The Hummingbird's Broken Song

with a searing,

ut of their line of si

sual cruelty, Chloe'

red thou

o put her furt

needed to think,

umbled for he

er. One

ctor of The Vanguard Cons

not since she' d emailed him, full of s

ne rang

u?" His voice, warm, familiar,

ars blurring her vision. "I... I m

tone instantly concerned. "Wh

. If there' s any way. I' ll do a

here' s always a place for you here. Always. We have a major restoration project

nd

away. A

red, a sob escapi

ge everything. Just

ed in the opulent,

tiny spark of hope ign

eep breath,

hem. She wouldn'

rds Liam and Chloe. Th

mile faltered, replaced b

ing here? I told you to

ng, raking over Elara' s worn clothes. "

said, her voice surprisingly s

a greedy spark. "Ah, ex

, but Elara pulle

she said, meeting his gaze. "Ther

this going to be

"There' s something I need to tell you, Elara. There' s been a... complication wi

or effect,

housand dollar

watching Elara

hope from Mr. Harrison' s call a smal