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"Sorry," I said, hating the silence that followed

"No, I’m the one that’s sorry" Clancy shook his head "I’m a terrible teacher"

"Trust me, you are not the problem in this equation"

"Ruby, Ruby, Ruby," he said, "this isn’t an equation You can’t solve it in three easy steps, otherwise you wouldn’t have accepted an to rub his thuely calan "But you should know I haven’t exactly been…honest"

That got his attention

"The others--they were looking for you because they thought you were soet the on the ru to teach o of my hand Instead, he rested his other pals "But that was before I told you what the League was planning for you," he said "What did you wantto do hat happened to your parents, right?"

"How I erased ain"

Clancy closed his eyes for a brief moment, and when he finally opened them, his eyes seemed darker than before, aleelse that seeh his pores

"I wish I could help you with that," he said, "but the truth is, I can’t do what you can I have no idea how to help you"

I have no idea how to help you Of course Of course he didn’t Martin was an Orange, too, but he didn’t have the same abilities I did I wonder why I’d assumed the Slip Kid would

"If you…tell ht be able to figure so out"

It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t talk about it; it was that I didn’t want to Not right then I knew h that I could predict the choked words and teary explanation that would follow Every time I let myself think about what had happened, I always ca every bit as scared and hopeless and horrific as I did when those moments had actually occurred

He watched me fro quick to co over the pulse point in my wrist "Ah It’s a Benja my look of confusion he explained, "Benja went to hell He passed ahen I was very young, but I still can’t talk about it Still hurts" One side of his mouth curled up in a rueful sh We could try so me this time, not the other way around I bet it’ll be easier for you"

"Why do you say that?"