Page 30 of A Dose of Agony
As of right now, Lola seems happy to have an excuse not to work while hanging out in my new workshop. But eventually, she’ll need to study too.
“No,” I say finally. “No, it’s very much not legal. Apparently, another benefit of Elite Hall—literally no one cares.” I don’t mention the fact that I was brewing this potion in Under Hall with the masses. I’ve kept that little bit of information quiet. Thankfully, Thompson figured out that truth before working on my potions while I was locked out. That might have been a bit unsafe. Now, so long as I’m not stupid about what I talk about or where I use it, no one will look at it twice.
So, I grin at my friends, uncaring about my illegal, violent activities.
“You’re a little scary, you know that?” Lola says, still on my shoulder.
My grin widens.
“Is that what you were smiling about?” Janet asks.
“No,” I admit. “I was thinking about my nullifier, but it was fantasy more than reality. I had an idea for a revenge plan that was just so poetic…” I stare wistfully into the distance. “But I’m pretty sure it’s not physically possible.”
“Pretty sure?” Lola asks. “You’re pretty sure or sure?”
I side-eye her. “Pretty. I’m not trying not to get my hopes up.”
“Well— ” she hops up and hovers a few feet away, careful not to touch my potion steam, “—that’s all well and good, as long as you still try to make it happen.”
“I thought y’all were scared of me. Now, you’re encouraging my violent fantasies?”
“I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” Lola’s wings pulse with a soft glow.
Janet sighs. “I mean, it is a little scary. But I also fully understand your perspective. You’re working against the kind of people who lure in magicless children to fight to the death. It’s real hard to do worse than that. Anything is justified at that point.”
I open my mouth to respond, but she cuts me off with wide eyes.
“Well, not anything,” she adds quickly. “I don’t mean anything.”
“I know,” I say. “I know there are always ways to take things too far. I think you guys would like this scheme of mine, though. It’s actually less cruel? For the most part.”
“You’re fantasizing about ways to get revenge that are less cruel?” Lola asks, sounding almost disappointed.
I blink, realizing she’s showing us a darker side of herself here today. I like it.“Only technically. I’m pretty sure he’d prefer death. But if I could achieve this, it would be so beautiful. It’s maybe dangerous, though? It’s probably better just to kill him.”
“Okay, well, now we have to know what it is.”
I hop up to sit on the counter beside the nullifier. There’s so much space in this room I can get comfortable almost anywhere. Janet leans back against the next counter, where the cauldrons are harmlessly empty. Lola continues hovering.
“I was thinking, what if there was a way to make a nullifier that’s not temporary?”
Janet tilts her head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, draining a supernatural being of all their magic. Forever.”
Her eyes widen.
“Like I said, I’m pretty sure it’s impossible. But it just seems so poetic. He preys on low-magic beings. What if I could make him become one and live that way?”
God, it sounds so beautiful.
“Ooh, I see what you mean,” Lola says. “I’d still rather he die, though.”
“There would be some serious repercussions to that kind of potion, you know,” Janet says, forever the more prudent of our group. “I bet that’s one that even Elite Hall wouldn’t protect you from. If anyone outside of your circle found out you were attempting that kind of thing…”
My stomach sinks, but I nod quickly. She’s totally right.
In the supernatural world, everything is about power. The strongest supernaturals want to be my friend because I could help them gain more influence, through my relationship with Jarron. They want more power.
