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"We can"

"After this, the New Smokies have to know the cure works They’ll send us"

He pulled away and nodded, then leaned closer to kiss her ear softly and murmur, "And if they don’t notice this, we’ll just have to go out looking for thene Although they’d sworn off drinking, Tally and Zane felt as if they had to toast the Crims’ survival of the Great Collapse of Nefertiti Stadiuht, every reaction rehearsed, so there was noabout a plan that had worked perfectly - just the excited chatter of new pretties recovering from a bubbly and unexpected departure from the norm

Everyone told and retold the story of their own fall - the shudder of cracking ice, the dazzling interior of the fireworks display, the yank of bungee jackets, and, after it was all over, alar replayed again and again on every channel Most of the Cri their stories with expressions of innocent surprise The newsfeed story was spreading and nations fro of the soccer play-offs, and the closure of the floating rink forever (a bogus side effect that Tally hadn’t anticipated)

But it didn’t take long for the feeds to get repetitious - even your own face on a wallscreen was boring after you’d seen it fifty times - so Zane led them outside to build a bonfire in Denzel Park

The Criht as they retold their stories

They all were speaking fluent pretty in case anyone was listening, but Tally heard more than vapid nonsense in their words It was like the way she and Zane spoke to each other, always aware of the cuffs but loading their pretty-talk with rowing beyond the two of the to the Cri exciteh really would stick Maybe people could think their way out of being pretty-ne, Skinny" Zane said, his fingers drifting along the back of her neck to interrupt her thoughts "I hear that alcohol evaporates totally quickly"

"Evaporates? That’s terrible" Tally ht The neas giving hourly updates on the breakthrough investigation A bunch of engineers were trying to figure out hoenty centimeters of lifter-supported ice could have buckled under the weight of a few dozen people Blaned to shock waves frohts, even sy in tandeuessed that the real reason for the breakthrough had evaporated into thin air

She raised her glass, clinking it against Zane’s He drained his glass, then took hers, splashing sone into his "Thanks, Skinny," he said

"For what?"

"For sharing"

She gave him a pretty smile He ne

"Anytih for two"

"Bubbly luck hoorked out"

She nodded The cure hadn’t been perfect, but considering they’d each only had half a dose, the test had been a success The cure had affected Zane al his pretty-mindedness in a few days Tally’s pill had worked s, needing Zane to reood part was, she never got Zane’s awful headaches

"It’s better shared, I think," Tally said, clinking his glass again She re in the letter from herself, and shivered despite the fire Maybe two pills was actually too much, and if Tally had taken both she would have been brain-dead by now

Zane pulled her closer "Like I saidthanks" He kissed her, his lips war with bonfire reflections, and held hiskiss and the chaes of the firelit party turning fuzzy Which

Zane finally let her go and turned toward the bonfire, nuzzling her ear to whisper, "We have to get these things off"

"Shhh" Even inter coats and gloves covering their cuffs, Tally felt a little too famous at the moment to make plans out loud The Crims had already thrown rocks to drive away one hoverca the party for so ure it out" Just stop talking, she pleaded silently

Zane kicked a fallen branch into the bonfire As it burst into flame, he let out a pained sound

"Zane?"

He shook his head, fingers at his temples Tally sed Another headache Sometimes they ended after a few seconds, sometimes they lasted for hours

"No I’o to a doctor," she whispered

"Forget that! They’ll know I’m cured"

She pulled him closer to the crackle of the fire and pressed her lips to his ear "I told you about Maddy and Az, David’s parents? They were doctors - surgeons - and for a long time even they didn’t know about the brain lesions They just thought ular doctor won’t think there’s anything wrong with fixing you"

Zane shook his head furiously and turned to whisper in her ear "It won’t stop with a regular doctor, Tally New pretties don’t get sick"