“I see. Does it do anything else for you? Are there side effects?”
“Nothing terrible, but when I take it, I can’t use my wings. I’ve been getting some breakthrough feathers, but that’s all.”
Her eyes snapped to mine. “I’ll definitely find a way to change the formula so you can access them if I can.” Her head bobbed as she flipped pages. “And your voice? Is that related?”
The question threw me off. I’d been raspy for a very long time but wasn’t sure how it was connected, and said so.
“No worries. Can you tell me about the other thing? I know Hailon offered to help already, but perhaps I can too. It might be related even.”
I turned and looked behind me, finding Calla and Grace respectfully listening, concern etched into their faces. “I have episodes. My heart races, I go numb. I can hear and see what’s going on around me, but I can’t react. They never last very long.”
“We have experience with that too.” Grace gave an encouraging smile.
“The tincture I have used to help with the episodes a little more than it does now. I don’t have nearly as many since Imoved to the crossroads though. The church bells used to set them off.”
“Church bells?” Calla frowned.
“Father said something about the metal being forged with blood.” There was a general grumble over that fact.
“You were having one every hour?” Hailon asked, horrified.
“Never that frequent, no. Getting caught outside was the worst. If I was inside, it was better, and if I was downstairs even more so.” I left out the part about the vault doors, realizing now how not normal that was, no matter if it helped.
“How long will this last you?” Greta asked, holding the bottle to the light. There was a terrifyingly small amount left again.
“Eight or nine days. I take a drop every day.”
“I hate to ask, but may I take a sample?” She must have seen the panic on my face because she insisted, “I only need a single drop. With that, I can hopefully work out what’s in it, and what all it’s meant to do.” My fear screamed at me to tell her no, that even one drop was a whole day’s worth of treatment I was risking, but I agreed. “Well,” Greta said, a glint in her eye. “Seems I’ve got a new, urgent project!” She handed the vial back to me after carefully measuring her one requested drop into an empty dish.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Do you happen to know why they couldn’t make it anymore?”
“No, sorry.”
“That’s okay! I can make a good start I think. And I can visit the apothecary, get the recipe maybe.” She came back around the table and we rejoined the other ladies in the sitting area. “Vassago would probably love an excuse to visit Vincara again, he spent an age at the monastery once upon a time.” Her head tilted to the side. “Actually, I should try to get out to speak with Ophelia.” Everyone seemed to agree that was a good idea.
“Sorry, who’s that?”
“Oh! She’s also family, easiest to say she’s a many times great-aunt of mine. Or something like that. She’s a stone kin sorceress and has a wonderful library and an incredible amount of knowledge.” Greta patted my knee. “In any case, we’ll find out for you, one way or another.”
I nodded, in shock at how easily I’d just been welcomed into their group.
“I can pay?—”
“Family doesn’t pay.” Greta waved her hand, laughing.
“I’m not?—”
“Oh, no mistake. You are.” Grace nodded, smiling widely.
“It’s true,” Calla confirmed. “I’m afraid once you’ve been invited here, there’s no going back.” She laughed. “That sounds ominous, doesn’t it? I promise I don’t mean it that way.”
Hailon laughed. “I apologize for repeating this, but you get used to it.”
My heart thudded behind my ribs, joy flooding in where there should have been hesitation. There were demons and witches and stone kin welcoming me like I was one of them, no questions, no qualifiers. I trusted it because I trusted Tap and Ramsey and Jacks.
I trusted it because Iwantedit.
