Provoking a Graceful Bloom
She repeated the process several times.
At last, she set the bowl of blood over a candle flame, heating it slowly until it thickened and darkened. When it had dried completely, it crumbled at the slightest touch, turning into a fine, brittle powder. Holding the powder between her fingers, she brought it to her nose to sniff.
"What is it, Aunt Qiana?" Selena asked.
Qiana finally looked at her. "Aconite and crimson seed. Neither are fatal on their own, but they induce a brief, deep sleep when combined. If nothing goes wrong, the person recovers soon enough without even realizing they were drugged."
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