Page 18 of Exquisite Monster
The cauldron was still simmering with sticky, shining bubbles when I returned to the workshop. Gleym was sitting where I’d left her, and I didn’t even look in her direction. If she’d heard my muttering at this distance, she undoubtedly heard the rest of it.
In this case? I wasn’t interested in her opinion.
The book lay closed on the table, and though I was tempted to double-check what was written, I didn’t. I’d started to notice patterns as I read and memorized. Chopped things released more essence and upped the intensity. Things that were used to infuse had broader applications over many recipes, which could then be modified and made more specific.
What I’d studied with Taia and Baris was the basics of herbs and plants—those humans had access to—and their uses. I knew those recipes by heart, but I hadn’t studied the theory behind them. Not much, anyway.
Now, as it was all me, I found little things that connected, and kept looking to other books and scrolls on Gleym’s shelf to confirm and explore. What I already knew made more sense and allowed me to expand my knowledge faster.
But despite her promise that she might share more about herself, it had been three more days, and Gleym had shared nothing.
Not that I blamed her.
She’d been down here for longer than I’d been alive, and no matter who you were, one didn’t simply accept banishment to the center of the world without a good reason. If our roles were reversed, I doubted I would want to confide in a human princess who’d crashed into my home either.
The roots and mushrooms sank into the mixture and turned it a muddy, drab purple. But the stickiness disappeared and left a silky liquid behind. “Will I end my life if I try it?” I asked, finally breaking the silence.
The dragon slowly approached and looked at my work, inhaling. “No, I think not.”
I dipped a finger into the liquid and placed it on my tongue. As soon as I swallowed, I blinked against the sudden brightness. Every shadow was banished as if I stood in a room bathed in sunlight.
Along with the darkness, the shadows in mymindlifted. I’d known I missed sunlight, but I hadn’t realized quite how much. Humans weren’t meant to live below ground like this. No one was. I wasn’t sure how Gleym had been here so long and still had her mind intact.
“Good,” she said. “Let it cool before you bottle it and come with me.”
“I’d rather not,” I admitted. After my outburst I wanted to curl into a ball and close my eyes, as petulant as it sounded. I didn’t want to face anything.
“I didn’t ask what you preferred. Come with me.”
So I followed her deeper into the catacomb that was her home. It was a room I hadn’t seen before, broad and empty. She strode to the center of the space and faced me. “When you told me your story you mentioned training with weapons. How long has it been?”
Since before the wedding. Which wasn’t that long, but it felt like an entire lifetime. “Long enough.”
“Show me what you know.”
“Must we do this now?”
Gleym’s eyes blazed bright. “When would you prefer? When you arereadyfor it? Were you ready when the Elders blindsided you? When the dragons at Skalisméra tricked you? The world does not wait for you to be ready, and neither will I.
“Your strength alone will not be enough, it’s true. But it is also foolish not to keep those skills sharp. One slice can save your life. Even if it’s a slice to your own body.” Gleym pulled aside the neck of the loose robe she wore, revealing a jagged scar through her shoulder. “Now show me what skills you have, little though they may be.”
Rage shook me, appearing out of nowhere once more, bristling at the insult. “I will not stand here and allow you to belittle me.”
“Then prove me otherwise.”
“Why should I?” My voice echoed off the stone.
“Because fate has decided to fuck with you. And it will keep doing that until you fight back. Or are you too weak to do that?”
Cold anger froze me to the spot. “Fuck you.”
Her hand disappeared into her clothes and reappeared with a knife. It clattered across the stone floor and landed at my feet. “You’re angry. That’s good. Use it and try to strike me.”
Varíhopped off my shoulder and glided to the side of the room, watching.
Bending to pick up the knife, I shoved everything down. I didn’t want to do this. But if I didn’t, I might not ever get out of here.
I tried to find that calm resilience that I’d always seemed to have but hadn’t managed to find in the last few days. My hand strayed below the fabric of my clothes to the heavy weight of my grandmother’s necklace. It was a small comfort, given the real comfort I wanted was the heat of my mates’ arms around me and the purrs they unleashed. Being able tofeelthem again and not just the blank spot where they were meant to be.
