Rebuilding the alchemy lab was no small task, but it was one that Myanna was up to when she finally felt well enough to be out of her room. Drusilla had joined Teatun in moving things in, mainly acquiring and storing the needed inventory. Though the blonde woman’s knowledge of alchemy was slightly above that of a novice, she was much more helpful in the capacity of inventory management and organization.

“Mistress!” Drusilla exclaimed in surprise as Myanna stepped through the door, which the cuirizu could tell had recently been replaced and fitted for new locks. She adjusted the satchel strap over her shoulder and closed the door behind her. “I didn’t know you’d be returning so soon.”

“She’d have to be dead,” Teatun scoffed as she went about the work of screwing in brackets to hold equipment. Burners still had to be installed but would likely be done last. Consistent heat was necessary, so conventional heating methods weren’t as viable as runes that could be inscribed on specially prepared sections of the tables.

Drusilla motioned to the mostly stocked cabinets. “We’ve everything under control here. There’s really no need to trouble yourself.”

“Perhaps,” Myanna noted. “But I have my office and the greenhouse to address.”

Teatun looked up from the brackets again. “New soil hasn’t arrived yet, but it should be here tomorrow morning.”

The cuirizu nodded, strolling around the room to inspect the new materials and worktables. Teatun had taken some liberties with the new layout but nothing that Myanna objected to. She would have preferred the goblin wait, but with things this far along, Myanna could get down to work much sooner than expected. “Has anyone else come to inspect things?”

The goblin shook her head. “Nah, not really. I’m sure some people moving everything in have talked, but there’s not much to say. If you’re worried about Belias coming around, I haven’t seen him in a few days.”

Stopping short, Myanna looked over at Teatun with a raised brow. She would have expected Belias to be doing everything he could to be underfoot while trying to appear as though he were helping. “At all?”

“At all, anywhere,” Teatun clarified. “He might have gone out to the front, though, with the renewed fighting from the Obsidian Court.”

Even though Teatun had come around on Belias’s treachery, she still gave him far too much credit. Myanna didn’t see a scenario short of Olcaru’s command that would get the man onto the front lines. The only time Myanna would expect to see the ritual master in a fight is if he was given no choice on the matter. Myanna glanced at Drusilla, who shrugged. She hadn’t seen the man around either. It made Myanna wonder what he was up to if not walking the grounds of Willowridge bloviating.

Brushing it off for the time being, Myanna proceeded to her office, which still stood mostly empty. The smoke and fire damage had been addressed, though there was still a faint hint of the smell in the air mixed with a subtle chemical tang. A replacement desk had been brought in, along with a few empty bookshelves. There was something refreshing about seeing the room in such a state. When she’d inherited it from her predecessor, a lot of cleanup was required to get the office the way she liked it. Adding things to what was effectively a blank canvas would likely be much easier. It was a space she could work with, at least.

Dropping the satchel onto the desk and placing her whip on one of the empty shelves, Myanna examined the room briefly before unpacking. She had brought many of her personal reference materials until she could acquire new ones. Alchemy, herbology, gardening, and phyllomagic were the main topics, but she had also decided a manual on eromagic might be good to brush up on in her downtime. It had been instrumental in the encounter with Vylshiyah, after all. She wondered what had become of the succubus. The addiction imposed upon her by the spell she’d used should have been enough to put her out of commission, but now she had doubts. It was possible that Vylshiyah could stave off the worst effects of withdrawal if she went particularly heavy on feeding. This was assuming that she hadn’t found any means of removing the magic from her system entirely.

If either scenario had taken place, she didn’t think that the succubus was likely just to let it go. Myanna would have to deal with her sooner or later. She would have to be prepared for the encounter, or any encounter for that matter. Too much of her successful return to Willowridge felt like luck for her tastes. More preparation was required.

“Myanna,” a voice said from the door, pulling her from her thoughts as she looked up. The woman standing there was of average height with bronzed skin and red and blonde hair that often provided the illusion of flames. She was dressed in the formal vestments of Olcaru’s clerics, with her rank displayed prominently with a medallion around her neck. “Do you have a moment?”

“Second Cleric Kane,” Myanna acknowledged formally. “I’m afraid we’re not quite ready for the runes to be installed yet.”

The ifrit woman waved her hand as she stepped inside. Glancing around the office and sniffing briefly, she likely had much more insight into how things had burned than Myanna ever could, considering the unique insight her ancestry provided. “I’m here on another matter, though the runes are ready to be added when your work is completed.”

“Thank you,” Myanna nodded to her respectfully. “What can I do for you?”

