The Final Formula

by Becca Andre

Yes, there was something wrong with the poor girl. “Let’s run some water on your arm while I make the salve.”

  “Thanks!” She threw her arms around my neck, almost strangling me—for the second time today.

  I assisted her to her feet while James walked to the sink and turned on the faucet. “Let me help you,” he said.

  Era turned with a gasp.

  “I’m James.”

  I escorted Era to the sink, and she stood in silence, letting James hold her arm under the running water. I fought back a laugh watching her stare at him. I left him to sooth her, and went in search of the ingredients I’d need for my salve.

  I never started a major project in the lab without a jar of burn salve. I made it so often, I could whip up a batch in my sleep. Fortunately, the ingredients were rather mundane, and I found everything I needed in Lydia’s kitchen and the small bathroom down the hall. Granted, this would be a stripped down version of my standard salve, but Era’s minor burn would respond well to it.

  I cleaned up her mess in front of the oven while the salve simmered on the stovetop. When finished, I poured the heavy, dark green liquid into a mason jar I’d found in the pantry. It smelled like Lydia’s botanical blend shampoo, the ingredient I substituted for my usual comfrey extract. Era moved to my side to examine the contents of the jar.

  “What are you doing?” The brunette stood in the doorway. “Step away from her.” The woman started toward us, her heels clacking on the linoleum.

  “Did you find her?” Rowan walked into the room. When he saw us, he stopped so suddenly that Lydia, who was following him into the kitchen, almost ran into him. “What’s going on here?”

  “I’m mixing some burn salve.”

  Rowan frowned. “Why do you need burn salve?”

  Era let out a startled squeak and ducked under the island.

  “Excuse me.” I sat the jar down and squatted beside her.

  “You said you wouldn’t tell him.” Era’s whisper wasn’t all that soft.

  “You were talking about Rowan?”

  “What didn’t you tell me?” Rowan squatted on the other side of the island.

  Era threw her arms around me, knocking me back into one of the island legs, and pressed her face into my shoulder.

  “Era?” Rowan didn’t look angry; he looked worried and perhaps a little sad. “Tell me what happened.” His eyes rose to mine, questioning.

  It’s okay, I mouthed the words, and then tipped my head to the side to better see Era. “You need to tell him, honey.”

  “But…”

  “When you do wrong, you have to own up to it.” I met Rowan’s eyes again as I spoke, hoping he wouldn’t go off on her. I could feel the poor girl shaking.

  He held my gaze and for several heartbeats neither of us looked away.

  Era sat up and rubbed a hand across her eyes. “I used the oven, Roe.”

  He closed his eyes and then opened them again. I could see him struggle for control. No doubt he wanted to yell at her for her foolishness. “And you hurt yourself?”

  “I burnt my arm.”

  “Stand up. Let me see.”

  We all climbed out from under the island. Era held her arm out to Rowan. He took her hand and gently turned her arm beneath the light.

  “Damn it, Era,” the brunette said. “How many times have we—”

  “Cora.” Rowan cut her off.

  Lydia moved to Era’s other side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You know why we told you not to mess with the oven, right?”

  I wordlessly scooted my jar of salve into the center of the island. Rowan glanced at it and then me.

  “You’re not seriously considering that,” Cora said. “She’s an alchemist.”

  “Which pretty much sums up my qualifications,” I said.

  “Exactly,” Cora responded.

  I gritted my teeth. “Afraid this mundane human can do things you can’t?”

  Cora crossed her arms and gave me a cool stare.

  “Try to keep up.” I turned and pressed my hand to the still hot burner on the stove. Heat seared my palm and I jerked my hand back, with a gasp. Damn, that hurt.

  “Addie!” Surprisingly, Rowan reacted first. He rounded the island and caught my wrist, rotating my hand to reveal the red stripes across my palm.

  “Even better,” Cora said. “She’s crazy.”

