lmao what the fuck was Cytherea’s angle with the Avulsion trial. she asked the Ninth to help her with it and I could believe her wanting to see Gideon (or Harrow) specifically in action or whatever, as a test. she saw Gideon’s singular gold eyes (and made the John connection) and she was a lyctor, so i’m 100% sure she knew that Harrow was 200 dead children. god she must have thought the Ninth was so fucking fascinating. i want to put her under a microscope.

except!!!!!! she genuinely did ask Palamades if he would help her. she asked him first. he references it, when he’s talking about the number of keys that are left, saying the Ninth had won two keys, but now only had one, “per the agreement [Dulcinea] offered me first” (GtN, p. 309). she didnt know Palamedes!! the real Dulcie gave her no useful information about the Sixth. she didnt know he would refuse. siphoning was “taboo” but like, necros are into freaky shit. again, she didnt know he would refuse.

so like. did Cytherea just do it for shits and giggles? was she like “dang mercymorn, absolutely killer trial you came up with *bats eyelashes*, it would be very funny to watch these babies try it and then die :)”