Binarius by Kendra McMahan Page A

was leaving, especially at this hour.
    “ It’s nothing, dear. It’s such a
fantastic room isn’t it?” said the old woman.
    “ Oh…yes, I’ve never seen anything
like it.”
    “ Well, you wouldn’t have would
you? It’s the only one of its kind.”
    “ Amazing! Well, I better be going
now…it’s late. Sorry again… about that.” Firinne turned to
leave.
    “ You know…I would much rather have
someone to talk to in these late hours. How about if you join me in
my chambers for some tea? I've got an old family blend you might
appreciate.”
    “ Oh…well, yes, tea does sound
nice,” Firinne said.
    Firinne walked with the woman down
the sleepy corridors. She noticed that the old woman hobbled when
she walked. Most old women hobbled a bit, she supposed, but there
was something unnatural to it, and she couldn’t quite place what it
was. Her hair was pure silver, it curled down the hunch of her
back. Her face was stocky, wrinkled, and sweet. Once they had
passed Firinne’s chambers, she looked back a little reluctant to
continue.
    “ Oh, it’s not much farther now. We
just have to go down this bit of staircase up here.”
    The staircase was narrow. Firinne
wondered why anyone would put such a feeble old woman in a
downstairs chamber. There were plush seats in the center of the
room, surrounding a fire. The woman instructed Firinne to sit and
make herself comfortable. Firinne felt awkward but did not want to
be rude, and so she obeyed. The woman began pouring a mixture of
herbs into a cloth sack. After that, she filled a copper kettle
with water, and the herbs and hung it from a hook over the
fire.
    “ So, tell me your name dear
girl.”
    “ Firinne.”
    “ Wonderful to stumble upon you in
the darkness” she smirked. “I’m Ednas”.
    Firinne smiled back.
    “ So what brings you to
Archen?”
    “ Business with my Uncle…” She
dodged.
    Ednas looked almost offended that
Firinne had not elaborated. Firinne was beginning to feel like
everyone at Archen put their nose where it didn’t
belong.
    Perfect timing. The kettle started
screaming over the flames, begging for rescue. Ednas took two iron
cups from the shelf and filled them.
    “ Would you like any blood?” asked
Ednas.
    Often, they (Blood of Fia drinkers)
replaced honey, stevia, syrup, and sugar with Fia’s blood because
of it’s thick, molasses-like consistency and taste. “Oh no…thank
you.” She said this as politely as she could, although she was
immediately disgusted.
    “ Very well. I don’t have anything
else sweet, though. Will this be okay?”
    “ Yes, of course, thank
you.”
    “ It’s an old family recipe — been
with us for generations.”
    “ What’s in it?”
    “ Oh, I could never tell. I have
been sworn to secrecy.” She smiled again as she lifted the cup to
her nose and breathed deeply.
    Firinne did the same. Chamomile,
Peppermint, Sage, Ginger, Lemongrass…there was something else. What
was it? Clove? No, that wasn’t right. It was so familiar, but
Firinne couldn’t place it. Firinne moved the cup to her lips, about
to take a drink when it finally hit her. It wreaked of Lupine. She
panicked inside, but this had obviously been purposeful. She
couldn’t let Ednas know. She faked just one sip and lowered the cup
back down to her lap. Lupine was a beautiful purple flower. It grew
wild in the fields and as lovely as it looked, it was deathly
poisonous.
    Firinne looked at Ednas with
delight. “Oh, that is lovely. It’s very smooth when it goes
down.”
    “ Isn’t it though. Really comforts
the right spots on late nights.”
    “ Indeed…listen, thank you so much
for your company and the tea. I really must be going now. I’m very
tired.”
    “ Oh dear, just stay long enough to
drink your tea. Indulge an old woman, would you?”
    “ No, I’m sorry…I can’t. I have a
very filled day tomorrow and I’ve just remembered something I have
to do before I go to bed.” Firinne stood and put her cup back on
the shelf