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Sebastian’s green eyes flick up to mine and hold steady "It’ll make it much faster, nipper Not that you deserve it," he explains

By "it" he means my death They obviously want it to be quick for the audience at ho than a slow execution

"I’ you die," he says "I hope you burn like the others"

I try to s, butinto flay to acacia isn’t quite as severe as full-blooded Darklings, although in these quantities, I’h at the ridiculousness of that thought Lucky? I’m about to be crucified

Sebastian turns to the audience and reads fro across the town square

"For the criory Thompson, Ash Fisher has been sentenced to death by crucifixion"

My knees feel like jelly, and it takes allI don’t want to look scared, not with the whole country watching I need to be brave I can do this

I wish Natalie were here

The audience starts tolance at the school’s clock tower to ht One minute until midday; the show’s about to start I peer over at the viewers’ stand again Dad’s holding back the tears, trying to be brave for ur still isn’t here, and neither is Natalie, but I’ve given up hope she’ll come

The clock chimes

One

The crowd falls silent

Two

My shackles are removed

Three

The cross is lowered

Four

I’m bound to the cross with silver chains They scorch s, choking me

Six

The uards grab the ropes holding the cross

Eight

They winch the cross upright

Nine

My heart pounds loudly

Ten

Dad’s sobs ring out across the square

Eleven

An ie of Natalie flashes across my mind

Twelve

"Stop!"

44

NATALIE

SIGUR LANDS IN THE CENTER of the crowd, and sets ain

"Natalie!" Ash calls out, his voice cracked

The crowd parts as I run toward hirowls at hio

I reach the cross and stare up at Ash He’s gasping for breath, his skin already blistering from the acacia wood Tendrils of s them black

"Ash, I love you!" I call up to him

His skin crackles The acrid ss my nostrils as flames start to flicker out of his burned skin

I stretch up a hand and touch his feet--it’s the only part of hiets weaker by the second

"Fight, Ash! Please, I love you Don’t leave ulfing thees and reds melt into one another as the flames coil and twist into the sky, fanned by the wind They blaze like wings, terrifying, beautiful A phoenix rising froles for breath, his chest shuddering with the effort His glittering black eyes flick down and catch ain "I--"

45

ASH

"--NEED YOU, PLEASE, don’t leaveevery nerve ending explode in agonizing pain The sensation is almost unbearable as the flesh is scorched from my bones, but still I refuse to cry out

"I love you!" she says again

She shouldn’t be saying this, not here, not in front of the calowers at the TV reporters

"You heard , and I’"

"Natalie, no," I staitated murmurs spread across the crowd This isn’t the same crowd that watched Jana and Tom die These people have seen too much over the past weeks; their eyes have been opened One by one, they turn their backs to the stage, refusing to watchJana and Tom’s execution Purian Rose has the power to execute us, but he doesn’t have the power to ainst the Sentry I know that so a seizure

Natalie touches h my body, which sparksthe rhythm of her own

I take an unsteady breath The air barely reaches the walls ofup

No, not yet I’ht, Ash," Natalie whispers "I’m here You’re not alone"

Our hearts flutter in unison, and I focus on their co beat

Then a sensation like winter’s chill creeps up rip takes hold