help me understand

Lucretia had been mulling over her recent meeting with Iolaire for a few days now. Something didn't quite add up, but she couldn't pin it down. Being as uninitiated as she was in the romantic arts, the healer was totally incapable of picking up on any clues that had been left for her. Broken bones and cuts she knew how to mend, shattered hearts were something else entirely. Part of her was hurt that Deathbelle hadn't confided in her - Luce didn't understand that the position Io occupied was a particular fascination that a sister couldn't help with.

Now that winter had given way to spring, she'd managed to gather together the ingredients that Deathbelle had requested for her tonic to prevent conception. It was a thick, ugly paste made of thistle, carrot seed, and honey. The texture was terrible and Luce was sure it went down even worse than it looked and felt to the touch. Even so, she was positive it would work as desired. It might even go so far as to prevent heat entirely, but she hadn't had enough time to thoroughly trial it; either way, the stuff was ready, and it was time to call Deathbelle.

The Klein called out for her sister, pacing restlessly by her concoction. It smelled rather pleasant and was stored in a shallow metal dish she'd found while scrapping alongside Iolaire; there were quite a few useful items she'd taken home along with tidbits of information.