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She’d almost died We both had I still wasn’t sure ere alive, where her brother e were headed back to Sussex at all Her mother was still in a coma Leander was still lost We’d pulled off a feat back in Prague, to be sure, but had things veered off one inch to the left or the right, the three of us would all be in refrigerated drawers I was still processing it there in the museum lobby, my mask in my hands, when Holrio houst had said

"No," she’d told hi with"

She’d refused to answer further questions I was done trying to ask theht to the back The plane took off We looked at each other

"So what now, for you?" I asked August

He shrugged "I don’t know," he said "I think--I thinkto myself, a little bit"

"Really, now," Holmes said

"No sarcasm from you" He said it with a half smile "I disappeared becausein your house in the first place because they wanted me to--and I took that job from your brother at Greystone because I was so deterood that did But tonight’s shown that I don’t have to do it anymore"

"Greystone?" I asked

"Any of it," he said "Make peace Offer up o back to my academic work, in maths Take on a persona A new one, you know, build it up froe soht be nice to takejob soo there"

I snorted "It’s not a big deal to do your doctorate again?"

"What would you rather do, Jarinned "Even if that’s your calling, you’ll be safe My brother Lucien won’t touch you Not if he knows he’d be ending ust shrugged "Forgive me if I don’t feel the need to reassure you of your safety It’s not like you think it’s io hoers of your situation, and all you did was double down"

I stared at hi him say it now, I still couldn’t quite believe hier, Jamie Which would’ve been too easy Or un-psychopathic"

To ust looked over at Holmes "I was raised to solve probleh, a sinore my education There, it seemed apt I keep my promises, Charlotte"

Hol yourself to save us"