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“What are you doing?”

“Two people died today under my fingertips. I might have saved them had I been more prepared. There is a girl still alive—for now—the bravest little thing, Lucia. She begged me not to leave her.”

“It is tragic to be sure. But, Ginevra, you must—”

“There is a way, I think, I can draw the power out of the bloodstones, so it can be delivered all throughout the body. Protect her from disease before it happens.”

“Really? How would you do that?”

“I’m not sure exactly,” Ginevra admitted. “I only read about it once, long ago. My teacher Agnesa reminded me of it with her last breath this very morning.” Before you could make amends, before you could say you loved her and you were so, so sorry.

“Ginevra?”

“Yes. Sorry—there are standard methods for transferring the magical essence of one thing to another. If I am remembering correctly, the first thing is the stones must be steeped overnight with urine from our cat, and I suppose a bit of honey and wine, and tended constantly the whole time.”

“The whole night?” Lucia had never done anything that took a whole night.

“Yes. Then eventually it will froth up, then you let it rest, and then it becomes clear and that’s how you know it’s done. The magic of the boiled object—in our case, the bloodstones—will have spread also to the boiling liquid.”

“And it has to be cat urine because...?”

“For magic things like this, it’s the urine of cats that works the best. Or rather, really it should be a wild lynx from the mountains whose urine works wondrous things all by itself and sometimes even hardens into gems, but for us this regular kitten will have to do. I think it should still work, right?”

“If you say so. What is the honey for, then? And the wine?”

“That’s just so you forget you’re drinking cat piss.”

“Ginevra, I am so very glad you broke your contract to cure me. But deliberately mixing medicines for one of the most famous families in town? You must understand that they punish people most terribly here. It is not so uncommon that someone is beheaded or burned for some trivial-seeming thing... My own father...”

“Yes, I know how it is,” said Ginevra defensively. “I used to live here, too, you know.”

She pointed to the scar on her nose. “This line that makes my face crooked—this was my reward for stopping the water sickness of 1340. They meant it to be much worse.”

“Your face is not so crooked, Ginevra,” Lucia replied quietly.

“That’s because I fixed it myself—they cut off half my nose to mark me a heretic.”

“So you understand better than anyone what will happen if they catch you at healing again.”

“That was the problem, the first time I was caught. This time I will be quick—by tomorrow morning, this new medicine will be delivered, then back to the missing relics. Nobody will notice. The inquisitor has no retinue. The bishop cannot be bothered. Who is there to see me?”

“Yes, it seems that way now, but you know how it can be. Just when you feel safe, somebody hears something, sees something, and the guard who went away will be back and knocking at your door. My door.”

“No one will know.”

“The Lady Girolami will know.”

“I’ll tell her it’s nourishing broth to aid recovery. I will visit her in the morning and be done with it.” Lucia was torn. Of course, Ginevra was right; she should do what she could to save a child. But she was worried about what would happen to her friend should she be found repeating the crimes of her past.

“Ginevra, my acquaintance Pampinea, she said people trade stolen goods at Alle Panche. She said corrupt clergy go there, too—would this not be a good place to investigate? We should go now—it is only open at night.”

“Tonight is for saving Zenobia’s life. Perhaps tomorrow.”

Lucia did not appreciate being discounted yet again. She decided to take a dramatic stance to get Ginevra’s attention.

“Fine. I will go to Alle Panche tonight. By myself, while you work. The sooner we catch the thief, the sooner you can get your license and stop this sneaking around.” The ploy worked.

“By yourself??” said Ginevra, looking up from the fire she was attempting to rebuild.