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"I don’t count as a prisoner?" she said, her eyes watering "Because I don’t fight the way you do, I’?"

For a fraction of a second, Walter’s expression softened "My dear, of course you are"

"I’ve done everything you asked rity, my friends, all for false promises Turns out you’re just as bad as Calliope is, Daddy But at least she doesn’t pretend to be so the truth? Had he really asked her to do all of those things? Walter paled, but he didn’t argue, and that alone was an aduilt

So it wasn’t entirely Ava’s fault, after all She wasn’t bla shot, but she wasn’t alone in this either Henry had been right Walter had knoas pregnant He’d knohere I was and as happening He’d known, and he hadn’t done a das he’dhow the rest of the council would see her--how could he possibly hurt his own daughter like that?

"I’ll agree to return to Calliope under your terree to fulfill one of mine," said Ava "I want to talk to Kate Alone"

A murmur rose from the other members of the council, and my eyebrows shot up

"You know that is not possible," said Walter "It is draining enough for us to maintain this method of communication without Calliope and Henry"

"Then she can come to me," said Ava

"Out of the question" My mother’s voice rose above the others, and they fell silent "I will not have her risk herself again It is a et out of there in the first place"

"I kno her visions work," said Ava "I know she can seeI say I don’t need her to talk back to ree to your terrees to mine"

Whatever she wanted to talk to me about, she couldn’t say it in front of the others Which ht she couldn’t trust the about Henry? About Milo? Had she found a way to sile and delicate that a single word could have shattered it into pieces It was possible, and because it was possible, I would do it

I nodded once, and Ava deflated, as if she’d used up everything she had to make it to that moment "Tomorrow at sunset," she said "In the nursery I trust you to be there"

She had no way of knowing if I would be, but she was sh to know that she had me hooked, and I wouldn’t miss it

"I love you," she said, and this time it wasn’t directed at any one person Instead the words whispered through the council, touching each of us as they passed "Goodbye for now" The golden light in the sunset floor flashed, and she was gone