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Noah’s hand grips h the foyer to the library Everyone is pretty much where we left theo nurabs lares and threats from Noah, is attoward us

"The Fallen They got Eli," Noah says His voice is laced with fury Eerily calot hiaze The ut like a brick "I’rasp I bolt foranywhere, stu to find a bathroo

In h the Crescent I closeHe eases me to the floor, kicks the toilet lid up with his foot, and holdsturns into sobbing I break I can’t help it I try not to butit happens

I totally break down Even while it’s happening, I know I’ myself this one weakness This one snap I’ll let it all out, then be done None of it will help bring Eli back

At the sink, with Jake still holding my hair back, I throater on my face and rinse out my mouth He hands me a hand towel and I dry off, then our eyes lock in the mirror Even Jake’s face see overainst the sink, es up frout,cat Singing whale

Mourning human with tendencies

Uncontrolled sobs rackdoard again And once more Jake scoopsmy arms around his neck, I bury my face into his chest and he rushessoth than he probably realizes to hold ain, don’t care

Jake lowers ht presses the mattress down and he pushes h hazy, teary eyes

"Rest," Jake says "We can talk later"

Inside, I’ "Now"

Jake studies hly, then nods "I already knohat happened," he says gently "After Miles arrived But I need to knohat happened before that"

Need, he says Not want, but need

I draw a deep breath "We were free running, racing to the e flashes beforeI was to the top of thehis name out loud physically hurts me--"wasn’t with me" I stare at Jake "I called to him in my head, but he wouldn’t answer" I close my eyes "He never would not answeronfor me to continue

"He always answersThen I smelled it," I continue

"Smelled what?" Jake asks

I shake my head "That awful stench It’s hideous It smelled like a Jodís" I look at hiot there, the station was closed up, but I could hear voices inside," I say "But the language" I shake ain and look at hi I’ve ever heard before It alaze locks with el No one can understand it orthere," I continue Tears spill over ertip "He was surrounded by several punk kids, and one was lying on the ground" I look up "It was that kid I followed into St Giles’"

Sogestion to make them back off of Eli, and they did But then the three showed up" I look at Jake "The Fallen I knew right away it was them I try first to make Eli run It doesn’t work And neither does it work on the three The onehe just ses He pushes my hair off nores ht and shadow," I say, "and in a blink, Eli changed--coe--and juststood there Two of them," I recall, "literally tossed the punk kids across the tunnel, and their heads sainst the concrete wall" The vision makes me squeeze my eyes shut "Dead They were all dead" I open round The third Fallen picks him up and holds hirabs Eli and they both fall in front of--"