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    “a lot of encouragement, I’ve seen larger egos in automata.”


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    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


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    ‘You could just ask you know?’ Alec pointed out with a mental chuckle.


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    ‘Who else?’


    ‘How are you doing this?’ she asked, still incredulous. Just how much had she missed last month?


    ‘Erebus had me doing meditations for a month, as well as some limited mental contact. Sensed you in my thoughts, thought I’d try to reply. Looks like it worked.’


    ‘Looks like it did.’ Holly agreed, impressed despite herself.


    ‘So what were you rummaging around in my head for? I sensed you had a question but not much more than that.’


    ‘Erebus dismissed me from the infirmary, he thinks there’s going to be an argument, no idea why, but didn’t want me hearing it so probably secret necromancer stuff. I was told to find you, but I don’t know where you are.’


    ‘In the cafeteria.’


    ‘I know that,’ which, in sheer frustration, she yelled aloud as well.


    ‘Where is it?’


    ‘Oh… uh where are you?’


    ‘I don’t know!’


    ‘Well can you get back to the infirmary? I can guide you from there.’


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