by Narro, B. T.
Steffen stood dutifully. “When our ancestors came to Ovira from Greenedge, caregelows grew above ground. As chemists studied them and found great use for the magnificent plant, caregelows became extremely valuable. Because of their glow, they were easy to find. People scoured the continent looking for them. Some even believe this is how we first came in contact with the Krepps. But it wasn’t long before caregelows became extremely rare. Unfortunately, this made them even more valuable, and eventually no more could be found. But books on the mixtures of caregelows still exist. Now it’s just a matter of testing to make sure the recipes are accurate.”
“Thank you,” Jack said.
“So you’re feeding me a recipe you’ve gotten from some old book?”
“It won’t hurt you.” Jack spoke calmly. “And it’ll make you feel better.”
“I would feel more comfortable if someone else took the mixture first.”
Steffen stood once more. “I’ll take it, Chemist Master Jack.”
Of course Steffen would be the one to volunteer. This time Effie did roll her eyes.
“If that’s what you need, Effie, then we can spare some to make you more comfortable.” While his words were polite, she could hear in his tone that he didn’t want to waste the valuable caregelows for a reason he thought to be petty.
Still, she felt better with Steffen taking it first. “Thank you.”
Steffen practically jumped to join her beside Jack, who handed him a thin vial. The mixture within it was a shade Effie hadn’t seen before in any liquid. It was mostly silver, but dark and still shiny. It didn’t look like it should be consumed, not in the slightest. Yet Steffen drank it excitedly.
After he swallowed, a shocked expression came over his face. He even twitched. “Quite a taste to it.”
By his tone, Effie couldn’t decipher if it was good or bad, just that he was intrigued.
“How long does it take to work?” Effie asked.
“Steffen should feel its effects in less than a minute.”
Effie watched his face closely, looking for any signs as to what he was feeling. He seemed to be licking his teeth as he moved his jaw.
“Very strange taste,” he commented.
“Would you like some water?” Jack offered.
“Thank you, but no. I don’t wish to dilute the potion at all if I can help it.”
Effie asked, “Do you feel anything?”
“Not yet. Just take it, Eff. You’ll be fine.”
Jack handed her a vial and said, “If it was poisonous, Steffen would’ve felt something already.”
Effie wondered how true that really was. Nonetheless, she couldn’t stand the pressure of everyone waiting for her to do what she knew she would end up doing anyway.
“Make sure not to spit it out,” Jack said as she took the potion from him. “We don’t have many caregelows yet.”
Why would I spit it out? But when the substance reached her tongue, the reflex to spew came over her. She would’ve succumbed if not for his warning.
Instead she stopped, apparently made a face that brought on laughter, and forced a swallow.
“Drink it all, Effie,” Jack said.
With great disappointment, she found more than a gulp left.
“What does it taste like?” a student asked.
She looked to Steffen, wondering if he’d hid how disgusting it was on purpose.
“It’s pretty bad,” Steffen said. “Salty and thick, but with something else…some other taste.”
“Overripe mango,” Effie said.
Her mouth was stinging. She tried to think of a way out of drinking the rest.
“Please take it all,” Jack said.
Letting out a curse in her mind, she took a breath and then gulped the rest. She couldn’t help but groan and make a disgusted face. There was more laughter as Jack offered her water that she gladly took.
Instructors and students began to murmur to each other. Effie took the opportunity to ask Jack, “What now?”
“That’s it. You’re done.” He smiled. “I’ll stop by later tonight to see how you’re feeling. Your cold symptoms should be nearly gone by then.”
Steffen was staring at the ground, either lost in thought or simply not paying attention.
“So I can go back to battle training?”
Jack had an apologetic grin. “I’ve already told your instructor she won’t be seeing you at all today. You should go home and rest.”
“This cold isn’t bad enough to keep me off my feet.”
“Your reason for missing battle training isn’t your cold but the potion you took.”
Steffen interrupted, “Should I sit back down?”
“No more class for you either, Steffen. Go home with Effie, rest.”
Steffen mumbled something indiscernible and started out the door.
Effie didn’t follow. “I shouldn’t go to battle training?”
“No. Make sure you don’t use your wand at all today.” His stern tone frightened Effie.
“I won’t,” she said.
“I’ll have someone come by as soon as I can.”
“Why?”
Jack let out a small chuckle. “Because of the potion. Go to your student home and lie down.”
Still confused, Effie took his advice. Steffen hadn’t waited for her. He already was far ahead when she exited the building. As she jogged to catch up to him, her feet made an entertaining rhythm against the ground. It was delightful, making her want to run longer than needed.
She circled around Steffen, asking him, “How come you didn’t wait for me?”
“What?” He scratched his head. “I don’t know. I feel…slow.”
Effie was already out of breath. Her head began to ache. Why did I just run? That was stupid.
They walked silently the rest of the way home. When Effie got there, she became confused, forgetting what she was supposed to be doing.
“Why are we here?” she asked Steffen.
He waved his hand petulantly. “I’m in no mood for that.”
Following him inside, she asked, “What are you talking about? I’m just asking a question.”
