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What did Sevastyan and Paxán know about shootings that I didn’t?

Everything

Paxán cast Sevastyan a weak smile "You know I couldn’t have borne it if you’d saved me instead of her Proud of you, Son"

The hazy scene replayed in my head Sevastyan had been directly between Paxán andround--instead of Paxán "Stop this, both of you! Paxán, you have to hold on You’re going to ayamy face before his arm collapsed

Then his eyes went to Sevastyan "You are bound to her," he told him in Russian "Her life is in your care, Son Yours alone" He covered our bloody knot of fingers with his hand "She belongs to you"

One sharp nod froranite

With difficulty, Paxán turned his head back to me "Aleksei will protect you He is yours now too" I stared down at our interlaced fingers, awash in crihter"

My eyes filled with tears, drops spilling "Don’t do this! Bátja, please, just hold on"

"Bátja?" He s content blue of his eyes was ebbing Replaced by sightlessness? "I only wish I’d had more time with the two of you I love you both"

To Sevastyan, he said, "Make her life betterforbeen in it"

Blood bubbled from his lips His eyes went blank, his cheststill

"No, don’t go!" I sobbed But it was too late

Pavel Kovalev, et up!"

The siren inbeside rabbed one of my blood-coated hands and hauled ," I lass fro beneath " My father couldn’t be dead

Sevastyan draggedfrout wound

In a broken voice, Filip told htbecause others were alreadyon their way It was going to happen No matterwhat I did The bounty isunthinkable"

Hatred welled up insidemy tears "Goddamn you! How could you do this?"