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Outside was a blue Insomnian night. Lunafreya stood at the window, carefully watching. White flowers. Side street. Right hand. Was there any point in worrying? She was already getting ahead of herself, already at the door before Nyx shouldered it open."Your Highness--""Crowe," Lunafreya finished. "Let us go to her."Out the door, down the hall, the steps, the street. Nyx was beside her, explaining until the clatter of Crownsguard was behind them. Seven. No, eight. Soon nine. For or against? No, Lunafreya had already asked. Against.Nyx took her elbow, steered her and sped her. This was the part when Libertus intervened before. Fixed. No one around the corner but the cart covered in white flowers. Lunafreya stepped aside when it came rolling through. Nyx did not.He shouted something, but the keyword was, "Go!"And Lunafreya did, go and go along the boulevard. A sound preceded a crowd. Fixed. Lunafreya took a side street.Covered awning. Skip. Storefront. Skip. Alleway. Skip. "Get off me!" Stop. Which hand?Crowe. 'Glaives, former, against. Which hand? Fifteen steps, three seconds. Crowe battle blur. Shouting no help. What time was it? What hand that Crowe raised and screamed, "Traitor!"Crowe! Crowe! Right hand. Her right? Nyx in three seconds. Lunafreya raised - right hand - stepped left foot Crowe back Lunaforward hand blade beat brought down His right rewind wait stop right hand side street white freya's head hit the ground.Everything dissolved into one fine, high note.
Lunafreya wakes with her hands pressed to the glass above her head, trying to force it open. She frantically gropes behind her for the tether as her brain screams that she's dead. An alarm cries softly in Lunafreya's headset."Gentiana, Gentiana," she sobs.Her arms surround Lunafreya in an instant. Something hits the floor."Warning," says an artificial voice. "Synchronization lost. Manual reset required."Lunafreya's body shakes while Gentiana strokes her hair and whispers, "All is as it was."She could laugh - as if that is any comfort! Lunafreya turns her head, and Gentiana's hair sticks to her cheeks streaked with sweat."It cannot be. I have to live this time, I cannot die before it's done."Gentiana opens her eyes to meet Lunafreya's gaze. "If she would not intervene on behalf of others..."A little flare of anger. "If she would intervene at all..."Gentiana's lashes frame her eyes in apology. Ah, to kiss them and forgive."Again," Lunafreya squares her shoulders. "We must try again. Please reset the machine."Gentiana inclines her head. Then the shape of her disappears, leaving only a cool exhale of breath.