ath. It smelled like a damp cel

Drip

with a flat, hollow sound that made my skin crawl. Every time I moved, the C

's face and bolted, leaving his bone saw vibrating on the table. The iron door slamm

apothecary," Linus's voic

idn't move to help, just leaned against the door, crossing his massive arms. He

hands and reached for the

made my

muscles were grey, brittle ridges. His fingers were hooked like talons, buried so deep into

uckles against

tombstone. No skin, no give. Just

ve mistake?" Linus asked, his bo

the scalpel in my hand felt like an anchor. I didn't think about 'truth'; I thought about the

ult. Then, the acetylene lamp flared. He stepped up to the opposite side of t

the acid," I h

gers were like ice, sending a jolt up m

acetic acid carefu

SS

make my eyes water-vinegar mixed with something bitter and metallic. The stone skin didn't melt;

ady," I gritted ou

ECH-

les screaming as I forced the teeth through the calcified ribs. Shards of grey grit and white foam sprayed my face, st

There was no blood. Only a handful of red, crystalline grit-like

ike liqui

. look a

mine. The heat of him was a shock

ightmare of gears and translucent tubes, all of them clogged with that same blue sludge.

ll at a leaking tube. The blue slime hissed as it hit the zinc table. "It's scrap metal. Someone

e rot... it leaked directly into his veins. It didn't just kill him. It turned

of the ice and the heavy, rhythmic thrumming

e," h

nds out of the corpse, but he was already there, his hands bracing the table on either side of me. I was

ough my emerald velvet dre

enhanced labor' at the foundries," he murmured, his

s of his vest pressing into my spine. My hands w

oice barely a thread. "Now take the c

n the crook of my neck, inhaling the scent of the acid,

table to slide around my waist. His fingers were a cold brand through the fabric. "If I

ed onto his shoulder. His other hand seized my chin, his thum

is the only one in Pyre City wit

s darkening into something that looke

er you when you're covered

apter 7, or would you like to perf