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No No! "Don’t, Mos He just couldn’t He would rather die "Please"

"I told you not to call me by that wretched name!" she screeched

Panic caused little crystals of ice to forain, I promise Justplease, don’t do this Please"

"I s!"

"And rin lifted the corners of her lips "I should have done this a long tio"

A second later, she struck

Koldo screamed and screath drained Until he saw his beautiful wings on the floor, the feathers now soaked in his blood

Until he could only close his eyes and pray for death

"There, now Hush It’s done," she said alently "You lost what you did not deserve"

This was a dream, surely His mother was not so cruel No one could be so cruel

Soft, warm lips pressed into his tearstained cheek, and the jasmine and honeysuckle of her scent overshadohat remained of the coconut "I’ll hate you forever, Koldo," she whispered into his ear "There’s nothing you can do to change that"

No, not a dream Reality

His new reality

His e it," he said, his chin quivering Not anyer I hear? Well, well You’re already more like your father than I knew Perhaps it’s time you met hi, I’ll take you to your father’s people You’ll realize just how good I’ve been to you--if you survive"

CHAPTER ONE

In a world of darkness, the sht is a beacon

Present Day

KOLDO STALKED DOWN the ICU ward of the hospital He and the warrior with him were hidden from human eyes and protected from human touch The doctors, nurses, visitors and patients h theside theirs A spirit world that had given birth to this natural world, the human world

A spirit world that was the true reality for all creation

One day, these humans would discover just how exact that statement really was Their bodies would die, their spirits would rise--or descend--and they would begin to understand the natural world was fleeting, the spiritual eternal

Eternal Just like Koldo’s irritation see the humans, on yet another silly mission, and he really didn’t like his companion, Axel But his new leader, Zacharel, wanted him busy, distracted, for he suspected Koldo teetered on the verge of breaking a heavenly law

Zacharel wasn’t wrong

After everything Koldo had endured in his father’s ca for his mother, Koldo had finally found her--and locked her inside a cage in one of his many homes

So, yes Koldo teetered But he wouldn’t ever cause the woman irrevocable harm He wouldn’t even lower himself to break one of her nails For now, he si trapped by circu hier liked to consider the future

Because of his abhorrence of Cornelia, Koldo had landed in the Arrace It was a terrible name for such a choice defensive force, but it was one that fit nonetheless The members were the worst of the worst, the baddest of the bader of danored prized heavenly laws They were meant to love, but they hated They were to help others, but they really only hurt They were to build up, but they only ever tore down

Three iven one year to mend their wicked ways, or they would be stripped of their abilities and kicked into hell

Koldo would do whatever was necessary to keep that froeance He refused to lose the only ho hiirl?"