Arms crossed over my chest, I stood in the doorway which led into my private library. The dark haired Ōkami, who’d brought about my recent death, sat behind the desk in the center of the room, head buried in his hands as he mumbled under his breath.

It was clear from his posture, and the repeated whisper of “she’s going to kill me” that Darius hadn’t known his stunt would result in my death. That didn’t make it any less infuriating. This wasn’t the first time someone from the guild shoved disciples at me without asking first, and it was getting annoying.

These days I only responded to the prayers in order to inform the person praying that to become my direct disciple, they needed to prove themselves worthy. I would then push their mental presence out of my mind, where their prayer would be diverted to Tris.

“I’m not going to kill you,” I called to the guild leader as I stepped fully into the room, causing him to jolt upright out of the chair. “It’s tempting, but I gained more than I lost. So I’ll let you off the hook just this once.”

“Kads,” Darius breathed out a sigh as he spun to face me, his expression filled with regret. “I’m so sorry, Kads. I did not know that would happen, if I’d known I wouldn't have...”

“You declared Tris your patron in front of his high priestess, inside his temple! What the fuck did you think would happen?” I snapped.

“I’d heard from other guilds about gaining the patronage of gods, but I thought it would be more of a ceremonial thing. I was told we'd need to give tribute, and that there was more involved in assigning a guild patron.” He explained, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “I didn’t expect you to self combust.”

“You overloaded me with an influx of divine power by throwing that many people at me all at once! I wasn’t prepared or able to take in that many people,” I shouted, his contrite expression only making me angrier. “This isn’t something you can just decide for yourself! It should be a guild decision if a patron is chosen for everyone!”

“It was a guild decision, Kads. We’ve been planning to name a guild patron for months. Admittedly it was going to be Goldrin, god of profit, trade, and travel. But to gain his patronage you need to make an offering of ten thousand gold per person, and we couldn’t afford it yet.”

“Ten thousand gold per person? What a greedy fuck!” I exclaimed after doing some quick calculations.

“He gives good benefits, and his domains fit our guild.” Darius said, before gesturing towards me. “But I’ve got a feeling we’ll be better off clinging to your coat tails, then buying blessings from the temple of Goldrin.”

“Oh what a joy, I get to be used for the benefit of others.” I mocked with a sneer, yanking open a drawer and pulling out a scrap of paper.

“Come on Kads, you know I was joking.” Darius coaxed. “I didn’t mean it like that, we all work to benefit each other.”

“Oh, you’ll be working alright,” I told him with a smirk. “You are vassals of my patron, that basically makes you my bitch.”

Throwing his head back, Darius let out a laugh that echoed off the walls of the library.

“I’m starting to regret this already.” Darius muttered, as he shook his head with a smirk. “Maybe we should set some ground rules?”

“The rules are simple.” I said with a shrug. “The temple, and anything that relates to my disciples is my domain. The guild is your domain. I won’t act in a role of leadership within the guild, but as a separate entity to the guild command ranks. The same goes for you, with the temple ranks.”

“Fair enough,” he agreed, grabbing one of the chairs from by the coffee table on the far side of the room, and dragging it over to sit opposite me at the desk. “We’ll have to consult with each other regarding any issues involving both the temple, and guild. This includes any disciplinary problems with disciples that are in the guild.”

Tapping a finger against my lips, I nodded in agreement. “I want Sadie, and Lucas here at the temple. Helvara can remain to run the lab in Sēkrit, taking over my private lab there for his own. I won’t be returning there for a long time, if at all. So I will be ordering my scorchers, and Doreen killed so I can revive them here.”

“Do you intend to remain behind when the first group departs Salvia?” Darius asked, and I shrugged in response.

“I plan on leaving, but it depends on when the barrier falls. If things aren’t settled here, I will need to wait before departing.” I said with a sigh, resting my chin on the palm of my left hand as I scribbled down a list of materials on the scrap of paper in front of me. “I’m not sure who is suited to replace me as head of the guilds alchemy department, but I will help run it as best I can until you’ve got someone.”

“That would be appreciated,” the guild leader said, eyeing the list with furrowed brows. “That's a rather interesting list of items. Most we can attain in Rivera at the markets, or hunting, but what kind of brain are you looking for?”

