"Friends," said Ess. "Please, let us focus and understand the plot that enshrouds us."
"Yes, you're right," said Agrathor. "Forget about the kid."
"If Kash can invade Overland by some means other than a convergence, we must not only defend it, we must also discover his knowledge, and moreover, the source of that knowledge," Ess said. "It seems to me that would be of far greater importance than merely foiling his plans. Come inside. You shall rest your feet, and we will put our heads together on this matter."
An autonomous servant appeared, unbidden. It was a dusty humanoid of brass and stone, and its eyes shone with a dull orange light. Pierce wondered at it - you didn't see many automata around nowadays, not since the disastrous defections in the Alban wars.
It silently took the reins of Gorgonbane's mounts, and led the beasts off to the stables. Pierce patted his raptorion affectionately on the snout as it left his side.
Ess led her guests through the mighty doors of Brackenverge, which opened of their own volition at her approach. They were heavy doors too, made of plates of steel riveted together, several feet thick. A giant could have fit through the entryway. Pierce went through last, and he jumped as the doors slammed shut behind him. He flashed back to the stomp-jogging of the Monstrosity.
The tower's bottom floor was wide open, devoid of furniture. It might have been welcoming in a former age, with benches and tables and vases of flowers. Now it was bare, damp with humidity, and lit by small orange gemlamps bolted to the stone walls.
A narrow stair wound up around the inside of the wall, and everyone followed Ess up it. There was no guardrail, and the drop off the side of the stairs was sheer. Pierce supposed it didn't matter much to Ess, since she could levitate.
He'd always thought wizard's towers funny things. So much of their real estate seemed to be dedicated to looking imposing, looking forlorn and creepy, or just sitting empty, full of shadowy nooks where failed experiments could lurk. Ess likely had a favorite workshop or lab, and possibly an apartment for sleeping, unless she was one of those wizards who'd outgrown the need for physical implements, or nuisances like sleep.
Indeed she led her guests to a spartan sitting room adjoining a darkened laboratory full of the gleams of glass and the hazy glow of shaded gemlamps.
"So what have you been up to lately, Ess?" Axebourne said as everyone took a seat. "We caught a really good job and were thinking we'd stay retired this time, before the kid here came crashing into Nux."
"I've been blowing things up in Barren Alzor," said Agrathor. "Feels nice. You wouldn't believe how resonant the ground is there."
"I'm glad you all have been well," said Ess. "Things have been quiet here too." Her liquid orbs swirled about to rearrange themselves as she sat in a high-backed wooden chair. "Mostly I've been working to master the Tenth Indispensable Skill."
"Ah," said Scythia. "Folding. Dangerous stuff, Ess."
"Truly," Ess agreed. "Dangerous but necessary. I have not grown so far simply to fizzle out on the Ninth Skill."
"Dedication's always been your middle name," said Agrathor.
Wouldn't her middle name be..." Pierce held up his hands, thinking across the words to find the right one, "Master?"
Ess chuckled again. Pierce guffawed.
Axebourne said, "The Second to the First Great..." he trailed off and sighed. "The Second is just her title, man."
"I forsook my true name when I took the vows of Study," Ess said to Pierce. "Axebourne's tongue tires from repeating the whole thing, so he just likes to call me Ess."
"Ess is prettier anyway," Pierce said.
Agrathor rattled his armor against his ribcage and everyone looked at him. "People... The invasion?"
"You never were one for pleasantries were you Agrathor?" Ess said.
"We are men of action!" he bellowed proudly. "And women!"
"Well Axebourne is, and I know I am," said Pierce, "but how do you..."
Scythia held up a hand to stop his chattering and leaned in to whisper, "He meant we are men and women of action, Pierce. Not that you all like women," she dropped her voice further, "though he once did have a love."
"Surely that was before..." Pierce began, not whispering back. Scythia put a hand over his mouth.
"Hold, man," she said, "unless you fancy another black eye."
Pierce started, then held his tongue. She was right, he should think before thinking thoughts about Agrathor. The skeleton man did seem to have hangups.
The conversation had gone on without them. Axebourne had told Ess about the expected attack on Grondell.
"I can lay trapwards around the perimeter of the city wall," Ess said. "Axebourne, you should take command of the garrison. They may wish to resist at first, but when they see us all together again, I think they will submit."
"I don't fancy an altercation with Grondell's officers, Ess," Axebourne said, "but you're probably right. Things'll go smoother if I can get direct control."
"I'll take the high ground," Agrathor said, "and rain lightning down upon them until their charred." He grinned.
"Can you cast it beyond the city wall?" Ess asked. "It will do no good to defend the city if you burn it down."
Agrathor shrugged, his bones creaking. "I'll do my best. Range has been pretty good, but I'll admit I don't know specifically how big Grondell is."
Scythia looked thoughtful. "We are assuming a standard city siege," she said. "But the strangeness of Kash's plan implies some new tactic. Kash may have flying cavalry we haven't yet seen, which would explain his sudden confidence. What if they come down from above? "
"Or below," said Pierce.
Agrathor scoffed. "You been to Grondell, kid? Whole place is built on a granite mesa. Nobody's undermining that wall."
Pierce didn't argue, but he had a feeling.
"They may have found a way to fold in," said Scythia, questioning Ess with her eyes.
Ess considered this, but shook her head.
"I think not," she said. "I would have seen others folding as I
