“Long enough,” he says, then takes the bowl and hobbles back over to the counter.
“What’s the blood for?” asks Nolan.
“When a mother carries a child,” says the Seer, “a hint of the child’s blood mingles with the mother’s. The blood itself holds the code to the child’s sex. One only has to know what to mix with the blood.”
He hums to himself, finding a vial full of liquid no different from the color of my blood.
“If the blood contains the code for the child’s sex, would it not contain the code for the mother’s also?” asks Nolan.
“Clever thinking,” says the Seer. “But depending on what we see here, I’ll still be able to tell. If the blood reacts with my mixture, if it turns to a different color, we’ll know the child is a boy,” he says. “If there’s no change, then the blood has the same code as the mother’s.”
“I see,” I say, understanding.
The Seer nods and pours the mixture into the bowl.
“Best for the two of you not to watch,” he says. “Makes the reaction take longer.”
“That doesn’t seem very scientific,” says Nolan.
“Yes, well, I’m not a scientist, am I? I’m a Seer,” says the old man.
Nolan grumbles something. I flex the fingers of my left hand, feeling the pulsing ache at my palm.
“It’s okay. I don’t want to look anyway,” I tell Nolan.
Nolan nods, but then pauses, his gaze transfixed on the Seer. “How do we know you won’t lie to us?”
The Seer looks at Nolan as if he’s stupid. “Other than simply being cruel, what incentive would I have to do that?”
Nolan and I glance at each other.
“We’ve been deceived before,” I explain. “I had an apothecary swindle me. Peddle me what she insisted was a contraceptive.”
The Seer glances at our hands, finding the wedding bands. Where I expect him to look confused, he simply appears all the more curious.
“It’s uncommon,” he says, “for the married to wish to prevent a child, especially at first. Though I do sometimes service married women with too many mouths to feed. But the two of you…” he says, looking at both of us. “Well, you look fairly well fed, don’t you?”
“Is that a question?” asks Nolan.
“Just making conversation,” says the old man. But he continues, “If you’ve been swindled in the past, then I can understand your skepticism. So why don’t you look for yourself?”
He tips the bowl over. Nolan, still standing, sees the contents first. His face stills.
“What is it?” I ask, though I get the feeling I already know.
The Seer tips the bowl over toward me. Inside is a swirling golden liquid that doesn’t look like blood at all.
“Congratulations, young lady,” he says. “You’re bearing your husband an heir.”
CHAPTER 32
We barely make it down the street from the Seer’s house before I collapse. My knees hit the ground, pain reverberating through my joints. But I welcome it. I deserve it, after all.
Strong arms catch me before my entire body goes entirely limp, before my face can hit the cold earth.
“Darling,” says Nolan, though there’s nothing else to say as he sweeps me into his arms and pulls me into his chest.
“I’m just like them,” I croak into his shoulder.
