Round 11

Julia's eyes widened as she took in the scene before her—an abandoned church transformed into something far more intimate than simple worship. Candles flickered along the walls, casting dancing shadows that seemed to caress the ancient stonework. The air hung heavy with scents of incense and... something else, something muskier and far more human.

She approached the altar cautiously, her fingers tracing over its surface where faint marks suggested restraints had recently been removed. Her gaze lingered on those spots longer than necessary before snapping up to meet Silra's steady stare from across the chamber.

"You were doing... rituals?" Julia asked, her voice barely above a whisper that seemed too loud in the charged silence. "What kind of—"

"Private work," Silra interrupted smoothly, stepping forward with predatory grace despite her casual posture against the wall. Her teal eyes gleamed with an intensity that had nothing to do with the candlelight. "Very private. The kind that doesn't involve outsiders asking questions."

Jeane watched from the shadows, her crimson gaze missing nothing of this unfolding drama she'd helped set in motion. Let Silra handle the talking—she excelled at it when motivated by fear of exposure. Meanwhile, the sorceress's mind worked through practical problems: securing their unconscious companions, dealing with any evidence left behind, ensuring no one else stumbled into this particular mess.

The woman near Abby remained still, her expression carefully neutral as she observed the interaction playing out across the chamber. She knew better than to rush in with magic solutions—sometimes the simplest approach was most effective. Especially when dealing with curious outsiders who might prove more useful alive and cooperative than dead and discovered.

Silra continued speaking, voice low and controlled. "We're working on... spiritual purification rituals. Very intense, very private stuff that requires absolute secrecy." She met Julia's gaze steadily, projecting as much sincerity as she could muster while her mind raced through potential outcomes.