Page 13 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

12 AELIA

Caiden didn’t look at me the next morning as we sat in the parlor for breakfast. A light winter sun streamed through the large, shuttered windows.

I flashed him a shit-eating grin as I munched on a piece of toast with butter.

“Either of you want to tell me what’s going on?” Amolie said, reading the tension between us.

“Caiden thought I had lost my charm. I proved him wrong.” I took a sip of my tea.

Amolie’s eyes darted between Caiden and me.

“You two didn’t…”

“No!” we both shouted. Caiden took a long drink of his coffee.

Roderick nudged Amolie, whispering something in her ear, turning her face red.

I stood, fixing my soft wool dress. “We better get going, Amolie. The shops fill up fast.”

Amolie nodded and downed her own cup. Ernie brought us both fur-lined cloaks before opening the iron door .

“Have a good day,” he said as a winter wind poured through the house.

“You too!” Amolie and I shouted as we headed into the cobblestone streets.

Dressmakers decorated their windows with the finest garments they could produce in the bustling textile market. Free cities, like Ruska, were said to have the finest dressmakers in all of Moriana. Even the elves in their lofty towers made a pilgrimage to Ruska for formal wear.

The sylph rules of decorum demanded we dress elaborately. Only Itra’s designs would do.

“Hello, your majesty,” Itra said in a low voice, bowing her head in respect as we entered. We were old acquaintances from my days as an emissary.

“It’s just Aelia now. I haven’t been royalty in quite some time.”

“As you wish, Aelia.” She held her hand to her heart. “How can I help you today?”

Reams of colored fabric hung on the wall. I ran a yard of plum velvet through my fingers. “This is for tea with the king.”

Itra remembered the code for when I needed a dress discreetly. She locked the doors and drew the shades—moving with a grace that only came from centuries of living. Her white hair, tied in a long ponytail with black pearls placed throughout. Wrinkles near her eyes marked Itra as one of the elder sylphs.

She led us over to a sketching table where pencils and paper were waiting. “So, what’s the occasion?”

“We will each need a few dresses. They will need to have hidden compartments for weapons and potions.”

Itra’s eyes widened in surprise. “You will want a protection spell woven into the fabric, then?”She started to sketch frantically.

“We’ll be attending a banquet in the Court of Sorrows and the Alder King’s Yule Revelry.”

Itra paused, her brow knitted in concern. “Have you ever been to one of the Alder King’s Revelries?”

We both shook our heads.

“It is the most extravagant party you will ever attend.” She clapped her hands together in excitement. “Others put in their orders months ago.”

She didn’t have to say it. The dresses were expensive.

I dropped a sack of gold onto her desk. “A down payment. I’ll have the rest when we return to pick up the dresses.”

Itra’s eyes widened. “Of course. I’ll get right to work on these. The Court of Sorrows’ dresses should be ready by the day after tomorrow. I’ll just need your measurements.”

She pointed to a large stool.

I stood with my arms out. Itra took a golden tape measure out of her pocket and encircled it around my feet, letting it slog its way up my body, taking down my measurements for her. Once finished, it recoiled upon itself and returned to Itra’s hand.

After she finished measuring Amolie, we said our goodbyes and headed to the butcher’s shop.

A fresh blanket of snow coated the lamp-lined streets. Peaked roofs of timber-framed houses bore heavy caps of white.

“Do you want to tell me what happened this morning?” Amolie asked as we stopped at the butcher to grab some meat and cheese for dinner.

I gave her an innocent look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A smile curled at the corner of her mouth. “Sure.”

“I don’t kiss and tell, Amolie.” I gave her a coy smile .

“I knew it!” she exclaimed, interrupting the business of the shop.

“Shhh.” I widened my eyes and held up a calming hand. “Did it ever occur to you to tell me that not only did Caiden have a wife but that she died?”

Amolie’s eyes fell to her feet. “I didn’t think you could handle it.”

I clicked my tongue at her. “I’m not that fragile.”

Amolie looked up at me, her brunette curls surrounding her face like a halo. “You were that fragile for a long time. I didn’t want you to spiral.”

