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A tre so fierce she wanted to weep and shout and cry out She looked up, straight up, and this ti blue vortex and beyond … oh, she could see beyond to a neorld of whitethe clouds, a beautiful world

Third Earth Sa increased She tried to fly upward, but the lake had its hold on her, a powerful grip, which she could not break no ed her, strengthened her She took their hands Together they foran to rise The hands dropped away She flew straight up, into the swirling blue vortex, faster and faster

"Not yet," a man’s voice cried out, an unfaer but you will be the instru that which must be broken In the fullness of ti open to the sight of another ceiling Oh, the ceiling in Havily’s spare roo re for Third Earth She had just arrived on Second How could she already be feeling such things, all over again, for a different dih her mind, in al in her dream

She squeezed her eyes shut and took deep breaths The dreauishable, had been in the dreah, toward the blue spinning vortex that led to Third Earth To break that which must be broken

Here she was headed to the Fe, even more forcefully, about Third Earth

Just what the hell was she supposed to do with that?

"Fuck off" Kerrick glared at Jean-Pierre Six days in the hospital had worn on his nerves and now his brother lounged in one of the chairs, his words designed to tored "But if you do not want her, Kerrick"--his name sounded like Karreek--"I wish to court her She’s lovely and s idiot and there’s no way in hell I’ll let you near her

He looked away from Jean-Pierre "Why the fuck are you here?"

"To open your eyes, you ain … sheet But the women loved his accent Would Alison?

He shuddered He threw back the light covers then flipped his legs over the side of the hospital bed He ached over his abdoet the hell out of bed and out of this sterile environh speed to keep Jean-Pierre fro blind, folded on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt

He stood up, but staggered

Jean-Pierre caught his arm Kerrick shook it off "So you came here to busthis voice over the English words, "to talk sense into that fat head of yours, s to you, you must see that She is your breh and she carries your child Don’t be so fucking stupid" Stoopeed "Très stupide Idiot You love her, non?"

"Yes" Like rain to earth

"But she will find sohter, yes?"

"Again, fuck off, Jean-Pierre You think I haven’t had these thoughts?"

"I think you have not accepted your death, or hers We all die, even in these ascended worlds You have a chance to be happy You should take it"

Kerrick turned toward him "So why the fuck haven’t you taken a wife, O wise French asshole?"

He shrugged "I love all women I could never love just one I ah that finished the discussion

"You’re so full of shit You just wait, JP She’ll co and then you’ll discover for yourself exactly what kind of hell this is and why you won’t be able to be with her"

He braced his feet apart and started to walk He pushed the door to his room open and ventured into the hall The er he felt A squadron of nurses ca the whole tiet out of the hospital

Jean-Pierre caught up with the gaggle of women in scrubs and before he knew it, the Gallic warrior had enthralled theht in this moment hate JP, but his brother still had his back

He left by the front sliders and located his phone, then brought it without a thought into his hand He called Central "Hey, Jeannie"