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"Sweet Jesus," heher face up "Our estee"

Selena ignored the confusing jumble of his words "You help me learn?"

"Of course I will, goddess Andrew and I shall teach you all the words you've forgotten" He turned to Andrew "It should be quite a moment when Ian returns" Selena's heartbeat sped up "Ian?"

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Johann turned back to her, a sad, understanding look in his eyes "He's gone, goddess I don't knohen he'll return"

Selena understood gone When you pinched the can-dlewick, the fire changed into sone She looked up at Johann, tried to force the words out "Here is home"

Very slowly, Johann smiled "Yes, this is home for Ian And sooner or later, people always come home Even idiots like Dr Carrick"

One month to the day after he'd left, Ian returned

He stood outside the closed wrought-iron gates of Lethe House, staring through the intricately for sounds of his rented carriage as it disappeared back down the road Night curled around hily that he hadn't wired ahead with notice of his return

Overhead, the ray clouds Wind whispered through the pine needles, brushed the hair at the back of his neck He drew his cloak tighter around his body It was an instinctive ly cold in this ht hour, he couldn't really feel it

He felt detached fros as removed as the stars hidden behind the hazy veil, as distant as to day in New York, he'd felt hi deeper into a darkness from which there was no escape

He'd thought to find peace in the city, souilt and desperation he'd felt in Alabaster And for the first few days, things had been quiet enough The staff had waited on him hand and foot, careful never to touch or speak to their infah the house at night, blind drunk

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But somehoord of his arrival had leaked out, bits and pieces of gossip sliding through the sewer systeawk-ers had been the first to co breathlessly f

or a sighting of the notorious doctor Next had co advice fro hi when he refused to shake their hands