Chapter 24

24

LECTURE NOTES FROM HERBOLOGY 101:

The strongest of Botanical magic can grow an herb from dirt, cultivating life itself. The mortal serfs and their green thumbs were never magicless. Take our Botanical Supreme for example, with the power of Earth Rendering.

T hessa awoke to the smell of salt air and fresh moss. She sprang upright, unsure when her head had landed against Soren’s shoulder. Her cheeks flooded with heat, but thankfully, he’d been fast asleep.

Thessa rubbed her eyes, coming to terms with the three possibilities that existed by now. Honorable Kellan had reported the keys stolen, the guard had been found locked in a cell, and messengers had been sent with warnings about rogue guards and prisoners escaping.

“You’re up,” noted the lone witch, Quinnley, while peeking out her window covering. “We’re at the border now. ”

Thessa looked to see border guards directing them towards the river.

Quinnley was a freckled brunette who’d remained mute during their carriage ride south—they all had. Hours in, Leora had broken the silence. One question had been all it took to keep Quinnley talking until Thessa had fallen asleep. She’d been going on about her Botanical magic, her love of potions, the salves she’d been working on, and all the flowers she’d hoped to collect in the southern territory. There’d not been one question raised about their unseemly carriage entrance. There was only uninterrupted information about bee balm and sea lavender before Thessa had slapped her eyes shut.

When the driver halted the horses, he came around to open the carriage door and shouted, “Ten-minute rest.”

Leora lifted her head off Emiel’s shoulder as both males groaned awake. Quinnley squealed before jumping out.

Thessa left next, embracing the late afternoon sun with a smile. She scratched the horses’ chins on her way upstream, nestling her knees into the riverbed. She didn’t have to look up to see the cloudless sky, the water reflected that for her, as well as the fatigue under her eyes, and the way the sun made her onyx hair shine with violet streaks.

Cupping her hands beneath the surface, she drank, then scrubbed her face.

When her reflection eclipsed, she turned to see Soren settling on his knees beside her. He hadn’t greeted her—nor thanked her for untethering him—instead, he gargled and spit water.

She rolled her eyes and stood to leave when he spoke under his breath. “The outfit suits you well.”

She paused, wondering if that was some sort of compliment. They were about the same height as he knelt there.“Excuse me? ”

He eyed her, clearing his throat and said, “It suits you.”

Thessa knitted her brows. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Since we’ve met, all you’ve done is give orders. You’re just like them .”

“You don’t know a thing about me.”

He stood, towering over her.

Thessa didn’t cower, she lifted her chin. “Your reckless use of magic is exactly why we’re in this mess.”

Venom brewed in his obsidian eyes. “ Reckless ? Have you seen the burn marks on your neck?”

“Have you seen yours? We could’ve all been killed because of you.”

Soren lunged down, leaving an inch between their noses. “ Me ?”

Every second that passed without giving him an answer had another muscle in his jaw twitching. Thessa delighted in it for another moment before stomping back to the carriage.

While still within earshot, she glanced back to say, “You’re welcome, by the way.”

She made sure to sit beside Emiel and Leora for the last leg of the trip. They’d collected about a dozen apples for the ride and she helped herself to their stash.

Quinnley, seated across, was whistling while sorting through what looked like freshly picked hemlock flowers.

Soren made his way back into the carriage last, not bothering to look at anyone. The tension rolling off his cloak was thick enough to quiet them all, including Quinnley—his new bench mate.

As the carriage rolled on, Thessa bit into her apple and stewed. Her long-awaited plans for normalcy were diverted thanks to her forsaken magic, a lovestruck female, and the brute sitting across from her. If she wasn’t caught for impersonation and releasing prisoners, it’d only be a matter of time before her magic was discovered. She wasn’t sure what that meant for tomorrow. Leora’s plans aside, living as a solitary witch was starting to feel like a real possibility.

After dropping the core of her apple into the small bin, she leaned her head against the window. She grazed her fingertips over the burns along her neck before gathering the delicate chain beneath her uniform.

Thessa pulled her necklace free, unscrewed the top, and breathed.

The sun was lowering, shining big and bright as dusk neared. The golden hues glimmered through the tall grasses and mature trees flanking the cobblestone road.

The townhouses were a mile south from the carriage drop-off point, and the center of town was a half-mile from there.

Leora was borrowing the driver’s quill to fill out his payment slip. Thessa didn’t want to ask how much she’d offered to keep him quiet.

Soren had taken off already, and Quinnley was strapping her belongings across her back.

When Leora parted ways with the driver, she took Emiel’s hand and looked back to Thessa. “Are you coming?”

“Right behind you.” Thessa waved her off while mouthing the word “go.”

Leora smirked before turning her attention back to Emiel.

“Let’s go.” Thessa hurried Quinnley, unsure why she was even waiting for the witch.

The first few minutes of their walk had been quiet, but Quinnley’s fidgeting was hard to ignore .

