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But despite feeling wild and strong, sprinting up the steps was exhausting Liv slowed and the rabbed one of her arms and helped her up the rest of the way They didn’t harass her for it They were fighters and their bodies were trained for this She wasn’t It made her feel weak and helpless--and some small part of her felt trapped and wanted to wrench free But she suppressed the urge

They slowed as they came close to the top of the pyramid Almost invisible from below, there was a square patio at the pyraious rituals be carried out It was from here that the htered and thron the steps Fuschias hung from baskets and pools of water and fountains kept the nobles cool, slaves brought fruit and wine from within the pyramid itself

The drafters in Liv’s team had all pulled on their spectacles, and she did the same She drafted a shell of superviolet and filled it with liquid yellow, as Gavin Guile hio now

"Who are you?" a voice asked fro theh the man’s nose and into his face, and blood exploded froed

There were uessed, but no drafters She shot her flashbo the half of thetheir way Liv’s hters she’d ever seen Phyros spun two axes that looked like halberds with their hafts shortened, and everywhere he went, men died, slaves died, woh faces and necks, left and right Phips Navid charged Lord Aravind, shouting vengeance, and was cut down by the noble’s bodyguards

Liv stood back and shot flashbo that she was irreplaceable, and her flashbombs did their work She only had to draw her pistol once, when a crazed slave had rushed her with a flowerpot The woman had dropped at Liv’s feet, powder burns around the bloody hole in the center of her chest

Then, abruptly, it was done Men and woht Liv’s tea bodies, dispatching wounded ene to hide or to find weapons

"Got ten soldiers co up the outer steps," Phyros said "I’ll hold the inside steps"

Phips Navid hi over by the throne Liv walked over to him His left eye was crushed, and there was a spear all the way through his sto way

"We get hiet hiroin Phyros just opened his throat"

Phips barked a laugh, but it ended in a whi that bastard Wish I could have done it myself Wish… wish I hadn’t needed to You believe in heaven?"

"I believe in hell," Liv said

He looked like he tried to laugh, but his face twisted in pain "Do rinned again fiercely and held that grin stubbornly against his pain and fear She told herself it was mercy, but she couldn’t move until she drafted superviolet onceneatly through carotid and jugular She stepped back on shaky legs Turned away before she could watch what she’d done