Read Online The Final Formula by Becca Andre - Free Book Online Page A

vial. “What—” He didn’t get to finish as he tipped back his head and drank the dark blue liquid.
    “Truth serum,” I said. The unique properties of my formula opened options not available with other brews. A basic truth serum left the subject able to respond only to direct questions. Otherwise, they couldn’t speak. That wasn’t the case with mine. Rowan could question me, make statements, or cuss me until blue in the face. That freedom would allow for a more interesting exchange.
    He dropped the vial and it shattered on the floor. “I won’t betray my brethren, alchemist.” He gripped the arms of his chair and a flicker of orange appeared in his eyes once more.
    James stepped forward, but I caught his arm. “Would you quit?”
    He stopped and turned his frown from Rowan to me.
    “What have you done to him?” Rowan demanded. “He’s magical.” The orange had faded again.
    I glanced up at James. His look of surprise shifted back to a frown. “She’s given me nothing,” he said, his voice just this side of a growl. “I’m hers of my own will.”
    Weird way to put it. “I didn’t come here to chat about who my friends are,” I said.
    “Why are you here?” Rowan’s knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on his chair.
    “To ask a question. Why you were at the Alchemica the night it burned?”
    “I received an invitation from your…,” he glanced at my arms, “Grand Master.”
    “What?” He couldn’t lie to me, but his answer made no sense. “The Grand Master invited you to the Alchemica?”
    “He invited all four of us. Shall I summon the others to vouch for me? They all saw the invitation. White linen embossed in gold. Talk about pretentious.”
    I frowned. “I don’t need verification. At the moment, your word is enough.” I tried for a confident tone, but his revelation put a dent in my armor. “You’re certain the invitation came from the Grand Master?”
    “You mean Aemilius Archimedes?” Rowan snorted. “You know, if you alchemists insist on hiding behind a false name, you might want to consider a more plausible one.”
    False names? I didn’t remember that.
    “Though he did scrawl Emil across the bottom of the invitation,” Rowan said.
    If he said anything after that, I missed it. Emil. The name echoed in my head, and I pictured the sleeveless white robes and graying-blond hair. Thick fingers with neatly trimmed nails. A kind wrinkled face and an expressive mouth.
    “Addie?”
    I discovered James’s hand on my shoulder. “I’m okay,” I whispered. The ricochet of memories settled.
    “Too many potions over the years?” Rowan asked.
    I gave him a glare. “What happened to the Alchemica?” No need to drag this out.
    “The papers said an explosion in the lab took down the building.”
    “I’ve been there. The labs are intact. The explosion took place in the auditorium.” I suddenly realized he’d diverted the question without lying. Impressive under a truth serum. The Flame Lord was strong willed and no idiot. I wished I had more time to argue with him. “You didn’t answer my question.”
    “No, I didn’t burn down your Alchemica. If not for my brother Element throwing up a wall of earth, we would have been among the injured.”
    “Injured? There were no injured. They all died!”
    “You didn’t.”
    I clenched my fists. “I saw you there when I lay in the rubble. What happened?” I hated the pleading note in my voice, but those images of Emil had hit me hard. I now had someone to mourn.
    “All I know is that there was an explosion.” His eyes met mine, and I prayed he couldn’t see the depth of my despair. He didn’t know anything. This effort had been for nothing.
    I turned to James. “Let’s go.”
    “That’s it?” Rowan sounded surprised.
    I faced him again. “Would you prefer I stay and question you some more?”
    “Until this potion wears off? Yes.” He smiled and I resisted the urge to step back. Clearly, he found it amusing that