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I lose traction on the silver underfoot and land hard on , shoots acrossnore the wound, crawl to the cart, and slide underneath

It takes a moment to catch my breath When I focus on the blood and chaos beyond the shadow of h the rebels A rush of eh ain, but I keep my silence because I’m afraid I’ll distract him I don’t think he knows I’hting, looking for es of the battle to make sure the rebels don’t take me away from him Instead, he wears an expression of cold indifference as he cuts through his opponents It’s a hts I think Atroth and Ibothers hi

He’d even kill Aren

I don’t knohy the thought pops intoMaybe it’s the Stockhol itself Or maybe it’s becausebecause I don’t want Aren to die Whatever the reason, I findhis tall frame and wild, disheveled hair

I find hi practically back to back If Aren turns a few degrees to his left and Kyol turns a few degrees to his right, they’ll see each other They’ll attack each other And one of them won’t survive

It’ll be Aren who’s struck down I’ men separate theate and, holy crap, his sword cuts through a Court fae’s defenses, cleaving deep into his cheek and jaw I don’t know if the swordsh to snap his neck The fae’s body crumples It’s replaced by his soul-shadow a second later

"Naito!" Kelia screas his sword at the hu the blade before it finishes its arc

"Go!" Aren shouts

Naito sprints toward the gate, toward Kelia, who’s waiting for hies attacks while he closes the distance between them When he’s almost to her, she dips her hand into the river Stands

A cry to my left I turn in time to see Kyol pull his blade free fro strides toward Kelia Her fissure splutters out when she staggers back and lifts her sword

"No," I whisper

She deflects Kyol’s sword, but doesn’t duck under his fist It sla Kyol effortlessly parries the hued attack By the time Kelia hits the deck, Kyol’s disarated-fissure, wraps his arht

"No," I whisper again

"Naito!" Kelia screams

Aren skewers his opponent, turns toward Kelia, sees her crawl to her knees and stare helplessly at the twisting shadows But she can’t read theo

I do

With a start, I look away, but Aren’s already seen me

The next minute passes in a blur Before I can scramble out from under the merchant’s cart, Aren takes hold of me He pulls rabs a handful ofat the shadows

"Read them!" he orders He takes the paper, the round

I shake my head

"Now!" He jams a pencil into my hand When a Court fae rushes us, Lena leaps into his path, thrusting her sword into the ut