Practical Potions and Premeditated Murder (Practical Potions Mysteries Book 1), page 18
“Thank you, Hazen.” Sella held his hand briefly. “And take as many scones as you want. I promise, no spots this time.”
The rest of the day was quiet. Outside, the rain began to fall harder. It would be rough seas. Sella hoped that Arda and his family wouldn’t be going out in a storm like this.
TWENTY-THREE
Fish in a Pond
“WAKE UP!” Beejee yowled the next morning.
“It’s too early,” Sella groaned and pulled a down pillow over her head.
“Wake up!” Beejee nudged his nose under the pillow. “Hazen is out in the streets. He’s lost his mind.”
Sella threw the pillow aside, she blinked into the bright of the early morning. “Hazen what?”
Beejee ran to the window and pawed at the glass. “Sella, he’s out there ranting to everyone that we’re not safe until the killer is found,” Beejee turned back to her again. “He’s calling for an official King’s task force. He’s losing it!”
Sella scrambled to her feet, she went to the window and opened it to hear Hazen from the ground below shout, “And another thing! Cali was stuck here. Like a little fish in a pond waiting for the net! She should’ve been out to sea!” His words were slurred, his body motions too fluid and unstable.
“He’s drunk,” Sella whispered, but anxiety in her chest betrayed her. She knew Beejee could feel it too.
“Hazen doesn’t get drunk.” Beejee looked up at her. “He hardly drinks.”
The witch pulled her hair behind her ears and then turned to the wardrobe in the corner. She pulled out a green dress and threw it on before pulling on boots and her hat. “Come with me, Beejee. We better get to him before this gets out of hand.” She secured her hat low to cover her brow.
Cali appeared by the window, looking down. “Poor Hazen,” she said wistfully. “I never would have thought he’d miss me like this. He doesn't need to. I’m okay.”
Sella looked at her and her heart sank at the sadness in her voice. It was a break in her usual cheerful tone, another small fissure in her mask. “Why don’t you come with us?”
“What are you going to do?” Cali asked.
“Nothing scary. A calming drink.” Sella grabbed a small jar from her shelf and stuffed it into her pocket. “We can’t have him riling everyone up. Or worse, have Benka catch him before we do.”
“Is there an ordinance against public drunkenness?” Cali asked as she followed Sella and Beejee down the stairs with silent footsteps.
“A steep one.” Sella glanced back. “Since last time… someone was out of control like this. It wasn’t good.”
Cali hummed as if about to ask a question. But as they went out into the street together, Hazen turned to them at the sound of the shop door opening.
“Oh, good!” Genuine relief filled his voice. He held a large pitcher with one hand and pointed at her with the other. “The witch is here to save the day! With magic!”
Sella hurried to his side. She looked at him for a moment, at his unsteady feet, and then she rushed in to hold his large body upright as he began to lean too far. She heaved his body, but he was huge and heavy. Unstable on his feet, he sauntered with one arm draped over her shoulder. It felt like a log trying to crush her. Her body shook, from exertion, from fear, as more of the town’s eyes fell on them. She felt like prey. Everything in her body told her to freeze.
But she needed to keep moving. She needed to get him back in the tavern, and soon. “Hazen,” she whispered as people passed them with wide eyes, predators on the prowl. “What has gotten into you?” Her legs spread, and she finally stabilized him, but her hands still quivered beneath him.
“We’re all just fish in a pond!” His words were slurred. He clutched the ceramic jug closer to his chest, his free hand went to his side. “Fish. Belong. In. An. Ocean.”
“Okay…” Sella let go of his arm around her shoulders. He was too heavy, and becoming too chaotic to hold. She hurried to his other side and held his free arm tightly with both of her shaking hands. “Fish in a pond, an ocean, right… Let’s chat more about this inside. Is the tavern open?”
“Open? We’re always open! No rest for old Hazen. No rest for Cali. She was a good one!”
“Aww,” Cali said, suddenly appearing by Sella’s side.
