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The furie inhaled again, and the shade was pulled back, sucked down through her wide ed as the last wisp of s before it too disappeared into the furie’s belly

"Yeah," I ross"

She whirled toward aze landed on Josie’s prone body Immediately, she shifted back into her mortal form as she dropped down on the other side of her She reached for Josie, but for some reason that was beyond me, I moved one hand to the back of Josie’s head and the other to her hip, guiding her into my lap The look I sent the furie must’ve been read loud and clear, because she withdrew her hands

Our stares held once , and dipped her chin to her chest "They’ve found her"

Chapter 7

I KNEW I was dreaolden oak table in the old, country-style kitchen in rown-up version of the red cowgirl outfit that I’d loved dearly and had worn alranny took it away from me The skirt was red hite ruffles, and the shirt had a red vest attached to it, also full of white ruffles that formed a "V" on each side When I’d been four, this outfit had been cute--adorable even--but as a twenty-year-old, not soand so very vulnerable as she stared into her teacup My breath caught as she tilted her cup to the side

Oh God, I re

Closingat ive flight, but I was rooted tofroo

"You’re destined for soreat, baby" Her deep-brown eyes roa myself that’s the reason why you’re here There has to be a reason why an There has to be a point to all this"

Like before, when I first heard those words, a very real pain sliced through ans At four years old, I didn’t understand that those words meant I was unplanned and a , and I had known in that moment that my mom hadn’t wanted me I knew she loved me, but she hadn’t wanted me

The kitchen blurred as the dream faded away before Granny entered Even as I was pulled out of the drea somewhere between asleep and awake, I remembered that Granny had overheard Mom, and it hadn’t been pretty Morandparents had taken ainstup around thesuspicion that there was soother than what o