DLTD 3

Mountain Ash Manor4a224fcd3aba22a4

 911552e3caf2de4b

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“You’re not the Binoche couple’s real daughter, are you?”b1510354e1f14d21

A few days later, beneath 9a39f512d8 the mountain ash tree, the 7847d9dd97 boy sneered mischievously and snapped a020e15882 at her. When Sasha didn’t respond, he c8138fc674 handed her a tiny glass 1a1b1a980f bottle, small enough to fit 5a6641a4d6 in the palm of his d30430c8dd hand, with a warning:a928f0e99d1a2623

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“I’m giving this to you out of pity. It’s expensive, so take it 8ab3a55f71 home and make sure you 44e2aeadfa drink it secretly by yourself.”a2cd31d69f2a9a13

The bottle contained a viscous, 36f1715549 clear liquid. It looked like the gray-green 5bf3992efa color of the boy’s eyes, 916ebf3893 maybe with a slight yellow b896e233bc tint.16e23cc652f3cc75

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If it’s that precious, 998ac0e18f I’d better drink it 3fcc0bf6ef all before anyone finds a5c63041da out. If I bring it home, 3c5d8056ba Enzo might steal it. Quickly deciding this, 923e0f5e11 Sasha popped the a824b1f4c7 cork and emptied 4494cffd0c the contents in d1dfb8166f one gulp. The boy’s eyes 12f05ed7a8 flickered uncertainly as 98af4fbade he watched. Then, in front of 9b62f731c5 him, Sasha broke out 8026960b2b in a cold sweat 00dc904f99 and fainted.07ec583e1a1be110

Sasha fell ill for a7705b2a3e several days at Mountain 4dc3bd62d6 Ash Manor, unable to 276d14571c return home. Only after three days 80a7751876 was she carried back 8c9d3cdeeb on Enzo’s back. Later, she learned that 48dea096a0 what she had drunk 55061e367d that day was a c884d6b9e9 powerful laxative prescribed by f75515fb33 the doctor for the 262ea82967 boy.927c3224bd3569d7

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“I never thought he’d do something like that. But he didn’t mean 21b69b1b95 to truly trouble Sasha. You should see how much 901d42279b he’s blaming himself now—it’s pitiful. Actually, he likes Sasha and 6a4464be09 wanted to get her attention.”b74981bf1e35080e

Dr. Bresson apologized anxiously by 1820a1cbc5 the lemon-yellow gate. He explained that boys that 4cc76768d8 age often expressed themselves awkwardly. Especially since the boy 3d57e74e3a had long been ill e2c1a5f424 and developed a prickly 3e5e1b71a9 personality, he hoped Sasha b066fd189e would understand with a 5cba5ed906 generous heart.0a5ec6dc5be14935

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“That’s nonsense. You don’t have f1e964d543 to listen to f8ea2a44b5 that. I’d rather give up 944d582812 on studying abroad.”dc59af60968be4e7

Enzo covered Sasha’s ears and a922a72236 scolded her firmly. But Sasha understood very df8c8dc558 well what it meant ea7c7b3a79 to torment someone you d190b86053 liked. Her mother had said that 5c0def6272 her father bullied her because 5be62c1846 he liked her. Her mother said she hit 7aa60886e5 Sasha because she loved her. If she didn’t 7ca18bb29b care, she wouldn’t 1a36d6d269 hate or hit d8ca936f50 her.627150b19878dbcb

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When Sasha said that, Enzo 292e9cb3a7 exploded in anger. He told her 398d2d6b14 that Sasha’s real eca15b1ce4 mother was mentally d0abbea1bb ill. Mr. Binoche had rescued his young f864c7454a nephew, who was abused by b039418755 his mentally ill sister, and 3e0e2981ac brought him to Manoli. Sasha’s birth mother was fcf2321c2f now hospitalized in a 3be9b59ee0 psychiatric hospital somewhere in 2add4d56ae Venuvel. But even if she f2b33f25ca was mentally ill, she c04b47c74c was the only one bd71ab006b who had ever loved c9e0f63275 Sasha.420a15d32b7ee1c6

