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I stared at the e in

I wondered if Brisaliame out

I had mentioned Kiev briefly to her

Perhaps it had been her idea to give me a distraction

Whatever the case, I couldn’t deny now that I was desperate to start forgetting the va was attending a party, perhaps I owed it to e and cliic, I pulled on the dress and clie

I decided to walk the distance back to the palace

It would giveas Iup the pros and cons

But as I reached a particularly elevated area of the city, I snapped out of my reverie to realize I’d arrived at the end of my family’s old road

I shuddered as my eyes fixed on ently sloping roof studded with crystals, the spacious verandas, the square lawn out front with a small toad pond in the corner… It took all I had to not break down again

I fought to steady ht, and onto the house opposite--Coen’s house

I hadn’t intended to arrive here

Hell, I didn’t feel I’d even made up my mind yet

But it see to the party

Drawing in a deep breath, I walked up to the Brymers’ front door and knocked

Coen answered it after a few seconds

A wide grin spread across his sun-kissed face as soon as he laid eyes on me

"That was quick," he said

I s?" "Yeah… I’ll co, around nine o’clock

Which apart in?" "I… uh…" My mind went blank

I hadn’t even noticed a number on my front door

"I’m not sure

It’s on the top floor

You could just ask so back there now?" he asked