A Scent of Chaos | ONC 2024

Chapter Eight

"Have you tried adding a blanket of shadow around the outside of the illusion?" I suggested. "It would stop anyone from being able to see through it."

The Head Perfumer tapped his fingers on the desk while he considered my proposal. "I've thought about it, but I want the trees to continue as if the forest is never-ending."

Grabbing a notebook from an unsorted pile beside me, I flipped to a blank page to start making notes about what needed to be included. "I'll give it a go and see what I come up with."

The forest around us faded as I prepared to start, the remains of the perfume wearing away.

"Are you okay to try yet? If I have to carry you to the infirmary again, people will be starting all sorts of rumours. The new Head Perfumer is evil and likes to work his hired help to death. Corvin Pethra loves to carry Elvira because there are sparks of romance in the air. I can hear them now."

"Have you not heard the current ones yet?" They had earned me more stares when I entered the emporium. At least this time I knew what they were for which was much better than not knowing about the promotion thief.

"I don't believe I have." His eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Indulge me."

"Corvin Pethra saved Elvira Grythras from the clutches of death! He's so heroic! The new saviour of the Velux Emporium." I didn't know how much of it was true considering most of what I had heard had come from Nalyn who was dying to have Corvin's arms around her. My source was undeniably biased.

"Is that all? Do keep going. I'm enjoying this."

With a roll of my eyes, I kicked him under the desk. "If you want more, you can leave the workshop and listen to it yourself. I'm sure plenty of people would give you the praise directly."

Corvin sighed. "If only I didn't have an urgent perfume to make. I would have done exactly that."

I placed the pencil I had borrowed in the pages of the notebook so it would keep my place. "Do you think the castle would take you back? I can write a nice letter to send with you if that would help."

The Head Perfumer grinned. "You're not getting rid of me no matter how hard you try." Before I could pick up the last empty perfume bottle on the desk, he snatched it away and held it close to his chest. "He's serious, though. Is she okay to work today?"

"I'll be fine! I'm not going to push myself and as soon as I feel weak, I'll stop. It won't be anything like yesterday." I held out my hand so the bottle could be returned to me.

"If you say so." He gave it back to me and watched me intently, ready to step in if he needed to.

Forgoing the extra ingredients for colour and scent, I focused all of the magic into a simple, water base. My mind slipped into my usual concentration, ignoring Corvin's concerned stare, picking out the threads of magic in the air around us and weaving them into the water. I found myself focusing on the smaller details — the fallen leaves on the ground that would crunch beneath people's feet, each jagged piece of bark on the trees closest to us — but I forced myself to stop. That was how I would burn through my energy and wind up back in the infirmary again.

I turned my attention to expanding the forest as far as I could, building the area and adding several trees. However, when I felt the cold claws of exhaustion — a plaguing ice — clinging to the edges of my mind, I pulled away immediately. I snatched my hands away from the bottle and tucked them behind me to force myself to stop.

"What's wrong?" Corvin questioned, leaning forward and preparing to rush over to my side if I needed it.

I shook my head with a frown. "Nothing. I'm just more tired than I thought." I had hoped I would be able to get at least one perfume attempt today, but I wasn't even ready for that. What help was I going to be if I couldn't work? There was no chance Corvin would give me the workshop then.