He went straight to the nearest chair in the front room, sitting as if it was his life goal to be in that very spot. “I can’t answer anything so profound right now.”
“How is that question profound? I just want to know why we’re home?” She sat near him.
“Oh!” A slow laugh crept out of him. Then it grew louder and louder until he was cackling.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I thought you were asking why we’re here in the world, as in why are Humans here?”
Laughter burst out from Effie’s stomach. “I see.”
They laughed for a while. When one of them stopped, the other’s giggling would start them going again.
Finally Steffen asked, “So what was your real question?”
It felt like a full five minutes of silence before Effie could recall what she was trying to ask. She slapped the table when it came to her. “Why are we home! That’s what it was. Why are we home?”
“Because we were told to go home. Remember?”
There were traces of memories, but nothing solid enough for her to grab onto. Someone had told them to go home, but who was it and why?
There was a knocking sound. Effie looked to Steffen. Something within her expected him to get up, though she couldn’t figure out why. He was looking at her in the same way.
The knocking continued. It was coming from the door.
Steffen stood. “Someone’s outside!” he exclaimed.
“Oh, that’s what that is?” Effie started laughing, then Steffen joined her.
Suddenly there was a stranger in their house. “The door was open, so I…”
“I know who you are!” Effie interrupted.
“Who is she?” Steffen asked, sounding desperate to know.
“Jack said he would send someone, I remember it now. That’s why you’re he
re!” Effie was extremely proud for figuring out the puzzle.
The woman sighed. “It looks like the potion has started to work already. Let me take both of you to bed.”
“I don’t want to go to bed,” Steffen complained. He sounded like a child.
“If she says to go to bed, then let’s go,” Effie said. “No need to whine.”
“But I’m not tired.”
“I’m not either,” Effie said, “but I’m not complaining.”
“Fine. But I’m not going to sleep. I’m going to read.”
“Do whatever you want.” Effie took his wrist and led him to his bedroom. She closed the door after him and then turned to the woman. “Good night,” Effie said.
Oddly, the woman seemed confused instead of thanking Effie for her help. She decided to ignore it and went to her room. Just after she closed her door, the woman knocked and said, “I suggest leaving it open so I can keep watch easier.”
Effie glanced out into the hallway and found Steffen. He seemed to be looking for something, unaware Effie was staring at him.
Something about Steffen was odd, perhaps because he wore no pants.
When the woman turned to see what Effie was looking at, she gasped. “Why are you in your underwear?”
“Quiet, I’m looking for something.”
Dead silence fell upon them. Steffen looked in each direction, then started toward the front of the house.
The woman followed, so Effie figured she would as well. She was curious what he was looking for.
When Steffen opened the front door, the woman grabbed his arm. “Don’t go out like that!”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Everyone’s in class anyway.”
“I can’t let you leave the house without your pants.”
“But what I’m looking for is outside.”
“What are you looking for?” Effie needed to know. “Can I help?”
“It’s very important.” Steffen looked at Effie in a serious manner. “But I can’t say it aloud.”
“Why not?”
Steffen snuck a look at the woman as he approached Effie. He leaned down and whispered, “I must find Chemist Master Jack.”
“Why?” Effie whispered back.
Steffen looked over his shoulder to find the woman staring with her arms folded. He pushed Effie down the hall, farther from the watching woman who now scared Effie.
“I need to tell him the potion is working so that woman doesn’t need to babysit us.”
Effie gasped. “Is that what she’s doing here?”
Her heart jumped when the woman spoke. “I know you both probably think you’re being quiet, but I can hear every word you’re saying.”
“She knows!” Steffen whispered. “Resort to the alternate plan!”
“What is it? What’s the alternate plan?”
“Run!” Steffen barreled to the door.
“Stop!” the woman screamed as she ran after him.
Effie followed, unsure what to do.
The woman caught up to Steffen quickly and grabbed his shoulders. “Put your pants on! Effie, tell him he needs to come back and put his pants on first.”
“Come on, Steffen. Let’s listen to the nice lady.”
“Call me Jan,” she said.
“Why don’t I know you, Jan?” Steffen twisted to get out of her grasp. “I don’t trust you.”
“I work on the farm. Jack Rose knows me very well. Do you trust him?”
“I do.”
“Then you should trust me.”
“Alright.”
“That’s all I needed to say?”
“Yes. What did you want me to do?”
“Go back to your student home and put your pants on. People are already staring.”
Effie noticed them then, a few students walking with an instructor, each with confused expressions.
“Can we go to the dining hall after?” Steffen asked.
The idea of food caused Effie to salivate. “Yes! Please, Jan!”
She looked at the clock atop the Redfield tower. “I suppose.”
“Then I would like to visit Gabby,” Steffen said. “She lives in Oakshen, and I haven’t seen her in a long time.”
Effie let her tongue fall out of her mouth as she made a discouraging grunt. “I don’t want to see my sister right now. I wish Reela and Alex were here, though. Can we go meet them? They went to Tenred, but they’re expected to be back by tomorrow. They should be in the Fjallejon Pathway by now.”