A few days a14d8ec01f later, the boy cc19592928 at Mountain Ash 7247e13b8e Manor returned to 502ca46ac5 Laurent. Since then, Laurent f9e5b125de had become a 18e3349683 dazzling yet unpredictable c26e806a50 and mysterious place b0b6f0d81e full of people 1df30aa33a Sasha couldn’t understand. She had forgotten 2e96d8242d that it was d0a7761baa also Laurent where d63d7b6eff her father had 3014bb11bd stripped her and 051332b676 her mother naked 2f3d786ca2 and chased them 7d7ffa7bab out the door c462db6e4a just because her 576708c193 father refused to bbee0e8f73 listen.c243bbe2c504fbee

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Thankfully, Enzo’s plans to 3cf86f8ecd study abroad, which seemed 37c6501939 doomed, were saved when bc29700ec1 a distant relative of 60267a0373 Grandma Elodie sent money. Everything went smoothly—except e4daec4536 that Enzo decided 0a60f970fa to tutor Sasha 88a67fc42c before he left. Sasha could not cb68394c9c understand why he fff73e9464 had made that 6d424794b9 decision.390038fe9b7b5708

Even if I’m 5b167d5c10 bad at math 6842c70dee or literature, it 9ee853da5f wouldn’t stop me 769d4458f2 from making a 0cd8eedf6e living.440c8cba9792370b

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Sasha’s only interest cc54a1a7bd was in the 99c01b14b1 precious things gathered 61a0c33004 in her room. Nothing else.56344ac2c4276386

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“What are you?”acd54b84031357c7

The boy Sasha met 76724684ff again in the forest f1fd6fcf2a asked abruptly. Sasha was glad 4396203e41 her prediction that eff5403cfb he would be 9e5e991175 in the same 085a4b57a2 spot today was aac6633f40 right, but she 96b92cbba9 tilted her head b0636a9160 at the question. She had told a6a0f126ea him her name 1907ea3cd6 just yesterday—had he c7a5a8a989 already forgotten?7fe9d840eef6641b

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“I’m Sasha Binoche.”50ac9372ace069cc

Yesterday, he hid 69bd036712 behind his cap; 57edf46117 today, he covered 0009875140 his face with 08df24a8ff a book. Sasha plopped down beside 95cbbdb31f him uninvited and glanced da68dd049d at the book. A bookmark peeked out from 3f46762222 the back—an unexpected discovery. He didn’t look 89fb4205d3 like someone who a3fadcaf1d liked books, unlike a24bdb2cea Enzo. Realizing another difference 08647881e8 between them, Sasha 7805307020 felt deflated.683af45dfe0b4148

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“I know. Why are you here again?”9de53a084da8b089

Today, he wasn’t in uniform. His clothes looked 9581067828 much more relaxed 2bf2b8d115 than yesterday. Sasha offered him 491ecf6c87 the orange she’d 98f12eaa19 brought and asked,b494dcabefd380ba

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“Am I not allowed to come?”163a563f1f3bf85b

He seemed about to 8680e6bdbe say no but, as d9d628aca7 if guessing what Sasha cb69a81474 would reply, he shut fa2bf7d81a his mouth. With a troubled fbe30dbef9 expression, he took 294fff8919 the orange. Sasha watched proudly as b7b40af6f9 he peeled it skillfully, ee2e52ffb1 just like yesterday.f8537724697e7984

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“I know who you are.”c1888f5f39b4963e

The man’s hand, cutting the 2d7998d371 orange peel with a folding ff434efe3e knife pulled from his pocket, 405f7dff2d froze. The sharp scent of 4fad47fde5 the orange filled the 3e4ec9cbf7 air. Sasha breathed in deeply, feeling 5dbc97c06f pleased.7e5409fdc7044cce

