Chapter Fourteen- That of Poison and Roses

Patience.

Patience.

Patience.

It's never been a secret that patience is something I lack, but being around Casimir has taken this to an otherworldly level. I can't decide if I'd rather him talk to me, but following him in silence around the many corridors of Aldridge Palace is maddening. I truly believe he'd lead me in circles just to mess with me, if he hasn't been doing so already.

But I also know that he's my only way to access the chalice, our only crucial piece of this puzzle. A piece that he's been rather careless with, if I do say so myself. Perhaps I’m being oversensitive due to the chaotic state of my life at the moment, or perhaps Casimir Aldridge just likes seeing me on edge. 

We'd exited the servant's hallways to travel back through the main corridors, which all look identical. They are adorned with sparkling chandeliers, golden candelabras, and swirling maroon carpets.

The color itself feels like mockery.

It’s no surprise that the palace is adorned in maroon, seeing as it is the color of the Eldorian flag, but it is also the color of blood and broken promises. The color gleams from their flags and their carpets, reminding me of why I really hate the Aldridge family, a reason that went far beyond the history we'd been taught.

They're the reason that my older sister, Miriam, is dead.

At least, that's what I tell myself. It's so much easier to blame the family I'd been taught to hate than to consider the fact that she might still be alive if I'd spoken up.

I'm jolted out of my thoughts as Casimir Aldridge comes to an abrupt stop ahead of me, and I stumble trying to prevent falling into him. This door looks quite similar to every other one on this hallway, and I believe one of these doors might be my room. 

Casimir knocks on the door, which seems fairly out of character for him, but I don't risk asking. "'Dessa?" he calls, waiting hesitantly for a response.

After a moment, a girl answers the door. With her long black hair, large brown eyes, and flawless tawny skin, it didn't take me long to recognize her from breakfast: Odessa Aldridge, Casimir's sister.

Or, adopted sister. All of the Aldridge children were adopted from around the land by the king and queen, Soren and Naomi Aldridge. The rumor was that they'd tried and failed to have children for many years before deciding to take in children from the Settlements of Eldoria.

"Cas? What's up?" Her voice is shy, turning even quieter when she sees me standing there. 

Casimir smiles warmly, and my brain takes a second to observe every detail, from the little creases bracketing his mouth to his full, bright lips. "I was wondering if you could help us." He flashes her the chalice, and her eyes go wide with understanding. "Got any of that mushroom stuff?"

She laughs, but it's clearly strained as I'm here. Her attention shifts more fully to her brother, "Grallshroom? Is it for you, or for Kai? Because he keeps trying to steal it for-"

Casimir stifles a laugh, "For me. Hexes, that kid and his pranks."

With this confirmation, and no further explanation about their cousin's "pranks," Odessa opens the door more fully to let us in. The room is painted a dandelion yellow, with swirling floral paintings around the candelabras. They're with lightbulbs, I notice, since only the royals can afford running water and electricity. Covering the entire right half of the room is a desk sprawling with bottles, boxes, books, and pens. Odessa walks over to the desk area, her ruffled pink dress flowing around her legs as she walks. After ruffling through a few piles, she finds a small box, which, upon opening it to Casimir, reveals an ivory-colored mushroom inside. 

"Exactly, thank you," Casimir says, nodding to his sister before pulling a blade from a sheath at his hips. He skins the mushroom into small strips, letting them fall into the chalice. As he works, he makes small talk, as if having a blade in his hands is normal for him. "'Dessa here is a fan of science, if you couldn't tell,” he explains. "She's got every sort of plant and tonic you could ever think of. Her science skills are damn near magic."

"Don't be ridiculous," Odessa scolds, coming out of her shy shell a bit, "Everyone knows magic isn't real."

"Of course," he says, standing up with to show us both the chalice, "But if this isn't close to magical, I don't know what is." He holds out the chalice before us as the tiny scraps of mushroom dissolve, only to turn into a rock-like particle in a miniature plume of gray smoke and red wine.

"The mushroom stuff enlarges any tiny particles left in the chalice," Casimir explains, "Obviously, it created more wine, but then there's this... whatever it is."

"Can I see that?" I ask, trying to regain the manners I'd so foolishly let go of when Casimir and I had talked earlier.

He smirks, "Sure, Rose."

I roll my eyes, carefully taking the large particle from him. It's not gray, rather a very toned-down green. I go to smell it, and before even inhaling I pull back. The slightest scent of it... the green color...

"I know what it is," I whisper, trying to fit the pieces together in my head.

"What is it?" Odessa asks first, and I meet her gaze to avoid looking at Casimir.

"It's... It's called Scarshade. It's a deadly poison, derived from a rare plant that only grows during the Anexpecta season-"

Casimir clearly recognizes the name before I can finish. "Scarshade? That's... that's only found in Briarwood." 

His words are heavy as he confirms my suspicions. 

The poison that killed King Emil Thorne and King Soren Aldridge is a poison that can only be found in Briarwood.

My land, my country,

my family,

could be behind this?

I hear what he's insinuating even through the thick silence that settles over the room.

The person who killed the kings has to be from Briarwood.

That leaves two people: me, and my mother.

And I think I'd know if I slipped Scarshade dust into the royal chalice.

"Rose-" Casimir starts.

"No," I snap, "Don't."

"Look, I know-"

"I said, Don't."

I let my icy words hang in the room as I run out the door.