There's an idea. The ratio would have to be pretty tight, to keep it lit but under control, and of course they need to not burn to death while doing so...

Could wards protect their skin, and help regulate where it can actually burn? 

It'd have to be fresh blood wards, bone would just get eaten. Really, this trial is just 'fuck the Ninth in particular'.

Luckily she's got references on those. (Including works she brought with her from the Ninth, some of which she sometimes snuck into their supply shipment orders, generally as part of her crusade to convince Ellyn to try using her blood for stuff.)

Salty Slatterns of the Seventh does not count as a reference work, no matter how many rose-pricked fingers are involved.

Excuse you, her fantasy material actual reference tomes are 100% academic, as are the various journals. Investigation into the Potential for a Genetic Component in Efficacy of Fresh Versus Dried Blood: A Meta-Analysis gave her quite a few interesting thoughts. 

Yeah, but she keeps them on the same shelf.

She promises she only brought the actual academic works with her. 

Let's have them, then.

She pulls them out. (They are, in fact, both academic and relevant - a lot is just her condensed notes summarizing journals she didn't want to hassle with packing, actually. (Gideon spent the three months leading up to their trip doing more than just training.))

Gideon is helpful like that. Ellyn appreciates it.

She's here to support her necromancer, after all. 

As long as that involves shedding blood?

In this case, at least. 

Uh huh.

Back to work.

Gideon can do the first warded test, so Ellyn can focus better. 

It might be a better idea to try with normal fire first. Since she's experimenting with the wards. Minimizing variables et cetera. Also Ellyn is realizing that they kind of missed lunch and it's getting later in the day.