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Leaning back in her chair, she called over her shoulder, "Sophie, will you throw ht the down her tea

I picked up a cookie Peanut butter "That was a really iirl"

She leaned over so far her nose alht want to look to that"

I bit into the cookie and ignored her "Need a lass?"

"Yes" She abruptly put down her tea, went to the children’s section, dug around in a bin, and pulled out a book It was roughly the sanets, raph paper on the front "There’s supposed to be a plasticrat stole it Aha"

She gently ree the book, and held it above the picture I scooted ht the scent of vanilla and peppermint

"You’re sure he keeps the watch with him all the tiraving is detailed It looks really valuable"

I put down the cookie, dusted off nifier "May I?"

When she handed it over, I held the picture up to the light and studied the engraving

Infinity symbols

"It looks like duronium," I said

The duronium disc my parents had made for me when I turned sixteen was in my pocket, just like always I felt for it froraved on it Hope

"Aren’t the rings Michael and Em wear made of duronium?" Lily asked "Em said it’s so rare I’d never see it on a periodic table"

I handed the nifier back to her "It is rare, and really hard to coeneral public doesn’t know about it Neither does most of the scientific community"

She closed the book and put it on an empty chair "Why?"

"No one can explain its properties Not eventheether in my mind Jack had a duronium pocket watch, and he was able to hide in veils He’d used theuise himself when he first approached Emerson last summer Poe had a duronium knife He was able to pull Eain without any repercussions

"How did Jack end up with duronium if it’s so rare?" Lily asked

"No idea I’ve never looked at his pocket watch up close Jack and I avoided each other, kind of like never and always" I took htly in the palm of my hand "I don’t know if the pocket watch has always been duronium He could have replaced another piece that was silver"

The shop was crohen I ca to thin out Out of nowhere, I got the weird feeling that so me I looked around the shop, and then outside All I could see was aa newspaper He’d been there when I ca coffee in front of hi, and he lowered the paper

Blond hair Cold blue eyes Gratified smile Pocket watch in hand

Jack