Count Phoe in!

Sure, why not. 

Kisses! For everyone! 

Somehow the most appropriate coda to their time here.

And not the eerily beautiful woman who appears in their midst? A faint chill accompanies her, and she promptly puts her hands on her hips and announces, "I seem to be overdressed."

Eep!

"...Who are you?"

"Ivy the First, Saint of Passion - Irene Valancy, if you're being formal. And who might you be?" Her gaze sweeps over Naberia appreciatively.

(Oh shit, they teleport.)

She looks flatly back. "Naberia the Third."

She clasps her hands in delight. "My predecessors' House! It's truly delightful to see you among my new sisters."

Predecessors. That means-

-it was her book!

"We're big fans of your work."

Smirk. "And I suspect I'll be a big fan of yours."

"Have you come to collect us, then?"

"Well, how adventurous are you feeling?"

"Adventurous enough to ask why that is a consideration."

She laughs, charmed. "The method of River travel us Lyctors use is both faster and more flexible than the mere skimming of the River that stele and obelisk transport requires - but it is much more dangerous, especially without sufficient ghost wards."

"Any Lyctor remaining in the system risks the entire Nine Houses, though - and given there's seven of you, I judged it worth the risk of being yelled at by our dear Lord God to reduce the amount of time you lot remain here to draw in the creatures that haunt us - especially since Teacher has clearly been playing a very dangerous game."

"And you expect us to do this untrained and immediately?"

"I can carry you. The wards can be painted on flesh as easily as anything. And if you're too cautious for that, there should be shuttles here, still, or some other suitable container - and if needs be I will ask the Lady Fifth for her help with the spirit wards - she has quite the reputation, and I'm rather sad to see her not among your number."

"'Too old to be mucking with immortality' were her words, I believe. And the shuttles were all tipped into the ocean the first night, as far as I can tell. I presume replacements are en route for the rest?"

"We'll see how naughty Teacher has been, I suppose, if there's nothing in the other parts of the facility - but a shuttle of bone will work just as well for us, so long as there's a surface to paint the wards on. Once you're in the River, the entire thing becomes a hallucination anyways."

"That's comforting."

"Hold on," Gideon says, having been hanging back, watching the woman with a sharp gaze (after getting dressed). "What do you mean about creatures? And dangers to the Nine Houses? Ellyn and I've been Lyctors for over a week. Teacher's on our side."