Page 112 of When Ashes Fall

I’d stored the sleeping draught with the extra supplies, but I could tell the difference between the potions, even if the sleeping and healing ones were nearly identical. A small fraction of the sprites had worked tirelessly to harvest the willowcaps and earth moss hairs for me.

They’d brought in a steady stream of supplies until both were overflowing. When I was sure we had more than enough, I asked them to gather more herbs to replace the ones I’d used for the potions. Zephyr would require them after I left.

I’d replenished and drained the herbs multiple times already, but the sprites had been busy, and the containers for them were all full again. Every plant had been protected and fed. We were as done as we could be.

Gizzi trudged tiredly into the room with a mouthful of lavender. He jumped onto the counter and set it before me. With a yawn, he fell next to the herb and passed out.

I chuckled as I rubbed his back. “I feel you.”

He’d labored to help us, and exhaustion had finally won out. I stifled a yawn as Lyra sauntered into the room.

Her normally spiky hair had fallen flat against her skull and, like mine, was damp with sweat. My clothes were far wetter than hers as they cleaved to me.

She’d busted her ass to get this done, but I was the one standing over the fires. Although, some of the sprites helped with stirring the mixtures because I couldn’t be everywhere at once.

Lyra plopped onto the chair in the corner, and her head fell back as she groaned. “That’s it. We’re done.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. We’ve marked every plant with both a red and blue ribbon.”

The red ribbon indicated which plants received the protective potion, and the blue ribbon indicated which received the growing potion.

“Everything in the town is marked, and the trees closest to the village are too. I scoured every inch of this castle multiple times, as well as the homes in town, and haven’t found any more gorman.”

I resisted the urge to sink to the floor and sleep. “That’s great.”

“Do you think there could be more out there still?”

“I’ll never doubt the possibility. However, their lifespan is only a couple of weeks before the spell disintegrates, and a new gorman has to replace them. They can’t breed, and once the protective barrier is encircling Wildwood, they won’t be able to enter again.”

She lifted her head and cracked open a bloodshot eye. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Can they use something else to attack us in such a sneaky way?”

“I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about that over the past four days, but I can’t think of anything else they could do to attack Wildwood… without coming here themselves, and they’ll never do that.”

“They’re not stupid enough for that. Does that mean we can sleep?”

“I think so.”

Lyra dropped her head back again. “Good.”

“Are the others back?”

“Not yet. I’m expecting them either later today or tomorrow.”

I nodded as I stared at the wall over Lyra’s shoulder. And when they came back, I’d be leaving.

I stroked Gizzi’s back; he didn’t know my plan yet, but he soon would. Aside from the clothes on my back and a horse, he was all I’d take with me.

“You must be exhausted,” Lyra said.

“We all are.”

“It’s time to get some rest.” Lyra slapped her hands off the ends of the chair and rose. “I also stink.”