Chapter 30:

Before I even noticed, a week had flown by.

Axel hadn’t showed up in Lind during that time, and Annabel was nowhere to be seen either. I wondered if Axel had called her back or if something had happened to her. Either way, there was nothing I could do. If something had happened to her, what was I supposed to do - tell Seb and Leia that Axel’s wife, their long-dead friend, had been here as a spirit just a few days ago? They’d think I was a lunatic. No, I couldn’t share that information with anyone except Axel. I’d have to keep it to myself until he showed up.

On the other hand, Axel not appearing during all this time was also questionable. Was this all a trap? Was he setting me up, and I was just foolishly waiting here for my demise? But then again, Seb and Leia seemed like genuinely good people – people I highly doubted would want to harm me or Ren.

Seb’s treatment of Ren had progressed greatly. Her arm had almost returned to its original color, and last night, while still unconscious, I could’ve sworn I saw her move her index finger.

Meanwhile, Seb had been actively teaching me a lot about herbology and even a bit of alchemy. It seemed like we were learning together. He gradually began incorporating me into his work, and I started acting like his assistant, gaining practical knowledge. At the same time, I continued reading Elbloom’s Compendium, eventually finishing it and a few other books. Seb was so intrigued by my eidetic memory that he kept quizzing me on things he’d said or things I’d read - sometimes just to get a laugh.

Seb also took me to the tailor, Bog, to get new clothes for both Ren and me. At first, I told him I couldn’t agree to that since I didn’t have the money to pay, but he just waved it off, saying he’d cover everything - which only made me more uncomfortable. Eventually, and clearly to ease my mind, he said that Axel would pay him back for all the expenses related to Ren and me.

“Go crazy, kid.” He said, his grin widening. “Let’s get the most expensive things in the shop. Bane’s paying for everything.”

“Seb...” Leia muttered softly. “He’s our friend. Don’t be like that.”

Seb rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay. Then let’s get the second most expensive thing.”

While Leia picked out something for Ren, Seb and Bog helped me choose my new clothes. Since we were still on the run, I refused anything that might restrict my movement, and in the end, we settled on something simple. Just a black jacket over a buttoned white short, paired with black trousers and matching black boots.

“Would you look at you now.” Seb said, eyeing me in my new attire. “I’m glad you’re finally out of my clothes. They looked so baggy on you. Now you look like a proper gentleman.”

It's funny he would say that as it couldn't be further from the truth.

I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn’t shake the feeling that, aside from the jacket, my new outfit looked awfully similar to Elandor’s. It made me wonder if that was why I’d subconsciously chosen it.

At the tailor, we also ran into Den, who immediately made his way toward us, making it clear this wasn’t a chance encounter - he had been looking for this conversation.

“Hey, Den.” Seb greeted him, while Leia’s eyes darted everywhere but toward Den. It again made me wonder how she’d manage to stand up for me against this man, yet now she couldn’t even look at him.

Den glanced at Leia, his expression softer than his usual grumpiness. It seemed like he wanted to say something to her, but eventually, he turned to Seb. “Hello, Sebastian.”

“Can we help you with something?” Seb asked calmly, his tone respectful, indicating he had a lot of regard for the man.

Den shrugged and sighed deeply. “I see that our friend’s friend is still here.” He looked at me before turning his gaze back to Seb. “Should we expect something?”

Seb exchanged a glance with me, subtly reminding me of our agreement not to mention Axel’s supposed upcoming visit, then turned to Den. “Not that we know of. Ren, Luca’s friend, is still under my care. He’ll remain our guest until she recovers.”

Den sighed again. “Surely, there’s more to it.”

Before Seb could respond, Leia spoke up, her tone far more aggressive than I’d ever heard from her. “Oh, there’s nothing more. Will you stop already?” She stormed out of the shop without waiting for a response.

The tension between the two was palpable and I left me wondering.

Instead of anger, Den looked disappointed, and Seb was the one to apologize. “I’m sorry, Den – “

“Don’t worry.” Den cut him off. “I’m used to it.”

As we left the shop, I considered asking Seb about the interaction, but decided against it. I didn’t want to shove my nose into other people’s business, just as I wouldn’t want them prying into mine.

After completely abandoning my plan to steal Seb’s ring and deciding to stay at least until he healed Ren, I also tried to learn more about magic from Leia, though she was much tougher to crack than Seb.

