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“It makes it look like it’s killed you, but then it heals you back,” says Amity, a proud grin planted on her face. “Helpful if you ever need to fake your death.”
I glance at Marcus, who shrugs his shoulders and places his palms sky-up. “Believe me, I was also skeptical. Until Amity managed to outsmart all of us, including the man trying to overthrow the King of Avelea.”
Amity crosses her arms. “That’s not really a compliment, since James is an idiot.”
Marcus lets out a deep, bellowing laugh, but coughs soon punctuate the pleasant sound. He excuses himself, claiming his throat is dry.
As he limps away, Amity’s eyes trace his steps.
“He’s better some days than others, but sometimes I think he’s faking being better. He used to pick me up and put me on his shoulders,” she says, little emotion in her voice. “He says I’m getting too big for it now, but I know that’s not true, because I’ve grown minimally since the last time he did it, and he only stopped after Abra poisoned him.”
My mouth grasps for a response, but what am I supposed to say to a child who’s watching her parent die slowly?
I suppose I could tell her he’s going to be fine, but Amity seems too sharp to be fooled by that. Besides, it’s always felt icky to me when people treat children like they’re undeserving of the truth. Like somehow their age and immaturity makes it okay to lie to them.
So I just settle on, “I bet if he could pick you up, he would.”
Amity gives me a long, assessing look, then nods her head in agreement.
“There’s more than just the ressuroot paste in there. The greenish paste is for if you get a fungus between your toes. There’s also mandrake in there, which is supposed to be an aphrodisiac. I haven’t been able to find what that means in my books, but—”
“And ressuroot paste if I need to fake my death. Got it,” I say, eager to end this conversation with haste. As important as it is to me to be honest with children, that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to explain what an aphrodisiac is if I can get away with it. And there is no way in Alondria I’ll be shoving a knife into my chest coated with resurrection paste mixed by a child—no matter how highly it comes recommended.
CHAPTER 23
PIPER
The familiar scents of winter pine and rose leaf waft over me as Abra and I ascend into the Kobii mountains. The carriage rocks against the jagged terrain of the very path I traveled with Marcus and Amity not so long ago.
Marcus.
I close my eyes, trying to breathe in his scent, trying to comfort myself with his memory.
Marcus is going to die, and I’ll never get to feel the warmth of his arms holding me against his sturdy chest.
He’s going to die, because I won’t do what Abra asked.
I can only hope I can keep her away from them long enough for Amity to find a cure for him. That’s Abra’s mistake, after all. She doesn’t know about Amity. About the child’s gift. It isn’t at all like the ones that the queen and I both possess.
Amity’s gift is innate. Not the magical sort. It lies in the way her brilliant mind whirrs, making connections others can’t see.
Or maybe it simply lies within her interest in the topic.
I’ve always wondered about that. Whether people make great strides in research because they possess superior intellect, or because they derive so much joy from the topic of study, spend so much time delving into it, they simply can’t help but make discoveries.
Whatever the reason is for Amity’s prodigy-level skills with potions and medicines, I can only hope they’ll serve her well enough to save Marcus.
My legs itch to stretch, to run, to climb through these mountains and feel the weighty resistance of the incline against my thighs and bones.
Instead, we rattle up the spine of the mountain range like a roach on a log.
Black velvet lines the seats of the coach, making the queen’s paleness even more stark, giving her a sickly look.
“Are you going to tell me what you want from me?” I ask, rubbing at the chafing my restraints cause at my wrists. They remind me of the time I spent a prisoner in Kev’s cabin before I knew Marcus was coming to free me.
I don’t particularly enjoy things that remind me of that time.
The queen raises her brow. “You’ll find out when we arrive.”
