The Elementalists

Chapter 23

   The greenhouse was positively frigid, despite the panels of glass that separated us from the biting wind outside. My chilled, tired body longed to lay in front of the fireplace in the commons. Brisbane fluttered into the room with her arms full of scrolls and books. 

   "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, class," she remarked with a hurry as she gently placed the load on the nearest table. Her skin seemed stretched thin across her facing, which only accentuated the crescent moons of darkness under her eyes.

   "Do you need any help, Professor?" offered Isabelle, a bulky girl with small beady eyes that reminded me of a weasel. 

   
   "No, no. I am quite alright," she said with waving hands. "Now, if you would please take your seats, I will be pairing you in groups of three to complete today's assignment. We will be brewing a common healing potion which can be found in these resources," she motioned to the stack beside her.

   "You may use any of the ingredients in this room. Please begin work after I call out your group." I prayed that I would be with Flora and Jade, although Flora would most definitely want to be with Kozui. The two of them were almost inseparable. I constantly had to remind myself that they had known each other for the duration of the school year, which happened to be only a few months.    

  Jade and I had watched them evolve from strangers to friends to well, whatever they were now. Neither would admit their feelings to the other; each time they were left with reddened cheeks and stammering sentences. 

   Brisbane called out my name in a thin voice. "Yes Professor?" I responded, focusing my attention on her rather than my wandering thoughts. 

   "It would do you well to pay attention. I have called your name three times already." I apologized with a sheepish grin and turned to Jade.

   "All three of us were paired together!" Jade said with a large smile. Flora glanced back at Kozui, who had been paired with a thin boy with large hands and Isabelle, with a forlorn look. He smiled as if to reassure her. She nodded and turned back to us with her usual expression.

   I joined the rest of the room and began to scour the stack of manuscripts that Brisbane had carried in. I picked up a pale blue book with a spindly design that wrapped around its exterior. She had written the name of the potion, Percurio, on the blackboard in the corner of the room. 

   It took a few tries between the three of us, but we finally found the instructions and ingredients for the potion. 

Percurio 

5 parts Tarragon

7 parts Mercury of the Living

3 parts Skullcap

4 parts Dragon Tears

3 parts Rose petals

6 parts Nettles

   A six ingredient potion was child's play, according to Flora at least. I felt lucky to have her in my group, the obscure ingredients slightly confused me. How was I supposed to find something I had never seen, especially among Brisbane's numerous specimens; it seemed impossible. Flora, however, had grown up with a Potion Master, her father. She had been watching him every since she was a child, even helping him with the brewing process at times.

   She carefully picked some dried tarragon from the bundles that hung from the ceiling while explaining what each plant looked like. I knew of roses, and nettles; I slightly remembered hearing of tarragon once or twice, probably from my mother. We brought the ingredients back to the table and observed the liquids that had been placed on the desk in front of us.