A Shade of Vampire 39: A Rip of Realms(21)

“No,” Ruby replied hastily. “I’m okay to remember it. I’ll probably just become a fire alarm Nazi or something—it’s a good lesson.”

“Suit yourself,” Abelle replied. “Just remember the offer is always here.”

“Thanks,” replied Ruby, sounding like she wasn’t sure she meant it.

“The elixir’s ready!” Abelle took the pot off the fire and started pouring it into yet another glass bottle. Its liquid was a dark, sludgy brown—not the most appetizing thing I’d ever seen. Abelle held it out to me.

“Just one sip, twice a day,” she instructed, smiling at me.

“Okay, thanks.”

I took the bottle. The liquid was still warm, and I clutched it in my fist, hesitating before drinking it. Something was holding me back—I didn’t know if it was because I wasn’t that well acquainted with Abelle, or that the loss of power she warned of was more troubling to me than I had first assumed, but something just didn’t feel quite right.

“It doesn’t taste as bad as it looks,” Abelle said, observing my reluctance with a small smile.

“Maybe think about hugging Benedict? Or you know, someone else?” Ruby added with a wink.

I rolled my eyes at her, but her comments had the desired effect. I removed the lid and held the bottle to my lips. On the count of three, I took a small sip of the foul-smelling stuff.

“Ugh!”

It doesn’t taste as bad as it looks? She had to be kidding me.

“Sorry.” Abelle shrugged. “I didn’t think you’d do it otherwise.”

“Thanks for the warning,” I muttered. It tasted like soil and boiled cabbage. I was sorely regretting my decision when I started to feel the potion taking effect. A warmth spread across my body, and the hunger that had been my constant companion over the past few days—with the exception of when I’d syphoned off the minister—started to vanish. I sighed with contentment.

“It works,” I announced dreamily. “It actually works!”

It was such a relief to finally be free from my never-ending hunger that I sank back onto the stone floor, lying with my eyes closed and letting all the tension drain from my body.

“Hazel, are you okay?” Ruby asked, peering down at me.

“Better than okay,” I replied. “Much, much better.”

“Did she take too much?” Ruby asked Abelle. “She looks kind of weird.”

“It’s just because it’s the first time,” the sentry replied calmly. “The more potent effects will wear off—the absence of hunger is quite powerful if it’s been a constant thorn for a while. Don’t worry.”

The two women fell silent, and someone cleared their throat.

“It looks like I’m interrupting something.” A stern, very familiar voice seemed to float over from the doorway.

“Are you okay?” Ruby exclaimed, rushing to her feet. Dazedly I sat up—what was wrong with Tejus?

I looked over to the doorway, seeing him slumped against the frame, his face pale and perspiring. I tried to stand up, every bone in my body feeling like rubber, and the ground moving when it shouldn’t have been.

“What’s wrong with her?” Tejus demanded, striding over to me.

“An elixir to repress the hunger,” Abelle snapped at him.

“I’m fine,” I interjected, finally standing up. I clutched onto Tejus’s arms, trying to get him in focus.

“You’re clearly not,” he muttered.

“What happened to you?” I persisted, desperate for him to stop analyzing me for a second.

“Queen Trina happened to me,” he replied with a deep scowl. “She’s gone—the Acolytes attacked, they’ve taken out five guards. Ruby, will you go and tell Ash? I couldn’t find him.”

“Of course.” She moved hastily toward the door. A moment later I could hear her footsteps running along the marble tiles.

Queen Trina had escaped. This didn’t bode well at all.

“And I would like to be alone with Hazel,” he said to Abelle, “so can you take all this with you?”

Abelle didn’t reply, but I could tell by the brusque nature of her movements, the rattling of the glass bottles as she packed them up, that she wasn’t happy about being ordered around by him.

“Let me know if you need anything, Hazel,” she muttered, glaring at Tejus before she left.

I pulled at his arms, wanting him to sit down by the fire with me—I was still feeling woozy and standing was an effort. Tejus didn’t look like he could hold out much longer either. Why hadn’t he asked Abelle to give him something?