“They are ing out the damn water!” David said, wielding the heavy spiked mace he had received as a reward from the treasury uhe Tower of London. At the time he had pihat su old, ugly mace was “ill-befitting of a war god such as him” but ohey were in the mirrored version of London, the crude-looking mace had bee a shining silver ball of death, and he wielded it to shatter the flesh and bones of the hideous creatures that were crawling out of the Thames and onto the shore. Overhead loomed numerous skyscrapers, many of them evehan they were in the real world, the Shard being particurly distorted, noolished sword of obsidian and diamond jutting far into the skies.

  “Just fug die, fishy shitheads!” David smmed the mace down on the head of another of the aquatic beasts, before spinning gracefully and smashing the ribs of another. Bolts of water came flying out of the water at them, but Aditi returned fire, her bow sending arrows of brilliant light pierg through their bodies, spilling stinking blue and green blood into the polluted river.

  “A big one is ing.” Sir Arthur decred, watg the battle from beside her, using his age and experieo keep everyone calm and the formation effective. “The water is bulging up.” e energies were radiating everywhere, and a long, serpentine neck broke free of the mirror Thames, the head very simir to that of a dinosaur, yellow eyes gring at them balefully.

  “They’ve brought a damn Nessie down tae here, I’ll be bloody damned!” Sarah decred with her thick Scottish brogue, eyes going wide in surprise.

  “Shield up, idiot, I don’t like the looks of this. I ’t take them all by myself!” David roared, tinuing to wade into the seemingly eide of creatures that were boiling out of the Thames, squirming onto the banks with their foul webbed feet, clutg spears, tridents as, their beady, dark eyes glittering with anticipation as they waited for their foes to tire. “A off your arse, Donovan, Princess, old man. I may be a God of War, King of the Octagon, but there’s only fug one of me! And Mary-Jane, are you do? I’m getting pushed back!”

  ”Sorry Mr Reckless, everyone.” She apologised, the middle-aged woman wiping sweat from her brows as she held up her long wooden staff, energies gathering around her as a slender n of white marble was rising, the dark skies streaked with auroras above sending down shimmering prismatic motes of silvery light, which were being sucked in. “It will not be long, I hope. Until then, I ask you all to do your best!”

  Yes, she does sound like a schoolteacher. Eleanor thought idly. “I guess it’s time. e on Donovan, o worry. We have dohis before, right?” Yes, if we hadn’t seeablishment of multiple domains scattered aroural London already, the sight would be quite breath-taking and magical. Her hands tightened on the hilt of her sword as she raced to aid David Reckless, her bde cleaving. Each time she cut flesh, she felt sick, bile rising, but she forced it down, just as she ighe blue-green blood spttering her green armour. A spear pierced her wrist, a lucky blow stabbing through the joints. Pain fred, but she sshed out and the creature fell back, dying, face cut to the bone, skull cracked. The spear tore free, and Eleanor shook her wrist, pain diminishing as the wound closed, her gift from the Green Man giving her ferociously quick regeion. I still ’t get used to the pain though. Every time it hurts, and it never gets aer…

  “Well, these old bones are getting quite the workout.” Sir Arthur was beside her, sword slig in a figure of eight pattern, fishmen dying around them. Donovan was there too, his long spear giving him signifit reach, as he thrust and stabbed at the seemingly endless horde.

  “Ining, you dumb fuckers!” David roared as the ‘Nessie’ belched out a stream of trated water, shining a brilliant e, heedless of the fishmen in its path, which exploded into clouds of the shining silver energy that they o collect as they died to the friendly fire. David leapt backwards, but it looked like he would be caught i, until Sarah stepped in, a massive bronze shield held in front of her, a tower shield in the old Roman fashion, the face polished to a mirror sheen. The pact jet of water struck, and the cascade scattered backwards, droplets of water slig through the packed mob of enemies. David was hit by several, one slig his forehead, and silvery-red blood started running down his face.

  “Shit, I be getting pushed back here! There’ll be trouble if I ae hold the line!” Sarah cried out, her feet sliding backwards as the endless wave of water tinued unabated. It was then the beam shot upwards, the beast rearing back, one eye exploding as a bolt of light from Aditi took it in the head. The beast roared, the fishmen too, and then the reptilian monstrosity dropped into the water, disappearing from view.

  Panig, the fishmen started to break, their forces fleeing back to the sanctuary of the Thames, and David grinned, sughtering as many of the retreating foes as he could. Eleanor joined him, Sir Arthur and Donovan at her side, and they hacked, sshed and stabbed until their muscles ached, breath came fast and hard, and the shore was empty, the remaining fishmen trying to escape the arrows Aditi was unleashing.

