Three hands. No fourth for her. It was how it should be. How it would have to be. And Sophie could live with that. She could let them go again, to spare them that pain. But it would still hurt. It would always hurt.

We wanted her to see that the shadows that scared her could be beautiful and powerful when we learn how to take control of them,” Edaline added.Taking control.It sounded so simple.And so impossible.

And it all started with a field trip, a giant dinosaur model, and an especially noticeable pair of teal eyes.

He turned away and his hands grabbed something. A tiny purple Albertosaurus, and the note she’d given him with it. If she could’ve felt her chest, her heart would’ve skipped a beat.

She’d spent forever trying to find him something personal, settling on a miniature Albertosaurus covered in deep violet feathers. She knew it was silly, but it reminded her of the day they met, and in the card she thanked him for showing her what dinosaurs really looked like.

Hindsight is a dangerous game

Amy hugged her tighter. “Does that mean I can keep you?”“Only if I can keep you.

Any idea what the pattern is?” Dex asked“I’m not sure.” Something felt familiar, a shadow of an idea, not formed enough to make sense. She poured through her memories, scrounging for the clue she was missing. The pieces clicked. “Elementine.”“What’s the pattern?”“I don’t know, but I know Elementine is right.

I would rather be punished for making the right decision than live with the guilt of making the wrong one for the rest of my life.