New Release sample: LIARS' QUEST

 

“The leach potionwasn’t a tonic after all?” she asked, after they had walked for several minutesand were nearly to the other side of the cow pasture. “Tonic implies somethinggood for you.”

“Exactly. The leachpotion wasn’t called the leach potion until the demand for it spread beyond thekingdom where it originated, and a small battle erupted, to force the alchemistwho created it to share the recipe, so others could make it in their countries.Several wizards joined forces and took apart the falsely labeled tonic todiscern the ingredients and process. That was when they realized it had beendesigned to kill magic before it could finish blooming into life, not help easethe process.”

“You think yourfather made your mother drink it?” Ash asked, her voice dropping nearly to awhisper.

“Oh, he wouldn’t have beenthat open. He put it in her food for maybe years. Killing her magic weakenedher body and mind.” Leena’s mouth twisted, as if she fought not to saysomething. They climbed over the stone wall of the cow pasture, and ahead ofthem was the thatched cottage where Ash had lived when she first came to CastleFairhold. “Just see the difference between Lathia and me, from prolonged dosingwith the foul stuff. Mother’s family couldn’t do anything to help her, by thetime they realized something was wrong, but they were able to do something forme. My patron had me cleansed, and I wear several defensive charms. Every oncein a while, my father tries to slip some potion into my food, but he’sessentially given up on me as a lost cause. He couldn’t interfere when mother’srelatives helped me petition to join the warrior maidens, and he’s such ahide-bound fool, he thinks he can’t marry me off to better his fortunes.Everything rests on Lathia now, which is why he’ll do everything dirty anddishonorable anyone could imagine, to punish you and exonerate her.”