"Perhaps I will try that at some point, if Ranni thinks it's wise."

"It is not.", Ranni walks in.

"Blaidd is still sane, he will capture Alecto, we don't have to worry about that."

"Allegra, do you have any questions for me?"

"Do you want me to participate in any of the immediate activity, or should I be issued some star charts and glintstone, and start making sure I can recreate useful effects? If you have anyone who is poisoned, or wounded, or has lost the use of a limb, that you'd like me to try fixing, that's probably the rituals I know best, to begin with."

"How subtle can you make your magic, particulary one that reveals secrets? Capital holds many that are hidden even from me, and the opportunity is fairly unique - there will probably be more people visinting Leyndell than there ever was."

"Also, I believe I have not made it clear before, things were happening rather quickly, but if at any point you wish to go, you can. The dark path of the Empyrean only I may tread. If you leave, I will have to bind you to secrecy of what you learned about me, and can't protect you should Greater Will still take issue, but you are my ally, not a bound servant."

"It's not generally very subtle, I'm afraid. I can get a general idea of what would reveal more information, or the enchantments on an object or person, quite quickly, at the cost of a bit more power - but it's still quite obviously doing something in their general direction.

Anything else is going to be a couple of minutes of obvious magical activity, or has to be moderately obvious and gives them a feeling of being intensely scrutinised - and that last one is what I need the liao for, so I would rather keep it in reserve until we've worked out how to make more of it."

She doesn't address the idea that she might leave - it's not like she wants to wander off immediately, she has a little more context now but all of it is just more concerning. Her main plan so far is that if she starts teaching magic, she can organise an expedition to the edge of the mists with a group of people who know how to safely travel here, under some pretext, and that seems likely to get her out of here.

"Inconvenient. In that case, I can indeed show you the star charts, before I depart for the Capital. You can take Renna's Rise, the northern tower, it is currently unoccupied."

"After I return, Circe agreed to show me a way to Nokstella, a city banished beneath the earth for defying the Greater Will. They likely have some insight on the weapon I seek, and might have unique magic and maybe someone will want to study yours."

Allegra nods. "If you can spare anyone, it might be worth sending someone to study with me as soon as you can - ideally two people from similar backgrounds so I can test if I can create a coven bond between them without the infrastructure I'm used to.

Anyone who's reasonably bright should do, ideally someone with a bit of mental visualisation practice or who already knows the stars well, but I can walk them through finding their preferred metaphor."