“Florence.” A stern voice cut through the noises of her agony. “Florence, look at me.”
She pried open her eyes and her attention drifted from Cvareh to the new voice that had joined them. Arianna’s mouth was set in a grim, determined line. The woman’s hand was curled around Florence’s fingers alongside Cvareh’s.
“I made it through this, and you are stronger than me,” Arianna declared.
Florence mentally disagreed, but the thought escaped only as a whimper, as if her body wanted to prove her point for her.
“Hang in there, Flor, a little longer.”
They both spoke words of encouragement—more like sweet lies—as she suffered for what seemed like a whole week. But, sure enough, it slowly began to pass and the light at the end of her tunnel vision began to sharpen and grow. Her chest heaved. She couldn’t get enough air.
Her body transitioned from utter pain to feeling stronger than it ever had. She could feel the fatigue leaving her muscles. The strain of tensing constantly while she’d been in agony was smoothed away magically. Despite the excruciating suffering, Florence wondered why she hadn’t made the transition sooner. It felt that good.
“Looks like she’s out of it,” Derek noted. “We’ll run this for a bit longer, until her blood runs nearly gold.”
“I thought my blood would be black?” she rasped. Her vocal chords had yet to knit from all the screaming.
“It will be,” the Alchemist affirmed. “But we want as much Dragon blood in you as we can get. And since we have a willing donor, well, let’s be a little selfish, no?”
“I don’t want to hurt Cvareh,” she breathed, her voice slowly coming back. The magic seemed to place priority on what was vital, followed by functions she put demands on—like her sight or voice.
“You’re not going to hurt me,” he insisted.
“The Dragon is right. His body produces blood much faster than yours does, even as a new Chimera,” Derek said. “Your blood will run black when his fades and your body begins producing new Chimera blood on its own. We just reprogrammed your liver, in essence.”
Florence nodded and Derek began removing the restraints. He left only the ones on her right arm until he finally turned off the machine and plucked the needles from her skin nonchalantly. Florence watched as she bled a dark gold that was quickly stopped by her flesh knitting.
“Just rest here for a bit. Don’t try to get up yet.” He started for the door. “I’m going to get some medicine, just to be safe, and some food.”
“Then it’s to bed with you,” Arianna finished as he left the room.
Florence smiled tiredly at her. Ari always had looked out for her, ever since they first met. It wasn’t until this trip that Florence really noticed the fact. And her opinion of it shifted colors alongside her blood.
“Did you ever think I would be a Chimera?” She flexed her hand, imagining herself as much stronger than she likely was.
“No, and I wish you didn’t have to endure that,” Arianna muttered.
“But I’m rather glad I did.” She spoke softly, hoping her words didn’t upset Arianna too terribly.
“Flor—”
“Ari,” for the first time, Florence interrupted her teacher with purpose. “I can be someone now. It didn’t hit me until I was here, until we made this journey. But I can do more than just make guns and bombs. I can use them. Everyone here is fighting, and I can help them.”
“What are you saying?” Quiet panic tinted her voice.
“I want to help the rebellion.”
“They haven’t confirmed there is one,” Arianna pointed out.
Florence gave her a look that she hoped communicated how much she appreciated being treated like she was stupid. “Well, if there is, I want to help.”
“Why?” Arianna’s arms dropped to her side. Her shoulders fell. Even Cvareh took note of the uncharacteristic change in the woman.
“Ari, you taught me to believe in possibility. I escaped the Ravens not because I truly wanted to find my calling, but because I just didn’t want to be killed when I couldn’t pass the aptitude test.” Florence sat straighter, her back coming off the recline of the chair. “You were the one who taught me to see Loom as it could be. You wanted me to strive to dream, and I thought you were crazy but I did it anyway because you were the person who saved me and because I wanted to appease you. I never saw it.
“But I see it now, Arianna. I see it now, your vision. I want to fight for it with these people. I can make a difference here. I can fight for real, positive change.” Florence swallowed, Arianna’s stare a black hole that was consuming her optimism and emotions. “Y-you can too. You can do what you always wanted to do. You can really fight against the Dragons. Can we stay?”
“No,” Arianna dismissed her outright.
Florence stared in shock. “Why? Why? Isn’t this everything you ever said you wanted?”