The brewery was a whirlwind of activity. The air was thick with the fragrant scent of herbs and the bubbling sounds of potions brewing.
Marcella stood at the center, her focus locked on the glowing furnace as she carefully monitored the bubbling liquid in her cauldron.
Around her, Rosa, Freya, and Morrigan dashed about, grabbing bottles, chopping ingredients, and stirring smaller concoctions under Marcella's sharp instructions.
"More crushed valerian root, and don't let the heat drop below 300!" Marcella barked, not even glancing up as she expertly poured a glowing green liquid into a small flask.
Freya darted past Rosa, holding a handful of mint leaves. "Got it! Rosa, toss me the powdered quartz!"
Rosa turned, smirking. "I'm not your lackey, Freya."
"Less chatting, more moving!" Marcella interrupted.
Asher pushed open the wooden door, stepping into the bustling room with a faint smile. "Hey, guys, working hard, huh?"
The girls paused, momentarily surprised by his presence.
"You're up already?" Rosa asked, arching a brow.
Marcella glanced at him briefly before returning to her work. "Of course he's up faster than usual. I made his pills."
"And," she added pointedly, stirring the cauldron with vigor, "he doesn't know how to rest properly."
Freya, meticulously aligning bottles on a nearby shelf, sighed. "She's got a point."
Asher ignored the jab, scanning the room. "Is she...?"
Morrigan cut him off with a smirk. "On patrol duty with Seraphina, so you're good. She better not find out you're already moving around."
"She won't," Asher replied, though his guilty smile betrayed him.
The girls, except for Marcella, burst into soft giggles at his expression.
"What's so funny?" Asher asked, frowning slightly.
"Oh, nothing," Morrigan replied, her lips twitching with amusement. "You could say you two are just too cute sometimes."
Marcella rolled her eyes as she adjusted the flames under her cauldron. "Enough of that. Hurry up and tell us why you're here. I'd hate to get an earful from Evelina. That's a phenomenon I try to avoid."
Asher took the bottle carefully, his eyes scanning the liquid as if weighing its reliability.
Freya frowned, her arms still crossed. "And if it doesn't?" she asked, her tone filled with unspoken doubt.
Marcella tilted her head, an almost amused smirk playing on her lips. "Then I suppose you'll have an awkward conversation on your hands, or a very angry target if they realize what you're trying to do." She placed the potion in Asher's outstretched hand, her expression sharp. "You know, I don't normally make things for half-baked plans."
Rosa gave Asher a sidelong glance, her earlier confusion giving way to mild exasperation. "This really doesn't scream good idea. What exactly are you getting us into this time?"
Asher ignored her, his focus entirely on the potion in his hand. The faint glow reflected in his eyes as he weighed his next words. "I know but we don't really have the time to play it safe. And if you must know, I'm trying to make sure we end this trial as soon as possible."
Morrigan remained quiet, her gaze darting between Asher and the potion, though her usual playful smirk never wavered. The silence that followed her lack of comment only seemed to magnify the tension in the room.
"Typical Asher," Rosa muttered, throwing her hands up. "Always the lone wolf."
Freya took a step closer to him, her voice softer but no less insistent. "Are you sure about this? Whoever you're targeting, this could backfire in ways you might not be able to control."
Asher's jaw tightened, but he met her gaze steadily. "I'm not asking for anyone's approval. Just trust me on this." He inspected the bottle, thinking about how to use it, "I just need to take away his willpower, will a near death experience suffice?"
"I guess so," Marcella sighed again, retreating back to the cauldron. "You better have a damn good reason for this, Asher. And for the record," she added, stirring the bubbling liquid with a metal rod, "I'm not making a habit of indulging your more... morally gray requests."
Freya opened her mouth to protest further, but Asher turned sharply, clutching the bottle tightly. Without another word, he walked toward the exit,
"Hey Freya," Asher called, just before leaving the group in tense silence, "Jett said hi by the way."
Rosa shook her head. "Unbelievable. First sodium whatever, and now
this
." She glanced at Freya, who sighed deeply, her concern etched clearly across her face.
"Let him be," Marcella said, her voice unusually tired. "He's going to do it whether we approve or not. Let's just be grateful that's he's the best in what he does."
Freya didn't respond, her gaze lingering on the door Asher had disappeared through, her unease only growing.
*
*
*
What the hell does he need that for? (─.─||)