I didn’t try running. Helvek had spotted already and made swift progress to where I stood. All running would do is delay this and antagonize him and Almaseck. Not sothing I could afford to do, nor want to do. No matter how much this delayed , I was on decent terms with both of them.
As Helvek neared I could make out more details. He still had his tusks polished, and the guild sigil tattooed right underneath his left eye. It seed a little silly, but I used to polish my horns. I really couldn’t judge.
I waved a hand in greeting. “Helvek, good to see you! I’m sorry, but I’m not here on guild business. Mr. Kalasyp, a fellow alchemist, hired to check on his-”
His steady baritone cut off. “Mr. Kalasyp already sent word that you’d be entering his lab. That’s not what this is about, Miss Falara. Mr. Almaseck would like to see you.”
“It seems many people want to see as of late,” I said. “How truly urgent is this?”
“Very urgent,” Helvek said. “He said he’d appreciate you treating it like a serious matter. No delaying this for days like you usually do because you’d rather do sothing else.”
“I treat everything seriously. It’s just so things by nature are more important to than others. We all have our priorities.”
Helvek remained quiet. The orc, as far as I knew, didn’t have any strong opinions outside of the ones the Guild paid him to have.
I sighed. “I’m not getting out of talking with him before I can leave, right?”
“You are correct.”
***
Helvek had escorted right to the guildmaster’s office. It was busier than usual, a dozen adventurers gathered. All of them must be here for one reason or another involving Almaseck, and I’d offered an apologetic grin as I’d been marched past the entire queue.
I really did not want to get on the bad side of a group that included Loony Marvin, the Chainer of Kelackel, Vraspus Chilltooth (a fake na to be sure but actually skilled at his craft), two paladins of very different deities, and Harask Many-cloaks, who was rumored to be varying mbers of a massive ratfolk tribe who took turns wearing an enchanted cloak.
They hadn’t seed too upset. Maybe not here for the guild master, then.
Helvek was behind , guarding the door. It was an arrangent I was used to, as well as this office. A desk of black wood, so rare material from deep in the earth, was the centerpiece. A high-backed chair on one side, several others on the other. Lining the walls were display cases and trophies, treasures found, and heads severed respectively by the guild master. I’d heard stories about many of them several tis during the frequent recruitnt speeches. Almaseck had once claid I was making their spirits sad by refusing so many tis in a row.
Adventuring had started as a way to get ingredients that threatened to devour the rest of my life. Not in a serious way, but it was hard to ignore how all the usual groups I worked with were regularly dropping hints about how great it would be to do this full-ti. Or how each manager was sure to ntion how they were recruiting for full-ti positions. How there always seed to be a Guildmaster ready to talk to about the possibilities of joining the Guild.
The city had ten guild masters. I’d t and talked with every one of them four tis apiece at a minimum over the last year. All of them had their peculiarities, but none of them I’d call odious. They wanted people with talent, so it was a little flattering.
“Ah, admiring the griffon head?”
I turned around to see Aaron Almaseck.
The guild master was a short man, shorter than even my current form, and you’d think him fat at first glance, round and practically poured into a suit. I’d learned by my third eting that what most would think of as fat was nothing of the sort after he’d punched out a rowdy orc recruit who’d gotten a little too full of himself. Dark hair in braids obscured brown eyes that were usually lively.
When they weren’t, it was a good sign to watch out.
“There’s a good story attached to how I cleaved that head off of its owner,” he said, heading for his chair.
I smiled genuinely. “Yes, I believe I’ve heard it four tis already.”
“Well, I do like to repeat a good yarn.”
“This year, I should clarify.”
He laughed, settling down in the chair.
“Apologies about keeping you so long, I had a few things to deal with that popped up right now. It couldn’t be avoided. One of my groups went missing sowhere down deep and to the south, hunting reports of sothing creeping out of tunnels and going after livestock outside the city. They’ve got the surface tunnels closed, but you know how it is, new ones always open. Wish I knew why.”
“Dwarves, likely trying to get so revenge,” I said.
“You might be right. But the official policy of Her Majesty, which ans an official policy of the Guild, is all the dwarves who aren’t citizens of the empire are gone. Anyway, there’s a bounty for whatever is down there. They vanish for a week, I think nothing of it. Groups are gone for longer, even if it’s a small area compared to most guild responsibilities. Once it hits three, I get worried and send another group down. They returned with a pair of arms they found. Turned to stone.”
I paused. That was…disconcerting, if only because of what might be in the underground. “A basilisk?”
“It certainly wasn’t a sewer gator, and while it might be dwarves, I don’t want to contemplate them taming a basilisk,” Almaseck replied. “City officials are already being made aware, although it’s deep enough down that they’ll leave it to us for now. Question: How quickly could you whip up a cure for petrification?”
