NOVEL NEXT Chapter 191: Showcase, Part Nine
The little cafe's bell chimed as the four girls stepped out into the morning air, the smell of fresh pastries and coffee following them onto the street.
[Damn, that was delicious. What a coincidence that these guys happen to have crepes too!]
It wasn't just the crepes that Melisa noticed. No, she also saw that, all around them, the city of Syux was alive with chatter about Isabella's upcoming showcase.
Merchants gossiped over their morning deliveries, nobles whispered behind fancy fans, and even the street kids were talking about the "magic stick that draws spells."
Granted, most of the talk was, of course, centered around Melisa herself, which kind of made it funny that nobody knew it was literally Melisa Blackflame herself walking in their midst.
Still, she was glad Isabella's event was picking up steam.
[Good,] Melisa thought, her tail swishing happily as she caught another snippet about "revolutionary magical innovation." [The more buzz there is, the more likely our Shadow Mage friends will take the bait.]
"Did you see that merchant's face when Isabella explained how the wand works?" Melisa grinned, remembering the man's jaw practically hitting the floor. "I thought his eyes were going to pop out!"
Isabella had struck up a conversation with someone a little moment ago. It went... well enough.
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"Pretty sure he was staring at something else popping out," Armia muttered. "And the way you were bouncing around probably didn't help."
Isabella just winked, adjusting herself shamelessly in the middle of the street. A passing human woman nearly fainted at the display.
"Can't help it if my brilliant invention gets me excited~" Isabella's tail wagged. "Besides, like Melisa said, sex sells!"
In terms of marketing, that, apparently, wasn't something people had in this world. Well, aside from the sundancers at the gala. So, when Melisa pitched certain ideas to Isabella, she'd seen the fox's eyes light up like beacons.
"You get 'excited' by everything," Armia commented absently, her orange eyes distant and unfocused.
Although this kind of back-and-forth was normal enough, Melisa noticed how the darian's voice lacked its usual edge. There was something off about her today - her shoulders were slumped, her normally pristine golden scales looking duller than usual.
Isabella caught Melisa's concerned look and, surprisingly, read the room (or, well, alley) perfectly. The kitsune might act like a perpetually horny menace, but she could be surprisingly perceptive when she wanted to be.
"Oh! Speaking of things that get me excited," Isabella grabbed Raven's arm, her pink tail swishing mischievously. "I want your opinion on something for the showcase. You know, assassin expertise and all that."
Raven raised an eyebrow, looking like she'd rather fight another bar full of Shadow Mages.
"You want my expertise?"
"Come on, I promise it'll be fun! Well, fun for me. You'll probably be mildly annoyed, but that's your natural state anyway."
Before Raven could protest further, Isabella dragged her away down a side street, her cheerful voice floating back about "proper wand handling techniques" that sounded suspiciously dirty.
"So," Melisa nudged Armia gently as they continued walking. "Want to tell me what's wrong? And don't say 'nothing' because your resting bitch face is even bitchier than usual today."
"M-My resting what face???"
"Uh, nothing, it's a foreigner expression. Anyway, what's up?"
Armia's lips twitched slightly, but the almost-smile faded quickly. She was quiet for so long that Melisa thought she might not answer at all.
"We... had Darien's funeral, recently. I was just thinking about it."
"Oh." Melisa's tail drooped. "Shit, I'm sorry. I should have-"
"It's fine," Armia cut her off. She hugged herself, her biceps flexing a little. "I didn't tell anyone. Didn't want to..." she gestured vaguely. "Make it more real, I guess. Saying it out loud makes it..."
She trailed off, but Melisa understood. Saying it made it permanent. Final.
They walked in silence for a moment, their shoes and heels clicking against the cobblestones. A street vendor called out prices for "magical protection charms," probably hoping to cash in on the showcase hype.
"Father says I shouldn't let it consume me," Armia continued quietly, her voice rough. "That I should focus on becoming the lady I want to be, not on revenge. He says..." She swallowed hard. "He says Darien would want that."
"Well, I think he's kinda smart for that. But, that doesn't mean you can't do both. You know, be a proper lady who occasionally helps murder some Shadow Mages. Very refined murder, of course. With the right forks and everything."