  “Yeah, that’s right. Fug run, fishheads!” David waved his mace at the fleeing enemies, before he wiped the blood from his face, frowning. He gred at the exhausted Sarah, expression unpleasant. “What the fuck was that? Knock it away from me ime, if I get scarred, it’ll be a national day of m!”

  “If ye say so. I ae see it myself.” Sarah scoffed, l her heavy shield to the ground with an audible thud. “It be Donovan who is popur with t’dies now, ain’t he?” she chuckled, causing the shy young man to flush.

  “Well, it’s certainly true.” Sir Arthur agreed, joining ieasing, and Eleanor held in a smile herself. Trust sir Arthur to lighten the mood. I feel much happier with him at my side. With all of them, really. Grandmother was right. Not being alone is wonderful.

  “Donovatract a lot of attention during the parties at the pace. So, which will you be dating? That heiress from the Marches, or the daughter of that Tepany? Or both?” Sir Arthur gri his obvious embarrassment.

  “Well, er…” Donovan stuttered, turning bright red. “I do think Nico is very pretty, but Marie is fun to talk to… but then, Suzanne is also very…”

  “A third, huh? Damn, he’s making us look bad, David.” Sir Arthur cpped Donovan on the baearly knog him from his feet.

  “Oh shut the hell up.” David was resting on the polished wooden shaft of his mace, eyeing Mary-Jane and her shining pilr. “I get any woman I want, but I have high standards.” His gaze flickered over to Eleanor for a moment, and she nearly missed it. Really? Me? No, I don’t think so… he’s a bit too angry for my taste, even if I do like the pretty-boy look coupled with muscles. Ugh... why am I wasting my time with this? Aditi was chug gently as her st few arrows pierced the water, dropping a few fleeing fishmen, and Sir Arthur was chortling hugely. I hope I’m not blushing…

  It did amuse her to see David was looking a little embarrassed too, as if he had been caught out doing something he shouldn’t. Still, there is no point making an issue of it. At least the tension has decreased.

  Her lips quirked into a smile. “Mary-Jane, are you done?”

  The older woman shook her head. “No Princess, but soon. This will be the st ohen, won’t it?”

  Eleanor nodded. “Yes, with all of your domains positioned around the Pad Tower, we should be able to trol the area. Though going into the buildings is still too dangerous.” Her gaze went to the Shard and the other monstrous skyscrapers that were in this pce. She had ventured into one once during the early days of her quest, when she was alone, and inside she felt so terribly oppressed and weak, and was forced to flee, leaving behind an ear and two fingers for the hideous goblins within. Just remembering it made her shiver. I am lucky I grow back lost body parts, and the armour of the Green Knight repairs itself as well…

  “Really, everyone has grown much stronger.” Sir Arthur approved. “Though there is still a great deal to learn.”

  “I was strong from the start.” David snorted, but he looked pleased by the pliment and the ge of subject. “You lot just o not hold me back.”

  “You lot? I’ll be happy tae kick yer arse any day, ddie.” Sarah taunted, and before an argument could break out again, Eleanor felt it was wise to intervene. Being a leader is draining, even with the support from Sir Arthur.

  “e on now, no need for bickering.” she smiled reassuringly. “After all, we just won a signifit victory, we are growing stroaking on a horde of creatures like that was surely impossible for us before. But our hardships and struggles have not and will not be in vain.” She gestured to the Thames, still radiating an e glow, like the sun was reflected ier, only there was no sun here in this distorted refle of reality. “And we extend our trol over this London now that we have a firm foothold. London will not fall, no matter what es to pass!”

  “You sound just like yrandmother there.” Sir Arthur teased her., and Donovan shot her a sly grin, while Aditi, who had now shouldered her bow, came trotting over like a happy puppy.

  “Wise words, princess. I am more than happy to protect our homes!” Aditi said in her usual polite tones.

  “Yeah well, I still don’t get it, but Caturix’s blessing tells me I o fight. Not that I know any other way of life. I ’t bht iagon anymore, my strength would just shatter the bodies of my oppos. Still, maybe being a damn hero isn’t so bad, is it Sarah?”

  “Aye, it’s nae bad at all.” She grinned back, enjoying her usual heated bad forth with David. The pair of them seemed to rub each other the wrong away all the time.

  “There is ohing though…” Donovan offered up diffidently, shy as ever. “Just how is a small group like oing to clear out a city the size of London? It’d take us years, no, decades. And then there’s Maer, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Newcastle… there’s too many cities and too few of us. Towns, vilges too.”

