The Magic of Rue

Ch 10: Toxic Toads

Rue POV

I muttered a bit to myself, staring at the Webcap mushrooms before me "what would please him the most?"

He said my payment depended on how much I pleased him with my spell.

I wanted a good reward.

Glancing at the Fae I noted a few things, he was calm, entirely unbothered by the pain of the other Faeries. Drawing his blade over over their skin and talking in the language of the Fae.

I wasn't sure what he was saying, but going off what I know of him so far... it likely wasn't pleasant.

I went back to staring at the mushrooms.

...he obviously wanted to inflict pain on these fae, now. But webcaps are a delayed poison...

And one that likely wouldn't kill a fae anyways.

Hmmm.

I held up a mushroom, sitting cross legged in the grass with my cheek in my other palm. What to do with such a wonderful fungi?

I didn't really know my original plan for these mushrooms.

I had a few ideas of what would be useful. But not exactly for his purposes.

Heaving a sigh i flopped back onto the grass, "andy... what do we do?"

My amphibious companion hopped by unbothered by my musings.

I tisked at his rudeness. "Customer! I have run into a slight problem."

A knife landed in the ground disturbingly close to my face.

"Ah. Never mind, there are absolutely no problems." I stated in reply to his reaction.

"Have it done by nightfall." Came his cold reply.

I looked at the sky. Nightfall wasn't too far off.

A Webcap infused defense spell with an adjustment to the delayed poison in the mushroom...

I watched Andy hop by again, eyes going wide as a thought struck me. Brilliant idea Rue.

I grinned, walking to my pond and pulling out a toad.

~~

I giggled a bit over my cauldron, the wooden spoon in it stirring the boiling mushrooms and pond water itself as I laid out the rest of my ingredients.

Cattails, lily pads, mushroom dirt, snake venom, sap from an oak tree, a spiders web, and a toad.

Kians boots appeared in the corner of my vision, the large man crouching down after. "What are you planning witch?"

I held up the now caged toad, "Andy is going to help."

He blinked at the animal, before looking at me like I was an idiot, "...wasn't the other one Andy?"

"They are all Andy. Except for the Andreas."

He looked both like he didn't actually care and that he regretted asking.

But I didn't miss him glancing at my spell book where I had been writing.

He couldn't read it anyways, it was in code so I didn't mind so much, "you're going to be satisfied I think!"

He didn't look like anything satisfied him, but still.

Kian watched me closely for a minute as I formulated my spell before going back to the other two fae.

I nearly dropped the cattail I was removing the flowers from, the fluff of them all drifting around, as one of them screamed.

Better him than me. I thought as I tossed the flowers in the cauldron.

I would just keep making my spell and he could do whatever he wanted so long as it wasn't hurting me.

"Alright Andy." I picked the toad up once more, "thank you for your service my friend."

It croaked as I chucked it in and put the lid on, beginning my chant.

This particular spell should bring the sort of results the death cap of a man wants.

Probably.

The cauldron began to shake, the lid flying off moments later.

A creature hopped out.

I clapped wildly, "PERFECT! ITS PERFECT CUSTOMER!"

The aggressive Fae strolled over and looked at my creations.

It resembled a very large toad, covered in small mushrooms.

It had no eyes but it did have fangs, and barbs on its tongue.

"What..." the black haired man rumbled? "Is that?"

I grinned at the hopping spell, "a toxic toad. Watch."

It hopped around a bit, before noticing a nearby bird.

Its tongue shot out, revealing its venomous fangs. It pierced the bird before dragging it back and swallowing it whole.

I smiled at it as Kian arched a brow. "How is this helpful?"

"Shhh." I waved at him as it hopped over to the struggling fae.

Its tongue lashes out over and over again, opening wounds on the body.

I looked over at the tall fae to see if he was satisfied, just as it lashed on of the victims eyes.

A ferocious sort of glint entered Kians yellow eyes, his lips curling up slightly, "interesting."

"Its poison should kick in in a few hours and prevent the wounds from healing... I was inspired by your own wound. I also think if I harvest some of the modified webcaps from the toxic toad I should be able to make something to speed your wounds healing."

"I see..."

"So..." I shuffled a bit closer, "my payment?"

Those yellow eyes flickered towards me, pupils turning to slits, "after I see how much pain the poison causes."

I panicked a bit as he started to walk away, grabbing the edge of his shirt, "but so far?"

He stared at my hand, "...not bad. Will the toad attack me as well."

I handed him a charm I made, "not if you have this."

"Not bad indeed.." he rumbled.

I still wasnt sure what was going on, but I'm nearly positive I was going to get paid for this.

I should make more Toxic Toads for home defense.

Maybe i could make one with a spider, that would be so fun.