Chapter 44: Temple Anneke
The home improvement section did not limit itself to modern furniture, Beside an ordinary store called "Oliver's Cabinet Making Workshop", there was an alchemy based shop. The billboard indicated its name remained crooked and spelled out measly: Temple Anneke.
That name instantly told him he was in the correct place.
Although lit by floating candles, the dark alchemist shop refused to offer much vision. His footsteps echoed, despite the mass of objects. Glass vials radiated with eerie glows, mechanical wonders whirred to life, and shelves cradled ancient spell books.
A dulcet voice penetrated the mysterious veil and asked, "A customer? Mm, not many approach me. Who are you?"
The shadows seemingly stretched out and revealed a simple counter with a tattooed woman attending it. Her eyes were a judging shade of steel blue.
"Anna Roleffes, yes?"
The tattooed woman put an elbow on the counter, drawing attention to her puff sleeves and the black marks on her hand. Her style was distinct and dark, a fashionable black, baroque-style dress with a high-neckline, long sleeves, and a voluminous skirt. Red gemstones gleamed the collar and an eerie disposition hummed around her.
"My name isn't known to most." Her palm on her cheek, Anna waited for an answer. Dasha didn't give it to her.
"How much for a complete set of your best alchemy lab?" he asked.
Her fingers rolled the black tattoos on her cheek. "Mm. Assuming you have a workbench and a cabinet already, it would run you almost eight hundred thousand. The athanor doesn't come cheap. I have one that was gifted from Hermes himself. It's not for sale but that thing alone is worth almost twenty million."
Twenty million was out of his budget. 'So I'll have to settle for second best.'