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I let out a bitter laugh Maybe I wasn’t angry so much as I was jealous Because if I never saw another Reaper again, it would be too soon But there was nothing I could about that - or anything else

Nothing at all

So I slid the photo of ed the silver to h it would soothe the hollow ache inside h the s any more than it already had

It didn’t, of course, but at least I felt that I could breathe again and that the walls weren’t closing in onthe photo of us, for a while longer

Chapter 3

I ht before the ten o’clock curfew, but I didn’t sleep ht Every time I started to drift off, I would jerk awake, worried that I’d have another night to sleep, wrapped myself in my comforter, curled up in the paddedseat, and stared out into the dark of the night That way if Vivian and the rest of the Reapers attacked, at least I’d see the

But no Reapers appeared, the sun came up, the way it always did, and I had to face another day

Weapons training withclasses Lunch with Oliver and Alexei Afternoon classes A quick visit off-caht up until it was tio work my shift at the Library of Antiquities

Nor throughsome sinfully sweet treat that Grandht noas in another dor, and the curtains were all pink I shifted on the bed, wrinkling the coht streah the lace curtains slanted across the bookcase in the corner, highlighting the volumes there Even her ed that?

I didn’t consideraround so htmares already, I certainly would now No doubt the next ti a pink leather jacket I snorted at the thought

A pair of fingers snapped in front of my face, followed by a shower of princess pink sparks I jerked away froic and looked up to find Daphne Cruz standing in front ofout a quick rhyth attention tofor you to try on the next dress"

Daphne’s black eyes narrowed, and ertips Like all Valkyries, Daphne always gave off ravated, in this case, by me and my complete lack of fashion sense

She’d askeddate that she had planned for next weekend with her boyfriend, band geek Carson Callahan I’d been sitting on Daphne’s bed for the last hour, watching her try on dresses, sweaters, and the occasional pair of pink designer jeans, all withpurses, jewelry, and other accessories

"Well?" she demanded "What do you think of this one?"

She twirled around, causing her blond hair to dance around her shoulders and the short skirt on her pink dress to swirl out around her legs The rich color of the fabricfor some of Grandma Frost’s homemade strawberry ice cream

"Umit’s very pink?"

Daphne rolled her eyes "Of course, it’s pink Is there any other color? But do you like this pink dress better than the raspberry one I tried on a o? Or what about the cotton candy skirt I showed you before that? I think I have a bubblegum sweater in my closet somewhere too"

Daphne stalked over to her closet and started grabbing eventhereat Valkyrie strength, the gar on the bookcase, the TV, and even on the computer monitors, servers, and hard drives on her desk that she loved to tinker with in her spare ti hit in the face by a baby pink turtleneck Desperate, I glanced at Vic for help, since I’d propped him up on the bed when I’d first come into the roo softly Vic wasn’t into fashion anytoo, and the wolf pup was crouched down on the floor on the far side of the roo ready to pounce on a stuffed Hello Kitty that was propped up against the bottom of one of the bookcases Even the plush toy had on a pink dress

"There it is!" Daphne said, stepping away from the closet, a pale cashmere sweater in her hands "What do you think about this?"

She held the sweater up over the dress she earing, and the color made her amber skin seem even lovelier than usual

"I like it," I said "It’s verypink"

I winced again, but Daphne beamed atit up to her chest again and ad her reflection in the mirror over her vanity table "I don’t knohy I didn’t think of it before Thanks, Gwen"

"Sure No problem"

"And I’m sure it will be just perfect for the restaurant where Carson is taking me"

"Yeah Perfect"

Daphne must have picked up on my less-than-enthusiastic voice because she abruptly spun back around to faceabout Carson and soan"

Her voice trailed off, and this tione," I finished