Whenever I wasn’t helping Seb, I sought her out and offered help with whatever chores she had, hoping to get closer to her. I knew I’d need to be patient and build trust slowly, so I continued asking her about various magical inventions I found around the house or other clearly magical objects she carried when she returned home. She was always talkative when it came to magic, and I knew I’d have to exploit that fact to get what I wanted.

I also kept up with my training, increasing the distance I ran each morning and adding more strength exercises. I often saw Olen, Den, and their group running as well. Den continued ignoring my existence. Sometimes, Olen would abandon his friends and join me, trying to make conversation. I entertained his attempts since his questions were usually mundane and didn’t delve into my past, though I had yet to agree to his invitation to join them for their nightly outings.

Today, I was helping Seb with his latest attempt at creating a universal antidote in the workshop. The familiar scent of herbs filled the air, but now the sound of bubbling joined in as he placed a medium-sized block of sunstone granite under a small cauldron, heating the liquid inside.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Can you bring me the jar of dried elderflower?” Seb asked. “It should be on the – “

“Way ahead of you.” I said, handing him the jar. He smiled.

He carefully measured a portion of the elderflower and added it to the simmering pot.

“Now, tell me, what are the primary uses of elderflower in herbology?” he asked.

“Elderflower, similar to yarrow root, is primarily used for its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties.” I recited from memory. “It’s often used in remedies for colds, flu, and sinus infections.”

Seb glanced up at me with a smile. “Correct. And what about its applications in skincare?”

“It has astringent properties, so it’s used in toners and lotions to soothe and heal the skin.” I answered, feeling a sense of pride at his approving nod.

“Excellent.” Seb said, turning back to the cauldron. “Now, I need you to fetch the dragon scales and grind them into a fine powder. They’re in the drawer next to the herbs.”

“The what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Seb chuckled and rolled his eyes. “The wyvern scales, okay? Does that sound better?”

I let out a short laugh at his reaction. “Much better.”

I found the scales and sat on the floor, grinding them with a mortar and pestle. As I worked, Seb kept quizzing me about various herbs and their uses. Each correct answer seemed to please him, and I felt my confidence growing.

We bonded greatly over the past week - more than I expected. Seb had seemed like the no-nonsense type, a quality I appreciated, and found him easy to talk to. He, on the other hand, seemed excited to have someone to share his work with, as Leia barely ever entered the workshop. I never told him I was just a simple thief, fearing it would ruin the image he had of me, and surprisingly, he stopped asking me personal questions.

“Hey, Seb.” I said after a moment of silence.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“Why are you really interested in creating this universal antidote?” I asked, trying to understand his motives. He didn’t seem in it for money, and he was already somewhat famous, so that didn’t seem to be the reason either.

“It’s pretty simple.” He answered. “I just want to save the world.”

I chuckled. “For real?”

“Yes.” He nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “A universal antidote could save countless lives. It’s a lofty goal, but one I believe is worth pursuing.”

It sounded like a noble goal, and it made me think about my own. For now, my focus was on protecting Ren and myself, but I remembered my conversation with the imaginary version of Elandor in Vedem. I had told myself back then that I’d find more reasons to live as I moved forward. Could helping people like this be something I could live for? I wasn’t sure.

“Why did you become a healer in the first place?” I asked. “Were you just following your parents’ footsteps, or...?”

“Well, my parents definitely raised me to become a healer like them, but...” he paused. “I don’t think I’ve ever regretted it.”

“Not even once?”

“I mean, I grew up wanting to save lives. That desire led me to acquire the skills I use every day to do just that. Does it matter if this desire wasn’t born naturally in me, but rather instilled by my parents’ strict upbringing? The fact is, I’m using what I learned to save actual lives.” He said. “I don’t think there’s anything to regret.”

I nodded at his words. “Would you say that saving lives is your reason to live?”

He chuckled again. “That’s a deep one. What’s gotten into you today?”

“Entertain me.” I said, a weak smile on my face.

“Very well.” He nodded. “I don’t know if it’s the reason, but it’s definitely one of them. Some mornings, it feels like it is. Other times, I’m reminded I have other reasons as well.”

“Such as?”

He raised his hand and pointed to his wedding ring. “Leia, of course.”

I smiled softly at his words and instinctively looked at the unconscious Ren.

Seb obviously got the wrong idea. “Don’t worry, your girlfriend will wake up eventually. I’ll make sure of it.”

