rieked, pointing a trembling fin

omen who looked more like b

backed brushes, and small po

shat

Clara, who had rushed in a

dam Rourk

pun on

re ques

connecting sharply

umbling back, te

body rigid. "Izzy

h, ugly sound. "It' s never en

rcus strode i

shattered items, Clara clutching

e is happening here

eanor chang

led. Tears wel

, clutchin

he was saying such cruel things. About me... about you. An

a pathetic, r

hed to Izz

alright?" He gl

meaning of this? Apo

e was li

gation. No

e condemnatio

ind devotion in his eyes for the

tion wa

Eleanor said, her v

leaning heavily

enough for everyone to hear. "She need

Marcus, her eyes

he peak of Mount Custis... the air is thin, and the path is treacherous. Only the rare

tronger, a sly e

y, perhaps she could fetch one for m

ooked at

– hesitation? Discomf

dangerous climb even in dayli

n, "that' s ask

rcus, if she' s truly sorry... It' s t

welled

He looked back at Eleanor

You hear

dread, but her fac

e them the satisf

mply n

you

base of Mount C

grim. He left her at the trailhead with a

he path, barely visible, s

began

under her feet.

of the child

n Marcus had become,

r any imagined slight against I

l flowers, I

the highest, mos

rumored to be th

mbed fo

creamed. Her

the summit,

n flowers, glowing faint

plucked one, i

own was even

ing her hands, br

eached the car, d

, battered, but s

ighted with

arrange it in a v

ained the wate

too

vase wa

came a

rew more capricio

a specific shop acros

exts for hours, until El

sage Izzy' s

face unreadable, alw

she asks. It' s not

g she save

or was now just..

or en

r. Dark circles appe

tomaton, her spirit

y grueling day of Izzy' s demand

a wave of

egs b

cold, hard floor, the