instead of avarice and fear.

Well, once Kaeleer fell, she would make a few changes in her court. Maybe she would even arrange for the fools to die in battle, choking on their bloody honor.

“You did well today, Sister,” said a harsh but still girlish voice. “I couldn’t have done better myself.”

Dorothea didn’t turn around. Looking at Hekatah, the demon-dead Dark Priestess and self-proclaimed High Priestess of Hell, always turned her stomach. “They were your words, not mine, so it’s not surprising that you’re pleased.”

“You still need me,” Hekatah snarled as she shuffled to a chair near the fire. “Don’t forget that.”

“I never forget that,” Dorothea replied softly, keeping her eyes focused on the garden.

It had been Hekatah who had seen her potential when she was a young witch still learning a Priestess’s duties as well as the Black Widows’ Craft. It had been Hekatah who had nurtured her ambitions and dreams of power, who had pointed out the possible rivals who could interfere with those dreams. And it had been Hekatah who had helped eliminate those rivals. The Dark Priestess had been there, every step of the way, guiding, advising.

She couldn’t remember just when she realized that Hekatah needed her just as much as she needed Hekatah. That need made them despise each other, but they were bound together by the common dream of ruling an entire Realm.

“Do you really think, after all we’ve done to gain control of Terreille, those Queens will believe it was all the High Lord’s fault?”

“If you cast the persuasion spells correctly, there’s no reason they won’t believe it,” Hekatah said with sweet venom.

“There’s nothing wrong with my Craft skills, Priestess,” Dorothea replied with equal venom, turning to face the other woman.

“Your skills didn’t help you elude the spell Sadi wrapped around you, did they?”

“No more than your skills protected you or have helped you reverse the damage.”

Hekatah hissed angrily, and Dorothea turned back to the window, feeling a brief satisfaction at the well-aimed barb.