A heavy silence hung in the air as Healer Cruz’s words sank in. I exchanged a loaded glance with Timothee, seeing the same dawning realization reflected in his eyes that I felt churning in my gut.
Of course. The purification rituals, the blending of sacred botanicals - it all hinged on far more than simple ingestion. We’d gone about it all wrong, imbibing the foul-tasting concoction like some trifling health tonic.
No wonder the results had been so catastrophically adverse for Prilly and Griffyn. We had profaned the very essence of the hallowed practices.
“You’re sure about this?” Timothee’s voice was tight with barely restrained tension. “Using the tinctures for bathing, for ritual cleansing - that’s the proper way?”
Healer Cruz met his intense stare with a solemn nod. “Indeed, Sir.
