Caine walked down the hill and crouched at the edge of the liquid. The girl followed and waited a few feet behind him.
The boy still lay sprawled near the top of the hill, his darting eyes watching them.
Caine took a handkerchief from his pocket and dropped it into the liquid. It floated until it was soaked through and then it sank.
"All right," the girl said. "How do we find out what it does to human flesh?"
Caine looked back at the boy.
The boy slammed his palms back against the rock and his body tightened so that the cords of his neck stuck out. His lips trembled.
Caine kept his eyes upon the boy, flexed his fingers, and then drove his hand into the liquid.
The girl screamed and her hand flew against her mouth. The boy lay twitching against the rock, his eyes upon Caine's submerged arm.
Caine brought his hand out of the liquid.
The metal snap that had fastened his sleeve at the wrist was gone and so was the small gold ring he had worn on his little finger. But there was no trace of effect on his skin.