"When you're drowning, you'll grab anything that floats. Even if it might be a trap."
***
The torn page fluttered against the stone like a wounded bird trying to escape.
Rhys almost walked past it. Another piece of academy refuse blown free from some careless scholar's research. But something about the careful script caught his eye.
He found himself kneeling beside the weathered parchment.
Iron-Root (Ferrum Radix): A rare herb found in temperate woodlands, recognizable by its distinctive rust-colored stems and metallic sheen on the underside of leaves. Primary alchemical component in strengthening tonics and mana-enhancement potions. Market value: 15-20 silver per ounce in major cities, significantly higher in remote regions.
His calloused fingers traced the words as if they might vanish at his touch.
Twenty silver.
