My eyes drew to a large, diamond-shaped container made of a multicolored crystal on the top shelf. Empty. I uncapped an oblong vial next to it instead and sniffed. Rosewater. A yellow orb encrusted with citrine crystals smelled of hair tonic. The clear cube beside it was a strong lilac perfume.
The back of my throat was burning by the time I went through a third of the containers. I coughed into my arm, eyes watering as I reached for a small lavender spray bottle. There was a row of them in the back, all identical. I inhaled. My fingers tingled with warmth when I recognized the scent.
Cedar and spices.
I peeked into the vial, as if the clear liquid would tell me something. There was barely enough to cover the bottom. I closed my eyes and gave it another whiff, inhaling deeper this time. Ghostly arms twined around my waist, holding me against a strong chest.
I opened my eyes. The sensation faded. What was Celeste doing with Bennett’s fragrance? I stilled as I watched the lamplight flicker off the lavender bottle. The narrow body. The amethyst studded cap. Celeste had brought it with her the night I lost my magic. It wasn’t fragrance.
It was her throat spray.
I capped it and stuffed it into my pocket, although a part of me longed to keep smelling it. Had Celeste somehow reformulated her mother’s sickleweed potion into something that expelled outward instead of taking her own magic? My mind raced. I wasn’t familiar with all the possibilities of witch magic, but it only made sense. I was halfway out of the room when I realized what it meant.
The thing I desired most at the moment was Bennett.
My heart jumped treacherously at the thought of him. I turned back into the room.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I muttered to myself. This wasn’t some romance novel where the female lead does little else but yearn endlessly for her lost love. Perhaps cedar was popular among throat spray formulators.
There had to be something else hiding in the rest of Celeste’s lotions and sprays. I would know what the scent of defeating Celeste smelled like once it presented itself.
I was about to uncap an aquamarine bottle when footsteps came from down the hall. I cursed, hastily putting it back. From the sliver of space between the door and doorframe, I spotted Celeste in deep conversation with someone.
The hallway was shadowy enough. Without a moment’s hesitation, I slipped outside and ducked beneath Giselle’s tapestry before Celeste could turn.
Giselle gave me a wide-eyed stare, which I returned. There was no chance of moving now. Hopefully, Celeste wouldn’t notice how lumpy the tapestry was.
The footsteps drew closer.
“You’ve made a very dangerous decision coming back here,” the singer said. She had dropped her sugary sweet act, opting for a lower, menacing tone.
“I’m dedicated to this cause as much as you are.”
I stiffened at the sound of Dominic’s voice. What was he doing here? He should be on his way to Delibera.
“Touching,” Celeste said airily. “Aren’t you afraid of the guards seeing you?”
“They have no reason to seek me out when they think I’m detained,” Dominic said.
“What do you want? Rehearsal is starting soon.”
“Nothing from you. I have unfinished business.”
“Not with Lady Narcissa, I hope.” Celeste scoffed after a moment of silence. “She is a witch, Dominic. I don’t understand why you can’t get that into your thick head.”
“Shewasa witch. Now she’s perfectly normal,” came his reply.
I trembled. Giselle squeezed my hand.
“Thanks to me.” The door opened, then shut. I strained to hear, but their voices were muffled by the thick tapestry, and now a wall. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I stepped out.
“Narcissa, what are you doing?” Giselle hissed.
“Eavesdropping,” I mouthed back. “Stay.”
She frowned and made a series of hand motions and faces I barely understood before ducking back into her hiding place.
I pressed my ear to the door, my muscles tense.
