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But maybe not on purpose, and intent mattered The universe ed to finish off her visit without, she hoped, seened tent and try to rest She had no reason to think that sleep would coan appeared Anna lifted her aret a word out, Tilly threw both ar until she could hear her ribs pop Tilly was surprisingly strong for such a thin wo you leave,” Tilly said, squeezing even tighter and leaning her weight against Anna She was heavy They both were in the spinning dru used to

When Tilly finally let up the pressure a bit, Anna said, “I think I was… altered”

“That wasAnna realized the only thing to do was ride it out, and patted Tilly on the lower back until her friend got it out of her system

After a few moments, Tilly released Anna and stepped back, her eyes shiny but a slad you didn’t die Everyone else from the Prince is a pod” Anna decided not to ask what a pod was “The Behemoth has becoure out how to escape this trap, it’s the place it will take us the longest to die That h-rent district of the slow zone”

“Well, that’s… iarette out and lit it as they walked At Anna’s shocked look she said, “They let you do it here Lots of the Belters do They obsess over air filters and then suck poisonous particulates into their lungs recreationally It’s a fabulous culture”

Anna smiled and waved the s not to notice “I dee to retrieve Holden?”

“I didn’t find hiht have saved their lives”

At first, she thought Tilly’s expression had cooled, but that wasn’t quite right It wasn’t coldness It was pain Anna put her hand on Tilly’s arm

“I have someone I need you to talk to,” Tilly said “And you probably aren’t going to like it, but you’re going to do it fora lifetime of expensive markers to trade in with this”

“Whatever I can do”

“You’re going to help Claire”

Anna felt like the air had gone out of the rooain and felt the blows transferred through the buckling locker door She heard Chris tell her that Tara had died She saw Cortez, and heard the buzzsaw despair in his voice She took a breath

“Yes,” she said “Of course I aet up,” Doctor Sterling said Spin changed the shape of her face, pulling down her cheeks and hair She looked older and more familiar