Flashback ( PDFDrive )

He reached into his pocket and pulled a handful of the silverwrapped
squishy candies he’d given Sophie before, setting them on
the tray next to the vial in question.
The elixir looked like melting sugar swirled with strawberry syrup
—but when Fitz twisted off the lid, it smelled like a bathroom after
someone had eaten a whole lot of asparagus.
“Drink it fast,” Elwin recommended. “And hold your breath.”
Sophie nodded, using her free hand to plug her nose as Fitz counted
to three and tipped the medicine into her mouth—but her taste buds
still immediately tried to convince her that she should spit the rotten
sludge back out as fast as she possibly could.
Her eyes watered and her stomach contracted, even after Fitz
helped her take a bite of the black squishy candy.
“You okay?” he asked, offering her the other half.
“No.”
She took the bite anyway, trying to focus on the snickerdoodle
flavor.
It sort of helped.
“That was seriously the worst thing I’ve ever put in my mouth,” she
told Elwin.
“I know. And believe it or not, it’s nectar from these tiny pink
flowers called sugarbelles. But I promise, it’s worth the bad taste.
That’s one of the most important medicines that Livvy and I came up
with.”
“Then I’m glad I kept it down.”
“So am I,” Fitz teased. “For a second I thought it was going to be
like the day we found out you’re allergic to limbium.”
Sophie groaned. “Great, I’m so glad you still remember that.”