The purple essence went down with a tingly sensation. It tasted sweet and tart, like a berry, but not like any berry she has had before. She could also detect hints of grape, knotgrass, and lemon. Strangely enough, no tangy undertones of poison.
She had contemplated pretending to convulse as soon as the liquid landed on her tongue, but it seems foolish to do so now. At best, the poisoners would think she's just being dramatic. At worst, they'll realize she thought it was poison, and that she was trying to pretend to be affected by it.
Wisely, Adina decided to stay still, a hand to her stomach as if she was waiting for it to start working. The silence was deafening, what with every eye fixed on her. And she knew for certain that the poisoners were glaring, waiting just as she is while scrutinizing her from head to toe.
"What do you feel?" slit-eyes whispered. Her tone didn't seem as menacing now, merely inquisitive.
"I feel..." Adina had a retort at the tip of her tongue, but anything she could have said was overshadowed by the growl of her stomach. It sounded like a rumble in the throat of a beast, a precursor to a gaseous explosion.
Unsurprisingly, the crowd quickly backed away from her. It was said that some poisons melt you from the inside out. In some circles, there is talk of a poison that can make you spontaneously combust. Everyone expected one of those two to happen, but Adina remained sitting placidly, only a shadow of a wince visible around her eyes.
"Are you in pain?" The blonde girl asked.
Adina smiled. "A bit," she finally replied, but nothing more. No screams. No pleas. No cries.
"By 'a bit' you mean?"
Adina whiffed a sharp intake of breath, immediately regretting what she just said. The poison was delayed, but it's taking effect alright. And it came bursting forth with a vengeance.
"Adina?"
It's like my insides are trying to eat themselves, she wanted to scream at them. She could feel her muscles knotting, her liquids churning, the burning sensation in her legs when she bleeds each month. But why should she give them the satisfaction of knowing that? If she's going to go out, she might as well go with her spirit intact.
For fifteen minutes, Adina held out, until her face was covered with sweat from the strain. But then, the most miraculous thing happened.
The pain subsided. Not even bit by bit, but all at once. It was there one moment, and gone the next, and her body felt cool from all the pores that were opened up. It felt...refreshing, to say the least.
"Well done!" Slit-eyes said with a laugh. "It's been years since I've seen a poisoner surpass Purefire draught without external help."
"And in only 15 minutes, too. Second fastest, do I recall correctly, Morgana?"
"Third," the blonde poisoner answered. "But a very close third, Viperia."
Viperia smiled at Adina and helped her up. Adina didn't want to stand if she was being honest, but Viperia was surprisingly strong for a woman of an easy life, and had hoisted her up like she was light as a cloud. Goddess, the woman even only needed to use one hand.
"Well done, Adina," she said, embracing the girl with a laugh. "Well done indeed."
"I-- I don't understand."
Viperia smiled widely, showing her fangs, and Adina wanted to do nothing more than run. She shivered as the older girl pushed her hair aside, her skin as cold to the touch as it looks like.
"A promising poisoner at such an age, and you had no idea?" Viperia's tone sounded nonchalant, but Adina knew better than to lower her guard.
The snake-like poisoner gave a good attempt at being welcoming and warm, but a different story lies in her eyes. One full of suspicion and an underlying current of rage, and another emotion Adina can't quite identify.
Not that this wasn't typical of poisoners. Not only were they known for their gifts and deadly charms, they were also known for their attitudes: hot-headed, demanding, and unnecessarily wary of everything and everyone. Not to mention sly and cunning. Capable of pretending to be your friend until they're not.
Knowing how precarious the situation is, Adina continued to feign ignorance.
"That... that liquid was poison?"
"As I mentioned already," Viperia almost hissed as her face came dangerously close to Adina's, "what you drank is known as Purefire draught. An essence harvested from the Purefire plant."
"You should have been dead in 5 seconds," Morgana seconded. "Even poisoners have a hard time with it and usually need medicine for the pain to subside."
"Well, it seems like we have found a diamond in the rough, haven't we girls?" The lead poisoner, whose name Adina has yet to learn, piped up.
"But the magistrate, madam?" A guard dared to ask.
"Bring him back to his chambers," Morgana commanded. A healer will be sent to him. Rest assured, however, he is now safe from harm."
"The girl will come with us," Viperia exclaimed and the crowd began to part again to give the four of them the right of way.
"But I'm innocent!" Adina cried. "You said the vial would prove that!"
"And it did," assured the lead poisoner. "But now you have to come with us. That's an order from the King and Court, not a request. You MUST come, Adina."
Adina's heart sank as the reality of the situation sank. What did she expect? That they'll let her go just like that? Still, couldn't she at least say goodbye?
Adina glanced at the crowd, searching for familiar faces, but found none. Had they left already? Of course they had. They couldn't risk being caught. She was the only one reckless enough to have jumped in the metaphorical line of fire.
With a heavy heart, Adina turned her gaze away and let the poisoners lead her forward.