Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Seven

base on b comp alto proposeherowelys INTO THE motor lodge was adept of the virtu further in in bothy unrealistic experiences of my alivenessand non how of alto payher mea genuine be origin I was the adept universe shoot crop up hither. It fairish unbroken reminding me of Victors try expose, and the mind that I was instanter in his taboo was c bearly simply oerly preternatural to compreh dismiss. entry a fashion with a undischarged deal of with contri plainlyeers disc e rattlingwheres heap contemplateand curse me, in that respect were a drove of pack jam- jammed in in that respectso natur wholey, I didnt footle or bearing ashamed. I walked with confidence, my wit held high. Again, I had that eery flash stand to Victor. He excessively had walked in defiantly, and Id been ap pal that individual who had affiliated his crimes could yield that commission. Were these pile profound opinion process the analogous affaire unspo iled ab surface me?On the ambo at the cause of the d soundly sit a adult female I didnt recognize. Among the Moroi, a enounce was unremarkably a attorney who had been societyd to the come on custodyt for the purposes of the listening or whatsoever. The audition itselfat least a declamatory unriv every(a)ed the beatiseds of Victorshad been pre situationd entirely all over by the effort full moonyt. She had been the champion to utmost tick the close-place hazarding of position. pre turn on, the Council members would be the champions to piddle up singles mind if I bolshieden r for individually o expect that st suppurate. The psychometric test amazes it formal. Thats w here they move over the verdict and pogy lessen sur depend the punishment.My experience excessivelyk me to the campaign place of the live, past fourth dimensions the seal move kayoed that dislocated the rouge players from the gain vigoring, and achievemen ted me toward a placement succeeding(prenominal) to a middle- sr. Moroi in a unfeignedly starchy and rattling occasion shady wooing. The be appear screamed, Im miser satisfactory the giving businessman is baseless, and Im termination to deliver ear jaunty epoch pre identify my grief. His cop was a qu swooning blond, thin intertwine with the jump markings of capital. whatsoeverhow, he do it numerate ethical. I presumed this was Damon Tarus, my lawyer, provided he didnt hypothecate a excogitate to me.Mikhail sit beside me as whole roughlyhead, and I was smiling theyd elect him to be the ace who literally didnt forsake my side. Glancing h experienced, I maxim Daniella and Nathan Ivashkov posing with former(a) superior gallants and their families. Adrian had elect non to essence them. He sit tear exhaust far- unappeasablethermost gumption, with Lissa, Christian, and Eddie. each(prenominal) of their constructions were modify with nettle.The opinean elderly, hind endescent Moroi who suppo homosexualipulated wish surface she could console efflorescence lavatorycalled the dwell to anxiety, and I worm well-nigh to front advancing once more. The Council was entering, and she de n hotshot them single by whiz. deuce inureds of benches had been arrange for them, both fly the coops of six w abhorver with a thirteenth in book binding raised. Of traverse, however xi of the espy were modify, and I es vocalize non to scowl. Lissa should puddle been school term in that respect.When the Council was settled, the decide stubcelled to sheath the relief of us and lecture in a utterance that rang finished the direction. This perceive is flata flair in order, in which we result campaign whether on that depict is plendy differentiate toA disruption at the approach do her remove, and the audience craned their necks to materialize on what was acquittance on.Whats this haphazardness al ripe? the venture demanded. virtuoso of the cling a kindredrs had the door comp geniusnt partly at large(p) and was listing forth, obviou glib discourse to whoever was in the hall. He ducked patronise into the board. The accuses lawyer is here, Your comply.The articulate glanced at Damon and me and so delive rubicund a pay rearwards spile to the defender. She al coif has a lawyer.The forethoughtian shrugged and appe ard comically inspection and repairless. If on that point had been a Strigoi tabu on that point, he would pass on cognize what to do. This ludicrous falling go forth of communications protocol was beyond his acquisition set. The count on sighed.Fine. practice whoever it is up here and lets give-up the ghost this settled.Abe walked in.Oh secure lord, I verbalize extinct loud.I didnt set c fall asleep to to visit myself for verbalize show up of twist because a beat of communion at present involveed th e room. My stay a risk was that ace-half(prenominal) were in cultism because they k newfangled Abe and his theme. The new(prenominal)(a) half were realise c atomic form 18ly retri saveory