her hands in a bowl. Cecile joined them at the table when Cassandra returned.
“Can you remember the ingredients, Nin?” Cassandra asked.
“You used hops for sleeping, valerian to make the sleep sweet, and lemon balm to help his muscles relax while he rests.” She laughed with pride, for she’d remembered them all. “And honey, for he has a sweet tooth.”
“Well done, Nin. With training, you will make a fine herbalist.”
Cassandra’s smile gave her a further glow.
Tab arrived with a tray. They sat together to eat slices of bread and tangy cheese, early apples and plums from the castle’s orchards.
While they ate, Cassandra took the small cauldron from its hook on the hearth. The lady brought the pot over to the table, and Cecile and Tab, like Nin, studied the bubbling greenish contents.
“This is what it should look like, Nin. The last step is simply to strain the brew into a cup, then we leave it to cool. Cassandra strained the mixture into a large silver goblet. Steam swirled above the cup. “While you ladies talk, I’ll go and find out when the Mage is likely to need it.”
The lady’s skirt swished as she walked to the door.
Nin half wished she could stay here, like the others, to find out more about all the herbs and their uses, but her place was with Thabit. The mark made her his, and she could not still the ache of hope in her heart that he would accept her.
She sighed and picked up another sweet, purple-skinned plum. Perhaps all this was the “more” Alicia had meant, but if it were, then everything seemed much more complicated than her friend from the village could have guessed.
Chapter 10
His discussion with Lord Farel finished, Thabit entered the large chamber prepared for him by Cassandra and her students. He was comfortable in the familiar room, as he had worked here each time he scried. The wooden floor’s well-polished boards glowed. The table held all he would need. Candles sat in place in tall, elaborate, wrought iron holders.
Perfect.
A large tray of incense stood ready, and at his thought, smoldered to life. After he took several deep breaths of the sweet, calming smoke, he traced out the space in which he would work. That done, he set out the stones, the crystals, a small bowl of fiery cones, and the dish of water. Each he laid down, with his reverence, beneath their candle sconces.
The fat beeswax candles added their honeyed sweetness to the room, and with his glance, all flickered to life. He took up his place to meditate and ponder the questions Lord Farel posed.
Where would the next attack on the land come? Would who launch it?
Farel seemed convinced Cassandra’s visions and his own, as he’d described to his lordship, were linked. He had also decided these were signs of an attack on the eastern borders by the aggressive, slaving, military rulers of the Hasenites.
Though Lord Farel was usually an astute commander, on this occasion Thabit doubted the lord’s judgment. It was understandable perhaps that Lord Farel had fallen back on his normal expectations, rather than make use of what little information they had gathered.
The Hasenite realm had suffered repeated bouts of a strange plague in recent years and though the Magean council of his homeland had sent aid at the request of their chief priest, still the Hasenite population suffered. Perhaps to the point their forces were depleted enough to prevent any military action. They had been quiet for near six moons.
The danger did not come from that warlike nation.
More might come from this scrying than Lord Farel believed. Perhaps more than he anticipated himself. Maybe whatever visions he received would help the doubts in his mind and convince his lordship to think again.
The sun moved through noon while his thoughts settled. The distractions of the day left him. As ever, the faint hope he would once again commune with the immortals hovered at the back of his thoughts. He squashed the desire, for
“Can you remember the ingredients, Nin?” Cassandra asked.
“You used hops for sleeping, valerian to make the sleep sweet, and lemon balm to help his muscles relax while he rests.” She laughed with pride, for she’d remembered them all. “And honey, for he has a sweet tooth.”
“Well done, Nin. With training, you will make a fine herbalist.”
Cassandra’s smile gave her a further glow.
Tab arrived with a tray. They sat together to eat slices of bread and tangy cheese, early apples and plums from the castle’s orchards.
While they ate, Cassandra took the small cauldron from its hook on the hearth. The lady brought the pot over to the table, and Cecile and Tab, like Nin, studied the bubbling greenish contents.
“This is what it should look like, Nin. The last step is simply to strain the brew into a cup, then we leave it to cool. Cassandra strained the mixture into a large silver goblet. Steam swirled above the cup. “While you ladies talk, I’ll go and find out when the Mage is likely to need it.”
The lady’s skirt swished as she walked to the door.
Nin half wished she could stay here, like the others, to find out more about all the herbs and their uses, but her place was with Thabit. The mark made her his, and she could not still the ache of hope in her heart that he would accept her.
She sighed and picked up another sweet, purple-skinned plum. Perhaps all this was the “more” Alicia had meant, but if it were, then everything seemed much more complicated than her friend from the village could have guessed.
Chapter 10
His discussion with Lord Farel finished, Thabit entered the large chamber prepared for him by Cassandra and her students. He was comfortable in the familiar room, as he had worked here each time he scried. The wooden floor’s well-polished boards glowed. The table held all he would need. Candles sat in place in tall, elaborate, wrought iron holders.
Perfect.
A large tray of incense stood ready, and at his thought, smoldered to life. After he took several deep breaths of the sweet, calming smoke, he traced out the space in which he would work. That done, he set out the stones, the crystals, a small bowl of fiery cones, and the dish of water. Each he laid down, with his reverence, beneath their candle sconces.
The fat beeswax candles added their honeyed sweetness to the room, and with his glance, all flickered to life. He took up his place to meditate and ponder the questions Lord Farel posed.
Where would the next attack on the land come? Would who launch it?
Farel seemed convinced Cassandra’s visions and his own, as he’d described to his lordship, were linked. He had also decided these were signs of an attack on the eastern borders by the aggressive, slaving, military rulers of the Hasenites.
Though Lord Farel was usually an astute commander, on this occasion Thabit doubted the lord’s judgment. It was understandable perhaps that Lord Farel had fallen back on his normal expectations, rather than make use of what little information they had gathered.
The Hasenite realm had suffered repeated bouts of a strange plague in recent years and though the Magean council of his homeland had sent aid at the request of their chief priest, still the Hasenite population suffered. Perhaps to the point their forces were depleted enough to prevent any military action. They had been quiet for near six moons.
The danger did not come from that warlike nation.
More might come from this scrying than Lord Farel believed. Perhaps more than he anticipated himself. Maybe whatever visions he received would help the doubts in his mind and convince his lordship to think again.
The sun moved through noon while his thoughts settled. The distractions of the day left him. As ever, the faint hope he would once again commune with the immortals hovered at the back of his thoughts. He squashed the desire, for
Similar Books
