Demon Lord's Point of View

  A soft bell chimed above the apothecary door as I opened it and stepped into the shop. Dried plants hung from the ceiling while living ones sat on every available shelf, throwing off a wonderfully earthy smell. Something sweet was mixed in too, like honey or fruit maybe. As I walked up to the counter, the sound of a mortar and pestle slowed.

  "Welcome to Fern and Fable Apothecary, I'll be right with you." Willow's Grandmother's voice was soft, yet firm as she finished grinding the herbs she was working on, then slowly stood up. I could practically hear each bone creaking as she did so and rushed over to help. She waved me off. "Customers aren't supposed to come behind the counter, you know." Then she squinted at me. "Ohhh, look at those horns. My, my, looks like we've got an interesting visitor today."

  She turned back as if to talk to somebody, but paused. It was just her and I in the shop, nobody else. Confusion marred her features until she covered it up with a smile. My chest ached knowing how much she must miss Willow. I had to tell her what was going on, had to explain why Willow wasn’t back yet.

  "Elder Fern." I bowed my head to her. "Willow wanted me to check in and see how you're doing."

  "If Willow wanted to know that, she should have come here herself." Fern tilted her head, squinting at me even harder. "Unless there's some reason my granddaughter didn't come? Is she okay?"

  "Fine, perfectly fine," I rushed to say. "Just working hard on the book."

  I tried not to wince as the half-truth fell from my lips. I had to tell this woman where her granddaughter was, but I didn't want her to worry too much. Maybe I'd wait until we had a plan for how to get Willow out of the book. Or was it horrible to keep such a secret? I wasn't used to dealing with people's emotions like this. Usually, I just said what I thought without a care, but this little old apothecary was important to Willow. The most important person in her life, actually.

  Fern patted my arm. "I'm glad you found a way to get her writing again. Now, sit down and help me with these hand warmers."

  "Wait, what?" I glanced over at the table covered in fabric and herbs. "No, I'm just here to check on you and get some clothes for Willow."

  "Youngsters these days, always in such a hurry." Fern shook her head, settling back down onto a chair. "If I stop to gather Willow's things, then these sunflowers will lose their potency, and I'll have to lay their petals outside all over again. I need to use them while they're fresh and full of the sun's warmth."

  She picked up the pestle again, grinding the softly glowing sunflower petals with a clear liquid. The longer she worked, the more the liquid glowed, as if the light from the petals was being absorbed by it. I felt myself drawn to it as the sweet flowery scent filled the air.

  "Grab that brush." Fern nodded at a paintbrush on the table. "And spread a thin layer of this across the fabric. Don't make it too thick or it will clump up, hear me?"

  "Yes, ma'am." I sat down, grabbing the brush as if this was completely normal. The fabric was soft and so thin I could almost see through it. "Actually, I've never done this before. I don't want to mess it up."

  "Messing up is part of life." She shrugged. "You can't be worse than that so-called apprentice who stopped by earlier."

  My eyebrows rose. "Oh, so you did hire somebody then? Willow will be happy."

  The woman grumbled. "Less talking, more working."

  Apparently ordering demons around ran in the family. I felt myself smiling as I dipped the brush into the glowing flower mixture, spreading it as light as I could. The fabric absorbed the liquid, taking on the glow just like how the sunflower fields shined bright after asking in the sun all day. Warmth emanated off the fabric too, reminding me of the cafe with Willow. It wasn't overly warm, but just enough to stave off the chill in the air.

  Once I was done, I cleaned off the brush and turned to her. "What next?"

  "Cut the fabric into three-inch squares so we can make them into pouches." She handed me a pair of shears, then nudged over two jars of dark powders. "Then measure out equal parts of iron powder and charcoal with that scoop and place them in the center of each square like you're making a pastry or filled pasta. Add a heat stone to the middle and you'll be ready to wrap it up."

  I'd never done any of those things, but it seemed simple enough. I set about cutting the fabric, the soft snip-snip oddly soothing. A tiny mossmew curled around my legs, meowing and rubbing up against me. I reached down to pet the mossy animal, remembering the first time I'd visited Willow. These little cat-like creatures had been playing in sunbeams, racing between all the glass jars on their shelves. Willow seemed to have a fondness for them and I wished she was here to play with them again.

  Guilt gnawed at me as I measured out the ingredients the apothecary had given me. I should really tell her where Willow was. She could handle the truth, right? Even if we didn't have a solid plan yet, it wasn't like Willow was in danger. She just couldn't be here...

  Fern slapped my hands. "I said equal amounts! Are you trying to set my shop on fire?"

  I'd been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't been paying enough attention to the hand warmers and had accidentally added triple the amount of one powder than the other. A small flame burst out right before the apothecary stamped it out with a thick pad. She picked up the last few squares I'd been working on and tossed the powders into what looked like a burn bin so the flames couldn't creep out.

  "I'm sorry. I really did mess it all up." I shook my head, backing away from the table of precious ingredients. "I'll pay you back for that and more. Whatever you need."

