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Lia he’s packed "Wait" His fingers brush the back of my hand, then pull away He opens a drawer under the table and takes out a seson Papa’s lap while he read stories fro the words there, knowing they belonged to h I was too small to read And other memories too, mine but not mine, the minds of Antonia and all my other lives, my other selves, their h ht in the vault, what he gave his life for

"I hate the thought of you alone," Liam says softly

For the first time in what seems like centuries, I feel a spark of hope "I’m not alone," I tell him as I take the book I couldn’t be alone, not with the words of es

Lia his hands stiffly at his sides like he wants to reach out again but won’t allow hi to do?" he asks quietly

"I don’t know," I admit "Hide Learn about myself Then try to face Caro, when I’m ready"

"It’s not too late to disappear," he says "You could change your name Leave Sempera She’d never find you"

"She would find me," I say with certainty "You don’t know her like I do But I won’t disappear I won’t leave you--leave everyone under her thurab his hand, and he blinks "Stay here, at Everless," I tell him "I’ll need you before this is over"

Slowly, slowly, he nods "I’ll help you in whatever way I can And I won’t say good-bye, Jules," he whispers "Now run"

I take one last, long look at hi me since he was a child hi and fear For an instant I want to kiss hi that my touch is a mark of death

"Thank you, Liam," I say

Then I turnheavily on my shoulders, toward a future as wild and unknowable as my own heart