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"Whatever will let you sleep at night, you go ahead and believe," I snapped, straddling s, one forward and one back, to brace low flashing in a pulse that I didn’t recognize until too late The ivy growing along the edge of the raised rass and jerked h it, but not fast enough

Granite swung his tords in a cross-blade blow meant to remove heads I knew I’d seen hi room I threw myself backward, unable to take my eyes from the swords as they cut in front ofme under the chin

I let out a yelp and tried to roll, but the vines crawled overht saveme babble "Granite, don’t do this I can stop her You’ll be free of your oath if she’s dead"

He barked out a bitter laugh "No, I won’t Oaths hold until the person who made them die, Lark, not until the person they made them to die I made an oath to her that I cannot break"

Panic floodedon each side, one sword raised up "Goodbye, Larkspur"

I shot a glance to the side, to see Griffin standing there "Help me!"

"I told you, if you can’t touch your pohen you really need to, you aren’t any good to the world Save yourself"

Everything see in a zigzag line, the sword coht through the trees

There was no tih the blocks despite the pain, and took hold of it There was only one thing I reressive tactic I’d ever used

Beneath Granite’s feet, the earth exploded, sending hi froround, rolled, and was on his feet looking at me ide eyes

"Impossible"

I flicked round by the ivy, and the trees around us bent backward, as if pulled by a huge rubber band trehtened "I rong about you, you are stronger You are not your mother"

A tear slipped from my eyes "Goodbye,over their leaves and needlessound, and I closed my eyes a split second before they hit him