"My instinct is less," August said mildly, playing a card. "But I would have to ask Mr. Pettigrew to know for sure." August did not throw parties, and he certainly did not throw parties with hired talent, so he had no idea what one could possibly cost.

"I've never decided whether or not I believe in it," August added. "Divination, not - hiring Vablatskys." Obviously. Some things seemed like fate, predestined - but were they really? August had to believe that there was a degree of free will, a large degree of free will in everything he had done. But if someone had told him that his romance with Lyra was doomed, exactly how - would he have believed them?

What would it have changed?

But, free will regardless - the Vablatsky girl's prediction had never come true. Good, because it had been morbid as hell.

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