“I know. But people here are familiar with the bad side of said potions. You can sell flying potions or any other silly things like that but you can't sell something that can put a person in a suspended state.”
Her frown deepened. “But not all sleeping potions and powders do this.”
It was hard to believe someone could claim a sleeping potion as something dangerous when it was one of the most easy and available things to buy where she'd lived. Every other wizard knew how to brew it and it could be easily found in any healing store.
“On my land, people use sleeping powder if they have problems with insomnia. It's like somekind of medicine, even if it's magic itself,” she remarked.
“I think it's possible to get sleeping powder here but it'll be a hard long journey. All the more, I'll finally get a chance to see you in work.” A faint grin appeared on his face, though his words seemed sincere. Was he interested in how she was brewing potions or did he come up with a trick she is yet unaware of?
Her gaze fell to the empty cup as Dante said at last, “We'll go to the shop tomorrow as the sun settles down.” With that he got up, not bothering himself to say something else.
Violette supposed it was all for today, this night she could just sleep. It was so unusual now: for the last week she was only able to go to bed in the morning and by the evening she had to be ready for a new trip. She had no idea what to do, and yet she still got up to her room.
Chapter 25
A MANUAL ON HOW TO BECOME A DUCHESS IN ONE NIGHT
“Get up, Little Witch,” the voice bounced off the walls as Violette lazily cracked her eyes. And closed them again.
“It won't work that way,” Dante said and she could feel like something – someone – pulled her ankles.
Her eyes opened wide before she kicked him with her leg.
“What do you want?!” she fumed.
“Time for a lesson on how to become a duchess in a few hours.”
Violette could swear she heard the fun in his voice but she didn't look at him, instead she closed her eyes in the middle of his speech and rolled over with her back to him, continuing her sleep.
Then she heard a deep tired sigh, and already started thinking it's him giving up and leaving her alone but then she felt the tossing of the pillow and her head slammed on the bed surface. It's okay, she can sleep without a pillow. She had no desire to get up right now; she didn't know how long she was sleeping but she was certainly sure it wasn't a long time ago when her body touched the bedsheets for the first time. She was tired. But Dante probably wasn't bothered by that. She yawned and then she realized something was keeping her away from the bed.
“Hey!” she yelled, happening to be in Dante's hands.
“Oh, sorry, didI interfere with your sleep?” He ironically grinned as she cut him a look full of enmity.
A pinch twitched between her brows. “What is your problem?” she blew.
“Have I finally caught your attention?” His face turned stoic.
“Is that how you get girls' attention?”
“Only stubborn ones like you. Will you listen now?”
“Only when you put me down!” she tossed, trying to break out of his arms.
“So you can crawl to your bed again?”
“Exactly. I'm happy we're finally understanding each other,” she tapped him on his chest and tried once again to wriggle out of his hands but it didn't seem like he had any intention to let her go.
“We don't have much time before the ball. And you need to give a good impression on the Lord, or he won't believe a word from your mouth.”
“Wasn't it you who said I am attractive and smart?” She strained through a fake smile.
“Did my words get stuck in your head and make you think about me at night?” he teased and, Gods, she hated how it sounded.
“Put me down,” she ordered.
“Or what?”
