I know it won’t happen like that, but the sadistic terrible part of my soul comes alive at the image regardless.
Bea gave me a quick rundown of how the ceremony generally goes. They have a taste tester before they serve the wine. They then take their vow one at a time, which is when they will sip from their glasses.
I imagine the meeting, step by step, measuring each possibility. There are so many variables to consider, but my one bit of good news is that I do indeed have a potion that will affect each and every one of these creatures.
The problem is, I can’t use it as is.
What happens when one person drinks first and falls dead in an instant? The rest will panic. One will transport out, and it will all be a failure.
I shake my mind from the daydream and grab my notebook to scribble a bit in bold.
Instant death is no good.
—DELAYED DEATH POTION.
I underline it three times.
Then, I rush off to the Elite Hall library for more research.
* * *
“Candice?” Janet says softly.
I look up quickly from my notebook, eyes frantic.
“Have you been sleeping?” she asks.
I blink three times. “A little,” I admit.
“Babe,” Lola says, buzzing close to me, “you need some rest.” She sniffs twice. “And a shower.”
I jerk away from her. “It’s not that bad.”
Janet tilts her head.
My shoulders deflate. “Do I really smell?” I look down at my wrinkled top.
“Only a little,” Lola says sweetly, her purple wings twinkling.
I can’t help but chuckle. Okay, maybe I’m obsessing a little. “I only have two and half more weeks to get ready. This iseverything.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Lola says. “But you’re more likely to make mistakes if you’re not taking care of your mental health too.”
Mental health? What mental health? My sister’s life, and the future of an entire world, is relying on a human girl being able to kill a demon, a fae, a dragon—shit, I don’t even remember the rest of them right now.
My point is, I am incredibly stressed, and sleep just isn’t even an option for me right now. “Even when I lie down, my mind won’t turn off.”
Janet walks over to my chai cart. There are several shelves of potions I never touch on the shelves behind it. he grabs three small vials from the shelf and a plastic card with brief instructions, then brings them over to me. “Easy sleeping tonic. Use it. The more sleep you have, the easier it will be for your brain to keep up. Health matters, and all-nighters will be detrimental eventually.”
I sigh, accepting the liquids. “Fine, fine. I’ll sleep a full eight hours tonight.”
“Make it nine,” Lola mutters. “And a shower.”
I shoot her a glare but also acknowledge that they’re just worried about me. “How are your guys’ projects coming along?” For the last two weeks, they’ve each worked on their big projects in here while I worked on mine.
“Great!” Lola chirps. “I’m more or less enjoying the song-writing part because the spell is stupid.”
I smile. Lola has easy access to pixie dust that can put someone to sleep, so a sleeping spell seems pointless for her personally.
