her voice flat, dismissing my pain and the harvested

table, nodded silently and had

My head throbbe

covery room, the local

ere, looking

than?" she asked,

sm thick. "Glad I could be of se

y tone was new. The resignation was still t

difficul

d took out a thick enve

nto the bed. Ca

t. I' d

guards had retrieved, buz

is waiting. Let me know

he screen as Vi

was t

ne,"

ter. My thr

myself up

ian' s recovery

passed, looking

ing his forehead with a damp cloth. He was m

d kissed him, a lo

er than the pain. It wasn't jea

r fountain and

ting for me, arms crossed. Jul

ky accused, her voice cold. Julian

ng water," I

Julian remembered your promi

I' d hoped th

line. From a collector in Mon

ana?

skin taken off my a

simple errand. A private jet i

she and Julian could play house

or is elderly and lives at the top of a mountain. No elevator.

n sni

new level

aged, my head w

lve in her eyes. T

ustin, was the only thing t

ed, de

d me from the clinic dire

ana was a blur of p

t me with pity as I knelt on his porch,

, velvet box containin

nd, my legs gave

mbered was the cold s