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It started as a low tre the kitchen table and rattling the plates and cups in the cabinets Then it was a ruroan and s The table scuttled over the floor A chair toppled over and then another Sooing to bring the house down

"Shit"

I dropped to her side, foldingher close Her entire body shook as I sat back, landing ona hand into her hair, pressing her face againsther entire body

God, I didn’t knohat to do I didn’t kno to ease this, which was the only thing I cared about at theto be okay," I said into the top of her head "I’n that she heardsharply, her pulse pounding way too fast She curled into herself, her cries ragged and broken-sounding, tearing me up

I should’ve known

But there had been no way to decipher the presence of a Luxen in here or outside Others would be co her as close as possible as I glanced at the ceiling A crack had opened, cutting across the , but the house had settled, aside froht shiver of the foundation every few seconds

I smoothed my hand up and down her back and pressed a kiss to the top of her head despite the feeling of another Luxen drawing close When the front door sla outin my arms, and while her sobs had quieted down, the burst of raw e on?" Dee skidded to a halt outside of the kitchen, in the hall Her gaze darted from the dead Luxen to where we sat on the floor "Kat?"

Archer was behind her, curling a hand over her shoulder He picked up on what had gone down here as I returnedthe back of her head, I lowered mine to rest on top of hers and just held on

I knew the moment Archer told Dee what happened, because she cried out and then she was behind Kat, placing her hands on her, trying to wiggle her way in, but I couldn’t let Kat go

"We felt the house shaking," Dee said as her eyes met mine over Kat’s head "I know I shouldn’t have come over here That wasn’t the plan, but I orried"

The plan was out theThere was no way I could continue to go through with any of this after what had just happened I couldn’t treat her like I would need to I had to get her out of here

"Screw this," Archer said in a gruff voice, echoing et soroup We can’t"