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I refused to agree.

For approximately seven minutes.

“Earth to Calla.”

I blink.

Jules waves a hand in front of my face.

“Seriously. What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re blushing.”

“It’s hot.”

“It’s October.”

“Then maybe I’m coming down with something.”

“Yeah. A severe case of marble fever.”

I roll my eyes.

Jules laughs and heads toward the storage room.

“Try not to molest the artwork while I’m gone.”

“No promises.”

She disappears, leaving me alone with my increasingly troublesome restoration project.

I turn toward Morpheus.

He’s standing on his reinforced platform beneath the examination lights, looking every inch the arrogant deity he’s been claiming to be.

Except something has changed.

Again.

I move closer, studying the fracture running across his chest.

Yesterday, the crack was barely visible beneath the marble’s polished surface.

Today, it looks deeper.

Darker.

Almost as though the stone is splitting from within.

And his face…

I swallow.

The damage along his cheek has shifted.

I’m certain of it.