Sella’s lips drew into a thin line. She sucked her teeth as she strained to pull Hazen along. “Come on, then,” she grunted. “Let’s chat about fish and death in the tavern. Quickly now!” She positioned her body so she could leverage herself into steadiness.
Below, Beejee moved between his feet to keep each of his legs always a little lifted and easier for Sella to guide.
They moved in an awkward dance through the street as townsfolk and hotel guests stopped and pointed, some whispered to each other. In agreement with his utterances or in horror, Sella wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter right now. She had to make it to the tavern doors, to get safe.
They approached and she heaved herself into Hazen to keep him standing as she felt him slouch. “The door!” Sella cried out as she pushed and shoved Hazen back upright.
From the side of the street, Lohrna darted out. “I got you, Sella!” She moved in front of them quickly to push the double doors. They opened with a groan and Sella, Lohrna, and Hazen all fell forward to get him into the safety of the tavern.
Hazen landed on the stone floor with a loud thud. He was asleep before Sella could even fish the calming spell from her pocket.
“Close the doors!” Beejee called as he and Cali entered the empty tavern behind the others.
Sella hurried to the doors and began to pull them shut as Benka’s pale face appeared down the street. She glared at him between the fast-closing gap and then the heavy doors slammed, blocking out the street, the sun, and the spectators. Sella sighed and straightened her back against the closed doors. She looked down at the sleeping man. “What in all the lower levels was that, Hazen?”
His snores were the only response.
Beside him, the ceramic pitcher was still intact, turned on its side and leaking a clear liquid.
Lohrna squatted beside him and poked at his arm with one finger. “My mom told me what was happening and I had to come help. I haven’t seen Hazen like this since…” She paused and turned to Sella. “Hey, this is pretty uncharacteristic. I’m worried about him. Should we go get Cirian?”
Sella sighed and finally pushed herself off the doors when she realized she sunk into the thick wood doors. “Maybe. It will take forever to pull him to the back with just the two of us.”
Between them, Beejee trotted forward. He sniffed at Hazen’s boot, then up along his body with a pink, twitching nose. “Sella,” he called, “Come here. He smells… enchanted.”
Lohrna’s eyes followed the length of his body and then to the pitcher. She picked it up and studied its contents with one eye closed. She sniffed, stuffing most of her face into the opening. “Beejee, come put your nose to good use over here.”
For a moment, Sella felt the static in her body dissipate. It was good to see the two of them working together, talking. But then the reason for their teamwork crushed down on her and her brows furrowed, muscles tightening again. She shook out her limbs, trying to regain control of her nerves.
Beejee went to Lohrna’s side and sniffed at the jug before recoiling quickly with a hiss. “Garawock.”
“Garawock?” Sella stepped toward them, but Lohrna already had her nose back in the jug. “Lohrna! Get your face out of there!”
“I knew it smelled off.” Lohrna took another deep inhale before she finally heeded Sella’s warning and held the ceramic at arm’s length.
“Lohrna, what were you thinking? You know that stuff knocks you out cold!” Sella snatched the jug from Lohrna’s grasp and eyed it suspiciously with a single brow raised.
“Knocks you out after it makes you go stupid and out of control,” Beejee added. “Not that you need help with either.”
Lohrna, still positioned on the floor, side-eyed the familiar. “You know we can understand you now,” she grumbled.
Beejee stopped in his tracks. He turned to Lohrna slowly. Sella thought she sensed an apology coming as he sighed. He’d always been able to freely speak his mind, or been able to make jokes at everyone’s expense with little consequence. Sella knew this would take getting used to. But instead of an apology, he turned back and trotted to the door. “I hear a crowd outside.”
Cali gave a friendly wave and then disappeared. Her unbodied voice echoed, “I’ll go check it out.”
Sella set the ceramic jug on a nearby table and studied Hazen’s sleeping form closely. He was breathing steadily, that was a good sign. It felt like her ribs were finally able to unwrap around her lungs and heart. “How did Garawock get into Hazen’s drink?” she wondered aloud.
