Bastial Frenzy (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 4) (27 page)

If she didn’t know Steffen better, she would’ve thought he was joking about the whole thing. “The days of letting you test potions on me are long gone,” she’d informed him.

“It’s not just me. Jack Rose is going to ask you to come to our classroom tomorrow.”

“Why would he do that?” Effie had sneezed again, then sniffled.

Steffen had applauded like a fool. “Oh, this is so good! I must go tell him.” He’d literally run out of the house.

The head chemist had come back with him and basically demanded she visit Steffen’s classroom the next morning.

“I’ve already told your instructor that you won’t be at battle training,” he’d said. “Thank you for doing this.”

You didn’t give me a choice.

Arriving at the classroom, she took a breath to ease her nerves and stepped in. She nearly turned and fled when she saw it was packed with instructors and students. It seemed as if all the chemists who hadn’t marched to Tenred were staring at her.

Jack stopped what he was saying to introduce her. “And here she is. Effie Elegin, thank you for coming. Please, come to the front.”

She walked into the crowded room. There were only enough chairs for a fourth of them. The rest were standing.

“You’re still feeling ill, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Please list your symptoms for us.”

“I have a headache and a lot of mucus. My...” The master chemist’s stupid excited grin made her stop.

“Go on.”

I’m just a talking rat to these chemists.
She refrained from rolling her eyes. “And my throat hurts.”

“Good. Do you have any questions before you take the potion we’ve prepared?”

“Yes. How do you know this potion won’t kill me?”

A ripple of laughter came from those watching.

Jack was smiling. “The mixture you’re going to take has been tested on rats. I’ve even taken a sample of pure caregelow melted with Bastial Energy to make sure. It won’t hurt you.”

“I’m not taking pure melted caregelow?”

“No. You’re taking a mixture of caregelow and callip.”

“Why callip?” It was a beautiful flower, dark blue with splotches of deep red, but she’d never heard of it having any use.

“Because that’s what was written.”

That confused Effie even more. She had no idea why these chemists thought the caregelow would do anything.

“I don’t understand,” she admitted, hoping she wouldn’t be laughed at this time. “If the only caregelows have been underground with the Slugari, how can you know what to mix them with or what they’ll do?”

His eyes widened, and he pushed out his hands. “Forgive me for not explaining! This is something chemists learn early on. Of course mages wouldn’t know much of caregelows.” He pointed at Steffen. “Would you explain it to your roommate?”

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 here!” 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.