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This time, I find the button to pause the microcard Why would Grandfather choose a meh, his eyes brightening as he talked about his work, the way he loved ht us My father was, first and fore otherwise, I hope that is the way that he went into the night

"Why?" I ask softly "Why would Grandfather say that about Papa?"

"It seee, doesn’t it,"one, even though she hasn’t asked and I haven’t told

"Yes," I say

"That memory happened before I knew your father," my mother says "But he told ainst her chest She finds it hard to breathe without hi a little froave the poeive them to your father, too"

Now I cannot breathe "He did?" I whisper "Did Papa read theave them back He didn’t want them"

"Why?"

My mother shakes her head "He always told me that it was because he was happy in the Society He wanted everything to be safe He wanted what the Society could offer That was his choice"

"What did Grandfather do?" I ask I i it returned Parents are always giving things that are not taken Grandfather tried to give my father the poems and to tell hiive ued," randacy of rebellion attached to therandfather took too many risks Eventually, Grandfather accepted your father’s decision" She brings her hand down from her chest and breathes in ive the poeht," my mother says

"Why didn’t you stop him?"

"We didn’t want to take away your choices," my mother says

"But Grandfather never did tell ," I say

"I think he wanted you to find your oay," my mother says She smiles "In that way, he was a true rebel I think that’s why he chose that arguh he was upset when the fight happened, later he ca his own path, and he admired him for it"

I see why my father had to honor Grandfather’s last request--to destroy his saree with the choice It was his turn to give that back; to be the one to respect and honor a decision ift to me I remember what he said in his note: Cassia, I want you to know that I’ braver than I was

"That’s why the Rising didn’t make us iht our father eak They thought he was a traitor"

"Bram," I say

"I didn’t say I believe the"

I look at my mother Her eyes are closed "Please," she says "Play the rest"

I press the button on the datapod and the historian speaks again

"His favorite randson, Bram, was his first word," the historian says "It was ‘more’"

Braranddaughter, Cassia," the historian says, and I lean forward to listen, "was of the red garden day"

That’s all The datapod goes blank

My one," she says, her lips tre

"Yes," I say

"He died while you were still," Braone, and his voice sounds heavy and sad, weary with telling this terrible news

"I know," ood-bye"

"How?" Bram asks

"I don’t know," she says "But he did When I was still, I saw him He was there, and then he went away"

"I saw him dead, but not the way you saw him," Bram says "I found his body"

"Oh, Braony "No, no," she says, and she gathers my brother close "I’m sorry," she tells hihtly I draw in a ragged breath, the kind you take when the pain is too deep to cry, when you can’t cry because all you are is pain, and if you let so to e the fact of round

My?"

"Of course," I say