  She sighed. "What I need is to get these finished by the end of the day. Why don't we take a break before we get back to it?"

  "I'm not sure. Why don't I find that apprentice you mentioned?" And prove they existed for Willow. "What's their name?"

  "You're doing perfectly fine. Sit, sit!" She waved me back as she pulled a teapot over that was whistling softly. "Do you like tea? Have any preferences?"

  I sank onto the chair, not really sure how to answer. "Um, what's Willow's favorite? She mentioned how nice it would be if you could send some over."

  "She always thinks better with a good cup of yerba mate tea. Calms her down and helps her focus." Fern smiled, grabbing a glass jar of green tea leaves, one of red, and one that was almost black. "Take all of these with you when you leave. As a thank you for helping Willow follow her dreams. She spends so much time locked up in here, never letting herself go after what she truly wants."

  "She loves being an apothecary though, doesn't she?"

  Honestly, she hadn't mentioned it much since she'd gotten stuck in my book. I bet there were demon apothecaries she would like to visit. Maybe they'd even have big gardens for her to explore so she could feel like she was back home for a moment, picking herbs on the mountain like usual. Suddenly, I had the urge to go back and show her every beautiful thing the demon world had to offer. Once I found out what those things were, of course. Our trip through town had been more exploring than I'd ever done.

  "She does love it, but I'm not sure it's what she loves most." Fern poured me a cup of tea that smelled like grass after a long rain.

  Steam curled around my fingers as the warmth seeped into my hands. The little mossmew from earlier had somehow climbed into my lap, peeking her head above the table to sniff at tea. Then she curled up, purring as I ran my fingers through her mossy fur, waiting for the apothecary to explain what she'd meant by that. As Fern settled back in her chair and sipped her own tea, she finally met my gaze.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Willow has experienced a lot of loss in her young life," she said softly. "Her parents, my wonderful daughter, passed away when she was young. And then my dear husband left us not long after. It's made Willow afraid of getting close to anyone or really going after what she loves." Fern took another sip of her tea, sitting quietly for a while. "I'm afraid she's only here because of me."

  The words were so quiet I almost didn't hear them. I had never experienced loss like that before, but the pain on the apothecary's face said it all. Was she really the only reason Willow was working here? Something about that didn't feel right. The way Willow talked about her Gran was full of love and respect, not obligation and duty.

  "Even if Willow is only here because of you, I don't think that's a bad thing." I sipped my tea. It was warm and tasted very earthy, verging on pungent. "Doesn't everyone want to spend more time with the ones they love?"

  The apothecary barked out a laugh. "Well, when you put it like that, how can I refute it?"

  We sat in silence for a few minutes, just drinking our tea while I looked around the shop. The sunlight spilling through the windows shone softly on the plants while the jars of medications shimmered like gems. The soft purring of a few mossmews almost lulled me to sleep as the comfortable vibes overtook me. It felt so different from my barren castle and even more different than the noisy library. It was peaceful. Calm. Quiet. Everything I enjoyed.

  "I can see why Willow loves it here," I said. "It's soothing and warm, just like this tea. I don't think you need to worry about her being a writer or an apothecary. Couldn't she just do both?"

  "You'd have to ask her that." The older woman finished her tea and leaned forward with a sparkle in her eye. "Do tell me what she says, all right? If anyone can convince her that she can do both, I bet it's you."

  I sputtered, almost choking on my drink. "Me? Why would she listen to anything I had to say?"

  Fern got up slowly and patted my shoulder. "You'll figure that out soon enough. Now let me go get Willow's things for you. Keep measuring out that powder and tie the pouches up when you're done."

  "You're leaving me alone?" I turned toward the counter and the front door behind it. "What if a customer comes in?"

  She was already moving up the stairs to what I assumed was their living quarters, waving a hand at me like it was no big deal at all. I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. I was a Demon Lord. I could handle a customer or two, surely.

  I went back to work on the hand warmers, being a lot more careful with how much of each ingredient I measured out, before adding the heat stone and tying them up with the red ribbons at the edge of the table. One after another, the completed hand warmers lined the table, glowing faintly as warmth emanated from them.

  It felt good to be productive like this. If I'd had something to keep me occupied, maybe the castle wouldn't have been so boring the past few years. The only time I'd had any fun there at all was with Willow, but thinking that way just set my stomach in guilty knots. There was no denying it though. Her being there brightened the entire castle, like a fog had cleared and the fires were blazing bright. Actually, that's how the new castle library felt too. Maybe that room had more to do with Willow being there than anything else.

  Hmm...I forgot to ask Misty about that.

  The faint footfalls of the apothecary traveled through the floor as she presumably walked around getting a bag together for Willow when the writing board in my pocket vibrated. I hurried to view it, eager to see what the message might be.

  So...something sort of happened with Dain. Everyone's fine, but, well, you should probably come back when you can.

  I stared at the message, waiting for more to appear, but that was it. Just a vague something sort of happened. I groaned. That could mean anything from he spilled some tea to he started a war. I'd have to explain specifics to her one day, but maybe it was time to head out. I grabbed the pencil to write her back.

