She felt ridiculous and tall and pleased all at once. A giggle escaped her lips.
Rok smiled up at her, his violet eyes warm.
Her chest swelled so large, she thought it would burst.
He carried her to a cabinet, which he unlocked with his palm print on the panel. Inside were stacks and stacks of black bricks. “I received them in trade. I’d planned to sell them to the wealthy in Ocretia, but once I tasted it, I decided to keep it for myself.” He unwrapped one brick, sliced the end off it, and popped it into her mouth.
She puckered at the bitterness and made a face. “I think it’s gone bad.”
He shook his head. “No, it hasn’t. It’s just better sweetened. I’ll make you a nice drink with it, later, but let this melt on your tongue. You’ll be restored in no time.”
She let the bitter dark slic
