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"What? How?" I got up from the table to stand before her I was ahts Brook and I had spent in the clubs, of the rainbows of colors we’d seen people dye their hair for the night Temporary colors that would never be allowed out in public But those were colors
This, what Avonlea had done to her auburn-streaked hair, was the exact opposite This was the absence of color, as if she’d somehow stripped the fiery hues from her hair
"It’s not possible," I said at last
"It was a gift," Max said, co to stand behind me He put his hands on ering a strand of her hair It felt like mine too "What did she do to you?"
Avonlea blushed, and even her almost-blue eyes seemed, somehow, bluer
It was Niko who answered "Neva knew you were in trouble and she offered to use her gift to protect you This is what she can do--create illusions"
I stared at Avonlea, and thought about the way Neva had hugged me, about the way she’d told me to be safe She’d known the plan and had wanted to help
"Is it per off in a few days By the end of the week, she’ll be completely back to normal We’ll have to act quickly For her part, Avonlea will need to keep to herself as much as possible, stay in your roo well" Niko turned to Avonlea "Think you can e that?"
She looked at Niko like he was si if I can lie in bed all day while other people wait on me?" Her Scablander inflection was still firine I can handle it"
"Yeah, well don’t get too comfortable," Brook cautioned
I wrapped uys, I think I could get used to this I kinda like having so as the queen"
Avonlea pulled away, but she was grinning back at roused "A few days, sure But I saw the way those other queens were Odd bunch, those ones I’d sooner take my chances with Floss than deal with the lot of them"
We didn’t even have to ride an entire day before we reached the train line, and then it was less than two days’ travel by rail Both were heaven compared to the ferry, which was either too cold above board or too hot below And far better than being at Vannova, where I’d been shackled by the weight of uilt