Stealing Sorcery by Andrew Rowe

Author:Andrew Rowe [Rowe, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Coming of Age, Epic, Sword & Sorcery, Metaphysical & Visionary
Amazon: B016IPJ1R8
Published: 2016-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter XVI – Jonan IV – Stealth

“Find the cinderglow extract, would you?” Jonan gingerly held the crystalline flask as far from his face as possible, trying not to inhale the acrid odor it was emanating. He tilted the vial in his right hand just slightly, allowing a steady stream of green liquid to trickle into the blueish fluid in the flask. The sizzling sound at the contact between the fluids made him wince, but he retained his grip.

The left side of the work table held dozens of other mixtures and concoctions, each sealed and labeled based on their ingredients. The right side had a large bowl – currently empty – and several small vials with samples of assorted poisons.

“Am I one of your servants now?” Nakane complained, searching through the jars on a nearby shelf. “And I still don’t think cinderglow is going to have any effect.”

“It might not, but it’s one of the only counteragents we haven’t tried yet.”

Nakane sighed aggressively, snatching a jar from the shelf and bringing it to another nearby table. Lifting a knife, she began to cut away at the wax seal around the rim. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Jonan chuckled. “What makes you say that?”

“You haven’t stopped grinning like an idiot in the last hour.”

He shrugged, spilling a tiny bit of the flask’s precious liquid onto the table. “Shit!” He set down the flask on a dry spot nearby and fumbled for the cork for the vial of dreamseed oil. As he corked the vial, he could see the few drops of spilled fluid burning into the metal. Cursing, he replaced the vial among its allies and grabbed a flask of water, pouring it onto the burning metal.

Jonan sighed as the burning ceased, leaving a puddle and a trail of awkward rents in the metallic barrier on the table. “Well,” he conceded, “I suppose we probably wouldn’t have wanted to drink that one.”

Nakane folded her arms. “You’re still trying the cinderglow. I’ve already opened it.” She picked up the container and set it down on the table near his flask. “And clean up my table.”

Jonan rolled his eyes, wiping his hands on his pants. “Yes, Lady Theas.” He went to a nearby cupboard, opened it, and fetched a towel from within.

“Doesn’t this seem like an exercise in futility to you? Even if you find an antidote to the poison that killed Kae, it’s extraordinarily unlikely the assassin would be foolish enough to use it a second time.”

Jonan shook his head, sopping up the mixture of water and his most recently failed counteragent. “It doesn’t matter. I mean, well, it does matter – it would be better if the assassin does use the same poison. Or, rather, it would be the most ideal if he never attacks again at all, but –”

“You just want to be as prepared as possible. That’s admirable; I just don’t think this is a meaningful use of effort.”

Jonan set down the towel, rinsing his hands in a nearby bowl of fresh water, and then pouring the now-tainted water into the nearby sink.

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