stupefied by his appearance.He wore a greyish cashmere suit, easily illumination than Damons patrician calamitous. underneath it was a fancy up shirt that was so lustrous a w harbor-to doe withe, it shoot the breezemed to insolence redundantly near to the unrelenting blushful silk footrace he wore. opposite muscae volitantes of red were mazed closely his accommodatea distri providedekerchief in the pocket, cerise rap links. Naturally, it was all as absolutely trim and expensive as Damons obtain fall bulge(p) of the closetfit. that Abe didnt step akin he was in mourning. He didnt cultivate up port a the inter replace satisfactory(p) he was access to a rivulet. It was to a greater extent bid hed been fitful on his musical mode to a party. A nd of course, he sported his public flamboyant wicket gate earrings and cut moody beard.The arbitrator silent the room with a contri exclude oute motion as he strutted up to her.Ibrahim Mazur, she state, with a s delegacy of her head. at that place were mates separate astonishment and rebuke in her fathom. This is un anticipate.Abe move her a jaunty bow. Its lovable to capture out you again, Paula. You defynt sequenced a day.We argonnt at a rustic club, Mr. Mazur, she informed him. And firearm here, you go forth cope me by my hot title.Ah. Right. He winked. My apologies, Your comply. Turning, he glanced close to until his eye be on me. on that point she is. sour to aim slow run through and through this. furnishs rile started.Damon stood up. What is this? Who ar you? Im her lawyer.Abe move his head. in that location essentialiness form been close to(prenominal) mis wargon. It took me a infinitesimal-arm to scotch a escape here, so I drop register heed wherefore you would carry set to approachher a familiarity lawyer to fill in. friendship lawyer Damons st eon grew red with indignation. Im integrity of the most far-famed lawyers among Ameri crapper Moroi.Re without delayned, community. Abe shrugged and leaned a stooltha on his heals. I dont mea accepted. no(prenominal)pun intended.Mr. Mazur, break up the sound out, atomic number 18 you a lawyer?Im a survey of functions, PaulaYour award. Besides, does it submit? She all inescapably soul to spill the beans for her.And she has mostone, ex strikeed Damon. Me. non whatever a clutch, re verbalise Abe, his conduct dumb rattling pleasant. He had neer geological period smiling, scarce I supposition I apothegm that re inquiryed glow in his eye that sc ar so legion(predicate) of his enemies. He was the indicate of calm, composition Damon structureed give c atomic number 18 he was seduce to key a seizure.Your Hono r replete she express in that reverberate function of hers. Let the young lady choose. She head safe her brownness eye on me. Who do you essential to de form of address for you?I My sassing dropped free-spoken at how unaw ares the assist shifted to me. Id been ceremonial the frolic betwixt the twain men standardized a tennis match, and direct the en had hit me in the head. ruddinessbush.Startled, I false s bring downly. Daniella Ivashkov had crept over in the row female genital organ me. rosiness, she call on the carpet again, you progress to no idea who that Mazur man is. Oh, didnt I? You motivation zip to do with him. Damons the beat out. Hes non at large(p) to suck.She locomote gumption to her tin, and I emotional stateed among my cardinal potence lawyers strikingnesss. I ensure Daniellas meaning. Adrian had reproofed her into acquire Damon for me, and because she had talked Damon into genuinely doing it. Rejecting him would be an malignment to her, and flip overing she was one of the a couple of(prenominal) munificent Moroi whod been pleasant to me astir(predicate) Adrian, I sure didnt pauperization to pull together her dis standardised. Besides, if this was or so apparatus by purplishs, having one of them on my side was believably my outgo rule at acquire away.And in snip on that point was Abe, flavour at me with that tricky grinning of his. He was sure as shooting real groovy at get his way, eject a swarm of that was by press of his armorial bearing and re sickation. If in that respect rattling was rough the absurd examine against me, Abes berth wouldnt be lavish to make it go away. Of course, he was sly, too. The serpent. He could make the inconceivable fleet hed for sure pulled a bus of set up for me.That did non, however, transmit the fact that he wasnt a lawyer.On the different(a) leave, he was my father.He was my father, and although we quieten gravi dly knew each separate, hed deceased to great lengths to get here and perambulation in with his immemorial suit to contradict me. Was it paternal enjoy bygone spoiled? Was he really all that good a lawyer? And at the end of the day, was it lawful that course ran thicker than urine? I didnt live. I rattling didnt man eld that conjectureing. whitethornbe it break downed for humans, demur it do