When we got to my street, it was almost as empty as the Kettle.

Word of our coming clearly had traveled faster than our caravan, and by the time we turned onto the street, there wasn't a single other Infernal in sight. We rolled to a halt, and I got off the carriage first, Tagashin cartwheeling off the carriage seat into the snow right next to me. I watched affectionately, ducking an impromptu attempt to swipe my hat off my head. It hadn't been a serious attempt.

"You are determined to reopen that bullet wound, aren't you?" I asked her as she continued the cartwheel, ending up leaning against my front wall.

"Do you think if that could even happen, I'd be doing this?" She said.

"Ah, true," I said. "I should trust in all of the maturity you have shown so far and evaluate based on that."

She made another playful attempt for my hat, and I ducked back.

Gregory and Tolman had gotten down from the cart they'd been riding, both approaching, Gregory quite a bit slower than Tolman.

Tolman stifled a yawn as he came up next to us all. "So, am I still banned from your store?"

Right. One of many uncomfortable explanations I needed to have. "We can talk first. Feel free to stay here until then. Or until your husband comes to drag you back to your house."

"Hrrm. Can I hide in your basement if that happens?"

"No, I'm not hiding you from Arsene. Didn't tell him you were getting involved in the Glee Street fighting rings, did you?"

"No," he admitted as a bleary-eyed Gregory caught up. Apparently I wasn't the only one who needed to catch up on their sleep.

"Well," Samuel said, more chipper than all of us except Tagashin. "Time to start unloading and moving everything inside."

"Give me a second?" I asked the intelligence agent, who frowned.

"Don't take too long," He warned, glancing around the empty street. "This place is uncomfortably empty."

"You're non-Infernals in the Quarter," I deadpanned. "An entire caravan of them. Trust me, the street will be empty for hours after you've left. Maybe a couple of days. No one here wants to risk trouble. You aren't visibly hostile, so instead, everyone will hunker down in their houses and watch. Besides, going to take some time getting everything off the carts, right?"

He nodded once and then turned to direct the unloading. I meanwhile went up the small set of stairs to my front door. Each step felt like a struggle, my hooves and legs feeling like lead was being poured in with every clop. My nap hadn't helped too much, it seemed.

I needed to see about the window, I thought absentmindedly as I opened the door. That much glass would be difficult to justify buying again. Maybe I could just use a regular wall? I had liked the lighting, but it would be more within my means that most of a wall be replaced with a window.

Huh, was someone playing music somewhere? It clearly couldn't be anyone inside my home, Doctor Dawes was right here. Must be a neighboring house behind mine, with my shop blocking it from being heard in the front. I swayed a little bit as the melody washed over me.

The doctor had taken the time to organize my shelves a little. Mostly just taking things from their displays and moving them somewhere else.

"Doctor Dawes," I said as I came inside. "I'm assuming no one tried to make their way inside?"

The doctor had set up behind my counter, shivering just a little from the constant cold blowing in through my window. He set his book down, getting up from the chair almost lethargically. It seemed that I wasn't the only one who hadn't gotten much sleep.

"Outside of the insects, everything has gone fine," Doctor Dawes said. "A few people tried to enter, although no one was overtly trying to break inside. A few seemed a little concerned about what had happened here and inquired about your whereabouts and health. I collected their names."

I didn't believe him. No one was going to venture near the shop, a diabolic artifact had just hurtled into. Well, no, actually coming to see if it was an active danger and if they needed to spend the night or week somewhere else? That I could believe.

"I'll look over it later," I said as I clopped closer. "Much later, with everything going on. Voltar's brother is here. We found another diabolic ritual circle, and in his wisdom, he's decided to store it here with the other one."

"Ah," Dawes said, nodding reluctantly. "Just so you know, he can probably hear us. He has augmentations similar to your own."

"I don't care. He's already aware of my opinions on it, and we all know I can't argue against it. He thinks they have enough people here to ensure nothing will go wrong. I disagree, but what is the word of one lowly…do I even qualify as an agent?"

"Contractor," Samuel Voltar said from behind me.

I managed not to jump. Barely. How had he crept up on me without my ears having heard them? Or anything, even the instinctual sense that someone was creeping up on me?

"I think contractors make more money than I do normally," I replied. "Indentured servant fits better."

"Some of my colleagues would argue you are working off your debt to society," Samuel said. "Considering the number of people you are at least partially responsible for the early demises of."

I took a breath, ready to snap, then slowly let it out. I felt far too tired as is to try arguing, as I settled my forearms on the countertop, leaning against it. It took effort not to just slump down to the floor.

