Fortescue smiles at his enthusiasm. It's not like that at home. Blood magic is treated with horror, or fear. Even revulsion, by the Church of the Empire. "I can't do a lot of it at once, or I shouldn't, as I run the risk of tiring out entirely," she explains. "Or getting a migraine, if I press myself hard enough."

Those are especially nasty, although usually she just drinks until she can't feel anymore. Not that she's going to say that to Galen.

"All it takes is a lot of training, to finesse one's... expertise in it."