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"I did say some," Azana leaned in. "There's one that resembles a certain British Innkeeper...he's got a taste for the good stuff. Now if only the one and only original would show his face now and then."

"I...I'm just kind of afraid..." Violet sighed, resting on her folded arms. "It might be something bad...I don't wanna make him remember anything painful..."

James continued to tinker, the piece in the Bunsen Burner beaker almost entirely used up. "Hm...any other tests I can run...?"

Stella let out a long sigh, immediately beginning to jot down notes before she forgot the sensations she had picked up on. After that, she'd have to rush home. Unlike James, her 'lab' wasn't portable.

"...I guess...it can't hurt to ask..." Violet nodded. "Hopefully, I'm wrong..."

Gren knows about the Kin. I don't know if he knows their movements...probably a good idea to keep him posted, Azana replied, sipping the tea. "Eli works, Zulma deals with a lot of personal issues...I feel really bad that everything seems to rest on Gren."

She sighed and sat back. "I and the other GMO residents help as best we can...we even overstep our bounds a bit now and then, but nothing really matches the chemistry the three of them have when working together. And I miss them." Missing people...she never thought she'd see the day three years ago, when she felt alone save for James and Sosol. Now, it seemed unnatural to think otherwise.

"Hm? Oh...! That's no one here...I just kind of drew it," she said, leaning into his warmth and explaining some of the choices and how she tended to get inspired.

Azana stiffened. She hadn't thought of that angle...Gren was, indirectly, in the spotlight. It wouldn't be hard to find him...was he still wearing Fenyx's amulet?

"You might be right about that," she said, trying to shake all that off before anyone else asked. "Still, we could make it both...no need to shove your birthday aside."

Stella stood, scooping up her sample in a bottle and strolling through a portal to make good on Mals' "alchemist" label. Break it down to its most basic components...that's the way to find synthesis. Then, she'd just have to reverse the process with the same building blocks, right?

James finally stopped, almost panting as he turned off his Bunsen burner. "Wow...what a rush!" He beamed, pulling off the goggles and mussing up his sandy hair. "Thanks, man...this is the most interesting stuff I've had all week!"

Terry walked into the Inn, looking around and finding only Gren. "Hey...spring's coming early this year."

"Not bad at all," he answered, taking a seat. "I was going to visit Stella, but she's locked herself in that spare room in the apartment. Too bad, too...missing out on a day like this. Must be important. What've you been up to?"

"Don't you normally call him your husband?" Terry asked with a chuckle. "What's going on...?"

"He's talking about the real deal," Azana chimed in, finally downstairs again after a long and somewhat fitful night's sleep. "There's an honest-to-goodness demon sleeping out in the forge."

"Oh...no joke, then," Terry frowned. "You guys seem pretty calm about it."

"Not all demons are out for blood, I guess," Azana shrugged, looking to Gren. "It seems like we just have to worry about the one. Speaking of which, I think I should update you on a couple of things, Gren."

Terry rested his head on one hand, listening intently. Now that he thought of it...Stella did mention binding some demon...was this the guy?

"He's been on his best behavior," Azana reported, agreeing with what he had said. "Violet's growing fond of him, which troubles me, but he stays glamoured and shows no intent toward her. My main issue is with Tyler being a sly b*****d. They found a source of soulfruit...take a wild guess where."

"...am I missing something?" Terry blinked, seeing Gren's reaction.

"He did," Azana answered, slight bitterness in her voice. "The thing is, he's got a method to his madness...and Malachai's with him on it!" She wanted to be angry...and on some level, she was. At the same time, he pulled off something remarkable...and something probably no one else would dare do.

"...still clueless, here." Terry piped up again.