Shale

Shale knows death.

It is a familair concept, something that, as a Hard Bloodletter, she has had to come to terms with. She knows fast death, slow death, painful death and painless death. She considers herself something of an expert of the middle two, much to her mate's dismay.

She hasn't quite figured out how to tell him how much it thrills her, to have the control over death that she does. Shale is aware, at least partially, that this kind of thing is generally frowned upon, but they are Bloodletters. Blood is their strength.

And Shale thinks the blood that comes from something desperate to live makes for stronger rituals. Better spells. She hasn't mentioned it to Scripa, but she thinks the Pearlcatcher knows, sometimes. Ravorah too. The Scribes see what most do not, and were it any other, Shale would be afraid.

But Shale knows death, and hers does not come from the Scribes.