The younger Seamswalker let Matt, Lucy, and Bethany into my study.

I didn't waste time. I knelt at Bethany's feet and looked into her honey-brown eyes to say, "I am so sorry for making you uncomfortable."

She surprised me by laughing in my face. It was a bright, happy giggle of a healthy teenage girl. I looked at Matt and Lucy for some assurance. They exchanged a look and smiled at me.

Matt said, "It's okay, Wingmaster. Bethany simply finds the entire situation funny, is all."

Funny.

Lucy tried to elaborate. "I think Bethany likes you just fine. Some parts of your Verse reminded her of a famine in her life, but now she's well-fed. We see to that."

Bethany tucked strands of her curly brown hair behind her ears and put her face inches from mine. Her voice was soft and under-used, as she said, "I ate Razor. Triss missed you. She brought you up all the time, and it hurt Razor's heart because he couldn't bring you back for her."

My heart stopped.

Ate.

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Downloaded.

I muttered, "You weren't upset that my Verse was reminding you of Razor. You were living his memories. Memories of me..."

Bethany nodded and whispered, "He was happy you and he were so generous with Triss and that you could both use some more—"

"Later, Bethany. You can tell me about that stuff later," Lucy kindly and sweetly said into Bethany's ear. Like two girlfriends planning a chat over brunch.

I cleared my throat, wondering how I felt about Bethany seeing those exact memories before asking, "Would you consent to giving us Razor's memories? We could really use them to operate Ishkur."

And to sort out once and for all what kind of man the Pain Curator was.

The teenage girl cocked her head to the side. "Can I still keep them? They taste like vanilla and blood."

Both Matt and Lucy beamed at her like two proud older siblings.

I needed to swallow before I could answer. "Of course."

A tingle crawled up my spine at the sweet smile which spread across Bethany's lips. She nodded.

Matt held his hand out to her and Bethany took it as he said, "Come on, now. I think you used up all our time."

"Wait, is there anything you wanted, Matt? Lucy?" I could spare a few more minutes for original Shadow.

The redhead's freckled face sported a handsome smile, which I'm sure he was faking. "Naw, Wingmaster. We're just glad we followed you to the Callahan's Bookstore on Invasion Day."

Lucy was still beaming as she said, "We couldn't be happier. Thank you."

Hand-in-hand, that beautiful, bizarre trio let themselves out.