“No idea, it just says brain of the desired creature.” I grumbled, shoving the list at Darius. “This is how you can repay me for the whole combustion thing. For the brains, I want a variety of different creatures with varying levels of intelligence. As fresh as possible.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“I’m going to make constructs to act as temple guards, and possibly other things depending on their level of intellect.”

“I thought you were using the guild for temple guards?” Darius asked, tucking the list away into a pocket.

“That was the plan, but they keep leaving their post to flirt with Meissa’s disciples. I need guards who won’t be distracted, and who will not be biased in their actions.” I complained, scowling at the guild leader. “Speaking of, I want Noctus out of the temple. He’s already slept with two of Meissa’s disciples, which is causing issues.”

With a groan, Darius stood from his chair with a nod. “I’m sending him to Caruan to recover, and solidify our position with the city. Yuki will be heading to the coastal camp to break it down, and bring everyone from there to Bovia.”

“Are you returning to Sēkrit to help with the fight against the Brotherhood then?” I asked, but he shook his head, frowning slightly.

“No, I was planning to stay to oversee the guild setting up the village here, and hopefully search for a hidden entrance into the Almer mines. Airus isn’t the only place the mines can be accessed, but finding an entrance that isn’t already claimed won’t be easy. If we can’t find our own way in, I’ll head to the Draekin clans to broker a deal with them for access through their entry point.” Darius explained, reaching up a hand to massage his temples. “Markion, and Corvus can deal with the Brotherhood. They’re the idiots who flooded their camp, and started this fight, so they can finish it.”

“I'd be more inclined to say the Brotherhood started this fight by provoking us.” I muttered with a scowl. “Sadie reported that Roderick hasn’t managed to find the leak among those left at Sēkrit, and Corvus is sure it’s not anyone among those with him.”

“Then they’re overlooking something, or it’s someone from outside our guild. For now, we’ll continue keeping things on a need to know until we can determine how the Brotherhood knew our plans. I want you only to communicate in code when passing messages to Roderick through others.”

I nodded, grinning at the guild leader as I recalled my last conversation with Corvus.

“Did I tell you Corvus wants me making more ‘Not for Tink sticks’ with the fire stones they looted? He explicitly said he didn’t want you to know.” I informed the guild leader gleefully.

Covering his face with hand, Darius let out a sigh. “You all drive me fucking insane. Make them the explosives, but keep some in reserve in case we end up warring with Dreadmere.”

“Speaking of Tink, can you add her to the guild members coming to the temple? I think she’ll be a useful addition. To be honest, I’m surprised she didn’t become a direct disciple when Taurie did.”

“Yuki took Tink to the coastal camp, and they don’t have much outside interaction due to the secrecy of the location.” He said, pinching the bridge of his nose looking more, and more defeated by the minute. “That damned Gorgon loaded up a dead cow onto a catapult, and ended up overshooting her target. It went through the roof of Calidus, and Bell’s farmhouse.”

“I bet that was a fun clean up,” I choked out between giggles. “Why was she using cows as ammo for a catapult?”

“According to Yuki, she claimed it was because sending exploding cows onto the battlefield is more fear-inducing than boulders,” the guild leader said, shaking his head in disgust. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only sane person in this guild.”

Laughing, I pictured Ge Hong, surrounded by blue cloaked Dreadmere fighters on a battlefield, staring up in horror as a barrage of cows flew towards them in the sky. Darius didn’t wait around for me to gain control of my laughter, leaving the library with a parting comment of “If you want Tink, she can be your responsibility from now on.”

I wasn’t sure if bringing Tink to the temple was a good idea, but she was the only artificer I knew, and would be the best suited to finding new ways to improve on alchemic items such as the Kitsune fury mixture. Pia was adamant we should try making flame throwers, and I had a feeling Tink would be very on board with that idea.

“Tink, and Pia in the same place.” I muttered, a chill rolling down my spine as I spoke the words out loud. I’m suddenly not so sure that’s a good idea.

“No, no, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I reassured myself, heading out of the library and to the lab.

Entering the lab, I felt a momentary panic at the sight of the unlit furnace. Eyes scanning the lab, I searched for the wisp who was meant to be heating the furnace, before my mind caught up, and reminded me I’d died. Pyr was bound to me, which meant my death would equate to his own. Crouching down in front of the furnace I pulled out the cold pelican flask from inside, eyeing the contents with a sigh.