"I can't even really argue with that point, can I?" I mused quietly. "I have my excuses and reasons, but it doesn't really change those facts, does it? They're dead, I'm not, and I helped kill them in the end. But even if-"

The music suddenly stopped. I blinked, losing my train of thought, and standing back up straight. Doctor Dawes frowned, lifting his head off the table.

"Hey, Boss," Tagashin said. "Sorry to interrupt this lively discussion in here, but time is a-wasting out here. Your people have got the circle off the cart, everything else is ready to go, but your carriage driver is looking like he'll blow a gasket if he stays in here any longer."

"Blow a what?" I asked, then shook my head. "Never mind that, I don't even want to guess what that is."

"It's a very specific kind of connection," Tagashin said with a leer. "One that-"

"Barnes!" Samuel said, and her mouth snapped shut. "Barnes and I will be leaving you at this juncture. We should be back this evening, along with Derrick. If not here, someone of sufficient power to serve the same purpose."

I gave them a lazy wave as they exited my shop.

"Just been reading and helping rearrange the place?" I asked Dr. Dawes.

"Just reading," He told me. "I haven't touched your goods."

I frowned, looking at the displays. Who had moved these, then?

I thought I heard something, just a slight little buzz in my ear, and the tension leaked out of me, my shoulders relaxing. I must have done it last night and forgotten about it with everything else going on. Yeah, that was it.

Huh. It made sense now. I idly took a glove off, letting my sharpeend nails trail across a skin before letting one idly poke into my palm. Ouch.

Do you hear that?

"Hear what?" I said chidingly to the Imp. "The music? Yeah, it's stopped now, hasn't it?"

"Yes," Dawes agreed. "Pity. It's been the only thing that got my attention. That and the insects biting."

That is not music The Imp snarled.

"Sounded like music," I opined, stretching and feeling relaxed.

Child, get some water and wash out your ears, The Imp said angrily. That is not natural music.

"Probably Gregory making it then," I mused, slowly stretching out on the countertop. It only added to the tired agony of my limbs, but it also felt good. Lik,e my tensions were melting.

"Who are you even talking to?" Dawes asked.

"The Imp," I replied. "It's speaking nonsense, as per usual."

I am speaking nonsense?

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"It'll be quiet after a bit," I muttered. "Usually, it's complaining that fades into the background after a while."

Snap out of it! The Imp screeched. Like Hells am I having the time I don't do what made you so angry get ignored because of your lack of mental adroitness.

"Oh, also, insects?" I asked Dawes, to the Imp's shriek of rage. "Shouldn't the cold have killed them?"

"They did," Dawes said. "At least the ones I didn't. Probably were taking advantage of your house's warmth before the cold suddenly returned."

"Such a shame for them," I muttered. "I'm heading to the basement to prepare it. Has there been any noise from down there?"

Alice should be securely wrapped up and unable to escape. Should be.

"I haven't heard a thing," Dawes said. "I went down a few times, she appears to be sleeping."

"Probably a trick," I muttered. "I'll go check on it, be back in a few seconds."

It is a trick, but not because of your former lover! Bah, don't let your distaste for your parent's sin blind you to what is happening!

"Not my parent," I corrected. "Parents are more than distant entities who only get in touch to pass instructions for chaos and mayhem onto your siblings. Also, I have more reasons to distrust Alice than that."

I made it down the stairs, yawning as my hooves scraped along the wood. I almost stumbled, catching myself before I went tumbling down the steps. I really did need some rest, but not quite yet.

Something chittered lightly, scuttled further back into the shadows. I frowned, raising a gloved hand to grab a lantern from a hook. I lit the wick, and tried to bring it closer to the noise.

The violin picked up, its dulcet tones managing to reach even down here. The building tension in my shoulders relaxed, and the hand reaching for the lantern slumped.

It could wait. Probably just a rat, or something else. If it tried eating my supplies, good chance it would end up dead, which meant the problem could solve itself. If not…I had more important things to handle before I finally relaxed in my bed.

Tea for one thing. Tea would be very important before this day was over.

I went inside the basement, the same as before. The first circle still glowed an angry red, and I could feel the angry souls whirling about inside, as well as the power I'd invested in it. I could always draw from it, restore the energies I'd poured in instead of letting them slowly build back up.

Considering those energies had been soaked into the souls of hundreds of sacrificed souls, I doubted it would be without its price.

Next to it, Alice was still bound, and to my disbelief, snoring away.

