The first thing Priscilla did once they entered their room was search through her pack for her encyclopedia of monsters, flipping through it quickly as she sat on the edge of one of the beds.

  “So the toads that attacked you have multiplied?” Kavil asked.

  “It seems so,” Sulaiman said. “Though I don’t like the sound of those hyenas either. Anything that travels in packs are monsters to be feared, especially…”

  Their voices faded into the background as Priscilla found what she was looking for, scanning the page on the Gorelock Toad with a scowl, irritated it didn’t magically update itself to tell her why the hell there were even more toads now. Sure, they usually traveled in packs, but they were so fucking far from the Heinlein Fens was that the only explanation that came to Priscilla’s mind was that the cult had something to do with this.

  Normally their m.o. was to agitate the local wildlife rather than transplant creatures en masse, especially creatures the size of the toads, but there was a first time for everything. Even if it had never happened in TDE and gods, she was frustrated that her knowledge was already proving to be outdated and the original plot hadn’t even started yet. Maybe it was a matter of the toads being dealt with by the king’s men before the characters heard of the trouble, maybe it was her meddling that changed things, there was no way to truly know and that uncertainty put Priscilla on the backfoot, having to react to the world rather than manipulating it in her favor.

  Priscilla grit her teeth and flipped through the book to the mammal section.

  But as she finally opened the page to the Dappled Hyenas, a hand splayed itself across the pages, forcing her to look up.

  Sulaiman had a single eyebrow raised.

  “Are you done ignoring us?” Sulaiman asked dryly.

  Priscilla bit her lip to keep from snapping and took a long, deep breath in. Kavil was watched over Sulaiman’s shoulders, chewing on his lip.

  “I was searching up facts about the hyenas,” Priscilla said, “but that can wait for now. What’d I miss?”

  “Sulaiman told me that the toads have a poisonous spit,” Kavil said, nerves clear in his voice, “and I’ve never had to heal poisons before. I have some general antidote herbs on me, but I don’t know how well they’d counteract the poison without seeing its effects myself.”

  If there really were enough toads for them to be traveling in packs, the poison was definitely going to be a problem. Priscilla and Sulaiman had gotten lucky last time when they only encountered one, because the toad’s favored method of taking down prey was to have the pack surround it and lob poison at it before swallowing it whole.

  If they somehow managed to get lucky again (something Priscilla was reluctant to rely on), they’d be able to make it through the forest without any of them coming in contact with the corrosive poison.

  Priscilla chewed her lip as she came up with a plan she didn’t think either of the boys would like. She had to frame things carefully to get them on board.

  “Two things,” Priscilla said, holding up one finger. “Firstly: Kavil, I know you’re Gaelea’s gift to man with healing magic, but can you use any other types of magic?”

  Kavil blinked before saying, “I’m fairly decent at manipulating water, but I’ve never tried to use it offensively.”

  Priscilla already knew that from the story, knew that one day he’d become quite skilled with water magic, but she still had to ask it aloud so Sulaiman knew as well.

  “That matters less,” Priscilla said, “because you’d be using it mainly to get the poison off our skin or using it to absorb the poison lobbed at us.” Priscilla held up a second finger. “Secondly: before we even encounter the toads, you need to practice healing poison – I’m sure you have something in that pouch of yours that won’t kill someone outright, so poison me and then practice healing me up tonight.”

  “Are you out of your mind?” Sulaiman hissed, black eyes sparking with anger as he towered over her. “Of all the foolhardy things I’ve heard you say, this is stupidest – why take such a idiotic risk?”

  “Because Kavil needs practice healing poisons in as low-stress an environment as we can create,” Priscilla shot back, glaring just as hard. “Would you rather him try and burn the poison out of your system while we’re surrounded by a pack of fucking toads and he’s the only one left standing or now, when there’s tens of mercenaries outside and we’re in a private room?”

  Sulaiman’s glower redoubled in intensity, his mouth twisted into a soundless snarl. Priscilla wasn’t backing down, though, because she knew she was fucking right and his braincells just had to kick back on to see that.

