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"I have so for you" He withdrew an envelope from his jacket pocket, handed it to me "It was in Paxán’s cabin, in his safe" The back was sealed with a red wax circle I recognized Paxán’s fanciful calligraphic handwriting on the front

Forthat

"Read that, then pack a suitcase for five nights" Sevastyan gave a curt nod "We depart soon I’ll leave you to it"

As soon as I was alone, I tore the envelope open

My dearest Natalie,

If you are reading this, then I am--how do you Americans so eloquently phrase it?--shit out of luck

Even in those words, I could hear his wry tone, could ih

However, you are with Aleksei, and that is my consolation He alk into a hail of bullets for you

He had

Yet as loyal as he is, there is a darkness to hiht him to Berezka, he has not spoken about his childhood, but I knoas horrific I never pressed him to talk about it, because I sensed he wanted to shed his past and aya, he’s like an intricate clock, and some mechanism deep within is broken He bears scars inside and out, and until he can trust another enough to confide about his past, I don’t believe he will ever be whole Coax him to entrust you with his burdens

How? If Sevastyan hadn’t learned to open up by now

Not that I expected hie of thirteen in a douns and criminals

And who knehat had happened to him before that?

You’re a wealthy woer, please see the world and live out your dreams

With all ether on a strong foundation But if you can’t, hter, then eye the horizon Life is short Take it froain his wryness perain, would never share jokes

You are reat surprise, treasured beyond words However h--and never could be

With all h tears, I reread the letter several times, until I was almost numbed to it, then placed it in the inner pocket of an to pack, I reflected onfan of woured there were guys enough out there, so I should look for a total package that was already fully Ikea-asse Sevastyan to open up didn’t necessarily involve changing hiation