The Unknown Alchemist

Chapter 16 - Triggers

After days in bed regaining her strength, Avery studied her reflection in the bathing room mirror, the steam of her shower fading from the sides. The Cabin did not have a mirror.

Her long auburn hair was combed out and hung down past her shoulders in a dark curtain. There was a small crook in her lip and her nose didn't look entirely straight. Compared to the perfect sapiens she felt like she was pieced together with leftovers. While there were no dark circles under her eyes anymore her face looked slightly hollow and pale from so many days lying in bed.

She turned to the side and looked over her shoulder to get glimpse of her back. Her stomach clenched at the sight of the patchwork of scars. They travelled up her shoulders and even crossed over to the back of her arms in places. The pattern could almost be considered beautiful, like a work of art. Avery swallowed the bile back down and turned away from the mirror.

Sari was standing by the wardrobe rifling through the hangers when Avery stepped out of the bathroom wearing only the towel. The sapien frowned at the clothes, unsatisfied with the selection.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sari apologised. "I should have knocked and waited outside. I guess I'm not used to you being up and about on your own."

"It's alright, I appreciate your help." Avery approached the wardrobe and looked at the clothes hanging there. A rainbow of colours overwhelmed her vision and her breath caught for a moment as she took in the options. She ran her fingers across the fabrics, her calloused hands unable to fully appreciate the fine cloth and craftwork there. There were shirts and pants, sweaters, skirts, dresses for all temperatures and occasions.

Sari pulled off a short dress and held it up in front of Avery, the frown returning to her face.

"Hmm. Seems we're going to have to get these tailored to fit a human body. You're a bit shorter and stouter than Niamh." Sari shrugged. "I'll send these out first thing tomorrow, but for supper tonight this dress will do fine. It's just family anyway," she concluded and pulled it off the rack to help Avery slide it on.

Avery glanced at herself in the wardrobe mirror, her knobby knees covered by the too-long skirt. She wetted her lips.

"Um 'family' seems to have a rather lose definition around here. Who's coming?" The idea of a crowd was not appealing.

Sari chuckled. "Fair enough! An alpha's pack can be made up of all sorts of people. But tonight it's just Roedin, Adelyn, and Arctos. Hayden and Niamh are away on business right now."

Avery exhaled in relief, scanning her memory for Roedin's descriptions of these people. Sari handed her a pair of light slip-on shoes and then led the way to the door.

"Ember Place may be busy but we actually have only a handful of staff," Sari explained as they walked. "Cora is the housekeeper and true master of the house—she keeps us all in line. And we have Nicholas, the most wonderful cook in the world. Thank the Ancestors for that, because no one else around here is very good in the kitchen."

Sari chatted on, talking about the alpha house known as Ember Place, and how everyone in the pack had their own room even though they also kept their own homes in town. Avery listened with half an ear, distracted by the beautifully rich carpet and paintings spaced between the various bedrooms. The house was not ostentatious but definitely large enough accommodate several guests. They walked out to a balcony that looked down over a high-ceilinged foyer and a grand staircase leading to the front landing. Lively chatter leaked out of the dining room to the side of the foyer.

The long dining table was clearly designed for larger gatherings so they had clustered the place settings at the far end, close to an unlit fireplace. A trio of people stood by the open window that looked out on to a quiet cobblestone street. Beside Roedin was a female with long blonde hair that hung off her shoulders in waves. She wore a flowing blue shirt and tight pants that stopped at her ankles with simple sandals.