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“But—”

“Now”

She looked up at him but didn’t dare defy him, not after she heard his tone

“You can see Constance in the ”

In the ?

Claire gave me a wave then went into the hallway to return to her bedroom

His apart up part of the wall, wallpaper taking up the other part There were paintings and photographs on the wall—all of Claire The floor was hardwood, and I was dripping all over it The hallas illu, like he had dimmers to set it at whatever intensity he wanted

When Claire left, Benton stared at ain There was subtle hostility there, but since it ay less than it’d been before, I’d gladly take it Or maybe he just always looked like that Like he wanted to bash soainst the wall

Heandas he carried himself

I watched him for a second before I followed

He walked down the hallway and gestured to an empty bedroom

I didn’t step inside I looked at hi me?”

A foot taller than me, he squared his shoulders, his short hair a little o He stared for a while, trying to find the words “Because you helped me”

I slept like a rock

Hadn’t slept like that since before I was taken to the cult

Even if Forneus knehere I was, I suspected he wouldn’t cross Benton Benton and his associates had some kind of power over the cult That was the only way to explain how he’d gotten Claire and Beatrice out of there in the first place

I slept naked because I didn’t have any clothes

When I opened , there was a pile of clothes on the floor I took them inside and discovered they were Benton’s—and they were the size of a tarp His shirt went to my knees, and his pants had to be held at

Whatever They were clean and dry

I heard a co

Once the door was open again, I smelled it

Breakfast

Barefoot, I moved down the hallway

“Did she say why she’s here?” Beatrice’s voice was easy for nize because I’d lived with her for ood recovery since the last time I’d seen her at the hospital