Chapter 9
Sophia
I adjust the burette, making sure the clamp is tight enough to hold it in place but not too tight that it'll damage the glass and potentially cause some of the poison to leak out and harm either me or Nadiya.
Sometimes I have to wonder if it's wise of the academy to have potion ingredients like this available for us to use when I know it could go really wrong, but I guess it's not my decision to make, even if it could cause an inter-realm diplomatic incident if it goes wrong.
Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but that's what it feels like sometimes.
"Are you ready for me to put it on the heat?" Nadiya asks.
"I think so." If we've done our calculations properly, then the poison will be transformed into a sleeping potion, though I'm not sure who is going to test that.
"All right. I can get a lighter."
"No need, I've got us covered." I snap my fingers, sending warmth through them. A small flame hangs over them.
"Useful," she responds.
"It is." I lowered the flame to the small ring we use to cook potions over and it catches almost immediately.
Nadiya readjusts her headscarf so it's not at risk from the flames, before leaning forward and flicking a switch so that the fire turns blue. I'm not exactly sure what the difference between the two settings is. I'm sure they've told us, I'm just not very gifted when it comes to potions.
I find my mind drifting off as we wait for the potion to start doing its thing.
This is the part I hate about doing them.
There are never any instant results and it's all about waiting around until everything starts to process.
Even then, it can be dull watching liquid drip into a jar via the burette.
It's safe to say that I don't want to pursue a career in potion-making, and I'm going to transfer out of this class.
Memories of the night before drift into my mind.
My shoes are ruined despite the tear not looking too bad.
Maybe I should keep them in case I need them on my next date with Lucas.
Every time I've been around him I've ended up destroying a pair of shoes.
And while I have a lot of them, I don't want to keep destroying them either.
"Sophia? Are you all right?" Nadiya asks, calling my attention back to her.
"Hmm?"
"Are you all right?" she repeats. "I was asking you if anything was happening yet, but you didn't answer."
"Oh, sorry." I glance at the jar, but there hasn't even been a single drop in it yet. "Nothing."
She sighs and pulls out the stool to sit on. "I hate this part."
"Me too."
"What were you thinking about that got you so distracted?" she asks.
"Not potions," I mutter.
"Ah, so a date?"
"Yes."
"The same person you were so flustered about at Drake's party?"
My eyes widen. "How..."
An amused smile lights up her face. "It's amazing what you notice when you don't drink but everyone else has been."
"Why do you go to the parties? If you can't drink?"
"Don't drink," she corrects. "I can go to the store and buy myself a bottle of wine now if I want to. But I choose not to."
"Why?" I shake my head. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."
"It's okay, I'd rather you asked than made assumptions.
" She gives me a reassuring smile. "I don't drink because I don't want to.
I know people say it's my family who restricts me, but they don't. I've seen my dad drink wine with his friends several times.
But my mum never drank, and she passed on a lot of her beliefs to me.
Carrying them on makes me feel close to her.
" She reaches up and touches her headscarf, making me assume that's also something to do with her mother.
"That's beautiful," I whisper.
"I'm glad you think so." Her smile has turned somewhat sad, I assume from the memories of her mother. "And as for why I go to the parties, that's because I like being a part of it. Why should I miss out just because I don't drink?"
"I've never thought about it that way."
Nadiya cocks her head to the side. "Isn't that why you asked?"
"I suppose it is." I haven't thought about any of it the way she's explained it, but I'm glad I know. "You have an amazing headscarf collection," I blurt.
Confusion flashes through her eyes. "Thank you."
"I think about it every time I see you with a different one but I never know what to say about it," I admit sheepishly, wondering for the first time why none of my etiquette coaches have broached this subject with me.
It seems like an important one in terms of the people I could meet over the course of my royal duties.
"Would it be weird if I complimented your shirt?" she asks.
"No."
"Then it's just the same," she assures me. "A sincere compliment on anything I'm wearing is appreciated unless it's in a creepy way."
"I liked the blue one with flowers that you wore the other day."
Her face lights up. "Thank you. My sister got me that one, it's one of my favourites."
"I can see why."
Our conversation lapses as the experiment starts to work and our jar begins to fill up with the sleeping potion. We move around the equipment with practised ease despite not having been lab partners for very long. It's refreshing to be around someone who knows what they're doing.
Nadiya hums to herself as she makes notes in her workbook. We should exchange notes some time to make sure that we're on the same page when it comes to the recipe and the things we need to know if we're asked about it.
Even as I think it, I realise I want to get to know her outside the classroom too.
"Lottie and I are going to get ice cream in the village after class. Do you want to join us?" I ask.
"I'd like that, thanks," she responds. "Do they do sorbet?"
"I think so, why?"
"I normally prefer it," she admits.
"If they don't, then we can find somewhere that does," I promise. I'm sure somewhere in the village will do it.
"That sounds great."
I let out a satisfied sigh. Even without the potential of finding my mate and someone I can share my life with, I came to Rosewood with the hope that I'd be able to have a normal life, and making friends is part of that.