Never in my life had I wanted to stuff a poison-laced tart into a client's mouth more than I did now. A nice meringue and belladonna berry filling, topped with an azalea flower as a garnish, would do the trick. Either the woman — her skin withered and worn from the trials of time — would choke on the confection as she hurled insult after insult. Or, the pastry would take its course in a matter of hours.

"And, I'll have you know, whichever poison you used in my last order barely took effect!" The woman waggled her cane in the air as she leant on the front desk for support. Magic thrummed from the warped stick, veins of purple visible between the wood. "I thought I would have to finish them off myself until they all finally keeled over." Pointed ears stuck out from underneath her tousled, silver hair, the ends of them adorned with small, star-shaped jewels.

Unlike other bakeries around the kingdom, Deathly Delights was located in a small, dark corner of Yuris so our business could exist under the noses of guards who would try to shut us down. Instead of the normal beautifully decorated cakes and perfectly crisp pastries, ours had venomous fillings and toppings that were certain to take the life of whichever poor soul that ate them.

"I'll be sure to make your next order extra potent," I replied with a forced smile etched into my lips. Hopefully, if I made the poison strong enough, it would seep into her skin and take her out too.

"You better! Or else I'll find a fire enchantment and burn this bakery to the ground!" She crossed her arms with a scowl, one that I very much wished I could return, revealing several potion bottles under her cloak held in place with a belt around her waist. "When are your parents returning, child? They did a much better job at delivering orders on time than your pathetic attempt."

I swallowed my curses that would get Deathly Delights its first glance at the fiery wrath of a customer. A few years ago, my parents had left me in charge of their bakery so they could travel and explore neighbouring kingdoms. Finding new recipes and poisons to try out had filled them with so much excitement that they left without much forethought, hoping that my childhood of helping them out in the kitchen and the front desk would be enough experience.

As much as I loved baking every day, getting to smell fresh delicacies in the morning and decorating the cakes with new designs, the mountains of orders stacked up across the kitchen counters were enough to drive a permanent headache into my skull. My parents loved Deathly Delights, pouring every piece of their souls into helping the bakery thrive. However, leaving as soon as their business started to boom was not one of their best ideas.

"They'll be back as soon as they're ready." The corners of my mouth were beginning to hurt with the false grin that had been pulling them through a good half hour of complaints.

"For your sake, that better be soon." Finally, the woman turned around to leave, making her way towards the exit. "I'll be back next week for my regular order!" she called on the way out. The silver bell above the door chimed to mark her departure.

As soon as her figure disappeared from the front windows, my features slipped back into normalcy and I slumped against the counter. Why me? Why did I have to put up with the rudest people in Yuris?

I had attempted to hire someone to help me out a few months back so I could simply stay in the kitchen baking. A girl that could be trusted not to spill the secret of our business to a royal guard. Someone who was smart enough not to poison herself with the ingredients lying around on the flour-dusted counters. Unfortunately, she disappeared a few days into the job and never returned.

I stood and pulled my crimson hair into a low ponytail, the curled strands reaching to my lower back. Perhaps adorning the fresh, cyanide cookies with chocolate frosting would put me in a better mood.

When I walked into the kitchen, the overwhelming smell of flour filled my lungs as I breathed deeply. Shelves hung from every inch of wall the room had, holding the several jars of sprinkles, seeds, and other decorations used for our confections. Where one side of the room was dedicated to the unorganised stacks of orders waiting to be fulfilled, glaring at me as if they had eyes, the other was dedicated to the poisons which were kept in enchanted containers. Each one differed in size, shape, and colour, a thin layer of rippling magic coating them.

Pulling some gloves onto my hands, letting the tight, navy material snap against my skin, I reached into the stone oven to take out the tray of biscuits. The heat of the flames licking the base of the metal grate was comfortingly warm, a calm rippling over my skin and soothing it. I set the tray down on the counter and picked each of the cyanide cookies up to place them on the cooling rack. Despite knowing they could kill me with a single bite, the sweet smell of them still made my mouth water.

As I removed my gloves, pulling out a steel mixing bowl to prepare the frosting, the bell above the door chimed once more, coiling a sense of dread around me. It curled around my throat, giving a tight squeeze. That woman had come back, hadn't she? Had she remembered yet another mistake to chastise me on?

"One moment! I'll be with you shortly!" I called out into the main entrance. Normally, I would receive a quiet reply to confirm the customer had heard me, but this time there was nothing. Silence echoed in response.

