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Mattheatchedon in oing with Do Now I knewif I truly loved eline Deveaux We’d never see the bayou come back to life It wouldn’t always be Evie and Jack My eyes blurred, but nothing rong with my vision

I loved that fille oan to kill you right now, no," I told Matthew, oan to swear never to tell her I survived" I sed "As far as Evie’s concerned, I’m buried under that rock"

Coo-yôn nodded, then reached into his pack, pulling outthat cell phone and the tape player! Evie’s pictures, her voice How’d he get those? Didn’t ht when I needed it most

God, peekôn Noble, for the record, cuts like a blade to the heart

40

The Empress

Day 453 AF

The rain tapered off for rande, Gran was a Tarasova, and the other Arcana demonstrated their respect All creatures were silent that day The surface of the water was glass Aric wore a dark suit He’d cut lilies frorave

We buried her beneath an oak I grew on the southwest side of the property

She would forever face Haven

If the sun ever returned, it would set for her each dusk

I only wished I could have buried Jack beside her, so he could always see his beloved ho on with hi yard

Since the funeral, Aric hadn’t invited me to move into his bedroom We’d slept on the study couch, with me wrapped in his arms

Yes, he liked his sanctuaries, and yes, he’d been furious when I’d trespassed in his bedroo in a bed with eneral He’dThanatos through the rain, pushing the session Even that tank of a warhorse looked like he wanted to tap out

My Endless Knight was training as if possessed, as if he ht blow from tension He was no more satisfied with our current situation than I was