The guards' patience were fraying at the ends with Adina's apparent defiance. All they see when they look at her is a girl that sticks her nose where it isn't wanted, a simpleton who makes reckless decisions with no regard for the people around her.
But Adina is confident that she got it right. She does not know how or even why, only that the magistrate will live.
Those herbs should counteract whatever poison he had taken in, and the liquor should compensate for the lack of viscosity. It might take longer to work than if it had been turned into paste, but it will keep his heart and lungs working, and his pressure in a tolerable state.
But Lord Prius kept on retching, and when he had no more to spew, sprawled out on his back unconscious.
No, no. Adina rushed to his side again, but the guards deterred her. "Not so fast, girl. You have done more than enough damage!"
The crowd quickly began to murmur as they stared at the corpse-like figure. "Good goddess, she killed the magistrate!"
Another onlooker cried, "oh they're definitely locking her in a cell."
"How pitiful! She's too young to be beheaded," crooned another.
Adina's knees quivered as she stared at the immobile man. It doesn't make sense...it should have worked. Was there something she missed? Something she put that she shouldn't have? Where did she go wrong? Why did her gift fail her now when it has never failed her before?
She fell to her knees just as the jarring sound of trumpets cut through the chaos. As swift as it had come, it was replaced with a silence that stifled the whole port. People of all ages bowed their heads and stepped aside to make way for the women clad in billowing black robes.
Poisoners.
Adina's heart raced as she watched them approach. She had heard of them since she was a young child—everyone in the kingdom has. And everyone feared them just as much as they are awed. They were strong. They were ruthless. They were the King's healers and executioners both.
The three looked down at both her and the magistrate, their eyes appraising him and boring into her own. "What happened here?" the forefront poisoner remarked sternly. "What exactly had you done to Lord Prius?"
"I...I..." Adina stammered, unable to find her voice.
"Speak up!" The poisoner on her left barked at her.
"You are supposed to give an answer when your ladyship asks you a question," the third poisoner interjected.
The woman had slit-eyes like that of a serpent's, making Adina flinch away from her stare. It was common knowledge that poisoners are both dangerous and beautiful, but this lady, she takes the cake.
"I--I only tried to help, ma'am," she responded weakly. Goddess, what is wrong with her? Why can't she just speak up more? "I really thought it would work. I mean no harm, I swear."
"Lies!" came a voice from the crowd. It was the apple merchant, the one that pointed at Ravi as the source of the poison.
"I'll tell you what happened, your ladyship," he said with utmost confidence. "This girl is a thief! A scoundrel! She goes around pretending to be a witless beggar so she can bump into people while her partner takes care of the stealing part. Clearly, she's not as dumb as she pretends to be. She must be working with the black-haired boy to kill the magistrate, but then pretends to be well-meaning now."
"You seem confident in this information," observed the lead poisoner. "Are you willing to stake your life to prove that?"
The merchant's eyes widened as he realized what she's asking of him. "I--well, I speculated, and the evidence leads to that, but well, of course, we must leave some room for doubt..." He began to ramble, and unable to withstand the pressure, retreated in silence back to the crowd.
"I thought so," Adina heard the slit-eyed poisoner mutter under her breath. "What an idiot."
Adina cracked a smile at the comment, but quickly wiped it out. The wrath of the poisoners isn't something to take lightly, especially when one relies on their good favor to survive.
What if they don't believe her? What if they side with the merchant? He wasn't exactly wrong in the first part, but the second? How absurd. Still, what proof would they ask of her to prove her innocence? Will they even give her a chance to explain herself?
Adina saw the lead poisoner gesture to the blonde at her side. Along with slit-eyes, the two of them checked on the incapacitated man, poking and prodding and feeling his pulse. The blonde then took out a pouch from her pockets, opened the noble man's mouth and dropped a pinch of yellow powder down his throat.
"Whatever this one gave him had stabilized him," said the blonde poisoner. "he should recover completely in an hour or two with the crushed dandy-lion."
Adina lets out a sigh of relief. The goddess has mercy. Maybe she won't die today, after all.
"What is your name, girl?" the lead poisoner asked.
"My name?"
"Did I stutter?"
"Adina," she said rather loudly, trying hard not to show the quiver in her voice. "My name is Adina, your ladyship."
"Adina," she repeated the name, testing it on her tongue. "Interesting name. Pray tell, what did you give him?"
Adina told her truthfully: coriander, cayenne, hog's wart, and lemon seed. And of course, a good dose of fire mead."
"Fire mead. How unconventional." Slit-eyes smiled rather predatorily on her. "And how on the goddess's good green earth did you come up with that?"
"I was just following intuition, milady." Adina replied meekly.
All three poisoners exchanged subtle glances as they appraised her. Finally, Adina saw the lead poisoner nod, causing slit-eyes to reach into her sleeve and procure a vial.
"Adina," the lead poisoner began. "You have shown immense bravery in what you did today, and you did well in saving the magistrate."
"Despite this," continued the blonde, "you had committed a most grievous crime. Everyone knows only poisoners may deal with matters concerning poison."
"And who knew what your intentions were?" added slit-eyes. "It could be that you administered the poison yourself so that you may heal it and get a reward, is it not so?"
"I would never!" Adina screeched with indignation before she remembered who she was speaking to. "I would never do such a foul thing, your ladyship," she repeated in a more somber tone.
"Then drink," the lead poisoner beckoned her. "This vial will prove if you are innocent."
Slit-eyes extended the vial to Adina, its deep purple liquid swirling prettily with gold and silver dust. To the untrained eye, it's a mesmerizing work of art. But a dandy-lion is a dandy-lion no matter what name you call it, and poison packaged prettily remains just as lethal.
"Well?" the blonde poisoner nudged.
Adina took a deep breath and clutched the vial in her shaking palms. Refusing it is as good as admitting guilt, but if she drinks it... well, it seems like she's got no good choices huh?
With a final glance at the poisoners, Adina opened the vial, and downed it all in one gulp.