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"You reek of hue closer to ed with hunger the Darklings are; ur shoos them away "Do not worry, Ash YouWe do not eat our own kind"

The escort slides hiuilty look "Not unless all other options are exhausted"

This doesn’t ive you Synth-O-Blood?" I say

"Rarely, and the blood they do send is tainted," Sigur says

"Tainted hat?" I ask

"Sh to ht the humans We eat it, as we have no other choice"

We approach a long rowboat like a gondola floating on the canal Our escort takes the oar and quietly rows us through the Darkling city, away fros are dilapidated, their roofs caved in, their walls crus, and I realize they’re Darklings, hanging upside down fro, curious eyes A thought pops into et to see my family?" I say, suddenly excited

"We are all your fas around us

"No, I ? I’ve neverto Mo with a human It devastated est sister, Lucinda, as ordered to cut off contact with Morandparents Despite this, I want to see theur takes my hand, his face suddenly serious "I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this, Ash, but they all perished in the Barren Lands at the start of the war"

I shake h me as it sinks in It’s just Mom and ur politely turns his head as I take a moment to compose myself We spend the rest of the journey in silence The boat drifts to a stop, and the escort guides us up a cobbled street to a set of wrought-iron gates leading into the Black City Zoo

The zoo is unnaturally quiet and deserted We pass eht years’ worth of vines and weeds Inside every cage are stone carvings of the aniers I’uides us to a ranite Above the entrance is a faded sign: NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Inside, the cave is surprisingly hot andtorches, casting flickering shadows on the ground We go deeper and deeper into the earth, until we suddenly e around the circumference of the rooiant snake, leading off to a number of secondary chambers In the center of the roorooves carved into it What are they for?

There’s an echo of footsteps and voices froht, and et closer and closer I s, nervous all of a sudden Dozens of Darklings enter the rooreet ht of the Asseovern, with a long, narrow face, introduces herself as Logan Henrikk She seeoes over to talk to Sigur as I meet everyone else

Soon the roos, and the party is in full swing, withEveryone wants to shake ive hi look He claps his hands, and everyone instantly leaves me alone The members of the Asses ur indicates for me to take a seat next to hiur asks uis wine

"I didn’t realize things were so bad here," I say

Sigur half sanda If the huht be tempted to join Humans for Unity" Was that a sneer in his voice?

I doubt people would join Huhts to h to know they don’t care as long as it doesn’t affect their cozy lives

I drink a few gulps of Sanguis wine, and my head starts to feel pleasantly fuzzy I put the wine down on top of the unusual grooves carved into the table

"What are these for?" I ask

"You’ll see," he replies

I druainst the table "I like what you’ve done with the place Very Darkling chic"

Sigur smiles sadly "It feels very e Moood eye, which blazes orange in the firelight There’s a tenderness to his face I’ve not seen before

"I’ I never intended to hurt you or your father It just"

"Happened? Yeah, I understand" Once you find your Blood Mate, nothing can keep you apart, even if one of theur didn’t have a choice; fate threw theur occasionally I’ve hated hie him He clearly loved Mom, he saved me, and he never deliberately meant to hurt Dad It just happened He let his niece die, though He can’t be fully trusted Music begins to play, the tune exotic and ancient, the sound of sitars and flutes echoing around the chaulp of the wine I al and starving while we’re all in here having a feast

Theslow and seductive, and everyone in the roo on The candles flicker as a beautiful girl appears at the top of the spiral ay, her inky-black hair twisting around her pale body, which is barely concealed beneath her fli children surround her, their faces painted honey broith spots on the around on their hands and knees The guests boo at the children in a jovial way, like they’re at a panto on?" I ask

"A reenactoddess Zanthina and the Bastet people," Sigur explains

The girl gracefully dances down the stairs and leaps onto the banquet table