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He nodded, his expression grim as he darted a look over her head at someone

Asmodeus

Asmodeus killed Lilif And Ari had promised she’d try to make sure it didn’t coh Sitting up slowly, Ari was gratified to find she felt no pain; all the other aches and hurts froht had been healed too Her eyes flickered around the roo her father, the White King She flinched when she saw hi away

She didn’t knohat to think of hiht his wrong by feeding Red infore, Ari ignored the familiar stab of hurt she felt at his indifference He was her father, after all, but you’d never know it With an inward sigh, she put her feet on the floor and turned to Asmodeus who stood by the fireplace in Azazil’s parlor

Azazil was close by, his hand on Asmodeus’s shoulder in a rare show of coaze on him, Asmodeus lifted his eyes to her and the fear she felt was immediate His eyes weren’t blank; they were filled with calculation and spiteful intent "I told you I would not let you die out there That would be much too easy on you I think your punishment should fit the cri but it did nothing to slow her racing heartbeat More unnerving was the aood

"If we are done here, I’d like to leave and assess the da stood, his deh the past few days hadn’t happened

"Yes, you all are free to leave"

Azazil waved a weary hand at them

Gilder and Lucky left first, quickly followed by Glea and Shadow White stared at his father for a moment and Ari finally saw sorief--not only of the loss of his mother but of his belief in her Whether Azazil noticed wasn’t apparent to Ari

Azazil chuckled at his son "Are you and I at peace now, Son?"

In response the White King quirked his eyebrow and replied, "Did the world end?"

Azazil looked entertained as he watched White disappear into the Peripatos "Well, I think I will finally rest Asmodeus, why do you not visit that lovely hare his lieutenant out of the rooave Ari one last sinister smile before the doors slaathered together in the middle of the room Red’s brow furrowed as he stared at the door "I did not like Asreed

"Uh,conversationally to Glass, the Red King’s lips twitched in amusement "Did you know Ari atte equally amused by this, Glass replied, "Did she now?"

"Mmm," Red mused and flashed Ari a smile "It would appear she quite likesher eyes, but her chest seeave her Ari did care about her Uncle Red and she’d been scared that after herto do with her again

Gazing up into his face, she saw affection and realized that after everything, after all the crap and all the loss, she’d still ed to scrape out of this with her own ramshackle family: Jai, Trey, the Roes, Red, and Glass

An odd but loveableshe’d spent her entire childhood looking for

PART THREE

20

Free

It had all happened so fast A ind of shades of gray, of choosing sides, of principle versus faith, of careless power and abuse of power, of life and death A lifetiht monsters and friends, she’d saved both, and either directly or indirectly she’d killed both For years unknowingly and knowingly, she’d been haunted by Lilif, the haunting escalating these last few short weeks

Only a week had passed since

Asmodeus destroyed Lilif once and for all

It may as well have been a year

Christ in twenty-four hours It would daith fewer Roes in tow--unfortunately, Lilif had wiped out two entire fa, who had unwillingly played a part in those deaths, was spending his days avoiding a very unhappy Gilder