“First, I believe I should clarify the celestial affinity, at least what I know of it. Only arrogant fools think they fully understand any affinity, especially the most mysterious of them.”

  Geneva rises and moves to the end of the table so her rapt audience can see her clearly. “In this realm, you call it the celestial affinity for its users’ ability to read fate, as if they are stars looking down on the world. However, just as the fire affinity can freeze by sapping heat, predictions are only one way to use the affinity, made possible because of the greater concept it encapsulates. The closest I’ve come to understanding it is that this affinity represents connections, the bonds between everything in existence. Those who can see and understand these connections are so knowledgeable of the present and past that divining the future becomes trivial. But that is merely the first step, the beginners’ level. It truly becomes frightening when a user learns to manipulate those connections.”

  I didn’t know my succubus could tell such funny jokes. A seer, something that can rearrange the world and destroy kingdoms with words, is a beginner? They can get stronger? Haha… ha.

  Sigh.

  I really wish she was joking.

  “This marvel,” she practically purrs, lifting the skull, “was not made by a beginner. This creature, whatever it was, possessed a body, a mind, and a spirit. In death, these things are separated; the mind fades, the body decays, and the spirit goes… wherever.” Real careful not to give an opinion on the kingdom’s religion, huh?

  “This beauty somehow preserves the connection between mind and body, despite the body having passed.”

  “Somehow? You’re not sure?”

  She grins. “I’m not. There are variables here I’ve never seen before. I can guess their approximate meanings from the surrounding patterns, but nothing precise. As I said, this was not made by beginners.”

  Sometimes, I forget she doesn’t know everything. “Alright, go on.”

  “As I was saying, this maintains the connection between the creature’s mind and body. I believe it’s meant to open that connection to a third. There are variables for physical contact; I think the spell targets the person touching those variables, most likely by placing the skull on their own head. The artifact would activate and, if I’m right, allow them to experience the life of the being. Depending on how deeply the minds connect, it would be as if they became the being.”

  “But why?” Alana asks, brows furrowing the way they do when something’s gnawing at her. “I admit, it’s impressive, but what’s the point? Why choose animals even? If they could preserve minds, why not great leaders or thinkers?”

  I scoff. “How many people do you like enough that you’d want to be them, thoughts and all? Who’s lived such a glorious life you’d actually want to experience every moment of it?”

  She grunts in acknowledgment.

  “A good point, Lou, but I believe there are other reasons,” Geneva continues. “A non-sapient mind is simple. A century of their experiences would be easier to parse than a year of an adult’s. Thoughts, dreams, emotion, all flowing into one another, contradicting and blending. I imagine this spell becomes infinitely more complicated the more complex the mind it tries to bind to the medium. A sapient mind might have been too much even for this master’s abilities.”

  “Again, though, why animals?” Alana presses.

  “We learn much from the creatures of the forest,” Kierra offers smoothly. “The cat teaches us how to stalk prey. The wolf teaches us how to work together to face great challenges. The bird teaches us how to sing.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “But why not write all that down?” Alana insists. “Writing a book would be much easier than making an artifact. A celestial one, at that.”

  “Unless what they sought to pass on was knowledge that can only be experienced, not reasoned,” Geneva replies, waving the skull playfully. “There’s only one thing I can imagine being worth the effort. Manabeasts have an instinctual understanding of magic. They don’t wield it; they live it. I believe these are meant to be training aids.”

  “It may not necessarily relate to magic,” Kierra adds. “Animals know their territory intimately. They know where to find food and water, the best places to make shelters, and the indicators for changing seasons. These skulls would allow a soldier to spend years learning a terrain in days or weeks.”

  “Another powerful advantage,” Geneva agrees.

  “So, you’re telling me, if I put one of the skulls on my head, I can see the old kingdom? Where we came from?”

  Who cares about terrain and training aids!

  “Yes, though there is a small problem.”

  “What?” I grouse, fighting back the displeasure at the thought of being denied such an incredible prize.

  “Artifacts require a matching affinity to activate. You’d need someone with the celestial affinity.”

  “We’ve got one of those!” I say with an excited clap. “Butterfly!”

  “I’m afraid not. Her tool uses celestial mana but is powered by the mental affinity. Another masterwork.”

  “Wait. Does that mean Talia can use them?”

  “The flower likes her eyes,” Kierra says disapprovingly, glancing toward the lightly frowning woman.

  I raise my palms. “I’d never.” Saints curse me if I take away her vision; I know exactly how much being able to interact with the world that way means to her. “Just a thought.”

  “The answer is yes,” Geneva says, “though I imagine it would be quite the trial. Your fake seer was specifically trained for the burden and still struggles to bear it.”

  Yeah, no golden eyes for Talia. “In summary, those incredibly important skulls are completely useless because we can’t activate them?”

  “I’m afraid so. Unless this kingdom has a celestial lurking about, they’re nothing but decorations.”

  “So, can ah have one?”

  I turn to the pirate, jaw dropping in amazement. She truly has no sense of propriety. She hears us go on at length about how these things are priceless treasures and still has the audacity to ask for one as if it were a cheap trinket gathering dust in a spare room. “No.”

  “Fine. Then can ya take tha creepies outta me already? Maxie’s gonna have ta get back ta the Grey soon, and yer not gonna let me go with till ya slice me up, so yeah.” She makes a hacking motion against her own arm. “Chop me up, lady boss.”

  That’s actually a relevant point. I turn to Maxine for confirmation.

  “I went to the Zone today to search out Howie. Thankfully, his bar is intact, and he’s been steadily producing his wares, though the state of the city made it difficult to send his scheduled shipment. Once I make arrangements, I’ll be returning to Graywatch.”

  “Ya heard her!”

  “Geneva? Kii?”

  “I’m eager to begin,” the succubus says with a worrying smile.

  Kierra simply waves at Rey.

  “Seems we’re ready to go. Do you have any requests for the final work?”

  “Nope!”

  I resist the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. It won’t help the tension building in my head. “I told you to think about it, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, but ah figure ah better leave it to ya. All yer women are really pretty, and ya too, so ah think it best ta let ya do the work.” She ducks her head, scratching her hair with a nervous air that doesn’t suit her, maybe because it suits her too well. “Just leave me… me? Ah don’t know. Ah don’t wanna look in a mirror an’ see another face. Me but, ya know, better.”

  “I can do that,” I reassure. “Or rather, they can.” I imagine Kii and Geneva will be far more considerate than me. I like to think I have an open mind when it comes to beauty, but I’m sure my biases would creep in. Kierra will only care about making her body as functional as possible, while Geneva is both knowledgeable and objective. There’s nothing I can contribute to their work. Though there is one question I should clarify.

  “Did you want them to erase all the changes?”

  “Er, not the eyes. Help me see underwater.”

  “So if the changes are helpful, you wouldn’t mind keeping them?”

  “Not really? Long as it’s not, you know.”

  “As long as it looks good.”

  Saints, as long as it looks good. She’s too carefree.

  “Well, that we can promise.”

  “Do not worry, little fish,” my wife purrs. “We will take care of you.”