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I closed my eyes Listen to my body, he said Which inant but that the child was his

So he’d saved as rare and precious in his world Not me Never me

"Damn it, Risa, that’s not--"

"Isn’t it?" I cut in and scrubbed a hand across suddenly aching eyes I wouldn’t cry I wouldn’t "I listened to my heart, Azriel I let you in And you repaid that trust by taking away everything from me--"

"I haven’t--"

"You took my future, Azriel! When I die, I won’t ain "How can you stand there and say you haven’t taken everything away?"

He didn’t say anything Didn’t deny anything

I closed ainst the pane "I can’t do this anymore, Azriel"

"Do what?"

Just for a moment, I swear there was fear in his voice But that had to be iination Reapers didn’t do fear Didn’t do emotions Not the way I wanted emotions, anyway

"You Me I can’t do it I don’t want you nearme around any around, er "I don’t care what is or isn’t possible I just want you out of my life!"

He stared at me for several"If you take this step, if you force o, I may not be allowed to come back"

"And I should be sad about that?" I spit out "Besides, it’s not like you won’t knohat’s going on Not with the chi link--"

"That link was cut when you stepped onto death’s plane"