A chill went through him. Ford shivered, but that did nothing to dislodge it. He believed Cash. Not in the same way that he had been the rest of this conversation, where he decided reality was less important than Cash's perception of things or believing because disbelief did not seem productive. He believed Cash because this seemed terrifyingly possible: people who didn't understand peddling cures. Trying to fix it, to make them normal.
Ford had worried about this. The night he'd followed Ida Chang around like a puppy for an entire party... something had happened to him to cause that, something unusual. It had followed too closely on the heels of Noble discovering his letters for the idea not to have crossed his mind. Noble was a talented potioneer, with unfettered access to everything Ford ate and drank. It would not have been difficult for Noble to try to fix him. Ford had put the idea out of his mind not because he'd decided it was unreasonable, but rather because he had to pretend it was in order to go on. He couldn't keep on in a world where he couldn't trust Noble — but has things gone differently...
Ford reached out and put his hand on Cash's sock-clad foot, and held on. He didn't know what to say, but he thought he ought to remind Cash that he was there.
Ford had worried about this. The night he'd followed Ida Chang around like a puppy for an entire party... something had happened to him to cause that, something unusual. It had followed too closely on the heels of Noble discovering his letters for the idea not to have crossed his mind. Noble was a talented potioneer, with unfettered access to everything Ford ate and drank. It would not have been difficult for Noble to try to fix him. Ford had put the idea out of his mind not because he'd decided it was unreasonable, but rather because he had to pretend it was in order to go on. He couldn't keep on in a world where he couldn't trust Noble — but has things gone differently...
Ford reached out and put his hand on Cash's sock-clad foot, and held on. He didn't know what to say, but he thought he ought to remind Cash that he was there.