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Karigan leaned back against the shelving, trying to re, but she sank toward the floor inch by inch

"I will take good care of you," the professor said, his voice soundingto stay aware Why? The word rang out in her mind but did not reach her lips She knew the answer anyway--he could not allow her to leave She had uard down She had trusted too much

She was out before she hit the floor

The professor grie pottery, but it was a sht happen if he allowed Karigan G’ladheon to leave She would undoubtedly be captured, and she knew toonormally The an had first arrived with her painful wounds She had refused further injections after she regained consciousness, so there had been quite a bit left over

The professor had not known the correct ae and injected it all He could keep Karigan dosed for a good long time He would tell anyone who questioned him about her that she had relapsed into madness, but he hadn’t the heart to send her to the Mill City Asylum after her terrible experiences in the east

He knew that those treated withfor it He would not have to force doses on her after a while Before long, she would be begging hirettable Still, it was a s his secrets

He brushed her hair out of her face "Indeed, I aht spirit, but I’ve my own home to look after"

But now he faced a conundru her back to the house, but he didn’t have the strength to carry her all the way by himself He needed Cade What would Cade an? Cade, he was sure, would see that they had no choice but to ensconce her at home, keep her weak and unable to act Bedridden It would keep the opposition safe--surely Cade would see that

As it turned out, he did not have to wait to find out what Cade would think

"Professor?"

The professor rose and slowly turned to face his protégé Cade stood just paces away His face was colored with bruises So the students had been right about a brawl But Cade? Brawling? It had sounded so unlikely

"Your tiood," the professor said "I could use soht by hian "What happened here?" He patted her cheek, but she did not respond

It did not take long for Cade to espy the re needle pointed away from him "What have you done?"

"Listen, Old Button--"

Cade rose in one swift er suffused his face the likes of which the professor had never seen before "What have you done?"

"It’s just morphia," the professor said "She’ll co to leave, Cade"