cinnamon.
The chimeraâs keening stopped though his shoulders still heaved. He pushed himself to stand, briefly stretching and testing his new legs, then squatted.
Rivka rubbed his long, tapered ears. âSee, not everything Broderick does is bad.â
The magic dissipated, the circle cooling in an instant. Tatiana lingered at a distance, her expression worried. She was obviously building up her courage again.
Rivka looked between Tatiana and Lump. âYou know what? Iâll take the risk. If he lets anyone on, itâll be me.â
She flung her upper body over his back. It was wide enough that she balanced there, stiff like a plank. She hooked an arm around the far nub for a wing and dragged herself to straddle him. Her skirt hitched up and uncomfortably swaddled her thighs, exposing her petticoat and the lace of bloomers beneath.
âItâs just me, Lump. Iâm riding you. Itâs okay.â He quivered, and she kept rubbing circles into his neck. Her heart thrummed like a revved engine. Sheâd never even been on a horse, and here she was, atop a behemoth chimera. A designer monster.
Lumpâs quivering stopped, and he suddenly stood erect. Rivka gripped the wing nubs as she surged upward. His body shifted from side to side as he tested the joints of his new legs.
âTatiana, your turn.â Rivka pressed down on Lumpâs neck. âDown,â she said to him, and he lowered to squat again. He learned incredibly fast. She slid over his side to the ground and tugged her dress to proper length.
Tatiana looked terrified yet resolute. âWell, you survived. That bodes well.â
Rivka snorted. âYeah. If Iâm going to kill myself in a stupid way, itâll probably involve machinery going amok.â
She shushed and soothed Lump as Tatiana took her turn. Unlike Rivka, Tatiana had ridden on horsesâÂsome family friendâs estate outside of Mercia, she saidâÂand made a point of showing how to properly sit. Straight spine, relaxed seat, knees lined up just so. It also helped that her skirt was looser. Rivka let her nervously prattle on as she walked around to get a proper look at the mechanical additions.
Mr. Cody was right. This was highly relevant to her interests. She ran her hands over the smooth lines of exposed copper and brass. The soldering was almost invisible. The constructed femurs were a good ten inches across, made to support a heavy bulk. The big, clawed feet could squash a person like a bug. The knees were ball-Âin-Âsocket and about the size of her head. Sheâd made repairs on similar limbs for automaton beasts back in Mercia.
Rivka sucked in a breath. She could replicate Lumpâs limbs on a smaller scale.
Itâd take practice, some example schematics, and time to scrape up money for crystals to power each mechanism, but she could make it happen.
âI thought I was entertaining a silly whim by letting you stay. I didnât think you were fool enough to actually go near the thing.â
Mr. Codyâs booming voice caused Rivka to spin around. He stood in the entrance, a cadre of engineers behind him. Mr. Cody looked furious, while the other menâs expressions ranged from horror to awe. Lump stiffened at Mr. Codyâs words. A low growl emanated from his throat.
âMr. Cody, sirâÂâ started Broderick.
âShut up,â Mr. Cody snapped. âYou should know very well that the chimera shouldnât even be on its feet at this point, and youâre lucky thatâÂâ
âMr. Cody, Iâm the medician.â Broderickâs voice was level. âI listened to the chimeraâs song. Heâs able to cope with the pain for now, and I donât believe them to be in harmâs way.â
Mr. Cody stared at Broderick as if miniature airships had begun to fly from his mouth.
âLump has bonded with us. Heâs not going to attack us,â said Rivka. Though the