Fleoges, Emry thought. A bottle of yarrow floated off the shelf and started nudging Arthur in the shoulder.

“Catch?” she suggested, and he shot her a disgusted look.

They brought their ingredients back to the table. Master Ambrosius looked them over before nodding his approval.

“Oh, and Merlin?” The old wizard lifted an eyebrow. “What did I say about silent spells?”

“Not in your workshop?” Emry recited with a sigh.

“So you do remember. Which means you actively chose to disobey me.”

Emry’s stomach twisted at his sharp tone. She hadn’t meant to break the rules. And she certainly hadn’t intended to infuriate the old wizard. Which, judging from his irritated expression, she clearly had.

“I didn’t mean—” Emry began, but Master Ambrosius waved off the rest of her apology.

“To get caught?” Master Ambrosius pursed his lips. “I was going to give you thirty minutes to brew a pain tonic, but as punishment, I’m giving you fifteen. Both of you.”

Arthur’s jaw dropped.

“Sorry,” Emry mumbled, feeling terrible.

The prince glared, and Emry shot him an apologetic look. She hadn’t meant for him to be reprimanded as well. To be honest, she hadn’t thought Master Ambrosius would react the way he had.

It had been a harmless joke. But then, she supposed, she probably shouldn’t have cast a silent spell that launched an attack on the crown prince. Even if it was just a bottle of herbs. Even if he had been asking for it.

Neither Emry nor Arthur said anything else for the next fifteen minutes, as they frantically worked on the tonic, trying to ignore the tiny hourglass on the hearth.

“Sloppy,” commented the old wizard, inspecting their work. “Looks like you could have used some more time.”

“Yes,” Emry acknowledged through clenched teeth. “We could have.”

“A shame.” Master Ambrosius took up their cauldron and slopped it out the window. “Magic is a privilege, not a secret, and certainly not a joke. When you misuse it, those around you suffer. I’ve asked you to follow my rules, and I won’t ask a second time.”

His tone was mild, but Emry could tell that he was quite serious.

“I’m sorry,” Emry said, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I promise it won’t happen again.”

“There, you see? Lesson learned.” The old wizard beamed. “And now all that’s left to do is brew up another batch of the tonic, properly this time.”

Once again, Emry found herself waiting outside the banquet hall for the prince after supper. A pretty blonde serving maid caught her eye and blushed, and Emry’s own cheeks grew warm from the attention. Swaggering around the castle corridors in imitation of her brother had some decidedly awkward side effects.