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She bared her teeth "This is et me out of it And look where it landed her--with a cabal of vengeful gods swearing to end her eternal soul When the Lock is forged, when I close the gate, I will be destroying another life alongside my own"

"Elena has had a thousand years of existence, either living or as a spirit Forgive ive a shit that her time has now coot to twenty years because of her"

Not even twenty Her birthday was still an pacing, his stalking steps eating up the carpet "This ht alone?"

"Because it was always in with"

"Bullshit It could have as easily been Dorian He’s willing to do it"

Aelin blinked "Elena and Nehemia said Dorian wasn’t ready"

"Dorian walked into and out of Morath, went toe to toe with Maeve, and brought the whole da down I’d say he’s as ready as you are"

"I won’t allow him to sacrifice himself in my stead"

"Why?"

"Because he is my friend Because I won’t be able to live with o"

"He said he would do it, Aelin"

"He doesn’t knohat he wants He’s barely e froed, wholly unfazed "He’s a grown man He canover them"

She bared her teeth "It’s been decided"

He crossed his arether"

Her heart stopped in her chest

He went on, "You are not forging the Lock alone"

"No" Her hands began shaking "That is not an option"

"According to whoht--of hi erased from existence "If it was possible, Elena would have told me Someone with my bloodline has to pay"

He opened his mouth, but beheld the truth in her face, her words He shook his head "I proether"

Aelin surveyed the scattered books Nothing--the books, that scrap of hope they’d offered had aed her hands through her hair "I don’t have an alternative," she arand reveal Not for this

"We don’t do it tomorrow, then," he pushed "We wait Tell the others ant to reach Orynth first Maybe the Royal Library has sonore its outcome? They decided, Rowan To hollow and sickly within her

"Letdidn’t falter "I will find another way, Aelin--"

"There is no other way Don’t you understand? All of this," she hissed, ar "All of this has been to keep you alive All of you"

"With you as the asking price To atone for souilt"

She slammed a hand atop the stack of ancient books "Do you think I want to die? Do you think any of this is easy, to look at the sky and wonder if it’s the last I’ll see? To look at you, and wonder about those years on’t have?"

"I don’t knohat you want, Aelin," Rowan snarled "You haven’t been entirely forthco"