Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) Jonathan Michael (red novels .txt) 📖

“What are they?” I hold onto the flask with milky fluid, hoping she won’t store it away as well.

“Remedies I acquired during my travels to the capital.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that.” But it’s not what I wanted to talk to her about. Must have not been important. And I don’t seem to care whether it was important or not. I feel at such ease like nothing in the world matters.

“I was taken in by a friendly woman after I escaped Ellia. There was an accident.” Her gaze wanders for a moment. “Thankfully, I’ve been trained at the Academy and I was able to petrify my flesh to prevent my death. But I had severe, nearly fatal injuries without a Healer for leagues.”

“So, the tides turned. You were in Jay’s charge the remainder of the journey? That’s ironic.”

“Oh. Yes. Jay, yes. She cared for me while I recovered.” Astor laces her fingers together and fiddles with her thumbs. “Then, we stumbled upon a farm maintained solely by an elderly woman. She was crabby but wise. She convinced me these remedies”—she gestures to the flasks remaining on the table—"would be helpful after I explained to her my desire to offer a solution for the dwindling healing trade. I’m experimenting with them. Some may be a viable remedy to pain.”

“Is this one Everweed?” I raise the only flask she left on the table closer to my face. “I thought you were more of a woman of science, not magic.”

“It’s not magic. Just you wait and see.” Astor pulls it from my grasp, corks the milky fluid, and stores them both away with the other. “What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be headed to Aeronautics?”

She has my course schedule memorized. Of course she does. She’s a scholar. She loves this stuff.

“Yeah, probably.” I had forgotten all about my remaining obligations for the day. How could I have forgotten? What is it about this woman that subdues me this way? I suddenly remember what I wanted to talk to her about. “I…uh…I had sort of an awkward situation with Madam Platina today.”

“Madam Platina? Is everything alright?”

“I had an accident.”

“Really?” she asks with genuine concern. “What happened, do you need me to mend something for you?” She steps closer and grabs my face, turning it this way and that searching for scratches and bruises. “My healing practices are getting better, but I would recommend Madam Platina if you have something serious.”

She forces me to do a spin, still searching my body for any kind of injuries. Her hands—poking, prodding, and groping—seem to be lingering more than they ought to be. Or maybe I’m just imagining them lingering.

“Astor. Please.” I turn back around and grab her hands. “I’m not hurt.”

“Then what’s wrong? Why did you go see Madam Platina?”

“I had a run in with a thornwood fence, and there were lacerations covering my body.” Astor puts her hands on me again. Her touch warms me. She lifts my arms to check the undersides and lifts my tunic to check my abdomen. I place a hand over hers. She flinches slightly but accepts my touch. “Astor. They’re not there anymore. They disappeared before I arrived at Madam Platina’s infirmary. It’s not the first time this has happened to me. I mostly try to hide it. And Master Stormwood said I need to keep it a secret. But Madam Platina seemed to understand and shooed me away, telling me her time is better spent on those that need it. Is healing yourself taboo?”

“Oh,” she says with another attractive frown on her face, her bottom lip pouting. “I thought you might have something viable for one of my experiments.”

“Experiments? I’ll never let you experiment on me. Not with magic. And what do you mean ‘Oh’? Does that mean it’s not taboo? Why would Master Stormwood tell me to keep it secret? He said he knew what I was. I assumed he was referring to my ability to heal myself.”

She smiles. “It’s not taboo, Stone. I don’t know why Master Stormwood said to keep it a secret. Maybe you misunderstood him. In fact, it’s rather common. Often, the people of your race will accidentally do it a few times until they learn to control it. It’s just like any of the other techniques involved with your talent. You simply have to practice with it to perfect it.”

“So, it’s normal.” Then what was Master Stormwood referring to? What does he know about me? Does he think me a Graft too? Like Grimry does?

“It’s something you would’ve learned at a young age had you attended the Academy when you were supposed to. I’m surprised you weren’t aware of it from growing up in a family of Lahyf.”

“As clumsy as I am, I managed to avoid any serious injuries as a child. I suppose none were serious enough to spark the conversation.” I shake my head and lower my gaze to the table. “I’m highly annoyed right now. What is Master Stormwood suspicious of, then?”

“Your talent is above average.”

Astor moves closer to me with a damp rag and wipes at my face. I must have missed some of the dried blood. She smiles, lingering intimately close.

“You should get going,” she says abruptly and steps back. “Master Sephyre will likely give me a lashing if I’m the cause for your tardiness.”

“Doubtful. Master Sephyre is only capable of giving you winks and smiles with bad intentions.”

“Are you jealous?”

“No. It is just…it’s weird to see a man of his age attempting to court a lady of yours. And without full disclosure of his intentions. It’s kind of creepy, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think he has any such intentions.” Astor crosses her arms, and her brow tightens. “I was simply a favored student who achieved high marks.