Kali Kane ranked just under First Cleric Highmore and Ritual Master Belias in the religious hierarchy of the Abyssals and was typically responsible for magic items and enchanting new things for the faction to make use of. In that capacity, she reported to Quintus but was skilled enough in the work that she made most of the daily decisions. The Court Wizard had other things to concern himself with most days. She was more outspoken than those of the inner circle and had little time for subterfuge. The woman often said what she meant.

“First Cleric Highmore would like to speak with you as soon as you can set aside your work,” Kali responded, slightly irritable. The woman disliked being treated as a messenger, but it told Myanna a great deal about the nature of the requested meeting.

The cuirizu let the silence loom for a moment before proceeding to speak. “What would this be concerning?”

“I haven’t a clue,” the ifrit sighed. “I am not privy to the reasoning behind all of Voss’s decisions.”

Myanna waved a hand. “Then speculate. You have a mind of your own, I presume?”

Kali’s jaw set as her posture became more rigid. “Bitch, don’t start with me. I am not in the mood.”

“Are you ever?” Myanna countered. “Your mood is of no concern to me. I want to know what I’m walking into. I’ve been told Belias hasn’t been seen for days, and now the second cleric is being sent on errands any grunt could have handled. Wouldn’t you think that strange in my position?”

“I would,” Kali admitted nonchalantly with a shrug. “But it’s none of my concern. I owe you nothing, and I don’t like you, so I’m not inclined to do a damned thing for you.”

The cuirizu’s eyes narrowed as she leaned against her desk. “You not liking me has been clear since I arrived, but we’ve always managed to maintain a degree of professionalism, haven’t we? So let’s handle this like professionals. What would your council on this be worth to you?”

Kali’s brow rose suspiciously. “I’ve no interest in sex with the likes of you.”

Myanna spread her hands, unphased. “Unfortunate, I’m sure. But I am still in a position to offer you alchemical services, whatever they may be.”

The ifrit remained silent as she considered the offer carefully. Myanna did the same, knowing pressing her further wouldn’t be productive.

“Alright,” Kali conceded. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of some blightburn. If you can get me some of that, I think we can set our animosity aside.”

Blightburn was a dangerous compound that Myanna didn’t keep on hand even before the lab had been torched. Despite putting off very little heat, it burned to the touch and afflicted anyone around it with a strange withering sickness. But aside from how dangerous it was, it wasn’t difficult for her to obtain. It was simply a matter of storing it safely. “That could take some time. Do you have the means to store it?”

“I do,” Kali answered. “How long before you can get it?”

“Do you need it in its raw form, or do you need it processed?” Myanna asked. The processing would produce a host of other complications she would have to account for in the lab.

“Raw is fine,” the ifrit replied with a wave of her hand. “It’s to be used as an additive spell component in fire magic.”

“Ah, of course.” Myanna nodded. As a spell component, processing wouldn’t make much of a difference. The magic it would become part of would effectively process it into its final form. The cuirizu resisted a shudder at the thought of the damage such magic could do. The most devastating fire spells the ifrit knew would become more deadly, poisoning everything it came in contact with for extended periods. In the fighting with the vampires, it would be the undoing even of the undead who had taken measures to resist pyromagic. Most poisons and sicknesses weren’t of any concern to vampires, but blightburn sickness was a notable exception that went so far as even to arrest any regeneration they possessed.

“Would a week or two be too long of a wait for you?” Myanna asked as she did some quick mental math for travel and recovery time.

“No, that would be perfect,” Kali agreed, extending her hand to the cuirizu. Myanna took it, and they shook on the deal. Though there was nothing physically binding them to the agreement, neither had any specific reason to distrust the other.

“Then we’re in agreement,” Myanna remarked, coaxing the second cleric to give up what she might know.

“Things have shifted since your return,” Kali explained. “Olcaru didn’t call the inner council to discuss your fate. She simply issued an edict that your debt to the Abyssals was paid.”

“When did this happen?” Myanna asked curiously.

“Around the time they dragged you back.” Kali shrugged. “I don’t know exactly when. But there has been a shift in the tone of the circle since then. Voss, in particular, was very interested.”

“But she hasn’t said why,” the cuirizu mused. “What about Belias?”

The ifrit woman couldn’t help but smirk, shifting her weight to one side. “He hit the fucking roof, of course. I didn’t see it personally, but word spread quickly from his groupies about his tantrum. He really thought he had you.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Myanna squared her shoulders. “So you know that it was him that did it?”

“After his tantrum, I would be surprised to hear it was anyone else but him or someone working at his behest,” she scoffed. “If he wanted to keep it a secret, he’s done an awful job of it. I suppose he expected you to be dead before anyone had time to think about it for too long.”

Myanna couldn’t help but smile for a moment, tickled at the idea that he was kicking and screaming like a child. “So he’s off sulking somewhere?”