  I pulled my hand away from Rowan. “Give it a rest.” I squeezed my undamaged hand through the wide mouth of the Mason jar and dipped my fingertips in the warm salve. James leaned over to hold the jar for me as I withdrew my hand. He gave me a grin; he’d seen what my salve could do.

  I rubbed the salve over my burnt palm and then held it up for the others to watch. The pain faded in seconds, and I knew the redness did the same.

  Once again, Rowan caught my wrist. Cupping the back of my hand, he lightly ran his fingers over my unblemished palm.

  My breath caught at the light brush of his fingers. Surprised, I pulled my hand away. “Well?” I rubbed my hand on my pant leg, hoping he didn’t notice my reaction.

  “Do it,” he said.

  “Rowan,” Cora protested.

  I ignored her and once more dipped my fingers into the salve. I moved over to where Lydia still held Era, and gently rubbed it into the red welt across her forearm. Her burn, being older and deeper, took a little longer to fade. Thirty seconds instead of five.

  “Oh my,” Lydia whispered. “You should bottle that stuff.”

  “It loses potency after twenty-four hours.”

  “Then give the formula to the medical profession,” Rowan said, his tone soft. “The burn-unit patients would certainly benefit from it.”

  “I’d be glad to give them the formula, but it takes an alchemist to mix it. I know you think I’m only a hopped up chemist, but there is a skill to this.”

  “I don’t think that.” His subdued tone surprised me. What happened to my mouthy Flame Lord?

  “Give it up, Your Grace. I’m just a human playing at magic.”

  “Are you nuts?” Era stared at her arm. “This is magic. Way more cool than kicking up a breeze.”

  I smiled at the girl, touched in spite of myself. I glanced at Rowan. “Your Element of Air.”

  Rowan sighed, which was all the answer I needed.

  “Come along, Era,” Cora said, interrupting my feel-good moment. “We need to go.”

  “Let me walk you out,” Lydia said.

  “Did you see that?” Era followed the two women into the hall. “My burn disappeared.”

  “I hope that salve doesn’t give you a rash, dear.” Cora’s voice carried back to us. We stood in silence listening to Era’s cheerful banter before the closing of a door cut off the sound.

  I turned to Rowan. “Cora’s charming. And she is?”

  “Water.”

  I grunted. “Lucky you.”

  I picked up my saucepan and took it to the sink where I’d left a spoon and a measuring cup. It didn’t take long to wash up.

  James busied himself putting away the ingredients. “Where’d you get the shampoo?” he asked, holding up the bottle.

  “Bathroom cabinet, up the hall.”

  He nodded and left the room.

  Drying my hands on a blue-checkered towel, I turned to find Rowan still standing beside the island watching me.

  “Yes?” I draped the towel over one side of the dish drainer.

  “Thank you for taking care of Era.”

  After our earlier argument, I didn’t expect gratitude. I leaned back against the sink. “She’s the one, isn’t she?” I remembered the comment he’d made while changing the tire. “The one who was hurt to get to you?”

  His brow furled, but not in anger. “Yes.”

  I pushed off the sink and walked to the island.
“Will you tell me what happened?” I placed the lid on the burn salve. “Maybe I can help.”

  When he didn’t respond, I looked up. He still watched me with that odd intensity.

  “What?”

  “Are you really an Alchemica alchemist?”

  “Yes.” I frowned. “Why?”

  “I’ve never met one who cared about anything except earning their final band.”

  I crossed my arms, wanting to argue, but what could I say? I might have been as shallow and self-absorbed as he suggested. “I’d like to help. Won’t you tell me what happened?”

  He rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Almost four months ago, Era was abducted.” He dropped his hand and met my eyes. “I tore this city apart for four days, unable to find any sign of her. No ransom note, no indication of who had taken her. On the fifth day, she was returned.”

  “Returned?”

