“We have business with Goddess,” I said, before Seir could answer. It was, in a passive way, my way of backing Rain up. More voices in the conversation made it hard to retort, to cut Rain down, and I wasn’t sure Rain was the best guy when it came to wordplay and coming off as intimidating with words alone.

“The lady says she doesn’t want any hassle. If we let just anyone up there, then everyone’s going to want to come by, say how they can be useful, try to elbow their way in.”

“It’s important,” I said. “And it won’t take long.”

It was Tristan who added his voice to mine. “Refuse us access and you can be the one to explain why she didn’t get the information she needed.”

When had they switched?

“The drowned rat in gold armor can fly, can’t she? She goes alone.”

Me? I could, but—

“We’re sticking together, Seir,” I said. “I don’t think you were even assigned this job. You’re trying to make yourself important, pretending to be a gatekeeper.”

“Do you really want to test me, little girl?” he asked. He locked eyes with me. “Rain-man, you should tell these ignorant fools to think twice about what they’re doing.”

“Why would I do that, Tim?”

“Because, Rain, you’d better believe we know where your slut friend lives.”

Tristan put a hand at Rain’s shoulder, as if to stop him from advancing. Rain wasn’t quite the type to charge forward to swing a punch, though.

“Some expert advice for ya. If you have one person you want to keep in line, Rain, then it doesn’t work if you hit ’em, take a belt to ’em, stick their head in a water barrel. Takes forever. But if you get them as a pair, sisters, mother daughter, man and his wife, boy and the girl that will forever be too good for his useless self, it’s easy. Tell the first one that if they don’t listen you’ll hit the second. Tell the second that if they don’t listen, you’ll hurt the first. Takes no time at all to break the both of them.”

“I think the fact that you have to do that makes you all look pretty fucking pathetic, Seir,” Rain said.