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ASH

THE FUNERAL CHAMBER is near dark Only the silvery outlines of the other Darklings are visible in the gloom as they stand around Mo hieline givesNatalie were here I shouldn’t have snapped at her earlier, but I was upset Even so, it rong of ates and let her know things are still okay between us, especially since we ht now

The High Priest begins to sing I vaguely recognize the tune and sing the bits I knohich isn’tabout this side ofstops, and the High Priest ushers us forward

"What are we supposed to do?" I ask Evangeline

"We all need to say the thing we’ll remember the ur is first "I will reet her words out "I will remehter"

Then the High Priest calls onto say What will I re ht, even though she must’ve been sick to death of it? How she wrote me a birthday card every year, even when she couldn’t send it?

"I will reh Priest picks up the urn I saw earlier, passing it to Sigur Then he unsheathes a cere?" I whisper

"You shouldn’t look at this," Evangeline says

The High Priest raises the knife over Moer into Moeline explains "Her dual heart is harvested and given to her Blood Mate"

I bury ht; I don’t want to see this He pats my back

"It’s done," Dad whispers to me a ain Sigur places the lid on the urn and offers it to Dad

Dad shakes his head "I have Ash He’s the best part of Annora You keep her heart; it belongs to you It always did"

Sigur gives a weak smile and clutches the urn to his chest

The door opens, casting a sliver of light over the altar as Evangeline slips out of the roo to each other; they won’t notice if I leave for a few eline outside beside the ees At soeline takesthe coh it feels nice, natural, I still wish it were Natalie as here withfuneral Annora would’ve been pleased with it" Evangeline wipes the tears froone"

I don’t knohat to say to coht your mother back to your house, you know?" she says

"Thanks," I say

"It was the least I could do She looked after ur that my mom was sick?" I say

She lowers her lashes "I was scared he’d blaet bitten?" I ask I’d been wondering this for weeks

"It was one of the Wraths in the hospital I orking in the ward, and she caur The Wrath attacked her--it was so quick It’s ood-bye"

"It’s not your fault Besides, it’s not what killed her in the end," I say, rage boiling inside ory "What will they do with her now?"

"They’ll take her body outside just before dawn The sun will creht

"She’s in the Elsewhere now, in a better place," Evangeline says

"Do you really believe that?"

She nods

A bird flies overhead, re me of the crow that flew over me and Natalie e sat on the roof of Sentry HQ My heart aches, thinking about that day, how it felt having her into do now?" Evangeline asks

"What do youwith us?"

I hadn’t even considered staying with the Legion, but why shouldn’t I? What’s keeping one, Dad would be safer without o back Natalie

"You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?" Evangeline says

"Is it that obvious?"

"It is to eline’s eyes narrow into slits "Don’t you understand her betrayal? She knew about the Bastet venom, but she didn’t tell you"

"Natalie said she didn’t have the opportunity--"

"Don’t be naive, Ash She was clearly protecting her h, and don’t you forget it," Evangeline replies

"That’s not true She’s not like the others"

"Don’t be suckered in by her lies She’s played you for a fool"

"I don’t believe that," I say

"How can you still want to be with her?" Evangeline asks

"Because I still love her," I say

"You don’t love her You just think you do because she has my heart"

"She may have your heart, but that’s not the reason I love her," I say "It’s not just a physical connection It’s so deeper You may be my Blood Mate, but she’s eline touches ive me a chance I’d never lie to you or betray you She can’t be trusted--she’s dangerous"

She looks at me ide, expectant eyes Her inky-black hair ripples around her pale, beautiful face

I erous? You killed a et? His name was Malcolm"

She lets out an irritated sound "He was just a meat sack"

"You see, that’s where you and Natalie differ She’d never let a Darkling get hurt if she could prevent it, while you have no regard for human life at all"

"Maybe if they ripped your heart out like they did mine, you wouldn’t feel so warh We sit down on a stone bench beside the abandoned lions’ den White flowers blooeline’s iridescent skin

"So, are you going to stay with us?" she says, her eyes sparkling with hope

I look at the Boundary Wall in the distance, and for the first ti to be back on the other side<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>