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"Why? Are we late for the carriage?"

"We will be" I slipped a vial into her hand and guided it, uncorked, to her lips

She chugged it agreeably and blinked at le "Sleeping off too many daimon drinks, I suppose"

But Cherie knew me too well Her eyes went to slits "What did you do, De of Criht have used it on her after she went to sleep And I e tickets fro for another day, at least, because I ht have used ed papers in one hand and a sack of coins in the other and waggleddown at our insensate chaperone with her usual concern "Oh, dear Aztarte You are a horrible person and a bad influence, and Criht here and wait until she wakes up and pretend like nothing ever happened, because I really don’t want Criminy to kill us"

"Cri to find us" I smiled and patted her shoulder "At least, not until we’re the most celebrated act in the cabarets of Mort to university I a to Paris And I’ to the cabarets Did you even listen to Caprice yesterday? It’s dangerous Even for us"

"And it’s the only way to be a star"

"I Don’t Want To Be A Star" She punctuated each ith a little slap on top ofelse but to be a star Besides, you’re going to live to be three hundred You’ve got plenty of time to make youthful errors You can always use your o to university later, after you sow your wild oats"

Cherie sat down and put her head in her hands

"What are oats, and why should I sew the Honestly, Demi, I feel like a mother with an out-of-control child You won’t listen to anyone Not me, not Mademoiselle Caprice, not even Criminy and Letitia Why can’t you just be happy hat you have?"

I stared into her cloudy gray eyes, begging her to understand, as pink-tinged tears spilled down my cheeks unbidden and unwanted "Because I’ry Why are you so ready to be complacent? Why don’t you want ers together "I don’t kno to get through to you You’re my best friend, and you’ll never be happy until you’ve destroyed us both"

I shook my head "It’s not destruction It’s reinvention Trust est adventure of our lives We just have to reach out and take it"

She sighed deeply and reached to pull the coverlet over Madeive up, will you?" she asked quietly "No et what I want"

"So my only choices are to join you on this mad caper to Paris or stay here alone and explain to Madeo?"

"Pretty much"

She took two more vials from the train case and twined her arm around mine We uncorked the vials and sipped them at the same time, a Bludman’s pinkie promise Her eyes were sad and rueful, ain, I’ll give in to you"

"It’s going to be a, Cherie I promise"

She tossed her e to kill you ht"

We slipped out the door with nothing but the train case of blood vials, our papers, and a pocket full of dreams