Blai discards the first thirty-five thoughts to enter his head and finally decides that inanity is better than silence when he gets to: "I don't have any shoes."

"We have some set aside with your change of clothes, actually. I can't promise anything about the fit. You're currently in her Majesty's palace, and should be safe here, but we can arrange at least a temporary guard for you if you'd like to go somewhere else. You're not accused of anything, and not in any trouble."

"Are the - has anyone else died? There were nearly twenty people in that pamphlet -"

"Yes, a lot of people died. Most of them were themselves rioting, not the targets of the mob violence, but there were many of both. We don't have a final count yet, but I believe we've confirmed at least two hundred dead."

"The crown can't possibly afford -"

"They are not all being raised. Delegates to the convention are being raised, along with their family members. The Archmage believes that in asking you to come here, she and her companions took on a duty to protect you. She failed in that, and means to correct the damage as much as is feasible."

"Who else is being raised?"

...Ishani has what he believes is a complete list, and no particularly clear instructions on who he is or isn't supposed to share this information with. Possibly that's the sort of policy that he's supposed to be setting for himself according to his own judgement. Naima has extreme and mostly unfounded faith in his judgement.

"I'm not sure whether any of the dead would prefer not to have their deaths widely known about. About twenty people. Is there anyone in particular you're worried about?"

"- oh, of course you're right, I can - look for people where I would expect them to be if alive, instead."

"If you wish. If someone is a delegate, they should already be alive, with - I believe three exceptions, which we're working on resolving. But I don't know who you're worried about. Would you like an escort somewhere?"

"I... suppose that I have demonstrated the potential need for escort walking around the city. If you wouldn't mind accompanying me to the temple of Iomedae."

"It would certainly be less expensive than raising you again. I don't expect the same thing to happen again, but there are a handful of undead in the streets tonight. Be warned, it's raining hard at this hour, and will be until dawn, to prevent a repeat of last night."

"Mobs bent on murder are deterred by the prospect of murder-while-wet?"

"I've never personally been part of one, and can't speak to the exact experience. It did successfully break up the violence up last night, in addition to putting out the fires."

"Then I'm glad of it." He puts on his change of clothes including the shoes. "Are these - included, with the raise -"

"Yes. Please don't worry about it. Really I think it would be better to compensate you further to offset the cost of having been unexpectedly murdered in the course of participating in the archmage's project, but I'm afraid we won't have time to work out a specific policy about it until Westcrown is better in hand."

It's probably Blai's own fault but he doesn't want to bring that up considering -

- wait. Doesn't he?

Or rather, shouldn't he, obviously it will be excruciating but lots of stuff is excruciating.

"It's probably my own fault," he says, "for not clarifying if I was allowed to use lethal force against people trying to murder me even if they had quite understandably come to the conclusion that I was still an Asmodean." WOW THAT SUCKED. IF IT ALSO OBJECTIVELY MATTERED AT ALL IT WOULD BE A CATASTROPHE.

"I see," he says, entirely calmly. "From a financial perspective I don't really think that changes anything about our obligations. Legally, I believe you'd be entirely justified in defending yourself, but I can't speak to the question from an Iomedan theological perspective."

That guy is not acting like this was a catastrophe at all. Another tally-mark in Vicar Rey's column. He laces up his boots. "I'll have to see - who's alive in the temple and if any of them can advise me on it, I suppose."

Nod. Ishani is pretty sure that everyone used to be an Asmodean and has barely processed this as information. He can walk with Blai through the torrential rain, if that's what they're doing.

It seems to be what they're doing. It is wet, but it is not nearly as aversive as murder! What is with people!

At the temple Blai has a brief conversation with a harried Lastwaller, and turns right back around.

"I apologize for wasting your time," he tells Ishani, "but I want to go back. I want to visit Valia."

Well, that's really his own fault for deciding to attempt confidentiality. "Of course."

The rain is just as miserable on the way back.

Is Blai on the list of people who are allowed to see her?

He is! They'll show him on down to the dungeons.