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She watched the to call them back, both at the same time The thickness in her throat had traveled to her chest The sweet rolls looked delicious and nauseating She forced herself to take a few deep breaths

It was almost over The fleets were there The Rocinante was there Everything was going according to her plan, or if not quite that, at least near enough to it Ren shouldn’t have mattered She’d killed men before him It was almost inevitable that people would die when the boeance called forth blood, because it always did That was its nature, and she had made herself its instrument

Ren wasn’t her fault, he was Holden’s Holden had killed hi her presence necessary If he had respected the honor of her family, none of this would have happened She stood up, squared herself, prepared to get back to the job of fixing the Thomas Prince, just the way the real Melba would have

“I’ it would be the last time, and the sorrow that shook herThis wasn’t hoas supposed to be Her control was slipping She wondered if after all she’d done, she si else Maybe the artificial glands had begun to leak their toxins into her bloodstrea more emotionally labile It could be a symptom She rested her head on her arms and tried to catch her breath

He’d been kind to her He’d been nothing but kind He’d helped her, and she’d killed hi way under her hand; crisp and soft, like standing at the bank of a river and feeling the ground fall away Her fingers smelled like sealant foam

Ren touched her shoulder, and her head snapped up

“Hi,” someone said “I’m Anna What’s your na to the naval officer adown “It looked like you could use some company It’s okay to be afraid I understand”

She knows

The thought ran through Melba’s body like a sheet of lightning Even without her tongue touching her palate, she felt the glands and bladders hidden in her flesh engorging Her face and hands felt cold Before the wouilt turned to a cold rage She knew, and she would expose everything, and then all of it would have been wasted

She didn’t re to her feet, but she was there now The woman stood and took a step back

I have to kill her

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you”

The woh to ward off a blow It would be siht Kick her in the gut until she bled out Nothing simpler

A small voice in the back of Melba’sfor so You’re in public If you attack her, they’ll catch you