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"You never know," he said in a cautionary tone

This dude was pulling et off the phone with hiical beans "I don’t think we can do business," I said "I get the feeling you’re just toying with erous"

"I can also help you with the Black Robe Brotherhood," Lornicus said as if it were an afterthought

I couldn’t speak for a moment How in the hell did he already know about that?

As if sensing my question, he said, "My spies reportedyour description I also had spies question the arch operators If you like, I can have "

"For what price?" I asked

"Free share of inforrittedmy friends"

"They won’t like it, I suspect"

"I don’t like it either," I said "We can defend ourselves"

"Can you spare enough people to track members of the brotherhood? To find out how close they are to discovering your location?" Lornicus pressed his attack "Defensive ood, Mr Slade, but I have an arht, I will help These people stand between you and yourelsemy friends Much as I hated to ade over me had just ballooned "You obviously just want us to help you get the baby angels out of El Dorado," I said "You want theoleree to hand the in El Dorado or co for a bunch of whiny babies, but leaving them in a cavern of eternal darkness seeht, they wouldn’t turn out like a bunch of spoiled buttholes anted to rule the world

"What if I discover your mother’s location? Would that be worth the price of one Seraphiht hesitation Of course it would be I just couldn’t let hi the price down "Like I said, they stay in El Dorado or with ree to that," Lornicus said

My eyes narrowed as a thought crossedabout you, but what about your boss?"

"I a in his best interests," Lornicus said

"And he knohat you’re doing?"

"I keep hiolem replied

I decided not to press the issue Obviously, the gole his ht it was for the best I really didn’t care if he hid this information from Mr Gray or not "Let me talk this over with ood, Mr Slade Until then" The goleood idea," Shelton said the oleree We can’t trust hiood And he’s right, Justin We have no hope of saving your mother if the brotherhood finds us"

"Does anyone else find this idea questionable?" Bella asked "What if the brotherhood ree to help Lornicus reet rid of us?"

"Lornicus sees Justin as the Cataclyst," Shelton said "He wants to use him, not kill hiainst surprises," Adam added, "but if someone of the brotherhood’s caliber takes a close look and sees all those wards, they et suspicious, especially since this house is supposedly abandoned" He shrugged "They could de-ward the place and slip in without us being any wiser"

"The ASEs are hard to spot," Elyssa said "I think they’d give us advance warning, but for noe should accept the help" She drew in a breath "Besides, Lornicus agreed to let us do ant with the angels"

"Yeah, but the leyworrim note "I don’t knoould be best for the cave," Bella said "Itthem, but I think we have to consider it"

I didn’t sleep well that night with dreaole Elyssa and I opened the arch back to El Dorado and found Cinder sitting cross-legged near the front of the control roo off his pants, and approached

"Justin, I havediscoveries," he said without so much as a "Hello" "The cherubs do not affectmy essence I believe this means I have no soul for them to consume" His voice sounded al would be for a cherub to want his soul

"Good to know," I said "Anything else?"

"Yes," he said with a nod "I believe the babies are dying"

Chapter 12

"Dying?" Elyssa said in a shocked tone "How?"

Cinder tilted his head "The leyworm Justin befriended allowedso I could not at first understand"

"It tried to talk?" I asked