“That would be my guess. I think you’ve also upset the balance between him and Voss,” Kali went on, stepping to one side to examine the room casually. She glanced at the books on the desk but didn’t seem interested in any of them. “Voss has been difficult to read about him. She stepped aside to let him have leadership because of the power he commanded and how it could inspire others. But if he’s showing weakness like this and can’t manage to keep it together, she might be readying herself to take it back.”

“I wasn’t here when that happened,” Myanna said. “How did matters transpire back then?”

Kali took a deep breath as she thought about how to put it. “Peaceful, for the most part. She was accommodating mostly because she didn’t understand how he did it. The size and scale of the creature he summoned to destroy South Gate is beyond anything we can come close to.”

“Perhaps he just got lucky,” Myanna speculated. “It’s been known to happen. Caster overreaches but manages to pull his arm back before it gets burned off, then play it off as if it were the intention all along.”

“Could be,” Kali agreed with another shrug. “But we’ve seen him summon enough other formidable creatures that it gives us pause. Voss has been trying to uncover the secrets of it for a while now, in the background while Belias is occupied. So far, there’s been no luck.”

“Alright,” Myanna sighed. “Thank you, you’ve been very informative. I’ll have someone inform you once I have the blightburn secured.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Kali responded as she turned away. Myanna found her backside as pleasing to look at as the front. It was just a shame that it all belonged to someone like her.

When she was gone, Myanna resumed her duties, restocking her office. It seemed likely to her that Voss was looking to make her a pawn in the quiet power struggle between her and Belias unfolding behind the scenes. She was a good target for it, after all. A relatively new individual showing an aptitude for getting out of dangerous situations and a pre-existing grudge with Belias was just the sort of person the first cleric would want to recruit to her cause. Myanna wanted no part of it, but to remain here meant playing the game. It was that or be unwittingly swept up in someone else’s machinations with little control over her own fate. And given the choices available, Voss seemed like the more attractive option.

“Is everything alright, Mistress?” Drusilla asked, leaning in through the open door. “She didn’t seem like a terribly pleasant individual.”

“She’s not,” Myanna agreed. “But fortunately, she is not beyond reason. We’ve come to an agreement, but it will require me to procure a quantity of blightburn as soon as possible.”

“Blightburn?” Drusilla took a step back in shock. “Disgusting stuff. Why would she need such a thing here? She could get us all killed.”

Myanna raised a hand to calm the woman. “She has a means of storing it safely. She didn’t tell me specifically what it was for but wishes to use it as an additive component in spellcasting.”

Drusilla shook her head skeptically. “Do you even know where to obtain such a thing?”

“I do,” Myanna replied, spreading her hands. “But I’m loathe to drop what I’m doing here to get it myself. It’s not a short trip, nor a safe one. But if I send someone else, too much could go wrong.”

“You would only be exposing yourself to more danger,” Drusilla argued. “Not to mention the laboratory you just got back.”

“Unfortunately, you’re right,” Myanna admitted as she tossed the satchel behind the desk now that it was empty. “Perhaps I can send Onesa. She’s light on her feet and might be inclined to run an errand for me. I’ll have to think about it.”

“What did you get in exchange for---?” Drusilla grunted as she pressed a hand to her chest. Her breath came more quickly as she braced herself against the side of the desk.

Myanna’s brows furrowed. “Have you been overworking yourself?”

The blonde shook her head, adjusting her glasses with one hand. “I don’t think so. It’s comparable to the work I usually do. This has only started recently.”

The cuirizu approached Drusilla, lifting her onto the desk for a brief examination. “This has happened before?”

Drusilla nodded, barely hiding the look of shame in her eyes. “Off and on since shortly after our arrival here, I’m afraid. I’ve taken a few things to treat the symptoms, but nothing seems to last.”

Myanna checked each of her eyes, both of which were dilated. Her pulse had quickened as well. Her physical desire for the cuirizu easily explained both, and it was even possible it was an excuse to be close to her mistress, but Drusilla hadn’t struck Myanna as the type for this sort of ploy. Checking her temperature, it was a little lower than usual, which was inconsistent with a suddenly ravening libido.

“It may be a side effect from being released from your husband’s control,” Myanna speculated. “I’ll speak with Quintus tonight. Perhaps he knows something. For now, you look like you’ll be alright, and I have an unexpected appointment with the first cleric.”

“Highmore?” Drusilla’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Is she seeking an alliance with you?”

“Possibly,” Myanna answered as she helped the woman back off the desk. She didn’t take her hand from her until she was sure her balance had returned. “I’m keeping an open mind and hedging expectations.”

“That would be quite the boon for us,” the blonde remarked, indicating with one hand that she was alright. “Of course, she may just want sex.”