The purple liquid in the bottom of the flask had coagulated, ruining the batch of Berserker’s Last Stand I’d been in the process of brewing. Calling forth Pyr, I plopped the wisp back into the furnace, where it glared out at me with a look that conveyed its displeasure.

Rolling my eyes at the wisp, I grabbed a log from the pile beside the furnace, shoving the pale white wood towards the wisp. The glacial pine grew all over the mountain, and even two days after being cut down the wood still felt cool to the touch. With the magical properties of the pine, it made the perfect meal for the wisp who absorbed the naturally occurring mana from within the wood as it burnt.

Technically, Pyr did not need to eat, however I’d discovered that it was far more obedient when given items containing mana to consume. The same could be said of Faux, who preferred to consume mana crystals or the cores harvested from slain creatures.

“This is going to be hard to get clean, and there I go talking to myself again. I’ve gotten too used to having other people in the lab with me.” I grumbled, carrying the pelican flask to a nearby workbench.

Pulling on a mask, I unsealed the pelican flask and tilted it to better examine the consistency of the liquid below. The lumpy, thick blue substance rolled sluggishly across the bottom of the flask, sticking to the sides as I attempted to tip it out.

As I poured ethanol into the flask in an attempt to thin out the substance, the soft click of the laboratory door opening was a sudden reminder that I’d not locked the door leading into the private library.

Spinning on my heel to face the intruder, I found the doorway empty of any visible guests.

“Zaius, you know the rules. If you’re in the lab, you must be visible at all times.” I scolded, pointing at the door. “And make sure you close the door behind you.”

The Shimosaru gave a soft chitter, and I watched as a now visible four armed monkey pushed closed the door to the lab.

A quick check of the temple in my mind showed the monkey also left the door to the library room open on his way past, and I mentally directed the temple to close the door, sealing it shut against anyone who might seek to enter.

If someone needed me, they would need to seek out Kip or Meissa first, who would determine if the issue was one that truly needed to be brought to my attention.

In the two days since I’d bonded with Zaius, he’d migrated from the courtyard into the temple once he discovered food was easily attainable by playing cute for the female residents.

The Shimosaru held an intellect far superior to what I’d first assumed during our initial interactions. He’d easily passed the basic intelligence tests I’d given him. I estimated he was at around the same level as a young child with his ability to understand, and complete basic tasks.

“Come. If you’re here for snow plums, you need to earn them.” I told the monkey, as I gestured for him to climb onto a nearby work bench.

Setting two baskets in front of the Shimosaru, I pulled a sack out from where I’d shoved it under the bench.

To my delight, Yuki had brought several crates of plants, and other various animal resources that were being collected by the guild members residing in Caruan. Before leaving the city through the portal to Rivera, the Kitsune loaded up her bags, and a sled with everything she thought we might need, including food supplies her father Bron provided.

The temple now had a full pantry with the staples we’d been missing, and half a dozen barrels of vodka. Which I was extremely grateful for, as I was close to running out.

“These are Solarflower seeds,” I told the Shimosaru, who tilted its head to examine the seeds in the sack. “See these? They are a grayish color, and split at the end. This means they’re about to sprout, some like this one already have.”

Shifting through the seeds, I found one with a green sprout poking out the end, holding it up for the monkey to see. In response, Zaius chittered, taking the sprouted seed from my fingers, and stuffing it into his mouth.

“Not for eating.” I scolded, tapping the back of the monkey’s hand as he went to take more seeds.

Finding a second gray seed that looked to be close to sprouting, I set it into one of the empty baskets.

“You put it in this basket, so it can be planted.” I demonstrated, then grabbed one of the darker seeds, and placed it into the second basket. “And the dark seeds go into this basket so they can be made into oil.”

It took me sorting through almost a quarter of the first sack before the Shimosaru appeared to understand the task, and began helping me pick through the seeds. By the time we'd finished half the sack, Zaius was speeding through the seeds with all four arms working in tandem as he worked.

After setting another two sacks of Solarflower seeds on the bench, I moved back to the task of cleaning the pelican flask, keeping an eye on the monkey to make sure he didn’t try to sneakily eat any of the seeds. I would give him a handful with his dinner, but there was no such thing as a free meal in my laboratory. If he wanted to live in my temple, and eat my food, he needed to earn the right to do so.