“She gave me a little smile, and I believed since I was good to her, since I wasn’t ever punished, since she gave me smiles after every errand and with every foolish dream, she’d pick me. [name_m]Even[/name_m] after she sent another boy away, even after she told me I was half blind and useless, I dreamed about that damn program, wearing one of those uniforms. And look at me now.”
Next: foolish
“You smote me that day, literally with your épée and figuratively with your beauty.”
“Is that so? Did I smite you?”
“I was totally smitten with you. Especially when, after my fellow teammates told you girls weren’t welcome in the club, you signed up using the pseudonym, [name_u]Mel[/name_u] [name_m]Benson[/name_m]. Short for [name_u]Melvin[/name_u], we foolishly assumed.”
Next: assume
“And lastly,” [name_u]Frost[/name_u] chimed in, “his two children: [name_m]Clooney[/name_m] and [name_f]Orla[/name_f]. [name_f]Orla[/name_f] died a year ago, and [name_m]Clooney[/name_m] is engaged to Giulietta’s sister.”
[name_m]Niklas[/name_m] looked down at his hands, sighing. “Fitzwalter worked with my parents for a while,” he said slowly. “Rich white people stuff, I’d always assumed.”
next: slow
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u] gulped, as Sam’s piercing blue eyes seemed to zero in on him. His fears were confirmed, when [name_u]Sam[/name_u] slowly began stalking directly toward the young prince. As the captain finally reached [name_u]Dylan[/name_u], he stretched out his hand and brushed some specks of dirt off the boy’s uniform shoulder – his expression conveyed an unmistakably profound disappointment.
Next word: disappoint
I was five when [name_f]Pelipa[/name_f] was born, and absolutely ecstatic over the shriveled little thing that was my sister. I couldn’t wait to do all sorts of things with her, like run alongside the ocean and swim and make her dolls and braid flowers into her hair. I was disappointed when I realized it took a long time for a little sister to grow into a friend.
Next: ecstatic
“I wouldn’t say I’m ecstatic, Astro,” [name_f]Tanith[/name_f] sighed, tipping her head back to stare up at the stars. “I’m more… grateful. We’re lucky, if you like.”
Next: stare
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] stared at the wall in shock and hugged her dog, trying in vain to block out what [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] was telling a devastated [name_u]Danny[/name_u] and [name_f]Sara[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though she looked like she wasn’t listening, she caught enough of the exchange:
“I’m sorry. I really am, guys. Your parents… they’re…” She heard [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] sigh heavily before continuing. “They’re dead. They were found in the [name_u]Hudson[/name_u] this morning.”
“No!” [name_f]Sara[/name_f] exclaimed. “That can’t be true! Tell me this is a sick joke!”
“I really wish I could tell you differently, Sara,” [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] replied. [name_f]Laura[/name_f] felt her siblings each put an arm around her shaking shoulders and heard the both of them crying softly. Tears rolled down her cheeks as well.
Next word: exchange
She shrugged. “I got [name_f]Nephele[/name_f] to cooperate, but we’ll see how that goes. She’s rather finicky.”
[name_f]Nox[/name_f] exchanged a look with her. “Good luck.”
next: cooperate
[name_m]Just[/name_m] wrote this for nano!
“Cooperate and no harm will come to you, but as potential witnesses to the crime here that occured tonight, you’re required to be questioned at the Spire. I suggest you do as I say so we can get this over with. Understand?”
Next: require(d)
“Are you required by some Louise-Law to say something awful after every sentence?”
Next word: awful
[name_f]Olive[/name_f] felt the colour drain from her face, stuffing the book into her bag (how lucky she was that she didn’t have a backpack!) before anyone else could see. That damn spellbook – why did it turn up here? There couldn’t have been a more awful place.
Next: drain
[name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] swallowed. It felt like all the blood in her body was draining to her feet.
“Sapphira,” she said, blurting the first name that came to mind. She didn’t look much like her sister, but it wasn’t like they should’ve known who that was, anyways. Sapphira’s hair was really light—in fact she always had dyed it—so it was a strawberry color, nothing like the tangle of black [name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] adorned. Oh well. Everything right now was on a thing rope; [name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] was hoping it didn’t snap.
next: snap
“We’ll talk about that later.” She says with a snap. “Right now, we have bigger problems.”
I follow her reluctantly.
next: problem/s
[name_m]Junior[/name_m] Inspector [name_m]Russell[/name_m] came out moments later, followed by a crowd of staff, their short, quick breaths visible in the cold. He ordered them into a line on the yard, then turned to [name_u]Red[/name_u] and gave a mock salute.
“Your problem now, Castollas,” he said before slipping back inside, ignoring Red’s glare.
Next: crowd
[name_f]Umeko[/name_f] had managed to keep up, and now, she was scanning the crowd. For what, [name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] didn’t know. Then, [name_m]Augustin[/name_m] grabbed Dianthe’s wrist, pulling her closer to the shore. Near the pier stood a merchant. That must’ve been their guy.
next: wrist
The world spun, transforming the ballroom into a whirlwind of stones but as [name_m]Cas[/name_m] stumbled, [name_u]Aubrey[/name_u] reached through the storm. He grabbed her wrists, bracing her dagger hand as far away from their bodies as he could but holding the other as though it were made of glass.
Next: glass
The warden looked up from his paper, gaze tinted with resentment. “You’re that Castolla girl.”
I gave a nod, expressionless.
“Identification ?”
I retrieved my card from the folds of my uniform and shoved it under the glass.
Next: resentment
When Frederick tripped over the hem of his robes, August chuckled with resentment, as if seeing misfortune brought upon Frederick caused him some sort of amusement.
Next word: chuckle
“Glad I won’t have to deal with Mrs. [name_f]Dalila[/name_f] Cowell when she finds out her house exploded,” he said when I joined him.
“Even if she’s not guilty of this crime, she’ll probably commit some sort of assault or manslaughter when she hears the news.”
He chuckled. “You alright?
Next: guilty
“I don’t need to understand,” [name_f]Opal[/name_f] snapped back. “I’m here, okay? You won. I came to help her.” She smoothed her hair which was still piled in the messy bun she’d gone to sleep in. “Just get her on the skiff and help [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f]. I’ll drive.”
She snuck a glance over her shoulder at Aubrey’s furrowed expression, biting his lip and actually looking a bit guilty.
Next: smooth