She sounds like a teacher handing out assignments to a class, the Prioress thought, but she knew well the woman's accuracy and efficiency.

"In four days, the new moon will rise, and the Red Eye will be in the fourth house,” the nun intoned, “the sign of the Ram. This is a good omen for the spell, and I estimate that the optimal time for the culmination of the magic will be close to eighteen minutes to midnight. I will be able to give a more precise estimate when I have consulted my librams and auguries.

"We will need attributes of Levity; the feathers of a swallow should suffice. It is not required, but a few pounds of spider-silk, spun into a gossamer net over the hall, would help the signatures. We will need incense of sanctified wormwood, philosophical essence of cedar and hermetic lavender. At least eleven pounds of powdered lodestone are required. This must be ground finer than the most costly pomade, and allowed to rest for two days under the Sigil of Eratu, with the dark light of pitchblende shining upon it at an angle of between forty-three and forty-seven degrees during the hours of darkness. It must be contained in a parabolic bowl of philosophical gold, and the rays of the sun must be shone onto this at a constant angle of eleven degrees during the day. Only mirrors of hermeneutic asem, at least ninety-seven percent pure, may be used to achieve this, and even a trifling error of over half a degree may thwart our purpose."

Judan licked her right thumb and selected another page. “Three pounds of bees’ eyes, removed with a sanctified obsidian blade in the presence of a constant chant of Quelling, will be advantageous; they should be prepared no later than five hours before the spell is cast. A freshly-prepared Stone of Monan, prepared from condensed frog-sputum, is essential. One of seven ounces should suffice, and it must be no more than two days old when we begin the ceremony.