bChapter 107 /b

    Valencia

    A

    Sarah didn’t even bother looking up as the olddy walked out. She held her breath the entire time and let out a relieved breath only when Elder Amara

    had returned back to hei cabin.

    “What is wrong with you? Do you want to get thrown out of the apothecary as well?” She hissed in a low voice.

    We both returned to the table, and she stood beside me.

    “What are you doing?” I asked, ignoring her previous questions.

    “What am I doing?” She retorted. “I am doing the work we

    are

    supposed to be doing here instead of snooping around.”

    I snatched the list of ingredients from her and shot back.

    “Hey, I was doing my work okay? I heard a noise and just thought someone was in need of help.”

    Sarah nodded. “Of course, you thought you can help those walls of muscles that are twice your size and height.”

    I felt like she was being unreasonable so bI /brified.

    “I didn’t know who it was there until I walked in that room, okay.”

    But she took that list back from me and angrilybeled one

    off

    f the

    many

    small vials.

    “Yes, but you know what? You were not even supposed to enter that room. But you did anyway.”

    She shook her head dismissively, and I narrowed my eyes.

    This was unlike her. She never fought with me. Not like this.

    “What is going on with you?”

    “You should tell me what is going on with you. You know that I was supposed to sit for my Cleric exams soon. Guess who is not allowed to appear for the exam anymore?”

    What? So was that the reason for her sulky mood today?

    “Why are you not allowed to sit for the exams?” I asked, concern etched on my face.

    She gave a disgruntled expression.

    “Because I am not mature and skilled enough to not get carried away by a newbie.”

    Shit.

    I approached her and squeezed her shoulder gently.

    “I am so sorryi, /iSarah. I really didn’t know I was putting you through so much trouble.”

    She looked visibly upset with the decision. Her fingere stuffed a few stems into ba /bss jar and closed the lid a little too harshly.

    “Yeah, well, its nothing.”

    That didn’t appear to be the case based on her bodynguage.

    b1/2 /b

    “Is there something I can do to make you feel bette: ?” I asked earnestly:

    b“/bMaybe I can request Elder Amara to let us plead your case. I can take all the responsibility for the mishap regarding Nina and the scrolls

    Sarah pped her hand against the desk a little harshly, making a few novices working on adjacent tables look at us for a second before they diverted their attention to their respective tasks.

    “Yeah, not happening. They let you off easily only because

    handsomel

    hunk hovers

    around you like an incessant butterfly.”

    bat /b

    all. It was a little angry and hurt.

    I would haveughed at her description of Killian but her tone

    “Look, Sarah, can you tell me what is going on?” I asked for the umpteenth time.

    She was my only friend here, and I didn’t want to lose her.

    “Nothing. Let us just focus on work” she shut me down and began listing the ingredients quietly.

    I tried to speak to her but she muttered that Elder Amara wouldn’t like to see

    us

    chitchat when we were supposed to work.

    We worked in silence for the rest of the day but the awkward silence between us was making us queasy.

    My gaze darted towards her every few seconds but she kept ignoring me pointedly. I couldn’t handle this anymore and an idea popped up in my head.

    “Could you tell me where the bathroom is?”

    Sarah didn’t even look at me as she answered. “Walk straight ahead and you

    will see a door to your left from here.”

    She pointed her finger in a direction and returned to write down abel on a piece of parchment before cutting it in a small square.

    “That is the way to Amara’s cabin.”

    “Lower your voice, girl. She isn’t your friend to call her just by her name,i” /iSarah hissed, and I added.

    “Well, but you are pissed at me because of the whole Nina fiasco, and I am going to try to make it right with you.”

    “What?” Sarah almost choked on the air she was inhaling as I set my quill down and began walking towards the cabin.

    “Stop right there, you boiled chicken.”

    I turned around to look at her. “Did you just swear at me?”

    She grabbed me by the wrist and tried to drag me back to the table.

    “I dont even know what boiled chicken stands for,” I argued as she hissed.

    “It means nothing, sometimes I spew random ship”

    “Yeah, but I have to talk to Elder Amara for you” I tried to wriggle my hand out of her hold, but her hand was surprisingly strong.

    “No, you dont. Come, let me take you to the

    washroom

    ”

    public view and in the washroom in an instant.

    began pulling and pushing each other and again a few curious gazesnded on us.

    I gave in when she tugged at my elbow a little sharply, and we were out of the

    “Are you out of your mind? I am already on the radar for being the only

    I turned the tap on and sshed some cold water on my face.

    “Which is why it is imperative to not make it 6 years.”

    one from my batch bto /bsit in the Novice rank for 5 yearsb.” /b

    110 Th? HA

    She too washed her face and was wiping herce with a clean cloth.

    “Just dont do anything, Valencia. They might hate me more for siding with you.”

    bThat /bmade me look at her in confusion.

    “They? Who are they? What is going on, Sarah? Is Nina threatening you?” I asked, and Sarah had a deer caught in headlights look on her face.

    “You can tell me, please. I am not trying to harm you. I am your friend, I promise,” I said earnestly, I took her hand in mine and gave it a gentle squeez5.

    Sarah had a troubled look on her face but finally blurted out.

    “Nina asked me to spy on you. She said that if I find out all the mistakes you do and report to her, she will let me sit the exams.”

    My eyes went wide.

    “So is that the reason you didn’t want me to talk to anyone?”

    She looked hurt.

    “Dont you think if I were trying to count your mistakes, I wouldn’t drag you away from that patient?”

    Well, shit, that was true.

    I rubbed my temple.

    “I am sorry, Sarah. I really am. But what Nina is doing is bullying. Just don’t let her bully you.”

    Sarah fidgeted with her fingers.

    “I have to pass the Cleric exam, Valencia. The other girls alreadyugh at me for being the only one to be left behind from my batch.”

    I shook my head.

    “Nobody is doing that, Sarah” I tried to reason with her, but she grew frustrated.

    “They do that, Valencia. Why do you think nobody joins us? Why do you think nobody tries to befriend you even after knowing you earned a favor from both the Crone and a prince of Elorin?”

    I stared at her in disbelief.

    I was so caught up in my world, I had never wondered about Sarah or her problems.

    But I was going to make it up to her somehow.

    1

    AD

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