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What kind of question was that? Who cared about the weather? “Hoould I know?”

“Relax Let the memories come back to you Do you recall perhaps the smell of the bakery?”

“I’ve heard it said that sest senses—”

“Annabelle, you’re supposed to be focusing”

And she was dodging thethere that she was afraid to recall?

She took a deep breath and blew it out She tried to focus on any detail that she could suether they sat there for countless h the cobwebs in her ly patient as he prompted her from time to time with a somewhat innocuous question These questions weren’t about her mother but rather about sensory details—she recalled the scent of cinnaht her a cinna and it had taken the chill out of the air, which

“And I remember, my mother said she had to speak to someone She told ht back”

“She left you alone?” There was surprise in his voice

“No She stayed here in the piazza, but she e There was a man that she met”

“Someone you know?”

“I’m not sure I never saw his face I just know their conversation was short and he left immediately after they spoke”

“What did your mother say to you?”

Annabelle opened her eyes “I don’t know any, which was unusual for her She was always good atyou learn when you’re born into royalty—the art of talking about absolutely nothing of relevance”

“At least nothing bad happened”

“Thanks for helping me to remember”