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The Sinsar Dubh paid us a visit, gave us a little look-see, thumbed its beast nose at us, flipped us the motherfeckin’ bird of all birds

Jo and me, we sit across the desk from Ro

"You didn’t even try to stop it," she finally says She’s been letting us stew She likes to do that Potatoes and carrots, they turn to h Time was, I did, too But I don’t cook down so fast any at the accusation blazing in her fierce blue eyes for the past fiveher She shoulda told us She shoulda warned us I never ever iined the Sinsar Dubh could pull a stunt like that She ain’t training us She’s keeping us small Afraid Just like Mac said What--I shoulda died so she could say, Dani tried? Feck that noise Ain’t dying just so she can feel better ’bout things

Jo says, "Grand Mistress, it looked like Barb was fighting it Froathered about the Book, ere pretty sure what thatJayne? I teach you! I train you!"

Jo turns her face away a moment, and I remember that Barb was one of her best friends But Jo, she surprisesagain, her voice is steady "She was going to kill herself soon, Rowena Our first goal was to keep the Book froone near it, it could have taken a virtually unstoppable body"

Ro cuts lance "Ever the liability, are you not, Danielle?"

Ito blow ss I’m not "D’pends on how you look at it, Ro," I say coolly "And you’re always looking at it wrong"

Jo sucks in a sharp breath

I’ve gone too far, and I’o farther I don’t care Ever since Mac disappeared, Ro’s races if I’d cooperate the tiniest bit I been skirting around the subject, flirting with appeasing her just enough to keep her guessing, thinking I’ll coonna happen

I just watched a hundred of my sisters--so what if they’re sheep? They’re still lares at o to sleep with ’e See ’eet over yourself already

"How’d the Book get loose, Ro?" I’m on my feet, sword in my hand "Why’n’tcha ever tell us that? Cause maybe you fell asleep on the job? ’S that it?"

Her voice is tight and she’s even paler when she looks at Jo and snaps, "You will escort that child to her rooonna happen Nobody here can controllike the dude that shot a giant with his slingshot Ro can’t feck with my head like she used to

"All I did is say what everybody’s been thinking but been too afraid to say I ain’t afraid of you no ht I knohat I’m afraid of" I back-kick my chair so hard it sla I’m done here" I mean it I really am Used to think I was at least a little safe in the abbey, but we got Shades in the shadows, and now the Book snuck in, and fact o’ the matter is, I can make myself a safer place than this in a feckin’ Dark Zone!