Lucas closed the door behind him and finally had the silence he needed. The chamber still carried the faint chill from his earlier cultivation, but the moment he stepped inside he pushed everything else from his mind. The shelves of herbs, vials and crystal jars reflected the glow of the lanterns, and the faint scent of medicinal powder filled the air. He rolled up his sleeves and set the wooden tray on the table, emptying the packets Tom had brought.
He muttered to himself while sorting the ingredients, out of concentration.
"These are fresher than I expected. Good. This will make the extraction smoother."
He reached for a small knife and began slicing through pale moonroot, its sap releasing a silver sheen. The ice belle, still perched comfortably around the back of his neck, leaned forward and sniffed the air before wrinkling her tiny nose.
"This smells strange. Are you sure it is food?" she asked, sounding suspicious.
