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Fear tightened her stomach She wasn’t ready

Drake pulled her into his ar to kick soht and find Kevin’s sword"

Helen slid her finger under the luceria "And this will cohtened his grip "Yes"

"What then?" she asked him

"That’s up to you"

Helen felt lost and scared She had no idea what to do--no idea ould happen to Drake after tonight "What happens if I don’t live through this?"

"You will," he said, his tone stone hard, determined

"But what if I don’t? We both know that’s a possibility"

"I’rowled Drake

"Please Just tell me what happens if I do I need to know you’ll be safe"

Drake pulled in a deep breath that ainst her breasts She loved the feel of his body against hers, so strong and hard and war as the colors in the luceria o back to where I was before I met you--in pain Only a few leaves left"

Helen lifted his hand and stared at the ring She had to look hard to see anywas al around "We’re almost out of time"

"Yes" He didn’t sound upset by that notion

"What happens if I die after the colors stop?"

"You don’t need to worry about that," he told her in a gentle voice

"I’hed"When the luceria has chosen your final color, then the connection between us is permanent"

"What does that entle "It means that if you die, it’s aled Helen, pushing away fro at the necklace, which suddenly felt like a noose "Make it stop"

Drake gathered her hands in his and kept her fro off "I can’t Neither can you That’s the way it works"

"Then you have to get it offon to her control

"The only way to do that is to find Kevin’s sword" His brown eyes gloith golden shards of determination "But I need to be clear, Helen I don’t want you to take it off Not ever"

"But I’ to die, you fool! You saw the vision Even Sibyl said it’s going to happen" Unless Helen chose another death first

Da to pass within days, according to Sibyl Drake was nearly out of time and she could not take him with her She would not be the cause of his death, too

Drake cupped her face and slid his thuainst the need to lean into him for support "Don’t worry about what Sibyl said Believe that things ork out Trust me to protect you"

But ould protect hiht Helen’sof opportunity was narrow She had to act now, and fighting with Drake wasn’t going toshe would go along with hi to take such a careless chance with his life

"I trust you," she said And she did She trusted hiive his life to save hers She couldn’t let that happen