"Come on Alice," I muttered, nudging her cheek with my hoof. "I know you're not actually asleep. Come on, I'm tired. If you've got a brilliant plan to break out, now's the perfect time."

Nothing, even as I bent down and pulled her eyelid open. It was darting around, but completely unfocused. Huh, she actually had managed to fall asleep chained up. A little strange, normally she whined and complained every time I left her bound.

I stifled another yawn. Poke again with the sharpened nail, cutting into skin a little bit. I hadn't been lying about being tired. I'd just had a nap, I shouldn't feel this worn out. Then again, this was on the tail end of a lot of no sleep. Alice could be left to rest while I got some of my own. Eventually. Other things first. Tea. Needed to keep my mind focused on it.

Mind you, it was hard to keep my mind focused entirely on that. The situation made me want to bury my head in a pillow.

Me, in my house, with several strangers around, and two conversations I did not want to have looming over my head. Fun. I was definitely going to get sleep tonight, assuming my home didn't come under attack. Which it would. I yawned, scratched a part of my arm that itched as I went back up the stairs.

Urrgh, even scratching wasn't helping. I took a closer look, saw a single raised bump nearly a half-inch wide. When had I even been bitten by an insect?

Probably when I'd been sleeping, which was feeling more and more appealing. Maybe a nap before I went to the Zaviel's temple?

My trek upstairs was interrupted by the appearance of Intelligence's cart drivers up above, and I reluctantly went back downstairs as they carried the second circle. Professionals, they managed to negotiate it down my narrow staircase better than I and Voltar had. Protective runes inscribed on their clothes flared up, the enchantments keeping the Infernal energies contained.

"Put it next to the first one," I said. "Still within the overall circle of runes, but not touching. And don't worry about the Infernal inside, I'll move her out once I have another place prepared."

None of them showed any sign of acknowledging me. No, wait, one of them had shot me a contemptuous glare. I yawned in response.

"Do what she says Elwick," Carther said, the only one not helping carry the circle. "She's the expert, she's the one who prepared this place for it."

"It's my training room, actually," I muttered, swaying to the tune of that music once again. When had it come back?

"Either way, it's the only place that could potentially contain this," Carther said, before slapping his forearm with a scowl. Something buzzed, floating towards the corner of my eye.

I actually itched in a few places besides my arm now, but it wasn't doing anything to disrupt the lethargy I could feel settling in my bones.

"The group you came with is currently sleeping across your front room," Carther told me, rubbing the back of his neck now.

"They've been through a lot," I said. "I'm not surprised. Could you and your people move them to the second floor?"

Carther blinked lazily. "They fell asleep. On your store floor."

"As someone who doesn't get enough sleep, I'm not going to begrudge others getting theirs where they can," I said. "Look, again everyone up there has been through a fair bit. Getting kidnapped and almost used as sacrificial fodder, getting beat up, having their arm broken. Oh wait, Melissa left, didn't she? Cross that first item off the list."

"Who?"

"Not important. Listen, go upstairs, help yourself to some tea if the equipment is still there, if not I'll bring the stuff down to make it. I have a few things to take care of first."

"Coffee?"

"I suppose. I have some of it for guests somewhere. No guarantee I don't just fall asleep while I'm making it, though. Tea first."

He nodded, stifling a yawn. "Everyone done in there?"

A tired chorus of affirmatives as the Intelligence agents came out of the room, looking like they'd been working for hours. Slumped faces, barely open eyes, a dozen other very familiar signs of fatigue as they headed up the stairs. I was tempted to go that way myself.

"I need to make sure it's diabolism doesn't start leaking," I told Carther. "The other one in here was already agitated when some idiots decided to throw it through my front window, this one was just used for summoning multiple devils. Best not to risk anything leaking out."

While I was confident in the quality of the wards I'd set up to contain Diabolic energies, there was a difference between the amount produced by my practicing of my craft and two ritual circles stuffed full of souls.

Carther nodded, heading upstairs himself.

Checking the two circles was simple enough work as I ignored the other sounds besides the music. After up two flights of stairs was a struggle, but I needed tea before bed.

Humming along to the tune, I went to my cabinet. Tea ingredients were in here along with alchemical reagents. Some would consider that a safety hazard. I, meanwhile, didn't want anyone but me handling my tea and food. And if I ever got to the point I accidentally mixed poison in with my tea, I would damn well deserve whatever happened afterwards.