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“Are you a guest of Count Lafayette?”0ea15b5fff81f06a

His expression flickered subtly a512aa12c5 at the question. No answer came, 25a2569e88 but he handed a6ee6d0bca Sasha a peeled 72f9f95e47 orange segment. It was meant as 5d3119e2be a gift, but now 829d023ab0 it felt like he ab03244698 was asking her to 513f39b4f7 peel it for him. Feeling a bit sorry, 2fb38c8498 Sasha cut the segment bab311b274 in half and gave 38d0418748 him one part back. The boy sighed deeply and 2446e718f5 ate it.de7ad60b4b76304b

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“You can stay next to me, but be quiet.”644304d3b14d3516

Permission was finally granted. From that moment on, 97fd734343 Sasha kept her mouth 87bcbc12a3 shut. She’d noticed since yesterday db6f44ff9a that as long as 4562e37999 he didn’t speak first, 7f750a648c he was okay.96076223889a3b6d

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Sasha pulled out the 076cea6007 homework Enzo had given 55b382ba21 her from her basket 80e5092ada and spread it on 397062c8fe the grassy field dotted 6d4ace0561 with violets, forget-me-nots, and 288771b966 marigolds. Pages fluttered in the wind, d182bc006e some flying off in the baba3b4177 direction of the boy. Amid the breeze, a sigh 028f5d5191 drifted.3b7644fb4fa35711

This is hard… I haven’t even learned this in school yet. Enzo must think I’m a genius or something.6ddac670a4c774ea

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Stuck on a problem, Sasha fe0aaf829b groaned. She bit the tip 09c94d597b of her pencil—rubber tasted 5cf1318022 weird. Eventually, she even b6460a2e3d lay down, glaring 017ba1b425 at the paper 12b874c2ad as if willing 53e66d9977 the problem to 97df5aa184 solve itself, unaware 6a6bddb19a someone was watching 27aef8897f her intently.34de835cf6e32cdb

After a long while, Sasha 60a9906684 noticed a shadow falling over 101650f793 her and quickly looked up—nearly 3b869ca5ce bumping her head on his 540d940204 chin.2a2676ff913a2b7b

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“How old are you?”71070c0574f011fe

The boy closed 5f523388f5 the book he’d 913abd84a0 been holding; the 9ae13bb7f3 bookmark was tucked e735efb104 in the last 29989915f0 page.f9d63fe87a53f5da

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“Ten.”4d490666b46074c9

He said nothing 356239134f more, but Sasha ae197e390f could read his 289d89d2dc thoughts. That look of confusion stung d384ec66e3 her pride. She swore she wasn’t 9ea9665149 a failing student. She often daydreamed in class 7a242adab3 but wasn’t stupid. The man before her 7e8cb278d1 just seemed to think 1e1213ac51 differently.aada7fd63f6f9092

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“Give it here.”1b83af41f402797b

“It’s mine. Why? I didn’t even c2716e94fc talk to you 73f3ded010 like you told c6b5442a4b me to.”4e1952dde853cdb8

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“Is it hard?”8302a892f13f1aeb

He took Sasha’s 4ca47ed4de pencil and solved d15b9faccb the problem she’d 891818ca89 struggled with. Next to the messy attempts 4abc54798b in her handwriting, neat answers f4201c16ce appeared in his. Sasha stared blankly f4ad3a9a90 at his writing. When she looked 952ba8dcb8 back to thank 24f67a55e1 him, he had 9d549e2215 already covered his b6968eb146 face with the 3204adebdd book and fallen 790e587744 asleep.2508ddeb847c2c57

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As the sun b7045bb33f slipped behind the d4089fece8 clouds, the boy ff0b581a95 stood holding the 6906aa6a14 finished book. Sasha, having discarded bb2d6194c2 her orange peel 94bf72c28b under a tree, 4d0b37ed29 followed him.c32981e00ac31365

