Sera blanched. “How were you not sent to hell for killing someone again?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “That’s why I have to get my memories back.”
Sera pulled her wrist from Rory’s hold and adjusted her ponytail. “We’ll get them back. Even if this potion doesn’t help, we’ll think of something.”
Rory led the way to Fiona’s booth and gave the woman a wide smile. “Hey, Fiona. We’re interested in buying a memory-restoring potion.”
Fiona’s eyes were hard, and she lookedpissed.What happened in the last five minutes?“What kind of memory potion are you wanting?”
Rory glanced at Sera and back to theAlchemist. “We weren’t aware there were different types.”
Fiona looked unimpressed. “Is it for you? No one has restored their memories from Vincula.” She crouched down as she searched through a shelf of bottles. “I have a potion that reverses the effects of aMunin’smagic and another that helps with old age memory loss.” She stood and placed two bottles on the counter.
Rory felt uneasy with Fiona’s hostile tone, but she dismissed it. It was likely a shitty customer trying to swindle her. “We’ll take them both. How much?”
Fiona bagged them quickly and held out her hand. “Ten gold moedas each.”
Rory narrowed her eyes. “That’s steep, even for you.”
“Then find someone else,” the woman quipped.
“Fine.” Rory pulled twenty gold moedas from her bag. “We’ll take them.”
Plunking the potions on the counter, Fiona swiped the moedas and waved Rory and Sera off with her hand. “Leave.”
Sera was quiet during the exchange, and once they were out of earshot, she whispered, “I thought you two were friends.”
Rory glimpsed over her shoulder and saw Fiona still watching her with slitted eyes. “I thought we were too. I saw her recently, and she told me to come see her.”
Sera glanced back and pulled her along faster, but Rory stopped and veered her to the right. “The exit is over here.”
Sera flippedoff the headlights as they pulled into the driveway of the safe house. “Are you going to take them now, or do you want to wait?”
Rory pulled the bottles from the bag and nodded. “I need you to stay here in case they’re poisoned.”
“It’s strange that she had two memory potions in stock, don’t you think?” Sera asked with a hint of suspicion.
Rory stared at the bottles in her hands. “Yes, but what other choice do I have?”
Sera unbuckled her seatbelt, signaled for Rory to do the same, and pulled out her cell phone. “In case you start to die, and I need to call for help and give you mouth-to-mouth or something,” she explained when Rory stared at her.
“Okay.” Rory took a calming breath before throwing back the first potion. She covered her mouth as she gagged. “I hate potions.” Her eyes watered as she gagged again.
“Don’t throw it up,” Sera commanded. “I don’t want to go back.”
Rory breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth until the nausea passed. Gulping down the second one, she willed herself not to puke. “These are worse than any potion I’ve ever taken in my life.”
They waited for what felt like forever, but nothing happened, andRory cursed. “I don’t know if she gave me fake potions or if they don’t work.”
Sera inspected the bottles, turning them over in her hands. “You said you two were friends. Why would she lie?”
Banging her head against the headrest, she closed her eyes. “I don’t know.”
“We will try every memory recovery tactic in the realms before we give up,” Sera assured her. “But for now, go back inside before we’re caught by one of your guards.”
“Thanks, Sera.” She hopped out and leaned down to peer into the car. “I’m glad you harassed my friends while I was gone; otherwise, we wouldn’t have met.”
When Rory shut the door, Sera rolled down her window and poked her head out. “Get some sleep!”
