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All those lessons you learned during your time in the Announcers have armed you The Outcasts can’t take that away frorinned--"no one can touch you when I arapefruit soda, felt it fizz down her throat "Hoill I fulfill my role in this old story?"

"I have no idea," he said, "but I can’t wait to find out"

"Neither can I"

The kitchen door swung open and a pale, alirl’s face appeared in the doorway, her blond hair swept back in a severe ponytail "The Outcasts grow tired of waiting," she sang robotically

Daniel looked at Luce, who forced a nod

"You can send theirl

They filed in swiftly,their former positions except for Phil, who drew nearer to Luce The yogurt eater’s spoon knocked cluainst the side of his empty plastic container

"So he has convinced you, too?" Phil asked, perching on the arm of the love seat

"If Daniel trusts you, I--"

"As I thought," he said "When the Outcasts stake their allegiance these days, we are fiercely loyal We understand what is at stake e make these kinds ofchoices" He ely at Luce "The choice to ally yourself with a side is very important, don’t you think, Lucinda Price?"

"What is he talking about, Daniel?" Luce asked, though she suspected she knew

"Everyone’s fascination these days," Daniel said tiredly "The near balance between Heaven and Hell"

"After all these millennia, it is nearly complete!" Phil sank back into the love seat opposite Luce and Daniel He was more animated than Luce had ever seen hiel allied with one side, dark or light, there is just one who has not chosen"--

One angel who had not chosen

A flash of as with Shelby and Miles They’d gone to meet her past-life sister, Vera, and ended up at an IHOP with Arriane, who said that there was going to be a reckoning

Soon And in the end, when all the other angels’ souls had been accounted for, everything would co a side

Luce was certain that the undecided angel was Daniel

He looked annoyed, waiting for Phil to finish talking

"And, of course, there are still the Outcasts"

"What do you mean?" Luce said "The Outcasts haven’t chosen a side? I always assumed you were on Lucifer’s"

"That is only because you do not like us," Phil said, coet to choose" He turned his head as if to look out theand sighed "Can you i to the wrong crowd, Phil," Daniel interrupted

"We should count, " Phil said, suddenly pleading with Daniel "All we ask is that we et to choose," Luce repeated, understanding "Is that your punishment for indecision?" The Outcast nodded stiffly "And the result is that our existencesin the cos" Phil lowered his head

"You know this isn’t up to me," Daniel said "And it certainly isn’t up to Luce We’re wasting tiori," Phil said

"We all have our goals Whether or not you admit it, you need us to accomplish yours We could have joined with the Elders of Zhshts trained on you She is ht succeed where you will fail?"

"Then why didn’t you join the to Daniel’s defense "You had no proble with Sophia last time when you kidnapped my friend Dawn"

"That was a mistake At that tiirl"

"Penn" Luce’s voice cracked

Phil’s pale face pinched "Unforgivable The Outcasts would never harm an innocent Much less one with so fine a character, so refined ato convey that perhaps she’d been too quick to judge the Outcasts, but Daniel was scowling at Phil

"And yet, you met with Miss Sophia yesterday," he said

The Outcast shook his head

"Caolden invitation," Daniel pressed "Youtrack called Churchill Downs to discuss going after Luce"

"Wrong" Phil rose to his feet He was as tall as Daniel, but sickly and frail "We met with Lucifer yesterday