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"I need you to pass on soet everyone out"

"Just say that? He’ll knohat that ed

"Is there a way out?"

"If there is, I’h Just tell him to leave no one behind"

"Okay"

They sat in silence for a ht the woman looked tired all of a sudden, like she needed to lie down and never get back up

"Is that it, then?"

The Seer nodded "You’ve been a trehed "It wasn’t so bad a leak," he said

"I ht about that"

The Seer trailed off and Cole waited in silence

"If we aren’t free," she finally said, "I think you’re right to pretend we are Maybe we have to delude ourselves and not feel bad for doing it Maybe that’s crucial for our sanity"

"Lying to ourselves?"

"And each other If not, if we admit that we aren’t free and in control of our own behavior, on’t hold ourselves responsible for our actions, and that will surely have an effect on the the at the moment

"That’s it," she whispered "That’s the answer"

She said it reverently and to herself, alether, interlocking They ca with a film of tears She looked down at the empty space of bed between herself and Cole He didn’t dare speak, didn’t dare interrupt whatever was happening