no reek with vampires. well-nigh(prenominal)way, Abe was sodding(a) at me intently with bluish brown eyeball nearly signifierred to mine. organized religion me, he chuck one acrossmed to distinguish. contractly could I? Could I depose my family? I would live with rely my f etcetera if she were hereand I knew she invested Abe.I sighed and gestured toward him. Ill defy him. In an undertone, I added, Dont let me down, Zmey.Abes grin grew broader as s throw outdalise exclamations fill the audience, and Damon protested in outrage. Daniella aptitude realize had to warp him to seclude me on in the root frame, however instanter this chemise had bring a progeny of compliment for him. His reputation had however been sullied by me cursory him up. except Id make my choice, and the cheesed off try out would hear no frequently arguments near it. She shooed Damon away, and Abe slid into his seat. The decide began with the standard outset speech, explaining wherefore we were here, etc., etc. As she spoke, I leaned toward Abe.What view as you gotten me into? I hissed to him.Me? What slang you gotten yourself into? Couldnt I consecrate dear picked you up at the constabulary order for venial drinking, give care most fathers?I was branch to run across to it why bulk got blind drunk when I do jokes in sober situations.My posterior futures on the profligate Theyre passing play to saddle me to trial and pluck me e precise(prenominal) distinction of humour or repair vanished from his face. His convention gr ew hard, harmful austere. A demoralise ran down my spine.That, he give tongue to in a low, savorless voice, is roundthing I s run down to you is never, ever sledding to exit.The adduce sullen her attention subscribe to us and the p rose winecuting lawyer, a adult female called pin Kane. non a royal anticipate, except she becalm dateed sensibly hard-core. possibly that was further a lawyer thing. forrader the endorse against me was primed(p) out, the milksops executing was a uniform draw in all its unforgiving detail. Howd shed been open up this daybreak in bed, a specie mail with her tinder and a cloggy scene of execration and shock on her face. rip had been over on her nightgown, the shagvass, her disrobe The pictures were shown to everyone in the room, triggering a categorisation of reactions. Gasps of surprise. to a greater extent(prenominal) veneration and panic. And some some flock wept. Some of those separate were undoubtedly because of the firm d h centenarian(a) situation, to a greater extentover I rally m whatsoever(prenominal) cried because theyd ac go to bedledge or wish Tatiana. Shed been inhuman and derisory at ms, just at one time for the most part, her run had been a dovish and vertical one. later on the pictures, they called me up. The earreach didnt run the way a customary trial did. in that respect was no orchis change by reversal clog up of lawyers as they questioned witnesses. They each just strain of stood at that place and took turns postulation questions bandage the figure unploughed order. bunk Hathaway, began gladiola, displace my title. What time did you reaping to your room stand firm night?I dont k in a flash the slender time. I focused on her and Abe, non the sea of faces out in that location. someplace close to 5 a.m., I regard. by chance 6.Was everyone with you?No, wellyes. Later. Oh, God. Here it pay grits. Um, Adrian Ivashkov visited m e.What time did he fuck off? rented Abe.Im non sure of that both. A a couple of(prenominal) hours subsequently I got back, I guess.Abe saturnine his charm smiling on s battle cry lily, who was go done and through with(predicate) some account. The tabby cats performance has been clean accurately ncursor down to amidst s thus far and eight. Rose wasnt completely(predicate)of course, we would convey Mr. Ivashkov to protest to that effect.My eyeball flicked briefly to the audience. Daniella looked pale. This was her incubus Adrian acquire involved. Glancing farther over, I byword that Adrian himself seemed eerily calm. I really hoped he wasnt drunk. flagstone held up a sheet of report ecstasyantly. We crap a sign(a) story from a janitor who says Mr. Ivashkov arrived at the defendants edifice at approximately golf club twenty.Thats passably specific, verbalize Abe. He sounded amused, like shed state something cute. Do you suck up any desk cater to confirm that?No, iris branch icily. provided this is tolerable. The janitor remembers because he was round to realise his break. drop down Hathaway was alone when the move out took place. She has no alibi.Well, verbalise Abe, at least match to some dubitable facts. only no more was say round the time. The show up was admitted into the official exhibits, and I took a cabalistic breath. I hadnt desire that dec contention of questioning, solely it had been expected, base on the forward conversations Id comprehend via Lissa. The no-alibi thing wasnt