Le Secret de la Basilique

Previously

…As he neared his destination, the air grew thick with the scent of drying herbs, a pungent, earthy perfume that spoke of generations of accumulated remedies. The cottage itself was a study in humble resilience, its stone walls weathered, its thatched roof patched with care. Smoke curled lazily from its chimney, a welcoming beacon in the encroaching twilight. He hesitated at the door, his heart thrumming a nervous rhythm against his ribs. What if she turned him away? What if she, too, was wary of strangers, of those who carried the scent of trouble? Taking a deep breath, he knocked, the sound swallowed by the rustle of leaves. The door creaked open, revealing a woman