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One thing I can do right now.

Get her out.

Razor drags her closer to the drop. “Tell your brothers to back off.”

Nevermore appears through the trees to my right, Ghoul farther left, Hyde behind them.

None has a clean shot.

Razor knows it.

Sweet knows it.

I know it.

“Back up!” Razor screams.

Hyde raises one hand.

The brothers stop.

Loose gravel skitters behind Sweet into the murder hole.

We all hear how long it takes to hit.

Sweet looks down, then at me.

She is thinking.

That terrifies me almost as much as Razor.

I shake my head once.

Barely.

Do not.

Her mouth tightens.

Of course she is going to.

I know that woman just well enough to know I lost the argument without speaking.

Razor shifts his footing.

His wounded leg nearly buckles.

Sweet feels it.

So do I.

“Razor,” she says softly.

He looks down.

Sweet smiles.

Not sunshine.