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“Okay, we’re sorry,” Liam said finally “Really Okay? I panicked You don’t understand”

“My apprentice will understand,” Messenger said, “And thus, so will I”

Liam and Emma both looked at me It was only after they had stared expectantly for a few seconds that I realized Messenger was talking about me

“Apprentice?” It cahed I wanted to laugh Because, after all, this was really just so

What it was not, what it could not be, was er’s apprentice The very idea was like a steel cage being erected around , defining, controlling

I felt like prisoners e who pronounces their sentence

“No,” I said I shook ain

Messenger’s face wore a look I had suspected it ht be capable of, but had not truly seen until this lorying in my fear; he pitied me He understood what he had just toldHe could see the panic rising inthermometer

“No, no, no,” I said

And that’s when I saw through theus—but it became less opaque so that I saw a tableau I sao people One was Messenger The other was me

And I heardsobs of what I believe was re myself with my arms across my chest My head was bowed My face was distorted by emotion present and e time

In this tableau Messenger never spoke—he just stood there beforethe same expression of compassion he had revealed only h words so distorted by anguish would have been hard for a person unfamiliar with me to make out But I could hear and understand them clearly They ords that sealed my fate Words that trapped me without hope of escape

“Yes,” I sobbed “Yes, yes, I will I will I will do it I have to do it I will atone”

“If you choose this fate, you must speak these words: You will be my teacher”

My sobbing self spoke them “You will be my teacher”