There are tears on Skip's face, but they're from fury. When someone approached, she lashed out as if to strike, and she gave a kind of hiss. But, then, she recognised the voice. Oh, shit. What--

"What time is it?"

Way too late. Damn it. She was supposed to be changed. No one saw her dance. No one had, not for years. And, damn it, of course he'd been there to see her fail and fall.