watched another guard pass me by, his boots thudding and splashing through the puddles. “I’ll speak to you in a bit.”
As the telepathic connection closed, I realized I had more questions than answers at this point. I knew there was something going on here, something aimed against Reapers, but I wasn’t sure what, and I didn’t understand what the Aeternae’s involvement was, either.
Taking my scythe out, I decided to do a little bit of work on the lock. It might’ve been warded against me, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t at least try to override the magic and look inside. I summoned my two other versions, for it would take all the energy I had left to focus on the lock.
Using the tip of my scythe, I scratched away at some of the symbols on it. I’d need some time, but I was confident I could open it eventually. Whatever they were hiding in these cells, it was important enough to want to keep even Reapers out of here. This entire development begged a new question, though, on top of the many others: How were the Aeternae aware of and even knowledgeable about Reapers and their magic?
Soon enough, another question poked me, and it beckoned me to stop everything that I’d been doing. If there was Reaper magic in this place, how safe was someone like Nethissis down here, even in her snake form? Catching up with her became more important than this door. I had to find a way to get her out of here. Then, I could come back to fiddling with the spells they’d put in place.
Sofia
Starlight glimmered in the night sky outside, as the shades had already been pulled from the study room windows to reveal a most breathtaking sight. Below, the city unraveled with its twinkling windows and streetlamps. Above, the night offered a full view of its endless indigo ocean, ruled by a giant pearly moon.
Derek and I had been by Amal’s side for most of the day. We’d spent the morning helping her collect blood samples from both Danika and Acheron, as well as Petra, Kalon, Zoltan, and even Corbin. Amal had decided that it was enough to work with, for the time being. She’d brought her equipment back from the shuttle, and she’d set it all up on the tables here.
Microscopes, a centrifuge, vials and coolers, and a plethora of devices and tools she needed to study and identify the protein in the Aeternae’s blood, by drawing comparisons to Derek’s. We’d gone over everything we’d seen and learned so far, and Nethissis had already sent a first report back to GASP with operational details. As far as I could tell, we were on the right track, and were thrilled to have gained the Aeternae’s support on this.
If, at first, we’d been reluctant to tell the Lord and Lady Supreme about the protein, Beryn’s malicious intervention during last night’s dinner had actually helped clear the air. It had felt awkward for a splinter of a moment, at most, but reason had prevailed on both sides of the discussion.
“It’s going to take a while for me to identify the protein,” Amal said after hours of painstaking study. “Their blood is so rich and different. I’ve spotted at least twenty enzymes that could be used in life-saving cures.”
“How is that possible?” I asked, getting up from my overly comfortable armchair. Derek was flipping through a manuscript he’d borrowed from the library, a series of papers on the benefits of drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood. Despite their less advanced technological state, the Aeternae had studied things profoundly, as best as they could.
“I’m not sure, but I think it might have something to do with the kind of blood they drink for sustenance,” Amal replied.
Derek nodded in agreement. “I think she’s on to something,” he said, pointing at the manuscript. “Here, it says that all the Aeternae who have tried to live solely on animal blood have developed various weaknesses and dysfunctions. There’s definitely a health-related reason speaking in favor of them drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood. Maybe it does much more to their blood than they thought.”
“It’s a strong possibility. Most of these enzymes do not seem to belong here,” Amal muttered, staring through the microscope at another batch of blood drops. “First of all, from what I’ve gotten so far, I can tell you that you won’t find these enzymes as they are in Rimian or Nalorean blood. They are the product of their blood