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Waiting out the sunset, he stood alone on the shore and let the water kiss his bare feet He closed his eyes and spread his ars to burst out from the scars on his shoulders They billowed behind hihtlessness that provided soht they were in their reflection on the water, how huge and fierce they made him look

Sometimes, when Daniel was at his s out It was a punishment he could administer to himself The deep relief, the palpable, incredible sense of freedoave to his soul only felt false, like a drug Tonight he allowed himself that rush

He bent his knees to the sand and kicked off into the air

A few feet above the surface of the water, he quickly rolled around so that his back was to the ocean, his wings spread beneath hi raft

He ski beat of his wings, sliding along the waves until the water changed froed down under the surface His wings here the ocean was cool, creating a small wake of violet to encircle him

Daniel loved to swim The chill of the water, the unpredictable beat of the current, the synchronicity of the ocean with the moon It was one of a few earthly pleasures he truly understood Most of all, he loved to sith Lucinda

With every stroke of his wings, Daniel ih the water as she had so low

When the ht in the dark sky and Daniel was somewhere off the coast of Reykjavik, he shot out of the water Straight up, beating his wings with a ferocity that shook off the cold

The hipped at his sides, drying hiher into the air He burst through thick gray banks of clouds, then turned back and began to coast under starry Heaven's expanse

His wings beat freely, deeply, strong with love and terror and thoughts of her, rippling the water underneath him so that it shimmered like diamonds He picked up tremendous speed as he flew back over the Faroe Islands and across the Irish Sea He sailed down along St George's Channel and, finally, back to Helston

How against his nature to watch the girl he loved show up just to die!

But Daniel had to see beyond this moment and this pain He had to look toward all the Lucindas ould come after this one sacrifice--and the one whom he pursued, the final Luce, ould end this cursed cycle

Lucinda's death tonight was the only way the two of them could win, the only way they'd ever have a chance

By the time he reached the Constance estate, the house was dark and the air was hot and still

He tucked his wings up close to his body, slowing his descent along the south side of the property There was the white roof of the gazebo, an aerial view of the gardens There was thejustout of her father's house next door after everyone else was asleep Her nightgown covered by a long black cloak, her ht in the parlor, the single candelabra that had drawn her to hih for Daniel to look in without risk of being seen

He reached the parloron the second floor of the great house and let his wings beat lightly, hovering outside like a spy

Was she even there? He inhaled slowly, let his wings fill with air, and pressed his face against the glass

Just Daniel sketching furiously on his pad in the corner His past self looked exhausted and forlorn He could re the black tick of the clock on the wall, waiting every h the door He'd been so stunned when she sneaked up on him, silently, almost from behind the curtain

He was stunned anehen she did so now

Her beauty was beyond his ht Cheeks flushed with the love she felt but didn't understand Her black hair falling frohtgown, like gossa over all that perfect skin

Just then his past self rose and spun around When he saw the gorgeous sight before him, the pain was obvious on his face

If there had been so Daniel could have done to reach out and help his past self get through this, he would have done it But all he could do was read his lips

What are you doing here?

Luce drew closer and the color rose in her cheeks The two of thereater than theor the next

Daniel hovered outside, in pain

He couldn't watch He had to watch

The way they reached for each other was tentative right up until the moment his skin connected with hers Then they beca, just talking When their lips were al, pure, white-hot aura formed around the Daniel had never witnessed from the outside

Was this what his Luce was after? Visual proof of how true their love was? For Daniel, their love was as s But for Luce, it must be different She didn't have access to the splendor of their love Only its fiery end

Every moment would be an utter revelation

He laid his cheek against the glass, sighing Inside, his past self was caving in, losing the resolve that had been a charade fros were packed, but it was Lucinda who had to go

Now his past self took her in his arh the , Daniel could smell the rich, sweet scent of her skin He envied hi his hands across her back His desire was so intense it could have shattered thatif he hadn't willed himself to hold back

Oh, draw it out, he willed his past self Make it last a little longer One more kiss One in to treainst his cheek It was happening He wanted to close his eyes but could not Lucinda writhed in his past self's arms Her face contorted with pain She looked up, and her eyes widened at the sight of the shadows dancing on the ceiling The half-born realization of so was already too much for her

She screa tower of flames