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Zoltan lifted a hand, shooing mine away. “Only one versed in the language and suitably respectful to the dark elf way may read thisbook.”
“Does that mean it’s unlikely that some kid—such as one of your followers—found another book like it and taught himself or herself to make the potion that was used against myboss?”
“They’re called formulas, my dear, and no mere mortal alive today could have mastered this language and learned enough to interact with a tome such as this. As you felt, it’s warded against simpletons turning its pages, and I do not teach the dangerous arts to my followers. Only enough for them to poison a brutal lover or abusive parent if they wish. Self-defense, if youwill.”
“Noble ofyou.”
“Yes.”
I had about given up on him getting to the point and offering me useful information when he touched the sigil. “For your two hundred dollars there, I’ll tell you that this formula was created as a way to kill people slowly so that suspicion would be drawn neither to the deliverer of the formula nor the alchemist who createdit.”
“How much time does it take for the victim to die?” Iwhispered.
“Oh, four to six weeks for mostpeople.”
I swallowed. How long had it already been since Willard had beendosed?
“This is the list of ingredients. A few of them would be challenging to acquire, at least for this landlockedvampire.”
“Do you know who made the pot—formula and if there’s an antidote? Something that will cure the illness or at least remove the magical component of it so that modern medicine can do its job?” I worried that the disease might have progressed too far for modern medicine, but I refused to give uphope.
“If the formula was made and delivered in this part of the world, I can most certainly tell you who crafted it. But let me take a closer look,eh.”
Zoltan picked up the vial and walked to a microscope, a fancy modern one hooked up to a computer. He prepared something resembling a drugstore cotton swab, moistening the end with liquid from a dark bottle, and prodded around in the vial. How much residue would he find in there after it had spent weeks in Willard’s coffee-ground-strewn garbage disposal and then been carted around in mypocket?
I kept myself from pacing as he prepared a slide and examined it.Sindari, anyupdate?
I haven’t been able to findDimitri.
What?My fist clenched. If bringing him here got him killed, I’d have more blood on my hands—more guilt. Why hadn’t I ordered him to go back to the van and wait inside with the curtains drawn and the doors locked?Did he leave the carriagehouse?
I don’t believe so. His scent lingers here, but he is not in this loft or anywhere in this mainroom.
There was a trapdoor. Maybe he found it, went down, and got stuck like Idid.
I willcheck.
“I can verify that the formula that existed in this vial is what the sigil says it should be.” Zoltan pointed at the open book. “I can also verify that a drop of the alchemist’s blood was used in the making, per the recipe. There are two types of DNA present in thesample.”
It was strange hearing a long-dead vampire talking about DNA. “Whose?” was all Iasked.
“One belongs to a kraken, the other to a darkelf.”
“A kraken? Where does one find kraken blood, and aren’t krakenspoisonous?”
“Venomous and very much so, yes. But not their blood. Their venom comes from their bite, from a venom gland in their mouths, the same as with a squid. Kraken venom is an excellent ingredient to work with. But exceedingly rare. If you come by any, do let me know. I will purchase it at market rate plus tenpercent.”
My only familiarity with krakens came from mythology, so this notion that they not only existed but had a market rate wasdisturbing.
“Kraken blood also cannot be ordered online. It’s likely one has taken up residence nearby, and the blood was collected fresh.” Zoltan stepped away from themicroscope.
“I hear Lake Washington is nice. All those fat harbor seals down by the Arboretum to munchon.”
He nodded. “A possible location, or out in Puget Sound. They traditionally prefer deep-sea waters to tumultuous surface waters, and saltwater to fresh, but they can exist for periods of time in freshwater.”
“Thank you for looking up the formula. Is there an antidote? And you said only one person around could have made it.Who?”
“A reversal of the formulacouldbe constructed, something that would essentially clean out the residue in the afflicted person’s system. After that, you would also need a long-acting healing elixir to reverse the cellular damage. I could not guarantee that would be effective. If the disease is far along, it would be too late. Onecouldmake the elixir more potent with a drop of the victim’sblood.”
