Page 95 of Harmless

“Okay, I’m listening.”

Tezcatlipoca’s velvety, thunderous voice filled my head next.You must hold onto yourself, Aurora. Even when your mind shatters and you lose sense of who you are.

I sat up higher. “Wait, what?”

You must not lose your voice,Lupa said next.Even when you’re choking on toxic sludge and only poison comes out.

“What thehelldo you guys mean?”

You must not lose sight of those you love, Astarte said.Even when your eyes show you horrors that break your heart.

“What could possibly…okay, I know you said I wouldn’t understand, but seriously, what thefuck?”

The wolf and the jaguar faded away like they were apparitions made of mist and only Astarte remained.

This will be the hardest battle you, or any living human, will have to face. And you cannot afford to lose it.

I tried to pull in a deep breath, but my lungs felt seized up and unable to take more than small sips of air. “You can’t tell me anything else?”

For the first time, I wasn’t asking to get on the bird’s nerves but because I was scared shitless of what was coming

I can tell you one more thing.

“Yes?”

When it’s pulling you under, and you feel yourself losing the fight and letting go, scream.

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