  “I found her that morning on the front porch of the Offices, unconscious. Physically, she hadn’t been…touched, but mentally,” he hesitated. “She should have started her senior year of college this fall. I had to call and—”

  He fell silent, and I got the impression he’d said more than he intended. I reached over to grip his forearm. He looked down, his eyes meeting mine. Heat climbed my cheeks, and I pulled my hand away, alarmed that I’d tried to comfort him.

  “She’s the reason you wanted us to meet your seer.” I tried to draw his attention away from my gesture of compassion.

  “Yes, I needed to know if it’d be safe for the two of you to share a house with her.”

  “And? What did Marian tell you?”

  “She told me nothing; you told me all I needed to know.” He gestured at the salve.

  My cheeks flushed again, but before I could comment, James returned. Then I caught what else Rowan said. “Share a house with you?”

  “Don’t you want to find out what happened to the Alchemica?”

  I opened my mouth and closed it. “What?”

  “The Alchemica. The PIA declared it an accident, and it clearly wasn’t. I want to know why. Don’t you?”

  “Yes.” Next to my memories, I wanted that more than anything.

  “Well then, shall we?” He gestured toward the door.

  I met his questioning gaze. The Flame Lord was offering to help me, an alchemist. Why? Should I be concerned?

  I glanced at James and he shrugged. I remembered his eagerness when Rowan offered to teach him control.

  I took a breath and released it. “Okay, we’re in.”

  It took a good thirty minutes to drive from Lydia’s home to Rowan’s. I learned on the ride over that he shared a house with his brother and sister Elements. No spouses, no children—just the four of them. I managed not to groan when he told us. Era wasn’t a factor, but Rowan annoyed me, and Cora pissed me off. I didn’t have high hopes for Earth’s temperament.

  I’d originally thought it a good idea to give James the front seat and take the more cramped back seat. After fifteen minutes of winding country road, I began to regret the decision. Rowan finally slowed and drove through the open gate of a long, paved drive.

  Unhooking my seat belt, I scooted up between the front seats to get a better view of the Elements’ house—if such a structure could be called a house. Words such as “mansion” and “estate” came to mind. I guess I should have expected it after seeing the Elemental Offices. Vines obscured the weathered stone exterior in places while the upper story had the exposed timber look I equated with a Tudor style. Overall, it looked like a quaint English cottage—on steroids.

  Rowan parked near a side entrance not far from an attached garage that could house a family of four all on its own. I followed James from the car, and we joined Rowan on the cobbled area between the garage and side entrance.

  “Nice place,” I said.

  “It serves our needs.” Rowan started toward the house.

  “My pack—”

  “Will remain in my possession,” Rowan said over his shoulder.

  “But I passed your test.”

  “And you understand why I gave it.”

  I opened my mouth, but didn’t get to speak as a large man opened the door. Rowan stepped past him into the house, but I slowed my pace. The man saw my hesitation and gave me a smile.

  “Please come in,” he said, his voice deep, but cheerful.

  James stepped in front of me and went through the doorway first. The man dwarfed him. My buddy might be lean, but at six-two, I wouldn’t call him small.

  I followed James inside and the big guy closed the door behind me. The interior of the house maintained the rustic cottage vibe with its stone floor and rough plastered walls above dark wainscoting. It gave the impression of age, but didn’t disguise the wealth.

  Rowan gestured at the big man who still stood beside us. “Addie, James, allow me to introduce Donovan.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Donovan gave each of us a smile, then exchanged a handshake with James, who stood closer. The gold highlights in his brown hair and deep tan spoke of a man who spent a lot of time outdoors. Though, the full beard and flannel shirt pushed him toward the Grizzly Adams category of outdoorsman.

  “And the little alchemist.” He turned to me with a smile.

  “I doubt there are many people you can’t call little.” My hand disappeared into his.

  His hazel eyes twinkled. “Not many.”

  “Earth Element, right?”

  His grin broadened, but before he could speak, the outer door opened. Cora walked in, Era following in her wake. I suppressed a groan. Both women pulled up short when they saw us.

