The Last Apothecary

Chapter 17.

Sharp stone scraped at my cheek as I was forcefully shoved back up the tower. "Geez Blyke." The words were spat between grit teeth. "Could you be any rougher? What happened to slow and steady?"

"What happened to 'Blyke now'?"

I ignored him, instead focusing on the box of a hole I'd left behind. Damp, wet brick brushed against me as I stuck my hand in, eventually twisting my shoulder forward to fit in just up to my elbow. Maybe if I was a rail like Dustin, I could've gotten my whole arm in- but then again, it wasn't my fault brownies tasted good. I'd just have to make do.

From this position, I could crane my neck down to slightly peek around my arm and into the room. The chest was still pressed up against the wall, untouched from this morning. The only difference now was that I wasn't supposed to be in here, squinting in the dark and trying to find any way to drag it across the circular floor and over to me.

I stretched my hand out, spreading my fingers like claws. Everything was out of reach though, I realized as I swiped through the stuffy air, landing on nothing. Great. I'd been hoping to be lucky enough to avoid needing magik. Not like I wasn't exhausted already.

Still, I didn't have time to come up with another plan, if the sound of voices filling the parking lot meant anything. Without waiting any longer, I closed my eyes, bracing my other hand on the rock wall to steady myself as I pulled at rock's spirit. Its core.

It felt mostly negative: heavy and lethargic from being attached to a highschool full of moody teenagers. A thick, doughy flavor filled me, but I could taste something like an apple mixed in. The stone's original, sturdy properties. As the feeling grew into a full flicker of energy, I seized it, pulling it close to my heart.

Instantly, my body steadied itself, adjusting my balance on Dustin's shoulders as I imagined the rock's energy wrapping around my own spirit. It had become easier to feel ever since Dekoran pulled it out of my chest, but I still sucked at the basics, potions or no. My core was definitely there, but even drawing from the energy and sending it out to my hand was a struggle in and of itself.

"You almost done Crow?" I could hear the wince in Dustin's voice. "I don't think you can see from where you are, but the people are making their way into the school."

"What?" I shouted, the cool sensation in my arm breaking off as I whipped my head back to look. Sure enough, a few dark, robed figures had begun to open the front doors, and even more were leaving cars and broomsticks in the distance.

"Oh my gods I bet they're here for us! We gotta run now!" Blyke started yelling.

"Be quiet! I'm not leaving before I get the potion." I turned my head back to the window, trying to reestablish the magik through my veins. It didn't matter how many people were coming in. All that meant was I had to be faster. With a deep breath, I reconnected the magik to my right hand, feeling its chill take over my arm.

You certainly took your time, I thought as it finally reached my fingertips. Now where is that chest? Narrowing my eyes, I caught sight of it in the corner of the room, a smile pulling across my face. Perfect.

With a swift push, I released the energy with one sole purpose: bring the chest to me. A second later, the box shuddered in place before starting to rise across the room. "Yes! Now get over here you sweet little piece of wood you."

"Are you talking to the box?" Dustin asked somewhere below my feet.

"Yes. It helps the magik." I nodded.

"...No it does not?"

Shut up Blyke! No one asked you! I thought, but I couldn't lose focus enough to keep up the conversation. The chest was moving slow enough as it was with my pathetic magik, and the voices had moved from behind to almost in front of us, the noise seeming to echo as though the school's empty halls. I pushed it aside though with the crisp wood of the box brushing against my palm... followed by the cool touch of a lock.