It was pure, pristine, and hadn't been tampered with.
Ro sat in bed, cradling the small brown clump in her palm. Two servants quietly tidied up the bed chamber, and Ester stood before the hung wedding dress, her fingers carefully adjusting the folds of the dazzling cream fabric.
The smooth flowy dress was embroidered with silver threading, its beautiful patterns tracing the bodice and skirt with such intricacy that it shimmered with each adjustment Ester made. Even Ro had admitted that it was beautiful the moment she had set eyes on it. And the fabric looked so soft, too, compared to the usual Lispan clothing.
Ro's focus fully shifted to the stone the minute Ester and the servants bid her goodnight and left.
The fact that the stone was pure disturbed Ro more than she wanted to admit. Shortly after the meal, she had visited Willow's guest quarters. The woman had to have expected something in return. For her to have given Ro such a rare and exceedingly expensive gift. Ro had expected Willow to name her price. Loyalty. Some favour to be called in later. But to her shock, the strange noble had wilfully given it to Ro.
"Consider it a gift from one woman to another."
Ro rolled the stone between her fingers one last time, then brought it to her lips. She hesitated. Once she swallowed it, there would be no undoing this. The stone elixir would dissolve into her system, amplifying her connection to the earth in ways she hadn't experienced before.
She popped the stone into her mouth. It slid onto her tongue, and she swallowed. The stone went down easier than she expected. Smooth, cool, almost slick. Ro grimaced slightly and took a slow, steadying breath.
She then closed her eyes to concentrate.
The wedding preparations would begin tomorrow, and the ceremony would be the day after. Tomorrow would be her window of opportunity.
She would finally be free. And this object was going to help her with that.
A sudden warmth spread through her chest. It radiated outward, threading through her ribs, her limbs, then, her fingertips. Ro shuddered, a faint glow calling her attention.
A light shimmer traced across her skin, pale blue, barely visible in the dark. Ro's breath caught as she stared at her arms. She hadn't seen that glow in years.
Not since her father sealed her pool.
Her breathing flowed easier now. Deeper. Fuller. Her body felt lighter too as a strange weightlessness settled over her. Ro slowly laid down on her back, and her body sank into the soft bedding. Her mind began to drift.
The stone was working. Faster than she had expected.
Her eyelids grew heavy and her limbs went slack, releasing all the tension she'd previously held.
Ro closed her eyes and let the slumber take over her.
__________
She woke to the sound of curtains being drawn.
Pale morning light flooded the chamber, sharp and intrusive. She squeezed her eyes shut against it, her head throbbing with a dull ache that refused to stop.
"My Lady?"
Ester's voice reached her ears. Concerned.
Ro tried to sit up and discovered that her limbs would not listen to her. Her whole body felt heavy and sluggish, as though she had been drugged. Her mouth was dry, and her tongue felt so heavy to the point it was uncomfortable.
"I'm... fine," she managed, though her voice came out hoarse.
It had taken her immense effort to offer those words.
She wasn't fine.
The stone. The effects.
It was not supposed to be this strong. She had taken it once as a child. A gift. And as usual, much like with every other stone, she expected heightened awareness, and an added surge of power. Not this bone-deep exhaustion that made her feel like she had been wrung out and left to dry.
Her plans.
'No. No. No. No. No. No. No!!!!!!!'
Ro wanted to scream but…
"My Lady, you are burning up!"
Ro's eyes snapped open. Ester stood beside the bed, her hand hovering uncertainly near Ro's forehead. Two other servants lingered by the doorway, their expressions uneasy.
"I'm not—" Ro started, but Ester's cool palm pressed against her skin, and Ro flinched at the contact.
Ester's eyes widened. "You're feverish. When did this start?"
"I'm not sick," Ro insisted, pushing herself upright with effort. The room tilted slightly, then steadied. Her skin felt too tight, thrumming with energy she couldn't quite access. "I just... didn't sleep well."
Her mouth hurt. Her throat was tight.
'Stop talking!'
Ester didn't look convinced. Her gaze swept over Ro's face, taking it in. "You should rest today. I'll inform the Lord that—"
"No." The word came out sharper than Ro intended. She softened her tone. "No. I'm… fine. Just… help me bathe. I'll feel better after. This just happens once in a while."
Ester hesitated, clearly torn between protocol and concern.
"Please," Ro added quietly.
After a long moment, Ester nodded and Ro smiled.
However, she did not expect much. If anything, Ro knew for a fact the attendant would relay this to Iver.
His authority came before hers.
But for this once… she tried to delude herself.
Anything to quell the rising paranoia she was feeling.
How would she escape in this state?!
The servants moved efficiently, preparing the bath while Ester helped Ro to her feet. Her legs trembled slightly, but she managed to walk without stumbling.
As the warm water filled the basin, Ro caught her reflection in the polished metal mirror.
Her eyes looked... different. The grey seemed deeper, and beneath her skin, that faint blue sheen still flickered. It was barely visible, but there.
'What did that stone do to me?'