Chapter Text
The Great Library, like most buildings controlled by the Orzhov, had layers upon layers of elaborate magical protection. The very air was crowded with spells as thick and heavy as the gold that decorated practically every surface. Every window was enchanted with convoluted auras to prevent anyone from sneaking in without providing the minimum donation. Of course, Vraska knew that the Dimir would never allow any building to be completely impenetrable. And with a careful mix of bribes and threats, that information was easily retrieved.
Now she stalked past the shelves of elaborate mahogany, carefully avoiding the thrulls that scampered along in semi-mindless servitude, until something caught her eye.
“Liliana?”
The necromancer slammed shut the book she had been reading, rattling the golden chain that affixed it to the shelf. Liliana then turned to see who had called her name, and broke out in a smile.
“Vraska!” she whispered. “It’s been too long.”
“I heard that you were in town. The rumor was you’re working for the Guildpact these days?”
“Ugh, hardly. There’s this whole thing going on with a planeswalker team-up, they helped keep Innistrad from getting destroyed and you know how fond I am of that place, now I’m playing nice with them so that later they’ll help me with some demons, it’s a snore. How are you?”
“Oh, same as ever. I’m actually here for work- one of the clerics who works here owns several apartment buildings under the table and charges a fortune, so I’ve actually got three separate contracts to bump her off, one of which is from her own secretary if you can believe that.”
“No, really? That’s hysterical!”
“So, why are you here?”
“Oh, well, I...” Liliana emphatically did not look at the book she was holding, but instead jerked her head towards a reading corner. There Vraska saw a monk in strange blue-and-gold robes carefully examining a book. As she watched, the monk delicately turned the page she was reading by carefully gripping the top and bottom corners and slowly moving it from one end of the book to the other, a motion akin to tucking a child into bed.
“Narset over there is a visitor. I’ve enlisted her help in doing a bit of research.”
“What about?”
“Oh, nothing. Don’t worry about it,” she said, far too casually. Without a word, Vraska snatched the book from her fingers and examined it.
“Well well. Here I was thinking the femme fatale angle was a big act- you’re really a saboteur?”
“What? You know I’m not involved in the Ochran-”
“No, sorry, not actual sabotage, it’s the term for...” Vraska held the book up. “For this stuff.”
“Oh, so that’s what they’re calling it these days.” Liliana exhaled “It’s been so long since I’ve been in the scene, I need to brush up on how things have changed.” The necromancer leaned casually on a shelf. “I would have looked elsewhere, but the Dimir only care about kinks as blackmail material, and with the Rakdos? Well, ‘safe sane and consensual’ is more of a ‘pick one’ situation.”
“You made the right call. Everyone knows that the Syndicate gets up to some wild shit behind closed doors.”
“Since we’re talking about it, what is it like in the Underdark?”
“Surprisingly vanilla. The krual don’t have sex for fun, elves don’t have fun if they can help it, and most of the rest aresome manner of zombie.” Vraska glanced up at a magnificent golden clock on the far wall. “I should finish up here, but we’ll talk more later. Say, tomorrow afternoon at the Torchlight?”
“We’ll see.”
“Feel free to bring your new playmate along,” said Vraska with a wink.
“Playmate?” Liliana stared at the assassin, who nodded towards Narset. Liliana, realizing the implications, quickly shook her head. “Oh, no, please. I’m not interested in her.”
“Really? Why not?” Vraska glanced back at the clock and shrugged. “Well, whatever. See you tomorrow.”
With that, the gorgon stole into the shadows. Liliana turned back to her book.
“Liliana?”
The necromancer turned her head again to find Narset standing entirely too close, and jerked her head back before replying. “Yes?”
“Who was that friend of yours? She was very graceful.”
The part of LIliana’s heart that loved theatrics- the majority of her heart- stirred like a waking dragon, and a small smile formed on Liliana’s lips. “If you’d like to know more about her, I suggest you join us tomorrow. We’ll be meeting at the Torchlight cafe.”
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“No, please, I insist. It’ll be a pleasure.”
“Oh, okay.”
This is going to be terrible, thought Liliana, and I can’t wait.