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Malachi approved of the disdain dripping in her voice He stepped between Ava and Brage, his knives ready, his heart eager Her power coursed through hie’s eyes flickered to Malachi Then they closed briefly as a whisper left his lips "Boring"

He pounced

The Grigori took Malachi by surprise, knocking hi to slip behind him, the blade already raised to strike Ava stuck her foot out and tripped Brage, distracting the Grigori and causing the blade to nick the side of his forear sound as the smell of sulfur filled the air, then the wind swept it away

Malachi sheathed one of his knives and circled his opponent as Ava braced her back against the brick wall of the stairwell Brage swept a foot out and punched Malachi’s knee, causing him to slip on the icy bricks He fell, the snow and slush soaking his back and side

"Do you even knohat she is, scribe?" Brage taunted Malachi as he climbed to his feet "I’ll admit, I didn’t at first I’m still not sure of the details I do know that your kind won’t knohat to do with her"

Malachi rose with hiori’s lip was cut and the wound on his arm seeped a steady flow of blood It was black and thick When the snow hit it, it sizzled

Brage continued to stare at Ava, cocking his head as if he were puzzling over a speci to catch hirabbed his wrist and pulled, switching the black knife to his left hand and trying to slice up at Malachi’s elbow He could feel the pulse ofcloser, Malachi hugged Brage to his chest and plunged the silver blade into his side Blood gushed over his hand, but Brage pushed back, pressing a hand to his waist to ste his knife

His lip curled "I was told you lost your talesain, but his e of desperation Malachi knew he couldn’t let the black knife touch hi The flesh around it was gray and the veins stood out black against his pale skin

"You’re dying," Malachi said "Tell us why Volund wants her"

Brage only laughed and dropped to the icy brick, sweeping a leg out again, catching Malachi’s ankle with his foot He brought the to cliori had the upper hand, and Malachi couldn’t find purchase on the icy bricks He was close to panic before a clang sounded through the air Malachi blinked and Brage fell to the side Ava was standing over hi a copper urn smeared with blood

"I couldn’t just stand there!"

"Good!"

Cliain, but Ava held hi at Ava A frown creased his eyebrows Still, he persisted

"Co You have no idea--"

He stopped when she threw the urn at him

"Are you nuts?" she shouted "Why don’t you just die?"

Malachi ran and slipped across the roof as the snoirled There was a screae looked up, past Malachi Over his head and into the black night His old eagle landed on the roof, and the snow exploded around it It stepped forward and grew into Jaron He gloith light, and Brage raised a hand, pointing at him

"You promised! You said you would not interfere!"