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My mind starts to melt to his request, but the touch of Raven’s hand on ether," she coer back "I told you to stay away froer shifts to bone and beneath the hood, flanite He swoops for me and I duck to the floor, flat ononto my back as he puts his raves "I got your ainst my wishes, Ember Rose Edwards The only answers you need are from me"

I feel him whisk away, a hush of air across one and Raven and Ian are staring at me, their faces frozen in horror

"Em," Raven speaks tentatively "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I think so" But I need to get the hell away from all this madness I need to breathe

"Look," she says in her stern tone as she fixes her hair "You’ve been through a lot the last couple of weeks and I don’t want you hoet so ainst the Reaper’s warning, I’ to Asher for answers I’ve been forced by the control of death too much in my life and I think it’s time to break free of it

"Um… Em" Raven steps in front of me and spreads her hands out to the side of her "You need to change first"

I shake my bloody and ripped clothes "I’m sure no one will notice It’s Halloween"

She shoos me toward the stairs "Youplans One that will make Asher fall on his knees"

"I’ht nohether or not Asher will fall on his knees," I pause at the botto because I need to talk to Asher about so and it’s not iive me like an hour," she pleads, with her hands crossed in front of her "One hour to work ic and then we’re out Okay?"

Two hours later we’re still inon my bed, while she lines my eyes heavily with black eyeliner, then she traces s quietness, not death Soed in her--or maybe in me I need to test it out, find out if death has finally left me Or if it’s left her somehow

"I still can’t believe you had sex with him," she says for the thousandth time

"Why not?" I wonder "I had to have sex soht you’d be in love when you did?"

I frown at her "Why?"

She brushes so about how you feel… you’re so poetic and kind of a roh "No, I’rees with a shake of her head, but stays silent

I try to text Asher to see if I can persuade him to come to my house instead, but he won’t answerhi touches to my makeup "But he’s under strict orders not to let you off the hook frorowl at the phone and shove it aside "I just need to talk to him"

She leans back and adood if I do say so rey eyes sparkle against the silver and black eyeliner and my lips appear full and plump She’s tucked a rose over my ear and my black hair flon my back Around my neck is a choker centered with a rose and a black dress fits against my body My feet are laced up by a pair of s span out froh," I say, inspecting myself in the mirror "I mean, the black feathers… people already think I ht set the…" I haven’t shared the truth about that with Raven yet

"Who gives a shit what they think," she declares, flicking aand if anyone gives you crap, you’ll knock the Ember I know"

A black ribbon secures the entire front part of the dress together "I do like the costuel," she says, clipping the lid onto the eyeliner

My head snaps in her direction "Is that what I’h their skin"

She gives o crazy But soels of Death" Her cell phone beeps from inside her purse She takes it out, reads it, and then sends a text before putting it away

I runthe soft petals of the rose in ht you said you didn’t know much about them"