estate into a hollow cavern. The air sat

ok hold of me. My ski

loth to my forehead while she dialed my father's burn

r the estate guards to stir. She hoisted me onto her back and marched into

ewhere, a wheelchair peeled across worn linoleum with a sticky, sucking sound.

r voice cut th

en

tside an examination room. Elena beside him.

mob doctor. "Yes, I'm acting as Leo's guardian," he co

in my stomach l

met my mother's. The three of us s

et and false. "Leo just had a little accident," she said, her

furniture. Instead, she raised her hand and

father's hand, charged forward,

My hip struck the linoleum with a

Leo yelled. "Stop tryi

apped her cheek with a theatrical crack. She collapsed

she wailed. "The boy d

found irritation. "Stop giving them at

osed. She began to swoon, her body

arranged itself into manufactured panic as he rushe

at me before ru

elped me to my feet. She turned her back on that examination room, and

ay, the doctor's voice dri

oretti. Elena is nearly