Ciri makes plans.

Stupid, she was so stupid. It was so obvious now. It had been Hoat the whole time. He was using Lord Karlik as a pawn just as he had used her, as he used Yennefer.

The venom was probably in the water, maybe the air, everyone was probably infected. Everyone but Hoat.

Ciri made her way quietly through the estate's halls. Crowds were already beginning to form, rich merchants and traders, noblemen and women, here for the next show. A show she was supposed to star in. Hoat had some of the richest men in the world here, who knows what kind of plans he was making behind closed doors.

She had left Karlik in this room, she half expected him to keel over from a heart attack but he obeyed, they always obeyed.

She stopped in front of ornate doors, two guards stood on each side. Hoat's private rooms. She had been there many times, she knew he had a private lab adjourning his chambers.

"Move," she ordered to the two guards. Even knowing she knew she was a little surprised when they did, stepping aside for her without hesitation, without care. Obedient to a fault.

She pushed her way inside and hurried to the lab, Hoat would be greeting his guests but she did not want to push her luck. He must be counteracting the effects in some way.

Mandrake root. It was just sitting there on a table beside a cauldron, behind it bloodmoss and blowball. He was making the same potion she had, or at least some variation of it. She opened the drawers, searching and then she found it, dozens and dozens of vials filled with a liquid that looked just like the potion she had created. He was drugging the entire estate while keeping himself immune.

Ciri grabbed the vials and left the room, only stopping when she the gleam of silver leaning against Hoat's bed. Her sword.

"Drink one," she said to the guard, pushing some of the vials into his hand, "then give them one to everyone you see and tell them to drink it. Do you understand?"

The guard didn't hesitant and drank the liquid, he winced but did not complain. She turned to the other guard and repeated what she had just said. The potion should nullify the effects of any new succubus venom, but she did not know how long it would take to wipe out the venom already in their system. She only hoped it wouldn't be too long.

With her sword in hand she made her way towards the basement.