Verra of Wolves by Blake Thunderport

Author:Blake Thunderport [Thunderport, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

12. Family

Claire demanded to be left asleep when I tried waking her, but an urge to stay hindered me from walking to my tower.

I scanned her room, sitting down on one corner of the bed. Three bottles labelled with numbers instead of names stood on the nightstand. Her medicine, I figured, since they produced it themselves.

While she slept, I dared to sniff on the medicine and tried to distinguish the compounds. The first bottle was the most obvious. It was lavender to calm her. I held the second bottle under my nose and discovered Yipi flower essence. The third smell was strange, an intensely earthy scent that burned my nostrils. I tapped some of it on a handkerchief and stuffed it inside my pocket. My fingers tingled again, I had to find out the truth about Claire’s medicine.

“Lady Volkov?” Loyra cracked open the door. “Doctor Di Centi awaits you for brunch.”

I stepped outside and witnessed Elvora sneaking out of Tonio’s room. Her smile held satisfaction, and her stare followed me while I walked down the stairs.

Loyra guided me to the dining room, and I recognised that by Doctor she meant their father.

“Please,” he said, “take a seat, dearest.” He pointed his palm to the seat on his left. The only visible differences between him and his children were his moustache and a pair of thick glasses in a silver frame.

Sweet breakfast pastry and hearty dishes with meats waited on the round table. Instinctively, I searched for a soup. My eyes lit up when a maid approached us, carrying a steaming pot.

I bowed down to him and sat down with my hands placed on my lap while he ordered the maid to fill my bowl with broth.

“Forgive me for waking you up, I just couldn’t wait to meet you,” he said. But I didn’t mind since I’d slept longer than I usually would.

“Thank you, for inviting me into your home.”

The way he smiled at me reminded me of my grandfather and I found comfort quickly, especially after getting a whiff of my meal.

“I remember Gerogy’s love for chicken broth,” he said and poured some of it in his bowl. He didn’t allow the waiters to serve him. If I had to describe his attitude in one word, it would’ve been humble.

I nodded to him and enjoyed the first spoon with a slice of bread.

Doctor Di Centi laughed with his hand on his chest, watching me. “He always did that.” He pointed at the drowned bits of bread. “I certainly expected your hair to be radish-red, too.”

We reminisced about him, during which Doctor Di Centi asked at least a hundred questions about me, my powers and my goal at the academy.

I answered as shortly and honestly as possible.

“Well, if you’re interested in alchemy, we could make you an intern at the apothecary,” he theorised. “You could become a Doctor, too, if you study a little longer. What if we arranged a marriage between you two? What would Gerogy say to that? What

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