  I’ve sidered that myself. “I think the answer lies in these domains we have established. I don’t know if you feel it, but as they strehey do many wonderous things. I have been thinking, and I believe… well, soon I believe we create an army of our own.”

  David nodded. “Yes, I was thinking that myself. Though all I seem to be able to create is weak, idiotic copies of our sin foes. Still, even if they aren’t even a tiny bit as useful as me, or even you lot, if we are going to wage a war, we need an army.”

  Eleanor nodded. Yes, the domains we establish here are even more mysterious than the power of the Gods we have been blessed with, or these artefacts my family has hoarded. Up to now all I’ve done is strehe defeny domain, so that the pces that need proteg will stay protected, but it’s time to raise a war-host… “My grandmother, the Queen… she is still searg for others we use. She trusts us to protect London, those others will likely travel the nd, seg other cities…”

  As she discussed her pns, well, her grandmothers’ pns, really, she held in her worries, that time was not on their side. I feel this dreadful urgency, like something bad is on the horizon. A storm is brewing, and though we are growing stronger rapidly, I don’t feel ready. Not at all… but what choice do we have? It only be us, nobody else protect London, and this try…

  ********

  “Well, isn’t our little shy boy just loving the attention?” David said sourly, downing half the gss of champagne he was holding. “And why is it always wi these events?? No drinks for real men.” He sighed as he watched Donovan chatting away merrily with several of the female guests, with ages ranging from teeo their early fifties.

  “Jealous, are ye?” Sarah grinned, spping him on the back.

  “Hell no. Are you an idiot?” He shot back, and as they bickered, Eleanor stifled her own smile, masking it by taking a sip of her own sparkling wine. Looking around, she could see Aditi and Mary-Jaogether, looking very calm and at ease, and it made her remember the first such event they attended, where Aditi looked like a frightened rabbit, very out of pce. Well, everyone has built up camaraderie as we fought in that strange nd. After all, life ah battles make strong bonds. It’s like the army, at least that’s what my brothers tell me.

  Speaking of her brothers, Sir Arthur was meeting them and her grandmother at the moment, to discuss the successful creation of the ring of domains. Eleanor missed him, he had bee quite important to her over the series of battles they had fought together. It helped that he was like an uo her, of course, and she had known him before. But even so… is it strahat I feel lost without them now? This rag-tag group, have they bey friends? It surprised her, but then, grandmother had told her it would happen, and she was seld, except when it came to following the advice of her personal physis, of course.

  As David and Sarah tio bicker belligerently, Eleanor shook her head, walking away. If I was more crude, perhaps I’d tell them to get a room. Pg her y gss oray of a passing server, she surveyed the guests at the party. She reised a number of them, other nobility, her extended family, as well as leaders of politid business. Sadly I have to put myself out there. Grandmother is relying oo be the foundation of this venture, and we’ll he support of politis of both parties. Though getting Labour and the servatives to agree on anything was impossible. If one said the sky was blue, the other would decre it was surely red. We’ll need mooo, and teology. I’m not cut out for this… but it is easier than battle.

  Eleanreeted the cellor of the Exchequer, and after that she was introduced to several important figures in business. One of them was a tall, well-built man, with close-cropped brown hair and a suit that was clearly from the top end of Saville Row, the buttons seemingly made from antique ivory, which might just have been barely legal, if tasteless. He was apanied by a erhaps her age or maybe a touch younger, who had simply stunning blonde hair, which reached her khe lo hair Eleanor had ever seen. That must really take some drying after a shower…

  She also had the most intense deep-green eyes, as well as extremely attractive features. But what was stranger was she was wearing some sort ious vestment, simir to priestly cassocks, but with a mown-like skirt flowing down to match her hair. On seeing her gaze, the woman merely smiled at her charmingly, while the man spoke, holding out a hand. I don’t reise her, but she must be Church of Engnd, right? Perhaps a bishop, though I haven’t heard of any new female appois retly…

  Eleanor took it, giving it a gentle shake, before the same to the woman, whose grip was surprisingly firm.

  “I am Maxwell Power, it’s an honour to be here tonight, princess.” The man said, and Eleanor stifled a giggle.

  “Max Power? Seriously?”

  “I get that a lot.” He grinned, not offended. “But it truly is my name. Perhaps my parents had a sense of humour. Anyway, I am here with this beautiful dy here, who…”

  “I introduce myself, Max, you ftterer.” The dy gave a geous smile. “I speak for myself too, a me say, as I am pledged to God, not man, so I’m afraid no matter how shamelessly you ftter me, I’ll never spread my legs for you.”

