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A deep exhaustion saved us all from the inevitable tale We had to seek our dark corners away froht when he would come out to us and tell us what had happened

Still clutching the bundle, refusing all help, he closeted himself up with his wound I had no choice but to leave him

As I sank down thatplace, secure in clean modern darkness, I cried and cried like a child on account of the sight of hiht low like this when it had taken so many painful decades to cement my love for him forever?

Once before, a hundred years ago, he'd co into the Theatre des Vaentle Louis and the doomed child, and I hadn't pitied him then, his skin scored with scars from Claudia's foolish and clumsy attempt to kill him

Loved him then, yes, I had, but this had been a bodily disaster which his evil blood would heal, and I knew froreater strength than serene tiiven him

But what I'd seen noas a devastation of the soul in his anguished face, and the vision of the one blue eye, shining so vividly in his streaked and wretched face, had been unbearable

I don't re hastened us away, and if you cried too, I never heard you, I never thought to listen As for the bundle he had carried in his arms, what could it have possibly been? I do not even think I thought of it

The next night:

He came quietly into the parlor of the apartment as the darkness clambered down, starry for a few precious moments before the dreary descent of snow He ashed and dressed, his torn and bleeding foot no doubt healed He wore new shoes

But nothing could lessen the grotesque picture of his torn face where the cuts of a claw or fingernails surrounded the gaping, puckering lids Quietly he sat down

He looked at htened his face "Don't fear for me, little devil Ar now I a "

In a low voice I whispered to hio down into the streets, letwho has wasted every physical gift that God ever gave, an eye for you! Let me put it here in the empty socket Your blood will rush into it and make it see You know You saw this miracle once with the ancient one, Maharet, indeed, with a pair ofin her special blood, eyes that could see! I'll do it It won't take me but a moment, and then I'll have the eye in my hand and be the doctor myself and place it here Please "

He only shook his head He kissed me quickly on the cheek

"Why do you lovethe beauty of his smooth poreless sun-darkened skin, and even as the dark slit of the empty socket seemed to peer at me with some secret power to relay its vision to his heart He was handso froh he'd seen some powerful mystery

"Yes, but I have," he said, and now began to cry "I have, and IBelieve ht, the wildflowers clinging still to h-believe me "