Page 39 (1/2)

The Darkling bite onthe pain I want to feel sorief

Day enters our bedrooant black corset dress that I lent her for the occasion Beetle lingers by the doorway He’s wearing a dark green suit Green Ash’s favorite color

"You have to coain so they can’t see my tears I can’t face what’s about to happen I’ve already witnessed the death of one person I love, the night ain I just can’t

"He wants to see you," Day says softly, lifting the pillow off ," I say

"This is the last chance you’ll get to see him Do you really want to miss that?" Day says

"I can’t watch him die, I just can’t I love his o, I just can’t," I say after a moment

The door quietly shuts behind the?" I hear MJ ask Day

"No," she says "Come on, we’ll be late"

The front door slams a minute later

I sit up and throw the pillow across the roos are raw

Footsteps shuffle towardher pink slippers and robe She sits on the edge of lossy black hair, and looks at me olfish eyes just like her father’s, Purian Rose Except her eyes are full of concern, not hate

"I’ives me a look that asks, Are you okay?

My lip tre to kill him"

She hesitates, then stretches out a pale hand and lays it on top of mine I let the tears fall After a few ives lance at the clock on the dresser It’s eleven thirty Ash is being executed at noon We go to the kitchen, and I turn on the portable TV, flicking through the channels, trying to find soly

I stop on Black City Nehich is running a live feed of the execution Juno stands in the center of the crowd, her face solemn Thousands of people are in the town square,the side streets Juno speaks to the ca; I’ve turned the TV ontoabout Ash like they have any idea who he is To so a Tracker, the worst kind of cris That’s not who he is to e The boy who kissedory holds a sword to ory," Ash says

"Gladly," he replies

He throws ory raises his sword, ato kill Ash--I know it I have to stop him!

"This is for Chris!"

There’s a crack of thunder

I reach out for Sebastian’s sword at the same time as Ash

My hand reaches the weapon first I thrust upward

There’s a flash of steel, a ory’s flesh Hot blood splashes over my hands Oh, Godoh, God, what have I done?

I turn to Ash

He grabs the sword froory’s blood

He drops the weapon to the ground

That’s what really happened the day of the riot I killed Gregory to save the boy I love Juno’s film just missed that one crucial round

And now Ash is going to be executed to savecrucified because of rab my coat and rush out of the house

Please let there be time!

41

ASH

"RUMMY!" I SAY

Dad lays his cards facedown onme win," I say with forced cheer

"Noould I do that?" he replies, equally forced

They let Dad cour briefly , which was a pleasant surprise He uards to get to see uard with short ginger hair, approaches lass of fresh blood on it My last enuine s the tray on my bed

My stomach fills with butterflies at the tiny flicker of hope it’s Natalie I smooth down les again

Day and Beetle appear by the bars They don’t look lance past the

Dad takes ives it a squeeze I wipe ulation ainst h the bars I scan the headlines It’sballot for Rose’s Law and how people are looking to vote against it, disgusted at the treatovernment over the Golden Haze plot People can’t turn a blind eye anyone up fivefold since, and change is in the air I just won’t be there to see it

I turn the page, and e three"

No one laughs

"Wohy the long faces, everyone? It’s like someone’s died," I say