What has gone before: In the aftermath of the great battle, Felicia was taken to shadow by Torquil to recover from her injuries, which render her unable to walk. The battle ends as a resounding loss for Chaos. The forces of Amber and Chaos return to manuevering for position rather than actual engagement. Amber attentions are focused primarily on the war, while Chaos's are split between the war and once again unsettled succession. Keverian, returned from his stay in Avalon unharmed and only mildly inconvenienced, goes to Veranik to await the birth of his daughter. Dalamar captures Felicia and throws her in jail in Chaos, whereupon she is promptly kidnapped again, this time by unknown Lords of Chaos. A day or two later, Mikele receives a message from Felicia strangely requesting, not a rescue, but expert advice on the complicated subject of Chaos politics.

Eventually they give up and Mikele sends back a reply which Keverian, Torquil, and Dalamar attempt to trace back to its source, with the anticipated level of success -- none.

Dalamar and Torquil wander around the courts attempting to triangulate Felicia's position by some arcane method of Torquil's. While they are doing this, minor demons arrive. Torquil flees and Dalamar kills the demons, only to discover they were bearing invitations to the wedding of Felicia and Evander Minobee (cf succession list). Katarina, Keverian, and Mikele also recieve similar invitations. Mikele has been asked to stand as matron of honor for Felicia.

Further discussion leads to the conclusion that they have a choice between trying to break Felicia out of Minobeeways tonight or at the wedding. Preference is expressed for the sooner the better, and a strikeforce is assembled: Torquil, Dalamar (who is forced to agree not to try and throw Felicia back in jail after she is rescued), Kerverian, Katarina, Martin, Mary, and Caine. Mikele and Ann are to be the advance team, since they can walk into Minobeeways under the guise of helping prepare for the wedding. Arrangements are made: Mikele will attempt to get out what information she can on the way in. If there is no word from her to the contrary, the others will attack in three hours.

Mikele goes in and discusses the situation with Felicia. It seems the Minobees suffered losses so substantial during Amber's first strike that they believe that this desparate action to launch their house to the thrown is the only way to prevent their house from becoming only a minor house. It also (sort of) keeps those pesky Amberites of the throne. She does not want to marry Evander Minobee, but since they convinced her that they could make her marry him whether she consented or not, she opted for going along with them since it gave her more freedom of movement and better chance for escape. Mikele explains the tacitcal situation and Felicia proposes an alternate method of preventing the wedding, which she sends Mikele out to discuss with Torquil.

Mikele departs and discusses the situation with Torquil, who rejects Felicia's idea, but suggests a modification of the plan. Mikele returns to Minobeeways (after making similar arrangements as the last time), where she relays Torquil's message to Felicia. Felicia, decides to go with the straight breakout.

Ten minutes before the appointed time, Felicia (in her amazing bouncing stockings), Ann, and Mikele (unarmed, but in demonform wielding lots of Logrus) make a break for it. They get past the first two guards, but run into Helena Minobee, who dazzles Felicia and sounds the alarm. Now instead of 6 guards, they have to get past half of house Minobee.

The other meanwhile, are fighting there way in. (Except for Caine, who split off when no one was looking and -- for all anyone knows -- is still in Minobee ways somewhere.) They fight their ways past a horde of demons and meet up (almost) with Mikele, Felicia, and the rest of House Minobee in the room where the trump barrier ends. Ann has already gone down somewhere in the hallway leading to this room.

The two sides engage each other. Keverian and Martin fight their way towards to doorway Mikele and Felicia are fighting towards from the other side, while everyone else engages the demons and sorcerors of Minobee. Mikele manages to collapse with Felicia at Martin's feet. Keverian covers their escape while Martin pulls them back past the trump barrier. Once clear, he trumps away with them both. Their goal accomplished, everyone else also trumps out, with Torquil retrieving the unconscious Mary. Ann and Caine remain unaccounted for.