n the last step when a voi
use
polite. The t
, slow and
nd then one more, all of them dressed in black, eyes too bright,
forming a loose circle, like the path itself had decid
down, not rushing, eyes sharp, as if she were
nize you," the
tepping closer. His breath smelled like
ou invi
stayed
em lean in, hungry
e man murmured, "
r near th
t tighter,
. I remember her friends. I remembe
oise said
d. "Did you kn
at question
r voice: "You do kno
pened. Suspici
one said, almost a whis
u're not one of those girls who thinks a funeral's
ced it down, throat tightening, a me
gentle. "Are you even from here? Because everyone here knows what happen
pretending you came for res
e sat close enough
cause it was loud. Grief still hung in the air,
lk," someo
one ta
ve heard s
e man's gaze
ed, unse
id that t
you here?" the
spects," Eloi
she asked," the
led through
carf woman. "Are you a fri
Her palm felt damp, but she didn't wipe it.
closer. "You shouldn
met her
. "Women who linger nea
r: "Seve
Eight
d ninet
er," the woman said soft
"Bad luck foll
e echoed. "That's
ss sound ran t
," the man added. "Unless you've got debts
ne lan
sharp and fast, but she
anything about
tell
t her s
d in, hea
ong here," the
kno
tepped f
h for her to pass, wait
didn
the path. Behind her, the chapel doors looked smalle
u... Do I k
rom behind-low,
stop
r chan
rrogators pulled back a little, like something invis
turn
oor stood a fe
looked wors
we
suit fit perfectly, but grief had carved deep marks. His eyes were bloodshot at the
ike he was hunting for a
e contact. She didn
narrowed
en them had weight. His eyes drifted across her face, learning it, memorizing. It made h
the scarf muttered, "Mr. B
crowd loosened its grip but not out of kindness, just instinct
across his face and vanishe
led him. She
gers twitched
kept
ard beat, like a door slamming shut. She hated that he'd just asked something t
ike passing sentence. She'd promised herself not to get tangled in anyone else's grief. Yet here she was
In and out, slow and steady. Just take a step, she told
she f
und. Not
ren
past Cassian's sh
to catch her attention. Hands in his pockets, posture easy, head t
no threat, nothing that explaine
dn't reco
gut, that he'd been watching her long before she
t tense, just absolutely still. The kind of still
stomach
ch up, just barely. Not a friendly smile. Not exactly c
but she got the message. I
sharper now, like the question he'd a
idea who
and total certainty, he wa
as much, m
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