Chapter 12: The Tincture

I took her into the hall kitchen, where the stove was still warm.

Torin came down with a blanket and stood in the doorway.

The Healer came in a coat over her nightdress and took the baby out of Jessamine's arms without asking.

Jessamine let her.

I stood by the table with my arms folded.

The last time I saw this woman, she had been wheeled into my hospital room.

She was walking perfectly well.

"He's cold but he's fine," the Healer said, unwrapping the blanket.

"Ten fingers, ten toes, a loud pair of lungs. Whoever's been feeding him is doing a good job."

"I have," Jessamine said. "Nobody else is allowed."

I did not say anything.

I could not look at the baby for longer than a second.

He had a flat dark head of hair and a furious red face, and he had done nothing wrong.

"Why are you here?" I said.

"I need you to listen."

"You've had my attention for three days. Use it."

Jessamine sat down at the table.

Her hands were shaking, and she pressed them under her thighs.

"I didn't ask Magnus to seal your door," she said.

"But I didn't ask him not to."

The kitchen was very quiet.

"That's your confession?"

"It's what's true. I wanted my son to be first."

"I'd have done it again, and I'm not here to be forgiven."

She raised her eyes to mine.

"But I didn't know what the rest was for."

"The rest."

"The tincture."

The Healer went still, with the baby against her shoulder.

"Three nights before the birth, Aldous brought me a dark bottle."

"He told me to take a spoonful at sundown."

"He said the moon wanted the boy early, and it was only a gentle push."

"A day or two. Nothing that could hurt either of us."

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