She stared up at the light, ignoring me. Click, click, click. “Thank you,” I said. “You fought for my city. My people. Thank you.” She looked at me in sudden confusion. “Thank you,” I said, for the third time. Three repetitions separate the random from the intentional. Repeat something three times, and you make it more real. Mab shivered at my gratitude. She closed her eyes. And for a second, raindrops fell through the hole in the roof. Then they went click, click, click again. And Mab opened her eyes. “Child,” she said. “You are welcome.”
