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She settles in her rocker like thistledown I pull up the stool an sit, facin her

The hotwind that was leashed by her voice now roaht of middle day’s softened here inside It’s safe fer Auriel to take off her eyeshield I knohat I’ll see, but a tiny shock jest the saot eyes like Tracker The palest blue of a thin winter sky Uncanny wolfdog eyes

I wait fer her to speak She don’t say nuthin She jest holds aze I feel a red heat wash le of lies Of course she does I so wish she didn’t Auriel’s all air She skiround Not fer her the hot earth of bodies The drag of unwanted desire

She told ed er with her, so I’d be ed her off All I could think of was goin after Jack

I should of heeded you, I says You warned me about him You said he would know my shadows He does I … I lay with him, I--why am I sayin this? You already know

The time’s short, she says The blood ive a little laugh What would I have them do? I says You know very well Go onto the farit theirl is there, she’ll be the key--but I need you to tell otta do after that I bin thinkin an tryin to work out that finalDeMalo down I know that’s what’s gotta happen The babyhouse, the slaves, how I needed these people from the Snake--that all came to me pretty clear But after Edenhome, I cain’t see nuthin It’s jest blackness I bin so badly needin to see you, Auriel Even you probly got no idea how ather it up an carry on

Jest … please, I says All I want is fer you to tell otta do to finish this

I’m so sorry, she says I cain’t

A chill runs over my skin Of course you can, I says It’sbefore I was born a train of events was set in ht, they have An you told me--an my pa did too an he warn’t much of a star reader--you both said, all these people would need randfather knew about ive to me So, I don’t unnerstand I jest need to know this one … this one last thing becuz I hafta git it right So I need you--please--to tell me … please tell me what I need to do, Auriel If this is s ain’t the same as they was, she says That’s why the tuin all the tiirl you was at the Snake You ain’t the sao, yesterday, this es Do you see? Yer reo, every moment of every day

I am?

Yes, she says The future is yers to shape

I make my destiny myself, I says

By the choices you make, she says

But--there’s too ot planned Here’s all these people an--Hoill I know if I’ is to do what yer doin, she says Take one step at a tiot here That’s how you’ll git there An in every moment, as you choose, stay true to yerself Who you really are What you believe You ain’t like nobody else

There’s silence between us a long ot to say to me, I says When I ask fer yer help, when I need to knohen--

I hafta stop fer a htness of fear has my voice

This ain’t nuthin, I whisper

It’s everythin, she says