Seven Years of Lies

n ye

no longer the dyin

ame in the city, a dev

with Sera

sharp angles and

in a maga

r, a smile I once

s words, quoted

s new life, his so

ays," the "superstitions

all, cold stone dr

her felt

ys around my nec

lly, not while I wore i

hings happen

ttering for

hill in a

o faint to

stless, sensing t

it wa

d to lea

ury apartment overlooking t

e, but a cag

s not mine,

' s unease

ck to our

still

so deferential, ba

re gone from the

he spare room, some in

recognize was

ma'am," she said, not meeting my e

aph

the living room, e

a cool smile

cus didn't say

canned me,

ating. This place

in then, loo

t are you d

ion. This was still,

r my thing

moment, a flicker of s

a spoke, her

ly. That old locket Elara wears, perhaps it could h

to the locket

oked from

ll. She thinks... she thin

his locket must always be worn. It keep

him, seven years ago. A t

n't be difficult, Elar

can

ce har

it t

n't a

for it. I p

arm, his finge

, he unclasped the

silver le

through me, a vulnerabil

d feel its energy s

d the locket

between two fingers as i

said, a small, cruel smile playin

uru, darling. He can do an energetic cleans

lease her. "Of course, wh

t even l

isibly around me, a cold