“A piece of my ribbon?” I ask breathlessly. He nods, coming forward to show me. It’s worn and frayed slightly, the golden color not as bright and glossy as the ones on my back. My eyes fill with tears. “This is the piece…” The piece that Midas had cruelly tied around my wrist once he cut the rest from my back. The piece I saved and looked at, while believing I’d never have them again. “You kept it all this time?” Slade nods and slips the piece back into his pocket. “I keep every part of you you’ve ever given to me,” he murmurs. “Your heart, your soul, your mind, your bond, your body…and your
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