The 99 Stones of Betrayal

and the box of stones just as V

keep his voice even. "Just ge

uspiciously for a m

lsewhere. "He made some awful instant coffee. I need yo

oing, as long as it didn' t in

ve of resignation. He wa

r, Vic announce

e said over breakfast. Jax was awkwardly t

me people. You' ll come too, of course. A

t me to escort you and your...

out before he c

im that. He' s my guest. And you' re

"Vic, none of this is normal! In

r her to see, to understand

tronizing sigh he w

. exploring. He' s a challenge. I' ve never

y sounded p

I' ll get bored. I promise. T

ld numbness spr

it, didn' t even seem to ache

ing that," he

came into Ethan' s room. Ja

ut a small

lammatory. For your ankle. The docto

t didn' t look like the one

his is the right

rse, I' m sure. Don' t be dif

man, Vic knows best. She' s just trying

fish allergy. It was on all his medical reco

bad feeling cr

sion was impatien

Ethan," she sa

ss of water, a sense of dr

at a glitzy d

gliding through the crow

till throbbing, tr

ther tech executives and

out Jax. The gos

ht your handsome musician out!"

rugged in person!"

was invisible, or worse, a

le had fawned over him, the brilliant arc

st an inconven

he attention but also somewhat fl

om a luxury brand sponsoring the event, handing

" she purred, loud eno

party game some of her friends had

"dare" for Vic

tes!" someone s

x into a deep, performative kiss r

new she was doing it for an audience, to

his skin. A faint redness

ing. The pill. It wasn'

o feel tight. Hives wer

towards Vic, who was still l

voice hoarse. "The pill

"Ethan, don' t be so dramati

oncern in his eyes, then quickly

han choked out, his throat

to blur. The sounds

ismissive, was the last thin

h his mind was a bitter one: she

atched him ta