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I hadn’t been anything less with Arthur

I pressed my hand to my stomach In a past life, I’d suffered that blow Was that what awaited ht’s drea since before the Flash" The one who’d used sea plants to destroy whole galleons and spores toback farther, farther," Matthew said "Two games before You were the May Queen then Red witch was Phyta You are Poison Princess You are all of them: Lady Lotus, Mistress of Flora, Queen of Thorns"

He’d told ht they’d referred to individual Eame? I’ve already hit my limit with dreams--with memories--of the red witch" Or Phyta, or whoever

"This Death first met you then"

"You mean Death in this reincarnation?" His present life had started thousands of years ago I ht have come back as three different Empresses since then, but he’d siame "Okay, fine, so you wantthis inforive ames’ worth Your mind resists Drea to keep up physically--and topic-wise "So I have all the ames, I just have to dreaave ent look "Then you’d be like me Crazy You are Death’s weakness"

"So you keep telling me Does he happen to knoeaknesses?"

"As well as his face in the mirror Pay attention to your dreams I’m in his pocket, so he’s in my eyes"

It wasn’t the first time Matthew had told me that, but I hadn’t understood hih Matthew’s eyes, so he always kneas happening with h I didn’t understand how, Death could drop in onthis ’s harried climb:

--You deserve every second of this misery and fear, creature--

And you knohere you can shove your scythe

It was one thing to have the others broadcasting in there, or to have silent conversations with Matthew But Death poking around unnerved the hell out of h the switchboard"

Recalling Selena’s co frequencies, I asked, "Do you consider our calls and thoughts frequencies?" I’d termed it Arcana Radio Maybe it was really Arcana Switchboard With a nervous laugh, I said, "You’re not the switchboard operator, are you?"

As if talking to a child, he said, "I’h me The switchboard operator The Fool is the Gamekeeper"

I sputtered, "But you told me that you weren’t" I trailed off He hadn’t actually denied it, had he? "So that’s one of your abilities?" No wonder he was so often confused

"Responsibility"

"You need to disconnect this circuit, Matthew!" I’d thoughtwas simply one of Death’s powers Then I recalled the Reaper once telling me, "Matto remembers his debts He’ll show you to me"

"Inside voices are important," Matthew insisted

"Why would you allow him in o, he said so "Do you let hihts?"

"Death only wants yours Death possessing Life I’ht You connect the Arcana calls You let Death communicate with us all And you allow him access to my brain alone--because of some debt?"

Matthew offered me a charred pinecone

Patience! "You do understand that Death will always knoe’re planning"

"Doesn’t care about e plan No more than you would care what cannibal ants in hs at our plans"

"I don’t want a killer like hi down at me with an expression that sees for reasons"

Gaze darting, I said, "I’ve got to tell the others This is a huge weakness! I can’t forainst an enemy when he knows all our moves in advance"

"You feel his presence Learn when he’s hoaze Learn his"

"I can learn to tell when he’s snooping?" When Matthew had showedJoules and his friends, the Reaper had sensed us And didn’t I perceive a heaviness whenever he was about? "Until then, how do I know Death won’t try to prevent ht confirm she was even alive

"Bores Death He doesn’t believe in her as you do"

"Can you please tell me if she’s safe?"

"Define safe," Matthew said with a look at his hand Subject done

She had to be alive I had to believe Matthew cared about oose chase

"Why does Death have such an interest in

"You know, but you’re not telling me"

Smile "Crazy like a fox!"

"Matthew, coht I jerked around but saw nothing A cla watched?"

He blinked at er?"