Page 323 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

Gritting his teeth, he gives a sharp nod and forces himself to be still.

Mimi holds out her arm. The medic ties the tourniquet and cleans the inside of her elbow. Jules offers to cover her eyes, but she refuses.

‘I wanna see,’ she says happily.

The needle goes in.

Mimi cocks her head, unbothered by the pain and oddly fascinated. She watches the dark red thread travel through the clear line with open interest.

Then she begins to sing.

‘Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream…’

Nobody interrupts her.

‘Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily…’

The line is directed into the bag.

Mimi keeps singing. She watches every drop with bright, untroubled eyes, kicking her feet lightly against Jules’ leg to keep time. She’s chatting happily to Mari about all the good things her blood will do.

Penhalyx’s propaganda from her lips is sickening.

Then the physician reaches the prescribed measure and clamps the line.

‘Finished.’

‘Is it enough?’ Mimi asks. ‘Does he need more?’

The medics glance at one another before removing the needle and covering the puncture with a small white dressing.

Jules has an identical one on his arm.

‘No, you’re all done. Excellent job.’

The silver case closes over their blood.

Julian slips away.

They never talk now. They rarely look. Lachlan won’t let them touch.

Lachlan carries Mimi to the kitchen himself, holds her close. It’s not for her. She seems absolutely fine, chatting away happily about her first successful mission. It’s for him. His trauma at seeing them take his daughter’s blood to use for fuck only knows what.

In the kitchen, they get ice cream.

She chooses strawberry, chocolate and pistachio.

‘Daddy, you have some?’

He has a spoonful because he loves her.

‘You feeling OK, princess?’

‘It didn’t hurt. Why are you sad?’

‘I didn’t like it.’

‘I use’ta share with Jewel.’