“Yes.”
“I didn’t know you had honey.”
“I always carry a jar. Not many know that honey is pure medicine.”
After another cup of tea – willow bark with a few drops of laudanum; Idris couldn’t be convinced to forgo it – Seraphina felt weirdly numb. Beads of sweat ran down her temples, but Idris said that was a good sign.
The front door opened, and a gust of wind brought snow inside. Nine had to lower his head so as to not hit the doorframe. The low ceiling forced him to keep his back slightly curved. He wiped his hands on his pants and approached Idris.
“It’s time to keep your promise, master surgeon.”
Idris shot him a dubious look.
“I made no promises to you.”
“You said you would dissect me. That was your plan. We can do it in the mill. It has a table and plenty of space.”
“I’m not doing it, so stop talking about it.”
Seraphina saw how distressed Idris was. She glanced up at Nine, blinking hard to get him into focus. He was slightly turned away from her.
“Look at me,” she said.
Nine shuffled on his feet.
“You, look at me.”
He shook his head.
A chill ran up Seraphina’s spine. If he wasn’t listening to her, it meant the effects of the thrall relic had vanished. He had free will.
She reached inside her pocket and squeezed the bone, feeling its power seep into her skin. It was useless if she couldn’t make the revenant meet her gaze.
“Nine,” she said carefully.
“I’m not your puppet anymore, but you don’t have to worry about me. I won’t hurt you, and I won’t run. I won’t even lie to you.” He kept his eyes away from both Seraphina and Idris. “All I ask is that you do what you said you would.”
Idris pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I can’t. I won’t. I dissect bodies, and I do it for science.”
“Both your conditions are true for me. I am made of bodies, and you would do it for science.”
“But you’re alive! A human being with thoughts and feelings. You are conscious and aware, not an animal and not a monster.”
“I killed people.” Nine’s voice dropped low. “That makes me a monster.”
“It makes the people who ordered you to do it monsters. I’m done with this conversation.”
Idris made to walk away, but Nine blocked his path.
Seraphina swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She did it so fast that the poultice slipped from her chest and landed on her lap. Her head felt heavy, her vision was swimming.
The revenant opened his mouth and roared. The sound bounced off the walls, made the pots on the table vibrate, and sank so deep into Seraphina’s bones that she felt like she was going to be sick. She slapped a hand over her mouth.
Idris took a few steps backward, tripped and landed at the foot of the bed.
“You don’t know what being conscious and aware means to me,” Nine shouted.
