Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
I studied my brother, noticing the tension in his shoulders and the slight tilt of his head. Hannon was a terrible liar. I saw the pleading in his eyes. There was something he wasn’t telling me, but he wanted me to drop it.
I flicked a glance to Arleth, who was watching acutely, and thought better of trying to pry it out of him. This was now family business, and she wasn’t the sort of family I wanted to share it with. Not yet, anyway.
I said, “I can get away with inciting his rage, Hannon. You cannot.”
“I know. My mistake.”
“You heard what’ll happen if you make that mistake again.”
“Yes.”
I glanced over the ingredients I’d collected and felt the unmistakable urge to get to work. My brain was exploding with ideas. I felt the rightness of this approach. Of working the struggling everlass. It had been ignored all this time, poor thing. It deserved a chance to shine.
Nyfain was waiting for me, though, worried about my wellbeing. I’d given him a scare. He needed to take care of me for a while to reassure himself that I was okay. I knew this because I’d felt the same way after he nearly died.
I inhaled deeply, let it out slowly, and tried to temper the fire and excitement raging through my blood.
“Okay.” I turned toward Arleth. “Here’s what you do.” I crossed to her stockpile of elixirs, draughts, and salves. Although I’d only tried the one, I knew what they all did. “You take this one…this one…and this one…”
I pulled out the ones I was certain could use a little more oomph.
“Make a new batch of each using the cold-seeped everlass over there.” I pointed to the basin that didn’t have any added herbs in it. “Same recipe, different type of plant.”
“Dosage?” she asked.
I probably should’ve been surprised by her ready cooperation, but I was too wrapped up in my head.
I started to answer and then stopped, thinking it through, listening to my intuition. Hannon rubbed at his arms like he was cold, but I turned so it didn’t distract me.
“Three-quarters the usual amount,” I said softly, letting it hang in the air for a moment, not quite sure. Would that be too strong? Something told me the cold-seeped struggling plant would pack a punch. “I really wish I could be the one experimenting.”
“We must balance the duty that hangs around our shoulders and use others to do the things we cannot,” Arleth said, as though reciting something she’d heard often.
“True. Fine. I’d say…try a half— No. Two-thirds. Try two-thirds. Let’s see how that stacks up.”
She nodded and quickly began packing away the things she was working on so she could do as I said. I watched in misery for a moment but forced myself to take a step back. And then another.
“You’ll be able to start on it first thing tomorrow,” Hannon said softly, reading my mood. “You can get up early and head in before…whatever thing you have to do.”
“We’ll be flying first thing,” Arleth said. “First thing in the court means right after a light breakfast.”
“There, see?” Hannon moved to me and braced a hand on my shoulder. “Get up early and come out here. I’m sure the prince would gladly go with you. You can breakfast here and then the queen can meet you for flight.”
“Sensible, as always, Hannon,” Arleth said, rehanging the herbs she’d no longer be needing and taking down those she did.
“Fine,” I said, my mood blackening.
“Yes.” Hannon nodded. “Anger and annoyance are much better than sadness.”
I frowned and gave him a light shove. “You’re getting a little too good at reading me, Hannon,” I said darkly. “Violation of privacy, maybe?”
“It’s my job,” he replied quickly.
“It’s not, actually. Go pick an advisory circle.”
With a last look at my chaotic station, I exited the everlass shed and found Nyfain waiting not far away, his hands clasped behind him, looking out over the grounds. Hadriel and Vemar stood to the side, shoulder to shoulder, their backs straight, probably afraid to move and draw Nyfain’s attention.
“Hey,” I said, trying to even out my tone. “Ready.”
He didn’t look at me when I stopped beside him but turned his head farther away, letting out a little sigh.
“He’s sorry—” I started, but Nyfain cut me off.
“What’s a compromise you will accept?”
“What?” I asked.
He did look down at me then, a smile working at his lips. “What is a compromise you will accept? I know you want to work your plants. And yes, I will do it with you early tomorrow. But I don’t want you overextending yourself today.”
“I know.” I put out my hands. “I’m here. Let’s go to the library.”
He shook his head a little. “I can feel how keyed up you are, sweetheart. You’re in a piss-poor mood because I am tearing you away, and you’ll be incredibly distracted. I know you’re only doing it for me. So. What is a compromise you can live with?” A dangerous glint entered his eyes. “A very tranquil compromise without much effort.”