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"Better a bad day in Hell than no days at all," he said bitterly

I agreed with hiive ?"

"Be less impatient for it These are my final hours What would you want in yours?"

Wariness flickered inlook "Har you was never my desire, MacKayla I wanted you at my side while I ruled reed that he would have ain price for half a song is a kiss One kiss that convinces me utterly that, were circule kiss that evokes the finest withinfor four human hours froer to my lips "Because I said so Is that not what your Barrons used to say to you so often? Cede me the same respect What did you say to him that day? ‘Because I asked you to, Jericho, that’s why’ Trust me, MacKayla"

I exhaled deeply

Then I slid an to close, he said, "Eyes open I am not your Barrons and will never be Nor would I wish to I ah Prince of the Court of Shadows And you are MacKayla Lane O’Connor, Queen of the Court of Light Convince me on another day you would have chosen me as your consort"

I convinced hi his True Naood and evil didn’t exist, there was only power and choice Pohere you willed it, wrong or right, dark or light

And before he vanished, he passed , as he’d said he would, leaving his final words lingering in the air

Tell the world the legend of Prince Cruce of the Court of Shadows Omit the kiss, and paint iven us back the world, the universe

I vowed that I would

MAC

For the next three hours, I sat in Barrons Books & Baubles, teeth clenched, doing everything in

It didn’t want to stay in

The moment Cruce passed it to me, the second half instantly inverted and joined with the first as if completion was the only way they could coexist within ht have had about how to flip and join theIt sensed the distress of the world and sought to repair it Right now, this very instant And if I dared openout

But I’d made two promises I intended to keep: wait four hours, and tell the world the legend of Cruce