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His gaze drops. When he looks up, it’s with tight formality. “My mom died.”

“Oh, Vale, I’m sorry.”

Abruptly he hops off his stool. I blink and he clears his throat.

“Come on,” he directs me. He’s lost me with this quick turnabout.

“Come where?” I ask.

“You’re shopping, right? At the market? I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t need to do that,” I murmur, stepping down off my stool as well.

“You can tell me all about what you’re doing up here.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Youcan tell me about the Forge and what’s happening with Zeph.”

He frowns. Somehow, without planning to, I follow him out the front door into the bright sunlight.

“Well?” he demands.

Gosh, it will be like shopping with a bodyguard. I swallow and pull the list out of my pocket.

“Potatoes?” I offer weakly, and he steers me toward a vegetable seller.

“This guy’s potatoes are fresh, usually the best,” he says, and despite myself I grin and relax a little. Vale’s keeping a lookout. He’ll help me get the right things for Qilan.

I’m grateful. That must be this warm feeling inside me.

BALTIMORE SUNREADERS RESPOND

AUGUST 23, 2019

Hooray for the successful rescue of 12 boys and their coach from a cave system in Northern Thailand (“‘Everyone is safe’: Daring rescue saves all 12 boys and their coach from flooded cave in Thailand”). What an amazing way for private, public, and government groups to work together to save lives.

Here in America we have our own chance for the government, companies, and citizens to come together to save lives. The brand-new 28thAmendment to the constitution, repealing the right to own a gun, gives us that chance.

Congress must pass the new gun laws that have been working already in many states. People will no longer need to worry that in some states a person on the street could be legally walking around with a loaded gun.

Let’s move quickly, just as the rescuers did in the cave rescue. Their lives were in danger, and there are many lives in the US that are in danger from guns every day. We can make our own daring rescue by outlawing semi-automatic weapons and banning public carry. Let Congress hear your voice on Labor Day at the National Mall.

Sincerely,

Mikayla Adamson

Mothers Against Violence