36. Arianna
She thought she recognized the voice from the first second, but being face to face with the woman was far worse than she’d ever imagined. Arianna wished she were literally anywhere else in the world.
“It’s been some time, Sophie.” What did one say to the self-centered best friend of the dead woman she’d loved?
“It is you, then?” Sophie repeated in shock, leaning against one of her tables, almost knocking over a pipette stand in the process. “You died, two years ago…You died with the rest of them.”
“I have been called a wraith.”
“Why are you here? Did you come back to help us? Arianna, this is excellent, together we can—”
She held up her hand, stopping Sophie before she ran away with her thoughts. “I’m not here for you.” She pointed to Cvareh. “I’m just delivering him.”
“What?” Sophie looked between them in confusion. “Who’s he?”
“He’s the one we told you about,” the Alchemist who had led them there reported. “The one who claims to have a message for some sort of rebellion.”
“Drop the pretenses, Derek. These people are friends.”
Sophie was getting ahead of herself on that fact, but Arianna held her tongue on the matter. Perhaps the woman had changed with time. Believing in Sophie’s good nature and ability to change would be the ultimate proof of Florence’s influence.
But she didn’t want to think on it. Now that she knew the Vicar Alchemist was someone from the last rebellion, all she wanted to do now was get out of the Guild as fast as possible.
She glanced at Florence from the corners of her eyes. There was still that loose end to tie up. She may have to use whatever good feelings Sophie held for her to get Florence the treatment she needed. Ari would swallow the thought of staying a night or three under the Alchemists’ roof for that. But no longer.
“It’s not a message.” Cvareh stepped forward. “I have something I stole from the Dragon King. I brought it as a measure of good faith from House Xin. We want to align with you. We want to help you overthrow him.”
“Large words from a Dragon.” Arianna was relieved to see that Sophie could manage some measure of skepticism. “What do you have that you think could sway us in such a manner?”
Cvareh opened his folio and finally produced the stack of papers that had started everything long before they’d even brought him to her. The very sight of them filled Arianna with anger. It was a frustrating contrast, that a man who had come to fill her with an odd sort of curiosity and infatuation could also bear something that turned him into a vision of pure loathing.
He presented Sophie schematics with both hands; Arianna felt sick. She knew all she had done, everything she had put Florence through, was to allow history to repeat itself.
But a different feeling sparked as the documents changed hands. Cvareh looked at her with wide eyes. He’d felt the spark too. The scales had tipped, and the subconscious drive that had pushed Arianna to get him to the Alchemists’ Guild now was transferred to him. He was hers. The boon contract had been fulfilled.
“Sophie, foremost,” Arianna interrupted before the woman could get a good look. “I have a favor to ask.”
“For you?”
Arianna nodded. “For old times’ sake.” She wanted to vomit in disgust at playing that card.
“Of course, anything. What do you need?” Sophie smiled sweetly, but Arianna could practically see her mixing the elements of their conversation to form an imagined debt that Arianna would now owe her.
“Florence was injured en route here. She had to imbibe as a Fenthri.” Sophie didn’t seem surprised. She could likely sense it in the girl from the moment they walked in the room.
“You want her to be a Chimera?” Sophie clarified.
“She must be, or she’ll die. There isn’t much time left before her organs are beyond repair. This has been going on for weeks now.”
“I see.” Sophie grimaced. “Derek, prepare a transfusion room, begin as soon as it and the young woman here are prepared.”
“Thank you, Sophie.” Arianna didn’t need to lie about her gratitude. “If you’ll excuse us, we’ve had a long journey…”
She had to get out of the room. She’d do anything to get out of the room.
“You can rest in a vacant Master’s chambers. I trust you still remember where they are?”
“I could never forget.”
“Help yourselves to whatever you need. I’ll find you later and we can discuss further what you can do to help our cause.” Sophie smiled and Arianna grated her teeth, trying to smile in kind.
Taking Florence by the hand, she practically dragged the girl from the room. She had to get on the lift before Sophie had a chance to really look at what Cvareh had brought her. But Arianna knew there would only be so long she could avoid that conversation.