With a frown, I peered around the door to see who I was dealing with. A man surveyed the front room, one hand on the door for a quick exit and another on the hilt of his jewelled blade. Most of his appearance was concealed by a heavy suit of armour. Shattered sunlight danced on the metal, the warm glow broken by the sway of the leaves outside the window. The symbol of a dragon was carved into his chest piece, a crown floating above the creature's head. He was a royal guard, that much was certain, but he didn't serve this kingdom.

Had the old hag ratted me out? Was I about to be captured for running a deadly business?

"Morning," I greeted with a smile — a perfect mask to hide my worries. "Can I help you? You look like you have the wrong shop." I reached for the top drawer in the desk as I chuckled, tucking the dagger that lived there into the pocket of my skirts. The blade was blunt, the weapon used mostly for opening letters, but if I was going to go down, it wouldn't be without a fight.

"Are you Miss Aviris? Taerane Aviris?" he questioned. The shadow of his helm kept his expression hidden.

"The one and only. Did you have a request you sent in, by chance?" Who was I kidding? What was a dull dagger going to do against a full suit of armour?

The guard let the door swing shut, the bell ringing above him as it clicked closed. As he made his way towards the counter — towards me — he pulled out a crimson, silk drawstring pouch and sat it down on top of another order that hadn't made its way to the kitchen just yet.

"I need your secrecy on this matter, if you'll give it." He adjusted his armour, his helm tilted to the side while he judged my reaction. Unless this guard was playing tricks and the pouch was filled with nothing but coppers, the hefty thud the fabric left was a clear indication he meant serious business. "There's plenty more where that came from if you can make this request," he added while my jaw hung loose in shock.

"Yes, of course. Secrecy is a given here at Deathly Delights. No information will be shared with anyone." What would my parents think if they saw a royal guard enter our bakery? Requesting a poisoned confection, nonetheless. It was either a miracle sent by the Gods, or an alluring trap lurking in the shadows to be our downfall.

At the money he was offering and the extra he promised, how could I refuse?

The guard slipped a small scroll of parchment from his belt and held it out with his gloved hand for me to take. "These are the ingredients that need to be included in what you make. It doesn't matter which delicacy you make exactly, but it must look presentable enough that a noble wouldn't bat an eye at the quality."

I took the scroll with caution, tugging the rose ribbon off with furrowed brows. For a noble? It seemed Deathly Delights was about to tangle itself in complicated politics that could tear down everything my family had built if I wasn't careful.

All of the ingredients seemed simple enough — Nightmare Spine, belladonna, Grave Taint, Burning Venom. It wasn't until my eyes scanned the last poison that a lump settled in my throat.

Noxol.

Deathly Delights hadn't stocked that poison in years. Ever since we ran out, we hadn't collected any more. Not only was it incredibly expensive for customers to purchase, but it was dangerous to harvest. Both the potency of Noxol and the enchanted forest it lived in made it a living nightmare to track down and bring home.

"Do you accept?" The guard questioned. Even through the metal over his head, I could feel his eager stare.

"Noxol?" I began, rolling the parchment back up. "You do realise that's a rare poison to acquire and use, right? It's going to be costly."

"The crown has the money to cover it, I assure you." His armour clinked as he shifted his weight. "Do you not possess the skill to retrieve it? My King has heard so many wonderful things about this bakery that it would be a tragedy to report back a refusal."

"I never said that." I scowled as I crossed my arms. This guard was just as bad as the old woman who had come in before him. "Deathly Delights would love to take on this request. It just may take a little longer will I get enough Noxol."

"My King doesn't have much time to wait." His fingers tapped along the hilt of his sword as he thought. "A week. That is all you shall have to complete this."

Sucking in a breath, I squeezed the scroll tightly in my fist. "A week. Of course. I will try my best." A week was asking for a death sentence. Locating the poison would be tricky enough, let alone harvesting it, bringing it back to the bakery, and figuring out what to make using it. It was a recipe for ruination.

"I'll take these coins as the down payment," I decided as I scooped up the pouch. If this request was coming from the King of an entire kingdom, how much money could I get away with asking for? "The rest will be required when you pick up the order."

"You seem a little unsure that it will be completed in a week." The guard poked at the obvious, an edge to his voice that made me uncertain that his blade would stay sheathed.

"A week will be plenty of time." The lie slipped over my tongue and through my lips, a silent curse followed behind it to question why I had said such a thing.

"Good. Because, if a word is said about this request to another living soul or the order isn't ready in time, you will be executed by Royal Decree. The crown depends on this."

Chapter Word Count: 2,003
Total Word Count: 2,003