Lohrna stood and dusted her knees off. “Weird, right? First Cali’s death from Cresablatt, and now this?” She shook her head. “Think this might be the other witch’s doing?”
“Yeah, maybe, ” Sella said. The other witch would probably know how to make this potion. She tucked her chin to her chest and curled her arms around herself. Still, she felt exposed. “But why kill Cali? Why poison Hazen?”
Lohrna huffed, hoisting herself onto the tabletop. Her back slouched and she curled her legs up onto the table. “I guess we have multiple questions on our hands now.” She stared at Hazen with a worried expression. “First, are they even connected?”
“Stay here.” Sella’s voice was exasperated. “I’ll go back to the shop. I have what we need so he won’t be hurting too much when he wakes up. Nothing can stop what’s done, but he’ll at least feel better than he would without it.” Sella didn’t wait for Lohrna to acknowledge her. She slipped outside before her friend had time to ask another question for her to worry about.
She closed the door behind her with a loud thud, but the town’s gossip was already louder. Voices rang in her ears like loud bells. She searched the crowd that began to gather on the side of the street. Some were pointing, others hurrying away small children, clutching their skirts as they ushered them along.
Sella glared at the crowd. She noticed no one was trying to come into the tavern. No one was moving to help. Were they afraid of Hazen’s behavior, or of her? She didn’t have much time to wonder. She caught Cali’s eyes through the crowd and motioned her head for her to follow back to the shop.
They entered Practical Potions and Honey. Sella locked the door behind her with a finger snap.
“Is Hazen alright?” Cali asked.
“He will be.” Sella was already working behind the counter. She added a dash of yellow powder to a stone bowl, a splash of dark liquid, and a sprinkle of dried herbs. “The poison isn’t deadly, but he’ll be in a lot of pain in the morning if he doesn’t get this soon.” Sella closed her eyes and stirred the mixture together with a gray pestle. She imparted healing, sleep, and strength through her hands as she worked to mix it together. She breathed in deeply. A rich earthy smell filled the shop. It was done.
“Glad you can help,” Cali said once Sella’s eyes opened. “Hazen doesn’t deserve any of this.” She glanced out through the windows of the shop. “Wow, people are really starting to gather out there…”
“Hazen had his share of public embarrassments,” Sella blurted before she could stop. She halted. Of course she managed to blurt that out. Not wanting to betray any of his trust any more than she already had, she bit her lower lip. That was all in the past. He had come a long way since he was a young man. She packaged the small dose into a little glass jar. “Anyway, this town just loves its gossip. There’s not much else to worry about.” She looked past Cali as more people appeared in the street. “Just… stay close to me.”
“I don’t think I’m in danger, what with…” She gestured at her body broadly.
Sella’s eyes flicked to her. She knew annoyance was plastered across her expression. She couldn’t hide it. She was in no mood for jokes and already felt silly for her protectiveness over the ghost at all.
“Of course.” This time, Cali’s tone was serious.
“Alright, come with me.”
They hurried out of the shop and through the crowd of people who couldn’t be bothered to mind their own business. She almost gave them a snide remark, but instead, she bit her lip and marched through them, back to the tavern’s doors, with squared shoulders.
Behind her, she caught moments in conversation louder than others.
“Of course it’s her,” a man whispered.
“Always is. So careless with her recipes,” said another.
“We’ve had peace for ten years, now this?”
Sella let herself in and gave them all one more quick scowl before she shut and locked the door behind her. “I got it.” She held the little vial aloft. “How’s he doing?”
“Still passed out cold.” Beejee guided her back to Hazen’s sleeping form on the floor.
Sella passed the potion to Lohrna, still crouched beside him. “Here, if you can, try getting at least some of this in his mouth.”
Lohrna nodded and positioned Hazen’s large head in her lap, rather ungracefully.
