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Sternly he said, “We have guests outside We are going to tell them some of the children wandered and tripped an alar to worry about No one is to speak of what happened tonight…because nothing happened”

“Ethan, you cannot be—”

“Are you expecting o out there and tell theht under our noses?” he asked rily

He was right butbut to act like nothing had happened? “Who’s going to believe that, when Calliope isn’t beside you—”

“Why wouldn’t she be beside ed now”

What? “Ethan, she was shot, stabbed, and beaten And you're forcing her to get cleaned up and play hostess?”

His jaw clenched again, and he took a deep breath “I did not force Calliope to do anything We spoke about it We agreed Now, I need to talk to Darcy—”

“No” I stepped in front hio out there and pretend we are okay, fine Bury your emotions You can do that But do not force that boy—”

“He is not a boy, Nana,” he snapped at me “He’s a man He’s a Callahan”

“His mother just died—”

“And if he does not want the rest of us to fucking die, he will get out here and do what he needs to do Aunt Cora…” He did his best not yell, but he was shaking, too “…Is gone But we are still here, which means we can survive this”

“You sick son of a bitch!” Helen sobbed and cried as she rushed to the door “Her body is not even cold yet and—”

“Helen” I tried to stop her, but instead, another pair of ar her still I looked at Darcy, his eyes…his eyes just like Declan’s when he had first arrived

“Stay with Mo They will assuo”

“Mom—”