It echoed in the sudden silence of the grand foyer, ea

d on the wreckage below. Among the twisted si

ture she had of her

tching her wrist and starting to sob theatrically. "

ked in, his face etched with exhaustion. He took in the chao

oing on?"

nd threw herself at his feet. "Elliott, you're back! I was just trying to ta

o stood motionless on the stairs, her face a blank mask

ing her behind him in a protective gesture. The

Taking your anger out on a gues

o absurd, so grotesquely unfair,

to the triumphant smirk on Clio's behind him, and

rage, and the heartbreak coalesced into

at a time, each footfall feeling li

tt felt a strange, unfamiliar flicker of

of debris and slowly knelt, her hand tremb

cut through the air. "It's just a broken necklace! Is it re

e to her feet and finally looked directly at Elliott. Her eyes

perfectly enunciated drop of venom. "Th

his expression shifted, a fli

from behind him. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I d

athetic apology w

e mo

osing the distance between t

L

eafeningly loud. It cracked throu

dprint blooming on his cheek. He was utterly stunned

ief. In their world, Chloe was the gentle, submiss

a strange, cold satisf

r of the room as she stared into Elliott's shocked eyes, "w

e tiny photograph in her fist, turned her back on him, and wa