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There was soin his voice and I want to tell him that that probably isn’t the case, that I’ to do with it But we’d both knoas lying because there’s a good chance that s Stephan has done

"There’s this rock at the back of the castle that hides a secret entryway to the basement," he tells me in a state of self-torture "Laylen should be able to lift the rock up so you guys can get in… no one knows it’s there but me" He hands me the Sword of Immortality "And this will hopefully protect you if you run intothe heavy weight of it "You’re giving s, his eyes swi in a sea of pain "I want you to be able to protect yourself--you’re what’s ? That if anything happens at all, if anything even reht back"

I place the sword on the floor beside my feet "Alex, I can’t--"

He places a hand over my mouth like I did to him earlier "I know you feel like you need to save her And I completely understand that But you also need to understand that you ht be the one person who can save the world So if it all co to have to save yourself" I know there isto say it

So I nod, giving hih it’s not the truth "Okay, I pro his foot against the floor "I should be the one going with you"

"No, you shouldn’t Aislin needs you I--I didn’t know that about your mother No one should be alone in the world"

It gets quiet and hts drift back to my old life filled with loneliness and desolation All those years with no one All those years feeling empty All those years where I didn’t know there was soHappiness Sadness God, there’s so erous as o back to that ever I just hope I get the chance to live life without the star

"Gemma," Alex says almost as if he’s in pain as he slants towardyou in harht this desperate coave you the locket, why I tried to run from my father, why I intercepted the memoria extracto, why I stabbedyou back I know you erased the last part, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat"

I want to point out that now he’s reain, but he silences me with a brush of his lips It starts out innocent, but when rabs onto ue slides deep into my mouth and he lays ne, his body bringing me warmth as it covers mine My back arches into him as my insides quiver with need I feel out of control in a forbidden way

"Alex," I say breathlessly as his hand travels uptoo… too…" I groan as his hand wanders under roans againsthard" His body falls betweento end up killing each other…" Another grind ofdead just to feel this oneout there, that ere heading toward feelings of love It is a blunt ets hi down at me, an arm on each side of my head "I know" His brow’s furrow at his oords Then he gets up and leaves the roo happened

Everyone decides it’s best to clear out the Praesidium for the moment, so that I can foresee in the privacy of the house Alex takes care of it while I head for the living roo rooht do so stupid like trip overthat?" he questions with aed his clothes, but is still wearing his typical black jeans and shirt, studded belt and leather wrist band, and boots

"I promise I’ll be super careful," I say with as much humor as I can muster up "And try not to stab you"

"Gee thanks," he teases, nudgingmore at ease then he did at Stasha’s house

I s et ready to foresee us out of here

"Wait!"

My eyes open as Aislin co into the roo for you to help you see in the dark"

I think she’s going to give ht or a lantern, but instead she whispers, "Iuvo vos animadverto," under her breath, then she puts her hand in front of hersparkly in round in reaction and press ainst my eyes "Oh my God! What the hell was that?"

"Oh shit, I’m sorry I probably should have warned you first," Aislin apologizes "I was just so excited that I finally figured out how to do the spell correctly"

I rubsensation "Okay, what spell was it though?"

She beaht vision" She dusts her hands off "So you don’t have to stuet to the castle"

"What about Laylen?" I ask, picking up the sword fro Laylen a once over, looking at him in a way that I look at Alex sometimes and I remember how she told s for hiht vision"

Laylen doesn’t reciprocate the look, I think still carrying around toohio," he says and Aislin looks hurt "Are you sure you’re going to be okay with this thing?" he asks, nodding at the sword "It just about landed on h Laylen’s and take a deep breath "I’ve got this Trust h I don’t feel that way

I don’t bother looking at Alex, knowing it’llme from across the room, arms folded, as he sinks into the shadows Then I shut my eyes and do what I need to do I picture the lake, the forest circling it, the grey-stone castle in the background And then suddenly I’e to land without falling, but that ht be because I use Laylen’s arround out in the forest just a little ways frolance up at the sky The full moon shines vividly, silver speckles of stars and the darkness surrounds us, but I can see as clearly as if it were day

"A the corner of my eye