“No, you don’t.”
“We will be outnumbered.”
“No, Luka. These are sensible people. We only need to put a blade to one’s throat, and Alina will fold; they all will. We could have an army of Hosts with one threat. She would not risk her delicate little flower garden.”
“How do you know they will be daisies and not thistles?”
“Alina is the only thistle.”
“How do you know Edith will not tell her about your questions?”
“Because Edith is not supposed to be here in the first place. You should have seen the way she checked over her shoulder like my dear shadow would be summoned by the simple utterance of her name.” I smirked. “Oh, this is going to be such fun for us.”
I missed our time together, even the stolen moments when she did not know I was there.
Alina did not come to her apothecary until seven o’clock. The building was a dusty red brick with some windows above the shop, indicating a residence of sorts. I was curious to see if her setup was more or less the same as the old one. She was sentimental for those types of details, a creature of habit, so I could expect there to be a torture chamber attached.
The only new thing was that she arrived later than expected. She used to wake at dawn, but now that she lived with my sister, they did not need to wake so early to see each other.
They arrived together that morning. It was quite amusing seeing my sister dressed like a common genteel. Despite the cheaper fabric and more practical working design, she still managed to make itpink.
Alina disappeared deep within the shop while Phoebe set up in the front. The glow of the shop contrasted against the sooty atmosphere. My favorite part about winter was how dark it was in the mornings. It made the surroundings more cozy, making people appreciate any light they had. The magic of the yuletide season.
The room above glowed faintly. I could see the shadow slipping about. Her shadow settled at a working desk in front of the window that was out of my view, but I could tell she was keeping herself busy.
It was no secret she was still studying Vipera, but I wondered how successful she had been in her endeavors. Her inexperienced poisoning attempt had maimed Luka already; it was valid to wonder if she had gotten any better at her craft.
I did not have to stand outside for long. Alina bid Phoebe farewell before leaving the shop after about three hours of workin her makeshift lab. She carried a basket as she left, though she did not take the horse.
I followed as she strode through the streets. Not too far was the general hospital. This must be when she visited the young Edith. I allowed a few minutes to pass before following her inside. The nurse at the front was busying herself with something.
“Hello.” I approached the desk. “My wife forgot something. Could you tell me which way she went? She just came in.”
“Upstairs to the left!” The nurse smiled, though she was perplexed.
“Bless you.” I smirked and began making my way up the stairs.
Down the hall, I could only see openings to rooms, but I could hear her clear as day. Her voice was melodic but stern. It was rich like a perfume oil, intoxicating and easy to lose yourself in.
I leaned against the wall, just enough to hear her.
“You are using the dosage I recommended, correct?” Alina spoke.
“Yes, of course!” Edith said.
“All right.” She took a deep breath. “Apologies, I’m paranoid about the corrupted. I wanted to make sure it was not us causing them.”
What is this?
“I promise, it’s not on my end, at least. It is hard to know where they are coming from.”
“I’m worried about them getting too close to the Nest.” Alina drew another breath before letting out a nervous laugh. “Is it so much to ask for an easy holiday season?”
“There is no such thing,” Edith teased, “but it will be fine. I trust you and Phoebe will make it memorable like you always do.”
“There are so many mouths to feed.”
“We have made quite a bit since then. Selling the garments from our hunts, our collective dues to the Nest, money from the shop—what is there to worry about?”
