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But Mama Rosa, the Boneyard’s resident Filipino bruha? She was cool, treated me like a son I could only hope that Leonora was as sweet and ave off You can never be too sure Her room at the home was fluffy and pink, nearly every surface tri faintly of powder and roses But again: you never knohen it comes to witches

Quilliahter filled the roouffaw that ca with each other in Spanish So evenparallels between hies I don’t even know anyues, but granted, being functionally ie hulot

“Tia Leonora,” Quill said, wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye “It’s always such a pleasure”

Leonora chuckled so the back of Quill’s hand “Ay, mijo, the pleasure is all mine I’m always so happy when you coht with you?”

I perked up, an invisible string tugging on hten it, because I still remembered my manners, but also because I knew that a little investo by very smoothly

“Mason Albrecht, ma’am I met Quilliah to connectout a little liht Play the part “How can I help you, Tia Maria Leonora?”

She covered her“No need to use er Very polite” She looked to either side of her, as if her fellow residents in the other rooms could possibly hear what she’d have to say “Then I won’t waste your time, Mason I will make this brief I want you to kill me”

I stood bolt upright “I’m out”

Quill’s hand darted for ently, but firmly around my wrist, like velvet shackles “Hey, hey now We came all the way, Mason It isn’t like that at all You should hear her out” He shook his head at Leonora, then looked ata weak smile “She has a flair for the dramatic”

I heaved a sigh, coain as I sat back down and patiently waited for her to continue I told Quillto kill anyone, especially not this presumably lonely old woman

“He is right,” Leonora said “I do very much enjoy theatrics” She held one hand to her chest, then lifted her chin “I was a telenovela star once, you know” She turned one hand up with a flourish “I was in the small pictures”

Quill nodded “She’s telling the truth, you know I’ve seen a few episodes It was a show fro”

I allowed my eyes to travel across the room as I waited for someone else to fill the air ords That explained all the glamor shots of soer version of Leonora It also explained the ancient VHS player in the corner of the roo with the little shelf of tapes

Leonora grinned, noticing aze “Some day, perhaps, you will come and watch a few of my shoith me But not today Tell me, Mason How old do you think I am?”

I shook e, ma’am”