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The rip … absorbed Hallie

It couldn’t have lasted for more than fifteen seconds, but it felt like an hour I kneas looking at Hallie, because her clothes didn’t change At first, I wondered if it were a trans to mess with ed themselves

A broad forehead and s Thin lips forer distorted the expression, but it quickly turned to horror, and then the skin began to turn blue

I was reaching out for her when Hallie’s facial features became more prominent, and she and the rip separated She spun around, and almost as if she shoved hi in the air It zipped shut behind hiround We were still in the courtyard of Lafitte’s After a quick check of the s to search for peering eyes, I scooped her up inback into Lafitte’s wasn’t an option

"Cab," she said groggily, pushing herself out of ed down a cab and helped her in, giving the driver the address to her house I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her toout He’d seen her I’m sure he wouldn’t blame me

"Are you okay?" I whispered into the hair above her ear "Is there anything I can do?"

She hung on to the front of my shirt and tilted her chin to look up "No But thanks for catching me"

"What did you see?"

"You first What did you see?"

Her jaw had gone slack, her eyes blank, and her li out at the dark like you could see so out in it"

Hallie nodded and then shivered "I could"

"Your face … it was like you lost yourself for a minute" I didn’t want to tell her how uy separated"

"I did" A deep wrinkle formed between her brows

"Then the veil went dark" Or sewed itself shut I didn’t want to say it, because it sounded too crazy, and ere running high on crazy already

She nestled into hter "I becas, and another ain, and I … pushed"

"Has anything like that ever happened to you before?"

"No" I heard fear in her voice I’d known her for a week, and I was certain Hallie Girard didn’t do fear "You’re the expert Can you explain it?" she asked

"I don’t know the answer" A primal drive kicked in when I looked into her eyes "But I will"

"I believe you"

We reached her house I paid the driver and helped her out of her seat She held on to my arm, just until the cab drove off, and then she pulled away, pro the sidewalk on her knees

"Da several more curse words

Hallie prized her independence and I wanted to give it to her, but she was in obvious pain I dropped to a squat beside her, resting my elbows onyou I can help you get to your house, or at the very least, I can walk behind you Whatever you want"