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No poas more flexible than stolen power Or--if you kne to use it properly--sweeter

The light of stolen love and life painted her thighs and belly, touching thelow, picturing Mateo’s face

You are er drove to the hospital so quickly that Nadia found herself bracing her hands against the dashboard It still didn’t feel fast enough But withinacross the hospital parking lot Froer’s face, Nadia could tell how truly she regretted having hurt Mateo

It didn’t htened for Mateo, that she wanted to scream

Mateo will be okay, she reminded herself He won’t die They have er will break the spell, and he’ll be fine again in no time

Physically, that was true But what about Mateo’s s fro from his past? Was every moment he’d ever known--every moment they had ever known--lost forever?

They ran into the ER waiting room Nadia hurried to the nurse on duty "Yes, hi, we’re here about Mateo Perez--we’re his, um, his friends" Would they even let anybody in to see hier cast the spell from here?

"I’m sorry," the nurse said "No visitors outside the ier, who still looked as likely to bolt as to help Mateo Before she could think what to do, though, Verlaine shouted--, "This is an outrage!"

Heads turned around the waiting room The nurse said, "Miss, I understand you’re upset, but the sarabbed out her phone and started recording video "This is about--about freedo served in local restaurants if it’s killing people!"

So for a doctor to check out a black eye, said, "Wait, restaurants are killing people?"

Everyone startedon the nurses’ station as loudly as she could "I demand accountability! I demand justice!" Then she shot Nadia a look that clearly et ato have to call security!" the nurse cried; already a security guard was edging toward Verlaine Nadia started backing away fro with her As everyone focused on Verlaine, who kept on shouting about citizen journalish the doors that led to the ER itself

Captive’s Sound was so small, and so quiet, that no other patients were in the ER Both doctors and all the nurses swarle hospital bed Amid the sea of tubes and scrubs, Nadia could just see Mateo He looked so pale, so still Her heart constricted painfully in her chest

"Do soer, who nodded

It was horrible, having to rely on soh Nadia could have tried so herself, it would be harder for her; the spellcaster herself always had the greatest power over the spell

But even as Ginger lifted one hand to begin, Mateo suddenly sat upright