A hard knock on the doors startled them. Beejee scurried closer to the door and held a gray ear to the wood. “Benka!” Beejee hissed.
TWENTY-FOUR
The Letter
The knock sounded again, this time louder, more insistent.
“Benka!” Sella whispered. She backed away from the door slowly, as if a monster was on the other side.
“You have the letter,” Lohrna said. “We can explain–”
Sella let out a guttural bark. She side-eyed Lohrna with a scowl.
“What?” Lohrna moved closer to the door. “He’s reasonable, right?”
“Lohrna!” Sella hissed.
“Authorities!” the voice behind the door boomed through the wood. “Open up!”
Lohrna reached for the door but Sella smacked her hand away.
“This is private property.” Sella hissed. “He doesn’t belong here.”
“Maybe he can help with Hazen? Does he need medical attention?” Cali asked, crouching down beside the large sleeping man.
Sella looked at Hazen, then back to the door. “There’s no cure. Really he just needs to sleep it off. He’s a big guy. Whoever did this only wants to stir the pot.”
Lohrna and Cali both looked at her with skeptical expressions but said nothing in return. Sella turned to the door and bit the inside of her cheek worriedly. To open the door or not? It felt like there was no win. She was backed into a corner.
“Sella, Kitchen Witch!” Benka stressed the word ‘kitchen’ as if he implied it was a lie. As if she was more dangerous than she led on. She felt her fists clench and heat rise in her fingertips. “Open. This. Door.” Another long series of bangs reverberated through the tavern.
“Sella?” Lohrna grabbed her arm and tugged at it. She looked at Beejee, then to the door.
Sella unclenched her fists and gave Lohrna’s hand a small squeeze. “Okay.” She sighed. “But don’t say anything.”
Lohrna nodded.
Cali rose and shifted herself away behind a table, as if Benka would be able to spot her when he came through. Her brows knit together and a small wind began to blow about her hair. A sure tell that her anxiety was spiking.
“I don’t know about this,” Beejee hissed as Sella strode to the door, more confidently than she felt. The letter in her pocket felt suddenly like lead. Like it was pulling her down into dark depths.
Still, she opened the door a crack, catching a burst of sunlight and Benka’s stern face in view. “This is private property,” Sella said, hiding most of herself behind the door. “You’re not invited.”
“I don’t need an invitation. I am not a vampire. I am the law.” Benka tilted his head so he was closer to Sella’s eyeline. His eyes were gentle, but his expression firm, with his lips drawn into a tight line and deep wrinkles forming on his forehead.
“Are you ordering me to open this door?” Sella asked.
“I am,” Benka replied with a lazy, almost sad nod.
Sella bit the inside of her cheek again but slowly opened the door just wide enough for his thin frame to fit through. She glared at the onlookers and as soon as he was through, she swung the door shut with a loud thud.
Benka strode into the tavern with deliberate steps. He looked from Beejee, to Lohrna, to Sella. “Always you three, isn’t it?” He moved around Hazen and casually placed his hands in his pockets.
Lohrna shrugged but kept her mouth sealed.
Beejee jumped onto a table to get a better look at the detective. Sella noticed he was also positioned between Benka and Cali, puffed up at the shoulders to make himself look bigger. Thankfully, he also remained silent. The turbulence around Cali began to still as Beejee remained between them.
“Hazen falling into bad habits again?” Benka asked. He was squatting down now to assess the man’s face.
“Garawock, actually.” Sella pointed to the jug on the floor. “It works quickly and makes you act out of control, even with a limited dose.”
“I’m aware of how Garawock works.” Benka picked up the jug and took a deep inhale. His expression was impossible to read, but he set it down with a definitive movement that Sella hoped meant he was satisfied. Hands back in their pockets, he stood and looked at each of them slowly. “A lot of poisonings happening all of a sudden.” As if they didn’t know.
Lohrna’s gaze caught Sella’s. She swallowed hard and let out a long breath through her lips. Her eyes flicked to Sella’s pocket.
