Serpent's Blood

– A Fire i

emember leavin

o called them. Or the way Maya was wheeled out on a s

ered her blood

k of the ambulance was

llowed to r

't m

going to t

t

mewhere e

pocket as he walked b

to do. Or maybe the blood knew. Either way, he followed the pull until it brought

d up t

all o

. Just space where

waited

Pale, sharp, silver eye

t to come look

t flinching. "Someone p

. "Then you've lear

ich

o love anyone. N

lenched. "Tell

t I can give you

a glass vial filled with liquid gold. It

t is

rom a serpent-blood olde

nd why would you

claimed by it. And because the ones who did

idn't h

e vial. Un

dr

like li

ced through his spine, through every nerv

rld fe

n its

si

nd shadow. A woman with eyes like eclipses

er on

chains, his blood

vo

born. You a

llapsed,

, the silver-eyed man w

" he said, alm

ped. "Now tell me

od in front of the Pool of Echoes,

with her reflec

he looked

e bowl. More power in his stan

ispered. "You

man stepped out

aids coiled like rope. Power radiat

o keep him here, Sel

fore I coul

losing c

ed. "No. I'm giving

"He'll be hunted now. By

"Let them come. He's

oman said.

alley just as the sun d

was bathe

t time, he didn'

like the

h new strength in his limbs. The blood

uide

enemy was yet. But he k

d a name to carv

sha