Strength (3/4)

Nicasi found his adherents exactly where he left them, still practicing the maneuvers he'd shown them before Wren appeared. After he dismissed them, he spent the rest of the evening in his workroom, mixing various ointments and medicines to replenish his supply. Between every new concoction, he stared at the bottle of almond oil in middle of the neatly organized shelf full of ingredients in front of him.

He sighed. He really shouldn't be encouraging Wren, but Rowan had suffered enough neglect to last ten lifetimes. Let the man have his damn massage.

Nicasi pulled an empty bottle from one of the other shelves, then immediately put it back and reached for a larger one. This time he added a few drops of lavender and spearmint to the mix. It smelled so nice, he poured what was left into one of the smaller bottles and tucked it into his jacket pocket for later.