3

Verity strides out of the building quickly enough that you almost have to run to catch up. She leads you off toward the western edge of town, pausing only briefly on a street corner to ask a question you can't quite make out to one of the few guards out on the street. At first, you think she's leading you out of town entirely, but then she comes to a stop just on the western border, near some outlying houses. She lifts a hand and points to the guard patrolling along the edge of town, several paces away from you. "Is that her?" she asks. You recognize the coldness in her voice now.

The guard turns slowly to face you, and you do indeed recognize Meredith, dark hair flowing against the same drab uniform you saw Isidora wearing. She doesn't look surprised to see either you or Verity. "I thought you'd be here sooner," she says.

"I've spent years telling the people of this town that there are no demons hiding among them," Verity says, close to trembling. "And, apparently, I was wrong. This woman arrived a few days ago and requested to join the guard. I thought it was odd Isidora accepted, but I generally leave matters up to her discretion." The disgust in her voice thickens. "You twisted her mind to get what you wanted, didn't you, demon?"

Meredith looks at you rather than at Verity. "Jun. There are things I can do to prevent an atrocity here, like I did in Pasema. The easiest way to survey the situation was from a position of trust in the town."

She didn't answer the question of whether she hypnotized the guard, you note.

"You really do have some sort of alliance with this creature, then?" Verity's mouth twists. "Then you can get rid of her. I ought to give her to the justice of the town, but I can't risk the kind of panic that would cause just now. Whatever's going on with your ancient demon-lord, I'm not working with this thing."