Page 103 of Sonnets and Serpents
Silas felt a flash of triumph. He could always count on Gilly.
The Caster gave a disquieted hum. “This is human blood”—he indicated the symbols—“embedded in the bone. Some kind of Fluid Casting. I’ve never seen anything like it, but I’m sure you assumed that.”
“It’s a triple composition,” Silas said. “The first of its kind.”
Three magic types combined in one Artifact. Only the loftiest dreamers would have dared imagine it, and here it was, made real.
Gill’s fingers brushed the deep gash in the Artifact’s edge, and his brow furrowed. “The damage makes it hard to read the Cast, but as far as I can tell, it’s meant to siphon and hold magic. If the reservoir is ever fully depleted, the Artifact will cease functioning.” Tapping the gash again, he concluded, “I’d assume that’s what happened here. Someone took the full magic supply without leaving any reserve.”
Someone like Ceyda, using it without knowing the Artifact’s limitations.
Not for the first time, Silas mourned all the achievements his best friend could have made had he been born anywhere but Loegria.
“Thanks, Gilly,” he said, his mind already racing through implications. Dazed, he added, “I need a place to write.”
He limped to the nearest empty table and dumped out thecontents of his bag, snatching up his pen and journal. Faintly, he heard Gill express concern and Eliza explain the cobra bite. Silas tuned them out and poured his thoughts in ink over the page.
Sketching furiously, he drew a triangle with three types of magic. He added the names of everyone tangled in this mystery—Havva, Ceyda, Mazhar, Yvette, himself.
If Iyal Havva had died in the experiment, perhaps he’d been betrayed by his Fluid Caster, or perhaps he’d been sabotaged by another Stone Caster who didn’t want to contribute their own bones to the Artifact.
He circledSilas Bennett, venom, then wrote,WHY?
Affiliates could only create Artifacts from a piece of their animal link. Casters had to use something related to the purpose of their Cast. Historically, the two branches of warlockry couldn’t work together because there were no Casts that coordinated with snakeskin or hawk feathers or ferret pelts.
This Artifact was made of human bone. It couldn’t hold any Affiliate power.
Except . . .
This is human blood, Gill had said,embedded in the bone.
When Kerem had first brought Iyal Mazhar into their venom research, the Fluid Caster had talked animatedly about the possible benefits of their joint research in the medical field, including use in pain treatment and blood clotting.
“You snakes are remarkable!” Mazhar had declared. “I always thought Affiliates weren’t that useful, no offense. Turn animal, sure, and you’re quicker or stronger than the original. You can transform someone else if you get a good bite off. That’s all. This venom is different. Paralysis, sleep, hallucinations—the effects go on, and so do the possibilities!”
As a liquid, venom could be manipulated by a Fluid Caster; that was how Mazhar had been able to dehydrate it. It could also infect blood.
Had Iyal Mazhar discovered new applications using venom-infected blood? Had the Fluid Caster’s famous impatience led him to reckless experimentation?
Silas should have searched harder for Mazhar. If they used the tunnels to get back into the prison—
“Silas,” said Eliza’s quiet voice at his shoulder.
His hand jumped, adding a tail to one of his letters, but he continued scribbling out thoughts. They became harder to grasp with her nearness.
“Silas.” She gripped his arm, pointing up with her other hand. “Look.”
Kerem was on the first landing, speaking with Afshin. Then Afshin turned away, climbing back up the stairs toward his office, while Kerem continued down, as if headed for the library.
In a snap, Silas closed his journal and met his professor at the bottom of the stairs, ignoring the throbbing protests of his leg.
“Silas! You’re walking well.” Kerem glanced down at the injured leg, then nodded, apparently pleased. He gave a small wave off to the side, which must have been a greeting for Tulip.
“What happened to Yvette?” demanded Eliza before Silas could speak. She’d come up behind him again, quiet as a mouse.
Kerem’s expression fell. He adjusted his spectacles. “There’s no verdict yet. Afshin is understandably hesitant to lose another professor, so she’s being held by the guard while the examination continues. He’s asked me to fetch the Artifact we found with Havva’s daughter.”
“Where is Ceyda?” Silas asked.
