Fires throughout *The Laughing Skull* crackled warmly, casting flickering light across the walls adorned with various oddities collected from Grin Hollow’s peculiar history. Lilac sat at her usual spot behind the bar, a steaming mug of fermented cider in hand. Autumn, still wearing her goggles despite being nowhere near the academy’s labs, perched on a stool beside her, fidgeting with a small mechanical contraption shaped like a skeletal bat.

  A courier had arrived earlier that day with a letter sealed in dark wax bearing Azrath’s unmistakable sigil. The two women stared at the unbroken seal all day as if it might bite them.

  "Well, are you going to open it, or should I?" Autumn asked, her tone light but her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

  Lilac sighed, setting her mug down. "You’re the one who’s itching to read it. Go ahead."

  Autumn wasted no time breaking the seal, unrolling the parchment with eager hands. She cleared her throat theatrically and began to read aloud.

  Dear Lilac and Autumn,

  First, let me begin by extending my congratulations. Grin Hollow is thriving in ways I never imagined, and much of that success is owed to the two of you. Lilac, your leadership has turned a city built on bones into a bustling hub of life (and, I suppose, undeath). And Autumn, your work at the Academy has not only advanced the field of necromantic sciences but has also brought innovation to Grin Hollow that even I must admit is impressive.

  It seems my apprentice, Mervin, is finally finding his footing. I have no doubt he will make an excellent Dean of Necromantic Sciences, though I hope the title doesn’t inflate his ego too much.

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  That said, I couldn’t help but laugh when I read about his so-called *Animatonics.* Potabeau and I once dabbled in something similar during our first year in Grin Hollow. Let’s just say...it did not go as smoothly as Mervin’s efforts.

  Our grand idea was to create a skeleton-powered mechanical cart—a "Bone Wagon," as Potabeau insisted on calling it. The premise was simple: a combination of necromantic spare parts and clockwork mechanisms would allow the cart to pull itself without the need for a living horse. Unfortunately, we overlooked a few...critical details.

  The first problem was that the “Bone Wagon”, lacking a proper sense of direction, attempted to pull the cart straight through the wall of the Laughing Skull. (Lilac, you may have heard tales of this incident as the mysterious "crash" that bankrupt two owners back.) The second problem was that Potabeau decided it would be "hilarious" to outfit the cart with drums, so every turn the skeletal wheels took was accompanied by an earsplitting racket.

  By the time we’d sorted out the kinks, the entire town had gathered to watch what they believed to be an elaborate comedy act. Potabeau, of course, leaned into the chaos, declaring it a "groundbreaking performance in necromantic arts." I’m fairly certain one of the villagers sold sketches of the event as souvenirs.

  In short, while Mervin’s mechanical ravens may be a practical marvel, our attempts at Animatonics were anything but. Still, I can’t help but feel a certain fondness for those early, chaotic days. Grin Hollow has come a long way since then, thanks to all of you.

  Potabeau sends his regards as well—or, at least, he would if he weren’t currently attempting to teach skeletons how to play the lute. Please don’t ask me how that’s going.

  I look forward to seeing how Grin Hollow and the Academy continue to grow. And who knows? Perhaps one day I’ll return to witness the fruits of your labor firsthand. Until then, know that I remain both impressed and proud of all you’ve accomplished.

  Sincerely,

  Azrath

  When Autumn finished reading, she set the letter down, grinning. "The Bone Wagon...I need to ask around and see if anyone still has those sketches. That sounds amazing."

  Lilac rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. "Of course Azrath tried to crash a cart into *The Laughing Skull*. And of course Potabeau made it worse."

  "Hey, it sounds like they were just ahead of their time," Autumn said, tapping the mechanical bat she’d been fiddling with. It sprang to life with a series of jerky movements, its beady, glowing eyes locking onto Lilac.

  "If that thing starts howling at me, I’m tossing it out," Lilac warned.

  Autumn laughed, scooping up the bat before it could do just that. "Relax, it’s just a prototype. Besides, it’s nothing compared to what we’re working on now. Mervin’s got this idea for an animated skeleton orchestra. He says it’ll rival the Bone Rattlers!"

  Lilac groaned, rubbing her temples. "I swear, this town is going to drive me insane."

  "But you'll never get by with dying on the job." Autumn said with a wink, rolling up the letter and tucking it away.

  Lilac didn’t answer, but the faint smile tugging at her lips said enough. Grin Hollow was a city of madness and mayhem, but it was also home.