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"You tried to warn et h I kneas after h you’ve been right fro"

"Let that be a lesson," he intoned, but his eyes glinted with ht"

God, he was perfect He was a little moody, but with a past like his, who could blame him? He was also kind and siven him, which was a whole bucketful of lies

He’d been a Guardian, for heaven’s sake He could handle the truth He fought for the side of good… and since he was protecting her, he should know

"Josh… I need to tell you soer to her lips "Trust me, I know crazy, and whatever you say won’t fit into that category I -proht, remember?"

"You’re also pretty full of yourself," she , and he knew it, and rewarded her with a s

"Lay it onher expectantly

"Reels?" She took a deep breath "Well… I’e, even when she nodded He merely looked curious "So, shouldn’t you be immortal and immune to injury?"

"Well, I can be hurt… but only if I want it or feel like I deserve it" At his raised eyebrows, she said, "Like, once I lied to a nun, and I felt bad about it, so I let her rap my knuckles with a ruler That hurt A lot"

"I could think of et hurt," he said with a wink And then he sobered "But how do you explain Byza to do souess it’ll have to wait Maybe you could feel around soet to a secure Internet connection?" When he nodded, it was her turn to narrow her eyes at hi this pretty easily Why?"

"I work in a hospital that uses "

The tension poured out of her It was such a relief to be able to confide in someone other than Val Someone who cared about her on a different level than theto walk

Josh’s brow creased "I know about Marked Sentinels because of The Aegis, but the details are sketchy Researching Byzaht be easier if you tell els don’t run around charrins"

"No, they don’t Anyone who is char that needs to be kept out of the hands of evil"

"Like the coin you found in Alexandria That hat the charuy carried" At her nod, he continued "So what are you protecting?"

Her hand automatically went to her necklace "This"

"What is it?"

"Honestly, I’lish for Heaven But that’s all I know The guardian of the coin we found was the last Sentinel to have a full understanding of what it was he was holding According to Val, Sentinels were no longer allowed to know exactly what their object’s purpose was, for fear that they’d reveal it to the wrong person, or that they would use it iuardian did"

"But didn’t he think he was helping souls cross over or so the coin unprotected, he risked allowing evil forces to retrieve the coin" She now had to keep the coin with her until it could be given over to The Aegis According to Val, once such an object was safely in the hands of Guardians, a new Sentinel would be chosen to guard it

"So the Byzauy… he’s been after you, hasn’t he? Not the tablet"

"I think he definitely wanted the tablet to keep The Aegis froates, and I’ve no doubt he’d take the coin as a bonus, but yes, I think he’s after me I’et theerous, and she shivered with both dread and feminine appreciation

"Sex That’s why I’m celibate That’s also why Val is so protective" She looked down at her lap and then back up again "That’s not all If Byzamoth takes the charm from me, I’ll die"

She couldn’t read his expression At all With a curse, he got up and paced again, his hands in fists at his sides

"Josh, look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner--"

"It’s not that," he snapped His fury was a store that stood her hair on end "Daed herself, rubbed the goose bumps that pebbled her arms "I don’t want to talk about this anyrowled "I already booked us on the next train"

"When is that?"