Duck Lake we sang silent night in three parts, which was fun

Normally, she might have laughed, but nothing about this seemed funny to Lily. Nor would she humor him with a chuckle; her face remained the same, even through his speech. She shook her head with a sigh, gaze raking the ground before bringing it to face him again.

We would have taken care of you, she said softly, verging on pity. You could have stepped down, taken a break, gone into hiding. . .anything but this. Leaving everyone who loves you without word. The pity left, abruptly, as she added, It's Lennon all over again.

She thought it might hurt him. For once, she didn't care. She had held him together--or tried to, anyway--when the handsome male had disappeared, and now Alarian had done the same. It was ironic, at best. More accurately, it was hypocritical. And she couldn't stomach it.

She couldn't stomach losing yet another friend for problems that might have been solved.