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The Essence Ki 13110K 2023-09-01

Falling into nothing

Falling

I aith a spas my pillow tobreaths, to assureinI had to wait for my heart to find its normal rhythm once more

It had only been a dreah to soothe s that couldn’t possibly exist, things that shouldn’t be able to hurt me, had found a way out of their world and into ed by the ht the things that had been wronged by telling Max, and anyone else ould listen, just exactly what I’d beco to the sounds aroundto accliainst ht aniroans of the foundation and roof None of the noises were strange in and of the it hard to let thehts

And then there was a sound that wouldn’t have been usualin any household

I bolted upright once more, ain, a muffled shout from somewhere outside I threw backto the wooden floor beneath my bare toes

My heart stuttered, and I wished elina’s

I moved cautiously, unsure where to step in order to avoidnoises of my own Yet I continued to tell ; surely these were only the sounds of a different household

Still, I couldn’t help but recall the reason ere here in the first place: So to kill me

I didn’t bother to coverfroes for squeaks The door slid open noiselessly, and relief swelled infor uard, the one Zafir had stationed there, was slumped down on the floor in a heap But it was the blood that stopped me cold

Splattered on the floor and on the walls

Puddled around the guard’s body

I dropped to the ground beside hi above his mouth There was no breath, not that I’d expected it His skin was already gray andthe wall to steady uard I’d brought this into the place where my family was meant to be safe

I had to find theled to recall the way to Angelina’s rooain quickly, ed