“Luci, please,” she said. “Would you mind showing me what you used to treat the prince?”
His smile was comforting, reminding her of nights curled up beside Brielle, reading their favorite stories.
“Of course, are you a student of healing?” he asked as they walked towards his wall of endless ingredients.
“A little,” Luci admitted.
“More than a little.” Brielle chuckled. “She has been making tonics for me all this time. I couldn’t do without her.”
Luci’s cheeks bloomed with heat at the praise, but also inside her heart clenched. Brielle was too honest and open for this world. If the prince’s bride were to go around admitting being prone to illness, it would bring unwanted attention upon her. Some might go so far as to say she was unfit to be queen.
“Just basic things like feverfew, ginger, and turmeric for headaches. Valerian and lavender to relax.” Luci tried.
“How do you combine them?” Hartrich asked.
“Simple mixing, I saw you boiling some. Is there an added benefit?” Luci asked.
“Boiling? Where?” he asked, eyes roaming over the middle station.
The rise in his voice told Luci she’d said the wrong thing, but she pointed to the first fire that sat below a glass bottle that was erupting in angry bubbles of green and purple that warred with each other.
“Damnit,” Hartrich said, moving to the station and turning a dial so the flame turned to a small blue whisper. “There is no benefit to boiling; in fact, it often nullifies the ingredients. I must have forgotten about it when Prince Ira came in. That’s a shame. I spent two days brewing that.”
The liquid inside cooled enough that it was no longer threatening to bubble over. Luci leaned over and breathed in an earthy wintergreen aroma that burned at her nose.
“Willow bark,” she said.
“Yes, it seems it overpowered the mint and lavender that it was mixed with. Meant to help with pain. I find the herbs work together better if you warm them and slowly introduce them over a few days. It increases the potency.”
“Where did you study, Master Hartrich?” Luci asked.
It was rare that she was able to speak to anyone about herbs, but this man was more than proficient. Maybe coming to the castle wasn’t the worst thing to happen as long as Max protected her secret and Brielle was happy.
“Noah, please, I studied at the Citadel in Foxglove,” he said, adjusting the flames on the remaining mixtures.
Luci’s mouth fell open as she stared at the man next to her. The Citadel only took students every few years, and very few were efficient enough to go through all five years of training. Noah was in his early thirties, which was very young to have mastered enough at the Citadel to become a master healer.
“That’s— that’s very impressive,” Luci said, feeling it was hard to find the words.
“Hartrich is a prodigy. Youngest healer to achieve the rank of master and the youngest to go through the Citadel’s training successfully.” Prince Ira said, rising from the couch.
“Thank you, Your Highness. That’s very kind.” Noah said.
Prince Ira shrugged. “It’s true. Now that all that’s done with, we should be on our way. Thanks very much, Hartrich.”
Go? Go where? Why would she leave when there was endless knowledge to be gathered, knowledge that could help Brielle?
“If it’s all right with you, Brielle, I’d like to stay here awhile, if that’s all right with you as well, Noah?” Luci asked.
“Of course,” Noah said with a bright smile.
When Luci looked at Brielle, she was wearing a half smile that always meant she was up to exactly no good. The question was what.
“That’s probably not a great idea.” Prince Ira said, scratching at his nose.
Luci shot a glare at him before she remembered she wasn’t supposed to be glaring at princes.
“Why is that?” she asked, the words sharper than she intended.