The Herbwitch's Apprentice Ireen Chau (best life changing books txt) 📖

Tori shook her head and sighed. “Alas, not everyone can stomach a Strongfoot pheasant,” she said. “Anyway, they say the hunting is going to start soon, though I don’t see the point in telling us—we’ll just be sitting here all day.”

“We’ll be picnicking and mingling,” Olivia piped up.

“Like I said, sitting here all day.”

I smiled at their banter, almost glad to have some semblance of normalcy, though attending the Season wouldn’t have been my idea of normal three weeks ago. Never in a million years had I thought that I’d be seeing strange colors, that there were witches living underground, that they were forced to do so because of a king Olderea knew and loved.

I glanced at the makeshift dais some men had lifted in. Ornate chairs replaced thrones. Queen Cordelia was already seated, leaning on the arm of her chair. Prince Ash was nowhere to be seen.

“Miss Amarante! What happened to you?”

I turned my head and was met with the sight of the missing prince. Murmurs of “Your Highness” sounded from my companions.

“I fell off my horse, Your Highness,” I said.

Prince Ash towered over me, dressed in a royal blue hunting coat and leather boots. His brows raised as he glanced at the hole in my skirts. I tucked my legs under the chair.

“I’m fine,” I said, suddenly embarrassed of my decently covered shin.

He shook his head in bewilderment. “You kicked Michael in the face. You might have broken his nose, you know?” he said.

“I didn’t mean to,” I said, horrified.

I noticed that we were drawing some looks. Samantha was both glaring at me and shooting simpering smiles at the prince’s back. Julianna merely sneered.

Prince Ash didn’t seem bothered. “Come with me. They just put up the medical tent,” he said, offering me his hand. His golden ribbon gleamed in the dappled sunlight.

“I don’t know how to fix broken noses!”

He laughed. It was a pleasant sound, but it rang too loud for my comfort. “You’re something. You can’t fall off a horse without injuries. Trust me. I’ve tried.” he said.

“He’s right, Amarante. You should probably check if you’re hurt,” Genevieve said softly.

Prince Ash smiled at Genevieve. “Come. Bandages await.”

With a huff, I stood from my seat without taking his hand. Pain shot up from my right knee and for a terrifying moment, I stumbled. Prince Ash caught me around the waist before I hit the ground.

He tutted. “What did I say?”

“You can’t fall off a horse without injuries.”

He released me. “Nothing like a teachable pupil,” he said, offering his arm. I took it begrudgingly and looked back to check if anybody saw my fall.

Nearly everyone’s heads were turned. If Samantha was glaring before, she was glowering now. Julianna was fuming. Tessa sneered. Poor Olivia looked flustered and Tori, to my utter embarrassment, had formed a heart with her hands and pulsed it before her chest.

The medical tent couldn’t be close enough. I limped as fast as I could, leaning heavily on Prince Ash’s arm. When at last we entered the protective canvas walls, I threw myself on a nearby bench, nearly breathless with relief.

“Reselda? You have another patient,” Prince Ash said to a woman in the far corner.

“Already? For heaven’s sake, the hunt hasn’t even started and we already have a broken nose and a...what happened to you?”

A middle-aged woman dressed in a healer’s white frock stopped before me.

“Fell off a horse,” I mumbled, chastened by her no-nonsense stare.

“And kicked a man in the face,” the prince added almost cheerfully.

Reselda sighed. Taking my arm, she led me to a cot near the end of the tent where jars of herbs and ointments cluttered a table. “Where does it hurt?”

I pointed at my throbbing right knee.

“Very well. Let’s have a look.”

Reselda pushed my skirts up from the spot. I was horrified to see a scarlet stain blooming like a carnation on my trousers. “It didn’t hurt when I fell on it,” I said faintly.

“Of course it didn’t,” Reselda said. “Roll up your pants.”

“What?”

“Roll them up. Unless you want me to cut through them,” she said. “And what in the devil are you still doing here?”

I was about to state my confusion before I realized she wasn’t talking to me. Prince Ash stood to the side, blushing. Mortified, I pulled my skirts back over my leg. Pants or not, I still felt indecent.

“I’ll be waiting outside,” he said, and promptly exited.

Reselda shook her head. “Boys,” she muttered under her breath. “Wait here. I will get the bandages.”

She disappeared behind a curtain that closed off the back of the tent. A second later, the front flap opened and Queen Cordelia herself entered, escorted by a servant.

“Your Majesty,” I said, stumbling from my seat and executing a clumsy, one-legged curtsy.

“No use hurting yourself over formalities, Miss Amarante,” the queen said. She took a seat at the bench near the entrance. “I suppose you’re the one my son was looking for earlier?”

“I-I suppose so,” I stuttered.

Reselda emerged with bandages before I embarrassed myself further. “Your Majesty,” the healer said, dipping into a curtsy. “May I be of service?”

“Yes,” the queen said. “I seem to have a headache. Perhaps it’s the heat.”

“Are you usually sensitive to heat, Your Majesty?” Reselda asked.

“Not at all. I don’t know what has gotten into me lately,” Queen Cordelia, rubbing her temple. “Stress, perhaps. I reckon I’d be worse off if Wilhelmina wasn’t organizing the Season for me.”

“Understandable, Your Majesty,” Reselda said. “I have a tonic that may help.”

The healer disappeared behind the curtain again and emerged with an amber vial.

“Thank you, Reselda,” Queen Cordelia said, taking the vial. “That will be all.”

The healer nodded and turned her attention to me. She worked quickly, cleaning my wound with a stinging solution and wrapping the bandages firmly around my knee. “Any pain?” she asked. I stood from the cot and tested my weight on my injured leg. It throbbed a little, but otherwise was bearable.

“No. Thank you,” I said.

“Good. The injury is minor—only a scrape