Page 30 of It's In His Hiss

“Interesting,” he murmurs, and my snakes twitch, eager for any bit of information. “She’s different, isn’t she?”

“Unique,” I agree, trying to read his face. “In every possible way.”

“Indeed.” He taps her stone cheek lightly. The sound echoes oddly in the quiet of the room.

Verity doesn’t speak, but I see her hovering beside Alice like she’s afraid to touch her—like she’s afraid her best friend might shatter.

I shuffle closer, anxious. “So, about that spell?”

“Patience,” he chides without looking at me, and I swear one of his snakes smirks at me. “This is delicate work.”

“Right. Delicate,” I repeat, though I’m pretty sure I don’t do delicate. I do “turn people to stone” and “regret.”

“Can you handle delicate?” Verity’s eyes twinkle, but her expression has a tightness that doesn’t match her teasing tone. She’s scared.

“Delicate as a gorgon at a pottery class,” I murmur.

Her laugh is slightly forced, but it still eases a little of the tightness in my chest.

“Let’s get started,” Gideon decides.

My stomach drops. I can only hope he can help me fix this. For Alice’s sake.

“Okay, Gideon, hit me with it,” I say, trying to sound braver than I feel. My snakes are restless,sensing the gravity of the moment as they slither around my head.

Gideon’s gaze locks onto mine, his serpentine hair a controlled dance of silent whispers. “She’s not simply a witch, Gordy. Her powers either amplify or suppress magic, shaped by her emotions.”

I frown. “Right, I’ve… sort of noticed that. It’s like she short-circuits things sometimes. Or supercharges them.”

Gideon nods, returning his gaze to Alice. “That kind of instability usually comes from latent ancestral magic—something old and deeply embedded. And hers feels… familiar.”

My heart skips. “Familiar how?”

He’s quiet for a beat. “I sense something in her magical signature—something that responds to me. Like a mirror. It’s subtle, but it’s there.” His gaze sharpens. “She has gorgon hunter blood in her, Gordy. Way, way back. Just a flicker, but it’s enough to stir your instincts. Enough to make your snakes lose their minds.”

“What?” I blink. “You’re saying she’s biologically programmed tohuntme?”

“Distantly,” he confirms. “It’s likely buried so deep that her parents had no idea. But the resonance is real. She’s not just reacting to you—your power is also reacting to her. That’s why the petrification is so strong and why it’s lingered.”

I blink, absorbing the bombshell. “So, what you’re saying is that I accidentally turned her into a statue because we stirred up her ancient assassin instincts during sex?”

Gideon shrugs one massive shoulder. “Basically. Emotions are powerful things. If I’m right, it’s in her DNA, which explains why your powers went haywire. She triggers something primal in your snakes.”

I glance at Alice’s still form, her expression heartbreaking in its stillness. “That’s… horrifyingly romantic.”

Verity snorts behind me. “You two are like magical opposites—equal parts power surge and power outage. No wonder you combusted.”

“She never knew,” I murmur. “None of us did.”

“That’s the thing about ancestral magic,” Gideon says. “It doesn’t care if you know. It’s baked intothe soul. And when that kind of blood meets yours? Boom.”

“Terrific,” I mutter, eyeing my unruly hair-snakes. “No wonder they have a mind of their own when she’s around.”

“We can fix this,” Verity says, her voice gentle but firm. But her hands tremble as she adjusts her sleeves, and her eyes don’t leave Alice’s face.

“Right.” I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. “Teach me.”

Gideon nods, and we begin. He guides me through an intricate web of spells and counter-spells, his instructions clear and methodical.

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