The Hand That Mocked Them

"He's made rapid progress," he said quickly. He'd misstepped; Kivvien wouldn't want to help now, surely!

"Such as? What sorts of discoveries did he make?"

"I---well, I wrote down much about the nature of their teeth and claws, and how the musculature differs from our own. The skeleton on the one he found was nonexistent, but somehow the creature moved without trouble."

"So he documented their anatomy," Kivvien summarized.

"He did indeed, extensively. Then he cut the beast up and began experimentation with the potency of blood, the interchangeability of different parts of the creature and the like."

"And what did he discover in that process?"

"The parts are toxic, as you said. But the teeth can be ground up and combined with red-eyed newt skins to make an excellent hair remover."

Kivvien huffed a laugh, "Is that all?"

"More than that. But I'm not at liberty to say."

"What do you mean 'not at liberty'?"

"Revealing all my master's findings right now would be counteracting to my own goals, would they not? Besides, I don't know everything he's done."

"So how am I to know that meeting your master at all is worth my time?"

Hieronymus looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "He....also has found various organs that are more vulnerable than most, prone to bursting and the like."

"Thank you," Kivvien said, considering the information.

He dipped his head. "I hope that will prove useful."