it, Carliss?”
“According to Petolemew’s book on the esca lizard, we have only nine days to travel to Moorue, find the antidote, and give it to Dalton before he dies.”
Salina pushed herself to a sitting position. “If we take him to Salisburg before we go to Moorue, we’ll never make it in time,” she said.
Carliss put her hands on her hips and tried to think of other options, but could not. She was in a race against time, and every moment she delayed brought Dalton closer to death.
“We could take him with us to Moorue,” Salina said. “That would save the four-day journey back.”
Carliss looked at Dalton again and tried to imagine that scenario.
“He’s in no condition to travel at all. We would use up the time just trying to get there.” Carliss looked back at Salina. “There is only one option. You and I must leave straightaway for Moorue.” Then she looked at Eunice. “You have already done so much for us…”
Eunice stood. “We will care for Dalton.”
Carliss grabbed her hands. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you.”
Eunice smiled. “No need—”
She was interrupted by a ferocious commotion from Petolemew’s study, followed by sharp coughing.
“Eunice”—
cough, cough—
“Eunice! Come quickly!” the old man yelled from behind the door.
Carliss, Eunice, Salina, and Ganoaf all rushed into the study. A thick black cloud of smoke hung in the air just above their heads. Petolemew was sitting at one of the tables. His face looked as though it had been painted pitch black, and the fringes of his hair were singed. He was smiling broadly, and his white teeth and eyes stood out in stark contrast against his blackened countenance.
Eunice hurried to his side. “Petolemew, what have you done?”
“It’s marvelous!” he exclaimed, pointing to a large charred mark on the table before him.
Eunice went over and touched his face. Petolemew brushed her hand aside.
“Wonderful! You’ve brought visitors. Watch this.” He scooped a small mound of black powder from a large crucible just within arm’s reach. He reached for a lit candle and brought the flame near the mound.
Eunice began to back away. Carliss and Salina took their cue from her and also took a couple of steps back. Ganoaf, however, stepped forward toward Petolemew’s experiment.
“You be careful, Petole—” Eunice’s scolding was interrupted by a bright flash of light and a loud sound, followed by another poof of black smoke that rose up from the table in front of the alchemist.
Carliss closed her eyes and turned away, but she was not quick enough. Now, even with her eyes closed, a bright white light seemed etched in her vision, no matter which direction she looked. She looked back at Petolemew and saw that the table was on fire. After a few shouts of exclamation and some scurrying about, Petolemew found a rag and smothered the small flame.
“What is it?” Carliss asked as they reassembled about the table.
Ganoaf seemed completely mesmerized by what had just happened and was poking his finger into the crucible of unscorched black powder. He licked his finger and began to spit.
“It’s not to eat, big fella.” Petolemew grabbed the crucible and glanced at Carliss. “Is he missing a horseshoe or two?”
Carliss had to suppress her laughter, for that comment was a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.
“Mister Petolemew,” she asked, “how do you make this powder?”
“It’s a mixture of various substances…,” he began, then launched into a complicated explanation that lost Carliss almost from the beginning. But Eunice had grabbed a pen, inkwell, and parchment and was writing down as many of Petolemew’s words as possible, often asking him to repeat himself. Carliss marveled at the beautiful love that this woman demonstrated for her forgetful husband.
When his oration was through, Petolemew looked at the notes his wife had taken. For a moment, he seemed to perfectly
“According to Petolemew’s book on the esca lizard, we have only nine days to travel to Moorue, find the antidote, and give it to Dalton before he dies.”
Salina pushed herself to a sitting position. “If we take him to Salisburg before we go to Moorue, we’ll never make it in time,” she said.
Carliss put her hands on her hips and tried to think of other options, but could not. She was in a race against time, and every moment she delayed brought Dalton closer to death.
“We could take him with us to Moorue,” Salina said. “That would save the four-day journey back.”
Carliss looked at Dalton again and tried to imagine that scenario.
“He’s in no condition to travel at all. We would use up the time just trying to get there.” Carliss looked back at Salina. “There is only one option. You and I must leave straightaway for Moorue.” Then she looked at Eunice. “You have already done so much for us…”
Eunice stood. “We will care for Dalton.”
Carliss grabbed her hands. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you.”
Eunice smiled. “No need—”
She was interrupted by a ferocious commotion from Petolemew’s study, followed by sharp coughing.
“Eunice”—
cough, cough—
“Eunice! Come quickly!” the old man yelled from behind the door.
Carliss, Eunice, Salina, and Ganoaf all rushed into the study. A thick black cloud of smoke hung in the air just above their heads. Petolemew was sitting at one of the tables. His face looked as though it had been painted pitch black, and the fringes of his hair were singed. He was smiling broadly, and his white teeth and eyes stood out in stark contrast against his blackened countenance.
Eunice hurried to his side. “Petolemew, what have you done?”
“It’s marvelous!” he exclaimed, pointing to a large charred mark on the table before him.
Eunice went over and touched his face. Petolemew brushed her hand aside.
“Wonderful! You’ve brought visitors. Watch this.” He scooped a small mound of black powder from a large crucible just within arm’s reach. He reached for a lit candle and brought the flame near the mound.
Eunice began to back away. Carliss and Salina took their cue from her and also took a couple of steps back. Ganoaf, however, stepped forward toward Petolemew’s experiment.
“You be careful, Petole—” Eunice’s scolding was interrupted by a bright flash of light and a loud sound, followed by another poof of black smoke that rose up from the table in front of the alchemist.
Carliss closed her eyes and turned away, but she was not quick enough. Now, even with her eyes closed, a bright white light seemed etched in her vision, no matter which direction she looked. She looked back at Petolemew and saw that the table was on fire. After a few shouts of exclamation and some scurrying about, Petolemew found a rag and smothered the small flame.
“What is it?” Carliss asked as they reassembled about the table.
Ganoaf seemed completely mesmerized by what had just happened and was poking his finger into the crucible of unscorched black powder. He licked his finger and began to spit.
“It’s not to eat, big fella.” Petolemew grabbed the crucible and glanced at Carliss. “Is he missing a horseshoe or two?”
Carliss had to suppress her laughter, for that comment was a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.
“Mister Petolemew,” she asked, “how do you make this powder?”
“It’s a mixture of various substances…,” he began, then launched into a complicated explanation that lost Carliss almost from the beginning. But Eunice had grabbed a pen, inkwell, and parchment and was writing down as many of Petolemew’s words as possible, often asking him to repeat himself. Carliss marveled at the beautiful love that this woman demonstrated for her forgetful husband.
When his oration was through, Petolemew looked at the notes his wife had taken. For a moment, he seemed to perfectly
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