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The air flew right out of s Ice drenched my veins

He frowned "He ordered your death, Alex I figured you’d be happy to know that we have hi to be a problem anymore"

I turned back to the cell "Gods, how have the furies not reacted to this?"

"I’m not stupid, Alex" He moved to stand beside me, shoulder to shoulder "Lucian ordered this and had his Guards carry it out I was only… along for the ride Clever, aren’t I?"

"Clever?" I gasped, stepping away from the cell--from Seth "So this was Lucian’s idea?"

"Does it matter?" He folded his arms "Telly tried to have you killed--he did have you killed For that, he has to be punished"

"That doesn’tsick "What is wrong with hi cohtfully "I’ Actually, I think he’s sort of fried"

"Gods, Seth Hasn’t anyone ever told you trongs don’t s always ht in my book"

"This isn’t funny, Seth!" I tried to cal to kill him? The pure-blood Council?"

"No The new Council will"

"The new Council? What the hell is that?"

Frustration flared in his a This ods ant you--us--dead He has to be taken out"

I ranto pull my hair out "Seth, was this Lucian’s idea or not?"

"Why does that matter? What if it was? He only wants to keep us safe He wants change and--"

"And he wants Telly’s throne, Seth! How can you not see that?" Coldness seizedTelly out was one way to achieve that, but that didn’t mean he could take complete control of the Council… or did it? I shook ods would allow this They don’t hat Telly did"

"The gods are the enemy here, Alex! They don’t speak to the Council, but they do speak to the Order"

"Apollo saved my life, Seth! Not Lucian!"

"Only because they have plans for you," he said, stepping forward "You don’t knohat I know"

My hands curled into fists "Then tell me what you know!"

"You wouldn’t understand" He turned toward the still form in the cell "Not yet I don’t even blame you for it You have too much pure in you--now more than ever before"

I flinched "That wasn’t… wasn’t fair"

His eyes closed and he ran the heel of his palht That wasn’t fair"

Taking the moment of clarity, I seized it "You can’t keep hiht He has to be punished for what he did, but he needs a trial Keeping hi"

Gods, it was a messed up day when I was the voice of reason

Seth turned to me He opened his mouth, but closed it "I already have too much invested in this"

Dread inched down my spine I started toward him, but stopped I folded my arms over my chest "What do you mean?"

He reached out toward me, but I jerked away Confused, he lowered his hand "How can you want him to live?"

"Because it’s not our place to decide who lives or dies"

His brows furrowed "And what if it will be?"

I shook my head "Then I don’t want any part of that And I know you don’t, either"

Seth sighed "Alex, you’re training to be a Sentinel You’ll make life-and-death decisions all the time"

"That’s different"

"Is it?" He inclined his head towardaway any hesitation

"Yes! As a Sentinel, I’ll kill dai jury and executioner"

"How can you not see I’ what needs to be done, even if you’re too weak to do it yourself?"