Myanna smirked at the thought. Voss had never indicated what her particular tastes were, but the cuirizu had been discreetly taking notes on members of the inner circle for long enough to make an educated guess. The subtle shifts in one’s behavior, smell, and even aura could betray a person’s desires. With the addition of some eromagic, it became that much easier. The first cleric was a possible sexual conquest, but not one to be taken lightly. She would have to be on her guard in the event that Voss was looking to do the conquering herself.

“Either way, it’s not a meeting to be taken lightly,” Myanna remarked as she secured her whip and stepped out of her office. “I want you and Teatun to continue with what you can. If a spare worktable is available, I would like it moved into my office for personal projects.”

The fact that Voss had sent her closest ally to deliver the message had told Myanna that she wanted their meeting to be discreet. Regardless of what it was for, business or pleasure, the first cleric didn’t want anyone to know that Myanna was meeting with her. The decision of whether she was to wear her leather or change into something more formal or inviting had seemingly been made in light of the fact. It was better to remain as casual as she could be so as not to attract undue attention.

Fortunately, the manse where the first cleric resided was attached directly to the castle chapel, giving nearly anyone an excuse to be found in the area at one point or another. The large building contained several rooms dedicated specifically to the clergy. High-ranking members had their own rooms, while the lower ranks held small, single-bed rooms or were paired with someone else. As first cleric, Voss had a large space to herself for rest and personal prayer. Passing through the afternoon shadow of the temple looming over her, Myanna paused to look at the ornate doors depicting hellish visages in various states of agony. A tingling sensation ran through the fingers of her left arm, reminding her of the power she had wielded against Tobias. Since then, there had been no trace of it. In the presence of the chapel, she could almost feel it again.

Myanna set the subject aside in her mind and continued on her way. If things with Voss went particularly well, perhaps she would be able to ask her about it to gain some insight. The guards at the manse granted her entry without stopping her, recognizing her as one of their own. The inside of the large residence was dark, lit only with purple flamed candles set into skulls set into alcoves on either side of the foyer.

“What can I do for you?” a cleric asked, emerging from one of the side corridors. His hand rested casually on a mace he carried at his side.

“First Cleric Highmore is expecting me,” Myanna replied casually. Even there in the manse, she didn’t know who could be trusted knowing what. So the cuirizu endeavored to seem as unimportant as a woman standing over six feet tall in a leather corset could.

“I’ll inform her of your arrival,” the cleric acknowledged with a respectful bow before vanishing into the corridor from whence he came. Myanna glanced back at the stained glass windows of the manse and noted the lack of sunlight. Even at this hour of the afternoon, there should have been plenty of sunlight in the foyer.

“This way, ma’am,” the cleric said, re-emerging from the corridor without a sound. He’d only been gone for perhaps a minute, providing an additional air of eeriness to the pale wisp of a man.

Myanna’s heels echoed off the white marble of the foyer as the cleric led her to a large staircase made of the same marble. A purple rug with gold trim contrasted the marble as they ascended. The railing was adorned with more skulls, though the eye sockets were illuminated by profane magic instead of candles and subtly tracked those who passed them.

The upper floor was filled out more completely with the decorative carpet, silencing Myanna’s passing as she followed close behind the small, pale man. He stopped abruptly, stepping to one side and gesturing with one hand down the hall. “The double doors at the end of this hall.”

Myanna nodded her understanding as she proceeded without him, noting the statues and busts of figures she didn’t recognize and creatures she was only dimly aware of. A coppery smell of blood mingled with a cloying incense she couldn’t place. When she was within a few feet of the doors, they unlocked of their own accord and opened a few inches for her. Myanna recognized the intricately carved doors as dark oak, a particularly durable type of wood. It required a practiced woodworker and precise alchemy to do anything with the material.

Stepping through the doors, Myanna found herself in the private bedchamber of the first cleric. Everything from the furniture to the drapes was either black or adorned in the signature colors of Olcaru. Treasures of the faith were displayed neatly on shelves around the room, broken up by paintings and other art of profane acts and rituals Myanna had personally witnessed on occasion. The sectional rugs were completely black, like scattered voids that could disorient anyone looking at them for too long. In the middle of the room stood the first cleric.

Voss Highmore was a little shorter than Myanna, standing just over five and a half feet tall with a slender frame. Adorned only in sparse, sheer, black fabric, much of the first cleric’s bone-white flesh was put on tantalizing display for the cuirizu. Her perky breasts, though a little smaller than Myanna’s, were adorned with flawless amethysts hanging from piercings through her erect nipples. The cuirizu glanced behind herself briefly as the doors clicked shut gently and locked.

“Greetings,” Voss said with a shark-like smile, the pure inky black pools of her eyes only enhancing the effect. She gestured with her left hand invitingly, which bore the mark of Olcaru up to the elbow in dark black ink. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting with you since your return. We’ve much to discuss.”

Hanging at her side, Myanna’s hand began to tingle.