Page 2 of Branded By Shadow
If one of the Olympian Houses supported me, I really could change the world. It was either that, or disappear in the graveyard of promising research. That was not an option.
Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the lectern. “Good afternoon. I’m Dr. Cora Ellis, and today I’m presenting a new development in heat suppressant technology that could fundamentally change how we approach Omega healthcare.”
Behind me, the projector flared to life. Four years of failures, breakthrough moments, and countless sleepless nights, now displayed on a screen for everyone to see.
“Current suppressants work by blocking specific hormone receptors,” I said, scanning the room. “But that approach only treats symptoms. It ignores the chain reaction that actually starts the heat cycle.”
Countless scents attacked my senses, but I pushed forward. A tall blond man in the third row leaned forward, his storm-gray eyes fixed on me with unnerving focus.
I forced myself to ignore the attention and clicked to the next slide. “The solution lies in botanical compounds derived from silphium—”
“Silphium?” A woman near the front interrupted me, her tone sharp with skepticism. “The extinct Roman contraceptive?”
I’d been waiting for this question. “Yes. Commonly identified as Silphium cyrenaicum in historical texts. It is the same species the Romans harvested to extinction over two thousand years ago.”
Murmurs rippled through the audience. The energy in the room shifted from polite interest to genuine intrigue. And to doubt.
An older man with salt-and-pepper hair practically sneered at me. “How can you base pharmaceutical development on a plant that’s been extinct for millennia?”
I clicked to the next slide, showing the delicate golden flowers growing in controlled greenhouse conditions. “By bringing it back. I spent two years reconstructing viable plants from preserved seed fragments found at Mediterranean archaeological sites. The key was recreating the exact soil and climate conditions.”
“You’re certain it’s authentic?” Another investor spoke up, younger but equally skeptical. “Not some modern hybrid you’re passing off as the legendary herb?”
“Genetic analysis shows a ninety-eight percent match with ancient DNA. The small differences are just natural drift after two thousand years.”
The evidence spoke for itself, but I couldn’t expect these people to trust me, not yet. I had their interest, but that didn’t pay the bills.
“The Romans used silphium both as a contraceptive and to end pregnancies,” I continued, clicking through images of ancient coins stamped with the plant’s distinctive heart-shaped seedpods. “But records also mention it regulating women’s cycles. We would now call that hormonal balance.”
“So you’re basing modern pharmaceutical development on ancient folk medicine?” the woman asked. Her tone had shifted slightly. From disbelieving, it had become… intrigued.
“Not exactly. I’m building on their observations with modern biochemistry.” I advanced the slide to the molecular diagram. “The compounds in silphium interact with hormones in a more balanced way. Instead of shutting down receptors completely, they calm the cascade that triggers heat in the first place.”
“Can you scale production?” The older man wasn’t letting this go. “Even if your results are valid, can you actually produce enough to bring this to market?”
This was the question that would make or break investor interest. “That’s the next step. Our greenhouse yields are enough for clinical trials now. For mass production, we’d need to expand. But the growth cycle is only eighteen months, which helps.”
“And compared to synthetic products?” A new voice, deeper, came from the third row. “What’s your efficacy rate?”
It was the striking blond man, and his words weren’t quite so easy to shrug off. But I refused to be thwarted now. “In early trials, silphium-based suppressants were ninety-four percent effective,” I said. “The current market average is seventy-eight. More importantly, adverse reactions dropped from thirty-one percent to three.”
The shift in the room was palpable. Numbers spoke louder than history.
“This formula has endless applications and its versatility offers real autonomy for users whose bodies don’t fit the standard mold.” I let that sink in for a moment before concluding. “It represents a change in paradigm that has the potential to make a real difference. Chemicals aren’t the future. Silphium is. Thank you.”
The applause started immediately, scattered at first, then building into a solid wave of sound. Still shaking, I gathered my notes and made my way down the steps. Whatever happened next, I’d given everything I had to give. The rest would only come in time.
The reception area buzzed with animated conversation as investors and researchers clustered around refreshment tables. Several attendees had already approached me with business cards and questions. So far, their interest seemed genuine rather than polite professional courtesy. Maybe this could actually work. Maybe I hadn’t wasted my time chasing an impossible dream.
“Dr. Ellis.” A familiar rumble cut through the chatter, making conversations pause mid-sentence.
I turned, only to find the tall, blond man standing right behind me. From up close, he was even more imposing. Powerfully built, he held the unmistakable aura of wealth and political influence that marked Olympian aristocracy.
“Alexander Stormwright, House Zeus,” he introduced himself. “Your presentation was remarkable. The cultivation alone is revolutionary, but your biochemical analysis… Truly inspired.”
As we shook hands, I did my best to contain my nerves. House Zeus backing could transform everything. I couldn’t afford to lose my cool, not now. “Thank you. I hope the clinical trials will validate what we’ve seen in preliminary testing.”
“Your methods were fascinating,” he said, stepping closer. “Eighteen months from seed to harvest. Is that natural, or did you accelerate the cycle?”