I did my best not to pay any attention as I gathered ingredients from the shelves. It was hard to focus, as the music wormed its way into my ears. Pretty soon, the sound of boiling tea joined it, as I finally finished a cup. Another sound now as I turned around.

A locust stared back at me as it emerged from the wall, pushing free of suddenly rotted wood. Seven inches long, it stared at me, a droning thrum emerging from it. As it did, the tired ache of my limbs only grew. Red glowing eyes stared into my own as it crept closer. Chitin split, tiny little spikes emerging.

Oh. That was…probably something to be concerned about, but it could wait. I yawned, eyes drifting closed as more insects pushed their way out of the wall. Tomorrow. I could handle this tomorrow. Right now, I just need to sleep.

Are you blind? The Imp shrieked inside my head.

"Don't think so," I said as I swayed towards the doorway. "What am I missing?"

Insects far in the excess of what they normally grow to this in this plane, that everyone who has set foot in this house has decided to sleep, or that you are actually in favor of getting some rest for once in your short existence on this miserable place?

I yawned. "Ain't nothing wrong with getting some rest. And I can…maybe be a little more open around these folks. I can close my eyes around them without worrying about a slit throat. Probably. Likely?"

If you heard those words coming out of your mouth you'd be wondering who drugged you, The Imp said. And the overly large insects.

I frowned for a second, considering the emerging tide of skittering creatures forcing their way through a rotted section of my wall. They all halted as one, and in my ears the music from before swelled, still a gentle melody but louder. I hummed along to it, swaying.

I moved down the stairs, ignoring the skittering as more insects emerged in my room. I went down the stairs, both hands on the railing as I swayed like a drunk. My hoof nearly slipped twice, stepping out onto the thin air where I expected a stair. I carefully held my teacup, stopping any from spilling on the floor. Something was moving on my bare skin, and with an annoyed muttering, I brushed the centipede off. Thick as my arm, it immediately started crawling across the wall.

The one time I would expect your obstinacy and stubbornness to actually help, it does not!

"Could you be quiet?" I told it as I made it to the bottom of the stairs. "You're going to wake everyone else up."

You are the only one who can- never mind. Spawn of my master, you are under a spell, and you need to wake up. Bad enough your mind is so weak even your bloodline can't aid it enough to overcome this, I am not having my charge lose to a damn insect of sloth.

"Shh," I whispered as I looked across my store floor. "Let them get their sleep."

Most of them had settled down on chairs or on the floor itself, nestled in writhing masses of insects that covered them. Oh that was nice. They'd made themselves the blankets. Must be comfortable, as a beetle crawled out of Tolman's mouth, as a centipede coiled itself in Gregory's hair. I should lie down as well. My bed was comfortable, but these little friends would do just as well. Besides, going up those stairs would be so much effort. Best to just rest. Do what everyone has been telling me and just relax.

Of course, there was a case to solve. That wouldn't wait, but I could feel that sweet whisper in my ear. No need to rush. Sit back, take a second. Relax. The murders had stopped for now. Maybe they'd stop forever with two of the circles in tow.

But first, I needed a cup of tea! Somewhere in my mind, that still stuck as important.

You know, I shouldn't be shocked, The Imp complained. You chose the most ridiculous things to be stubborn about, including apparently falling for a devil's trance. Then again maybe this will teach you to rest every once in a while. Do you even realize what is going on right now?

"Yep," I said, sagging against my countertop as the centipede skittered across its surface, joined by several other friends. I pulled my second glove off, exposing the hardened nails of silver underneath.. "I'm trying to sleep, and you're being very obstinate about letting me. Good night Imp."

For Hells' Sake, It growled. When you get upset about this later, let it be known I tried everything else first. Assuming you survive.

I already had my face laid across the table, closing my eyes as the centipede's legs skittered closer. Yes, closer.

Through half-closed eyelids, I yawned, then pulled my cup closer.

"Gotta take a cup before sleep," I murmured lazily as the centipede reared up, looking uncertain for a second before beginning to sway from side to side.

The music was so soft yet so loud, a quiet, calm melody that filled my ear to the point I could hear nothing else, except the Imp's annoyed attempts to break me out of this.

Honestly, couldn't people ever have a little faith in me?

"It's the perfect way to clear the mind," I said, and the centipede stilled.

I poured the cup back, and my mind immediately went on fire, pain searing its way along my thoughts, eyes watering. The pleasant melody had become a shrieking, frenzied rush of harsh, discordant sounds that made my ears burn.

Not enough to distract me as the centipede lunged forward. Not enough to stop me from plunging my razor-sharp nails into its flesh.

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