Half Magic | Book 2

Thirty: Sleep

The nights grew darker. My time was running out.

After the incident of Schula and I sensing a presense, I rarely saw Mila. She and the other witches who had investigated were spending time to walk the entire valley. Sometimes I would see her at meals, but not always and not for long.

As the new moon drew near, my studies became less and the act of simply copying information for future review became more. Gilly had made me run through a number of techniques and made me run trough the motions for several of the more complicated ones. That took a few hours, and then it was off to Purda's.

Purda was little better. In her cramped cabin that was stuffed to the brim with medicines of every kind, I spent my times with her writing medicines in the second half of my book. Mixing medicines was much like brewing any other kind of potion, but in Purda's case she demanded I know the meaning of each ingredient that was used. Poppy for pain reduction. Witch hazel as an astringent. The list went on and on.

Twice while I was studying with her, someone came in for treatment. One an injury and the other an illness. Both times Purda had me observe her with the patient and take notes. I don't think I learned much either time. When I told Purda, she just told me that I was clever enough to put the ingredients to use as long as I knew what things would produce what results. It was frustrating, to say the least.

I sat and reflected as I mashed up Dularoot petals at Purda's table.

"When you add the oil to the mint, be sure not to add more than a drop of oil for every three mint leaves. Dularoot will cure a toothache, but in larger amounts it can cause hallucinations."

Purda wasn't even looking at me as she spoke. I sighed and leaned over to scratch a new note in my book.

"And write down that the petals aren't ready until the flower has turned completely yellow. No white left at all."

"Yes, Purda." I added to my note and resumed mashing petals into the pestle and mortar.

Most days with Purda were like this. She would prod me for information on ingredients, and anything I wasn't sufficiently familiar with would suddenly be needed right away. I would learn how to prepare it and Purda would give me notes to add about it in my book.

I yawned as the last of the oil released itself from the petals and I took the bowl to drip into the jars of mint leaves. Carefully I tilted it, making sure to count the drops carefully.

"Caw!" Puko cried from where he sat on an empty chair. I set the bowl down quickly and looked up as someone knocked on the door.

I stood to answer it but Purda waved me off. "I'm not dead yet. You sit and study."

"Yes, Purda." I grinned as she said it, but then my fact turned serious as I concentrated on who was at the door. Was it another patient, or someone else?

Purda shuffled to the door and opened it slowly. From where I sat I couldn't see who it was, but I could hear everything perfectly. They spoke softly, but I still heard them.

"Purda, another one was found near the south caves-"

"Shush," Purda snapped. "Not here. You know not to speak of it."

"But-"

Purda looked over to where I sat at the table, and I had to quickly act as though I was hard at work and not eavesdropping. She sighed and turned back to the stranger at the door.

"Come, we will talk outside." And Purda left, closing the door behind her.

Of course I immediately tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear against it. I turned back to hold a finger to my lips, warning Puko to be quiet. He looked at me with his good eye and nodded. I blinked, not fully expecting him to respond, but I'd take any cooperation he was willing to give me.