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But I also think about what Maire didn’t say She didn’t say Nevio was telling the sirens the truth about everything She only said that thisis very, very wrong here, and I don’t knohat it is I think Maire does And she hasn’t told me

I can’t bear it I stand up and walk to the other end of the transport

Maire followsto need the you say?"

"Because I do tell the truth about sos Your mother needed me Your sister did, too When I said that to you, it wasn’t a lie"

She slides a corner of paper out fro on it

It’s a letter froive it to you if you tried to go Above," Maire says

I snatch the letter fro one Above and that I ed to keep my decision to leave a secret froo Above I know you I know you won’t give up until you find a way But you have to rein, but I know that I have to tell you everything so that you can understand why you have to stay

Our mother didn’t tell o Above I wonder if she was starting to suspect what you’ve alanted to do She told o Above, but they’ve been banned froenerations They hate the sirens Above, Rio, and they will kill you as soon as they knohat you are You won’t be able to speak Above, not any more than you can speak Below

I asked her why she didn’t tell you this, and she said it was because she didn’t want to break your heart

A feeeks later, she died And all I could think about, besides who killed her, was keeping you safe

So I made you proo Above when the time came I didn’t want to leave Atlantia, but this was the best way to protect you--to guarantee that you couldn’t ever go I had to hide my plan fros fro Maire this letter to give to you, and soht need

Maire atch over you and make sure you survive You need to be where she is, now that our o to keep you safe

I love you

Bay

I s An angry, hard ache in my throat makes it difficult

This is just likeyou," Maire says out loud next to ry with her She was supposed to give me this before I was actually on my way to the surface Now I’m locked in the transport with no way out

"You didn’t play fair," I say

"I only cheat when I have to," Maire tells me "But what I said now is true Your mother and your sister loved you, but they never understood your potential I do"