"Prep her for surgery."
Norman's voice came through the door.
Calm.
The kind of calm that decides who lives and who dies.
I lay on the freezing operating table.
Straps pinned my wrists and ankles tight.
This was the sterile surgical room in the basement of the mansion.
Dr. Finch stood under the surgical light in his mask, adjusting the machines.
The door swung open.
Norman came in pushing a wheelchair.
Corinne sat in it.
She'd changed into a clean white dress. Her face was still pale, but she couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes.
"Mr. Stephens, the hex-extraction procedure carries serious risk."
Dr. Finch glanced at the readings on the monitor.
"Your wife's condition is very poor. Forcing out her fate-bound Golden Silkworm hex could kill her."
Norman stood behind the wheelchair.
His hand rested on Corinne's shoulder.
Not a flicker of hesitation.
"Save Corinne."
"Put her under. Full anesthesia."
He looked at me.
There was even a trace of pity in his eyes.
"Jill, just go to sleep. It'll be over before you know it."
"Don't worry. Even after you're gone, I'll take care of the Finley family."
Corinne gripped Norman's hand.
Her voice trembled.
"Norman, she'll hate me."
"She won't get the chance."
Norman closed his hand over hers.
"Once the Golden Silkworm hex is inside you, your cold venom will be cured for good. Then we can start over."
I stared up at the surgical light on the ceiling.
Blinding.
Cold.
Dr. Finch came over with a syringe.
The needle went into my vein.
Cold fluid pushed into my blood.
"Ten. Nine. Eight..."
Dr. Finch was counting down.
Norman turned away, no longer looking at me.
The corner of Corinne's mouth curled with satisfaction.
"Three. Two. One."
I closed my eyes.
My breathing evened out.
The machine gave off its steady beeping.
"The anesthesia's taken effect."
Dr. Finch said.
"Begin."
Norman's voice.
The sound of the scalpel parting skin.
Faint.
But perfectly clear.
Because I hadn't been anesthetized at all.
Three days ago, when I sensed something wrong with my body, I'd swallowed the last clarity pill Granny left me.
Ordinary anesthetic had no effect on me whatsoever.
Wide awake, I felt the blade slice open my belly.
Blood ran out.
Dr. Finch used a retractor to spread the wound.
"Found it."
There was a thread of excitement in his voice.
"Mr. Stephens, the Golden Silkworm hex is dormant."
Norman stepped closer.
"Take it out. Careful. Don't hurt the hex."
I lay on the table.
Feeling the forceps push into my body.
They touched that sleeping little golden thing.
That was my fate-bound hex.
Bound to my blood.
The instant the forceps closed on the Golden Silkworm hex,
I snapped my eyes open.
The surgical light reflected in my pupils.
I silently chanted a line of the highland tongue.
The spell to awaken the Golden Silkworm hex.
The hex, quiet a moment before, suddenly thrashed with violent force.
Golden light flickered through flesh and blood.
"What's happening!"
Dr. Finch cried out, the forceps slipping from his grip.
The Golden Silkworm hex tore free of my body.
It didn't fly toward Corinne the way they'd expected.
Instead it became a streak of gold, shooting straight at Norman, who stood closest.
And bit down on the back of his hand.
Norman screamed.
He flung his hand back hard.
The Golden Silkworm hex spun once in the air and dropped neatly back into my palm.
Corinne shrieked.
"Norman!"
Dr. Finch stumbled backward in terror, knocking over the tray beside him.
Scalpels and gauze scattered across the floor.
Norman clutched the back of his hand.
Black-purple venom spread fast around the wound.
He stared at me.
His eyes full of disbelief.
"What's going on? Why wasn't she under?"
