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"I suppose you didn't."

Sayer wanders toward the front room.

"I'm going to look out the window."

"Wait."

He freezes. I cross the room until we're standing a few feet apart.

"I want to try something."

"What?"

"Nothing dangerous."

He nods cautiously.

I take three slow steps to my left. Without warning, I shift directions. Not fast. Just enough to test his awareness. Before I've finished moving, Sayer turns with me. His eyes track every adjustment.

Interesting. I try again. This time I fake toward the kitchen before stepping toward the staircase. Again…

He turns almost instantly. No hesitation. No processing delay. Just instinct.

Carys notices.

"What are you doing?"

"Observing."

She looks from me to Sayer.

"Observing what?"

I don't answer immediately.

Instead, I pick up a pencil from the coffee table.

"Sayer."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to toss this."

"Okay."

"Don't think."

He frowns.

"What?"

"Just react."

I flip the pencil toward him. Not hard. Just enough that most people would bobble it. His hand shoots out. The pencil lands cleanly between his fingers. He stares at it.

"I..."

He hadn't even looked down. His body had simply known where it would be. I exchange a glance with Carys. She saw it too.