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CLANG!

"AHHHH!" Through grinding teeth he said, "I don’t let the Darkness touchcloser noith more than half the concrete chipped away Penny hadn’t ravel that gave it hardness He and Drake had learned that

"Sorry," Lucas said, not really entle concern for Caine’s wellbeing They needed hi," Lana remarked almost without e worry, probably, that they’ll finish Zil’s work by burning down the rest of the town"

"If I ever get out of this, I’ll stop the back a cry of pain as the ha after Diana," Lana said "It wants the baby Your baby, Caine"

"What?"

The hammer waited, suspended This wasn’t exactly a private conversation, and Paul was shocked He snapped out of it and dropped another awful blow

CLANG!

"Don’t you feel it?" Lana de broken!" Caine yelled

"I’ll fix your fingers," Lana said i you: do you feel it? Can you? Will you let yourself?"

"No!"

"Scared?"

His lips drew back in a snarl "You’re da I should open ain?"

CLANG!

"I’m not scared of it," Lana said, and Caine wondered if she really wasn’t "I hate it I hateit when I had the chance I hate it" Her eyes were dark but hot, like s coals

"I hate it," she repeated

CLANG!

"Oh Ohhhh!" He was breathing in short gasps "I won’t… Whatafter Diana?"

"I’ht you ive a damn if that hter The concrete block had split There was a wedge about the size of a double slice of pie hanging froether in a cruht chisel a pair of hands

Paul and Lucas readjusted their positions, and Caine lifted the hands and carefully, carefully used a piece of concrete to scratch his nose

"Caine--" Paul said

"Give me a minute," Caine said "All of you Give Me A Minute"

He closed his eyes Pain in his hands, a deep ache of so--broken The pain was terrible

Worse by far: the humiliation