all the power we can get for this.”
We’d spent the better part of an hour loading our backpacks with spell paraphernalia, pulverizer pellets, and healing potions, cleaning our weapons, and sharpening our blades—while Nethissis and Acantha did most of the socializing. The crew knew, by now, that both swamp witches were young and ambitious, and that they were, all in all, reliable field partners. The Word was constantly giving them new magic, though only a fraction of what Kailani had learned in her first three months after ascending.
They also learned that Nethissis loved the succubi’s spiced rose water, and that Acantha wasn’t too fond of her feline form—according to her, the lioness instincts were too aggressive, for which reason she often stayed in her humanoid form, fearing a certain lack of control. She’d assured Herakles, in particular, that she would never harm us and him, but that she preferred to rely on swamp witch magic.
Riza didn’t seem too happy with Acantha’s unabashed curiosity about Herakles, but she kept a straight face and smiled as often as she could. I didn’t even bother being polite, knowing that Nethissis needed to see me, clearly, to understand that she was treading some dangerous waters.
Riza had yet to make a move on Herakles, and the Faulty, despite being unable to take his eyes off her, couldn’t bring himself to take the first step, either. I’d decided that if they didn’t get past this first stage soon, I’d help them. All it would take was a little magical kick in the hind for one of them to do it, preferably before Acantha sensed their hesitation. While said hesitation had been adorable in the beginning, it was becoming a problem. After all, we were females and they were males. The chemistry was undeniable, and other females could easily swoop in and fight for the males’ attention. It had been the way of the world since Calliope and all the other planets had first been formed. It wasn’t going to change.
“Will it be enough, though?” Varga asked.
Ahead, marble stairs reached all the way up to the top. Luceria was somewhat deserted these days, with only a minimal number of staff on duty. The rest had been advised to stay home and safe, given the Hermessi cults’ outreach and ability to permeate any layer of Eritopian society. I didn’t mind it. The less crowded, the better.
“Worst-case scenario, we’ll need to draw vital energy from you,” Nethi replied, smiling at him. “Surely, you won’t mind pitching in…”
Varga thought about it for a moment. “It’s okay. I’ll help however I can. Frankly, I think Fallon and I have a larger amount of energy to offer, given our hybrid biology.”
“Good. It’s nice to see such dedication. It’s rare,” Nethissis said.
“I can pitch in, too,” Herakles interjected, drawing a brief scowl from Riza. But it did make Acantha grin.
“Excellent. The more the better,” the Bajang swamp witch replied.
I slowed down slightly, just enough to catch Varga’s attention. The rest of the group kept moving, including Nethissis. I was nervous, but I felt the need to tell Varga a few things before this trip. It could very well be our last, if we weren’t careful, and I didn’t want us to go in without opening up a bit.
“What is it?” he asked, putting the serium batteries down for a bit and shaking his wrists to remove some of the strain from carrying them.
“There’s something you should know, if you haven’t noticed it already,” I said, my voice low. He frowned. “Nethissis. She’s… She’s a great girl, don’t get me wrong. A talented Lamia. I mean, her snake form is gargantuan; she could kill a full-grown daemon through constriction. And she’s got some nifty Druid magic under her belt, on top of the Word. But, Varga, she’s obviously got a soft spot for you, and—”
“You want me to be careful,” he replied, a faint smile revealing his white teeth. Nearby candlelight from a wall sconce glinted against his fangs.
“Pretty much. She’s… She can be very intense.”
“I’m not interested. I thought you’d have noticed by now that I’m into you,” he said, matter-of-factly. It shut my brain down with phenomenal speed, leaving me speechless and wide-eyed and probably looking like he’d dropped a boulder on my toes. It made him chuckle softly, and, when I failed to respond, he inched closer, the tip of his nose poking mine, his natural scent filling my nostrils and sending my senses flaring. “Eva, we’re about to go talk