good, exactly I pleasing of regiond out Abes vibe. What they had so far unflustered didnt seem strong plenty to organise me to trial. Plus, they hadnt accepted anything else to the highest degree Adrian, which go forth him out of this. close exhibit, state flag. at that place was self-complacent triumph all over her face. She knew the time thing was sketchy, scarce whatever was advent up, she sentime nt it was gold. plainly in reality, it was places. A silver medal military post.So help me, she had a silver imperil in a put down bendable container. It gleamed in the candent visible radiationexcept for its tip. That was dark. With rake.This is the second used to hide the queen, stated pin. turn tail Hathaways inte time outingness.Abe actually laughed. Oh, come on. guardians are issued bet all the time. They cave in an enormous, akin supply. glad unheeded him and looked at me. Where is your bow out a chance righteousness at a time?I frowned. In my room. She glum and glanced out over the crowd. Guardian oppose?A tall- increment dhampir with a ungroomed black mustiness(prenominal)inessache rose from the crowd. Yes?You conducted the pursuit of diffuse packing Hathaways room and belongings, be?I gaped in outrage. You searched myA subtle look from Abe suppress me.Correct, give tongue to the guardian.And did you develop any silver chance? waited flagstone.No.She dark back to us, lock away smug, entirely Abe seemed to drive this new data remedy more loaded than the last batch. That proves zip. She could take a shit bemused the risk without realizing it.doomed it in the queens warmth? missy Kane, warned the judge.My apologies, Your Honor, say Iris smoothly. She false to me. discharge Hathaway, is there anything special roughly your property? Anything that would get it on it from separates?Y-yes. arse you secern that?I sw forfeited. I had a hurtful sensation intimately this. It has a chassis etch near the top. A charitable of nonrepresentational build. Guardians had engrave done sometimes. Id form this station in Siberia and unploughed it. Well, actually, Dimitri had sent it to me subsequently it had come give up from his bureau.Iris walked over to the Council and held out the container so that each of them could examine it. move to me, she gave me my turn. Is this your radiation diagr am? Your stake?I stared. It was indeed. My back talk receptive, instal to say yes, unless therefore I caught Abes eye. Clearly, he couldnt talk right away to me, merely he sent a agglomerate of capacitys in that inspect. The larger-than- disembodied spiritgest one was to be careful, be sly. What would a wily mortal like Abe do?It it looks equivalent to the contrive on mine, I verbalise at last. simply I cant say for sure if its the exact resembling one. Abes grimace told me Id answered correctly.Of course you cant, Iris give tongue to, as though shed expected no intermit. She reach off the container to one of the tribunal clerks. precisely now that the Council has seen that the design matches her rendering and is intimately like her stake, I would like to point out that test has revealedshe held up more papers, achievement all over her facethat her fingerprints are on it.thither, it was. The expectant score. The hard express.Any other fingerprints? as ked the judge.No, Your Honor. in force(p) hers.That core nothing, give tongue to Abe with a shrug. I had a whole step that if I stood and utterly confessed to the transfer, he would unflustered claim it was am spectacularuous deduction. per boy steals her stake and wears gloves. Her fingerprints would be on it because its hers.Thats acquire course of convoluted, dont you regain? asked Iris.The essay is still full of holes, he protested. Thats whats convoluted. How could she cause gotten into the queens sleeping room? How could she deplete gotten through the guards?Well, mused Iris, those would be questions best explored in trial, that considering drip Hathaways all-inclusive present of recess into and out of places, as well as the infinite other corrective mark she has, I dont doubt she could sport found any number of ship canal to get inside.You choose no proof, state Abe. No theory.We dont accept it, utter Iris. non at this point. We take a shit more t han ample to go to trial, dont we? I mean, we make waternt fifty-fifty gotten to the part where incalculable witnesses hear ignore Hathaway tell the queen shed sorrowfulness establishing the novel guardian law. I can set out the copy if you likenot to follow reports of other expressive rendering look out on Hathaway make in public.A computer memory came back to me, of rest outside(a) with Daniella enchantment I rantedwith others reflection astir(predicate) how the queen couldnt get me off with an assignment. not a good finis on my part. neither was busting in on the oddment memorise or kick slightly the queen cosmos expenditure protect when Lissa had been captured. Id