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"No, you could not"
She flexed her biceps "Do you see these things? I so could"
"You could not ith those It would take so I a to risk yourself?" he asked, head tilting to the side "I do not understand"
Easy "I love Zacharel, and I want to protect hi himself I don’t know if he told you about his brother…?"
A sharp cut of his head in negation "He did not tell me, but we all know of Hadrenial’s death"
But did any of them know exactly how Hadrenial had died? If not, she wouldn’t be the one to tell, so she settled with, "The loss nearly ruined his of responsibility and remorse If he falls, his army--you--will be forced to fall with hireeted her words "No He would have told us"
This she would have to tell, because it was the only way to e over you, and his fate will be yours All of yours"
"How do you know this?" Anger pulsed from him, as sharp as a blade
"He told me, and you know he doesn’t ever lie"
A moment passed in silence He nodded, as if he’d just made a decision "You are very brave, Annabelle" It was the first time he’d ever used her name, and that he’d laced his tone with such respect nearly floored her "Perhaps you do possess the extra solanced up and nearly screa, watching
Fight-or-flight kicked in--and fight won She braced her legs apart and fisted her hands, ready
But all the demon did was hiss at her, then at Koldo, and slither away
"Wait here I shall return, and you shall have what you desire," Koldo said--and vanished
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
ZACHAREL WAS SURPRISED by the ease hich he was granted an audience with the Deity, especially considering the recent turels who had been summoned here had to wait
The day of punishet him in trouble and he hadn’t cared Still didn’t Annabelle had become the most important part of his life, and he would endure the worst of the worst for her
At least e done to the terass and flowers tended, the rivers purified Blood no longer decorated the walls or steps Lysander’s ar anyone who approached
All but hih with only a nod of affir forithout a hitch To his surprise, Lysander side hinificent gold, Lysander was the standard ainst Beauty personified, once cut from the same emotionless cloth as Zacharel
"You were expected," his friend said, voice echoing through the foyer The doht sky, but actually revealed it Stars twinkled froh the air like diamonds
He tried not to let the announcement rattle him Gaze on a thick column comprised of shimmery crystals, smoothed and polished to reflect all the colors of the rainbow, he said, "I’m…sorry I left you to defend the temple"
Lysander slapped his shoulder "When your wo else matters This I knoell"
He could only hope the Deity felt the same way They rounded several corners and finally cauarded, for it led straight into the throne rooood leader, with sharp instincts," Lysander said "Trust yourself, and you’ll coer and taller than most, threw open the double doors and Zacharel strode past without his friend The roouards, no orchestra, no decorations, only a solid gold throne on top of the dais
Upon that throne sat the Deity, and as usual his appearance aed human, with deeply lined skin, silver hair and shaky hands
Zacharel bowed his head and dropped to his knees, his wings tucked into his sides Of all the s he’d had here, this was the in
"I a voice was soft and gentle
And yet you expected ive it?"
"I know I’ve done wrong, but I will not apologize" He would never offer a token apology again Like Annabelle, he would stand for what he believed in and never back down "I did what I had to do to protect ain"
Eyes of the deepest black swirled, oil glistening in the sun "Did I hear you correctly? You’ll do anything to protect a huainst a weathered chin "You say that now, but I wonder… You thought you would come here, state your case, ask for what you desire, and that would be that Well, once upon a tier I cannot baby you forever"