Abigail didn’t move from behind Ratface. She held onto the little goblin in desperation.

  “Lily,” she said. There was longing in that voice. It died when it hit the woman in front of her.

  “Not a name I use anymore. Not one you may call me by. You may call me the Lady’s Champion,” said the Champion. Ratface tilted her head. The name gave away she was a knight but her armour was far less extensive than Abigail’s. It covered the vitals but it wasn’t enveloping her. It was easy to see the similarities between the two. Lily, there was no way Ratface was calling anyone the champion in her head, was tall and muscular like Abigail. Her eyes darted around like the older knight as well. There differences were quick to notice though. If Abigail had focused on being the cavalry charge, Lily was something altogether more flexible. It reminded Ratface of an elf, though the grace had been sacrificed to be that much more deadly. Her sword rested at he belt but she still held a wand. Cast with one hand and duel with the other? Different from Abigail’s tapping. She must cast on the move instead of preparing spells.

  “So, you made it in the end,” Abigail whispered. Ratface doubted anyone else heard it. Her next statement addressed the crowd.

  “True that I have been labelled a traitor, it’s also true that I still have the Lady’s favour.”

  “No one can take it from you, not that you deserve it,” said Lily. Abigail tensed and Ratface glowered through her helmet. The Champion caught her eye and frowned right back. Ah, so she could see her, unfortunate.

  “It means that I may still sponsor someone. The Lady guided me to such a girl to take the path.”

  If by the Lady, Abigail meant Ratface’s own poor decisions, then she was absolutely right. Ratface shook her head, no time for errant thoughts, she needed to appear knightly.

  “I saved your people when there was no one else to help them. They asked me to take the favour. If I don’t follow them, what kind of knight would I be?” It sounded like being a knight was similar to being a rat, they loved to meddle.

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  “You’re no knight yet little squire, and perhaps not even that. You call them my people aptly. Those are not human eyes that glare so hatefully at me, are they?” The knight leaned closer to look at Ratface. Up this close Ratface could see her eyes surrounded by a golden glow. “Tell me, what are you under that helmet?”

  Abigail pushed passed Ratface toward Lily, forcing the other woman to back away. They stood close, the young woman’s face in half a snarl while the older knight kept her face calm. If you didn’t know her you wouldn’t even be able to see the hurt.

  “She doesn’t need to be a human to fight the trials, and you have no right to ask a trial taker what they hide under their armour.”

  The Champion walked away. “You are of course right; the rules had not changed.” She paused and turned around, her face smug. “Oh! Except one, a human must vouch for a test taker. They can’t be of that creature’s party. So, who will vouch for the traitor’s choice?”

  Those who had gathered were quiet. Ratface hadn’t had a moment to take in the group around them. It was an eclectic one. There were some budding squires of course, but there was also a lot of adventurers which Ratface wouldn’t have expected. She spied another orc woman standing in those waiting. She was much better built than the last orc Ratface had met. She had obviously taken after Abigail’s style as she was covered in armour, though hers was accented with bone. It was one hell of a look, though Ratface preferred her own. She didn’t think she really had the stamina for full plate. Deeper in the group were every type of human you could come up with and one girl who obviously was the Champion’s squire. If their similar outfits didn’t give them away, then their matching smug looks surely would. At least there were no elves.

  The courtyard stayed quiet. Ratface was going to lose because no one here would even give her the chance. It was typical really.

  The Champion went to announce Ratface’s disqualification but was interrupted by a small cough. It was the guard who had picked them up.

  “I will second her,” he said. The courtyard looked at him and he did his best to look professional even as his cheeks coloured. “A report came though with the details of this group. The guard were most insistent it got here before they arrived.” He nodded at Ratface. “An adventurer with the helmet in the shape of a rat came to the aid of several woman at great personal risk. Not only did she avoid killing; she avoided as much harm to other as she could. The guard praised her for giving them valuable information to work from.” He met Lily’s eyes, his boots trembling as he did so. “I would vouch for her. If nothing else she deserves the chance.”

  The Champion turned her eyes on the guard and her gaze softened.

  “Brave,” she announced. She clasped him on the shoulder. “With this guard’s testimony, our last trial taker is confirmed. I wish them all luck in the trial.”

  Ratface was about to ask when it would start when she was enveloped in water.