Page 14 of Turret

Though I’d only been to the herbal room once, I still remembered the route…assuming it was in the same location and the tower hadn’t shuffled its rooms around again. The silent, almost indiscernible guidance of the tower led my every step until I reached the herbal room.

A comforting earthy scent greeted me as I stepped into the dank room. I paused to lean against the doorframe, both to catch my breath and to slowly take in the tidy rows of plants, the table against the far wall laden with unfamiliar tools and the dry herbs hanging along the wall and from the eaves, all whose names were a mystery to me. The sight was both fascinating and entirely overwhelming. So many herbs, all with different uses, none of which I knew.

But there was no time to deliberate. I crouched in front of a nearby bookshelf to scan the titles of the basic herbal guides. I ached to explore them carefully in search of the perfect treatment, but time was pressing, forcing me to chooseA Basic Guide to Medicinal Herbs. In order to preserve my strength for when I prepared the remedy, I settled for sitting on the cold ground with the heavy tome in my lap, a less than dignified position for a princess, but in this moment I didn’t care.

I flipped through the book, searching for a section on wounds, only to find it and be greeted by an overwhelming list of plants that promised to treat a wound in a variety of ways, with no hints as to which was best. I scanned the list of unfamiliar names, only recognizing cinnamon.

I wasn’t entirely convinced that plant would be the most effective, but I had little time to do a thorough search, not with Quinn bleeding as he awaited me in the kitchen. I skimmed the ingredients until I found several more whose combination could potentially work well together.

I used the illustrations to help me find the correct plants from the garden before setting to work preparing them. I worked as quickly and efficiently as I could, relying wholly on the written instructions in the book. I minced the cinnamon, chamomile, and aloe vera before pressing the eucalyptus and extracting the oil from the leaf and seeds of a neem plant.

Despite the urgency guiding my movements, several unique emotions stirred within me. I felt a strange thrill getting my hands dirty as I worked with the plants. Each paragraph of information I read stoked my curiosity, inviting me to learn more and causing possibilities to fill my mind of various ways to combine the herbs and the potential effects should I do so.

But there was something more—preparing the herbs caused a spark to ignite in my heart, and each passing moment working with them only stoked that flame. It guided each of my movements and gave me a sense of purpose and accomplishment I’d never quite experienced before, but which I liked immensely.

It didn’t take as long as I’d expected to finish the remedy, and although I was relieved to have created one so quickly despite my inexperience, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret at having to leave the herb room so soon. I cast a lingering look over my shoulder as I departed, promising myself to return in order to explore whatever flame the room had caused to be lit inside me and discover what it could possibly mean.

I’d been gone nearly half an hour when I finally returned. Melina busied herself over the hearth and Quinn sat tensely at the table pressing the handkerchief to his wound, his face pale and his worried gaze riveted to the doorway. He perched on the edge of his seat as if fighting to remain in place rather than springing up to conduct a frantic search for me.

He relaxed the moment he saw me. “You were gone so long I was growing worried; I was just about to look for you.”

“You feared a dastardly fate befell me in a tower enchanted to protect me?” I hoped my teasing tone would soften the worry marring his expression; he already had enough concerns to burden himself without additional worry.

He sighed. “Whenever you’re out of my sight I fear the worst. I was imagining all sorts of possibilities…including that blasted room.”

I instantly knew which room he referred to: the one that showed me things I didn’t want to see. My chest cinched at the memory of when he’d found me there, and I hastily forced myself to push it away.

“I only went to the herbalist room, where I conducted my research as quickly and efficiently as I was able in order to prepare a remedy. I’m not entirely sure it will work, but—”

“I trust you,” he said firmly.

I nibbled my lip, still hesitant. If I didn’t even feel confident in the royal role I’d been born to, what business did I have performing a medicinal one? “Are you certain? I’m no herbalist—”

“I trust you.” His tone was more confident than before, and my heart swelled that he put his faith in me so easily. I settled on the chair beside him and reached for his hand…only for him to twist away. “Princess, you shouldn’t have to be the one to assist me.” He reached for the bowl with his other hand, as if he meant to tend to his wound himself.

In an instant the warmth from his confidence in my remedy vanished, replaced with icy annoyance. Not only did I want to explore the flicker I’d experienced in the herbalist room when creating this remedy, but for some inexplicable reason I couldn’t even begin to explain,Iwanted to be the one to tend Quinn, and I was frustrated that he refused to let me.

I held the bowl out of reach. “Let me serve you.”

He didn’t give up so easily. “Princess, I insist.” Again he made to reach for the bowl but froze at my pointed glare.

I gathered an assertiveness I hadn’t known I possessed and straightened with a firm, unyielding look. “Iwant to be the one to tend to you.”

Quinn studied the determination filling my expression before relinquishing the fight. He lowered his eyes and held out his hand for me to take, remaining silent as I carefully removed the handkerchief to examine the cut. The sight of his wound twisted my stomach and made me lightheaded, but I didn’t look away.

It was strange holding his hand, something I’d never done before. I tried to ignore how his skin felt against mine in order to more fully concentrate on the task at hand. I took several steadying breaths before dipping my clean handkerchief in a bowl of water Melina provided and dabbing it gently on the wound to clean it. His breath hitched, but otherwise he made no show of his discomfort.

“Am I hurting you?” I asked.

He shook his head but said nothing more for several moments before it seemed he couldn’t bear the tense silence any longer. “But…I hurt you. Believe me, it wasn’t my intention to displease you. I’m just used to being the one to protect you.” He kept his voice lowered in order to keep our conversation private from Melina, who was still standing at the nearby hearth.

“I’m not incapable,” I said. “I’d hopedyouof everyone would at least know that.”

“I always have, but your capabilities don’t change who you were born to be. I fear you disregard your role too easily because you don’t feel yourself worthy of it.”

My heart prickled at this insight. “Perhaps there’s some truth to that. But even if I don’t fully live up to my role, I don’t want it to hold me back; my illness has done that for too much of my life already.” I lifted my gaze from his thumb to meet his, watching me intently. “You’ve always been there for me during my poor health, so please allow me to express my gratitude by helping you in return.”

These words were the key to softening his resistance. I watched them work on his conscience before his posture slumped, his acquiescence to my wishes. I smirked in triumph and he glared almost accusingly. “You don’t owe me anything; it’s an honor to serve you.”

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