I frowned. “The guild has alchemists, you can’t tell you haven’t asked them yet.”
He nodded in response, pulling a piece of paper out. “I have. And most of them don’t have the materials. What I am asking is, as a personal favor, do you have any materials from your very reputable stores that can help make these.”
I drumd my fingers nervously. “Not on . And for in my lab….well, I don’t expect to find it intact when I next return.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Sothing likely to follow you down here? Problems with the law?”
“Probably not, and maybe,” I answered. “I didn’t start the issue with the law; honestly, they are pretty low on the list of people after .”
Almaseck grunted. “You could stay down here, depending on other factors. While you were working, the groups you were attached to had so of the highest clearance rates on the boards. I need that. Young alchemists are a rarity in the underground.”
I smiled politely. “Most young alchemists probably think you can make money much more safely simply brewing on the surface above. No offense to the guild.”
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“None taken,” he responded, marking sothing in his book. I resisted the urge to try and take a peek. “I can’t say I don’t understand. The basilisk does make wish the timing could work out more.”
I drumd my fingers on the table. “The brewing isn’t the problem, it’s getting access to the ingredients itself, which is fluid from the creature's eyeballs. If whoever takes it down is careful not to damage anyone who is petrified, it’s a simple matter from there.”
“Unfortunately, the damn thing will insist on not making it a simple matter,” Almaseck growled, expression tempestuous. “I’ve had the displeasure of fighting one. You’d think the gods would have figured petrifying people with a look was enough and not make it hard to injure and damn strong.”
I nodded. I’d never seen one in person, but I had seen a skeleton at the Imperial Museum of Dungeonology. It figured a lizard the size of a horse could have so serious punch behind it. Maybe not enough to shatter stone on its own, but you couldn’t judge sothing or soone’s strength by how they looked.
“I do have so small way I can help,” I offered. “There is one young alchemist who seems to consider the thrill of adventure greater than the safety of a lab.”
Almaseck grunted and considered for a few seconds. Realizing he wouldn’t directly ask , I continued.
“Miss Harie, Mr. Halmon's apprentice, asked if I could get her into the guild or at least talk to you about the possibility.”
Almaseck groaned in response, closing his eyes for several seconds before they snapped back open.
“I can’t imagine you are under any illusions this is the first ti she’s asked about this, on her own or through interdiaries,” he told .
“I figured as much,” I said. “I’m guessing Mr. Halmon is the issue?”
“Addrias Halmon is one of the most paranoid and vindictive people I know,” Almaseck said. “Honestly, your insistence on being so polite all the ti is probably the only reason he hasn’t shot at you yet. Not because he likes you, but because I hope he’s on his last legs with the Guild and needs a believable reason.”
My grin beca much less genuine as I processed that. “Hope? I thought the guild had to approve and manage all the suppliers down here. Do you not manage that?”
“I manage that for close to all of them,” Almaseck said in a disgruntled tone. “I can’t say who Halmon has in his pockets, but they are further up the food chain than myself. So I’m not exactly enthused about taking on one of his current apprentices and risk drawing his ire. So for right now, the answer to the young lady is no.”
“She’ll be disappointed, but I suppose we all learn the taste of that sooner or later,” I replied.
Well, I’d have to rember all of this for later. I’d never have guessed the sketchy gno was that well-connected or had that much influence, but I supposed that’s why he acted the way he did. Distract your mark from your intentions.
“I do have an issue I could use so answers on. Related to my own troubles. It’s a little bit of a stretch, but are you acquainted with the gang known as the Purebloods?”
Almaseck’s eyes narrowed. “I am. I dealt with them a few tis, and none of them were pleasant. You’ve t them?”
“Unfortunately, yes. They attacked because I was trying to aid…well, a mber of the Black Fla.”
Almaseck grunted noncommittally. “That’s none of my business. I can tell you that most of my dealings with those are usually gang mbers trying to get so cash on the side or working a job through the guild. Not this lot, though. Ca right down, inford if I wanted to operate, I’d need to stop hiring non-humans.”
“That seems like a bit of an overreach,” I said. “They leaned on the entire guild or just you?”
“ and every human guild master. And you’re right on the overreach part. I settled for letting Helvek work the one that ca here over since the asshole decided to insult Helvek to his face. Travult settled for letting them go with a firm no. Carsacci apparently let her people know it was open season till they got out of the underground.”
Almaseck turned to the window overlooking the street, snorting derisively. “Fucking three-fourths of the guild is non-human, and it’s hardly a secret. They were insane to even make the attempt.”
“They might not be that insane,” I said. “The number of guild mbers who aren’t human might be the point. You are one of the riskiest but fastest ways to beco soone in the empire without race being a major factor.”
“They did hint they had ties to so of the bigger pro-human movents. Wouldn’t shock if they had so kind of connection, although no one would stand up for them publicly. You said you tangled with them because of the Black Fla?”