“Such a useless thing to gather.”

Quinnley twirled the plant with fern-like branches between her fingers and said,“Oh but they’re beautiful, one would not disagree, would you?”

Thessa glared at the clusters of tiny white flowers before saying, “What does it matter how pretty they are, they’re deadly.”

“Not all deadly things deserve dislike. And tell the witchlings who cough until their lungs bark how useless it is. In the smallest of doses, of course.”

“Is that why you’ve picked it then, for settling coughs?” Thessa’s tone was skeptical.

Quinnley’s emerald-green eyes met her stare for a heartbeat before darting back to the path ahead. “I gather many plants. The purpose of some yet to be studied, and others to collect for times of uncertainty. Do you collect things?”

Now was not the time to discuss the collection of hand-made daggers she’d left behind in Gravenport. “Uncertain enough not to ask questions about our arrival and pick a plant that you and I both know is as useful as a weapon?”

Quinnley’s berry-colored lips parted briefly before speaking. “I don’t ask questions I don’t seek the answers to. I travel alone, most days. And I don’t have companions, unlike yourself . Plants serve many purposes, yes, but it’s them whom I trust. Some may be more poisonous than others, is all. I’ll be journeying farther south anyway. No need to worry about my uncertainties, or my plants any longer.”

Quinnley picked up her pace before Thessa could reply. She wasn’t sure what to make of the witch who skipped past everyone and out of sight. All she wanted was to remove each layer of this repugnant uniform, take a long bath, and eat a hot meal.

With hardly any guards existing in Mabelton, the walk back to the townhouse had been uneventful. A goodnight warbling of starlings sounded when Thessa stepped up to the front doors. She’d interrupted Emiel and Leora’s smooch session and pushed herself inside. The smell of baked bread and clean linens filled her nose as the matron’s feline hissed by way of greeting.

“Tess! Wait.” Leora said her farewells to Emiel and shut the door behind her.

“You’re not inviting him up? I can find somewhere to be …”

Leora was blushing bright. “He’s meeting Soren at the wagon.”

“Fine. I’m bathing first. You can sit in your filth.” Thessa winked and ran up the staircase.

“Absolutely not.”

Leora was faster despite Thessa’s best effort, and swung their door open first.

As she tumbled inside behind her, they were greeted by two identical witches with skin and hair as white as jasmine flowers; it was a crisp contrast to their rose-red eyes.

“Leora! Thessa!” Ivy called out from behind before bursting through the threshold. “I thought I heard you two.” Ivy apologized to Mina and Mora, or Mira and Mona, for the disruption, before yanking her and Leora out of the room.

Thessa huffed.

Leora held her arms up in question.

Ivy shut the door and jerked her head across the hall. “Why are you both wearing—never mind. Come in my room and we can talk.”

Thessa followed and her eyes immediately darted to the far corner of the room. She walked over and crouched down, opening her duffle bag. It was meticulously organized. Even the wicked tome was tucked in there .

Thessa could hear Ivy behind her saying, “We had to pack all your things.”

Leora asked, “But why?”

“You both didn’t have much, I hope you don’t mind, but we had to. Beatrix and I did it.”

“What happened, is it a short-term stay?” Leora questioned her.

Ivy shook her head. “After you left, the matron came upstairs with Novia. I peeked at the commotion, and they were clearing out your room! We wanted to help, but more importantly do it nicely—Novia’s folding skills are atrocious, just ask Leora.”

Thessa stood, pivoting around to see Leora nodding. Her legs were weak, but not from her journey south. “But we never said we were leaving.”

“You were both seized,” Ivy reminded her.

“And dismissed,” Thessa added, leaving out the bit about helping prisoners escape.

“You know what, I’m not even going to ask about the uniforms,” Ivy declared, throwing her arms up. “Either way, the matron isn’t pleased. Fuming, in fact. She kept repeating, my townhouse, my rules , while emptying your wardrobes. Beatrix and I told her to go back downstairs, that we would collect your things, and help Novia clean the rest.”

“So the matron is replacing us? Is that what you mean to say?” Thessa asked.

Ivy’s expression was solemn. “I think the twins' arrival was a coincidence, but yes.”

Leora exhaled before speaking to Thessa, “If Mina and Mora need a place to stay, then that doesn’t make them much different than us, now does it?”

Thessa frowned. “But what about us? I’m desperate for a bath. ”

“Please, use ours,” Ivy offered. “Beatrix won’t be back from her shift for a couple of hours. You could sleep here tonight too, share my bed.” Ivy was stripping her sheets before adding, “I’ll run down and get you some food, apparently the chef isn’t happy with Thessa.” Ivy eyed her. “So mind your distance.”

Thessa took her head between her palms and squeezed.

Leora moved beside Thessa, patting her back. “Thanks Vy.”

Ivy smiled, offering them each clean bath linens. “Thessa, go take a bath.”

She didn’t object, she couldn’t hear beyond the noise in her head.