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The boy clutches his chest, like he’s in pain He looks up atblack eyes, and my heart stumbles and races to catch up with the beat He blinks, shakes his head like he’s trying to remember where he is, while nize him But how? Even in my panicked state, my brain’s able to process the fact we haven’t met before I sure as hell would’ve res to knohat he is: hair like black fire and glittering eyes are all the evidence I need A twin-blood Darkling

I should be running aat round, my body paralyzed, as memories I’ve repressed all year flood uished face, blood spraying across the ceiling

The drugged girl beside hi away from her face She looks just like my sister, Polly

"Help me," she whispers

I hesitate, uncertain What if she were my sister? Would I leave Polly here with him?

My decision is made for me when a Sentry truck pulls up on the road overhead and the engine cuts out I dart under the bridge and press er tothe road above us The Darkling boy tenses, glancing up at the sound

"I’m sure I saw her," a voice says above us Sebastian

There’s silence for a moment I shut my eyes and pray he leaves

A man snorts "She’s more bloody trouble than she’s worth" The deep voice sounds like Kurt, one of Sebastian’s troop leaders

"I suggest you hold your tongue--unless you want me to cut it out?" Sebastian says

"Sorry, chief," Kurt says quickly "I didn’t mean any disrespect"

"Let’s try down Bleak Street," Sebastian suggests

They head off on foot I let out a long sigh, and so does the twin-blood Darkling boy We warily eye each other for a few seconds I doubt he’ll attack me when there are Trackers so close by He’s a twin-blood, not one of those mindless Wraths, so he’d understand the risks to hiht eases my mind a little

"Thanks," I say to him

"No worries, blondie Any enemy of the Sentry is a friend of e sensation pulls at my heart as I take a step toward hiain, a definite tug this ti voice insideme to keep my distance

I kneel down beside hi around irl’s head, revealing the two puncture wounds "Haze?"

He nods

"She needs to go to the hospital," I say

"That’s not going to happen She knew the risks"

"She could die"

He shrugs "Notexecuted for her"

I glance down at the girl again and anxiously biteboy’s head snaps up, his nostrils flaring, and the air around us sparks with static His gaze is like a thrilling darkness sliding over oose piht

It’s a force Darklings use to mark their prey in order to ward off others of their kind I’ve only been touched by the Sight once before, the nightboy slowly surveysacross my skin over my heart, visible beneath the fine lace of my corset I hurriedly cover the scar withthe spell

Footsteps approach the bridge, and my stomach leaps into my throat Sebastian and Kurt have returned

"Let’s get back to headquarters," Sebastian says to Kurt as he clione home"

"She better have," Kurt ets cho Bloody nippers, I don’t kno they keep getting over the wall"

The Darkling boy’s eyes narrow "You’re the Ehter?"

Fear tiptoes down er I’m in

"I don’t want any trouble," I say

"Too late for that, blondie" The corners of his s

I hurriedly edge away from him My back slams into the cold stone wall I’roans

"I think she’s going to be okay There’s no need for anyone else to get involved," I say, panic rising into see what’s going to happen next There are only two options: he lets o and trusts I won’t report hiainst

He snarls "Tell anyone about ets to his feet, and in a flash, he’s gone

3

ASH

THE BLACK COBBLED STREETS are deathly quiet as I head hoht You’d have to be suicidal or insane to be out here after curfew I’ which one I a it’s unlikely I’ll encounter anyto push my luck The soot-encrusted Cinderstone houses on either side ofafter last year’s air raids that destroyed the city

I can’t resist runningthe walls of the houses, staining my skin black Black That’s the color of s, black skies Black everything I’ve alotten what color looks like

A irl’s blue eyes flashes across htens What happened back under the bridge? I swear I felt h The idea’s so stupid; my heart’s never moved a millimeter in my whole life It just sits lifelessly inside irl That can ht up Yeah, that must’ve been it I can’t allow ital screens the size of billboards doainst the Gothic architecture of the centuries-old buildings The screens broadcast continual footage froandistthe Sentry government

A fee froovernment"