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Lighting quick, he caught the candelabrus," he said, voice thick and different Gone was the hty Alex"

I inhaled raggedly "This… this is not you"

"It is me" He reached for me "And this is us"

Dawn’s voice distracted him "This is treason!" she said Terror filled her a her elbows Other Ministers stood behind her, faces pale "This is treason against the gods, Lucian What you ask froe is not needed?" Lucian asked

"Yes!" She unfolded her ar herself "Change is needed Half-bloods need more freedom and choice There is no doubt to that I have a half sister I love her dearly and want a better life for her, but this… this is not the way"

Lucian cocked his head to the side as he sods, ed as her spine straightened "They are our onlytrue, as were the Order’s History was on repeat Seth stepped to the side, facing the Council members ould not bow to Lucian’s will

Lucian sed as I slid along the wall, away from Seth "Seth, don’t!"

But Seth was on autopilot He grabbed ainst ain, pushing akasha through the bond There was no reaching him when the power took over, no co ht erupted from his hand a second time

Screams rose above the pandemonium I swore I could hear Lea’s above them all I knew that couldn’t be true, because everyone was screa

Seth released his hold, and I dropped toon the smell of burnt cloth and… flesh--burnt flesh Where the seven had once stood, only three reether as they stared at Seth in horror One whi a blackened arone

He had done it--attacked the Council My cheeks were da? Did it one

I pressed ether So had to be done This was bad--horrendous--but it would get worse once I Awakened In the chaos, I could escape I couldn’t break do Struggling to ed toward the stairs as Seth’s back was toe War rabbed ot you" Aiden set me on my feet His eyes searched h through a tunnel, and I think I nodded

Within seconds, ere surrounded

"Shit" He let go ofh his body

I wished I’d had the foresight to find the lost dagger, because then I’d at least have so to ward off Lucian’s Guards Not that I’d be able to doinexhaustion that’d come when Seth tapped intoaround, his boot connected with the jaw of the closest Guard, and then he dipped under the outstretched ar up, his fist struck the second in a fierce uppercut Without ht another with a kick to the chest, knocking the Guard back several feet

It had been so long since I’d seen hiraceful and fast he was, I stared in awe Not a single Guard made it past him He mowed them doith just his hands and kicks

One, however, did creep up behind us

The Guard grabbed me from behind and started to pull me back toward the dais, toward Seth and Lucian With my arms pinned to runted and his grip loosened, but that was about it

Aiden turned, seeing my predicaaze dropped I let s collapse Aiden moved so fast the air stirred around round, unconscious

"Nice," I croaked as Aiden tugged rabbed hold ofup the center aisle My uncle and the stranger wereshort work of the Guards by the door On the floor, Luke was holding Lea, rocking her back and forth as he kept an eye on the battle When he saw us, he stood and pulled Lea to her feet She was hysterical I didn’t think she even kneas going on around her, not even when the stranger with the scar threw a dagger and took out a Guard right beside her

"Who… who are you?" I asked

He bowed at the waist and grinned "Most call me Solos"

"Solos from Nashville?"

Solos nodded, spun around and punched the living crap out of a Sentinel who’d uy off his feet It was pretty epic

"Are we getting out of here?" Luke asked He held Lea close to hiet out of--"

The air popped and crackled Light followed, flashing over the entire room When it receded, Apollo stood in the middle of the aisle "Go," he said "Get off the island noill hold hih time"

"Alex!" roared Seth

Cold shivers went down my spine

"Whatever you all do, do not stop Do not stay to help," Apollo ordered before he turned around "Go"

"Co down the street, by the beach"