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Alex drops down on the sofa across from us and props his foot on his knee "Yeah, we all are, but freaking out isn’t going to help us find him"

"You don’t need to be rude," Aislin snaps "I’ain "I never got to tell hi" Tears pour out of her eyes and she abruptly shovesht only I reacted so drarateful I can shut off my e things like that"

"Not all e in the spot Aislin just evacuated

"No they’re not" Hunger burns in his eyes and e uncontrollably as he looks atthe rooain and pullsecond I stayhim to do it But then I remember that I already had s the right way, so I lean back right as he’s about to touch me

His expression contorts with confusion as he withdraws his hand to his side and stops just in front of me He assesses ht insight tome?"

I take a deep breath and motion between us "You and I can’t--"

"What the fuck You’re head’s bleeding" He cutsat my forehead

"What?"

"There’s blood all over the side of your head" He drops to his knees and his fingers brushhier drifts to the area he’s touching as I start to feel an aching sensation there and is instantly coated with a warm, sticky substance Blood All over ers I quickly jump to my feet and rush over to a mirror on the wall to examine my head On the left side of my scalp, there is a deep cut covered by blood that trails down my cheek and is also o" Alex moves up behind me to inspect the cut some more "It was like it appeared out of nowhere"

"But then where did it co inWhy was the injury so fah my skull… I’ve felt it before Suddenly it hits ut "Oh my God"

Alex’s ar?"

"I think…" I don’t finish and sprint across the living roo?" Alex calls out, running afterdown the steps Then I race across the sandy beach toward the cliff area where Nicholas knockedme over to Stephan

"Geoing?"

I push past a few people blocking the entrance chatting and drinking beers and they curse and flipover h the rocks, feel the bottom of my feet scrape open, but don’t slon Blood continues to trickle out of the wound on my head and sweat beadsas I approach the mouth of the cliffs where the rocks part

Alex halts beside et the whole need answers now thing, but fking hell, will you please tellback here…" I explain vaguely, wiping the sweat from my brow as I venture closer to the area Nicholas took me down at

"Okay…" Alex walks beside round and rocks "I’n that the past that was erased has taken place, if that ht as he searches the tops of the rocks "But I thought you said that didn’t happen" He shields his eyes with his hand "That your father erased it, so why do you think there would be a sign?"

I look over ht he did but now" I shakeon, but if there’s blood back here, then so on ht noas exactly where Nicholas hit ave me over to Stephan" My head throbs and a warainst the wound and delve further into the cliffs cautiously, keeping an eye out for blood and a blond haired faerie

When I arrive at the end of the path where rocks open up into a small sandy area, my heart rate accelerates And my confusion multiplies

Alex squeezes up to the side of round in front of our feet where a body lies in the sand "What is that?"

"It’s… in a pool of blood, wearing the clothes I had on when I’d been taken to the Wastelands "Aht now?" Out of the corner oftoward us Nicholas I ju my shoulder into Alex’s chest, and he steadies ly calolden eyes are wide, lips slightly parted, as he stares down at the me in the sand

"How the hell did that happen…" He trails off as comprehension rises on his face and he looks up athis hands ly, like the true asole that he is "Bravo, Ieach tirins wickedly atfor me

I don’t have the reflexes of a cat by anyThankfully, Alex’s reflexes are flawless and with one swift movement, he’s positioned himself in front of me and clocks Nicholas in the jaw

"Dammit…" Nicholas’s eyes roll into the back of his head and he falls back, landing hard in the sand, out cold

Alex shakes out his hand as he turns to h, but it swiftly vanishes as I step over Nicholas andin the sand Is it real? Or is she just a vision? Hesitantly I crouch down and place a hand on her arht to my heart, more powerful than even the current of sparks between Alex andthe past , as if it had never even existed at all

As the body of oes with it, my hand falls onto the sand "Wow" I’m speechless as I stare at the eainst the other side of the rocks, birds sing in the distance, and the wind kissesat peace with time, or at least that’s what it feels like