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My two other Tribunal leaders turned to watch --this plan was too out of left field to not benefit her in some way--I just couldn’t see how She smiled

"I volunteerI’d live, but with the vah to figure out a different way to kill Peyton before I bit the big one I looked at the lines on ripping the ar shook his head He wasn’t saying it like he was shocked or upset The words were a statement I couldn’t offer ain where your life is on the line"

"Oh"

But what then? I couldn’t just pick soh I was sure he’d volunteer if I asked, it didn’t seeood choice, since they were all so dait would like to volunteer," Rebecca suggested "As a first show of sacrifice for the council Surely that isn’t tooit spoke first "Sure" She was nodding as enthusiastically as I was shaking my head

"You don’t have to do this," I told her

"It’s no big deal" She shrugged and smiled warmly "Besides, I’m a warden now I have the protection of the council With that and your training…I think I’ll be around for a while Maybe longer than you" She gave unshot scar on my shoulder throbbed in response

She had a point, one she was trying toEveryone here kneasn’t all the way vaevity Brigit was a full vas coer than mine

"Well, I think that’s a brilliant idea," Juan Carlos said, his new smile equal to Rebecca’s in creepy satisfaction

I didn’t like it, and I didn’t want to agree Rebecca had only one reason to suggest I pick Brigit, and it had nothing to do with logic The council haddead, and I’d been the one to kill him Now she’d found a way to put my supposed child’s life in the hands of the council

Eye for an eye

Child for a child

She couldn’t kill Brigit, but she could put her life in danger, and what better way than to attach it to Peyton’s There was a certain poetry in Brigit tying her life to that of the va trouble appreciating it Her vampire death would mean his freedom, just as her huit, are you sure?"

"Yup"

"You don’t have to do this I could ask Holden" When I said this, I it I wouldn’t put Holden at risk to prove a point to Rebecca, but I wanted to remind her she still had other children, and now the choice and the poere all in rew ashen, and she took her seat Favorite or not, she didn’t want to see Holden take Brigit’s place She wouldn’t push this further than she already had

"I want to To thank you for everything you’ve done forand Juan Carlos continued to watch ht of their scrutiny was heavy

"Okay" My teeth ground together after I said it "I will choose the warden, Brigit Stewart, as the lifeline lock on Alexandre Peyton"

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Sig, Brigit and I stood side by side in front of the small door that kept Peyton at a safe distance from the rest of the world The hall was so crah rooit asked, rocking on her heels She wasa valiant effort to appear nonchalant, but I knew her well enough by now to recognize the unease creeping into her voice

"Noe must open the door"

My eyes widened "Why?" I was in no ain, not after our last tête-à-tête If I went the reht be, without seeing Peyton’s gaunt, creepy face ever again, I’d be all too happy

"We need his blood," Sig saidout of this without opening the door Fine But that didn’tcontinued, "would you be so kind?"

"I…" I struggled to come up with a viable excuse, but he and I both kneas perfectly aware of how to open the stupid door, and my blood would do the trick as easily as his would "Fuck it Fine"

This tis slid out with little coaxing, and I bit ainst the door, I followed the steps as Sig had shown ht slipped away as if afraid ofopen as it had for Sig the first tito watch So the seal

I turned to Sig and held my hand out to the open door "I’ve seen this show before"

He didn’t budge Instead, he held out a thin, sharp blade to me, handle first "She is your responsibility And so is he Traditionally, it would be expected that you would draw his blood in a ht be too squeamish for that"