n the last step when a voi

use

polite. The t

, slow and

nd then one more, all of them dressed in black, eyes too bright,

forming a loose circle, like the path itself had decid

down, not rushing, eyes sharp, as if she were

nize you," the

tepping closer. His breath smelled like

ou invi

stayed

em lean in, hungry

e man murmured, "

r near th

t tighter,

. I remember her friends. I remembe

oise said

d. "Did you kn

at question

r voice: "You do kno

pened. Suspici

one said, almost a whis

u're not one of those girls who thinks a funeral's

ced it down, throat tightening, a me

gentle. "Are you even from here? Because everyone here knows what happen

pretending you came for res

e sat close enough

cause it was loud. Grief still hung in the air,

lk," someo

one ta

ve heard s

e man's gaze

ed, unse

id that t

you here?" the

spects," Eloi

she asked," the

led through

carf woman. "Are you a fri

Her palm felt damp, but she didn't wipe it.

closer. "You shouldn

met her

. "Women who linger nea

r: "Seve

Eight

d ninet

er," the woman said soft

"Bad luck foll

e echoed. "That's

ss sound ran t

," the man added. "Unless you've got debts

ne lan

sharp and fast, but she

anything about

tell

t her s

d in, hea

ong here," the

kno

tepped f

h for her to pass, wait

didn

the path. Behind her, the chapel doors looked smalle

u... Do I k

rom behind-low,

stop

r chan

rrogators pulled back a little, like something invis

turn

oor stood a fe

looked wors

we

suit fit perfectly, but grief had carved deep marks. His eyes were bloodshot at the

ike he was hunting for a

e contact. She didn

narrowed

en them had weight. His eyes drifted across her face, learning it, memorizing. It made h

the scarf muttered, "Mr. B

crowd loosened its grip but not out of kindness, just instinct

across his face and vanishe

led him. She

gers twitched

kept

ard beat, like a door slamming shut. She hated that he'd just asked something t

ike passing sentence. She'd promised herself not to get tangled in anyone else's grief. Yet here she was

In and out, slow and steady. Just take a step, she told

she f

und. Not

ren

past Cassian's sh

to catch her attention. Hands in his pockets, posture easy, head t

no threat, nothing that explaine

dn't reco

gut, that he'd been watching her long before she

t tense, just absolutely still. The kind of still

stomach

ch up, just barely. Not a friendly smile. Not exactly c

but she got the message. I

sharper now, like the question he'd a

idea who

and total certainty, he wa

as much, m