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Liza stiffened beside me People often called women of supposedly questionable ht I’d blush and run off, he was sorely mistaken

“Unfortunately, sir, I find I’m not terribly impressed” I casually slipped a scalpel fro the familiar feel of it “You see, I also eviscerate bodies But I don’t bother with animals I butcher humans Would you care for a demonstration?”

Hein my face that worried him He stepped back, his calloused hands raised “I don’t want no trouble, noas just havin’ some fun”

“As was I” I gave him a sweet smile that made him blanch as I turned the blade this way and that “Shah I’randiose fashion to s”

Liza’s jaw practically hit the ground as she angled us away She sighed as our carriage finally rumbled off without us “Explain to me, dearest cousin, e left that warh”—she motioned at the rows of butchers’ blocks with her parasol, each stall featuring different anies—“all this The smell is positively horrendous And the company is even more foul Never, in all my life, have I been spoken to in such a wicked manner”

I kept my skepticism on that latter point locked away We’d spentwith a carnival known for debauchery Being acquainted with the ring man In more ways than one

“I wanted to see the ive me an idea for the perfect oat?”

“After witnessing its beheading or before?” she asked, looking like she was“You do know that’s what cookbooks are for, correct? Inspiration without the labor Or carnage I swear yousurrounded by death”

“Don’t be ridiculous Why would you even think such a thing?”

“Look around, Audrey Rose Of all the neighborhoods in this city, this is the one you chose to stroll through”

I tore my attention away fro the disoat, s Blood steadily dripped downonto the ground

Judging from the multihued stains, the streets weren’t washed even after a busy day of hacking anih cracks in the cobblestones—tributaries of old deaththe new The scent of copper mixed with feces pricked my eyes and thrilled my heart

This street was death ible, a murderer’s dream

Liza sidestepped a bucket of frost-coated offal, her war teakettle as it led with the cold air I wasn’t sure if the amount of entrails or their near-frozen states offended herwithin ust Perhaps I needed to take up a new hobby

I feared I was beco addicted to blood