"Do think that I look really sexy while I'm smoking, Ben?" she asked.Ben nodded again."I just love sucking on the warm filter," Susan told him, "and t...enletting the lovely, warm smoke fill me up so I can breathe it outagain," she added and, as if to demonstrate what she was telling him,Susan lifted her small hand to her face and took a long, deep drag onthe cigarette.She moaned softly as her lips wrapped around the filter and she suckedon the cigarette. Susan closed her eyes and tilted her head. Don’t try to talk, you must let them treat you.’ ‘Rubbish! These quacks can’t do anything for me. I’ll be dead by morning, I know it. And all my life’s work will be for nothing, unless you do as I tell you, you lucky little bastard. Will you do it?’ I had been accustomed since childhood to name-calling from Uncle Albert, but I did not see what ‘lucky’ had to do with it. And I was loth to make such an open-ended promise even to a dying uncle. ‘Uh … I ….’ ‘Swear! You must swear to me, you. She allowed Brynn to step off the lift ahead of her, moving out onto the deck while she anxiously looked for a ride for Brynn. She waved someone down and the stopped beside them. ‘Just…take care of yourself, Ms. Phytrelia. And don’t be afraid to let us know if you need anything.’ She stepped back to let Brynn get situated on the ride before the driver drove away with her. Kadri stood watching as she rode away, frowning. She watched until they disappeared behind one of the ships and then went. "He only wants you. Go!"And I hurried past him and plunged down the steps. They became very steep and the passageway was so narrow now that my bare shoulders and hips often scraped against the cold marble walls. Deep. So deep.And suddenly I was standing in a small room, a little dizzy, since the stairway had spiraled round and round so steeply for the last short way down. I looked back, but oddly, the steps had disappeared behind me. The walls of the room were hard and smooth and alabaster.