"Stay safe, and make sure nobody discovers you!" Hervor gave one last instruction before Gabriel and Lucas left the house via the secret tunnel.
Carl was already in the kitchen, checking the pots and the firewood, making preparations for the concoction process. Hervor stood at the door and started hesitantly, "Mr. Apothecary…"
"You can just call me Carl," replied the young man. "I think we can consider ourselves friends now, so there's no need to speak so formally."
"We're… friends?" Hervor was a little surprised, but there was also a new sparkle in her eyes. "Carl it is then. Thank you, Carl, for staying for my sake."
"Well, we're friends, and friends should help each other." Carl was very bad at handling such displays of emotions, so he waved his hands about to hide his awkwardness a
