“The gold leaves are a measure of potential, but not necessarily Ability. It’s up to us to turn that potential into power.”

“Aye, I git that, but then why do I feel so damn strong?”

“It’s not about strength. It’s about concentration and the force of your will.”

“Aye? Ye know whut? Ma always said my will was as strong as a boulder rollin’ down a mountain.”

“So like an avalanche?”

“Ezzactly. Like that.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

“Then why ain’t this workin’?”

“I don’t know.”

“Thank ye, that’s so helpful,” she said with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m trying to help, I really am.”

Perfidy jammed her eyes and mouth closed, grinding her teeth together. Opened them, feeling bad. “I know. I’m…sorry.”

“That’s hard for you to say, isn’t it?”

“Shut yer fool mouth ’fore I change my mind ’bout bein’ sorry.”

Jereb snorted. “You can’t change your mind about being sorry. You either are or you’re not.”

“Fine, I’m sorry. Happy?”

“I’ll be happy when you use your Ability. Shall we try again?”

“Wait,” Perfidy said.

“It’s okay to be scared,” Jereb said.

“I ain’t skeered, ye dolt. Jest had anuther question.”

“Ah, of course you did. Go ahead.”

“I’ve never drunk godsblood ’fore, so how did I, er, do whut I did? It shouldn’t have bin possyble, right?”

“Narcissi’s godsblood has been leaking out for years. Spreading through the wood from her roots, trickling into the soil, the groundwater. Small, trace amounts entering streams and rivers, ponds and wells, drip by golden drip.”

“Ye think it’s in Northpoint’s well? Then why ain’t folks growin’ arms from their heads an’ turnin’ into skeleton people?”

Jereb paused, seeming to give her question some serious thought, which she appreciated. “Miniscule amounts wouldn’t affect people very much, but did you notice anything unusual in your town? Less people getting sick? People feeling stronger? Anything like that?”

Perfidy thought about it. “I dunno. My ma went out an’ collected wild herbs sumtimes, the kinds with mediceenal uses, ye know? Knobroot, candifresh, sassyflower…that sort o’ thing? Would sell ’em so we had sum extra coin. Coupla weeks ago our piles o’ herbs were gettin’ bigger an’ I asked her ’bout it. Said busyness had bin down lately. Folks weren’t gettin’ as sick or hurt as usual. Called it ‘a run o’ good luck’ fer Northpoint’ an’ thanked the gods fer that. I didn’t find it lucky at all, ’cause we had less coin.”

Jereb nodded. “Probably the effects of the godsblood.”

“An’ that’s whut made me able to stop myself from breakin’ my back when I fell from the roof?”

“Exactly. Even without any training or knowing about magic or anything, you channeled the small amount of godsblood that was in you and accessed your Ability.”