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"We don’t even know for sure if it’s a cure we’re looking for," I say "In the memory, all Monarch said was that I’d fix the world"

"It’s got to be a cure," he says with determination "All that talk about medicine, it just has to be"

I stare at hi softly, but with excitement

"I wish you kne much you meant to me," he says seriously "I wish you could re to hurt you Not intentionally, anyway"

I eye his lips, beautiful and lustrous Then without thinking, I lean in and press ainst them Not because I want to kiss him, but because I want to know if he speaks the truth Like the first kiss, I can taste everything he feels and it’s so intense I have to pull away Because at one time or another, Aiden has lovedto protect o to the city, then," I say "Let’s go see if there’s a cure"

His eyes open and he flashes e And hopefully, Xander knows more than we do"

"I sure hope so" I stare at the book, at the pages that lay open The vaher? What if this is what I’ll turn into if I can’t find a way to fix it?

Aiden tossesway to go" He starts throwing bottles of water and cans of food into a backpack

I reach into the pocket of es I take out one of the vials "What is this?"

"You don’t know?" He asks, shoving the book into his bag

I shake el told her we had to inject theel?" He asks

I shrug "I thought ing his bag over his shoulder "I don’t knohat an Angel is, but I can tell you what’s in that little vial Poison And if you inject it into you, you’ll die"

"Well, where did it coave it to her?"

"That’s the real mystery," he says "No one knows Everyone who’s thrown out of The Gathering has theh to inject the medicine into them--that’s hoe found out it was deadly"

I drop the vial, but luckily it doesn’t shatter "But Bernard took this" I swipe the vial up "He injected the medicine into him"

The color drains from his face "I’m sorry, Kayla … I didn’t kno to tell you"

"So he died?" I choke

"He one now"

I chuck the vial across the room and watch it break into a hundred tiny pieces Aiden flinches, but doesn’t say anything as I grab the bag and start filling it with food and water Even on the outside there’s death

"How high are our chances of actually finding this Xander guy? I erous"

"Honestly?" Aiden asks and nod "The chances see people down I’ll find him No matter what it takes I swear to God we’ll find him" His eyes are full of passion and determination and I like it

Chapter 25

We wait until right before day breaks, right before we know Do away in his bed I rees, obsessed hat it could all her

I have to find a way to stop it

When Aiden wakes up, we immediately find Ryder She’s downstairs in the roo by herself Her hair is even one After Aiden finishes explaining what’s been going on and that we plan to leave, she narrows her eyes

"I think that’s a stupid idea," she says "Going out into the city to look for Xander--who’s a little crazy I ht know a cure"

"I think he ested we go"

"Only because of her," she says "And if Doood reason"

"Hey," I say at the same time Aiden says, "Knock it off, Ryder"

He steps between us, as a barrier "What Do we’ve tried to break away fro "I’ll co hierous If you get bit or if the wrong person spots you …"

He pulls away and adjusts the handle of the backpack "Keep an eye on things while I’one And try to keep Dominic and the others out of here"

"You know they can get in if they really want to," she says with a heavy-hearted sigh

He nods "But try, okay And if they do get in, just pretend you have no idea where we are"