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

“I acquired it fairly.”

Lana continued rummaging through the shelves like the last time she had avoided my gaze and my questions. I was tired of her evasive behavior.

“I told you not to meddle in human affairs,” she said.

A flash of irritation came over me. What business did she have telling me what and what not to do? “Give me the instructions. I can make it myself—”

“I lied.” She slammed the cupboard and whirled around, eyes flashing.

“What?”

“I lied about the gold. You don’t need gold to make truth potion,” Lana said. She barked a mirthless laugh. “I told you that to discourage you. I know whatever you’re planning involves the royals and that prince. You’re better off minding your own business.”

“You lied to me?” The thought of Lana lying didn’t sit well with me. I trusted her. She was my teacher, my mentor.

Lana frowned. “I did it to protect you. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“What I’m getting into is none of your business!” I said, clenching my fists. “You don’t understand. People will suffer if I don’t have that potion.”

She slammed her hand on the counter. “Witches suffer every day,” she said, voice booming in the small space. “And yet humans do nothing. Nothing. They care nothing for us, Amarante, can’t you see? They are vermin upon this earth, destroying everything for their selfish desires. That prince will find you repulsive. Why are you helping him when he will kill you if you reveal yourself?”

I stumbled back, struck by the hatred in her eyes. Ash would never go so far as to kill me.

“How dare you!” I shouted. “What right do you have to speak to me that way?”

“Do you know what that enchantment on my door was when you first came to me?” Lana asked shakily. “Do you know why you were able to pass when everyone else couldn’t?”

I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood. What could she possibly mean by changing the subject?

She exhaled sharply when I didn’t answer. “It was meant to repel all but my own blood.”

“What do you mean?” I demanded.

“Your mother was my sister, Amarante,” Lana said shakily. “You are my niece.”

And then everything made sense. Why Theodora and Rowena insisted on taking me to Lana specifically. The look Beatrice had given her. Why Lana had Mama’s things. I felt like somebody was squeezing me so tightly I couldn’t breathe.

“Fraternizing with humans led to Seraphina’s death. She was so foolish. That silver bracelet ruined everything,” Lana said, pointing a trembling finger at the chain of bells around my wrist. “She conceived with your coward of a father who never told you the circumstances of your own birth. Then she killed herself when they found her out. She killed herself to protect you and that man. Humans are cruel, worthless creatures. That queen deserves to be poisoned.”

“How could you say that?” I said, my voice breaking.

“Not only that,” Lana said. A dark look came over her visage. “I created manbane.”

The floor spun.

Lana took a shuddering breath. “And when you came to me, I knew I shouldn’t have accepted you. But I couldn’t stop myself. I am your aunt, Amarante, and I...I cannot have what happened to your mother happen to you.”

“You’re no aunt of mine.” I nearly spat the words out. “You insult my Papa. You say humans are vermin upon this earth. You refuse to cure an innocent you poisoned! You are wicked!”

I snatched my bag and fled from Lana’s cottage. She didn’t call for me and I didn’t care to look back. My vision was too blurred with tears. I flew down Witch Village, ignoring the passersby. How dare she lie to me? How could she have kept everything from me all this time? To think I respected her! To think I wanted to make her proud!

The traverse through the tunnel for once felt too short. I wasn’t done fuming when Miriam received me in her back room. She gave me an appraising look. “So. She told you?”

I gave a stiff nod and wiped my eyes when she turned her back. My sleeves came away wet.

“Must’ve done it in a darned awful way, then,” Miriam said with a snort. She pulled out a china set from a low shelf. “Care for some tea?”

I sank down into a pouf before a circular table as Miriam clattered about, levitating the tea cups and shooting a spout of flame underneath the kettle.

She arranged herself before me. Her gaudy brass jewelry gleamed in the dim lamps hanging from the ceiling, a welcome distraction. I didn’t wish to see her face. No doubt she pitied me, or was guilty for lying to me from the start.

Miriam, Lana, Theodora, Rowena, and Papa. All of them lied to me.

The water in the kettle simmered. I stared at my tea cup. It had snails painted on it and the rim was dipped in gold.

Miriam heaved a mighty sigh. “Seraphina...She was one of those young witches too curious for their own good.”

I said nothing, but she continued. “She was no older than you when she got the bright idea to pretend to be human and explore their world. She came to me, of course, because I liked assisting the young and curious.” Miriam chuckled. “I didn’t see the harm in letting her roam around a bit. But that silly girl wanted more. She wanted to attend the Season.

“I didn’t think she’d pull it off, but in a fortnight, she had a false identity and went off to the palace with some money she magicked. There, she fell in love with your father. Lana hated the match. But Seraphina didn’t care.”

Mama had always been a figment of my imagination, an empty space I knew should have been filled but simply wasn’t. To hear her story was like filling that space. Even in my current state, I hungered for more. “When did Papa know?”

“When she became pregnant with you. Once she had you, the facade she built to