  “I have an herb that might work for this,” Kavil said, his quiet voice cutting through the tension and both of them turned towards him. Kavil winced at their expressions but straightened his back, meeting Sulaiman’s glare head on. “It’s technically a poison, but I use it as a painkiller because it numbs the body and has the side effect of making you tired. If Priscilla takes a small dose, even if I fail spectacularly, the worst that’ll happen is she sleeps soundly tonight and should avoid chewing anything so she doesn’t bite through her lip.”

  Priscilla smiled, satisfaction curling in her like a viper as she glanced at Sulaiman. The muscles in his jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth, but after a hard stare at Kavil, Sulaiman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “Give her the absolute smallest dose you can get away with that will still have an effect,” Sulaiman ordered, “because I don’t want it lingering in her system tomorrow. If any of us have a lapse in judgment or dulled senses, it could kill us all.”

  A declaration of doom and gloom but while Priscilla didn’t necessarily disagree with Sulaiman about needing to be on the top of their game, she knew that Kavil needed this opportunity. Trying to learn how to heal in a different way under pressure could have disastrous consequences because Priscilla knew exactly what healing magic could do if things went awry. She’d much rather keep her skin attached, thank you very much. Asha sent worry through their bond but Priscilla tried to her best to reassure the artifact, projecting only confidence in Kavil’s skills.

  Kavil rummaged through his herb pouch as Priscilla figured out where they should do this experiment, deciding to lay on her bed and prop herself up with pillows. The bestiary was in her lap so she could read it as Sulaiman pulled up a chair next to her, crossing his arms and glaring at her.

  “I’ll be fine,” Priscilla said, keeping her eyes on the illustration of the Dappled Hyena. It had gray fur with a green undertone that let them slink through the underbrush, though it looked smaller than the hyenas she was used to in her previous world. But even in the picture, there was a gleam of intelligence in its eyes as it stared right at the viewer, the rest of its pack just a few feet behind it in the background.

  “I still think this is foolhardy,” Sulaiman said, “but, knowing you, you’d just eat the herb and force the issue.”

  Priscilla kept her mouth shut because that idea had flashed through her mind and just shrugged ambiguously. She glanced up from the book as Kavil approached, a half of a purple leaf in his hand.

  “Chew this thoroughly,” Kavil said, “and you should start to feel the effects in a few minutes.”

  Priscilla popped it into her mouth before Kavil had even finished speaking, earning a glare from Sulaiman she ignored. The leaf tasted like you’d expect a leaf to taste, a little like vegetation and earth, but even as Priscilla chewed slowly, she felt a tingle go over her gums. She swallowed and used her tongue to make sure none of it got stuck in her teeth as Kavil sat next to her on the bed.

  “If I read aloud, do you think that’d hurt your concentration?” Priscilla asked Kavil.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Kavil frowned but shook his head. “I’m pretty good at tuning things out when I concentrate, and if I can’t ignore your voice, I don’t know if I’d be able to ignore the sounds of battle.”

  “Alrighty, then, be prepared to get learnt,” Priscilla said, settling the book into a comfortable position, scanning for the most important information. “The Dappled Hyena are menaces that have an innate ability to shift their fur color to match the color of foliage. They hunt in packs of ten to fifteen, and like to use stealth to approach their prey. Once they’re close enough, they let out a supersonic bark at the ground that sends out tremors to destabilize their prey, and then they swoop in when they’re knocked off balance. But they’re only about two feet tall, weigh about fifty pounds, and have very little defensive capabilities, so most choose to run if enough of their pack are killed.”

  Priscilla’s tongue was numb by the time she finished speaking and she ran it gently across her teeth to ensure it really was numb before saying, “I think it might be kicking in already.”

  Kavil’s hand was surrounded by a white glow as he hovered it over her collarbone and closed his eyes in concentration.

  “In a theoretical matchup between these hyenas and the toads,” Priscilla said, trying to focus on something that wasn’t the warm feeling of Kavil’s magic spreading through her body, “I think the toads would be at an advantage because they’re too big to knock over.”

