The square, a grid of 4x4 numbers where every row, column, and diagonal added to the same sum, began to shimmer. The numbers re-arranged themselves in his mind's eye. They spelled a word: (Ginger).
One evening, a stranger in a travel-worn cloak entered the shop. He placed a single, unmarked leather volume on the counter. "I have no need for money," the stranger said, his eyes the colour of ancient amber. "Trade me one book for another."
That night, Farid did not pray for a miracle. He applied the science. He wrote the letter Jeem on a piece of unleavened bread with saffron ink. He placed it on Amira's chest, over her heart. He then used a divination square to ask a question: What is the cure?