Page 75 of Potions & Prejudice
The sun shone bright today, and there was no breeze, so even though it was chilly, I didn’t need a shawl like normal. I lifted my face, letting the sun warm it as I mulled over Helena’s words yesterday.
What she’d said about Draven was terrible. I couldn’t imagine not doing what was best for my sisters, no matter the cost. Everything I did was with my sisters and mama in mind. Maybe Draven was every bit that arrogant, horrible man I’d originally thought him to be. It didn’t matter that he had given me the most intense orgasm of my life. It didn’t matter that when I was with him, the entire world, my problems, my secrets, drifted away. It didn’t matter that some small part of me wanted to trust him, thought that I could trust him. If what Helena said was true—and I had no reason to believe it wasn’t—then I couldn’t see him again. I couldn’t let myself get lost in him like I had before.
I passed a shop with all sorts of mystical creatures inside. I’d heard of this place. Arcane Creatures Emporium. An older gentleman stoodinside as birds with horns on their heads landed on his outstretched arms. My gaze drifted to the top of the tall shelves, where three miniature dragons rested. They looked a lot like Edgar, and I wondered if those were his siblings who hadn’t been adopted yet.
My sisters would love a pet dragon. I could just imagine adopting one, the tiny creature flitting around our cottage.
I paused. Except it wasn’t our cottage. And this wasn’t our home. It was a temporary place for us to reside. I shook my head and turned, continuing my way down the road until I came to a bridge that led across the rushing Lor River.
Adelaide had a new recipe idea she wanted to try out, and she’d asked me to visit Greta’s Greenhouse on the other side of town to get some new seeds. Thanks to Mama’s spells and Adelaide’s tending, the garden in our backyard was flourishing.
I walked across the bridge where a cottage sat, and I gasped. A greenhouse lay behind it in a sprawling field of golden flowers that glowed like the sun and were almost as tall as me.
I ran my fingers over the soft petals. The translucent greenhouse gave view to hundreds of different types of plants and flowers. Now I knew why Adelaide liked coming here. It was beautiful.
In the distance, I caught a flash of thick black hair as it disappeared into the flowers. I stood on my tiptoes and arched my neck, getting another glimpse of the black hair.
Georgie. It was her; I was sure of it.
I thought about Helena’s words. About Draven’s. He’d told me his sister was rebellious. I wondered if he knew she was out here.
We were at the town limits. The fields spread out and led to hills in the distance and a network of caves that I’d heard townspeople talk about—mainly that the caves were dangerous because of the creatures that dwelled inside and the risk of cave-ins. I shuddered at the thought of being trapped in the dark.
Georgie appeared again, and it became clear that was exactly where she was headed. I sighed. I should stay out of it. I’d just decided I wouldn’t have anything to do with Draven anymore.
But. .. if that were my sister, I’d want someone to keep her safe. I groaned. The seeds could wait.
I crept through the fields and past the greenhouse, following Georgie all the way to the caves. I thought about calling after her but worried she might run or I might spook her. If I cornered her in the cave, hopefully I could talk some sense into her and get her to come back with me.
“What are you doing here?” a voice said from next to me, and I jumped.
My heart hammered in my chest as I looked over at Edgar. He peered at me with those wide orange eyes, his head cocked and scaled ears perked.
“Edgar, you scared me,” I said.
“You scared me!” He pointed a talon at me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m just trying to keep Georgie safe. She shouldn’t be sneaking into these caves.” I tugged at my brown hair. “And isn’t she supposed to be in school right now?”
Edgar sighed. “She doesn’t like school. She’s been skipping classes quite frequently.”
“Does Draven know?” I asked.
Edgar shook his head. “The teachers are all too scared of him to say anything.”
I smiled at that.
“She won’t listen to me, but she at least tolerates my presence ever since I saved her from falling into the river.”
“What?” I yelled, then ducked when Georgie whipped around. I crouched to the ground and whispered, “What?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Edgar said. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her. She likes you, you know.”
I laughed. “Why?”
“Because you get under her brother’s skin.”
That made me laugh again. Of course that was why she liked me. “Well, I’ll do my best.”
