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The yellows and golds in Lucien’s eyes stirred, swirling and twisting around his pupils Compassion stilled his features and he placed his hand on Eron’s chest "This path has becoined, but we irls I will not interfere with our plans"

"You know it is not that si Nika of the sgath poison You won’t be able to shield your passage, and Father will feel you cross over"

"I’h"

"No You are not Not yet Father will kill you, and then ill happen to your daughters?"

Eron bowed his head over Lucien’s hand He was right They had so little time on Earth that none of the others could spare much to take care of his children

They had their own to care for

"I can’t do this anyreat"

"As it is to all of us, but reports show our predictions were right The Synestryn are growing h Sentinels left to hold the gate We must persevere"

"So, you’re going back" It wasn’t a question Eron knew Lucien was more dedicated than all of them, no matter the personal cost But then, he had more to lose here than any of them, should their plans fail

"I ao back after knohat hters have suffered?"

Lucien looked out at the hts froo because it is the only way to save e have here The only way to protect my home My fa with the golden fire of deternation Their path had seehteous

But nowEron pulled hisover his heart The photograph of his wohters orn and faded, but he hardly needed it to remember the lines of his beloved Celine’s face or the sweet curve of his babies’ cheeks The ie was burned into his e that he’d failed the hand, he handed the page to Lucien "Will you seek theirl escaped capture?"

Lucien looked at the iave a solemn nod "I will try"

"How many hours will you have there?"

"Nine No h "The sued "It is how it must be"

"I know And I suppose I shouldn’t resent it so one and ht, and their heaven does exist"

"It is a beautiful notion--to be reunited with those we love to live in peace forever Celine believed in it" If anyone was deserving of such a fate, it was Eron’s beloved

The sharp click of heels rushed down the hallway and Aurora slid around the corner Her long, pale hair was ht pink flush stained her cheeks Her sunset-colored eyes ith fear, her soft lips parted to ease her labored breathing Of all the women in their world, she was the ed to another, had to pause for a moment whenever she entered the room She was a servant, but as the most treasured possession of the Solarc, she knew more freedom than most

She was also their most powerful ally

"The Solarc coraph away in his jacket "I ned to open in a few more moments"

"Go, then I will stay here and distract Father If you find ive them my love"

"I swear it" Lucien’s eyes flared in the darkness, their swirling colors rioting in response to his vow He cupped Aurora’s cheek and spoke in hushed, urgent tones "The Solarc cannot knohere I’ve gone, or our lives as well as those of our children on Earth would be forfeit I won’t allow that to happen"

She bowed her head "Yes, Highness I understand"

Lucien left through a hidden doorway, and Eron turned to Aurora and held out his hand "Cons of your sprint here all at once"

Aurora went into his arms without hesitation When Eron kissed her, she pretended to enjoy it as a good servant would, letting out a softAs beautiful as she was, she was not Celine She didn’t smell like his Celine or taste like her But he faked his response to their e it would distract his father as nothing else could

The lives of Eron’s children, if they still lived, depended upon it If the Solarc knew his sons had broken his law, he would slaughter theard to the fact that those children were his grandchildren as well

Eron knew He’d seen it happen before

Paul was so sweet he made Andra cry, damn it She wiped the tears away and pulled her rumpled jeans back up over her hips She didn’t have time to cry She had a sister to save

Power pulsed inside her,The intimacy she’d shared with Paul had worked the way he said, and now she wanted to see whether she had the ability to help Nika Or if rass with Paul

They were both appealing options

Her body sang, satisfied and replete Nor for half a day, but this was not norht she h his eyes, feel through his skin