Amolie’s words struck me right in the heart. I knew I had been hard to be around for years. What else people were keeping from me?

“Did you meet her?” I pointed to some aged gouda behind the counter and signaled to the butcher I wanted the whole round.

“No, but Roderick mentioned she and Caiden were happy together.”

I flinched.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad he found happiness for a time.”I collected myself, pushing a stray hair back into place, before taking the cheese from the monger and sliding it into my satchel.

Amolie squeezed my hand.

“Are you going to tell me what has been going on with you and Roderick?”

Pink flushed her cheeks, and a beaming smile crossed her face. “Well, you know we’ve been close for a long time…”

“I do…”

“And well, recently, we decided to be together.” She dug her toe into the wood floor of the shop.

My mouth fell open in surprise. “You’re a couple? ”

“You could put it that way,” Amolie said as she surveyed the contents of her satchel.

“Be careful. You know how he is. I remember Caiden having to pull him out of some precarious situations.” Roderick’s gift of honey tongue had led many lovers to his bed.

“He’s changed,” Amolie said, taking a salami wrapped in wax paper from the butcher.

I rolled my eyes. In my experience, people didn’t change. “You can let him know; if he hurts you, he’ll have me to deal with.”

Amolie laughed. “All right. I’ll let him know.”

A lump grew in my throat. “I am happy for you, Amolie.”

“Thank you, Aelia. It means a lot to me.”

“Of course…” I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “We’ve been through the wringer together. It’s time one of us found happiness.”

Amolie’s shoulders sank. “I will be sad to see you erase Caiden’s memories.”

“Me too,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Winter’s chill bit at us as we headed down the cobblestone street lined with townhomes toward the potions shop.

Pinky’s Potions gained fame for its extensive selection of rare herbs, crystals, and tonics. Pinky herself, a tall and slender witch with dark skin, a button nose, and her signature pink hair—the result of a tinting potion gone wrong—greeted us as we entered.

“Aelia, I see you’ve survived another contract,” she said, rearranging a shelf of brightly colored vials. A regular at Pinky’s, we knew each other well.

“Sorry to disappoint,” I said, heading for the medical section.

“Nonsense. It’s great advertising for the shop.”

The smell of cardamom and orange peels wafted through the air—a staple of the Yule season .

“Pinky, this is Amolie of the Ravenwood Coven.”I pointed to Amolie who beamed back at Pinky with her gummy smile.

Pinky placed her hands on her hips. “Ooh, a Raven girl. We don’t get many of you around here.”

“We’re a small coven, but it’s not the size that counts, as they say,” Amolie replied, grabbing some dragon’s breath from the herb section.

“The Ravenwood are skilled in the art of potions, I hear.”

Amolie nodded, turning over an eye of newt in her hand.

“Well, what can I do for you girls for today?”Pinky returned to binding herbs.

“I need the usual,” I said, handing her my list. My usual included one jar of healing ointment, one contraceptive tonic, and one dye tonic for my hair. A natural brunette, I now kept it jet black as part of my cover.

Pinky nodded and went to fetch my things.

While she arranged my order, I glanced over at her wide assortment of tinctures, everything from love potions to a death kiss. One in particular caught my eye—a glowing vial containing a bright yellow liquid.

“Pinky, what’s this one do?” I said, holding up the vial.

Pinky’s eyes brightened. “It’s new. They call it The Last Wish. Deadly and undetectable once it’s in a liquid. Elvish made.”

“I’ll take one,” I said, setting the vial next to the other items on the counter. “And anything Amolie wants as well.”

Amolie piled herbs high on the counter. “You never know what we’ll need.” She gave me an innocent look, shrugging.

“What kind of adventure are you off to now?” Pinky asked.

“We’re headed to a party,” I replied, not wanting to give too much away, never knowing where Gideon’s spies lurked.

“I’m not sure I want to go to whatever party needs this kind of supplies,” she said, surveying our purchases .

Gold coins clinked on the counter. “See you later, Pinky. Always a pleasure.”

“Be safe out there,” she called after us.