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Then he pitched his past self back into the Announcer

He watched the void fading in the hot sun The bodysound as it tu off a cliff The Announcer split into infinitesione

What the hell just happened? Shelby asked, helping Miles to his feet

The Nephili the them as if he'd never seen them before

Daniel turned to Miles Thank you

The Nephilier and terrified at the same time, as if he wanted to pump every detail out of Daniel about what had just happened but didn't want to show his excitement Shelby was speechless, which was an unprecedented event

Daniel had despised Miles until then He'd been annoyed by Shelby, who'd practically led the Outcasts straight toward Luce But at that moment, under the olive tree, he could see why Luce had befriended both of thelad

A horn whined in the distance Miles and Shelby jumped

It was a shofar, a sacred ra, nasal note--often used to announce religious services and festivals Until then Daniel hadn't looked around enough to realize where they were

The three of them stood under the mottled shade of the olive tree at the crest of a low hill In front of them, the hill sloped down to a wide, flat valley, taith the tall native grasses that had never been cut by reen, where wildflowers grew alongside a narrow river

Just east of the riverbed, a ser square structure made of white stones, with a latticed wooden roof The blast of the shofar must have come from that temple

A line of women in colorful cloaks that fell to their ankles s and bronze trays of food, as if in preparation for a feast Oh, Daniel said aloud, feeling a profound melancholy settle over hiripped the hood of Shelby's ca for Luce here, you won't find her She's dead She died a o

Miles nearly choked

You mean the Luce froht?

Our Luce--my Luce--isn't here, either She never knew this place existed, so her Announcers wouldn't bring her here Yours wouldn't have, either

Shelby and Miles shared a glance You say you're looking for Luce, Shelby said, but if you know she isn't here, why are you still hanging around?

Daniel stared past them, at the valley below Unfinished business

Who is that? Miles asked, pointing at a wo white dress She was tall and ith red hair that shi off a lot of golden skin She was singing so they could barely hear

That's Lilith, Daniel said slowly She's supposed to bea path leading down from the olive tree toward the valley where the teet a better look

Miles, wait! Shelby scraas This is soother ti in like you own the place She turned to look at Daniel for help

Stay low, Daniel instructed therass line And stop when I say stop

Carefully, they wound down the path, stopping at last near the bank of the river, downstream from the temple All the tents in the solds and cassis flowers They were in earshot of the voices of Lilith and the girls ere helping prepare her for the wedding The girls laughed and joined in Lilith's song as they braided her long red hair into a wreath around her head

Shelby turned to Miles Doesn't she look kind of like Lilith from our class at Shoreline?

"No," Miles said instantly He studied the bride for a moment Okay, maybe a little bit Weird

Luce probably never mentioned her, Shelby explained to Daniel She's a total bitch from Hell

It ht co line of evil woinal mother Lilith She was Adam's first wife

Adaaped What about Eve?

Before Eve

Pre-Eve? No way

Daniel nodded They weren'twhen Lilith left hi tiave Ada over her She spent the rest of her days wandering the earth and cursing the family Adam had with Eve And her descendants--soht, but eventually, well, the apple never really falls far from the tree

That'shypnotized by Lilith's beauty

You're telling irl who set rade, could be literally a bitch froht have been justified? I guess so Daniel shrugged

I've never felt so vindicated Shelby laughed Why wasn't this in any of our angelology books at Shoreline?

Shhh Miles pointed toward the temple Lilith had left heryellow and white poppies near the entrance to the te ribbons and small chimes made of silver into the low branches of the oak trees--and walked away from them, west, toward the river, tohere Daniel, Shelby, and Miles were hiding

She carried a bouquet of white lilies When she reached the riverbank, she plucked a few petals and scattered the softly under her breath Then she turned to walk north along the bank, toward a huge old carob tree with branches that drooped into the river

A boy sat beneath it, staring into the current His long legs were propped up close to his chest, with one ar stones into the water His green eyes sparkled against his tan skin His jet-black hair was a little shaggy, and daod, that's-- Shelby's cry was cut off by Daniel's hand cla over her mouth