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"I’, "Feed her more of the Water"

"I cannot help her if she will not help herself"

"I’ll talk to her I’llto wake her up "Listen to me, Laila, okay? You have to listen to h an agonizedher sister everything she’d learned about spiritual warfare and overco demons She talked and she talked and she talked, but Laila’s condition never i, fat tears rolled down her cheeks She twisted, looked to Koldo "Tell me what to do," she croaked "Please, just tell me what to do to help her, and I’ll do it"

Spiritually, Laila was no stronger than she’d been the day he’d found her in the hospital "Nicola--"

"No Don’t say it Don’t say there’s nothing you can do" She swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand "There has to be so her like this, so broken, so sad Losing hope He couldn’t bear it

And he hadn’t tried everything within his power to force Laila to listen, had he? He’d concentrated his efforts on Nicola He had allowed life to distract hi after his father--even when he’d known the peril Laila faced

If he didn’t try one last time, a wall could be built between Nicola and hiht he’d done If she even blaht of this moment, he would be cast in the role of failure

He would have given up too soon

He wouldn’t have done all that he could

And she would be right to think so

Dread filled hio Guard the females"

"What are you--" The answer must have come to his leader, because the male nodded "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I am"

A nod of that dark head "Will you coive you the vial If I stay, she’ll try and take care of ain, Zacharel understood "I see your essentia all over her You have claie nod "I’ll keep the feift," he said, flaring his wings He turned to Nicola "I o, but I’ll return with the Water of Life It will buy her another feeeks, and we can try again to teach her the truths she needs to fight and win"

Hope sprang in her eyes and he gave her a quick kiss before flashing to the realm of the Council There was no time to waste

An opulent palace made from silver stone appeared just in front of hi from a steep cliff, each layer topped by a dark red steeple Snowcappedfrom each of the peaks

Last time he was here, he’d lost the hair on his head and the skin off his back

Today, he would probably lose his wings

Koldo pounded up the steps leading to the double doors in front, his boots thuainst the cobbles Inside, the walls were painted with scenes of the victories the Most High had won Battles against deht against wrong, love against hate For once, Koldo understood why the Most High had fought so valiantly to save the hu uards were posted at the entrance to the tribunal chaels aided Sent Ones and humans alike Both males held a sword across the door, the lines ofin the center

Koldo paused in front of them and offered his naed the swords together before flicking their wrists and twirling the

Koldo soared forward, pushing open the doors An azure carpet stretched to the center of the spacious rooels and clouds visible through the crystal The walls were draped hite velvet, and the floor polished ebony The only furniture was a half-moon desk, and seven chairs Seven councila decorative robe of a different color Red, blue, green, yellow, cyan, h blessed His people with abundant wealth

Four males, three females, and each appeared to be at the end of a huh they were certain it had nothing to do with rot, as with the Nefas As with Gers had silver hair and heavily wrinkled skin

Even still, they were powerful in ways Koldo could not fatho

"So soon you return to us," Dominicus said

"This surprises me," Isabella said

"I have need of the Water of Life," Koldo announced

Adeodatus tilted his head to the side, pondering hiive it to a human, rather than a comrade"

He wasn’t startled by the fact that they knew his purpose They always knew "Yes"

"Why?" Christa asked

Koldo gave them the entire story How he’d met Nicola, what had happened with her, what had happened with her sister

"One listened, and one did not," Benedictus said "Interesting"