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"You really love him?" Seth asked quietly

"Yes" I opened aze was downcast Thick lashes fanned his cheeks "I do"

He slowly lifted his eyes "I’m sorry"

I seized thewhat you’re doing--what you’re becoer than Lucian"

"I a through heavy lidded eyes "I’ll be stronger than a god soon"

And that was that Seth didn’t move away fro I could catch a glimpse of my uncle and Aiden The terracotta roof over the library blocked the view

We didn’t talk again

Ti

Seth was antsy the following er than a fewand jerky race He had my nerves stretched thin and each time he looked my way, I felt a lump of dread and fear inch up my throat But he never approached ain Seth would just turn away and stare out thesilently, waiting

Theafter Marcus’ visit, I had to see the rune on the back of y at normal levels, I found a hand-held limpse in the bathroom mirror It was faint blue, shaped like an S that closed at the end The invincibility rune I reached back and touched it The skin on led from the contact

I lowered the mirror to the counter and turned around My eyes looked way too wide, scared al the brown irises Not that eesh

The skittish look in ht settled onto Awaken me this entire time, like I’d feared He’d lied I pushed my damp hair back Luckily he hadn’t succeeded, but there was undeniably so different I could feel it just below the skin

There was a knock on the bathrooain "What are you doing in there?"

Gathering up th, I focused on the neon pink walls and reinforced the h was audible "You’re just blocking ave my reflection a weak s past him, I tossed oing to talk to me?" he asked

I sat in the chair and picked up a comb

Seth knelt in front of me "You know, you can’t stay silent forever"

Coles, I decided I could try

"Do you kno long we’re going to be together? This is going to get boring and old real quick" When I didn’t answer, he grabbed --"

"Don’t touch me" I jerked my arm free, ready to turn the comb into a deadly weapon if need be

He s"

I threw the comb down and shot to ain, Seth You used ot close to me just so you could try to Awaken ainst me" I sucked in a sharp breath Betrayal sat like stones in , Seth? Was this what you were thinking ere in the Catskills? When you asked me to make a choice?"

He whirled on ry ocher "That was not the sole reason, Alex Not that it matters now You made your choice You chose Aiden, as pointless as that was"

I didn’t even think Full of rage and sorrow, I swung at hiht my fist before it connected with his face "We are not training, Alex We are not playing around Swing at ain and you will not like the consequences" He released me

I stu with a kick to the face A knock on the bedroom door interrupted our stare-down One of the Guards was on the other side, speaking too low for me to understand

Seth nodded and then facedin fivewhere?"

"You’ll see" He paused, his gaze dropping overdecent on"