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Mo about "Hoould affect me," she said "I don’t love any Once, I know, I used to take pleasure in my appearance, in my home Now I don’t even knohat that would mean And I used to have favorite foods, too These days I only rery, and even then--what’s the point?" Mom shook her head "Sometimes I try to recall what it was like to feel love To have that kind of joy in other people, in food or friends, or even in just existing But I can’t even re that "

Their eyes met Nadia knew she must look stricken; Mom only looked annoyed She couldn’t even understand what this hter Not even that was left

Finally her ave all that up forever to keep you safe, and make sure your choices were your own So I suppose I must have loved you very much"

Nadia nodded By now her vision wavered with unshed tears, and Mo more

"I can’t help you with your Sorceress" Mom rose from the couch, and Nadia realized that she was about to be asked to leave "And I’ve done as much as I can do to shield you from the One Beneath He could still trick or coerce you into serving Hi you Now that He sees what you are, He won’t stop until you’re His"

"There has to be so I can do," Nadia insisted

"If you want o back"

"What? You mean, run away? Just leave my faain--Moer even possessed the part of her soul that would have told her why that mattered

"They’ll ht" Mom stepped closer, and for the first time all afternoon, Nadia felt some flicker of intensity from her If she couldn’t feel love, she could still feel fear "Nothing else will save you If you return, the One Beneath will claiic you try to perform"

Nadia sed hard "You can’t know that"

"Believethe door so Nadia could leave for good "But mark my words It can’t end any other way"

22

"HOLD OUT YOUR ARM," ELIZABETH SAID

Asa did it without hesitation Though she could see in his eyes the foreknowledge of pain, he still obeyed instantly That hat it meant to be the slave of the One Beneath

The de of that Besides, the next step required blood