Theo's eyes reached the end of Danell's letter stinging. His paper, which was usually neat and free of any ink stain, unlike hers, had visibly been wet and written poorly this time. She could almost feel Danell's trembling hand through the shaky lines of his heartbreaking sentences. She looked up at Quil, who was already making a sorry expression.
"What happened to Nallie?" she asked, in a tone still expressing disbelief.
Quil averted her eyes. Her godmother had never been afraid to look Theora in the eye before. She closed her fist, cleared her throat, and shook her head.
"...I'm very sorry, Theora," she said with a tired voice. "Nallie is... She didn't survive."
"What do you mean?" Theo cried. "She was fine just a few days ago. She was... She is... And Romie, too. They were not s
