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"You told me--or the Lost Soul inside you told ed "It doesn’t make sense Helena wantsto ive her my soul So Helena decides to have a Lost Soul take over your body instead? Why would she do that?"

He brushes er on et to you It was like I was there but I wasn’t, you know"

"Do you re that happened?" I ask

He nods, his eyes never leaving ht?"

"I know" I nuzzle my cheek into his hand "It kind of reminded me of e first met and you were still brainwashed by your father That’s how Aislin figured out as going on"

"I’ain

"You don’t need to apologize" My voice exudes sincerity "I knoasn’t you It was the Lost Soul"

His fingers explore my cheekbone, my jawline, the back my neck "Laylen said Dyvinius took your Foreseer power"

"He discovered"Nalina served et inside my head And Nicholas has a Serpent mark on his back that helped them capture me

Alex face distorts with puzzlement "Why’d Dyvinius have to poison you? Why didn’t he read a vision or change one?"

"Because then he’d be tauilty of the sa at my lips "Why was Stasha at the castle?"

"I didn’t invite her there," he gri my shoulder blades "She showed up on her own, but…"

"But what," I press

"But I’m pretty sure she kneas possessed by a Lost Soul"

"If she does, then it’s bad That irl full of death, helping a Banshee who rules over Lost Souls and The Afterlife can’t be a good corowls, digging into o "If she tries to use her death on you I’ll cut off her hands"

"First of all, that’s gross" My tone is light, but my stomach ties in knots "And second of all, she can’t kill me Hurt me, yes Kill me, no"

"I don’t believe that part," he speaks softly "You don’t have the Mark of Immortality You have to be able to die"

"The Queen didn’t say I was Iers, the contact bringing some comfort "So I think there could be a way forBut I a me "And Alex, she said you can die now So you have to be careful

"I’ deal

"Pro reckless"

"Okay, I will," he pro we can to fix this If you’re no longer a Protected One, Helena won’t want you"

I biteto believe hi to be an easy fix" I motion my hand at our cell "Look where we are"

He dips his head in, his voice husky "I made a promise that I’d always save you and I will" Then he kisses h his hair and I let myself pretend we’re back at the castle, in his bed, with our bodies pressed together

"Aw, to be young and in love" Lucinda stands in the dooratching us intently

"Aw, to be a creepy faerie watching peoples like that are going to get you killed"

"You already plan on doing that anyway" Alex stands, fists tightened "So why should I care?"

"What are you doing?" I hiss, grasping onto his da he has a plan "We can do, or say anything that ant, and you’ll still torture us regardless"

"You mortals think you’re so clever" She prowls for us, her bony feet padding against the ceured out, but I’ll let you in on a little secret ast the dead Death alins, that’s why people fear it so much No matter what you do, you can’t outrun it forever"

My palet that?"