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"You told littered; I could feel his yearning He wanted to believe so badly "What do you expect from me?"

"Closeness and trust," I told hier" I laid ers "With our lives on the line"--Richter, I’ for you--"we shouldn’t be divided like this"

"I more tiot your dagger inthings "That’s not what I s I wished I’d done or said When I couldn’t find you, I felt those sarets Thenthen you were there Alive When I die, will you regret not spending this time with me?"

"I vow to you, E to stride away

But he tensed when I whispered, "That’s what I’m afraid of"

32

Day 444 AF

"You look like utter hell," Circe told s, Water Witch"

Over a rand, I’d dreareat intentions, and yet everything had gone to hell

Each day I watched her deteriorate Sometimes she would rail at me with so much venom, Paul would have to rush inside the room to calm her Other times, she ra, she hadn’t answered any of my questions For instance, I still didn’t knohy Aric had approached her

Despite er, I wanted to be with her at the end--as I hadn’t been with Mom So I returned to Gran’s room, day after day

Circe said, "You are drained because you fight her at every second"

Between randlanced back at the castle That o unexpected was approaching Were we on a countdown clock?

Tick-tock

Changing the subject, I said, "I don’t think it’s fair that you can comment on my looks and my mental health, but I can’t even see your expressions e talk"

"Trying to get ain?"

I rolled ain" She’d once manipulated water into her likeness "Or you could do thatthingy"

A small wave rose before ed, like a wall mirror--only this was a