  Eleanor choked at that frank ent, but Max Power seemed not to care, merely smiling silently under her chiding. “Anyway, it is a pleasure to meet you, princess. I have heard much about you up until now. Isn’t the world a strange pce? Anyway, I am Mary Stuart. A pleasure, this was surely ordained by God, this meeting. Are you a woman of faith, princess?”

  Faith? Well, it’s hard not to have faith sidering what I’ve experienced, but I doubt that is what she means. “Well, like most of my family, I’m Church of Engnd. I must admit to not attending Mass as much as I probably should, but… well, God is fiving, no?”

  “Church of Engnd? A shame.” Mary shook her head, beautiful golden-blonde hair swaying around her like a long cloak. “Still, God is indeed fiving, of everything but worshipping false idols. At least Protestantism has its heart in the right pce, even if it has a filthy, heretid.” She was idly pying with a unique-looking golden ring on her finger, which looked very unlike something a woman of the cloth would wear.

  “e now, my pretty.” Max Power interceded, seeing the strained look on her face. “Don’t berate the princess so. You know the Royal Family has to be C of E, it’s pretty mu unwritten rule, no?” As Mary gave a snort at odds with her appearance, Max tinued. “Well, princess. I did want to spend more time talking to you, but as, I o discuss business with some other b old men, but you t on the support of my charitable foundation.” He handed her a business card, which she g. It was bck, with silver lettering, saying “Silver Hands Foundation” with various tact details. “If you need personnel, nd, money… well, just give me a call. The Queen herself is gearing up for a massive project, it seems, and you are to be at the heart of it. Iing times indeed, are they not? I wonder what is going on?” he smiled spiratorially. “Care to give me a hint?”

  “I am afraid not. Grandmother will annouhe details iime.” Eleanor demurred. So far she’s merely ying the groundwork, keeping secrecy to prevent panic. Slowly more and more iial people are finding out about the legacy of the Royal Family and our hidden duty, but if the popuew of the chaos lurking through the mirror, separated from us by nothing more than a dream… there would be chaos.

  “Do be a good boy a lost.” Mary waved her hand at him, and with a st chuckle, Max Power left. Mary watched him go. “Well, he’s irely a sihough the bsphemous name of his anisation will see him suffer on Judgment Day. God does not have a fine sense of humour, I fear.”

  As Eleanor paused, unsure of what to say to this strange woman, Mary shrugged. “Well, enough of that.” She reached out a hand, caressing Eleanor’s cheek, surprising her. What the hell?

  “I am here to give you some advice. In the name of God, of course, for I am but his humble worshipper, speaking his words, his will. Step aside from your course. God will not five anyone who forsakes him, drawing on powers profane and bsphemous. I would hate to see your beautiful skin burnt bck from the fires of perdition." She gave a brilliant smile, and Eleanor was still frozen, shocked at the knowing words of the woman. “Of course, should you be prepared to abandon your foolish ways, the Church, the true Church, reach out a g, passionate hand to you. Your panions too.” Her gaze went to the other members of her party, as they were spread around the room. “I suggest you think about it. Do you really want to offend God?” Mary shrugged again. “Well, I uand you might be fused, but do think about my words. After all, did not Sata Jesus by him all he wished for when he was in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights? It may seem wise, the only way, to accept the gifts of Devils, false gods, but the price paid is always more than you bear. Now, I must take my leave, now I have seen you all. I daresay we will meet again. If you decide you wish to know more of what is truly going on, or wish to repent, feel free to call Mr Power. He get in touch with me. Now, I see some of your panions are ing, so I shall take my leave. Farewell for now, princess.”

  As Mary Stuart swept away, David and Sarah strode up to Eleanor, watg her go.

  “Who the hell was she? Damn, she was fine.” David whistled. “That hair, those eyes. Nice.”

  “Ach, shut up, you pig.” Sarah chided him, and as they started arguing again, Eleanor looked down at the card, with the strange name shining silver, an email and mobile number below it. Just who was she? It seemed… it seemed she knew about everything. Is she chosen like me? But… For a long moment Eleanor remained frozen, thinking. I o speak to grandmother about this… after all, didn’t she just threateo my face? Or did she? I don’t really knious allegory isn’t my stro suit. I only go to Church at Christmas aer…

  Shaking her head, she shook off her sudden gloom. After all, they had achieved their goal in the mirrored London, so letting some strange priest upset her would be foolish. No, nobody dangerous would be here anyway, the guest list has beeed by my father and grandmother. She robably just ed for me. Still, if she is like us, she could have been clearer. Well, in any case, if she is, I’ll see her again, as grandmother will recruit her to protect other cities, other pces. Now, I could use another drink…