I could feel my cheeks turning red. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Right.” Seb said, teasing. “But I bet you’d want her to be, no?”

“W-Well, I wouldn’t necessarily be against it, but then again, I don’t even know what she thinks of me, and after everything that happened – “ I started blabbering, and thnakfully Seb stopped me with an uncharacteristic laugh.

“Relax. Everything will work out in the end.” He said, a genuine smile on his face. “It always does.”

I watched Seb as he stirred the liquid in the cauldron and thought about how, even though it was still early to tell, he and Leia seemed different from anyone I’d encountered in the last month and a half. Leia was mostly quiet, but it was clear worried about us in her own unique way. While Seb’s kindness and dedication to his work were inspiring, and I realized I was starting to trust him more each day.

I handed him the powdered wyvern scales, and he added them to the mix in the cauldron.

“Listen.” I began, sharing an insight I’d been having about his work. “I’ve been thinking about the universal antidote. We’ve tried different components over the past few days, and they didn’t work. What if, instead of changing the ingredients, we focus on the methods?”

“Oh.” Seb looked thoughtful. “What did you have in mind?”

“We’ve mainly used direct extraction for the moonflower petals, yarrow root, elderflower and goldenrod.” I said. “What if we try a different method of extraction? Maybe cold infusion?”

He smiled. “I can hear bits of the compendium coming through you.”

I smiled back. “Well, it was Elbloom’s favorite extraction method.”

Seb nodded. “True. And I already thought of that as well. The problem is, I don’t have an aquamarine here. I ordered one a while ago from some contrabandists, but the caravan that was supposed to deliver it got attacked by that damned ignifera.”

I recalled the ignifera - a being which Olen described to me when I got here. A creature made of dark fire that attacked caravans passing through the forest roads.

“Any word from the military?” I asked.

Seb shook his head. “Complete silence.”

Before he could say more, the unmistakeable sound of trumpets blared outside, cutting through the morning air.

I jumped, my heart racing. The trumpets were loud, a sound that usually signaled something significant – or worse, something official.

We’d been found. That had to be it.

Fear gripped me, but I did my best to hide it, not wanting Seb to see how terrified I really was.

Seb furrowed his brow and shrugged. “Guess it’s for me.”

I tried to maintain a calm demeanor, though every fibre of my being screamed at me to run.

“For you?” I asked, my voice only slightly betraying my nerves.

Seb looked at me, visibly puzzled by my reaction. “Yes. It’s probably a messenger from the Baron’s estate. They usually use trumpets to announce their arrival. It’s a bit grandiose for my taste, but the Baron likes to maintain appearances, so who am I to judge?”

My mind raced. A messenger from the Baron could mean trouble. If Alaric Belton spread the word out and they’d found out that we were here...

Seb stepped closer, a reassuring look in his eyes. “You seem anxious. There’s no need to worry. They probably just need me to treat someone at the Baron’s estate. It happens from time to time.”

I forced a nod, hoping my face didn’t betray my inner turmoil.

The trumpets blared again, followed by the sound of hoofbeats approaching the house.

“I’ll go see what they want.” Seb said, turning to head for the door, leaving me standing in the middle of the workshop.

I immediately moved closer to Ren, preparing to run if they were really here for us.

Moments later, Seb returned with a stern-looking man dressed in elaborate clothing following behind him. The man’s eyes scanned the room, pausing briefly on me before turning back to Seb.

“Didn’t know you had an apprentice, Seb.” The man said.

Seb glanced at me with a smile before looking back at the man. “Figured it was time to get one, so here he is.”

The man nodded calmly as if greeting me, before turning back to Seb. “Anyway, the Baron requests your presence immediately. It’s an urgent matter.”

Seb nodded. “I understand. I’ll be ready in a moment.”

He glanced at me as he packed a small bag with herbs and potions, then took his turquoise ring from the drawer. “Looks like you’ll have some time to study alone.”

“Apprentice?” I whispered, surprised by his previous words.

He smiled. “Might as well, right?”

He gave me a pat on the shoulder before leaving with the herald.

My heart was still pounding, but I was relieved the attention wasn’t on me.

As Seb and the herald left the house, I sank into his chair, my mind still racing. I had managed to keep my fear hidden, but the encounter was a grim reminder of our situation. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down - not even for a moment.

A knock on the door startled me, but it was just Leia.

She peeked into the workshop, speaking shyly. “Um...since Seb had to leave, would you help me prepare lunch?”