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"The hts Let’s give the the attention of the creatures, leaping, diving, flying this way and that, flipping, kicking, punching, but only the sword of fire caused any daed to wrap itself around his head like a dark blanket, suffocating him

Screams, screams, so many screaht he heard his friends shouting in the background, butbutthe screams, so loud, so loud, and they were his own, he realized, coether, bleeding soup and joined the party The woet to demons The warriors he’d betrayed after his return frohed when he’d wanted to cry

Then suddenly, a blaze of light erupted and the darkness left

Thane fell forward, landing on his face He blinked rapidly, the haze around hi, even as blood dripped into his eyes He saw Xerxes and Bjorn, still fighting the shadow creatures, going low, straightening, taking out ankles and knees to hobble The tarriors stayed close, shielding Thane as best they could

Must have landed on the Phoenix, he thought That had to be her still-war him--no, not war up, about to catch fire, all on her own

Just as she’d pro out of the way anytied to latch on to Kendra’s bare leg The creature laughed manically--just before Xerxes beheaded it

The shadow vanished, and Thane saw that a flame had finally sparked at the end of Kendra’s toe That flaulfed Her ankle Her calf

The ene few realized they couldn’t win and backed up They attached the walls and slithered up, up and over the roof

Cowards!

Thane scrahs were the next to catch flame, then her torso, her arms, her chest Her face Her hair Every inch of her was doused, crackling--and then she was gone, ash floating through the air

She would re-forer

He would be her slave

Every ounce of his being rejected the notion

Xerxes stoht, my man?"

His voice sounded far away Thane tried to open his th

Bjorn took a step toward him, stopped and frowned He looked down at his wrist, where there was a black scratch, then back to Thane Confusion gleamed in his rainbow eyes His frown deepened His knees collapsed

Xerxes popped up to race to him, but--

Bjorn vanished

Vanished as if he’d flashed--an ability he didn’t possess Or, as if so had flashed him

"What just happened?" Xerxes shouted "Bjorn Bjorn!"

Thane struggled to sit up His friends He had to help his friends They were the world to hi without the his head, and weakness spilled into his li--until he blacked out

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

NICOLA SAT BESIDE her sister’s hospital bed So ed since the last time they’d done this terrible dance, and yet, Laila still hurtled toward death

If we’re ever again in that situation, and I have a feeling ill be, I want you to let o

No, Nicola had said then

Never, she said now

Before, she had been without hope Now, she was different Stronger Smarter She knew there was a better way But her sister didn’t, and changing her ht now

Her precious Laila, she thought, tears beading in her eyes There were tubes in her sister’s chest and arms Her skin had already yellowed She had slipped into a coed but not without pain, her features pinched and her muscles tensed

Every time Nicola repeated what she’d learned frothened--but the , those vitals plummeted Sleep had become Nicola’s enemy

Zacharel had done what he could to keep Laila alive, but in the end, he’d needed help So, he’d flown Laila to the hospital He’d stationed two Sent Ones at Nicola’s sides, and they were now standing in the hallway, giving her sooodbye

Where are you, Koldo?