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‘Some sort of potion?’ But Thea said it quietly because, by the looks of things, her sister was about to burst.

‘It’s a tincture for blinding headaches —’

Thea opened her mouth, but Wren’s hand flew up to silence her.

‘Blinding headaches exactly like the ones your library friend gets.’

Malik.

Wren wasn’t done. ‘So you’re telling me this work isthankless, too lowly for the likes ofyou, even though it eases the suffering of those who made unimaginable sacrifices protecting our realms?’

Thea flushed. ‘No.’

‘Good. Now shut up and don’t cut off any of your fingers.’

A huff of laughter sounded from behind them and Thea was mortified to find Farissa, the Alchemist Master looking over their shoulders, her arms crossed at her chest.

‘I couldn’t have said it better myself.’ She smiled pleasantly. ‘You’d do well to listen to your sister, Thea.’

Thea’s teeth clenched. ‘Yes, Farissa.’

‘I see you are much recovered from yet another bout of nosebleeds… How fortunate.’

Thea shifted from foot to foot, training her gaze once more on the lavender. ‘Yes, very fortunate.’

The Master Alchemist shook her head before turning to Wren. ‘I’d like to see those designs again when you have a moment, Elwren. I trust you brought them?’

Wren nodded. ‘Of course.’

‘I’d ask you to leave your sister to finish the tincture, but we don’t want to poison anyone, do we?’

Wren laughed at this. ‘Definitely not. I’ll see you after.’

‘Gods, you’re a kiss arse,’ Thea muttered as Farissa walked off to one of the other workstations.

‘And you’re as bad as a spoilt child,’ Wren bit back. She gave a sigh. ‘If you weren’t such a pain, I’d show you what I’ve designed. It’s something… Well, it’s something you’d appreciate.’

Thea recognised the note of deviousness in her sister’s voice and when her sister was in that mood, Furies help them all. Though she was loath to admit it aloud, Wren’s mind was nothing short of brilliant. She was a born inventor and the spark in her eye told Thea that whatever she’d created was something that was bound to change fates somewhere in the realms.

‘Alright then.’ Thea folded her arms. ‘Let’s have it.’

Wren’s answering grin was villainous. Their spat forgotten, she rummaged through her satchel and pulled out several sheets of parchment, smoothing them out on the workspace before them.

‘Here,’ she said proudly.

Thea frowned, scanning the sketches. ‘A teapot?’ It was artfully drawn; perfectly symmetrical, but then again, her younger sister was exceedingly good at nearly everything she tried. She was infuriating like that.

‘It’s no ordinary teapot…’ Wren smirked. ‘I’m calling it the Ladies’ Luncheon Teapot.’

‘I see,’ Thea replied, though she didn’t. She had no interest in ladies’ luncheons.

But it didn't dissuade Wren, instead she turned to the next page, which featured a more detailed sketch of the interior.

Thea’s eyes narrowed. ‘Two chambers… Why?’

‘One for tea,’ Wren replied, celadon eyes bright. ‘One for poison.’

‘What?’ Thea scoffed. Of all the things she expected to come out of her sister’s mouth, ‘poison’ wasn’t one of them.