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He doesn’t bother introducing his work Instead, Luthor steps up to his sculpture and in one swift motion rips the cloth off

I gasp—the only sound in the silent gallery

The sculpture is no longer faceless—it’s headless Froh ine hiers around the clay, carefully and precisely squeezing, squeezing, squeezing until the head siht off

Froraceful and elegant than I’d reernails, veins at the delicate wrists Individual toes curl around the base, and the draping gown looks as if it is made of silk, not mud

But fro

“ Well ” Orion’s voice cuts through the ringing silence “This is quiteillu, Luthor ”

Luthor lets the sheet that had been covering his sculpture drop to the floor as he turns and storallery

Even Kayleigh and Harley, as wrapped up as they are in each other, have noticed the way Bartie and Victria never leave my side Their worry is palpable

“ Go to Doc,” Harley finally says “Ripping the head off a sculpture of someone is loons

Maybe he can up Luthor’s meds ”

“I don’t think the h says

“They just— ”

“This isn’t the time for that,” Victria snaps I’h before “But Harley’s right We should talk to Doc Or maybe even Eldest?”

We let the weight of her words sink in before I say anything “Not Eldest It’s just a creepy sculpture No reason to contact Eldest ”

Although no one says anything, the tension in the room dissolves a bit now that I’ve said to leave Eldest out of it