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"Of course ‘If you are thrown into the deep and do not swi,’" I recite "I’d never forget"

"How far we’ve co note of its lines, its i for "I would have paid a hundred times what your contract orth to protect you"

"I know, Roque"

"I would have died for you a thousand ti in his voice makes me look around Over his shoulder, I see Victra whisper so hurandchildren little plates of cake brought by a short Pink But it’s after the server turns that I freeze inside He turns haughtily Ruthlessly Unlike any Pink ever born Breaking character only for half a second I know that turn I know that man It’s Vixus It has to be My eyes dart to the Pink who brought irl ore bones in her hair Who allied with the Bellona They’re dressed as Pinks Golds with fleshMasks Contacts

Wolves playing lambs

I pull back frohten, and I realize he was saying goodbye The needle fro pricks my wrist Gentle, like the kiss he now plants on o liars, with a bloodydamn kiss"

One word shatters a thousand lies

Face colder than the marble statue behind us, Roque draws back and opens the ivory box’s lid With the gentle creak of silver hinges, asps in horror at what’s inside the box And a foot away, the Jackal, eyes full of long-dormant hate, smiles at me and cocks his head back like an aninal of the end

Victra reaches for her razor Antonia steps back Pulls a scorcher from a waiter’s tray and fires two rounds into Victra’s spine Two more into her ustus screa out his razor "TO ARMS!"

"HOWLERS TO ME!" Lorn roars, pushing back his grandchildren "Protect the Reaper!"

Too late Even as Lorn stands, Lilath pulls a pulseDagger from under her tray and sweeps it across his throat from behind Lorn shoves his hand between throat and blade Four fingers fall to the ground He angles his body, strains against her, grasping her wrist with his bloody arns across the clearing

The poison spreads in ainst the blind statue

Paralyzed

The Jackal glides through theand butchery, and finds Lorn still struggling with Lilath as she tries to cut his throat Lorn’s round and is reaching to stab Lilath’s leg, when the Jackal bends, examines Lorn for a moment, and slowly puts a blade into his belly

"They rong Your side isn’t made of stone"

Lorn’s face pinches with fear as the Jackal pulls the blade up the old randchildren He tries to stand, tries one last ounce of fury Tries to say so But his body has quit hiriffin Never hear his grandchildren laugh or see Lysander, the grandson I proht him back from that separate peace he so wanted, but knew he never deserved And soon his eyes gaze at nothing and the Jackal retrieves his blade and Lilath finishes her ith a sloing e Drool slithers downfrom her Amidst all this, Roque stands a statue apart