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“Sh!” It was Suriyel “Stop struggling I’m here to help I swear” He loosened his hold

Still, her heart pounded so hard that she was surprised it re a small bit, she allowed him to carry her away from the ones who searched for her

She expected him to take her to one of their modest-sized homes that had been placed on the hill, around the hall Instead, he took her to a dark underground shelter where Adidiron and a small handful of others waited Everyone was dressed for battle and so froe in the rooht each other ive her a little space

Turning around to scan each Arel there, Kody frowned at the group Ragged defeat and daunted determination burned in their eyes as they watched her warily—as if she’d turn on theaze even hed “Sadly, the small number of Arelim who oppose tyranny and stupidity”

That made no sense to her whatsoever “What?”

With his blond hair braided down his back—so he only did for battle—Adidiron stepped forward, out of the shadows His beautiful face now had a fresh, healing scar running down the left side, from hairline to chin “After the senior Malachai was killed last night and his powers drained, Ameretat and Sraosha took it upon theave a soleer Malachai, they can reset Order and bring about the Sada”

Kody’s frown deepened at his words The Sada was said to be the time of innocence and purity A utopian world where all evil was vanquished and only good survived

In theory, it was a great thought

But in reality …

“It’s a myth,” she said “Sada upsets the necessary balance If you do that, it will destroy the entire universe” A universe that hinged on an ever-shifting balance and harood and evil

Adidiron snorted “You know that and we know that, but they don’t believe it Or worse, some of the Malachai’s hand, they’re willing to cut the deadline short and let it perish under their kinder, gentler destruction now”

But thatrhetorical She’d seen the madness in Sraosha’s eyes herself For whatever reason, he wanted Nick’s throat and he wasn’t going to let anything, even world destruction, stop hi it “Why have they done this?”

A ferocious tic started in Suriyel’s sculpted jaw “Simple When you bound Nick’s powers, you provided them the perfect opportunity to kill hiht now, they don’t need you to do it They’reto end hiled to breathe “What have I done?”

By trying to save Nick, she’d handed his head to his enemies on a platter

Adidiron put his hand on her shoulder to steady her “Your job” He tightened his grip “You’ve done nothing wrong, little sister This sin is on their heads They are the ones seeking salvation through destruction”

As so many do … Kody squeezed her eyes shut as the horror of it all racked her and she tried to come to terms with her own part in this wretched play “We can’t let the What do we do now? This is awful”

Adidiron patted her shoulder before he stepped away to pace aroup “No, Nekoda It’s prophecy We’ve always known this day would come We just didn’t knohen or how”

She arched a brow at so no one had told her “How do you mean?”

Suriyel picked up the explanation “In the Mashuan, it ritten that the last Malachai would bring about the downfall of the Arelim”

Adidiron inclined his head to Suriyel “We always assumed the Malachai would defeat us in battle at the End Time”

“Noe know better” Suriyel folded his hands behind his back as he paced in an opposite direction “For the first tiainst ourselves Our order is split and in chaos Our brethren have become our enemies”

“Because of the Mashuani,” Kody breathed as she finally understood what they were telling her

The Mashuan was the tablet of fated destiny while the Mashuani was the tablet of prophecy Twin docuo when the world was brand new

The Mashuan told as destined to happen, the other foretold ways to accomplish or divert the Mashuan It was the tablet of what-could-be

And it had been written on the Mashuani tablet that a Malachai would be born who could turn against his dark nature and becoood One who could restore balance and make sure that the world didn’t end That he held it in tande could destroy the world or universe

Because Nick’s father, Adarian, had seemed more vulnerable and huht he was the one it’d spoken of It was part of the reason she hadn’t killed him when she’d had the chance Why she’d hesitated

But one look in Adarian’s eyes as he mercilessly stabbed her while she’d been helpless before hih he could cleverly mimic compassion, Adarian had lacked all humanity All decency

It wasn’t until after that, she’d learned Adarian Malachai had been the same soulless monster who had betrayed her uncle Seth and had left him in the hands of their eneh Seth had risked his life to free Adarian froleefully sacrificed Seth for his own selfish gain

For that reason alone, she’d held no hope for Nick’s humanity Surely, the son would be even worse than the father

Yet Nick had surprised her in every way He was the one the tablet had predicted She was even more sure of that now No Malachai before him had been born of a human mother None had known love None had been capable of love

Not until Nick He was nothing like the others

He, alone, could save them…

If he didn’t kill them first

Terrified to think about the fact that Nick would most likely stab and kill her in the future, she faced Suriyel In the past, he had adaood about Nick Like Sraosha, he’d wanted the boy slaughtered before he ascended to his Malachai role “So you believe me now?”