The Shadows of the Four Realms [BOOK TWO]

CHAPTER 16 - Of an Alchemist

Rooted on the doorway, he was numb with shock and flashes of the past. She had seen him in the dungeons, tranced and dazed. And he had seen her, tattered and lifeless. Following orders after orders. Pretending to be slaved. Trying to help Nova escape numerous of times but all in vain. A wild gust of wind billowed around Nova, as the pain in his body and soul collapsed onto each other.

The fact that she had played a significant part in his rescue, giving Doran's reckless mission a clear direction, when he had entered the dungeon under a winter mountain like a man possessed, made Nova's heart tighten with feelings he couldn't name.

Her smile faltered a little, as if reading his mind and that snapped Nova into action.

"It's good to see you too, Miss Joanna." He approached her table and gestured the man and woman by her side to not bow. In the Alchemical workrooms the crown could wait. "What might you be working on at such late hours, if I might ask?"

She smiled and shirked away the awkwardness with a swift flair of her floral gown, smoothing down the apron tied around her middle and tapped her fingers on the pages of an ancient book. "The old cook's daughter is down with scarlet fever and to add into the troubles she seems to have an aversion to fluxweed."

"Did you find an alternative, then?" he asked. Without fluxweed, it would be difficult to make a healing draught for a kid.

"Hopefully," she said. "We were just about to find out." She moved towards the two helpers and gestured for him to have a closer look.

A mechanical device, with six vial holders in place, moved up and down in rapid motions, giving a thorough shake to the bluish grey draught inside. Then rotated in a wide circle to complete the stirring. Interesting.

"What is this device? I don't recall seeing it..."

Because you were in a dungeon for two years!

"This is a new invention. Came straight from one of the villages of the western island, a year ago to be precise. It was simply called as stirring device. Such a bland name for something so ingenious, is it not?"

Nova gave an impressed nod. "Brilliant, this one. Anything else I might have missed?"

She looked thoughtful, then opened a drawer of the table she was standing next to, pulling out a small wooden rectangular object. Tapping on a small lever attached at the bottom, she put it on Nova's outstretched hand. Mesmerized, he turned the object in his palm and three blades protruded from its stomach on either side. One tiny needle, a knife, a screw, and another hammer for smaller nails, a mini scalpel and lastly a stirring spoon.

"All in one!" Nova breathed in awe.

"Saves the daily headache truly. I always lose all the needles right when I need them. Bless the genius who made these. You can keep that one, if you want."

He pocketed it instantly, glad that he didn't require to visit an Autumn market to buy one.

She stopped the lever of the device, unmounted the vials and explained the six variations she had tried with the same draught. Listening to her talk so casually, as if nothing had ever happened, as if they hadn't been lying in dungeons naught but three months ago, eased up a part of his aching heart. The last thing he needed was to relive the past. Perhaps the feeling was mutual for them both.

Afterwhile, when the draughts were mixed and segregated with a seal of assurance that there would be no corollary effects, the helpers vacated the room with one stoppered vial of blue potion, Miss Joanna looked at him pleasantly. "So, what's gotten inside your curious head this time? I'm not even surprised that you are here in the dead of the night."