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

attend the Season began to crumble. Magicked money isn’t permanent. Eventually a dressmaker did some digging and found holes in her story. It wasn’t long before he was blabbering about it to the public.

“Your father wanted to escape the kingdom, but Seraphina refused. Delibera had become her home. She couldn’t bear for you to live as an outcast, or risk exposing the location of Witch Village. She committed suicide before the authorities found her. I had to tell Lana the news myself. She didn’t like me very much after that.”

I closed my eyes. Papa’s absence made sense now. Perhaps he couldn’t bear to see me after what Mama did to protect us.

“But Theodora and Rowena,” I said. “Who were they in all this?”

“They were your mother’s closest friends. They offered to raise you. At your father’s request they suppressed your magic for sixteen years. I don’t think either of them expected you to come to Witch Village. It was Seraphina’s wish to not see you suffer the same fate she did, as a witch.”

“You knew. When you first saw me, you knew who I was,” I said, warming my shaking fingers with the steam rising from my tea. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Miriam shrugged. “It wasn’t my place.”

I shook my head. It didn’t matter anymore. I couldn’t change my family’s past. But there was still one thing I could do.

“Miriam, do you have the recipe for truth potion?”

27

She raised a thick brow. “What do you need that for?”

“Do you have it?”

“Yes.” She looked like she was going to object, but got up from her seat nonetheless to a shelf of spherical terrariums. There was a secret compartment underneath, from which she handed me a folded piece of paper.

“What do you need it for?” she asked again, but I had already crossed the beaded curtain.

Sudden knocking at the front door stopped me in my tracks.

“Open up. Royal business.”

Miriam walked over. She peered out of the narrow slot, then withdrew with a frown. “I really hope this has nothing to do with you.”

I didn’t answer as she opened the door. Soldiers dressed in the purple of the Royal Guard marched in, towering over the witch’s short frame. If Miriam was intimidated, she didn’t show it.

“Hello, gentlemen. May I interest you in some snails? Buy two and get a terrarium free.”

The leader, a man with a very long nose and large feet, motioned for the other guards. Three of them began to search the shop.

“We’re here to look for evidence of witches or witch-related items,” he said, looking down at her. “Meanwhile, I need you to answer some questions. Have you come into contact with any witches recently or in the past few months?”

Miriam gasped. “Witches? My goodness, sir! You don’t expect an old woman like me to meet any witches and survive the encounter,” she said, pulling her shawls tighter around her shoulders. “I merely sell my little pets for a living.”

The guard looked around the room, cringing visibly. No doubt he was thinking the same thoughts I had when I first stepped foot in Miriam’s shop. “I see. Then do you have any useful information about the whereabouts of the Witch Market?”

She pressed her fingers to her lips. “You mean that awful place where curses and poisons are bottled and sold like raspberry jam?”

“That’s right.”

“I assure you, sir, if I knew anything of it, I’d go to the authorities straight away,” Miriam said, looking earnestly at the guard. “I do not sleep easy knowing there are witches out there selling such heinous things.”

The guard grunted and shook his head. “Unfortunately, it is the world we live in, madam,” he said.

I figured why Miriam was made guardian—she was an impeccable actress. As the guard asked her another question, I inched toward the doorway, desperate to leave. I had been gone for longer than I wanted. No doubt Karen already tattled to Narcissa about my absence.

But as I was about to cross the threshold, I came face to face with Ash.

His eyes widened. “What are you doing here?” he said, walking into the shop.

I took a step back, too surprised to talk.

“Your Highness,” the guard said, bowing. “I was questioning this shop owner.” He darted a glance at me. “Er, I will question her next.”

Ash took my arm, his fingers burning through my sleeves. “No need. She’s with me.”

Miriam’s jaw fell as she looked from me to Ash. I avoided her questioning gaze and followed him outside. There were several horses waiting on the cobblestone with another guard. Ash led me to a lamp post, far enough to prevent eavesdropping.

“What are you doing here?” he repeated. The lamp light cast harsh shadows across his features.

“I...I was shopping for a snail,” I said. It was a horrible lie. No one in their right mind would buy anything from Miriam’s shop.

“You’ve been crying.”

I lowered my head. “I haven’t.”

“Amarante.” Ash took my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

I moved away with a laugh, my cheeks aching from the fraudulence. “Nothing is wrong. I didn’t find a snail I like, that’s all.”

He didn’t smile. “Last night and now this. You’re worrying me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, turning around. “Listen, I have to go.”

Ash grabbed my hand, squeezing my knuckles as he did so. I sucked in a breath. My reaction did not go unnoticed.

“What is this?” he said, staring at the welts on the back of my hand. They had not yet healed from yesterday’s beatings.

Before I could come up with an excuse, Ash pushed up my sleeve and revealed the angry red scratches I had acquired in the past week.

I yanked my arm away. “It’s nothing. I fell this morning.” The lie came smoothly, but my throat seized at his expression.

“Let me see your other arm,” he said, stepping forward.

I stepped back as he advanced, holding both my arms behind my back. Narcissa’s initials were still scratched on my other hand. I