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"Do you know hi is still speaking, telling us there will be more updates to follow, but I’ Lex out of the roo not to make a scene I don’t understand why he’s so upset by this What does he have to do with a irl’s betrothed from the academy?

The broadcast ends, and the room reaches a crescendo of chatter Lots of speculation, but no answers aht,overhead I fear the floorboards will splinter and break

The cafeteria is filled with ossip Judas is the naht-hand e of The History of Internod favored him, and when Judas died, Internment experienced its one and only water storm To think a boy named after Judas could commit such a crime

Pen pulls excitedly on my sleeve "It’s all like a tawdry romantic horror," she says "Can you even believe it?"

It’s all anyone in the cafeteria is talking about I know because I overhear pieces of conversation--"Did anyone know theirl"--"stuck up, if you asktheossip I’m more worried about the afterin," Basil says

"They’ll have a difficult tiine," Thomas says "It’s supposed to be unbiased Who can be unbiased about "

"Unless he didn’t do it," I blurt, surprising myself Everyone’s eyes are on me "I mean--that’s what the trial is for, isn’t it? To deters "Guess we’ll see Is there a math exam this week?"

And the topic of Daphne Leander and Judas Hensley dies away

"Lex?"

"What is it?" he says after a pause I knocked, but he won’t open his office door to me Lost in his brilliance, I suppose He was always like that--going off by himself But his blindness has intensified it

"I wanted to talk to you," I say

"Talk about what?"

"Things," I say "That’s what sisters do You know, because you’reme," he says "That’s what sisters do How do you know I’ is practically cru at the end of the hall, frowns in apology Lex has even begun to elude her I worry for him, alone in all that blackness

I sit on the floor and lean against the door

"Who was that little girl at your juroup?" I ask "She had a bow in her hair" Too late, I realize a physical description won’t do ood "She can’t be more than eleven or twelve"

No answer

"The day of the fire, I caught her putting up papers in the ladies’ room at the theater I think she put them up at the academy, too They were copies of a paper Daphne Leander wrote about the gods being abackward Lex reaches out for me

"Where are you?" he says

"Down here" I hold uphis way until he’s on his knees across froirl is none of your concern," he says

"Is she really a ju to her"

"She’s Daphne Leander’s sister," I say "Isn’t she?"

"I’an You stay away from her"

He’s in ahim for more, but all he’s done is pique ," Alice says "I made berry cobbler"

Later, when Lex has retreated to his office once again, Alice is washing the dishes and I’ht," she says "It’s best if you stay away froirl"