Chapter 496:
The thought made her walk faster. She turned a corner and saw the sign: The Alchemist’s Shelf.
She pushed the door open. A bell chimed.
The shop smelled of dried herbs and sulfur. But the peace was broken by a shrill voice.
“I don’t care about the side effects! I want the Stabilizer serum! All of it!”
Aurora froze. She knew that voice.
Standing at the counter, berating a terrified old shopkeeper, was Zelda Ziegler.
Zelda was wearing sunglasses and a scarf, trying to look incognito, but the two massive bodyguards behind her gave it away.
“Miss,” the shopkeeper stammered. “The Serum… it is highly controlled. It is used to counteract severe chemical burns and nerve damage. It is forbidden without a license.”
“I have money!” Zelda slammed a stack of bills on the counter. “I need to look perfect for the press conference tomorrow. The Dowager says I look tired.”
Aurora stepped forward. “You’re not buying it for beauty, Zelda. You’re buying it because the toxins you work with are leaking.”
Zelda spun around. She lowered her sunglasses. Her eyes widened when she saw Aurora.
“You,” Zelda hissed. “You’re the American stray who crashed the party.”
“And you’re the kidnapper hiding behind a badge,” Aurora replied, her hands loose at her sides. “Buying poison for vanity? How fitting.”
“Get her,” Zelda pointed a manicured finger at Aurora. “Teach her some manners.”
The two bodyguards cracked their knuckles and stepped forward.
The shop was small, cramped with shelves of glass jars. A bad place for a fight. Or a perfect one.
Aurora smiled. “Careful. You break it, you buy it.”
The first bodyguard was big—a wall of muscle bred on steroids and obedience. He lunged for Aurora, his hand reaching for her throat. It was a clumsy, telegraphed move. Aurora didn’t retreat. She stepped into his guard.
She grabbed a jar of dried chili peppers from the shelf to her right. In one fluid motion, she unscrewed the lid and flung the contents into his face.
“Argh!” The bodyguard clawed at his eyes, blinding himself with the capsaicin dust. He staggered back, crashing into a display of essential oils. Glass shattered, and the smell of peppermint exploded in the air.
The second bodyguard hesitated, eyeing the jars nervously.
“Get her, you idiot!” Zelda shrieked, backing away.
He pulled a baton. Aurora grabbed a heavy brass mortar and pestle from the counter.
When he swung the baton, she ducked, the metal whistling over her head. She drove the pestle into his solar plexus. He doubled over, gasping for air. She followed up with a knee to the nose.
Crunch.
He went down.
Zelda stood alone in the center of the shop, her mouth open. Aurora dusted off her hands and walked toward her. Zelda scrambled backward until she hit the counter.
“Don’t touch me!” Zelda screamed. “I’m a Ziegler! I’ll have you arrested!”
Aurora picked up the jar Zelda had been demanding—the Stabilizer Serum. It was a viscous, clear liquid in a sealed ampoule.
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