A Masquerade of Spiders

Chapter 15: I Knew Him

Either way, if I refused to take serum now, I wouldn't be able to escape it. Even if I told Afali that the chemist talked me out of doing it, they would arrange for a different chemist. They would see to it that I took the serum.

To the chemist's increasing alarm, the turner leaned over and took my hand in his.

"My Lady, I sincerely apologise," said Mr. Gastiv. "I don't know what's gotten into him. This is—perhaps we should come later. I will bring a different turner, one that isn't obviously... mad."

I examined the turner, as I would examine a particularly beautifully crafted mask. There was something accessible about him and unlike anyone I had ever met, there was nothing I could do to hurt him. "He doesn't seem mad to me," I said. "Is there anything else I should know, Mr. Gastiv, before we proceed?"

Mr. Gastiv opened his mouth in shock, as if he would protest, but, of course, he couldn't. No matter how much the lords appreciated his work, he could not speak up against a lady. I could see it all play out on his face as plainly as words in a book. He drew in a deep breath before speaking, "The first hour after taking the serum, no one but the turner can be in the room with you. The serum is...quite bright. That is why you will have your eyes covered. But, my lady, are you certain you wouldn't be more comfortable with a different turner? This one...I'm not sure it would be wise to leave you alone with it."

"I'll be fine with him, please continue, Mr. Gastiv." Strange, it was almost frightening to be able to trust someone. The turner, he did something to me just by being present. I felt that trusting him was almost a need, like breathing, or nourishment.

"The second hour after taking the serum, you will still be bright, but not in a way that can harm those who look at you. Following that, over the next few days, the effects of the serum will appear inconsistent, until it will stabilise.

"There are varying degrees of pain involved. More so for women than for men. It often comes in the form of headache and muscle pain. You will likely experience confusion, disorientation and delusions. The delusions usually go away after the first hour, but the confusion may remain for the rest of the day. From tomorrow onward, most of the uncomfortable symptoms will wear off. You must make sure, however, when you change masks, not to allow yourself to be without a mask even for one second."

"Why not?"

The chemist sighed. "From the moment you take the serum, the spectres will come faster if you're unmasked. For a typical adult, it can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour, but for those under the effect of serum, it takes just a few minutes."

"Is that all?"

"I must ask you whether you're with child." The chemist's voice was flat, defeated. "Pregnant women cannot take serum."

"I'm unmarried and pure, Mr. Gastiv," I said with the imagined dignity I thought Dylana would have. I wasn't pure. Twice, I had answered a boy who came calling. Our bodies chased away my loneliness, but my heart remained my own. The older I became, the more I feared that a nightly tryst would conceive the end of my dreams, so I hadn't gone with any suitor in a while.

Dylana wouldn't be as foolish as I was.

"Very well. If that is the case, and you consent, the turner will begin." Mr. Gastiv rose from his stool. "Are you certain you wish to do this, Lady Tvereman? Are you certain you wouldn't wish me to replace this turner with another?"

"I'm certain," I said to all questions.

Mr. Gastiv's mouth was stretched in a grim line when he pulled a black iron key from his pocket and handed it to the turner. "You will come find me immediately if something goes wrong," he said to him.