Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) - Rin Chupeco Page 0,112
retort, and latched on to another point to dispute. “How did you know ice wolves would react to…to whatever it was you threw at them?”
“Not my first time with them. Wonderland pepper’d make anyone’s eyes water, and Grammy has a garden full of it.”
“Ice wolves don’t even have eyes!” Ken choked.
“They’ve got noses, and my grandmother grows the spiciest Wonderland peppercorns this side of Maidenkeep. Just as good as the ones there, she says.”
“Your village is the only functioning village this side of Maidenkeep!”
“Doesn’t mean it isn’t true. And I don’t see why you’re complaining when I’ve saved your life.” The girl sounded smug. “Now, hush up. I’ll look into that gash on your face when I’m done here.”
“Can we still give her back, Zoe?”
Zoe rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Ken.”
“No take backs,” the girl added cheerfully. “You’re stuck with me.”
Ken stomped away, muttering under his breath.
“Keep that arm wrapped for a day or two,” the girl told Cole, whose face was slowly regaining color. “The wounds aren’t as deep as I first thought, but let’s not get your arm infected while we’re at it. I’ll dress it again tomorrow.”
“The pries—I mean, your grandmother—gave me a few things,” Zoe offered, holding up a pouch. “I’m not sure which of these can help, though. Healing isn’t my expertise, and I’ve never seen most of these potions before.”
“Grammy always said healing is a lost art few people remember. And it’s not like we could find a doctor outside the village, considering.” The girl took the pouch and riffled quickly through its contents. “Oh, they’re fairly easy to use. Grammy always labels her medicines.” To prove her point, she held up a few of the bottles, one of which was clearly marked “Antitoxin.” Others had stranger labels, like “Amplify” and “Spark.” She gestured to her own pouch. “I brought my own, so it’s best if you keep those. Let’s see how fast the arm improves first before adding more to it. It should be all right in two, three days.”
Cole nodded, moving his arm with a faint wince. “Thank you,” he said quietly. He glanced back at Ken. “And I owe you one too.”
Ken shrugged. “We’re a team now, right? ’Sides, we still owe you for the ogre. How did you do that…that thing with the ice wolf?” His swords made a ringing sound as they slid against each other. He paused, staring expectantly at the blades, then looked crestfallen when nothing happened.
“Gravekeeper can control it, to an extent.”
“Can you control a dozen of them all at once?”
“One’s bad enough.” Cole’s face was still a little pale, and Tala realized it wasn’t because of his wound.
“You can actually get them to do whatever you want them to do?” Ken asked, looking interested.
“I don’t recommend it,” Cole said, with another wince.
“That’s actually kind of cool.”
“How’d you do that, Ken?” West asked. “You were suddenly holding ten swords all at once.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.” Ken swung the swords again, scowled. “Bugger it. How’d I do that?”
“When Grammy told me I was gonna be traveling, you weren’t the kind of companions I was imagining in my head,” the girl remarked. “No offense, but you guys don’t look any older than I am. You were cutting things close. My wedding’s tomorrow, and I didn’t want to stick around long enough to attend.”
“Most brides usually want their wedding.”
“Not me. Grammy predicted that I was going to marry a corpse. My mama wasn’t having any of that, so she decided it was some kind of metaphor for one of the boys in the village. She was convinced she’d know who it was before she married me off. If none of you had shown up, I would have struck out on my own. I’d already packed and everything.”
“Technically,” Loki said, “we’re all future corpses.”
“Thanks, Loki,” Tala said, with a sigh.
The girl curtsied to Alex. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. Grammy has a wonderful picture of her holding you as a baby last year. Time flies, doesn’t it?” She paused, looking anxious. “Grammy did tell you about me, didn’t she?”
It was Zoe’s turn to sigh. “Yes. Yes, she did.”
“Are you okay?” Alex asked his firebird quietly.
It opened its eyes and cooed cheekily at him.
“Good.”
“Alex?” Tala asked.
“It’s all right. Just needs some rest.” He paused, eyeing her warily.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to. I could hear you thinking.”
“How did you do that? You’ve never used the firebird that way before.”