Elizabeth’s gaze held mine, searching.“Were you acquainted with the Ravencrofts?”
I propped myself up on one arm, turning fully to face her.“I only knew of them.The Timehealers possessed an innate connection to the natural world—a bond so profound that their touch could heal and soothe life.They carried an energy that calmed, nurtured, and balanced.That is how your mother was able to do what she did.Her bloodline carried the essence of a Timehealer, giving her the power to craft both deadly poisons and miraculous remedies.”
I hesitated, my voice dipping lower.“But I never had the honor of personally knowing any of your family.My path was forged in darkness, far from the light of your mother’s healing world.”
Reaching out, I traced my fingers along the curve of her cheek, a silent question lingering between us.“Can you tell me more about her alchemy practice?”
Elizabeth watched me, absorbing my words as they reshaped the narrative of her past.A silent understanding passed between us—a bridge built from opposing legacies, light and dark, bound together by the unrelenting pull of Solaris.
Lying there, tangled in the crumpled sheets that bore witness to our shared revelations, I studied her face as she spoke.
Her eyes, heavy with the sorrow of loss, held a glint of something else.
Pride.
“My mother taught me her craft,” she said softly, almost wistfully.
She drew a breath, the weight of memory pressing upon her.“Mother always employed a helper—an assistant.She was meticulous in every precaution, ensuring every step was taken with the utmost care.But no matter how careful they were… they always died.The poisons claimed them, without fail.”
Her words lingered in the space between us, heavy with implication.
My brow furrowed.“And yet, these assistants perished—but not your mother.Not you.You’ve handled the deadliest substances, yet here you are, untouched.Do you know why?”
Elizabeth hesitated before responding.“I wear these leather gloves,” she murmured, lifting her bare hands as if to show me.“I douse them in essential oils.It’s a protective measure.”
I shook my head, exhaling sharply.“No, love.I’m certain your mother’s assistants did the same.But that’s just a myth.The scent-covered gloves do not prevent the death lurking in those poisons.”
My heart pounded as the realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.My gaze locked onto hers, and the answer unraveled before me.
“It’s because you and your mother are Timehealers.Your bloodline doesn’t just grant you the ability to create these poisons—it grants you mastery over them.To wield them.To survive them.”
Her breath hitched, but I wasn’t finished.
“And for the poison you crafted—the one meant to drive the people of France to their knees—you needed the blood of darkness.”
I leaned in, my voice low, edged with a demand for the truth.
“Tell me, Elizabeth… whose blood did you use to craft the poison?”
Elizabeth took a deep breath before revealing the source of the blood of darkness.
“The blood my mother used… belonged to a man named Mathias.”
A shiver ran down my spine at the mention of his name.The air between us thickened, charged with something unspoken, something that set my nerves on edge.
I swallowed hard, trying to process the weight of her words.A chill swept through the room as if nature recoiled at the power of Mathias’ blood and the horrors it could create.
“Mathias?”I repeated, his name tasting like bile on my tongue.The urgency in my voice made Elizabeth flinch.“How did your mother know him?”
Her breath caught as she hesitated.“He is—was—a family friend,” she stammered, startled by the sudden storm in my eyes.“He hasn’t returned since my mother died.But… that’s how she made the poison.”
Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over and tracing silent paths down her cheeks.
“My mother thought once she acquired the final ingredient, the poison would be complete.”Her voice trembled, heavy with sorrow.“But she made a mistake.A fatal one.She inhaled the lethal fumes… and within a week, she was dead.”
“But are you sure it was a mistake?”he said, his tone low, skeptical.“Your mother was a Timehealer.A single breath of poison wouldn’t kill her that easily—not unless something else was at play.”
The confession settled between us, as thick as smoke, suffocating in its weight.
