Page 21 of Poisoned Heart (The Emerald Realm 1)

“Yes, of course,” I said remorsefully as my previous excitement lay shattered around me. “I was intending to use myself as bait.” His façade broke for a moment, displaying a short moment of panic, but it was quickly recovered by his cool calm. I was surprisingly relieved to see he could still emote even for that moment.

“What do you suggest?” He looked at me inquisitively and I tried to pull together my own diplomatic presence. If he was going to switch only to business, then there was no purpose for me to hold out for anything more.

“I will need you to spread some rumors around the outpost,” I said in my clearest, diplomatic tone. I still had a kingdom to protect, so I simply needed to focus on that. “Pass around the information that an important witness will be in need of transportation to the castle. Announce that they will be escorted around one o’ clock tomorrow with a minimal amount of men to lessen attention. My hope is that our target has been sticking close to your men after learning you and I were associated. With any luck, we can lure him out of hiding under the presumption that I will be returning to the capital and we can set a trap for him.”

“That may work… but it needs a few adjustments.” He stood from his snowy seat and began to pace through the snow again. He really liked to move when he was thinking. “If I was to actually be moving you, I would spread rumors about a one o’clock departure, then in reality I would move you at twelve. That way, if the assassin had overheard the plans, he would be too late when he came to hunt. Unfortunately, this assailant is likely to expect that trick, so we would need to prepare the trap much earlier.” I nodded as he continued on. For what felt like hours, we continued buffering out the fine details of the agenda until we had a reasonable plan of attack concocted. By the time we had finalized all the particulars, it was long past dark and the cold air had grown almost unbearable. Despite Peter’s blanked out persona, he still offered to walk me back to the mill before returning to the outpost. When we arrived at the side door, he gave me a stoic farewell and headed back down the trail without another word.

I quietly stepped into the mill and cautiously made my way to my sleeping spot. The other girls were already asleep, and I didn’t need Hazel waking to ask whom I had been with. The warmth of the fire sent comforting tingles across my skin as I lingered in front of it for a moment. I added a couple extra logs to increase the glow, then mindlessly watched as the flames danced in front of my eyes. After feeling thoroughly warmed, I tucked into my clothing pile and tried not to think too hard about the events of the day, especially, Peter.

Just thinking of his name made my heart ache. He had been storing feelings for me all along, but for how long? When did this start? Had it been since we first met? Or had he admired me as a princess long before then? I hushed my mind to stop bustling, but it refused to listen. Watching gentle and caring Peter turn into an impassive captain had been one of the hardest things I had ever seen. If it wasn’t so crucial to my kingdom’s protection, I would cancel the plan and take back every command I ever gave him. I would do anything to see the joy in his captivating jade eyes. The night persisted on with nearly no sleep as I tossed and turned in my bedding but couldn’t find any rest.

As it grew closer to morning, I noticed it was more than just my thoughts that had been keeping me up. My body ached with fever from head to toe. A splitting pain settled into my head as the sun peered through the windows, and my breathing labored slightly. I looked around the room disoriented from the headache and saw Hazel rushed over toward me with a cup of something.

“Annie, stay in bed!” she scolded me from across the room. The volume sent a twinge of ache through my head, so I complied and rested it back down. Hazel hurried up beside me and handed me a cup of hot tea, then placed a cool cloth on my head. “You and Daniela caught Sylvia’s illness.” She wiped beads of sweat away from my brow as she spoke. “Daniela is staying home for the day, and Sylvia still hasn’t recovered, so we sent a message to Mr. Dwarfer who should be arriving soon. With this many girls sick, we can hardly keep our work quotas, so he’ll tell us what to do next. Until then, just rest and work on getting better.” She offered me a sweet smile, but I could tell she was genuinely worried. I sat up slightly so I could sip the warm tea and instantly relished in the hot liquid.

“Thank you, Hazel.” My voice rasped slightly at first use, so I cleared my throat. A sudden panic rushed through my mind as I recalled the plans I had made with Peter. “Hazel, what time is it?” I tried to sound relaxed, but my distress was quickly increasing.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s a little past eight, I believe.” I let out a silent sigh of relief at this news. “But don’t you worry about that. We won’t have you make up any hours for being sick or anything. Just focus on getting better.” She assisted me in resting my cup securely on the floor, then left me alone to rest. I rolled over trying to calm myself, but I couldn’t.

Peter was preparing to kidnap an assassin with me in four hours, and I was sick in bed.

chapter thirteen

The next two hours passed painfully slow. Partially from my head, but mainly from the distress I was in. At around ten in the morning, a delivery wagon pulled up to the mill to drop off all the supplies Aurelia had purchased for us. Cots, blankets, pillows, dishware, and even fluffy cotton towels all emerged from the back of the wagon. We were beginning to fear that there wouldn’t be enough room for it all. That was until one of the gentlemen making the delivery unloaded multiple storage baskets for organizing the laundry piles. Truly, Aurelia had thought of everything.

