s Point

no pain

y l

wing the city, the noise, the past. For a brief, strange moment,

he pai

dy slams against something hard, the impact ripping the air fr

it mig

. My head hits with a sound I feel more than hear. T

't br

nic claws up my throat as my chest convuls

, a detached part o

wanted. F

vision, heavy and seductive. I welcome

it does, I h

, stay w

Deep.

lders, firm but careful,

eyes," the voice s

tr

en screen. Faces hover above me-blurry, d

per, though I don't know to

tighten

e says without hes

certainty in his tone-makes m

im how he could

kness final

of my

ach, wearing the pale blue dress she loved. H

" she sa

o her, but my

dead?"

s sadly.

does it hu

n front of me, the way she

ever yours to bear," she says, brushing my ha

I?" I

t weak. You are not disposa

brightens,

up sc

icked. My body jerks violently, sending sharp

as

ss gently but firmly against m

man says. "You'

pit

rd gro

le, tinged with antiseptic and something faintly floral

owly comes

ping quietly. White sheets

itting besi

n a way that suggests thoughtfulness rather than age. His hair is dark, threaded with silver. He wears

are wha

. Steady.

ok at me like

at me like

ys calmly. "You've been uncons

ve h

t burns. "Did... an

scapes before

lickers acr

gently. "I ask

rrows weak

sked me not to

re at

d

rve faintly. "Very

st tig

rememb

that some instinct inside me knew bette

e you?"

" he says. "I was the one who

eadlights, a voice,

ed me,"

g," he corrects quietly.

of that set

staring at

nt to be sav

w," he

judgment in

nderst

ors come

ured arm, bruised ribs, a mild concussio

feel mir

empti

ve, silence s

esn't rush

han anything

stand silence ar

still here?"

r a long moment

n you," he says. "Even bef

ost l

man bleeding

n pushed there," he correc

curl into

on't k

ir. And I know resilience. They of

head to lo

someone who just sav

ns slightly. "I'

ath, I

aks. The way h

with a clock ticking l

me?" I a

e doesn

ys. "And because I suspect you won't survive much

f it lands

y eyes, but I refus

e anywhere e

," he r

nce

h

th me,"

nk. "

ide the city," he continues evenly. "Quie

faintly beneath the

you want in r

smile touch

," he sa

ould sc

e first honest thing anyo

se my

tired,"

" he say

ep again, it's n

somethin

fe

to rain tapping gen

. My body aches, but the

here, reading some

charge ren

up. "You'

rtuna

brow. "That'

ost s

mo

" I ask

the tabl

says slowly,

n the air, heavy

re at

ha

ues calmly. "Aggressive

tightens

rry," I

says. "I've mad

y head. "

ligent. Someone invisible enough not to attract vultures

ding dawn

fe

revu

ething

ea

ter," I say, "because yo

grees witho

f I sa

my gaze

ospital safely," he says. "And I'll n

ne

ea

hoi

he rain-stre

t chewed me up

e I no longe

you wan

forward

arry me," Richar

and like a

la

t. Disbe

't even

plies. "And I don't wa

rtbeat

would I ge

n-not predatory

"My name. My fortune. M

ath ca

hy

o will survive me. And because I want my life's work

m is ve

ain contin

nce the altar, someth

ho

t

ossib