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Torment Lauren Kate 19130K 2023-09-02

"The Outcasts you all but invited here" Arriane stepped into the conversation, turning on Shelby, whose face reddened

"Why would you assume soed Arriane "You were at that school You should have noticed so"

"All of you: Quiet" Daniel couldn't think straight The yard was craels, but Luce's absence made it feel utterly empty

He could hardly stand to look at anyone else Shelby, for walking straight into the Outcast's easy trap Miles, for thinking he had some stake in Luce's future Cam, for what he'd tried to do--

Oh, that ht he'd lost her to Cas had felt too heavy to lift Colder than death In that instant, he'd given up all hope

But it was only a trick of the eye A thrown re ection, nothing special under ordinary circu It had given him a horrible shock One that had nearly killed him Until the joy of her resurrection

There was still hope

As long as he could nd her

He'd been stunned, watching Luce open up the shadoed and impressed and painfully attracted to her--but more than all of that, stunned How ?

"What do you think?" Cas dreard each other, that old netic force, and Daniel was too drained to pull away

"I' after her," he said

"Good plan" Cao after her' Anywhere in time and space across the several thousand years Why should you need a strategy?"

His sarcasm made Daniel want to tackle hi for your help or your advice, Cam"

Only two starshots remained in the yard: the one he'd picked up from the Outcast Molly had killed, and the one Ca of the truce There would have been a nice syht nos, two starshots, two immortal foes

But no Not yet They had to eliain

"What Ca to Daniel in a low voice--"is that this ht take soh the Announcers She doesn't knohat she's doing, Daniel She's going to get into trouble pretty quick"

"I know"

"It's not a sign of weakness to let us help," Roland said

"I can help," Shelby called She'd been whispering with Miles "I think I ht knohere she is"

"You?" Daniel asked "You've helped enough Both of you"

"Daniel--"

"I know Luce better than anyone in the world" Daniel turned away from all of them, toward the dark, eh "Far better than any of you ever will I don't need your help"

"You know her past," Shelby said, walking in front of him so that he had to look at her "You don't knohat she's been through these past feeeks I'limpsed her past lives I'm the one who saw her face when she found the sister she lost when you kissed her and she " Shelby trailed o"I know you all hate uys believe in You can you kissed her and she " Shelby trailed o"I know you all hate uys believe in You can trustto help Please" She reached for Daniel "Trust us"