Using the labels on the base of each row’s bottles, they determined which rows could help them, identifying the fifth row as healing potions.
“What did that say it was used for?” Max asked pointing to the blood-red one, wanting to make sure he heard his brother correctly.
“Healing of a broken heart,” Bo repeated.
“Wow, I didn’t know old Sol was in the business of love potions,” Max said, picking up the red potion he hoped wasn’t actually made with blood.
“Anyway, that must be the healing potions row,” Bo said enthusiastically.
Together Britt and Max sorted through the fifth row, narrowing their selection to three potions that might actually help heal Kirsten. A mud-brown bottle was described as healing infected stings and sores, but the recipe included nothing regarding goblin venom. The second of their selected potions was designed to drive foreign substances from the body. The recipe didn’t specify whether this related to physical objects or something in the bloodstream like venom. The third potion was a simple generic healing potion that evidently covered a wide variety of things. Its description offered nothing specific like a goblin bite or poison.
“How do we test them?” Thomas asked as he rose from the couch.
Max had become so enthralled with their task that he’d forgotten to ask for Thomas’ opinion on the matter. Taking the brown bottle and sliding it to the edge of the table, Max bent down and rolled up his pant leg, exposing a cut he’d received in their escape from Grandwood. The cut wasn’t deep, but the scratch running the length of his calf appeared puffy and on the verge of infection.
Uncorking the bottle, Max first poured a drop onto the table, just to see if it was safe to touch. He’d almost put his finger into the bottle when the drop on the table started smoking. The burning liquid emitted a putrid smell. Max froze, his eyes wide at the reaction the liquid had with the wooden tabletop. The small drop of brown goo had actually burned through the table and dropped in a sizzling froth onto the floor. It continued to smolder and eat away at the organic tissue of the wood floor.
Shaking his head, Thomas said, “I don’t think that’s a good one.”
“Maybe it only does that with wood and would be fine on skin?” Britt suggested.
Max cringed at the potion, “I’m not going to touch it. Thomas is right; that one’s gone bad or something.” Quickly corking the bottle, he placed it back in the lineup on the table. Shrugging, he grabbed the second bottle and popped the cork. Once again pouring a small amount onto the table, Max stared at the turquoise liquid. After a long minute with no reaction, Max exhaled and said, “Here goes nothing.” He placed his finger into the bottle coating it in the residue. He winced as he pulled it out and held it away from his body like it might spring to life and attack him. When nothing happened, Max brought his covered finger to his nose, sniffing the liquid. The potent smell burned his nostrils as he reared his head back, bringing his clean hand up to his nose and rubbing at his nostrils.
“What was that?” Bo asked. Max could hear the concern in his voice.
Snorting, Max answered, “It’s fine. It just smells strong is all. I think it's okay.” He brought the potion covering his finger up to his lips, this time pinching his nose shut to keep from smelling it. He stuck his tongue out and carefully licked a dab of the turquoise liquid off his finger. Moving it around in his mouth and tasting it, he swallowed carefully. Waiting, Max didn’t move for another long minute before he said, “I don’t feel anything.”
“Maybe you need to consume more?” Britt suggested.
Max dipped his finger into the bottle again, making sure he coated it in the liquid, then stuck it directly into his mouth, sucking it clean and swallowing. He stood motionless, with his eyes closed for several minutes before shrugging, “Nothing.”
“That one expelled something that’s supposed to attack your body, right?” Thomas asked.
Max nodded.
“Well you’re probably healthy. It wouldn’t work on someone who’s healthy, would it?”
“Good point,” Max said pointing his dirty finger toward Thomas.
“Should we try it on her now?” Bo asked, nodding at Kirsten who remained motionless on the couch.
“What about the other potion?” Britt said. “We should see if that one works before giving this one to her, just in case. You never know, maybe it won’t work and she’ll need this other one to reverse the effect? It’s a general healing one, right? So, it would heal the effects of a bad reaction?”
Max shrugged while they looked to Bo, flipping through the book to find the potion’s description again. “That sounds right to me,” Max said, opening the bottle and pouring a drop onto the table for the third time. With no reaction to the table, Max fingered the bottle, collecting a dab on his fingertip. The substance acted in the same way as the second potion, no reaction. He stuck his potion-coated finger into this mouth and swabbed it against his cheeks. A moment later he said, “See, nothing,” then he cut off as he collapsed onto the floor.
“Max!” Bo and Britt shouted together as he crashed back first onto the ground. They were just coming to his side when his leg began to glow. A bright orange light flashed, lighting up the darkened room in a burst before flickering out.
Britt, Bo and Thomas shielded their eyes from the flash. Max suddenly bolted upright, sitting on the ground and wondering how he’d gotten there. He looked to Bo as his brother lowered his arm and asked, “What just happened to me?”
“Your leg,” Bo and Britt said simultaneously.
Max looked down at where he’d rolled up his pant leg. The puffy pink line scratched into his calf was gone. Rising to his feet, he said, “It worked. At least in healing my minor injuries.”
“Will it work for Kirsten, though?” Thomas asked.
“I don’t think either of these will hurt her,” Max said, examining himself again. “I mean, I feel fine.”
Thomas grabbed the generic healing potion and walked toward Kirsten.
“Wait,” Britt said, grabbing the second potion Max tried from the table. “Shouldn’t we try this one on her first? It’s designed to expel toxins. The goblin’s venom is essentially a toxin.”
Thomas hesitated.
“She’s right. We should try the toxin remover first. If anything goes wrong, at least we know the second one works,” Max said, agreeing with Britt.
“Okay, let’s try that one first,” Thomas said.
Max joined Britt at Kirsten’s side, carefully holding the vial of turquoise liquid. When she uncorked it, Max covered his nose and saw her reaction as she failed to do the same. Shaking her head, she quickly corked the bottle again. Max almost said something clever, but held his tongue as he realized this wasn’t the time to poke fun. He watched intently as she tilted Kirsten’s head back to allow her to pour the liquid into her mouth more easily. Pulling the cork again, Britt pinched her nose while gingerly placing the bottle at Kirsten’s lips.
Britt poured a small amount at a time, and the group silently watched as Kirsten unknowingly drank the potion. Britt then moved the bottle away. Max understood why – in case Kirsten reacted violently. They wouldn’t want to spill the remainder of the contents. When Kirsten showed no initial reaction, Britt resumed pouring until Kirsten had consumed the rest of the potion.
Max kept his eyes fixed on the dark red streaks spreading from the goblin’s infected bite. Suddenly he saw them begin to pulse. He shouted, “They’re moving!” He looked to Britt, who instantly pulled the bottle away from Kirsten’s lips.
“Look,” Thomas said, pointing to her chest.
Max could see the red starting to recede. He stepped back as Kirsten began to move, stretching and moving as the potion did its work. The potion pushed the goblin venom out, back into the bite. The small group stood in awe watching the red streaks retreat from her heart and back toward her shoulder. After a few moments, Kirsten stopped wriggling uncontrollably and lay motionless on the couch. Max’s heart sank as he waited for another reaction. Then, Kirsten opened her eyes.
She stretched her arms up past her head and arched her back as she lay on the couch. Max and the others continued to hold their breath as she let out a long yawn. Sitting more upright on the couch, she looked around the room, her eyebrows pinched together in confusion. Max exhaled, his sigh of relief matching the others’ upon seeing her gain consciousness.
