ap

s of t

el'

r the direction of my impulses. Now the room is totally disorganized, but all I c

Henry's face twists with wrath as he understands he has lost the upper hand. Again, a wild, frantic guy, he lu

ugh she is shaking, she is concentrated and I know she is attempting to shield us all. Henry a

rom my hold and runs madly towards her. Just as Emma reaches for the rifle with weak h

eezes everyone in place, even Henry. She is not the terrified, needy lady fr

h something nasty and evil. His voice tinged with scorn, "Yo

verything in that instant-the anxiety, the will, the love she has battled so v

I will if I have to," she says.

struggle saps him, and he falls to the ground bea

rom her then drag her into my arms. She shakes but does not cry. Right now she is too strong for that. For the first t

ulity flood the air, I have no opinion about any of it. Emma, the lads, and th

gripping her tightly a

figure it out," she replies, and her voice c

the ballroom empties. But now, with the truth out in the open and the future truly ours to mold, it

that whatever happens next wi

es the darkness, but rather the shadows living inside people that slin

across the vacant hallways. He has been shutting himself away with his secrets, avoiding me. An

hadows. My heart hammering in my chest, I gently open it. With his back to me

wanting to f

he murmurs, sounding low and st

in the room, I get c

ark and unfathomable eyes "Th

ng something from me, I know. Alan, why d

o across to the window. "It's useless, Arie

ast," I explain with a shaky voice

ne. "You are ignorant, Ariel." You wouldn't understand t

king as I lay it on his ar

eyes harden and he distances himself from me. "It's

rl around to find out who it is. Marie is standing t

empt, "Looks like I interrup

want for? My voic

to let you know of your place, Ariel. In this game you a

by swallowing hard. "I

n she chuckles. "Oh, you should be.

door behind her before I can reply. The sound sends a

toward the door. "Where are you planning to

ng," he says straight ah

n, w

, the shadows seem deeper and more repressive. Something horrib

iding what? Marie is quite committed to making my life unpleasa