“They were trying to rip a box off of him,” I confird.
“Probably just gang business. I did a little looking on the side myself, when they aren’t intimidating non-humans or checking each other for red hairs, they’re like any other gang.”
I chuckled at the idea of them going through each other's hair looking for strands. “Seeing if they have any Keltish blood? Do they check their skin color as well, make sure it’s within the acceptable range?”
“Maybe. Probably. You really that interested?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Just amused. They already set themselves quite the task of going after every non-human in the empire, then they want to add other humans to the mix as well? You think they’d pick their battles.”
“The smart ones aren’t on the streets selling wiz and khaliff to people in dark alleys when they espouse their ideas.”
He had a point. “I don’t suppose you have any concrete information? Known mbers, locations, anything like that?”
Almaseck considered for a mont before speaking. “So. Not much. I’ll have Helvek collect it before you leave. We do have one other matter to discuss.”
I nodded. “Helvek said this was urgent. And the Basilisk most alchemists could help you with. Why did you need to speak to , Guildmaster?”
“Yesterday I was visited both by the City Watch and Mr. Voltar, the greatest detective of the empire. Separate tis, sa subject. Files on a freelance alchemist often employed out of my guild.” Helvasek considered , steepling his fingers. “Why are they so interested in you, Falara?”
I didn’t move my head but I suddenly was much more aware of Helvek’s silent presence a foot behind .
Mouth dry, I answered. “Well, I ntioned the Black Fla, Mr. Almaseck, they likely-“
“If they were just trying to find out information on that they wouldn’t have been trying to find out what adventuring parties you’ve been a part of over the last two years. Unless you can think of how that’s relevant to your encounter with the Black Fla and Purebloods?”
“I honestly can’t,” I said. Best not to say anything too rash in here. My blood might as well be ice. This could not be a simple coincidence at this point, but how did that damn Voltar know?
“Perhaps if they want to build a case of so kind against , they’re looking into so of the connections I’ve cultivated-”
“Halmon,” Alamsek cut off dourly. “Why does every alchemist end up dealing with that graverobber, Falara? It’s bad enough he’s already co up once in my life today. I prefer keeping that as the maximum.”
“He is very good at what he does,” I admitted. “Honestly, I’d say at least in terms of finding corpses to secure ingredients from, I suspect Necromancy. Or sothing related to death, he seems to know when everything dies down here. And since he clearly has connections high in the guild.”
Almaseck snorted. “I see your point. Well, they’ll probably have visited him as well.”
“Most assuredly so,” I agreed. And if they had, Halmon hadn’t hinted it to during our conversation. It’s not like the gno owed anything, but hiding it was a slap in the face.
“Why are they so interested, Katheryn?” He asked.
The bluntness of it was like an old fish to the face in effect. Had he ever called by my assud first na before? I couldn’t rember. No one called Katheryn. I made sure of it on purpose.
“It’s a personal matter,” I answered briskly. “I appreciate the concern, but it doesn’t concern the guild, so-”
“The guild is already involved,” he said in a voice filled with steel. Not loud, but each word felt like a hamr to my head. “Every guildmaster in the city has been approached by people about your activities in their section of the city. Not all by the Watch and Voltar. What did you do?”
“I couldn’t say-”
“Couldn’t or won't?”
My mouth snapped shut. Did he have a truthteller hidden here sowhere? I hadn’t eaten or drank anything down here, but a mage of the right talents could cast a spell. With what I’d done to myself, I wouldn’t be able to tell until it was reversed.
At least now I knew what other factors governed my staying here.
Almaseck considered so more, leaning forward in his chair. My hands tensed. His eyes were cold. It felt like staring down a predator.
“You are a free contractor. Independent from the Guild. There’s very little I can do to pressure you into telling why they are so interested, Katheryn. With so of the hints Voltar dropped, I don’t think pressuring you would do either of us favors.”
“More than you could possibly guess,” I said. “You wouldn’t like what would co out.”
It was supposed to be a jest, but before it left my lips, I’d twisted it into sothing darker without aning to.
Behind , I could feel Helvek tense, but Almaseck didn’t so much as twitch.
“I take it that wasn’t a threat?” He asked quietly. The implication of what would happen if I said yes was plain. A dozen guild mbers, well-respected and experienced, just happened not to be doing anything today right outside his office.
How much had Voltar told him?
I shook my head. I didn’t trust myself to speak. The silence stretched until so words made their way out. “I didn’t intend to make one. I don’t want us to be enemies, Mr. Almaseck.”
“It’s interesting you think we’d be enemies, Katheryn,” he said, getting up from his desk. “Until this matter is resolved, and until I’m given so concrete information about what makes the imperial governnt so interested in you, you are considered persona non grata to the guild and all areas it manages. You know the way out.”
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