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

“The kitchen maids said they cleaned it thoroughly since the Debutante Ball,” Ash said.

Erasmus resumed his gruff demeanor. “I did not ask, boy. Now move back. I have to work in peace.”

Ash looked as if he was going to say something but thought better of it. He joined me by the barrels. One of them creaked as he sat. “The old dingbat didn’t make you uncomfortable when I left, did he?”

I smiled. “Erasmus? He’s not so bad.”

A few minutes of silence interrupted by occasional grunts and curses from the inspector passed. It wasn’t long before he removed his gloves again.

“There’s definitely poison,” he said as Ash and I approached the cluttered table. “Though I have no idea what it is.”

“What do you mean?” Ash demanded. I didn’t think he meant to sound so rude, but Erasmus harrumphed.

“There is irregular texture inside the goblet,” the inspector said, tilting it toward us. “But I will need some time if I want to extract the particles of poison, if there are any left.”

Indeed, on close inspection, the bottom of the goblet was rougher compared to the smooth edges, as if something had corroded it. It was so subtle that it could’ve been mistaken for embellishment on passing. I touched my crystal. A golden glow emitted from the rough patches, but quickly faded into a red aura. My fingers were stiff as I let go of my crystal. Every other substance I had sensed with my magic had some useful property or other. But this was entirely different. The sickening scarlet fumes had but one purpose—to kill. And a witch had made it.

Ash shook his head and looked to me. “You were right then.”

“That means someone framed Captain Greenwood,” I said.

Erasmus furrowed his brow. “I’d investigate thoroughly if I were you. Whoever did this is exceptionally crafty. The poison was coated on the edges and insides of the goblet.” He pointed to a spot on the rim that had the same rough patch.

“What does that mean?” I said.

“The poison was not in the drink. It was smeared on the goblet beforehand.”

Ash and I left Erasmus’s laboratory in grim spirits. It was well past noon, but I had long forgotten about rushing to the Strongfoots’ luncheon. How could a witch create such a deadly poison? How did it get into the hands of Duchess Wilhelmina?

“I can’t believe the duchess is capable of doing all this,” I said, more to myself than to Ash. How could the woman who stressed the importance of eating salad with the correct fork commit treason?

“She’s more than capable,” Ash said, surprising me. His face was stony.

I stopped walking. We lingered in the hallway before the endless row of portraits I had passed a week ago. Ash stared at the painting before him, which depicted two men and two women, all young and exceptionally good-looking. The placard underneath read: Prince Maximus Median, Princess Cordelia Arcia, Miss Wilhelmina Bellerose, and Lord Maverick Greenwood.

It was odd to see Queen Cordelia and King Maximus so young, but even stranger to see the duchess’s face smooth and radiant and smiling.

Ash looked at the floor. “Do you remember my governess?”

I nodded.

“She was Duchess Wilhelmina.”

NEWS OF CAPTAIN GREENWOOD’S arrest spread like wildfire. The morning after, articles about the queen’s poisoning were plastered all over the newspaper. Lord Strongfoot was enraged.

“The captain would never do such a thing!” he said, crumpling the morning’s news into a wad and tossing it behind him. Vicky and Ria began kicking it around the parlor. “Slanderous, I say. Slanderous!”

Tori furrowed her brow, her nose buried in her copy of the post. “You can say that again, Pa. I don’t believe a word. It says Greenwood has been slipping the queen arsenic for months when she allegedly put an end to their affair. Their affair is bogus! Merely a rumor some sharp-tongued snake started to stir up trouble.”

“Even if it were true,” Genevieve said, “I doubt he would do anything to harm Her Majesty. That is far too cruel.”

“And treasonous,” Tori added.

Lord Strongfoot stood from the sofa. “I must write to King Maximus. He of all people should know the captain’s character.”

He departed immediately, leaving us anxious for news. I had yet to tell Tori or Genevieve about witnessing the entire fiasco with Ash. I decided to keep quiet, at least until Ash gathered enough evidence to prove Duchess Wilhelmina was the real culprit. It all seemed too surreal. We spent the rest of the morning attending to our own affairs, though Tori’s lute playing seemed less spirited than usual and Genevieve couldn’t concentrate on her book. At noon, Lord Strongfoot still did not return, but a mail boy came with letters. One of them was from Lydia, which appeared to be written that very morning.

My dear Genevieve and Amarante,

Have you read the articles about that wicked Greenwood poisoning Her Majesty? I was so shocked I spilled tea all over the dining table and stained my gown—the one with the pretty beading along the sleeves.

Anyway, I hope no one respectable was there when that happened. I do not like the idea of the two of you witnessing such messy affairs. To think a traitor was within the very palace debutantes reside! I shudder thinking about it.

Genevieve, dear, I hope you are spending the bulk of your time with Mr. Sternfeld and his sister. The Season ends in a mere month so manage your time wisely. And Amarante, keep talking to Prince Ash. I heard from Lady Thornbrush’s daughter that she spotted him with some girl at the palace library. She thinks her very plain, and though you are no great beauty yourself I reckon you will have better luck with His Highness, seeing that he danced with you at the Debutante Ball. That is all. Be good.

All my love,

Your Mama (and stepmother)

I barely scanned the contents of Lydia’s letter before passing it on to Genevieve to read. Another letter caught my attention.