Word Magic
- After all of the revelations about her stepmother and the lies she told her, Briony is working on rewiring her memory and her sense of self. She tries to remind herself often that she is not wicked, and to say nice things to herself. This all would be easier, she thinks, if Eldric would tell her he loves her again, but he's been distant since she's come home.
- Briony has been very ill since her time in jail and is still recovering.
- Together, Briony and Eldric work on making one of his tiny fidgets—Briony worries about Eldric's feelings about himself since losing his hand.
- They need Rose's help choosing a color to paint the fidget, and argue over who will go get her. Eldric ultimately goes, concerned about Briony needing rest.
- Briony thinks about a time when the Swampfolk used to go outside to the fields looking for a green mist that signals spring.
- Rose comes with Eldric, says Briony's been ill too much, and picks the right color for the motorcar.
- Briony thinks about wanting Eldric to care for her while she is sick. Instead her father has been—he was very upset after discovering that he left his daughters to be fed on by a Dark Muse.
- Briony falls asleep wishing Eldric would tell her loving things to help her rebuild her sense of self.
- When she awakes, Briony sees that Eldric is having trouble painting the fidget, so she helps.
- Rose has left, presumably to visit Robert.
- Eldric and Briony call Tiddy Rex to the porch when he runs by to give him the tiny motorcar and initiate him into the Fearsome Four. Are we to understand that their fraternity has grown?
- After dinner, Briony sneaks out hoping to see the green mist.
- Briony remembers figuring out Stepmother's true identity as a Dark Muse—she did so by writing a story about it, just the way she did with Eldric.
- The Old Ones in the swamp welcome Briony back and ask her to write them stories. She promises to return and write more stories when she is better.
- When Briony discovers that there is no green mist yet, she sits down to rest. Eldric comes by motorcar to find her as he always does, and she mentions that she doesn't feel she knows him anymore. Eldric tells her that she does know him very well, and they begin to talk about his missing hand and whether or not either of them misses it.
- The conversation turns to Eldric's feelings that Briony no longer cares for him now that he doesn't have a hand—he says he feels emasculated and then physically overpowers Briony while talking about undoing a girl's buttons and lace. What happened to the polite Eldric from before?
- Just as confused as we are with this new aggressive Eldric, and thinking back to her horrible experience with Cecil, Briony fights back and then looks away from him in fear.
- Suddenly coming to his senses, Eldric puts his face in his hand to cry. When he lets her go, Briony walks away. He calls to her and chases after her—Briony tells him not to touch her, and makes a comment about him coming to rape and pillage, but he insists he came to show her something. She agrees he can show her if he leaves her alone after.
- He gives her a gold and pearl fidget and tells her he came to tell her he loves her—but sometimes he feels like she doesn't like him anymore because of his hand. Briony says she doesn't care about his hand, they say some flirtatious things about Blackberry Night, and then she tells him all the reasons why she loves him.
- When she points out that he just acted like Cecil on Blackberry Night, he begins to cry again; then he opens his arms to hug her and she accepts as he sobs.
- Eldric slips the fidget onto her finger—it's a ring. He tells her that is made of moonstones and diamonds.
- He holds her and tells her he doesn't want another girl; he says they will make new memory paths for her together.
- As he leads her to the motorcar, he says again that he loves her—and Briony finally believes that she is lovable.