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I went into the field house through the stables and paused in the hall between buildings, breathing deeply of horse and hay and trying to keepto be honest It’ll hurt his feelings more if I stretch this out and avoid hih at myself No, Heath would not understand Heath would tell nore the fact that I was breaking up with hi by himself in the hallway outside the entrance to the basement

"Zoey, you’re up late," he said as he fisted his hand over his heart and gave me a little bow

I hadn’t seen him since he’d cut Dallas’s head off and floith two fledglings struggling under his arms He didn’t look any different I suppose I shouldn’t expect hi o with the two fledglings?"

"As they were ed, causing his s to rustle "I left them in thethe sun they ht last the day, but they certainly will not last another"

"Are you going to take care of their bodies?"

He shook his head "Coyotes will do that job for me"

"That’s really cold," I said

"Justice often seeing, conde out justice is not pleasant Is it not this country whose syment?"

"Uh, I don’t think that’s because she’s cold I think that’s because justice shouldn’t be based on the way a person looks or who he or she is--it should be based on the facts"

"I do not understand the distinction you arefor Aurox Have you seen him?"

"It was his turn to patrol the school perio out the front entrance to the field house, he should be circling back around shortly"

"Okay, great Uh, I’d appreciate it if you didn’tfor--"

Kalona held up a hand, cutting ht about correcting hi that wasn’t it at all, that I just didn’t want fledglings to be gossiping about Aurox and hed and said, "Yeah, thanks" And then I scurried away

No one was out in the front side of the school, either, and I found a bench not far from the field house door While I sat and waited for Aurox, I watched the thunderclouds get closer and thought about what Kalona had said

Maybe he was right Judging others wasn’t pleasant There was a ti, but I’d agreed with Thanatos in her condereed with her penalty So, did that make usted? Or did that make me huh Priestess?

"Zoey? Is everything okay?"

I hadn’t heard Aurox approach, so it was a shock to look from the thunderclouds to histo refocus and at least do this one thing right

"Yeah, everything’s fine I just needed to talk to you Is now a good tiestured toward the bench beside o ahead and sit down"

He sat and I tried not to fidget or pick atto rain," I said "And I think I just heard thunder off in the distance"

"The scent of lightning is in the air," he agreed

I relaxed a little That was definitely not sohtning sht Thunder and lightning go together"

"Zo, what’s up?"

My eyes went to his Yep Heath was definitely in there "I can’t drink your blood again"

"But you want to," he said

"Aurox, no one gets everything they want"

"But this isn’t everything, it’s just a s"

"If I really drank your blood, we’d make love We’d probably I to me or you or Stark"

"It’s Stark, then He’s the reason why you won’t be with uys at the same time"

"And you will not choose me over Stark because I am not Heath"