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room and several more in the throne room… maybe a few hundred near the lower gates, still inside.  That’s a guess, but I can feel them leaving.  It’s like they’re draining out of me.”
    “I had not thought anyone was to use the great hall as an exit,” he grumbled.  “It is part of the palace area, not the public regions.  Still, if that removes them more quickly, I suppose it is for the best.”
    “Why?”
    “Why what?”
    “Why did you want the interior evacuated?  I mean, okay, you lied to my worse half about it, but what’s the real point of emptying the place out?”
    “We are not sure if your re-occupation is going to go smoothly,” T’yl admitted, “and Seldar is concerned about your blood-feasting passions.  Worse, if Tort cannot hold him within the mirror long enough for you to reestablish control, he may re-take your body.  Then everyone still inside the mountain might be prey.  Tort also mentioned something about what you told me, about your unoccupied flesh being capable of action.  Possibly rapid and lethal action.”
    “Yes,” I agreed.  “That’s a problem.  I’ll have to be quick.”
    “Please do.”
    “When?”
    “Not long.  We have only to wait until Tort signals that the mirror has netted us our fish.”
    “Okay.  So, what else can you tell me while we wait?”
    “I spend most of my days in the upper levels, here in the palace of the mountain.  I try to stay in touch through the mirror, however.  What is it you wish to know?”
    “Just some general stuff, like what the Evil Lord of Nastiness has been up to.  How bad is it?”
    “Hmm,” T’yl hmmed, brow furrowing.
    “The fact you have to think about it gives me hope,” I noted.
    “Perhaps it should not,” he replied.  “He is… he is known as the Demon King, for a start.  Most of that comes from the way he ruthlessly conquered old Rethven.  Since then, he has seemed content to amuse himself in other ways.”
    “Such as?”
    “He enjoys his women,” T’yl told me.  I already suspected, but now I knew.  “He also enjoys any women who catch his eye.  I understand Torvil and Kammen have taken to procuring playmates for him, rather than allowing his whim to govern.”
    “I’m not happy about that.”
    “They minimize the impact of the Demon King in that regard.”
    “That’s not what I’m unhappy about.  But go on.”
    “He occasionally selects his dinner from those who displease him—and it is all too easy to displease him.  Unlike yourself, he seems to enjoy lingering over his evening meals.”
    “I think I’ll let my imagination take over.  No descriptions, please.”
    “As you wish.  Do not be surprised at anything you find in his—now your—private dungeons, however.”
    “I’ll keep it in mind.  What about Lissette?  Is she still Queen?”
    “Oh, yes.  She is, indeed.  The Demon King did not care for the day-to-day troubles of ruling, so he appointed Kelvin to deal with most of it.  Lissette assisted him, since this was still during the war of unification.  When Kelvin fell at the Darkwood, Lissette continued to govern.  I suspect she was trying to be seen as valuable.  While you cared about her as a person, the Demon King only cared about his conquest and kingship.”
    “Kelvin’s dead?” I asked.  The idea of it felt like a blow.
    “Yes.  He led the attack on Prince Tannos’ personal guard.”
    “What happened?”
    “What else?  Prince Tannos hired a magician—Korrick, I believe.  Korrick broke the spells on the knights charging his patron and the battle was less one-sided than usual.  I suspect Korrick continued to work on Prince Tannos’ behalf.  A number of blows that should not have rent the armor of your knights seemed strangely efficacious.  One of these found Kelvin.  It cut through where his right shoulder met the neck.  He died quickly.”
    I didn’t have anything to say.  You’d think I’d get used to people dying unpredictably.