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"It’s so the Athanasians did for their newborn children to protect the huic they used to enetic trait that was passed down through the generations"

"So I inherited this survival uessed

"Yes" It was a guilty whisper of sound

"Please tell me that doesn’t mean what I think it means"

"I wish I could I’m sorry" He reached for her but she jerked away

"Don’t touch me Tell me exactly what you’ve done to me"

He let his hand fall "For the rest of your life, the Synestryn will hunt you for your blood They will knohat you are on sight and they will try to kill you Or worse You’ll never again be able to hide in plain sight like you have been doing all your life"

Oh yeah That was definitely what she was hoping he wouldn’t say "You turned on rimly "And that’s not all"

Helen’s stoht of more bad news "I’m not sure I want to hear it"

"I’m sure you don’t, but you need to"

Helen closed her eyes, bracing herself

"For all intents and purposes, I’ve enlisted you in our war You will be forced to go into battle beside ht the Synestryn"

"Who want to eat me"

"Yes"

She’d never heard his voice so full of self-loathing At least he had that ht"

"I won’t have to The Synestryn will do that with or without your cooperation If nothing else, you’ll have to fight back to stay alive"

Helen suddenly felt caged Trapped Everything about her old life was gone She’d no longer be able to see her friends for fear of drawing those er be able to be around people, period Anyone she was near would be at risk Drake had stolen her life fro to do with She didn’t want to spend as left of her life fighting She wanted peace and the co the days she had left

"How could you?" she deer "How could you take away my choices like that?"

"I was desperate"

"That’s no excuse to ruin the rest oflike that I won’t let you die"

"You won’t be able to stop it You’re there, remember? You watch me burn to death"

"I would never do that"

"I had almost started to believe you, but then you tell er, why should I believe you wouldn’t let me die?"

"Because ofaway my natural protection? That doesn’t make any sense"

"You’re Theronai One of us It’s your duty to fight as it is mine"

Helen threw up her hands in defeat She wasn’t going to understand his convoluted thinking and she wasn’t going to waste ti else you haven’t told s It will take you years to learn"