Niiya looked at the sign that said, 'Blush Mushroom'. The bell chimed as he opened the door. A mix of musty roots and barks, heather, wood smoke and bitter smelling teas wafted through his nose. The room was divided into rows of shelves each of which had bottles of resins, pastes, oils, smoky liquids and dried herbs. There were odd shaped leaves that were clipped together and drying at the window.

He walked ten steps inside when he saw a man wiping his hands on an apron, rushing towards him. He extended his hand when he approached Niiya, "Good morning. I am Kantha, owner of this shop."

​​

"Niiya."

"Yes, yes. I know. Please come this way," the herbalist guided him through the shelves. "I don't know why Gary chose this place for the meeting. He is very mystic." Kantha let out a soft laughter. Kantha opened a heavy door into a room that looked like his lab. Steam was hissing out of a kettle. There was a small cauldron of sizzling purple liquid against the hot embers. A book was lying right next.

Kantha walked past through the equipment up till the end of the room. He opened a frost glass door and they walked into a small, beautiful herbal garden where few chairs were neatly arranged in a circle around a table.

"Please sit here. Others will arrive soon," said Kantha and left. Niiya sat down with a glow in his eyes. He was eager to meet Adrianna. He leaned forward and picked up the small ashtray that was kept on the table. He fiddled with it, as his mind became occupied as to what all he would say to Adrianna. He hated Ziu so much. He blew a long breath and smiled anticipating the future.

Niiya gazed at the patches of colorful flowers, which he knew were poisonous cherry laurels. There were several mulched beds with decorative borders. A gentle breeze stirred the blue fescue. His gaze settled on an arch that led to a small cottage. It was covered in vines and creeping flowers. The porch of the cottage was decorated with fancy patio furniture. Niiya's attention was diverted by clinking of glassware.

The door of the cottage opened and a girl walked outside with a tray. Niiya's breath was caught in the throat. He stared at the girl who was stepping down the stairs of the verandah with caution. Wearing an ice blue dress with black wave patterns, she looked lovelier than ever. Her brown hair was falling till her waist. She had become thinner than what Niiya remembered.

Pryce entered the garden and Niiya noticed that she was barefoot. She turned her gaze with a smile to the guest and froze on the spot. Their gaze locked and none of them seemed to breathe.

Suddenly, a sprinkler set off and the reverie broke.

Pryce gulped. "H- hi."

Niiya couldn't even answer, his throat refusing to function. He nodded. Seeing his reluctance in answering her, Pryce bit her lip. She nodded too with a faint smile. Taking a deep breath in, she walked to him and placed the tray with steaming hot tea on the table. As Niiya continued to stare at her, she took her hand to the nape and said, "Father said that few guests would be arriving. He asked me to make tea for them."

'Father!' Shocked, Niiya nodded again. He was meeting Pryce after such a long time that he didn't know where to start. He was well aware of what she did during Adrianna's wedding and her problems with Ookashi. It had been more than a year ever since he had met her last. She had just disappeared from the college. And because of that she was out of mind.

Pryce was crestfallen when she found him too quiet. She understood his reasons for his silence. She had been too mean with Adrianna and Ookashi. "See you," she said and turned to leave.

"How are you?" he asked almost in a whisper.

Pryce turned to face him excitedly. "I- I am fine," she spoke softly.

"Where have you been?"

"My father has asked me to learn his business. He is a herbalist and this shop is running from generations," she replied circling her finger towards the shop. "So I have quit college… I spend all my time here."

"What about your brother?"

"He has gone overseas with his wife."

Niiya looked down at the blue fescue grass as another wave of breeze passed over it.

A flurry of movement caught his attention and he looked behind Pryce. Isidorus, Dmitri and Pierre were standing there. He rose from his chair.

"Thank you," Niiya said immediately. He knew that Dmitri hated her. "You may go to the shop. I think your father was looking for you urgently."

Pryce's face registered a slight surprise. "Oh, thanks. Perhaps he needs more wraithsweets for the medicine." She said and rushed away from there unaware of the three people behind.

They came to sit next to Niiya. Pierre and Isidorus greeted Niiya but Dmitri didn't even look at him.

Pierre poured tea for all of them. Isidorus was the first to speak. "I have come to talk about the treaty that humans have signed with wizards."

"And we have come to talk about the treaty that humans have signed with the werewolves," said Pierre.

Niiya smiled. "Where is Adrianna?"

His question irked Dmitri. "What has Adrianna got to do with this meeting?" he hissed.

"Stay within limits!" Pierre chided him. Then he looked at Niiya and frowned. "Why is the military stationed outside the town?"

Niiya leaned forward. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He had to tell them everything. "That is one thing that I wanted to talk to you about. You see—" His tongue froze mid-sentence and the next instant he was looking at himself through the eyes of Pierre.

A voice whispered through his mind, "It's not so easy Niiya." Ziu was smiling in his body.

"What?" asked Isidorus looking at Niiya with furrowed eyebrows.

"You see I have no idea why they are stationed here." Niiya narrowed his eyes. He twisted his mouth. "What about the treaty?"

Isidorus looked at Pierre to answer and found his gaze oddly fixed at Niiya.