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"Bryce, I really don't think that this is a good idea." Amanda paused in her pacing the length of the small chamber, and looked over at Bryce, who was sitting crosslegged in front of the statue, the great spear laid out across his knees. "That thing is clearly magical. And magic gold means bad news." Bryce had been sitting there for over ten minutes, and when she paused and listened, Amanda could still hear the serpent snuffling outside. She imagined it was only a matter of time before hobgoblins arrived to drag the two of them out to die, and Bryce was spending it communing with an Anathema relic.

"Amanda, it's fine. This thing might end up saving us." Bryce sighed, looking up at her. Attuning to this Manse had been easy, but it was taking more time to let his Essence flow into the spear than he had thought, and he was worried that he wasn't going to get to finish. "It's just a weapon. It's not going to eat my soul."

"How do you know? Maybe it's made to eat souls. Did you think of that?" Amanda frowned, looking at the statue of the Unconquered Sun with suspicion. "Besides, I don't think that normal people can use things like that, so it's a moot point. If we run, we might be able to surprise that snake and get away."

"Not going to happen, Amanda." Bryce sighed again, hefting the spear tentatively. It was definately lighter, and responding fairly well. "That thing's ready, and it's really powerful. This might save us; it's certainly our only chance." He lowered it again. "Anyway, in another minute or two it'll be done. Don't worry."

Whatever Amanda might have said was cut off as a call came from the front of the cave. "Mortals! Silly little souls, come out and play. We know you're there." Bryce frowned, recognizing the Fair Folk noblewoman from earlier. "If you don't, we'll come in and get you."

Amanda frowned, and looked at Bryce, who looked back. Neither said anything. After a pause, the woman continued. "I am called Lyandara, mortals. We can come in and get you, but the cave is so drippy, it will simply ruin my dress and my goblins' feathers. So I am willing to offer a deal, hm? If you both come out now, the girl will not be harmed."

Amanda blinked, then looked at Bryce One or two minutes. She paused, and then smiled, calling out. "I have a few questions. First off, how can we be sure that we can trust you? After all, at the risk of sounding offensive, the Fair Folk are not noted for their honesty."

"On the contrary, we keep the oaths we swear. It is only the foolish who do not properly structure them." There was a pause, and Amanda heard something scrape in the mouth of the cave. She gritted her teeth, and, as quietly as possible, reached for Bryce's old spear, as Lyandara continued to speak. "Now, little morsels, will you come out, or will you die?"

"What exactly is the oath that you will swear to?" Amanda let the fear that she was feeling creep into her voice, which didn't take much work. "And why only me?"

"The other mortal morsel offended my Lord, and my Lord does not respond well to offense. Come, now, girl. Step out of the cave and you will not be harmed. You don't even have to come with the boy. Just by yourself." Amanda smiled grimly, raising her spear, and peered into the darkness of the cave. Sure enough, she saw a shape creeping almost silently forwards. If she hadn't been looking for it, she would never have seen it. She looked back to Bryce, who was focused intently on the spear, and gulped.

"Just give me a moment. I'm coming..." Amanda walked forwards, to just before the thinnest part of the cave. She narrowed her eyes, and as quickly as possible, screwing up her courage, stabbed forwards at the dark shape she saw. Pinned between the rocks, the hobgoblin could not effectively respond, and it screeched in pain. "Of course, if I can't get out of the cave, there's no deal, right?"

There was a pause, punctuated by another screech as Amanda speared the hobgoblin again. It writhed backwards, but Amanda's spear was long enough to hit it a third time as it retreated. After a moment, Lyandara spoke again. "Well, I wouldn't have said that before, but yes. That is implicit in the agreement. But I'm sure that you can handle yourself."

"Are you." Amanda sighed, and stepped backwards. Black blood stained the blade of the spear, and she scraped it against the wall, cleaning it as best she could. "Well, I have a counter-proposal. Those walls are too thin for your birdbrains to fight in, and I'm going to stab any one that tries."

"They aren't my birds, I just direct them, and poorly at that. And that isn't a proposal, so much as it is a comment." There was a gusty sigh from Lyandara, and Amanda chuckled despite herself.

"Comment or not, if you don't want to lose those hobgoblins, pull them back."

"Silly girl. I can come in myself, and you will follow me to your death of your own free will. All you have to do is see me."

"Then come in and be seen. We'll see if you can ensnare me before I stab you." Amanda glared in the direction of the cave, her frustration turning to anger in the face of the Fair Folk's disdain. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped. She almost spun to strike, but recognized Bryce a moment later. He spoke, a soft but commanding tone.

"No need. We're coming out. And she will not be harmed."

"Of course not. I'm hardly a savage." There was a faint tone of triumph in Lyandara's voice, and Bryce turned, kissing Amanda on the cheek. Then he turned back, the spear held lightly in one hand, and began to press through the tunnels. Amanda waited until he was a few feet ahead and began to push after him, afraid of seeing a hobgoblin weapon strike through his chest at any moment. But they did not. Once, she heard a feral scream, andas she inched forwards saw a goblin's corpse sprawled across the ground, but that was all. Before she knew it, she was in the sun. And Bryce was standing before her, his spear drawn, the deep blue stone set in its haft glittering. Across the woods stood four more hobgoblins, one cradling a wounded arm, and the serpent reared above them. Lyandara was watching him, frowning. Bryce smiled slimly.

"We're out. What are you going to do about it?"

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