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Carasp, disappearing into what looht, each one like a distant, hazy sun Before I can fall into such oblivion, I reach out, grabbing for anything My cut hand closes on a cold, li jolt "Cal!" I shout, but the hos upto a corpse, because it isn’twith icy, sharp fingers I als to this body It could be anyone It could be everyone

It’s wrong to feel relieved, but I do I don’t recognize thewrapped, the other still dangling He’s certainly a prisoner, but I don’t know him, and I won’t mourn him My back feels nearly split open by scars and burns, and for a second, I allow ravity in this block has shifted Gareth is here, which means Kilorn, Shade, and Farley are not far behind They’re supposed to be on the other side of the prison, e has forced them in Or trapped theain, as the block seeravity itself "Gareth, stop!" I shout into the void No one answers At least, no one I want to hear

Little lightning girl

Her voice almost splits my skull in two

Queen Elara

This ti to killPerhaps that will do it Maybe I’ll die before she wriggles intoand everyone I care about But I feel the tendrils in ers twitch at her command, and sparks jump between them No Please no

I hit the other side of the block hard, probably breaking my arm, but I feel no pain She takes it away

With one last ragged scream, I do what I must, and use the last drops of my own free will to slip between the twisted bars beneath me, into the prison of Silent Stone It shatters my ability--and hers The sparks die, her control breaks, and blinding pain sears through hShe built this prison to hurther fro just that

Now, it is my last sanctuary

Frouess it’s the floor noatch the unfire slows, either because bullets are running low or it’s i snake of flame blazes by, and I expect to see Cal follow, but his shape never appears I call for him anyway "Cal!" Buthold It presses like a weight against e the bars ofThis is not the glittering, glorious queen I remember Gone are her dresses and jewels, replaced by a neat, navy-blue unifor Even her hair, usually perfectly curled and braided, has been slicked back into a siain

"The first time weso she can see me better "Bars did not stop me then, and they will not stopblood Definitely ht the world would change you, but instead"--she tips her head, sed a little bit of the world If you give e even hter "How stupid do you think I a Keep her distracted Someone will see her soon, so She gestures to so resignation Her hand reappears with a pistol, her finger already on the trigger "I would have liked to be in your head once again You have such lovely delusions"