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Atlantia Ally Condie 16480K 2023-09-01

I shakeexactly the anted"

I a to knohat I can do, and thisto help ed lad, but his eyes still look worried Does he know? Was he close enough to see ? He doesn’t know I’m a siren, and even if he did, most sirens can only control other humans

"Anyone who sees you swim," True says, "will reht earlier, that I will not forget what True has done for me And he speaks with sincerity, with that warh him, and I wish it were all around me I wish he would put his hands on ht, but I’m cold and crazy with relief and exhaustion It’s hard to wait for a ain

"Anyone who sees what you canto work Perfectly I’ll tell Aldo to set the date Three days from now" It will be a spectacle No It will be hing It’s the kind of laughing people do when they’re children, the kind I’ve always been envious of, where you can’t seeht and funny The sound is beautiful and his eyes crinkle almost shut

"What is it?" I ask "What did I say?"

"In that bucket of leaves that you gave ods Did you put it in there on purpose?"

"No," I say, shocked I’, even in the dark But itapart "Where is it? What did you do with it?"

"I melted it doith the rest," True says "It’s one of the fish now The one with the key"

And now I cover my mouth with both hands, whether in horror or e to say is "Blasphemy," in a whisper, and True puts his arm around me like we’re old friends, which in some e are In some ways, he is the oldest friend I have I feel his body, still shaking with laughter, against ods?" I ask

"Of course," he says "I believe in them so much that I don’t think they need statues everywhere to be powerful None of thatroo, too, without a sound I feel almost happy And I feel terrible, because I have learned s--about sirens, and the nature of them, and the ancient past of Atlantia, and about ood friend the past feeeks, and I have kept so much from him

There is one discovery, however, that I have to share with True I can’t go to the Above without letting him know the truth about Nevio "I have a secret," I say, when I come back outside

"What is it?" True asks He doesn’t seeer His expression alives me pause for a second What does he think I’m about to tell him?

I’m about to tell True that our Minister is a siren This is not so that’s easy to say without any eot to hold back

This also isn’t so anyone else should hear