It didn’t take long before the beds were lined up along the back wall with mine and Sylvia’s separated from the rest. As Hazel helped me lie down onto the soft surface, I nearly melted in satisfaction. It had been so long since I had even lain completely horizontal. As soon as my head hit the plush feather pillow, the pain in my skull began to subside from the comfort. It was heavenly.

The cot was only a few inches thick and fairly narrow, but the relief it provided could not even compare to my four-post, goose-feather mattress at home. I allowed myself to doze slightly, but not fully sleep. I had to be awake before noon so I could figure out a way to meet with Peter. There was no way in the emerald realms that I was going to leave him alone with that Drancos assassin.

In between one of my dozes, I heard the front door creak, followed by heavy footsteps. I slowly arose from my bed to inspect the new visitor when I recognized the polished presence of Mr. Dwarfer. He trotted over to the new layout of bedding with a medium sized box in his arms. His eyes darted around at the new supplies, but he didn’t make any visible remarks about its arrival.

“Oh, dear heavens.” The man looked from me and Sylvia with a grimace, then he took a slight step backward after taking in our haggard appearances. “You poor girls look awful. It looks like I arrived just in time.” He lifted a small bottle out of the box and the liquid within it illuminated dimly at his touch. The other five ladies gathered around their boss with curious looks on their faces as he held up the tonic.

“That looks like magic!” Hazel piped in, staring hypnotically at the bottle. “It would have to be by the way it’s glowing.” The other girls began to chatter in agreement and Mr. Dwarfer smiled brightly.

“Indeed, it is, dear.” He held the bottle a little higher for a better look. “It turns out this virus you ladies have been spreading stems from the kingdom of Sybettal. It’s a nasty thing that aided in wiping out half of their population a couple of decades ago. The enchanter I spoke to told me that only a touch of magic can fully cure you without months of recovery.” He set the box down on the nearest shelf and unloaded eight bottles of liquid, lining them in a neat row. “I bought an elixir for each of you. I can’t have my workers unable to work, now can I?” He grabbed two of the bottles in the row and walked over to where Sylvia and I were, then passed the first one to Sylvia.

“Thank you, sir.” Sylvia reached out a wobbly hand to accept the bottle. Mr. Dwarfer gave her a slight smile but looked a little more repulsed than anything.

“My pleasure, dear.” He turned to me and handed me my own bottle from as far away as possible. “And here is yours, Miss Ivory.” I took the bottle from him and nodded my thanks. There wasn’t much liquid inside of it, but it illuminated eerily with energy. Magic was so fascinating when it could be perceived.

The other girls each received their own bottle, and Glenda took two so she could deliver the remedy to Daniela. Hazel stared into hers with childlike joy as she watched the light inside glisten.

“Thanks a lot, Mr. Dwarfer!” Hazel’s enthusiasm jolted the older man momentarily, but he quickly recovered into his dignified self. “Should those of us who haven’t been sick go ahead and take it? Or wait until we feel ill?” She cocked her head in intrigue while simultaneously keeping a close eye on the circulating fluids inside the bottle.

Mr. Dwarfer looked a little unsure before a look of realization flashed across his face. “Ah yes! Thank you for asking, Hazel, I had nearly forgotten.” He offered the young girl a friendly smile, then directed his gaze to the rest of the group. “You will all want to take the elixir immediately as it will provide you immunity from the disease. As for those who have already fallen ill…” He directed his attention to me and Sylvia, and I swallowed nervously at his pause. “It may take a few more days for the elixir to fully eliminate the virus, but never fear, you shall still recover far quicker than you would otherwise.” He flashed us a smile, showcasing the pride sheathed under his good will.

I began to wonder if his generosity with these elixirs had anything to do with Aurelia’s reaction to our maltreatment. I then noticed he occasionally eyed down the lavish gifts, but his composure gave none of his thoughts away.

“Thank ya, sir,” Glenda said, then popped the cork off her bottle. “We appreciate the kindness and won’t let it go to waste.” She tipped her head back and downed the entire bottle in one full gulp. The other ladies watched for a moment in intrigue, but Glenda showed no distinct signs of unpleasantly toward the taste. This encouraged the others to pop their elixirs open and gulp them down as well.

I fiddled with the cork on my own for a moment before finally knocking it free. Without further hesitation, I drank the entire bottle without so much as trying to taste it. It had a fizzy consistency, accompanied by a warming sensation. The effect reminded me of alcohols I had tasted at castle events, but it was far less smooth.

I felt a rush of relief after swigging down the contents. Now I could go help Peter. Even if I wasn’t feeling my best, at least I knew I was on the mend. Mr. Dwarfer collected the empty bottles from everyone, then placed them back inside the box.

“Hope you girls get well soon.” He gave Sylvia and I an awkward wink, then made his way out the door. “Have a good day, ladies! I’ll check in with you in a few days!” he shouted without turning back to see the others wave.

My ears perked up as the chime of the distant clock tower signaled it was now eleven o’clock. The sound spiked my adrenaline to life, and I began to crawl out of my bed. I had barely made it out from under the sheets when a tall shadow loomed over me.

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