Fascinating. Sentient to a degree? She may have to borrow it from him later, when they aren't busy just trying to survive until morning. She'd love to study it further, especially if he's right. Magic isn't her strongest subject, except as it pertains to ancient beliefs, so in this, she has to trust his assessment is better informed than her own.

"It probably would."

River's been a pawn - trained, conditioned, used - forced to do someone else's bidding, fight a battle that wasn't her own. She doesn't care to go through it again, and she wouldn't want anyone else put through it either.

"And if I were dead already?"