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When I’d called to check in, I hadn’t told her anything, figuring a reveal this major should be done in person

Eventually Mom would be fine wherever I lived, but how could I leave Jessand school? "Living here would be challenging, with school and all" I could let ree; I didn’t have to pursue the PhD Yet so distance of several renowned universities"

God, the hopefulness in his voice was killinghis way, just as Sevastyan clearly was, but Paxán wasthe effort to coax me to re at a new university is so to nothing

I was beginning to suspect that I was a coh I’d always considered myself decisive, I could see now that my decision trees were usually liree and didn’t want to et a PhD! Stay in the same chute Start classes a week after the last ones ended

Maybe that hy the money bothered me so much; in a way, it represented infinite choices

Hell, I hadn’t even chosen to come to Russia

"It’s your aya moya" My dear

I er, Paxán? What’s happening with that other organization?"

"These are difficult ti thieves Now the areas I control are getting flooded with an eleive you alot in the middle of my territory No one used it--there was no need to--so Travkin’sthe windshields of any cars outside the lot, forcing people to pay for parking every day They caet this stopped, so I sent Sevastyan, who shut that operation down Forcefully"

I could only iendary Siberian had done

"For years, Travkin has searched for s the death of my syndicate by a thousand cuts But when he learned of your existence and sent two of his deadliest enforcers to Arew steely-eyed and cold--"it was a declaration of war"

War Was it any wonder that I worried about Paxán constantly? And about Sevastyan, his frontline general?

"Once we prevail, things will be different for you We can ain "I will show you the country of your birth, your mother’s hometown We can find any cousins of yours!"

"I would love that Other than this trip, I’ve never traveled"

He gaveon his part "A fact that must be remedied as soon as possible But in the netized, er on the phone, he re the periather hts