Page 370 of Sins of the Heart

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One word.

Whatever Calliope had been looking for, he’d given

it to her. Her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, her expression softened.

She moved close and stared into Roxy’s eyes.

“I didn’t do a very good job,” she said, and her

mouth turned in a sad smile. “I hadn’t been a mentor

before. You were my first pupil. So prickly, so private.

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SINS OF THE HEART

I didn’t push for personal information because you

seemed to prefer distance, and because I didn’t want

to make you withdraw even more. I see now that that

was a mistake. I’ve lost you and I’ll have to answer for

that.”

“You haven’t lost me.” Roxy shook her head. “Answer to whom?”

Calliope cut Dagan a look. Roxy had the feeling she

was choosing the right words, the ones she thought

were best. Best for what?

“You’re the bottom rung of the Asetian Guard,”

Calliope said at last. “You’re privy to no secrets.”

“Apparently, I wasn’t even privy to the secret of

what the hell I am,” Roxy muttered, unable to squelch

the hint of resentment.

Calliope’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “My error,

Roxy. You have my apology and my regret, but the truth

is, given what has now come to light, it seems that even

from the first day I found you, you were never meant

to be one of us.”

“What? Why?”

“I didn’t know you’d taken First Blood from a soul

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