“She may be shy, but when she speaks, she always makes the most sense,” said Edwin.

*

Master White opened up the inner mechanics of the great winged lion. She scanned the wires and connections. Everything looked intact apart from the missing qwortzite. All the instruments she needed had been laid out neatly beside her. She checked the diagrams again.

Edwin waited quietly on the table. Prue glanced over at him. “Are you certain about this?”

“If you ask me again, I just might bite you in two when I’m a lion.”

She laughed, but it was a nervous laugh.

“Think of your parents, Prue,” he said. “There’s a personifate out there, outside Medlock, terrorizing people. What will that mean for personifates, if that’s how the outside world will come to understand who we are? I need to stop him.”

She nodded. “But what if…”

Edwin shook his head. “No what ifs. What ifs are going to get in the way.”

“If you could please lay on your side,” said Master White.

Edwin lay down.

“I’m opening the mechanical seam.” She carefully parted the fur and found the join. She proceeded to set up the wires she needed. Soon she said, “When I remove these connectors, you won’t be able to talk any more.”

She carefully undid all the connectors and then it was as though the lights suddenly went from Edwin’s eyes.

Prue was utterly motionless as she watched Master White, her stomach muscles clenched tight.

Inside Edwin’s stoat machine, the qwortzite glowed iridescent with every colour imaginable and something that seemed to go beyond into another spectrum, lustrous and shimmering. It was still the most beautiful thing Prue had ever seen.

As though handling a delicate snowflake made of the finest glass, Master White removed the qwortzite.

Edwin’s limbs were limp, the stoat body just a piece of machinery. Prue bit hard on her lip as Master White carried the qwortzite in the palm of her hands. “It needs the warmth of life to transition.”

The winged lion was ready.

“Frances,” she glanced up, “or should I say, Prue, can you hand me the micro solder, please, and Agapantha find a mirror just in case he…”

“What?” said Prue, passing her the micro solder.

“In case he loses his second-life memories and imprints again. Agapantha, hold the mirror to its face ready.”

Prue and Agapantha exchanged a panicked look.

With a quick fizz of light, Master White connected the first one. She worked deftly, without speaking a word until they were all bridged. She began adjusting the next set of connectors, then carefully she closed the seal and smoothed the fur down. Finally, she stood back. “I’m done.”

They stood watching the great animal. Nothing moved. There was no sign of life. Prue felt the swell of tears in the corner of her eyes.

“Give it a moment,” said Master White.

“Look!” said Agapantha, pointing to the lion’s eyes.