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I opened my eyes Mila was asleep aardly on a seat next to ainst the door

"You’re awake," henot to waken Mila "It’s the first time she’s slept in two days"

I turned h my spine

"You’re pretty beaten up, I wouldn’t move too much"

I tried to s but my throat was dry Mr Aleksandrov poured me some water; he cracked a vial of clear liquid, mixed it into the cup and handed it to me Slowly, I reached out for it, my muscles ached

"It will heal you quicker"

"Thank you," I croaked I drank the whole cup and cleared my throat

"Ruby!" called Mila She launched out of her bed and nearly landed on top of od, you’re okay"

"How are the others?" I asked

"The ones that survived are okay" Bitterness laced Mr Aleksandrov’s tone

Of course, guardian angels died and it was my fault

"Mila, now that you know Ruby is awake and okay, you need to go back to school"

"But Uncle, I--"

"Let’s go" Mila stormed out the door and Mr Aleksandrov turned to et back to school, we need to have a serious discussion"

Great, no doubt I would be kicked out of Sage I nodded in co over the end of hed loudly

There was a light knock at the door; it was Eli I should have been relieved when I saw hi to be nice He strolled in and sat on the arood to see that you’re awake and okay" He smiled a painfully fake smile

The room was so tense; you could cut it with a knife "Yeah…" I lanced around the room aardly

"I know you need time to recover fro to explode"

I dropped my head and braced myself

"What you did was selfish" His voice was so cold and fierce "Do you have any idea what you put Mr Aleksandrov through, what you put h?" His voice had raised a decibel

"I know, I’m sorr--"

"People died," he interrupted "Does that els disposable? There’s plenty of us, right?"

"No, it’s not like that at all"

"Then what’s it like?"

"He had ht he did"

"Ruby, if you had come to me, I would have been able to tell you your family wasn’t even in the country We kept tabs on them for you," he admitted

Guilt bucketed heavier on enuinely hurt It ritten all over his face "I thought ere being honest to each other but you were hiding so et hurt…" I pleaded

"But instead of calling trained angels that kill vaoddess who doesn’t even kno to use her o and take one on"

"It sounds stupid when you say it like that"

"Reword it any way you want, it won’t sound any s his head

"I was scared I was so scared," he whispered "You nearly died At one point I thought you did I couldn’t feel anything from you, and I felt… sick and numb and… alone"

I looked at him as more tears wet h, but they’re my only family, and I can’t lose theuess we don’t have the connection I thought we did" He got up from the chair and walked towards the door

"Eli, please, don’t go"

He paused and turned "Now you want my help and support? You can’t pick and choose"

I flinched at his words He left, closingone after the other, each dropping faster than the last Once again, I felt alone… more alone than ever Eli was the last person I wanted to push away, even though rewas they rolled by No one visited me, I wasn’t upset about that; I understood I had put everyone in danger, and risked the school and Mr Aleksandrov’s reputation I had gotten guardian angels killed and I betrayed Eli I’ht now either

Today was the worst day so far Today, I had to return to Sage Sanctuh had healed very well in the last few days, just like Mr Aleksandrov said it would The medical staff at the hospital were shocked it had healed so quickly for a cut so deep, but didn’t really investigate it

I heeled to the front door; it was hospital policy and it was e When we reached the door, I rose frori I shut my eyes and felt Eli My stomach dropped; they had sent hi Another guardian angel would have driven ues killed Eli opened the door for me and I cli a word to each other I wanted to tell him I was sorry and that I didn’t mean for this to happen My heart ached whilst we drove I couldn’t stop fidgeting with my hands

Eli pulled over onto the side of the road, exhaling loudly I glanced around nervously;to dump me on the side of the road, like a wounded ani?" I asked

"Ruby, I think that before we get back to Sage, we should talk" That’s what I wanted, to talk to Eli, but now that he wanted to, I didn’t I was scared; I had no excuse for what I did

"It rong of me to attack you when you had just woken up I had been waiting, stressing for two days before you woke up, and it was building and building and I-- "

"It’s okay, I deserved it," I confessed "Everything you said was right"

He grabbedit in his

"In my mind there weren’t any consequences I kneould be killed or turned again, but I illing to risk everything to save Ca ere attacked at the cabin, so I assuuardians to save rasp "But now there are consequences and I have to face theuide you every step of the way, but under one condition"

I knehat it was

"You tell "

I stared at our hands but eventually nodded He was right, the decisions that I made in my life would affect his, too

"It was the first ti special to me"

I turned and looked at him, his eyes fixated on our hands "But your father--"

"He was a goodmy mother"

We sat in silence for a few seconds

"She died when she gave birth toe, and Glenda; an old retired angel, tookand raised me When I turned twenty-one, she passed away"