This Ascent to Divinity is Lewder Than Expected

7.30 – Artificer

The setting for Fe's next dream was more familiar: her workshop. Popping into existence, Zoey oriented as she looked around the room she'd visited only once back at Treyhull, when she'd needed to track Fe down and inform her of their hasty departure to Mantle. The sheepgirl was sitting in a chair, hunched over a notebook.

"Even in your dreams, you're a workaholic?" Zoey asked, amused. "How am I not surprised?"

Fe jolted and twisted in her seat to face her.

"Zoey?" she asked after a moment, blinking in surprise. "What are you doing here? You're back from Mantle?" After a moment, she realized what Zoey had said. "Wait, in dreams? What do you mean by that?" She trailed off, and Zoey could see her make the connection. "I'm dreaming? Oh, dear, I am, aren't I? But how are you—? Wait, are you even actually here? Is that you, or are you part of the dream too?" She shook her head, confusing herself more by the second.

"It was a potion," Zoey said. "And yes, you're dreaming. This is the real me."

"A potion that lets you enter people's dreams?" Fe seemed shocked momentarily, but a dream-delving potion was hardly the oddest item she'd seen from Zoey. Her expression shifted to interest, no doubt because of the possible uses of such a potion, then changed one more time: to widening eyes as she realized something important. "Wait. Then, the previous dream? That was you too?"

"Yep," Zoey said, trying not to laugh at the growing panic on Fe's face as she realized that the especially lewd scenario hadn't been a private fantasy. "It was rude to kick me out right at the fun part, you know," she pouted.

Fe floundered with the multiple revelations, before sighing in resignation. She puffed her cheeks out. "I guess that makes sense," she muttered, facing away with reddening cheeks. "It felt way too real. A part of me knew something was off the moment you showed up—I think I was deliberately ignoring it."

Zoey laughed. "Hope you didn't mind that I didn't try to tell you. Didn't want to break you out of the fantasy." Her smile widened. "More fun if you thought it was real, right?"

"I-It was certainly an experience," Fe agreed, blushing. Clearing her throat, the flustered girl attempted to divert the conversation to safer waters. Zoey was relieved the assumption had been correct—Fe hadn't minded the minor deception, and, indeed, had enjoyed it instead. "You made it to Mantle in one piece, I take it? I mean, of course you did, but no issues?"

"It was mostly uneventful." That wasn't the full truth considering the whole Lucinda debacle, but that was nothing Fe needed to know about. "Speaking of which, have you given any thought to the offer?"

"To come join you?"

"It's a big ask—" Zoey started.

"Hardly," Fe replied. "It's an opportunity for me more than a favor to you. It was just sudden. That's why I couldn't promise anything. But yes, it's absolutely something I want to take you up on. As a matter of fact, I didn't have to think long—I'm en route now."

Zoey's eyebrows shot up. "You are?"

"Left yesterday. Expected arrival is tomorrow."

"Oh." That was significantly better news than Zoey had expected. She'd been ready to try to convince her, since having a discreet artificer that was on their side would be extremely convenient. Trust was in short supply in a city—or entire territory—that Enzo owned. "I'm glad to hear that. How are you, ah, managing it?"

"Sorry?"

"Like, how are you traveling?"

Fe tilted her head. "In an escort party, of course. We have a team of third-advancements guarding us—there's about two dozen passengers. Mantle's large enough that the traffic between it and Treyhull is consistent, so it wasn't hard to find one on short notice."

So that was how civilians traveled between cities. Zoey wondered whether one being in Striders territory and the other in Deepshunters affected anything. Not enough to inhibit trips, apparently.

Though—"That's it? Just a few third-advancements?"

Fe looked amused. "That's safe, all things considered. More than most people get. As long as the guides take us through lower ranked fractures, there's no real threat. And the one I picked has a good reputation." She smiled. "I make enough money I don't need to skimp on my escort party, Zoey, don't worry. But thank you for the concern."

She blushed. Had her worry been that transparent?

"Well, I'm happy to hear that you'll be joining us," she said. "There's a few things I should probably warn you of, though."

"Warn me of?" Fe asked, eyebrows going up.