  Cora rounded on Rowan. “What are they doing here?”

  “I’ll go get my camera,” Era announced. She didn’t wait for a response before darting off down the hallway leading deeper into the house. I wasn’t sure what to make of her comment, but didn’t get to ask.

  “Donovan, would you show our guests to their rooms?” Rowan asked.

  “Guests?” Cora demanded. “No. You will not bring an alchemist and a grim into our home.”

  “Cora.”

  “Our home, Rowan.”

  “They’re already here.” He turned toward the hall Era had disappeared into. “Join me.”

  “I will not stand for this. Isn’t it enough that you let her rub some poison into Era’s arm?”

  “Poison?” I demanded. “That was—”

  She whirled to face me. “You are not a part of this conversation, alchemist.”

  “You’re talking about me. Technically, I am the conversation.”

  Cora caught a handful of the over-sized button-up shirt I still wore. She gave it a faint frown then pulled me in her face. “Do not test me.” Her eyes shifted from cornflower blue to black indigo.

  James appeared beside me and caught her wrist. “Let her go.”

  “James, don’t. It’s okay.” I didn’t want him sullying his reputation on my behalf. Of course, being a grim might have covered that.

  “Addie means you no harm, and neither do I.” He released her, but didn’t step away.

  Cora let go of my shirt. “I’m going to hold you to that, grim.” She spoke to him, but her eyes never left mine.

  “His name is James.” I held her gaze, refusing to be the first to look away.

  “Cora, join me,” Rowan repeated. He didn’t wait for a response, but turned and walked off down the hall.

  Cora gave me a final glare and started after him, her heels clacking on the floor.

  “Have you eaten?” Donovan asked.

  “Um, no.” I studied the big guy, trying to gage his reaction to our houseguest status. He looked more amused than angry.

  “Let me show you to your rooms, then we’ll take care of that.” He started up the stairs that ran along one wall.

  I gl
anced at James. “Well, this should be fun.”

  He didn’t look so certain.

  “Come on.” I patted his shoulder. “It can’t be any worse than your brothers.”

  He grunted, but followed me up the stairs.

  Someone knocked at my door, and I sat up so fast I tumbled off the bed. I landed on my butt and sat there. This wasn’t my workshop. I ran my fingers through my loose hair as the events of the day before returned to me. I looked up at the clock on the nightstand. 7:39 a.m. The lateness of the hour surprised me. I didn’t usually sleep so soundly.

  Another knock got me on my feet, and I tugged Rowan’s white button-up shirt into place. I’d used it as a nightgown since I had nothing else with me. The shirt hung to mid-thigh, longer than some mini-skirts I’d seen.

  I pulled the door open. “Yeah?” I expected James; I didn’t expect him.

  Rowan cocked a brow. “Good morning to you, too.”

  I resisted the urge to give my makeshift nightgown another tug. “Forgive me,” I said. “I figured the social niceties were beyond you. You left us last night without so much as a good night.”

  “My apologies. I didn’t realize my actions would cause you such distress.”

  I snorted. “Hardly. What do you want?”

  “Not a morning person, I take it.”

  “Not when I have to deal with you first thing.”

  “Again with the insults… and when I come bearing gifts.” He held out one of two white shopping bags.

  “What’s this?” I eyed the bag, but didn’t take it.

  “Clothing, although,” he looked me over, “I do enjoy seeing you in only my shirt.”

  I snatched the bag from his hand, hoping my blush wasn’t visible.

  The door across the hall opened and James stepped out. He wore the sweatpants and nothing else. “Addie?” He rubbed one eye with the heel of his hand, his dark hair sticking out at odd angles.

  Rowan handed James the other bag, describing its contents.

  I opened my bag and glanced inside to find a pair of jeans, a black shirt, a pack of socks and a pack of undies. Everything still had the tags.

  “Breakfast will be served in the sunroom at eight o’clock,” Rowan said.

  “The sunroom?”