“If they’re still alive,” Steffen said. “I hope they are.”
“Me too.” Effie knew she should be worried about them, but she was bored with worrying.
“Students aren’t allowed to leave the Academy,” Jan said. “Steffen, you really need to come with me and put on your pants.”
“Oh, I forgot about that.”
Effie had as well. But it looked like Jan didn’t need her help, for Steffen finally started back toward the house.
After an adventurous day with Steffen and Jan, Effie was exhausted. It was already dark when she came out of the dining hall. Her legs felt stiff.
“How long were we in there?” she asked Jan.
“A long time, maybe two hours. Are either of you feeling more like yourselves yet?”
“I’m so tired, I can’t tell,” Effie said. Steffen was nearly asleep on his feet.
“I think you’ve both had too much to eat as well,” Jan said.
“Here you are!” Jack surprised them. “Thank you very much for your help, Jan. I’ll come by tomorrow with some seeds.”
“Please, that’s not necessary. I’m glad to help. They needed it.” Her last words were hardly an exaggeration. Effie couldn’t imagine what she and Steffen would’ve done without supervision.
“I’ll take them from here.” Jack and Jan shook hands, and she left. “I’m sure you both are ready for sleep. I certainly was after the caregelow wore off.”
Steffen mumbled something that sounded like “yes.”
But it was such a far walk to their house, and Steffen shuffled his feet so slowly a crawl would’ve been faster. Effie felt just as exhausted as he looked, but at least she could keep up with Jack, who soon stopped and put his hand on Steffen’s back.
“Come on, it’s already dark.”
Steffen’s pace increased…slightly.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you both needed to sleep until lunch tomorrow. I’ve already given your instructors permission for you to be late. We’re expecting those who went to Tenred to return tomorrow, anyway. I doubt there will be much battle training.”
“Reela,” Effie murmured. But she was too tired to say anything else.
“I’ll come by tomorrow to make sure the potion worked, Effie,” Jack said. “Your illness should be gone by now, though I’m sure you’re too tired to tell.”
Effie did notice her nose was clearer. She had a headache, though it could’ve been from the potion.
Chapter 21:
EFFIE
Shortly after waking the next morning, Effie peered out her window at the Redfield clock. It was already noon. Her head still ached, and her stomach did as well. She was shocked when she put her hand on it, for it bulged out as if she were pregnant.
Bastial hell, how much did I eat? She still felt full.
She stumbled out of her room to check on Steffen. His door was open, but he was asleep. He had a sheet sort of wrapped around him, with his head half on a pillow. It looked like he’d attempted to take off his shirt and pants but failed with both. One arm was out of its sleeve and his pants were stuck around his knees. He was mostly on his stomach. It didn’t look comfortable.
Effie rubbed her face and fluffed her hair, still groggy herself. “Steffen.”
He snorted.
“Steffen!”
His rhythmic breathing halted with a grunt. He slowly pushed himself up. With one eye squinted and the other closed, he asked what time it was.
“It’s noon. I just g
ot up. I’m never taking anything like that again.”
He grumbled. “Do you have a headache too?”
“Yes, and a stomachache.” She showed him her bulging belly.
His head whipped back. Then he looked down at his own. It looked the same as Effie’s. When he noticed his pants were off, his shoulders sank and he gave a sigh. “I don’t want to take any other caregelow potions either.”
Finally, he shows some common sense. Effie was relieved. “They’re coming back from Tenred today.”
“I’m going to shower.”
Effie did as well. She couldn’t stop worrying. What if no one comes back because everyone was killed? Not only would she lose her dearest friends, the war would be over. Nearly the entire army had been sent.
Don’t think like that. There’s no way they could’ve lost. But she knew Reela or Alex could’ve died, as could any of them.
When Effie and Steffen were fully awake and contemplating whether they should go to the dining hall or skip lunch, there was a knock at the door.
It was Jack. After Steffen waved him in, he examined Steffen’s eyes and then Effie’s.
“Are both of you feeling yourselves again?”
“Yes,” they answered.
“Open your mouths.” Jack peered inside. “Stick out your tongues.”
Effie noticed that Steffen’s had a silver tint. “Does mine look like that?” she asked Jack.
“Yes. I’m still not sure why the caregelow does that.”
Effie didn’t like that even the head chemist knew so little about the potion she’d consumed. She refrained from showing her disapproval, though. It had cured her cold.
“How are your symptoms?” Jack asked. “Your throat?”
“It’s better. Everything’s better.” Even her headache was gone.
Jack didn’t show as big of a smile as she’d expected. He simply nodded and said, “Good.”
Trumpets blared in the distance. When Effie couldn’t recall what it meant, she began to feel sick with worry. Had the Krepps come before their army returned?
But when she saw Jack and Steffen grinning with open mouths, she realized what it must be.
Their army was back from Tenred.
Still, the worry sent a wave of nausea up into her throat. She couldn’t handle finding out Reela or Alex had died. Even Zoke or Vithos—she could feel herself on the verge of tears already.
