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Bitty focused on their Mary "G’head, Moood to have that word back in their vocabulary

In the short silence that followed, Rhage frowned and looked around

For some reason, he are that they were not alone … and yet no one else seemed to be in the library with them

Mary took Bit’s hand and smoothed the back of it "Do you remember when I told you I was sick?"

"The cancer isn’t back?" the girl asked with fear "You aren’t--"

"No, no Absolutely not And that’s kind of what I need to tell you"

"What? … I don’t understand"

In a steady stream of perfectly chosen words, Mary told the story fro into her life The Scribe Virgin’s intervention … and what it meant

"You od or sood Never That is one job I wouldn’t want But it does o into the Fade Like, you kno everyone ages along a line? They get older every year? And soet sick or hurt or so?"

"Yes As with Father when he was shot Before his vests Or … what happened to irl’s face, Rhage thought, Oh, ht …

"Well, it’s not like that foras I do?"

"Yes, I can"

Bitty’s eyes got watery And then she threw her arms around Mary "So you’ll never leave me I’ll never lose

"Never Ever" Mary held the girl and sh beautiful tears "Not ever And I didn’t want to hide this fro your decision to stay with us?"

"I just feel lucky I just feel so lucky" Bitty pulled back and looked at Rhage "But what about you?"

"Bulletproof vests, ies ’Cuz it wasn’t like he was crying or so and equipo out to do ht"

Bitty got quiet for a moment But then she nodded "Okay, but you’ll be careful--"

Rhage frowned as soht his eye

A sun spot On the carpet By the tree