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The electrified ined that she could feel Evret’s terrified heartbeat pounding into her, even from six paces away

"Fine," Channary finally conceded, her voice nonchalant, and all the tension seemed to melt away from them It was a false release, Levana knew "If you happen to pass down Lake Boulevard, do bring me back some sour apple petites, won’t you?"

With a flip of her hair, the queen turned away and continued up the stairs

Peculiarly dizzy, Levana realized that she’d been holding her breath

Only when Channary was no longer visible did Evret break fro up his voice, his shoulders, his eyes He walked right past Levana and grasped the nurse’s elbows, lifting her to her feet He see this "Is she…?"

Still pale from her encounter with the queen, the nurse took a moment to comprehend his question, before sympathy creased her brows "We should hurry"

Levana was left in a waiting room while the nurse escorted Evret down the sterile white hall of the med-center She saw them pause at a doorway, and Evret’s face was so contorted orry that Levana wished she could wrap her arms around him and let all of his concerns soak into her The nurse opened the door and even froht a shrill scream before Evret disappeared inside and the door shut behind hi

The nurse hadn’t said as much, but Levana kneas true It was clear that Evret had been hurried here because it would be his only chance to say good-bye, just as it was clear that it wasn’t a complete surprise to hinancy had already suffered co Solstice at the funeral How she’d looked as breakable as a porcelain vase The concern on Evret’s face as they’dback and forth A holograph node attached to the as broadcasting a silent drama in which all of the actors wore elaborate raceful dance, oblivious to the e room

She did not leave the palace often, but now she found it refreshing to be where no one would recognize the glairl, the unknown princess She could have been anyone, for all the doctors and nurses knew The --sickness was rare in Arte broken bones or easing some elderly patient into death or, of course, childbirth

Despite being sh the halls, e into countless doorways But Levana could think only of Evret and as happening behind that closed door

His as dying

He would be alone