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She didn’t say Max’s na me that she was still bitter, and I wondered if it was ever jealousy after all, or if she’d known all along who he was I thought of that night at Prey, when she’d flirted shamelessly with Claude and Zafir, and I wondered if it had all been just an act A calculated way to gain their trust, to try to gather information I suddenly wondered at Brooklynn’s choice intoward those in theher

"We’re so close," she explained "To everything we’ve alanted, to everything we’ve worked for" Her eyes shiive it to us, Charlie You can change everything"

I shookwith tears that I couldn’t explaineven toI could accept that my father caer deny it I’d seen the proof with my own eyes I could even accept that that was the reason I could coes, that interpretation was hter

But I wasn’t born to ruleI could never be a queen

"Yes, Charlie," Brook offered before I could voice htly in hers as she pressed the that I would let her down, and not wanting to have this discussion right now Not when I finally felt like I had her back

Once ere back in the underground city, Xander took charge of the situation "Brook, you take Angelina back to her chamber, so we can talk to Charlie alone"

"But shouldn’t I be here--"

A fierce look flashed across Xander’s face, warning Brook not to argue; she’d been given an order

"Leave her with Sydney," I offered "And then you can colance It occurred to ar the space wherever she went At the moo," Xander insisted, and he waited until she and Angelina were out of earshot before turning back to me "Sydney’s not here, Charlie"

"What do youbetter, so we sent an escort to take her home," Xander explained

"Aren’t you worried that she’ll tell someone about you? That she’ll turn you in?"

Xander just s srateful for what you did to help her Besides, even if she did try to bring soet lost"