Page 10 of Bought By the Revenant
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “She chose me out of desperation. Once she feels safe, once she realizes she doesn’t need my protection anymore, she’ll be repulsed by me, just like everyoneelse. I’ve seen that look of horror thousands of times, Tomas. Even from my own kind.”
“Forgive me, Master, but I don’t believe that’s true.”
I turn to look at him, surprised that he’s contradicting me.
“I’ve observed the way she looks at you,” he continues, his eyes downcast. “It isn’t disgust I see, but curiosity.”
“Are you certain?” The question comes out more desperate than I wanted.
“I am. I’ve served in houses where masters were truly feared and loathed. I know the difference between a fearful glance and a curious one.” He pauses. “She watches you when you aren’t looking.”
A small, fragile feeling stirs in my chest. I crush it immediately. Hope is too dangerous.
“You’ve served me for thirty years, Tomas,” I say instead. “Yet I realize I know almost nothing about you. Your stoop… how did it happen?”
The question surprises him. He sets down the cloth he was using to polish my instruments.
“An accident when I was a boy. I worked in a noble’s stable. A frightened horse kicked me, breaking my spine. The local healer did what she could, but...” He gestures to his bent form. “I was fortunate to survive, but I could no longer do the heavy work required of a stable boy.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I should have asked long ago.”
Tomas shakes his head. “You didn’t ask because you didn’t wish to make me uncomfortable by drawing attention to it. I’ve always appreciated that about you, Master. You, of all people, understand what it’s like to be judged by appearance.”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“After my injury, no one would hire me. They saw only the stoop, not the person. They assumed I was simple-minded or incapable.” A small smile crosses his face. “Then I heard arevenant was seeking servants. A frightening one, they said, with mismatched parts and glowing eyes. Everyone was too afraid to apply, but I had nothing to lose.”
I remember the day Tomas came to my door. How tall he looked despite his stoop, how direct his gaze was when everyone else couldn’t stand to look at me. He was young, too.
“You never flinched,” I say. “Not once.”
“I had been judged too many times myself to judge another. And I found that what others feared in you was… shallow.”
We stand in silence for a moment. We’re so much alike, and it doesn’t matter that he’s human and I’m not, that he’s my servant and I’m his master.
“We see what we expect to see,” Tomas says finally. “Perhaps it’s time you expected something different.”
I nod, though I’m not sure I fully understand his meaning. What I know is that I feel better now that we’ve talked. He has a calm way about him.
I move to my desk and pull out a small pouch of coins.
“Go to the market tomorrow,” I tell him, handing it to him. “Buy garden tools for Amity. The finest you can find. And seeds… every variety they have. Don’t worry about the cost.”
Tomas bows slightly. “Any specific types of seeds, Master?”
“All of them,” I say. “Buy her the entire market if you can. Anything a midwife might find useful for her work.”
“Very good, Master.”
After he leaves, I stay in my workshop thinking about what he said. Curiosity, not disgust. It seems impossible, but Tomas has never lied to me. Eventually, I leave my sanctuary and make my way toward the kitchen. As I get closer, I hear voices. Nell’s measured tones, Fria’s youthful excitement, and cutting through them both, Amity’s animated speech.
“—if you have cinnamon, I could make a spiced bread my mother taught me,” she’s saying. “Do you think there’s any in the pantry?”
“Master keeps the house well-stocked,” Nell replies. “I’m certain we have it somewhere.”
“And honey? I’ll need honey for the glaze.”
“There’s a jar from last summer,” Fria chimes in. “I’ll fetch it.”
