Page 28 of Muse

“I can’t listen to another word out of your spoiled mouth!” Adora suddenly shouted. “Get up to your room and get out of my sight!”

I raced up the stairs because I was glad to be away from her, and I was also afraid of what she might do if I stayed any longer. Tears were pouring down my cheeks, and I felt like throwing up.

The one relief of the invitation to Lamida was that I would have a few weeks away from Adora. Maybe if I worked hard there, it might be enough to get me back in her good graces.

A King of a lesser kingdom like Lamida was still a King, after all, and doing well in his Court would have to lead to better conductions. Maybe I could work my way up on merit alone.

Chapter 18

For two days, I hid in my chambers hoping, that Adora would calm down, but she never did. I had never upset her this much before, and I could not figure out how to make penance.

My placement in the Kingdom of Lamida was starting soon, and I had other obligations. Heloise let me know when my mother was in her bath, and then I snuck out of the house and hurried over to Soren's. I had to say goodbye to him before I left. And, if I'm being honest, after the shunning I'd been enduring at home, I needed to see a kind face.

I walked up the path to Soren's house, and he opened it before I even reached the door. He leaned against the frame and greeted me with an easy smile.

"There you are, Izzy. I was beginning to worry that something had happened," he said since I had missed our practice the past two days without giving him any notice. "I thought about sending word, but then I worried that might be the kind of thing that would offend Adora."

"Your instincts were, unfortunately, correct."

His smile deepened. “They often are. That is one of the reasons I became an enchanter.”

I slid past him into the house and waited until we were both inside before I turned to face him. "I do have some news."

“Good or bad?”

“Both, I suppose. I am heading to the Kingdom of Lamida for three weeks to entertain King Asmond Weiss and some of his royal family.”

“Congratulations,” he responded. “The bad news, I presume, is that we will be unable to practice for a while?”

I nodded. “How do you want to handle today?”

After a moment’s thought, he decided, “In the garden. The jasmines are in bloom, I have rosemary sconce and honeyed pears, and I just purchased a sweet rosé from the market.”

“That sounds more like lunch than practice,” I pointed out.

“That’s because itislunch. You’ve had a rough go of things lately, and you’ll be busy for nearly a month. Why not just relax and enjoy ourselves for the afternoon?”

I laughed. “It seems to me that rest and enjoyment are your solutions to everything.”

"Is there anything that a restful day with good company and delicious food cannot solve?" He leaned in slightly, and his voice had gone quiet and conspiratorial. "Because I personally have yet to find anything."

Since I could not argue with that—or at least, I did not want to—I went about helping him set up an impromptu picnic. In his kitchen, I held a wicker basket while he filled it with a fresh loaf of bread, jams, cheeses, crackers, grapes, and apricots.

“Are you sure this isn’t too much?” I asked.

“We’ll eat our fill, and I’ll save the rest for another day. The jam and cheese will even hold up until your return.” He tossedin one more apricot for good measure. “But I suppose that is enough.”

He grabbed a blanket, and I followed him out his door and into his yard. Soren pointed to a weeping willow at the back of his estate. "We can have our picnic there, but we have to stop at my workshop to grab the wine and glasses."

The workshop was nestled in the corner of the lush garden. When Soren opened the door, I was hit by the aroma of exotic herbs and incense. Shelves lined the walls, filled with an array of enchanted objects, from delicate trinkets to mighty artifacts. Crystals of various sizes and colors were artfully displayed, their facets catching the light and casting prismatic reflections across the room.

In the center of the shop, there was a large workbench. It was crafted from a charmed wood that pulsed with a gentle energy. On top of it, tools of the trade were neatly arranged, including brushes, carving knives, and vials of shimmering powders and potions.

Then, beside a scattering of dried leaves, I saw an unusual bit of fabric. A particularly unique one that I had seen before. It was deep emerald green embroidered with a specific set of arcane symbols.

“What is that?” I asked.

“What?” Soren asked, but he saw exactly where my eyes landed. “Oh. That is the teabag that I made for an elixir.”

---