  “With their spit, the toads can make the terrain impassable for the hyenas,” Sulaiman said after a moment, “and they’re a bigger nuisance to deal with. What does your book say about them?”

  Priscilla had to blink a few times to prevent herself from feeling too sleepy and started flipping through the book once more. “Though in the hyena’s defense, they are the smarter creature and are known for taking down prey far larger–”

  Priscilla’s eyes fluttered and she felt a sudden wave of vertigo as it felt like something uncomfortably warm was constricting inside her, letting out a quiet gasp as she tilted to the side and the book slipped out her fingers.

  “Kavil,” Sulaiman said sharply as he steadied Priscilla and caught the book. The sensation immediately faded as Kavil opened his eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” Kavil said, pulling back his hand.

  Priscilla felt only a little dazed as sat up with her own power and asked, “What were you trying to do?”

  “I…” Kavil swallowed, wringing his hands nervously. “I was trying to isolate the poison in your bloodstream and purify it all through pure divine magic.”

  Priscilla nodded though she kept quiet, because she knew very little about magic and any advice she’d offer would be pulled out of her ass.

  But Sulaiman didn’t have that problem, frowning as he placed the book back into Priscilla’s hands.

  “It sounds like a more delicate application of magic would work better,” Sulaiman suggested, “rather than relying on brute force when you’re working on such a small scale. Do you think that’s possible?”

  Kavil was quiet, fidgeting with his fingers before saying, “I think so. Are you okay with me trying again, Priscilla?”

  “Yeah,” Priscilla said, opening her book back up to the amphibian section. She paused when Kavil didn’t move at all and met Kavil’s hesitant gaze to give him a half-smile. “Sulaiman will keep an eye on me in case anything goes wrong, so act with confidence, Kavil. Magic works better that way, or so I’ve been told.”

  That made determination enter Kavil’s copper eyes and he nodded, hand coming over to rest against her once more.

  “So Gorelock Toads travel in packs of three to five,” Priscilla began as she felt Kavil’s magic spread through her once more, “and as you know, their main weaknesses are the dark patch on the back of their head and fire, since it burns their poison almost instantaneously.”

  A warm sensation in her sternum had Priscilla pausing, but it wasn’t accompanied by any dizziness, so she waved off Sulaiman’s concerned look.

  “Between the toads and hyenas, I think I’d do better against the hyenas,” Priscilla said, imagining the scenario. “I can actually get close to them and they’re the perfect size to punt.”

  Sulaiman snorted. “Only you would think of punting a monster as a legitimate battle tactic.”

  Another warm sensation occurred again, feeling sharper and better focused so Priscilla could ignore it easier than the first one.

  “If it’s stupid and works, it ain’t stupid,” Priscilla said, smirking when Sulaiman rolled his eyes. “How’d you deal with them then, oh mighty tactician?”

  Sulaiman launched into a surprisingly complex plan for how short he had to create it and Priscilla tried her best to poke holes in it as Kavil kept working. It was odd to feel the way Kavil’s magic spread through her body – Priscilla had never been aware of where her heart was in her chest before but she was intimately aware of its placement because Kavil’s magic swirled around it. Priscilla grew steadily more awake and the numbness was completely gone by the time Kavil opened his eyes and leaned back, a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

  “I think that’s the last of it,” Kavil said, looking at Priscilla worriedly. “How do you feel?”

  “Fit as a fucking fiddle,” Priscilla chirped. “In fact, I think I feel even better than I did before, like you shot me up with energy.”

  Kavil smiled at that as Sulaiman pulled out his pocket watch to check it.

  “It took five minutes to fully clear it from her system,” Sulaiman said, flipping the watch closed.

  “I can do it faster next time now that I know how to,” Kavil said, shifting his weight like he was about to stand but wavered dangerously. It was Priscilla’s turn to steady Kavil, discarding the book to make sure he didn’t fall off the bed.

