LogFAQs > #901239426

<3

Apothecarius Argentum Vol. 4 (of 6)
https://imgur.com/a/OocsbE7

The very end of last book introduced us to Lorca's big brothers Adona and Daniel, who promptly take the gang prisoner as suspected kidnappers of Adona's infant son. It also looks like Daniel has a thing for Adona's wife and/or every girl. Lorca tries to bail the gang out, but nobody is willing to listen to a kid. Turns out that Lize (the wife) actually just hid Zeslan (her son) away to cover up his illness. Argent is to heal the kid with the pressure of an international incident if he fails, but needs dandelions from outside the walls. The brothers send him, Lorca, and Lorca's sidekick (slash love interest???) Infree out to gather what they need, knowing that they will be attacked by bandits. Infree disappeaers, Argent takes a bad wound, Lorca runs the goods back, and Primula stays to help with the treatment instead of taking this chance to get to safety and/or Argent.

The chef from volume 1 shows back up (I guess he's gonna be a recurring character- his name is Garna) to save (maybe) Argent. Primula takes him into her service since he's got nowhere else to go. The actual king of this place is bedridden and will only allow a woman named Corda in his presence. The brothers are naturally suspicious of her, and I have a feeling Infree is also doing some sabotaging. The King and Ubella show up- turns out they hired Garna to come here in the first place.

And then a buncha stuff happens really fast for the rest of the book. Corda might actually be a basilisk herself, and seems interested in Daniel. Infree was indeed a spy trying to sabotage relationships between the two kingdoms, and attacks. Garna says Argent is no longer poisonous? Infree kidnaps Lorca, and was working for a people's uprising. They have guns, which are pretty new tech in this world. Lorca wants to make antidote for Infree's group, and will probably win him over. The (bullet) wound Argent took is what's messing with his toxicity. Dadking (I don't think he's had a name yet!) was planning to take Navara over this whole time, and Primula was just a distraction. King tells Primula the only alternative is a marriage to Lorca. Corda is indeed a basilisk, working with Infree's group to avenge all the people the pesticides killed. Argent gives Primula a good kissin' to knock her out (...I am pretty sure this happens exactly once per book, lol) and then has the bullet removed to restore his deathtouch. Corda finishes off the King, and Daniel gets KO'd trying to investigate. Primula agrees to marry Lorca. Argent shows up to the rebel camp and immediately starts winning them over with his medicine and hotness. The natives get restless when Lorca finally runs out of steam (he'd been working hard on the medicine and not taking care of his own illness) and Infree takes a bullet for Lorca for WUV~~~. Adona ascends, Corda's existence is covered up, and the Primula/Lorca engagement is going through.

Argent is accepting of his fate, because Primula pushed him away. (on Garna's advice) Lorca had been realizing that Argent had already won her heart, so he has mixed emotions. Turns out Corda was using THE MARIJUANA to mess with the king's head. King Dad's political takeover of Navara is proceeding nicely. Lorca postpones the wedding at the altar. He wants to focus on bugs and dyes since plants aren't working out well. If they can get independent of external aid in two years, Dadking agrees to not take over.

My rating: 10/10
Boy this was a dang ride, and wrapped up the arc nicely. Hyped for the next one!
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Look at all those chickens
There's a hunger in the land, there's a reckoning still to be reckoned