He considered her words and even under her gentle kisses, he turned over the scenario in his mind. Turning towards the pit, he vanished the old circle with a flick of his wand. It was no use to tell her she should not or could not; at this point it would be equal to an insult. The floor was now smooth and clean. He thought it better to do this here, instead of with a table between them. He had his reasons.
"If this looks haphazard and improvised," he said, "that's because it will be."
With a glance back to her, he led her into the pit and sat down on the floor. "Sit across from me, please," he said. "I will demonstrate how it works."
He waited until she was in position. His eyes were very dark and alert. Somehow they had become conspirators, huddling together in a forsaken place to do something forbidden. He took her hand and looked at her and he kissed her. He did not really know what to say. She would see where this was going very quickly.
Samuel took a knife out of his pocket and held it in his left hand. It was a folding knife, small and very sharp, with a curved blade. He let go of her hand and held out his own, palm up. Without hesitation and with a practiced and fluid motion, he cut vertically and deeply into the flesh where his right thumb transitioned into his wrist. He knew exactly where to carve in so the blood spilled easily downwards, running along his palm as he lowered his arm and shook it lightly, until his index and middle finger were painted red. It hurt. He was so desensitized to it that it barely registered as true pain. Quickly he drew a small circle on the floor between them and started building up a pattern of lines and symbols.
"Give me something to transmute," he said to Themis and held out his left hand towards her. "Doesn't much matter what it is; you see, I can adapt the equation as I go. Nothing is set in stone, it is all pliable. But you have to work quick. As soon as you start, you are on borrowed time."
"If this looks haphazard and improvised," he said, "that's because it will be."
With a glance back to her, he led her into the pit and sat down on the floor. "Sit across from me, please," he said. "I will demonstrate how it works."
He waited until she was in position. His eyes were very dark and alert. Somehow they had become conspirators, huddling together in a forsaken place to do something forbidden. He took her hand and looked at her and he kissed her. He did not really know what to say. She would see where this was going very quickly.
Samuel took a knife out of his pocket and held it in his left hand. It was a folding knife, small and very sharp, with a curved blade. He let go of her hand and held out his own, palm up. Without hesitation and with a practiced and fluid motion, he cut vertically and deeply into the flesh where his right thumb transitioned into his wrist. He knew exactly where to carve in so the blood spilled easily downwards, running along his palm as he lowered his arm and shook it lightly, until his index and middle finger were painted red. It hurt. He was so desensitized to it that it barely registered as true pain. Quickly he drew a small circle on the floor between them and started building up a pattern of lines and symbols.
"Give me something to transmute," he said to Themis and held out his left hand towards her. "Doesn't much matter what it is; you see, I can adapt the equation as I go. Nothing is set in stone, it is all pliable. But you have to work quick. As soon as you start, you are on borrowed time."
