One True Queen: A Wings of Fire fanfiction

58.

content warning: sharp eyes. unethical experimentation/brief discussion of blood. a boatload of angst.

Way

"You know, you'd think your blood was just homogenous fluid—but I've been developing better microscopes, enough to see what it's made of," Sharp-eyes says, examining the vial of blood he just took from me. "And there's all kinds of different cells in there." Sharp-eyes lets out a sudden yelp of pain, and breathes heavily through gritted teeth, waiting for the attack to pass.

I don't meet his eyes—I stare at the torch, watch the silver flame flicker. I don't look at the ten dragons, cut up and broken, trapped behind one-way glass. I know they can't see me, but I can't shake the instinct. Auntie Whiteout, thankfully, is too busy watching him with narrowed eyes to be staring at me, for once.

I count out the seconds. Breathe in on one, out on three.

The road to progress isn't always easy.

"You're splitting up," she observes. She doesn't sound particularly compassionate.

Sharp-eyes hisses. "Oh, really? I hadn't noticed."

I stifle a laugh, a smile tugging at my mouth. Whiteout raises her eyebrows. (Just like when she used to babysit me and my siblings—there's nothing that slips past her attention.)

"Couldn't you use your magic to figure it out in an instant?" I ask, once he seems to have recovered. I've learned it's best not to acknowledge the attacks. "All that stuff about my blood, I mean."

Sharp-eyes scoffs. "The scientific process has no easy supplement. Surely your father taught you that."

I shrug. "I mean, maybe he did, but I don't remember it."

"It's a pity," Sharp-eyes says, clicking his tongue as he examines my blood under his microscope. "Hmm. Now what could that be?" His talons are shaking as he holds the vial, and he has to draw them away so he doesn't burn the glass. "Whiteout—come look at this. What do you think?"