The attendant appeared at the edge of the balcony, her footsteps soft against the wooden floorboards. She was young, perhaps in her early twenties, with mousy brown hair tied back in a simple bun and a plain gray dress that reached her ankles. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her, and when she spoke, her voice was quiet but clear.
"The Master will see you now."
Master Theo turned from the railing, brushing invisible dust from his coat. Nero followed, casting one last glance at the sprawling slums below before stepping back inside. The contrast was rather immediate, with the noisy din of the streets dulled to a muffled hum, replaced by the cool silence of the apothecary's interior.
The shift was stark, but what was most obvious was the sensation of the heat washing over his face vanishing, replaced with the coolth that pervaded through the walls of the building. There was a slight scent of herbs and medicine as well.
'Citrus too, perhaps...'
