You reveal you know a secret about his wife... but what is it?

After a short break to clean yourself up you follow Marzena back downstairs to the main hall of the building. In a bold tactic, you have directed Marzena to bring Flora (the one who'd summoned a demoness) along with you in her new chain-bracelets.

Flora was a tall, slender, glowering and hawk-nosed woman in her early thirties. The new clothes she'd been given flattered her figure much more than what she came here in - she now bore a tight leather corset, short pleated skirt and stockings. And of course, she was wearing the same lightweight silver manacles as Marzena and all the others.

Those silver cuffs and chains were as much jewelry and a symbol of status as they were actual restraints, physical or magical. Aside from occasionally getting caught on things, the chain had enough slack that it was barely a hindrance in daily life. Most of the witches here didn't possess any great amount of upper-body strength - less, in fact, than the typical peasant woman who had to work the fields - but if she worked at, the average occupant could probably break the chain and/or bend the cuffs even without the aid of tools. Not only that, but rumor had it that "blessed silver" was far from foolproof at stopping them from working magic even if they never removed the cuffs. Perhaps more than anything, it was a way to make the patrons and visitors of the Crooked Tower feel safe around these women... and of course, there were more than a few that found the very idea of a pretty young lady in binds to be sexually satisfying, even if the restraints had little practical purpose.

This was the narrow road to power that you hoped to walk, and the crime that had been committed against the Count and Countess of Luxem made you more determined than ever to finally make use of the gold mine of magic you were sitting on. Though you weren't a spellcaster yourself, from what you'd seen and heard, giving in to the dark side of magic was mostly upside and little downside in terms of personal power. It was faster, easier, and required far less practice than what the coven practiced. The main downside was the persecution that it brought on you.

The primary reasons that witches and warlocks were looked upon so poorly were twofold: their usage of animal (and, all too often, human) sacrifices as a power source, and the fact that most of their useful abilities involved calling upon demons, either in an intercessory role or outright summoning them to the living world.

Therefore most witches never tried to flee from your embrace here in Undrek, knowing they would be persecuted wherever they went. It said a lot about the mischief that magic-users like Flora here got up to that they made the zombie-raising necromancers look good by comparison.

The woman following you and Marzena was stone-faced. You'd said you would do your best to get her out of this but you got the strong feeling she didn't trust you.

Down in the dining hall where you'd been meeting with the Count previously, said noble was waiting much more patiently than his vassals. It looked like Johari had been manhandled over to a bear-skin rug in front of a newly-kindled fireplace by the man who'd taken an interest in her; the buxom brown magician looked like she'd been fucked right there in front of everyone, as she was stripped naked, and the similarly-nude knight was laying contentedly atop her with his arm draped over her chest, basking in the afterglow. Johari looked up past the man's shoulder and shot Marzena a dirty look as if to say 'This is supposed to be your job'.

Count Lamar's previously sour and taciturn demeanor immediately improved the moment you brought Flora in - he was clearly quite pleasantly surprised. "Well, well - how fine to see you once again, you wicked hag. Countess Zoe, I apologize sincerely if it ever seemed like I doubted you. You do intend to hand her over to me for justice, I presume? Naturally, I will gladly do all I can to bend the King's ear towards Undrek's needs to show my gratitude..."

"Actually," you said with a smirk (and wondering in the back of your mind if he could tell that you were one of the women that his vassals had just fucked their way through) "I was going to say that this should prove that she is quite well contained and under control like all of the witches that I'm warden of. I propose that you allow her to stay here under my supervision."

The Count, short of stature yet grandiose of voice, frowned deeply and composed himself before speaking. "Countess Zoe. I dearly hope that you are not replaced with or posessed by a demon as well. I cannot fathom why you would think that is an acceptable compromise otherwise. Even if you are... are foolish enough to want to keep such a vile woman around, why would I let you?"

In a deliberate gesture of insult, you broke eye contact with your peer and turned to Flora, smirking at her. "Well - I can see why you didn't get along flawlessly with the Loons, miss. But I believe you have, hmhmhmhm, another sin to confess, don't you Flora dear?"

The witch cleared her throat and looked defiantly at Count Lamar. "Oh there is, Countess, there is." She spoke in an insincere, matronly and affectionate manner dripping with sarcasm. "There was one itsy bitsy further addition I made to the bedrooms while going about my cleaning duties. You see, I left a little bit of a connection to that place. And since my dear familiar has been able to provide corroborating details, I believe there are a few details you haven't gotten yet. But since I am a guest of Countess Zoe now, I will let her explain."

"Indeed," you say, "but first, I think your vassals should leave the room, for reasons of propriety."

Much to Count Lamar's chagrin, all of his knights awkwardly and wordlessly shuffled out of the room (including the one who'd been laying on Johari - he tucked his arm around her waist and about carried her off with him), leaving him alone with you, Marzena and Flora.

"Speak plain. What nonsense are you speaking of, woman?" Count Lamar said impatiently.