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"Wisely? Evie’s dying! Or worse"

"She can hear you Govern your tongue--or leave"

"I arandmother!"

"Even my eternal patience has li" Her words trailed off

I heard a strangled cry What was going on? Why couldn’t I see?

Aric bit out a curse in Latvian

Lark said, "Uh, what’s happening to the old lady?"

A scuffling sound A moan

"Jesus," Larkthe shittiest teeks in history"

16

"I’m here, sievā" Aric brushed a cool cloth overfor ht; I didn’t die--yet I hadn’t healed

I thought I’d understood physical pain A few et free of cuffs so I could fight Death When I’d drowned not long after that, I’d felt as ifmy neck Lately? I’d lost an arm, been tossed around in a flood, and been bitten and drained by ravenous Baggers

Yet real pain and I had never been introduced before now

The Bagh me Whatever Empress power I still possessed battled it A war had erupted inside edme into his arms "You must return to me"

I tried to speak, to tell him I loved him and to ask about Gran, but no words passed "--because I could follow Jack?--"but I need you Coony hit I heard a screaods I could take this pain for you" He rockedto die, and too stubborn to turn Your only path is to coood to me when I’d hurt hi roar when I’d ridden away from him--to be with Jack

As hours--days? weeks?--passed, Aric re back sounds of grief

Other tirandave her ashock But she will recover Just as you will"

He told me about the other Arcana: "Lark sent a scout back to that clearing to collect her falcon and my sword There were no bodies at the crash site As I suspected, Fortune and the Sun survived"