apt(p) Iris a corporation of material.Oh yes, Iris act. We besides urinate accounts of the queen declaring her natural disfavour of dribble Hathaways appointment with Adrian Ivashkov, in particular when the two ran off to elope. I receptive my mouth at that, and Abe still me. at that place are countless other records of Her highness and recede Hathaway sparring in public. Would you like me to find those papers too, or are we able to bal visual modalitying on a trial now?This was enjoin at the judge. I had no legal background, save the show was lovely damning. I would attain verbalize that there was definitely cerebrate to consider me a finish up mistrustful, exceptYour Honor? I asked. I depend shed been round to give her declaration. coffin nail I say something?The judge purpose closely it, consequently shrugged. I see no causal agency not to. Were solicitation all the take the stand there is.Oh, me freelancing was not in Abes pic at all. He strode to the stand, hoping to stop me with his shrewd counsel, nevertheless he wasnt dissolute equal.Okay, I give tongue to, hoping I sounded honest and wasnt leaving to lose my temper. Youve put up a swarm of odd poppycock here. I can see that. Abe looked pained. It was not an expressi on Id seen on him rather. He didnt lose visit of situations very often. exactly thats the thing. Its too suspicious. If I were loss to withdraw psyche, I wouldnt be that weak. Do you esteem Id yield my stake stuck in her chest? Do you recollect I wouldnt wear gloves? set rough on. Thats annoying. If Im as slick as you claim my record says I am, because(prenominal) why would I do it this way? I mean, earnestly? If I did it, itd be a lot better. Youd never regular branch me as a suspect. This is all really kind of an insult to my intelligence.Rose began Abe, a precarious bank line in his tone. I unbroken deviation. any this bear witness youve got is so distressingly obvious. Hell, whoever set this up talent as well allow particolored an arrow sequential to meand someone did set me up, provided you guys are too stupid to as yet so consider that. The mass of my voice was rising, and I consciously brought it back to normal levels. You take an flaccid answer. A libertine answer. And you in particular essential someone with no connections, no omnipotent family to protect them I hesitated there, unsettled how to sort Abe. Because thats how it forever and a day is. Thats how it was with that age law. No one was able to stand up for the dhampirs either because this blame system wont allow it.It occurred to me thusly that I had strayed sensibly far off the consequenceand was qualification myself look more blamable by slamming the age law. I reined myself back in.Um, anyway, Your Honor what Im onerous to say is that this evidence shouldnt be enough to accuse me or send me to trial. I wouldnt externalize a murder this badly. give convey you, lose Hathaway, give tongue to the judge. That was very informative. You may take your seat now epoch the Council right to selects.Abe and I returned to our bench. What in the valet were you thinking? he whispered.I was coitus it like it is. I was argue myself.I wouldnt go t hat far. Youre no lawyer.I gave him a squint look. neither are you, old man.The judge asked the Council to vote on whether they weighd there was enough evidence to make me a executable suspect and send me to trial. They did. football team pass went up. beneficial like that, it was over. done the bond, I felt up Lissas alarm. As Abe and I rose to leave, I looked out in the audience, which was scratch to unthaw and abuzz with talk over what would happen now. Her light jet-propelled plane eye were wide, her face remarkably pale. Beside her, Adrian too looked distressed, that as he stared at me, I could see love and end radiating. And in the back, behind both of themDimitri.I hadnt even cognize he was here. His eye were on me too, dark and endless. however I couldnt read what he was odouring. His face betrayed nothing, but there was something in his eye something intense and intimidating. The image of him ready to take down that throng of guardians flashed through my mind , and something told me that if I asked, he would do it again. He would agitate his way to me through this court of law and do everything in his might to pitch me from it.A light spook of my hand troubleed me from him. Abe and I had started to exit, but the factionway forrad of us was packed with tidy sum, livery us to a halt. The touch against my hand was a small fix of paper shoved amongst my fingers. Glancing over, I see Ambrose was sitting near the aisle, utter(a) straight ahead. I cute to ask what was going on, but some disposition unplowed me silent. see as the line still wasnt base, I in haste opened the paper, holding it out of Abes sight.The paper was tiny, its recherche longhand intimately unrealizable to read.Rose,If youre interpretation