Chapter Fourteen
There were no trace elements on the metal bomb remnants that I could link to a specific seller. Nor were there any personal traces to point to an individual. In short, my work that night was a waste. My alchemical work, that is.
Seeing Falken making tea for me, grinning the entire time because we had a lover's contract, redeemed my failures.
By morning, the King had fallen asleep on the bed, but I was trembling with frustration.
I wouldn't be able to sleep until I made some headway with the Silver Rot.
So, I wrote him a note to tell him I was going into the city and left.
I didn't want a repeat of the other day, so I added that I'd be taking security with me.
Speaking of which, I left the lab to go down to Lord Orro's room. Luckily, he was awake and dressed, about to head to the dining hall for breakfast. I bribed him with breakfast in the city, and Orro agreed to be my security for the day. Leera was a bonus.
“If I had known you were buying me breakfast from a street vendor, I wouldn't have agreed.” Orro grimaced at me as we stood in line for one of the many food carts that dotted the sidewalks of the shopping district.
“You'll change your mind after you taste his sausages. I've been dreaming about this street vendor for all the time I've been away.”
He gave me a doubtful look, but after we left the cart with an assortment of sweet and savory sausages tucked in fresh, warm, crusty buns and topped with pickled vegetables, savory sauce, and cheese, the Ricarri was licking his lips. Leera yipped.
“Yes, we have some for you too.” I offered her one of the extra sausages I'd bought for her.
Leera snatched up the sausage and gobbled it down.
“Yes, all right, this is amazing.” Orro took another huge bite.
“Better than anything you'll get in the palace.” I took a bite of my sausage bun and groaned.
“The pickled vegetables make it shine.”
I nodded. “And the sauce. It's savory but fresh.”
“That man is a genius.”
I chuckled as we strolled away, heading toward a Silver Rot location I'd missed on my previous expedition. I kept handing out sausages to Leera as we went, luring the dog into liking me.
By the time we reached the shop, we were licking our fingers, or, in Leera's case, her muzzle. I didn't see evidence of the rot outside the shop, so I went in, Orro and Leera with me.
They sold enchantments, the spells set in items or held in silver amphorae to be set into the buyer's choice.
Most of the enchantments were on display in glass cases that ran along the walls, with more on shelves behind the cases.
But many shelves were empty. Perhaps that was why we were the only customers.
A Shanba woman hurried around the check-out counter at the far end of the shop. “Welcome! How may I help you?”
“Hello, I'm Master Alchemist Sevarin, and this is my assistant Lord Orro. The King has hired me to cure the Silver Rot. Your shop is on my list of infected locations. Could I take a look at the rot?”
“Oh! Oh, yes! I'm Assa. Please, come through.” She waved us past the counter and through a doorway. “I've removed the infected enchantments and put them into a steel box. That seems to have contained the rot.”
“Steel? No wards on it?”
“No.”
“I don't think that will hold for long. The steel needs to be coated with a thick resin to protect it.”
“What kind of resin?”
“I'm not sure. I only had a glimpse of a containment box. But I think it was rubbar.”
“Oh, yes! That might work. Rubbar interferes with magical resonance.”
“It does? That's valuable information.” I followed her into a workroom full of ingredients for magical work. Not my expertise, but I was familiar with many items. “You have a wonderful workspace.”
“Thank you.” Assa's flat nose twitched. “Over here.” She went to a large metal box set on the floor. “Now, I'm afraid to open it.”
“All right. Let's talk about what's inside first. Then I can be quick about it.”
Assa nodded. “Certainly. They're enchantments for several purposes. Um, there are wards, repellents, preservatives—”
I held up a hand to stop her. “They're all different? Is there anything similar about them? Perhaps an ingredient used in all?”
“Uh.” Assa rubbed her earlobe. “Oh! Well, they're all resonant enchantment loops.”
“What does that mean?”
“It's an enchantment developed and used mainly here in Sconheit. We're very proud of it. What it does is feed on the ambient magical energy in the air to reinforce the main enchantment over and over. So, it will never fail.”
“All of them were that type of enchantment?” A shiver ran down my spine. “And they're only used in this kingdom?”
“Yes, and whatever the base enchantment was. I'm sure some are imported, but we try to keep our most prized advancements to ourselves.”
“So, they are layered enchantments?”
“Yes, some have more than one enchantment besides the loop.”
“I see.” Inside, I reeled. The magic users of Sconheit had unknowingly saved the rest of Serai with their hoarding.
That is, if my new theory was correct. I had to go over the other cases of Silver Rot before I could make my conclusion.
“Uh, I don't think I'll need to open the box. If you notice any rot blooming over the steel, wrap it in fabric and bring it to me at the Royal Palace.”
“All right. Do you think it will rot through the steel?”
“Without a layer of rubbar, it will. But that may not be for a while. Perhaps you could line the box with rubbar and reseal it.”
“But either way, those enchantments are gone.”
“Yes, I'm afraid so.”
“Well, I fared better than others. I'm thankful for that.”
“Yes, you have. I recommend refraining from making any resonant enchantment loops.”
“For how long?”
“If my theory is correct, I'd advise against ever making them again.”
Assa's eyes went wide.
“Would you take them with you now? It sounds as if they'll end up at the palace anyway.”
“Yes, very well.” I looked at Orro, who waited in the doorway with Leera. “Lord Orro, would you smell the box, please? I need to know if it's safe to pick up.”
“Sure.” Orro sauntered over, grinning at the gaping Shanba woman, and crouched by the steel box. He leaned over to sniff around the whole of it and then picked it up. “It's contained.”
“Good.”
“You can smell the rot?” Assa asked Orro.
“I can smell silver.”
“Ah! How helpful.” She inclined her head to him and then to me. “Thank you both, and good luck.”
“Thank you, Assa.” I waved Orro out and then followed him and Leera out of the shop.