That got a genuine laugh out of Armia, brief but real. The sound seemed to surprise even her.
"Only you would suggest combining etiquette lessons with assassination."
"Hey, which fork to use for stabbing is very important information! Plus, imagine how impressed all those noble ladies would be when they hear about all this stuff, years from now. 'Oh my, Lady Duskscale, your revenge-killing technique is simply divine!'"
Armia shook her head, but some of the tension had left her shoulders.
"I just... I want to make him proud, you know? Wherever he is now."
"You will," Melisa said firmly.
Then, she let her tail brush against Armia's bulge teasingly.
"And I'll be right here to help. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on or a mouth to-"
"Please don't finish that sentence," Armia interrupted, but she was actually smiling now.
"Fine, fine!" Melisa cackled.
They continued walking, the morning sun warming their backs. Ahead, they could see Isabella dramatically re-enacting something that involved a lot of hip thrusts while Raven looked like she was contemplating going back to her previous occupation.
[Just a few more days,] Melisa thought, her tail curling determinedly. [Then we'll get those Shadow Mage bastards. For Darien, for Kimiko, for everyone they've hurt.]
---
{Zephyra}
Zephyra yawned as she made her way through the palace corridors, her usual graceful stride somewhat diminished by lack of sleep.
The ornate halls were quiet this early, with only the occasional servant scurrying past like a rat. She'd spent most of the night thinking about Lady Belstadt's visit and what it might mean.
[Come to think of it, why haven't they come for me yet?] she wondered, nodding absently to a maid who quickly averted her eyes. [The Shadow Mages attacked Kimiko and Armia's brother, Darien, in their own homes. Not just that, but they tried to poison the king at a public event... but not a single real attempt on the Court Sorceress?]
It didn't make much sense. By all logic, she should have been one of their primary targets. She had access to the king, knowledge of ancient magics, and a position of significant power. She even lived alone, making her theoretically an easier target than those currently huddled together at Javir's manor.
[Either I'm not as important as I think,] she mused, her violet eyes narrowing as she ascended the spiral staircase to her study, [or they have other plans for me. Neither option is particularly comforting.]
The morning light streamed through her study's glass windows as she entered. The effect would have been beautiful if not for what she saw next.
The lizard - she'd named it Brute after spending an embarrassingly long time debating names last night - was sitting on its usual stack of spellbooks. But something was very, very wrong.
Zephyra tilted her head, studying the creature more closely. Brute was moving oddly, its movements jerky and uncoordinated like a puppet with tangled strings. Its scales, which had been gleaming with that strange magical shimmer yesterday, now seemed to be... pulsing? The effect rippled across its tiny body in waves, each pulse accompanied by a slight twitch.
[This isn't good,] she thought, carefully approaching the lizard. [Could this be related to what's happening to the king?]
She pulled out her notebook, her quill scratching rapidly across the parchment as she recorded her observations:
Day 2 post-resurrection:
- Subject shows signs of physical distress approximately 24 hours after spell application
- Magical resonance appears unstable, manifesting as visible pulses through scaled tissue
- Body temperature elevated beyond normal reptilian range
- Motor control significantly impaired
- Possible correlation with reported symptoms in other test subject (the King)
Note: Must determine if physical deterioration is:
a) Result of improper resurrection
b) Side effect of spell's enhancement properties
c) Natural rejection of unnatural state'
Brute tried to climb onto another book but missed, its legs seeming to give out momentarily. He tumbled sideways, and Zephyra caught him.
"Easy there, little one," she murmured, gently scooping up the lizard. It felt warm - much warmer than a reptile should be, almost feverish. "I need you to hold on a bit longer while I figure this out."
The lizard's tiny chest heaved with what looked like immense effort, its eyes slightly glazed. Its tail, which had been so active yesterday, now lay limp in her palm.
[If this is what's happening to the king...] Zephyra's grip tightened slightly on her quill until she heard it crack. [We may have less time than we thought.]
She needed more data, more time to study the effects. But watching Brute struggle just to maintain consciousness, she couldn't help but wonder if time was something they were quickly running out of.
[At least you're small enough to keep comfortable,] she thought, creating a soft nest of cloth for the lizard in a warm spot on her desk. [I doubt anyone's doing the same for His Majesty.]