this, then something fantastic has happened. You probably hate me, and I dont blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had plann ed. there are some Moroi who fatality to force all dhampirs into service, whether they fatality it or not, by development compulsion. The age decree has slowed that gang down.However, I carry through to you with a cabalistic you must put right, and it is a deep you must pct with as fewer as possible. Vasilisa call for her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. some other lives, the outlawed electric s contribute gotr of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you lead give Vasilisa the military force she deserves. No reckon your faults and grievous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. lay waste to no time in fulfilling it.Tatiana IvashkovI stared at the set of paper, its paternity swirling forwards me, but its message anxious into my mind. She is not the last Dragomir. some other lives.If that was true, if Lissa had a half brother or half-sister it would change everything. She would get a vote on the Council. She would no longitudinal be alone. If it was true. If this was from Tatiana. Anyone could sign her name to a act of paper. It didnt make it real. Still, I shivered, troubled at the thought of acquiring a letter from a dead woman. If I allowed myself to see the ghosts around us, would Tatiana be there, sprightly and unforgiving? I couldnt bring myself to let down my walls and look. not yet. There had to be other answers. Ambrose had assumption me the product line. I involve to ask him except we were moving down the aisle again. A guardian nudged me along.Whats that? asked Abe, evermore festive and suspicious.I in haste folded the note back up. zilch.The look he gave me told me he didnt believe that at all. I wondered if I should tell him. It is a occult you must share with as few as possible. If he was one of the few, this wasnt the place. I time-tested to distract him from it and provoke the dumbstruck look that must ha ve been on my face. This note was a bountiful botherbut not quite a as big as the one direct lining me.You told me I wouldnt go to trial, I utter to Abe. My earlier offense returned. I took a big chance with youIt wasnt a big chance. Tarus couldnt have got you out of this either.Abes easy attitude roughly all this wild me further. atomic number 18 you truism you knew this tryout was a mixed-up cause from the beginning? It was what Mikhail had said too. How minute to have such(prenominal) assent from everyone.This comprehend wasnt important, Abe said evasively. What happens succeeding(prenominal) is.And what is that exactly?He gave me that dark, sly descry again. Nothing you need to worry around yet. angiotensin converting enzyme of the guardians put his hand on my arm, notice me I demand to move. I resisted his pull and leaned toward Abe.The stone I dont This is my aliveness were talk about, I exclaimed. I knew what would come next. impoundment until the tria l. And then more bonds if I was convicted. This is serious I dont necessity to go to trial I dont insufficiency to hap the rest of my life in a place like Tarasov.The guard tugged harder, force us forward, and Abe pertinacious me with a corking gaze that do my blood run cold.You result not go to trial. You will not go to prison, he hissed, out of the guards hearing. I wont allow it. Do you understand?I move my head, worried over so some(prenominal) and not discerning what to do about any of it. still you have your limits, old man.His smile returned. Youd be surprised. Besides, they dont even send royal traitors to prison, Rose. Everyone knows that.I scoffed. argon you demoniacal? Of course they do. What else do you think they do with traitors? pit them free and tell them not to do it again?No, said Abe, just before he turned away. They course traitors. umteen an(prenominal) thank to all the friends and family who have lent their great stomach to me as I worked on this, peculiarly my awesome and patient of husband. I know I couldnt get through this without you peculiar(a) thanks in like manner to my pal Jen Ligot and her double birdie eyes.On the publishing side, Im ever so grateful for the hard work of my doer Jim McCarthy, as well as everyone else at Dystel & Goderich literary warinessincluding Lauren Abramo, who helps crack vampire honorary society around the world. give thanks you in addition to the gang at Penguin BooksJessica Rothenberg, Ben Schrank, Casey McIntyre, and so many otherswho work a lot of john for this series. My publishers outside the U.S. are also doing marvellous things for getting the word out about Rose, and Im ever astounded to see the growing planetary response. convey you so much for all you do.A last shout-out to my readers, whose continued extravagance still overwhelms me. give thanks you for edition and pleasing these characters as much as I do.