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"Ava!"

Malachi saw the Grigori lift her, tossing her over his shoulder like baggage He started trudging toward the exit, hting two soldiers, feeling weaker by the moh the Grigori aret Ava!" he yelled as loud as he could The cistern was filled with the sounds of splashes and grunts, blades ringing against the stone pillars and h it all, Malachi didn’t think He kept going, his single focus to move toward the soldier with his ed at his leg, but he kicked it away, losing one of the boots and a shoe at the saain, and he could feel the off the soldier who had attached hirab his weapons Most of the Grigori had lost their knives in the fight, the blades falling into the water as they struggled

Malachi held on

"Max, she’s there!"

"I see her!"

He saw his brother head toward Ava, slicing through two Grigori, dusting one and throwing another into the darkness with a roar

Alhts flickered Went out

Ava screa Blood poured from her belly, and he saw her face pale

"Ava!"

Their eyes ht as Malachi raced toward her as fast as he could, his heart beating out of his chest and blood dripping into his eyes

"Hold on!"

"Malachi, no!"

Just then, a large soldier tackled him from behind a pillar He knocked Malachi down The water enveloped hih her, closing the wound on her belly, and Ava’s soul rose in fear and fury Through the pain, her voice lifted, echoing against the ancient stones

The songs rang in her ic called her

Speak, the seductive voice whispered

More Higher Louder

Ava’s voice rose in pain and anger She screa her faltered One hand ca their heads Blood poured between their fingers

The lights went on Then off On again

Finally, the one holding Ava dropped her, and she splashed in the water as the soldier ran Everything was dark and silent for aout the foul water that had filled her ori who had captured her was pushing for the exit even as Max cut him down She couldn’t see Malachi, but she saw Max Blood ran fro toward her

More Grigori ran past, two scra up the stairs as she brushed the damp hair from her face and blinked the mud from her eyes Max finally reached her

"You’re fine, Ava You’re all right"

"Where’s Malachi?"

A voice froed froh the waist-deep water with a crooked s laugh "I have no idea"

She saw Damien and Malachi on the other side of the cistern Daer to his spine The dust hung like a fog over their heads, wafting toward the exit where the rest of the soldiers had fled Malachi stood, clutching his side, leaning against a pillar and panting Blood ran fro across the water

Coht in histoward hi in the corner of her eye