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"Salirunted "Of course You had doubts? Salienius" He mopped his broith a purple silk handkerchief "I aular, and singularly impressive, eyebrow atframe to stand behind me and play with my new hair Her eyes met mine in the mirror and she frowned
"Noe talk about you And Ryu"
I blanched, setting the mirror down in ive advice," she said "I’ve h mistakes for four hundred wo anyone how to live their life" She paused, thinking When she started speaking again, her voice was soft Hesitant As if she wasn’t sure how I’d react
"You keep saying that things with Ryu are complicated But I know you really like hiure shit out, especially after Jason and everything you’ve been through But I don’t want you to be afraid to take risks If it’s worth it… If the person in his eyes is the person you want to be, the person you know you could be… then don’t be scared That’s all" She tuggedas her confidence reasserted itself
I thought about what she said I kneas good advice, even if I didn’t know exactly what to ht in the cove, so o, when I’d made peace with Jason’s death But I also knew a body didn’t recover froht Grizzie was also spot on in calling me out on the fact that my constant reply to questions about Ryu was, "It’s complicated" I sounded like Facebook But our relationship was bloody coain on a thick lock ofabout what you said And it makes sense Thank you" I leanedup tome your secret I’ll keep it close"
"I know you will, hon And you’re welcome" She leaned down to kiss lad of Grizzie’s friendship and the trust she’d just shown in me She left her lips pressed to esture with a typical Grizzie gesture As she stood, she swiped her tongue overSalio so we can take you to the Sty and show off your new hair, you sassyas Grizzie pulled ave ods, since the prices on the chart behind him were ridiculous Then Griz and I headed out the door It was a beautiful night in Eastport: The sun had set an hour ago, but it still tinged the sky so that around us shone a swathe of sapphire blue I could hear the sea beckoning, and I prohed contentedly My farowingAll ith the world and, noith irl ask for?
CHAPTER EIGHT
After work the next day, I went to Nell’s to train, as usual Caleb and Daoud ith my dad Scheduled to leave to to fit in as many hands of poker as they could to try to recoup their losses, alongside their wounded pride
Despite, or maybe because of, the threat of Conleth, Nell and I had not stopped our daily s For that first week, while the threat had loo up my shields even lamours for the last few days Unfortunately, I’d discovered I sucked at creating them My brain just couldn’t e and then projecting that i in terical, laws, but I had no idea what the hell sheforward to training, but I was veryto the cabin I’d sucked down a coffee before leaving work, and I was seriously about to pee into have to open her house for rowing dusk of the evening, up the rocky driveway toward the main door of the cabin As I mounted the stairs, I noticed that the front door was open, although the screen door was shut Nell almost never left the doors open, so I didn’t try to enter, but walked around the wraparound porch to the back door, as usual Unusually, however, it was open as well
"Hello? Nell?" I called, placing a hand on the screen door’s handle but not pulling I could see the bathrooanything for granted
I peered around the die, man-shaped shadow upstairs on the wall of the open loft that was the cabin’s only bedroo my shields cautiously
"Nell? Are you there?" I called, suddenly nervous "Are you okay?"
"Easy, Jane It’svoice as the dark shadow melted down the loft’s stairs and toward the door
"Anyan" I grinned, relief flooding through ht, his red-tinged black coat as thick and shaggy as I rerin, tongue lolling