As much as it would be amusing to throw the whole d'Celestin situation at Fe when she arrived, it would also be rude. Sabina had taken the debacle in stride, but she was composed by nature. Zoey would've warned her too, if she could've.

"You know Rosalie?" Zoey asked, broaching the topic slowly.

"Your front liner? Blonde? Uses a spear? Yes, I remember her, naturally."

"She's that Rosalie. The d'Celestin." She assumed she didn't need to elaborate; Rosalie's family was famous across the world.

Fe blinked at her. "Sorry, I'm not sure I get the joke."

"It's not one. I'm telling you so you aren't caught off guard. I didn't know earlier either, for the record, or I would've told you so you could make your decision accordingly." Zoey wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't want to entangle themselves with such a family.

Fe studied her with a furrowed brow, as if trying to decipher the joke Zoey was making—despite her insistence that it hadn't been one.

Slowly, her expression morphed to dawning disbelief as Zoey met her gaze straight-faced.

"Wait. You're kidding, right? Rosalie d'Celestin? The prodigy? Daughter of the Guildmaster. Heiress to the Deepshunters Highguild."

"That's her."

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"How is that even possible?"

Zoey shrugged. "Bumped into her in a shard. Got lucky, I guess. She was tight-lipped with her background for some pretty obvious reasons, that's why she didn't tell you—or me. She needed to get somewhere safe."

Fe laughed, still wide-eyed and incredulous. Then she froze and seemed to become even more so.

"Wait. Then—you two. All those artifacts. And she's—?"

Zoey supposed finding out that one of the world's most famous upcoming wayfarers had been 'messing around' with lewd artifacts would be a shock to the system. Not to mention her and Rosalie's obvious relationship.

"We're keeping that a secret, if you wouldn't mind being discreet."

"Right," she stammered. "Of course. I would never go against—um, that is, I'll be quiet about it."

There seemed to be more than just polite acquiescence in her words; she sounded slightly panicked, hurrying to assure her as fast as possible. Zoey wondered whether that was because there was an implied threat in acting against the d'Celestin heiress's wishes—not that Zoey's tone had implied any such thing. She hesitated, wondering whether she should assure Fe, but decided that would just be more awkward. The social dynamics in play were probably bigger than Zoey could contextualize, considering her own background in modern society.

"We'd appreciate that," Zoey said. "Also, there'll be a place in the d'Celestin estate if you want it. If you don't already have plans made. And you'll have access to their workshops while you get your own equipment set up. Sabina's been thrilled with what they have, from what I've heard. I think you'll enjoy it too."

Fe blinked. Zoey could see her brain shifting gears. "The d'Celestin family's personal artificing equipment? I'd be … more than a little intrigued to take a look, yes."

Zoey nodded. "Anyway," she said, to move past all of that and give Fe time to digest the news on her own. "That university was where you went to school, right?"

"The Academy?" Again, Fe had to adjust to the change in topic. "Ah, yes. I spent three years there."

"And that project? The harness? Was that real too?"

"Oh." Fe's cheeks colored—at least she seemed to be relaxing. "No, of course not. After those items you brought me, I wondered whether similar artifacts could be fabricated from the ground up, but all of my attempts met a brick wall. Zero progress. Reasonably so. There's something … special … about those items, even if I can't classify how." She grew wistful. "That's why I didn't have much choice following you to Mantle. There's no way I'd give up the chance to study more of them."

"And here I thought you were missing my company," Zoey teased. She was, of course, not offended at the accidental reveal of Fe's greater motivation. The two of them had only shared a few pleasant encounters. They were hardly girlfriends, nor did Zoey even think it was heading that way.@@novelbin@@

Fe blushed. "That too, of course," she hurried to assure her. "And honestly, I've missed Sabina as well. She's pleasant company, however eccentric she can be. For an outsider to artificing, she's given me consistently great insight when I've needed to bounce ideas off her."

"She's a smart one," Zoey hummed in agreement.

That about summed up the practical conversations she'd needed to have with Fe, so she walked up and leaned onto the desk Fe was sitting at. The sheepgirl seemed to sense the change in her demeanor, because she went suddenly still.

"So," Zoey said, dragging the word out. "You kicked me out of the last dream. Halfway through. That was kind of mean. I didn't get to finish." Her grin widened an inch. "Wanna make it up to me?"