Naamah's Blessing

experiments. “I am not sure they will drink it.”
    Machasu shook her head. “It is not for drinking. The poison cannot be taken by mouth. It must go into the blood, as with a dart. Your guide said it would be better to weaken it with
chicha
than water.” She hesitated. “I fear you have only a day to try this, lady. Lord Pachacuti has given the order. Tomorrow we go.”
    I pried at the wax sealing the stopper. “Then we’d best begin.”
    It was a grim series of experiments we conducted in the courtyard under the interested gaze of my attendant ants. At my request, Machasu procured another bowl and a hollow reed while I gathered a handful of long, spiny thorns from one of the flowering plants.
    First, I tested the
wurari
on one of the lizards. In its undiluted state, the poison was thick and syrupy. Dipping a thorn into the liquid, I pricked the lizard. Within a minute, the poor creature was dead, and I gave it to the ants.
    After that, I used the hollow reed to measure out ten drops of poisoninto the mixing bowl. Drop by drop, I began adding
chicha
beer to dilute it, testing at every stage and scratching notations onto a flagstone with a sharp rock.
    Silently, I blessed Master Lo for his attempts to teach me the rudiments of medicine. Although I’d not had an affinity for it, at least I understood the elemental techniques of mixing potions.
    It took every last lizard we had, but after being pricked by a mixture of one measure poison to three measures of
chicha
, the final subject did not die. It crouched motionless on the flagstones, its scaled sides rising and falling almost imperceptibly while the restless ants circled in a stream, and Machasu and I watched intently, glancing at the sun to gauge the time. I reckoned an hour’s time had passed when the lizard began to stir once more, seemingly unharmed. I returned him to his cage, granting him a temporary reprieve.
    Machasu let out her breath. “That was very clever, lady.”
    I frowned. “A man is much bigger than a lizard. I cannot be sure it will work at the same proportions.”
    She was silent a moment. “Then you must try it on me after all.”
    “No.”
    “Lady, the lives of my people are at stake.” Machasu did her best to make her voice firm this time. “I am no more afraid than Cusi to do my duty.”
    “No,” I said again. “I do not dishonor your courage, Machasu. But we are a long way from Qusqu yet, and many things are uncertain. If it is necessary when the time comes, I will accept your offer.”
    “It is true that many things are uncertain, lady. Because of that, you may not be able to choose the time.” Before I had any inkling of her intentions, Machasu picked up a thorn and dipped it into the mixture, jabbing the soft flesh of her inner elbow. A pin-prick of blood blossomed. “Better to know now.”
    “Machasu, no!” I cried, too late.
    She essayed a faint smile. “It is done.”
    Time seemed to slow to a crawl as we waited together. The sunmoved sluggishly above the courtyard. Beneath my gown, sweat trickled down my back. The lizard in his cage blinked and dozed. The ants foraged idly, eating leaves that had fallen.
    I was on the verge of concluding that the proportion was ineffective on a human when Machasu began to shiver.
    “Machasu?” I said urgently. “What passes?”
    “I do not know,” she whispered. “I feel… weak. It is hard to move my arms. My legs, too.”
    “Can you breathe?” I asked.
    She nodded.
    “Good, very good. Keep breathing, low and steady, and all will be well.” Praying it was true, I felt at the pulses in her wrist as Master Lo had taught me. For a short time, they raced and her skin was hot to the touch; and then her pulses dropped, and her skin grew cold beneath my fingertips.
    Machasu’s eyes rolled back in her head, showing only the whites.
    “Stupid girl!” I muttered, dashing away tears. “You did not need to take such a risk. Not here, not now.”
    Limp, she made no response.
    Her pulse continued to beat at an alarmingly slow rate. Laying a leaf atop her slack lips, I saw that it fluttered faintly. I cradled Machasu’s head in my lap and glared at the skittering ants in the courtyard. “Stay away!” I warned them fiercely. “Lest I stomp your queen to death!”
    Although it seemed an eternity, it was no more than an hour before Machasu stirred, her eyes returning to their proper orbit. Her skin warmed, her pulse quickening and her breath deepening.
    “Can you hear me?”