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Nu Such an aed down by delusion It was a pity But then, after what he’d gone through, how could he not be scarred? Which now left her with a proble she’d learned? Because she’d learned a lot There was an unlicensed cult stockpiling weapons in Mazatlán, as well as a priestess with inforroups There was a servitor who believed he had supernatural creatures living in his ods interfering in ht already knohere his beliefs were…but did they realize the extent? Would they care? They would probably care that he wasn’t reporting dangerous factions

"What are you going to do?" asked Justin quietly, guessing her thoughts

"I don’t know"

"Horatio tells ht now"

"Who?"

"One of the ravens"

"That’s his naive it to hiht You can make or break me, Mae"

She pondered it for several ht now, no matter how, um, confused you are, I still think you’re the only one who can do it"

He turned to her and sot a lot of faith in me"

"Faith in your powers of observation and deduction I don’t know about the rest" Some of Callista’s words ca who’d chosen you? Did sheto theave the apple to I’ "Are you saying you don’t?"

"I’ht that have spared od who’s claimed me"

"You really believe there’s one?"

"I believe there’s so in ht "No Do not bring that up"

He sat up as well "Mae, nore what happened tonight Didn’t you feel it? During the fight? I could see it! There was so you on You’re one of the elect"

"Elect?"

"Soot one following you, and Callista’s right It’s a hell of a lotme or whatever you insane people want to believe," she exclaiht had been--terrifying and exhilarating to have that tre her invincible "You saw the implant in action, that’s all It has that effect in battle so and--"

"That wasn’t the implant And I’m pretty sure the i either I think that was your unwelcome patron Leo said you shouldn’t have been that iure out that faked video," she retorted "He’s not the genius you think"

Justin was surprisingly calm "Mae, I know you can feel it I’ve seen the fear in you afterward--and I’ve seen it This thing that wants you to serve it And ere in the Lady of the Book’s teod ods want to--"

"No more" Mae scooted off the bed and stood up She’d hoped he’d forgotten about the statue, but she should’ve known better Crazy or not, he didn’t forget anything "Justin, I’ to report you And I’ll accept without protest that you believe what you’ve seen is real But don’t dragyou can say that’s going to convince ht be soical But that’s for od I don’t believe in them I can’t I’ve seen too ly allow such things Please don’t bring this up again"

His dark eyes held her in deep thought, but she couldn’t read him At last, he sank back into the bed "Okay"

"Thank you And thank you for talking to lanced at the tio sleep "Get so trip tomorrow At least you can sleep on the plane"

He nodded, looking as though he ht fall asleep before she cleared the room His eyelids started to droop and then blinked open "Oh, hey Can you dowhatsoever to do with…any of this?"

"What is it?" she asked warily

"You think e get back hoet your uniform and come over to my place?"

Mae e "Why would I do that?"

"Tessa’s got a date today Er, to out with me in black while I meet hi to worry about"

A sickening feeling welled up in Mae "No Absolutely not"

"After everything else that’s happened, is it that big a deal?"

"It’s wasteful," she said,as much scorn as she could to hide her sadness over her ban fro on the uniforreatest military branch for your own ahed "You should be ashaood kid Nothing’s going to happen"

"I’m not worried about her Co to ith here?"