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WHEN THEY GET BACK to Ginata’s rooms they rush through to her work room. Everleigh is awake, but Archer is not. Everleigh is stroking his palm. The teacher is mixing something up in a pot. Everleigh turns to them. “Morning.”
“Ginata’s gone and so is Wolf.”
“What?”
“Ginata’s gone from the kitchen and someone broke Wolf out of the tower.”
“Broke him out?”
“It looks like they took an axe to the door.”
“Really? Who? Do you think he took Ginata?”
“No! I think Ginata took him. I think she’s working for your brother. I think she’s on their side.”
“No.” Everleigh shakes her head. “She wouldn’t.”
“Actually.” The teacher steps forward, a frown on his face. “I meant to mention this yesterday, but with Archer...”
“Mention what?”
“Last night when I needed water for Archer, remember I said it wasn’t water? I tasted it but couldn’t quite think what it was – it’s disguised with something...cloves? – but I knew it wasn’t water. It took me a while to put my finger on it.”
“What was it?”
“If I’m right, and I know I am, Ginata has been drinking it unwittingly, maybe since she started living here at the castle. In fact...Will, fetch me any other jugs or containers with drinks in.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a love potion.”
Ceryn snorts. “A love potion?”
The teacher nods. Will brings in two more jugs from around Ginata’s rooms and a glass bottle that was next to her bed. The teacher takes a mouthful from each. “Definitely a love potion.”
“Utter nonsense. They don’t even work!” Ceryn folds her arms across her chest.
“True, if you buy a love potion from a country fair or a travelling gypsy, then you’re probably getting spiced wine or age old ale with some herbs in, but if I made you a love potion, my dear, you would be maddeningly, desperately and helplessly in love with me, within seconds.”
“Really?” Everleigh kisses Archer’s forehead and then stands up, taking a jug from the teacher.
“Really. If these are potions Halfreda made or even Ginata herself then they would be potent and they would work.”
“Love potions!” Ceryn repeats the words, arms still crossed, a grumpy look on her face.
“How would it work?” Everleigh asks, tasting a tiny bit off her finger.
“They scramble the brain, ensnare the heart, stir up the soul. If she was being given a love potion, daily, her levels topped up and Millard playing on her feelings, luring her in, being kind to her, making her feel like she could fall in love with him, then it’s likely she did. It’s likely she would do anything he asked her.”
“Even betray me?”
“Even betray you. She wouldn’t be in her right mind.”
“These would have had to be topped up every day, though. Who would be able to do that? Surely not Millard or Wolf? She’d notice them creeping around in her rooms.”
“One of the little maids?”
“We need to ask them.”
“Ceryn, go to the kitchen with Will, would you? Ask Cook who usually works in Ginata’s rooms. If it’s the same little maid every day. If it was, find her.”
“We need to find Ginata and Wolf first.”
“No. We need to know exactly what’s been going on.”
After speaking to Cook, and pilfering some more bread, Ceryn and Will find a little maid called Daisy in the great hall, scrubbing the floor.
“Daisy, can you come with us, please? Everleigh would like to speak to you.”
“The Kingmaker?”
“Yes. It’s nothing to worry about.”
She looks at Ceryn, masked face set, eyes angry and Will who smiles his lovely warm smile at her. She agrees to follow them but sticks by Will.
“This is Daisy,” Will says, after sitting her in one of the chairs and fetching Everleigh to her.
“Hi Daisy. Thank you for talking to me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I need to ask you about the ale and the wine here in Ginata’s rooms. I’m sure you’ve been told not to talk to anyone about it but you’re not in trouble. Not a bit.”
Daisy looks petrified and Everleigh thinks about Molly, little Molly who helped her and probably died because of it. She will keep this little maid safe, she vows. “Please Daisy?”
It takes several minutes of silence, while Will keeps his hand gripped on Ceryn’s arm to keep her quiet and Everleigh sits silently and just smiles at the little maid, willing her to help them.
“The King gave me a load of bottles. I keep them under my bed. I am to use two bottles a day, one with a white lid, one with a green lid. I am to fill up the jugs and bottles in this room.”
“How many bottles did he give you? What’s the difference between the two?”
“I don’t know the difference but there are more than a hundred of both. I counted them.”
“How big are they?”
She holds her fingers three inches apart.
“He said he would kill me if I told anyone.” She cries piteously.
“I won’t let him kill you. I promise.”
“Can you bring us a bottle of each?” The teacher has joined them.
She nods and Will offers to go with her. Ceryn follows them out.
“I suspect that one might be the love potion and the other one something to addle her brain. Ginata’s not a stupid woman, or a naïve one, I think it might be something to make her amenable.”
“So, she’s been helping him?”
“I think she’s probably been very conflicted. Her true self would be battling with whatever effects this potion have been having on her.”
“I know she’s been unhappy, you can tell just by looking at her. So, she might be with him right now?”
“Probably. He won’t hurt her, though.”
“Not while he needs her help.”