Page 10 of Starfall

“Okay, but do you have something for me to rinse out with?”

“Yeah. This time, I got it ready. So, will you?”

“Um, yeah, I will be there right away.” She cartoonishly pumped her arms and legs.

Rowen snorted and set her down. “I get the idea.”

She settled, walked back to the lab, and got the extraction kit out. It was like collecting from a snake, but she had to provide the pressure. Her face always ached after extraction.

The other two were just coming into the room when she bit through the cloth and rammed her thumbs against the roof of her mouth as she milked the venom. It smelled like grape soda and acid, and she faced the mirror to see when her fangs were empty.

The steady stream of purply crimson showed no signs of stopping. Her eyes were wide when she held up two fingers for Nori, and another collection vessel was quickly prepared. She got the first one three-quarters full and then stopped pressing for a moment to extract her fangs from one vessel, hand it off to Nori’s gloved hands, and then bit into the next vessel and pressed on her glands again until they were empty.

Emery carefully pulled her teeth free and felt them retract into a normal position. She flexed her jaw. “So, you should be able to make all you need for a year with that. Fuck, that hurt.”

“Yeah. That... That’s a lot. Can I black-market any of this?”

Emery blinked. “Half an ounce after you remove all links?”

“An ounce? You have gotten sixteen here.”

Emery massaged her face. “Fine. One ounce. Remove the link to me here and now, please.”

“Of course.” Nori drew off the magical venom and carried it carefully to her apparatus at the far end of the lab. She added materials that would sever the tie between Emery and her venom so it could not be used to trace or bespell her. They had learned that lesson early.

Rowen asked, “What is she doing?”

“Oh, she’s severing the link between me and the venom, so those who want to use it for spell work can’t summon me or use me as a battle drone.” She grimaced. “Again.”

“It has happened before?”

“Twice. After that, we started the protocol. There is a mild curse that only activates on contact with the venom and turns into something more dangerous.”

“Like what?”

“Ogre transformation fluid but only if they are using the venom for an attack on another being. If there is ill intent in the spell that uses it... boom. Ogre.” She snorted. “The antivenin is popular as well. It works on a lot of venomous creature bites. Most of them, actually, once Nori is done with the formula.”

Rowen blinked. “You sell your venom?”

“Sure. It has paid for about five of my businesses, and they paid for my next four.”

Nori worked and muttered with Archimedes watching over her.

“Goodbye, Nori. Thanks for running the scans.”

“Yup. Anytime. Feel free to bring him by anytime you bite him. Next time, aim lower.”

Rowen laughed, and Emery blushed. “There isn’t going to be a next time.”

“Oh, Emery, you know that’s not true.” Rowen chuckled, and they left the alchemist’s lab and her pet.

Back in his car, she scrubbed her face and muttered, “Fuck.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I am stuck like this for a few hours. I hate having to work like this.”

“Perhaps you should take a day off. The diner is operating smoothly.”