Chapter 21: Who is she
Autumn rushed back towards the infirmary, clutching the sage tincture in one hand and the rest of the herbs in the other.
The blue bottle with its delicate silver thread swung precariously from her fingers as she pushed open the door...Mango nearly collided with Autumn as she flung open the infirmary doors, her cloak brushing Autumn’s face like a ghost’s whisper.
"Careful!" Mango snapped, her voice unusually sharp and rude, eyes darting behind her as though something were chasing her out.
Autumn stumbled, clutching the delicate tray of herbs and tonics, balancing well when her boots slipped slightly on the smooth stone floor.
"Oh...sorry, sorry...shit..."
But it was too late. The tray tilted, and a cascade of glass , blue and green tumbled through the air.
Bottles shattered like icicles, their contents splashing across the tiles. A pungent, earthy aroma filled the room.
Autumn bent down, heart sinking. "These were rare...shit...shit..." she whispered, fingers trembling as she reached for the herbs.
"Sorry...sorry!" Autumn gasped, dropping to her knees. Her fingers trembled as she tried to scoop up the salvageable remains, but the glass bit into her skin. Blood welled from a shallow cut on her palm, dripping onto the herbs, staining them . Worse...
A sharp pain flared in her knee as she had landed on a shard.
"Mango’s going to kill me." Her mind had other thoughts.