Read Online Poison by Bridget Zinn - Free Book Online Page B

freaky genetics or a gift from the gods that I’m not enormously fat. I like food. I like mixing ingredients and discovering how they work together.” Tiny little flames reached around the coals to lick the potato pot.
    “You sound like my dad talking about work. He’s always going on about the essential qualities of different perfumes and how they combine.”
    “Really?” The charcoaley smell of roasted fish and vegetables was starting to scent the air between them, and the warm glow of the fire had heated Kyra straight through. She felt strangely safe in the patch of firelight inside the dense surrounding of trees.
    Fred shrugged. “Family business. Unfortunately, as the youngest son, there wasn’t much room for me, so I decided to take off and travel, see what the world has to offer.”
    “I can’t imagine. I’ve always known exactly what I wanted to do.”
    “What is that?”
    Kyra’s muscles tensed. “Um…dairymaid.”
    “You’re a dairymaid?”
    “Yep.”
    “Huh. So, what, you like, make butter and stuff?”
    Dairymaid? Couldn’t she have come up with something better than that? She guessed it could be worse—she did have more than a passing knowledge of dairy craft. Domestic Studies were a required part of potioner training. Of course, she’d grumbled like all of the other apprentices, but her Hiccoughing Butter and Sweet Dreams Pots de Crème had gotten top scores. Honestly, she loved potions almost no matter what area they were in. Even cosmetics came in handy—she’d learned how to make a glamour that changed her appearance when she needed a disguise.
    “Mm-hm,” Kyra said, in answer to Fred’s question. “So tell me about this olive oil. Where’s it from?”
    She relaxed again as the subject switched back to cooking. She didn’t know why she was feeling so comfortable. Somewhere deep in her bones she knew it was dangerous to feel that way.
    Her first bite of fish made the niggling feeling of danger evaporate immediately. “This is so good. What is in that spice mix?”
    “Now, I may be a lot of things, Kitty, but a spoiler of ancient Lorienne secret recipes I am not. You’ll have to learn the language and find out.”
    Kyra threw a pinecone at him. Then took a bite of potatoes.
    Fred chuckled, catching the expression on Kyra’s face.
    “What?” she said, her mouth full. “It’s really good!”
    He nodded, still watching her. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it so much.” He reached out and added wood to the campfire before turning to his own meal.
    The conversation fell away as they dug into their food.
    The flames grew, crackling as they licked the fresh tinder. The fire shifted and sparks flew up into the air between them.
    Kyra ate slowly, savoring each tasty forkful.
    When the last bit of fish and potatoes were gone, Fred leaned back on his elbows across the fire. “So, you’ve got roommates?”
    Kyra answered with care. “Two of them. They’re my business partners—we have a dairy business together.”
    “It seems like that would be a lot of time together, living and working with the same people.”
    “Usually we get along just fine. Sometimes better than others. But we all love what we’re doing.” This was completely true, and it wrenched Kyra for a moment. She was the one who’d brought them together to form the Master Trio—she’d seen in Hal’s and Ned’s eyes the same passion for potionery and had known they would make an amazing team. They were both a few years older, and Kyra had attended lectures by them while still an apprentice.
    Hal’s lectures had drawn huge crowds—mostly giggling girls, many of whom weren’t even potioners. Kyra didn’t care that he was handsome—in fact, his fussy blue silk and velvet outfit might have turned her away if not for the spark in his eyes when he presented his ideas. His potion theories were revolutionary, and he seemed to have a passion for his
work.
    When Kyra finally extended an invitation to join her in