Page 1 of Healing Elixirs & Wicked Crows

Road to Ruin

ROSEMARY

Someone was watching me.

I could feel it, a heavy weight between my shoulder blades.The fine hairs at the nape of my neck stood alert beneath the loose waves of my strawberry-gold hair.Yet when I glanced over my shoulder, I found nothing but quiet, dew-drenched earth and the distant flutter of birds.

My cart creaked over uneven cobblestones as I entered the waking village.The sun, still low and pale, touched wildflowers along the path, casting golden light across empty streets.Only a few early risers tended gardens or swept their doorsteps.My gaze admired the fluttering wings of a butterfly as it drifted past in the gentle breeze, my mind wandering even as a smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

My magic had always been different from other seelie fae.While most commanded grand displays of elemental force, mine was subtle, internal.And frustratingly unpredictable.Some days it flowed like a gentle stream, and other days it flickered like a candle in a harsh wind, leaving me to rely more on herbal knowledge than magical ability.I could sense the life force in plants, coax healing properties from seemingly mundane herbs, and occasionally, when emotion ran high, tap into something deeper, but it exhausted me quickly.

It was a week before the final full moon of the year, and I couldn’t help but feel like Briar’s time was limited.This morning, for the first time in decades, my sister had felt different.Her skin paler, colder.Everything pointed to the curse reaching a tragic end.

I quickened my pace toward the town square, eager to claim my usual spot among the vendors, but my thoughts drifted to the rare book I'd commissioned, a tome filled with secrets about herbs and plants from the edges of the earth.Perhaps Kasto Nahas, the vendor who’d gained most of my coin over the years, would arrive early today.

The town square came into view bordered by tidy stalls draped in ivy.A few vendors had already arrived with their wares.They glanced my way with that familiar look of quiet disdain as if my presence disrupted their peaceful morning rituals.

I'd grown used to it.To them, I was a necessary evil.They grudgingly tolerated my expertise but never truly welcomed me.So I ignored their quiet scorn and focused on what mattered: the remedies I crafted and the knowledge I chased.

My cart creaked to a stop in the same spot I claimed every market day.Kasto stood nearby, hunched beneath the weight of books and scrolls.His volumes looked out of place next to the vegetables and homespun goods, but knowledge was the only currency that mattered to him.I crossed the square without a second thought.

"Did you bring it?"I asked, my voice carrying the calmness of one who had learned to wait in quiet patience.

Kasto turned slowly, his dark eyes flickering as he dropped another scroll into a wooden bucket.His smile held only greed."I did," he said, his voice soft like rustling dry leaves."Though I must admit, it wasn't the easiest thing to procure."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at his performance.What mattered was the information in that book.It was my last hope.

"I'm sorry to hear the journey was difficult," I offered."Of course, I'll pay for your troubles."

When he finally pulled out the tome wrapped in indigo silk, my breath caught.The wind tugged at my hair as I reached out, but his fingers tightened their grip.

"Three gold pieces should suffice."

My breath stilled.Three gold pieces would leave me scrimping for weeks, but the book was worth it.I withdrew the coins from beneath my woolen tunic, their weight familiar against my skin.

"I'd like to see the cover before I provide payment," I said, my voice steady but firm.

He methodically unwrapped it, revealing weathered tan leather with faded golden lettering: "Forgotten Plants & Uses Plenty: A Compendium."The book seemed to call to me.

"I'll take the protective cloth as well," I said.

He wrapped the book once more and passed it to me."Now, if you don't mind, I still have a stall to set up.You're not exactly great for my business."

I nodded, cradling the tome close.It felt like warmth, like hope, like new beginnings.I hurried back to my cart, arms folded across my chest with my latest purchase snuggled close.

Years of practice made setting up second nature.My cart held four wooden shelves that folded out for display.Extra tonics and tinctures stayed tucked safely in the base, and a folding chair waited beside the cart for the long day ahead.

By midday, my coin purse felt a bit heavier and, twice, under the cover of a thick brown blanket, I reached for elixirs forbidden by the mortal’s church but craved by women whose needs surpassed any law.I always handed them what they needed, charging only enough to cover my costs.

As the market swirled around me, my mind wandered to my latest acquisition, and I couldn’t resist its call.Each turn of the page gradually dampened the hope that had bloomed within me until something caught my eye.A single phrase nestled between faded lines:

Daemonacus Flower, Cursed Bloom of the Everland

The Daemonacus Flower is a perilous bloom wrapped in mystery and danger.Known for its rare power to heal magical wounds and break curses, its beauty masks a deadly nature.It blooms only once every decade in the year of the Everfox.

This flower can only be harvested beneath the full moon during the sacred Everfox year.Found deep in the heart of Everland Forest, the journey tests the courage of even the bravest.Only those with unwavering hearts will earn its gift.

It was as though Fate herself had whispered through these pages.The year of the Everfox was upon us, and only a single full moon remained.Still, warmth settled in my chest; I had found something long sought, the last thread needed to unravel the curse's hold on my sister.