Title Page

Copyright

Copyright © 2017 by Livia Blackburne

Cover art © 2017 by Katie Vernon

Cover design by Marci Senders

All rights reserved. Published by Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Hyperion, 125 West End Avenue, New York, New York 10023.

ISBN: 978-1-3680-1202-7

Dedication

For Thisbe

Part One

Chapter One

A bitter film of ziko root coats the inside of my mouth. I run my tongue over my palate to rub out the taste, though I know it won’t work. Nothing dislodges ziko bitterness—not water, not bread, nor goat’s milk. If I’d been planning ahead, I might have brought a mint leaf to chew, but I’ve had more important things on my mind.

The ziko pulp, which I’d sorted by smell and chewed mouthful by mouthful, now sits in a pot over a fire. It won’t be long until the whole mixture boils, and I wonder if I should take it off the fire now, just to be safe. The hotter the ziko gets, the stronger its protective properties—but only up to a point. A perfect potion is brought to boiling and immediately cooled, but letting it boil a few moments longer ruins it all. Perhaps I should be cautious today, when my future is at stake. Perhaps it’s better to present a passable effort than to aim for perfection and fail.

A bead of sweat rolls off my brow. As I wipe it away, I see my master, Kaylah, sitting between two other healers. If I’ve added a spoonful too much water or built my fire too high, missorted the roots or chewed my mouthfuls to the wrong degree, she will have seen it. Many times before, Kaylah has stopped me to gently correct my technique, but today she is an impartial judge like the others. The sight of her strengthens my resolve, and I dismiss my thoughts of playing it safe. Kaylah has taught me well, and I know I can do this.

The first bubble forms at the surface of my mixture and pops, sending droplets of potion hissing into the fire. Immediately, I grab some washcloths and lift the pot off the flames. Then I stir the contents briskly until the entire mixture is cool enough to drink, murmuring the ritual prayer: “Goddess, let your touch come through the craft of my hands. Let your breath come through mine to those you’ve placed in my care.”

I bow deeply toward the judges.

Doron, the head judge, rises to his feet and comes to stand in front of my fire. “Tell me what you have made, apprentice.”

“Ziko potion, to protect against the bite of the soulstealer snake.”

“And what does it protect?”