The appeal of a parlour just for necromancers is finally ringing throughout my mind. It just needs more guests, more patrons.
“Why does Piero come here if he’s not a necromancer?” I ask.
“He just tries to give me company.”
“Mistress Vincenza, I swear that as your apprentice, I’ll invigorate this shop with more recurring guests than you have any desire for. If you, just… show me how.”
“It starts with you learning.” She drops her head beside mine and layers my cheek in kisses. “Are you ready to raise a corpse with me?”
“Yes!”
“So wiggly.” She gives a frayed chuckle. “Up now. I hid the skeleton behind the couch.”
I jump off her and around to check, and there it is. Nails and wires keep the loose bones together while a cute outfit choice keeps the aesthetics for our parlour.
“We might’ve had…enoughintimacy for you to cast the spell on your own, but it will be easier in my lap.“ Vincenza drags the skeleton into the chalk circle, sits on one side, and beckons me.
For how much I’m apparently supposed to despise human warmth, I love hers. It feels like being wrapped in a hot blanket while stargazing.
She snuggles into my hair. “Like cinnamon…”
“It’s the soap Lucia recommended me for Hanna.”
“It works on me too then. That’s good. Are you ready to try and animate this corpse?”
“I am.”
She flicks her hand, causing every candle to light, before dropping it onto mine. “Repeat ‘dikivda lakdet vetev. Xak vetev ve. Tirit lavdexi.’ The intention and state of mind required is something you have to learn, but it should be similar to when you cured your grave bite.“ She adds, “there are reagents to this spell, technically, but most mass-market cadavers have those pre-integrated by the seller.”
Just like last time then. Focus on the warmth and texture of her hand, skeletal from decades spent with death. The skin is soft, though not without scars older than me.
I thought about her kiss too, but I don’t have to imagine it now. I canremember.Her weight against me, the Ring being shared between our lips.
I whisper gently, like I would with my mouth just before hers, letting forth a romantic confession, “dikivda lakdet vetev. Xak vetev ve.Tirit lavdexi.”
Strings raise and tie around the corners of my emotions. My every sense of place blinks, until my vision reduces to empty static.
When it comes back open, I see the corpse before me standing in obedience to my will.
Vincenza rubs her hand into my chest, pleased. “Amazing,Kate. I left a can on the counter. Test your animation’s dexterity and bring it to us.”
I struggle to make them walk, and the pile of bones topples right over.
“I can tell that you’re trying to control it directly—that will take a long time to figure out. A fragmentary shadow of a soul was placed into that cadaver, enough intelligence for basic commands. Command it, as I have done to you,” she orders.
“Yes, Vincenza.”
I pull together all of my mind to screech into that worthless thing’s ears. Great Ring, make it suffer until it obeys.
Fetch. Us. Our. Drink.
It’s so much more fun watching them be clever. Honestly, there’s even some pride. That’smycreation that’s handing a cherry seltzer to me.
Vincenza lays a finger on the can. “May I?”
“Fuck off. I’m thirsty,” I tease, downing half the drink.
“One impressive spell is no excuse to be bratty,” she hisses into my ears.
