In the eastern gallery, Arch Priestess Elisabeth had come to the rail like a drawn blade, both hands white on the railing, and her professional calm was gone. What stood in her face was doctrine meeting a thing that had no chapter.
"Goddess, tell me… Should I…" She was ready to change into battle mode.
"Steady," Prince Elias said quietly, to his own hands.
In the western gallery, the mood was vastly different.
"Oh, now that's organized!" Jasmine leaned forward with her chin on her knuckles, nodding slowly at the counting-house. "Intake, processing, review, collection. She built a working ministry and she doesn't even know she did it. I'm soo jealous!"
"That fire looks damn hot," Serika grinned with professional envy.
Kitsara whistled, low and long, five tails going at once. "And she gets to keep them forever~"
"Kaelira." Seraphiel leaned over the rail beside her, entirely too delighted. "Serious question. Is that hot enough to work steel?"
