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On the cusp of dawn, Phury went to his bedroo orkout supplies, such as a towel, his iPod, and his water bottle and drug paraphernalia that included a spoon, a lighter, a syringe, a belt, and his stash of red smoke

He left his crib and headed down to the hall of statues, walking like he was all about healthy purpose He didn&039;t want to be too close to Bella and Z, so he chose one of the erand staircase Slipping in through the door, he almost went back out to pick another: The color of the walls was a dusty lavender, just like the roses Cor by outside in the hall made him stay put

He went into the bath, shut that door as well, and dilowed like a banked fire As the shutters came down for the day, he sat on the ot out the things he was going to use on himself

The reality of what he was about to do didn&039;t see deal

It was kind of like i yourself in cold water Once the shock was over, you got used to where you were

And he was encouraged by the quiet in his head Since he&039;d started down this road, the wizard hadn&039;t said a godda

Phury&039;s hands didn&039;t shake at all as he tapped out so-silver spoon and added a little water frohter, he struck up a flaht it under the mix

For no apparent reason, he noted that the silver spoon&039;s pattern was Gorham&039;s Lily of the Valley From the late nineteenth century

After the sauce had boiled, he put the spoon down on the e, and reached for his Her his left arold buckle, pulled the thing tight, and tucked the end under his arm so he could hold it in place

His veins popped at the crook of his elbow and he prodded them He chose the thickest one, then frowned

The shit in the needle&039;s belly was brown

For a moment, panic flickered Broas a bad color

He shook his head to clear it, then pierced his vein with the needle and drew up the plunger to make sure he was in properly When he saw a flash of red, he pushed his thuo loose

The effect was sohis arm fall lax, and the next he was viciously sick to his sto slow motion

This shit was definitely not red s, no polite knock on the door before the drug stepped into his brain This was an all-guns-blazing assault with a battering ram, and as he threw up, he reotten hat he&039;d wanted

Diround of his consciousness, he heard the wizard start laughing heard his addiction&039;s cackling satisfaction get rolling, even as the heroin took over the rest of hisup, he realized he&039;d been cheated Instead of killing the wizard, he was left only with the wasteland and its master

Good job, mate excellent job

Shit, those bones in the wasteland were the leftovers of the addicts the wizard had worded to death And Phury&039;s skull was front and center, the newest casualty But certainly not the last

"Of course," the Chosen Amalya said "Of course you may be sequestered if you are sure that is what you wish?"

Cormia nodded, then reminded herself that, as she was in the Sanctuary, she was back in the land of the bowing Lowering her upper body, she htened, she looked around the Directrix&039;s private quarters The two rooms were decorated in the tradition of the Chosen, which was to say that they had no decor at all Everything was simple, sparse, and white, with the only difference fro arrange was so white, Corht So white And the chairs they were both sitting on were stiff backed and without cushions

"I suppose this is ti sequestered scribe, Selena, stepped doith the advent of the Priin was pleased to have her relinquish the duty, given our change in circumstance No one, however, has cogest that I function as a pri scribe as well"

"That would be very generous of you It would free up the others for the Primale" There was a stretch of silence "Shall we proceed?"

When Cormia nodded and knelt on the floor, the Directrix lit so

When it was through, Cormia stood and walked over on the far side to an open expanse in the wall that she would have called a

Across the white expanse of the Sanctuary, she saw the Temple of the Sequestered Scribes It was annexed to the entry into the Scribe Virgin&039;s private quarters and had no s Inside its white confines, there would be no one else but herself Herself and licks of parch history of the race, hers to record as a viewer, not a participant

"I can&039;t do this," she said

"I&039;m sorry, what did you¡ª"

There was a knock on the jamb "Enter," Amayla called out

One of their sisters came in and bowed low "The Chosen Layla is readied froood" Amalya reached for an incense burner "Let us install her at his temple, and then I shall summon him"

"As you wish" While the Chosen bowed her head and backed out of the rooht the smile of anticipation on the female&039;s face

She probably hoped to be next in line for a trip to the temple

"Will you excuseerratically, an instru to retire to the Scribes&039; Temple"

"Of course" Abruptly, Arew shrewd "Are you sure about this, lorious day for all of us I&039;ll be sure to record it properly"

"I shall have meals delivered unto you"

"Yes Thank you"

"Cormia I am here for you should you need counsel In a private capacity"