Mages of Rubia ✔️

Ch1

"I really am trying my best here," I mutter past the blade between my teeth as I attempt to pull the roots of the vine out of the ceiling.

Elder Genova stares up at me. "...Right."

I'm not referring to the vine infestation. She knows this, but I'm still not giving the best impression.

I take my dagger from my lips and cut the vine, knowing it'll grow back too soon.

"I mean, I get that things are getting... rough... But sixty healing salves in a day is impossible. I mean, a week is low-balling it, I don't have enough ingredients--"

"Getting ingredients for you is what's causing so many injuries, Lief."

"And I need so many ingredients because you demand more potions and salves and things than my gardens can supply. Which I've been trying to work on, but there's no time with this workload!"

"Ah, and is your work on the garden what is causing this infestation?"

"If the vines haven't left my tower, they haven't become your concern."

"How can I not be concerned? You're growing things none of us have ever seen and you refuse to tell us where they came from."

Hell. The plants came directly from hell, like half the ingredients we already grow. But of course, that's a mages secret, so I'm physically unable to speak of it.

I jump off the ladder, and set my dagger on a desk, ignoring the red sap that's certainly going to stain.

"I can give you ten jars of salve with what I have. If you need more, then we'll need more ingredients. But I would suggest--"

"We don't need suggestions. But thank you for your efforts. When will the salves be ready?"

I shrug. "Depends how long I can make myself work. Which can't happen if I'm distracted."

"I will make sure the people know not to disturb you unless it's an emergency."

"Make sure you call me if Clara's water breaks."

Elder Genova nods and hurries out of the tower. I pick up my dagger, careful not to touch the sap on it. I've found it to be quite the irritant. I take it to the kitchen and rub the sap off. There's a pink sheen left on the blade. I suppose I'll use a different blade to prepare the salves, I wouldn't want sap contaminating it. I haven't yet created anything to soothe the effects of the plant.

I pull the required ingredients from storage. I cut some things up and start working them together in my biggest mortar and pestle. I run out of honey pretty quickly, so I figure I'll go check if there's any to possibly harvest from the hive.

"There's something wrong with that boy," a woman whispers. It sounds like Maria. I press myself against one of the pillars.

"I know. He unsettles me, too."

"Have you been inside the tower lately?" a third woman whispers. I can guess from the fact that she's seen my tower that it's Clara. She's been in for check ups almost daily since she hit the third trimester.

"No, why?" Maria asks.

"He has these terrifying vines growing from the ceiling. Red, and thorny, with leaves too shining to be from this world."

"Why do you think he's started wearing those gloves? Do you think he's hiding something?"

"Of course he's hiding something. He's the least transparent mage in the history of our colony."

I slip past them, sticking to the shadows and checking storage for honey rather than going to the hive. It's too open, I don't want them to know I heard them.