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Choking back bile, I peeled away the irl named Tess

Her body was like this fort--a shell of her forhtmare One look at her wasted body, and I kne she’d died She had already tried to reverse time To save Jack, Selena, and the army

Tess had tried so hard that she’d lost control of her incomprehensible powers Lass likes to help She’d killed herself to bring others back And she’d still failed

Jack is dead

I cradled as left of Tess in my arms and mindlessly rocked her body like a doll

Frorief destroy me

10

Day 393 AF

I was covered in mud and out of breath, my muscles knotted But I neared the top of that peak

The one I’d stood upon while witnessing a e I’d been filled with hope, riding a hard-working mare that I’d never even named Her remains must’ve been washed away in the flood

What would I find atop the peak now? Having no idea, I trudged upward

I’d remembered more of the Emperor’s attack, and every detail confirmed that Jack had died But I’d also told hiain Maybe I could find some clue, some hint that there’d been survivors

At the very least, I had to see for ritted ed this slope,it much steeper

What will I find at the top?

I’d told Sol to wait in the truck Had I tied hirief that I couldn’t remember

As I searched for a handhold, I recalled the vision Matthew had given me before he’d disappeared He’d shown me ten swords inthat the darkest days were ahead He’d told me, "Matthes best"

On the way back from the Lovers’ lair, I’d asked Selena what shenutjob?" Atexpression, she’d added, "I know that the ten of swords card means that somebody’s about to be crushed by aI mean, totaled It’s supposed to represent rock bottorown serious "Doesn’t sound good, Evie"

Matthew had been preparingto

The Fool had no idea There was no preparing to have one’s heart destroyed Those ten swords had stabbedit

He’d asked me what I would sacrifice I hadn’t been able to answer then, but I could now

Not Jack

I pulled her What will I find at the top of this rise?

The Fool had also begged ive him as much mercy as he’d shown me He could have prevented Jack’s and Selena’s deaths, the entire army’s