  “I’m okay,” Kavil said, though the way he sagged against Priscilla suggested he wasn’t. “I was just concentrating really hard and stayed still for a long time, so it made me a little dizzy when I moved.”

  “Lay down,” Priscilla ordered, moving over and tugging Kavil so he laid next to her in the bed. He resisted for a moment but gave in as she continued to talk. “Sulaiman will get us some fresh food and water so you better not move a muscle. Don’t be dumb and try to walk around when you don’t feel well.”

  Kavil ducked his head but the way he didn’t argue told Priscilla she was right. Satisfied, Priscilla turned to flutter her lashes at Sulaiman like she hadn’t just voluntold him to fetch them dinner. Priscilla had thought about going with, but she didn’t want to leave Kavil unsupervised in case he was rebellious and tried standing too soon.

  Sulaiman seemed to agree by the way he stood without argument.

  “My money pouch is on my pack,” Priscilla said, pointing to it, “take a gold or two and get us whatever looks tastiest.”

  Sulaiman huffed but did as she bid without complaint, exiting swiftly.

  It was a tight squeeze to fit two people in the bed but Priscilla turned onto her side so Kavil had a little more room, and rested her head on her palm. Kavil glanced at her and away quickly, shifting restlessly several times before stilling.

  “I won’t be this useless after I heal poison next time,” Kavil said, as if him not being perfect at something the very first time he attempted it was something to be ashamed of.

  “Don’t you fucking dare call my savior useless,” Priscilla said jokingly, poking him in the shoulder, “or else I’ll be forced to annoy you until you apologize for such transgressions.”

  That made Kavil smile shyly, showing off his dimples.

  “I wouldn’t want that,” Kavil said, finally making eye contact and keeping it, “so I guess I’ll have to listen to you.”

  “Life is much easier if you listen to my impeccable words of wisdom,” Priscilla said snootily and Kavil laughed, shaking her with the force of it.

  “I shall, oh mighty sage,” Kavil said, leaning his head against the pillow as he turned towards her. “What other wisdom do you have for me? I’ll be sure to follow it faithfully.”

  It struck Priscilla in that moment how this bed really was only made for one, how close she was to Kavil, how their knees pressed together, how his lips were so close she could feel his breath, how quiet Kavil’s voice had grown quiet as if they were the only ones who existed in this moment. She pushed such realizations to the back of her mind, telling herself firmly that she had no business thinking of Kavil in such a way. It was just her body’s natural reaction to closeness with another human being – she could ignore it as surely as she ignored the way her body reacted to Sulaiman.

  “Well,” Priscilla said, mind latching onto the first topic it stumbled upon, “the first piece of advice I have for you is that swearing almost always makes you feel better when you’re in a tricky situation, so repeat after me – fuck, shit, cunt, damn.”

  Kavil hadn’t been expecting that by the way his eyes widened and then he burst into laughter, throwing his head back. He shifted onto his back as he was completely consumed by the giggles.

  It was at that moment the door opened, signaling Sulaiman’s speedy return.

  “What’d I miss?” Sulaiman asked warily, putting the dinner tray onto a side table.

  “Priscilla’s trying to corrupt me,” Kavil said, wiping tears from his eyes.

  “I am not!” Priscilla said, sitting up in protest. “I’m simply expanding his vocabulary with some very important four letter words.”

  Sulaiman gave her a flat look and guessed, “Like fuck? That would count as corrupting by anyone’s definition. Kavil, don’t listen to anything she says – it’s all nonsense.”

  “Fuck you!” Priscilla said and Sulaiman gave her a look like she was just proving his point. She pouted and huffed, crossing her arms as Kavil’s laughter redoubled in intensity.

  Dinner conversation seemed to be ‘make fun of Priscilla night’ and she rolled her eyes and glared so many times she lost count. But despite the act Priscilla put on, she couldn’t deny how happy she was bickering with them and defending her nonexistent honor.

  Tomorrow would be filled with troubles, that was certain, but tonight, they could forget about it and just laugh to their heart’s content.