Word: Linctus

Notes
Personal stuff and indulgence of the resulting blues has kept me from posting my words. It's time to get back into the swing. It's been too long. I have 15 minutes before it's tomorrow and must get cracking.

Word: Linctus
Meltitia stirred the linctus in the pot above the fire, its sweet, thick, berry fumes filling the room. The scent wafted toward Barty, who lounged beneath a blanket on the chaise across the chamber from the fireplace where Meltitia worked. Barty could only see her back silhouetted by the fire's glow. He coughed violently.

"Hold your horses, I'm coming," said Meltitia. She spooned the mixture into a shallow bowl and trudged across the room. Barty watched her come, gripped the knife beneath the blanket, fingered the wire-wrapped hilt. The anticipation was almost sexual, wondering what it would feel like to slide the knife between the apothecary's ribs.

She'd been poisoning him for weeks. The time had come to return the favor. Barty coughed again. Maltitia picked up her pace.
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linctus
n. A syrupy liquid medicine, especially for treating coughs.