Halfway out of acf826ffd2 the forest, a 78d4b83639 sinister sound pierced f9ba9972d1 Sasha’s ears.e22d145fa54a7857

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“Don’t move. Be quiet. Stay behind me.”e55a343515d61f2e

The boy whispered. Sasha froze when she saw e323d76929 a black dog behind him. Enzo’s warning from that f902f1f8f3 morning flashed through her 2a3abfe248 mind—hunters were prowling near aebde9827f the village. But trained hunting dogs 2d3c0e3390 didn’t bite people, did 0ea9e575ec they?ffff4ba1b8befad5

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The rough, chilling breaths sent b09ed974b0 shivers down her spine. The dog’s red eyes 31896fbacc never left Sasha. It had clearly cb0bd4da32 chosen its prey.397177e3157ed04b

“Why would something like that be here?”391b4d28318b7057

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The boy frowned, waited for 66d83c388a the dog to come closer, 62b15f12f3 then pulled the trigger without 9a8305c36e hesitation. Birds scattered from the trees. The bullet missed but grazed 309121b9b2 the dog’s leg. Calmly, he fired 5716dc0a51 again—one shot, then 8a85c7206c another. The final shot hit 420feb8888 the dog’s vital spot. Turning away from Sasha, he 6951d039bd flipped the dead dog over.13daf2e7a84c6447

“A hunting dog. Seems like it was given d03f3c290d some kind of stimulant.”d2694e2f3407d5c4

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He muttered as he add27850f5 looked at the foaming 36cf46d994 dog. The owner, afraid of 7f6cd0ee8e being caught administering stimulants, 3bf9de93fd wouldn’t dare come looking 910f4b45ea for it. Putting his empty gun back b317b99d79 in its holster, he turned ee5deddd7c to Sasha.31919a1f307e6f73

“Don’t wander the forest alone. It’s dangerous for someone like 5d8f2c759e you.”5077508d32c867b8

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Sasha’s homework fluttered 45403035b7 from her dropped 5f4dc9c0cc bag. She stared blankly cc1b56874b as the papers eb66858bc8 rustled and scratched 88a83cefd3 against each other, 7107df6338 tickling her numbed b972f57f48 ears.cc20d66d4d506f78

Bending down, the 8d298e55a4 boy picked up 2c2411b09b Sasha’s homework and 9bde6af750 dusted it roughly 19450b11cb with his reddened b295c500b6 hands. Despite his effort, faint 75c68cf0ad shoeprints remained on the da6a324378 pages. Without a care, he 704c580ba0 put the homework back aeb95373cd into her bag and 95a5349fd5 handed it to her.31fb607ec3ff9fc3

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“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”c5a6032e4a6702f2

But then he realized 76c7090cb3 he didn’t know where ce2e98208a Sasha’s house was. In the end, Sasha c78f955bb7 led the way. Her eyes, trying 3e694bc206 not to cry, 3e0ac67c67 were red. The boy sighed 5d86d21bf4 and rummaged through 36496fb54d his pocket.4ec9ad96bdbd2cef

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“Don’t you like chocolate?”a3090e6404eb5779

“No, I like it.”ef6065784a905d34

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Sasha just shook her e4273728e8 head, still staring at 684d333327 the gold wrapper in f5ff5f2583 her palm. Though she answered, d30b7b0469 she couldn’t bring d6c4097a86 herself to eat d70c003e5d it. He didn’t ask again.ad20746408184424

At the forest’s 2762797f4b edge, they parted 1a3dae57e3 ways. Suddenly, shots rang out 4597354fcd in the woods, and bf9a304d4a the villagers of Manoli b2f9a8b33a hurriedly arrived. Among them was Mr. Binoche, looking for Sasha. The boy stopped when he b8d898393e saw the crowd from a 78ca9056be distance.4f59d7607d2ffca6

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