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((The Mon/Wen/Fri Double -- page 2 of 2))
Morale? What was she talking about?

Oh, yes, there was some sort of family gathering today. Something to do with… a birthday?

Yes, one of the children was turning thirteen today, and the family was celebrating.

How nice.

She might have liked to go to such an event if she wasn’t sure that she would just bring the mood down. If it was to be a celebration, then her presence would ruin it for everyone.

Telling Sentsia that truth would probably just upset the reaper, however. Nere decided to ignore the subject entirely.

“I would like to speak with Zeff Elroy,” said Nere.

The reaper just stared at her.

To her eyes, Sentsia had the appearance of a dim ball of light with a face vaguely outlined in ethereal fire that flickered silently. A fading star of sorts.

“What?” said Nere.

‘You don’t say a word to me in days. You don’t speak to the therapist. You don’t talk to ANYONE. And then you say THAT? Of all things?’

Why was she upset? Nere didn’t know. “I wish to speak with Zeff Elroy,” she said again.

‘No.’

Nere blinked. “Why not? You haven’t even asked my reason.”

‘I don’t need to. The answer is no.’ The reaper hovered closer.

“I wish to speak to him,” was all Nere could think to say. She hadn’t expected Sentsia to refuse her. Sentsia had almost never refused her in all the time they’d known each other, which extended all the way back to when her engagement to Ismael had been formalized.

‘There is not a chance in lakefire that I will let you to talk to that man, right now.’

“Why not?”

‘Don’t play dumb.’ The reaper’s echoing tone was perhaps colder than Nere had ever heard it before ‘Oh, but I guess you wouldn’t need to “play,” now would you?’