  I'll return soon. Avoid trouble until then.

  With that, I stood up and walked over to the stairs. "Excuse me, but Willow needs me to go back into the–"

  I clamped my mouth shut. I still hadn't told her where Willow really was yet. Keeping that secret felt even worse after the lovely day we'd just spent together. I ran a hand across my face. What was I supposed to do?

  "She needs you to do what?" Fern poked her head out of an upstairs room, watching me from the top of the stairs. "Everything okay?"

  "Yeah, everything's fine." Supposedly, but that message was pretty suspicious. "I just need to head back."

  The apothecary kept standing there, staring at me as if she knew I was keeping the real story to myself. She sighed and grabbed a bag, dragging it to the edge of the stairs. "Well, are you going to help me with this or just keep standing there?"

  "Of course not!" I leapt up the stairs, taking the plump bag from her. She'd packed up half of Willow's things by the looks of it. "Thank you for this. She'll appreciate it."

  "Because she won't be coming home for a while?" Fern tilted her head when I nodded, pinning me with a stare. "Or is it because she can't come home? My Willow has never stayed the night anywhere until now. Not once. So you'd better tell me what's really going on, or you won't be leaving anytime soon. You'd be surprised how many herbs can incapacitate a grown man like yourself."

  "That's a joke, right?" A cool chill settled over me. Logically, there was no reason for me to fear a frail old woman, but that threat sounded like something she'd absolutely make good on and maybe already had in the past. I swallowed hard. It was time to tell her the truth, not because of her threat, but because I respected her, and she loved Willow. "Right, well, the thing is, Willow accidentally got stuck in a book. My book series to be precise. The Misty Mountain Library was trying to inspire her to write the last book, but it was the first time the library had used this kind of magic and none of us are really sure how to get her out yet." I held up my hand to stop her inevitable outrage. "We're working on it. Nyssa, Oren, and Roan are studying everything they can get their hands on and I'm taking care of Willow inside the book. She's even got a bodyguard and a bunny. She's okay, I promise."

  A bodyguard and a bunny. What was I even saying? The need for a bodyguard would probably worry the apothecary even more. I gripped the soft handles of Willow's bag tight, not sure what else to say without digging myself a deeper hole. Only one thing came to mind.

  "I'm sorry."

  This entire situation was my fault. If I'd never asked her to enter the competition, or never joked about her going inside of my book, she'd be right here with her Gran making hand warmers instead of me. I always seemed to mess things up, for the library, and now for Willow too. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to see the anger that had to be welling up inside the apothecary. But instead of slapping me or screaming at me, her thin arms wrapped around me in a hug.

  She patted my back softly. "Thank you for taking care of her."

  My eyes snapped open as I stood there like a limp noodle in her arms. "Wait, you're not mad at me? I'm the reason she's stuck in a book."

  "I'm far from upset." The apothecary chuckled as she pulled away, shaking her head. "I bet Willow's having the time of her life. She's loved books since before she could read and knowing she got to step inside one is just amazing. She's lucky and she'll have no excuse not to write that book now. She literally can't run away." Her laughs grew louder as she started walking down the stairs. "Honestly, it's perfect. You bring these things to her and come back if she needs anything else, you hear?"

  I gaped at her. "Really? You don't care that she's missing?"

  "Missing is a strong word. We both know exactly where she is." Fern held onto the railing as she reached the end of the stairs, turning back towards me. "Does Willow blame you?"

  "Well, no, she said it wasn't my fault actually."

  Fern nodded. "Then that's all I need. Stop worrying about things you can't change and work on the things you can. Like giving her a change of clothes."

  "Right." I walked down the stairs to join her. This family was so strange. "I guess I'll get going then. I'm supposed to make sure you hired some help though. Willow will be furious if I go back without knowing that."

  The apothecary clicked her tongue against her teeth. "You tell my granddaughter that I've been running this shop for over forty years, so I'll be fine on my own for a few days."

  "So, that means you didn't hire anyone?" I sighed. She was just as stubborn as Willow. "Okay, then I'll come back and help you again later. There's not much I can do while Willow's writing anyway."

  "I don't need–"

  I shook my head. "Doesn't matter. Willow's already got a lot on her plate and I'm not adding this to it. So, I'm going to help you."

  Fern scratched her head, frowning at me. "Well, I'm not sure how much help you'll be, but if you insist."

  "I do."

  She sighed. "Oh, fine. Hurry up and get out of here then. I'll see you tomorrow."

  I nodded, feeling accomplished after all these errands. Not only had I gotten everything Willow needed, but I'd secured a spot as the apothecary's apprentice too. She'd probably have to teach me from scratch, but I'd work hard to repay Willow for working hard trying to find me an ending I deserved. And for helping me figure out who I really was. No amount of time I spent with her Gran could repay all of that, but it was a start.

  Plus, I was actually looking forward to coming back. Today was surprisingly nice.