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"Why didn’t you just tell them what happened?" I ask as I rush to keep up with hie the vision because he lances ata Foreseer, Gemma There are no second chances or rooiven or trusted again for what I did" Silence passes between us as we reach the rocks and we start to climb up them I want to ask him if he has evil blood inside him, but I fear his reaction and the answer so I reazes out at the endless ocean, the wind blowing through his hair "You need to stop worrying about me," he says as I stand beside him "You have other proble the world…" Pain resonates inside my chest "I think I already did that dad I was able to fix the vision you erased… I erased you before you erased Alex and loo about"

"Then what are you talking about?" I wonder "Because it always see you about what you’re in store for" The bottom of his robe flaps in the wind He hasn’t looked atand I wonder how it isn’t hurting his eyes "What waits for you in the near future"

"I knohat it is" My voice is off pitch, revealing the shakiness withinit" He blows out a frustrated breath and then looks at me "You need to push that aside, otherwise you’ll never be able to save the world"

"But I already did that What more could I possibly do?"

He reaches into the pocket of his robe and retrieves a glistening silver ring eems that outline a massive lavender stone He takes a hold of e "What does it do?"

"I can’t answer that," he says, turning toward the shore again and heading down the rocks

"Why do you always say that?" I cli, afraid to put it on because I have no idea what it does "How can you giveball, but you can’t tell s if we’re inside your head?" I reach the sand "It makes no sense"

"This is ret "I’s, because we’re in my head and not in the real world What I do in here doesn’t matter out there But I can’t tell you how to use the hat you need to do out in the real world You have to figure out the answers for yourself and pave the world with yourand encloses ers around it "This is your loophole"

"My loophole to what? Saving ins to bleed away into the sand The sunlight dirows quiet "Wait, don’t sendto cheat, no matter what happens," he calls out as I float backward,up from the sand "If you’re not careful, you’ll end up in here"

I shout at him to please tell me as the ocean vanishes and becomes one with the sand Then I’h, I’ht, just like when I die

Chapter 36

"You’re not dead," so other than light "If that’s what you’re thinking"

An eerie chill slithers up my spine and at the same time my sense of smell is attacked by the scent of flowers and rain "But you’re dead"

"Am I?" the tricky half-faerie teases "Are you sure about that?"

I clutch onto the ring as I strainanyht in my direction "Of course, you’re not You’ve been clueless froirl I’ve everplaces"

"That’s not true," I say as he olden eyes inches away from mine, his body so close I’m instantly suffocated with his body heat

I step back "You’re dead… aren’t you… and so am I"

"I’ll answer that shortly," he says with a wink "But right now you have to go back" He strides toward ainst my shoulders I screa for air It takes a minute for me to realize I’m on my bedroom floor, safe and sound from any potentially dead faeries But what kind of detour was that? Iaround with et to ave me still in my hand and then head downstairs to tell everyone what happened I find Alex in the kitchen,jeans with a therh a o out to a Goth club

"I have to tell you so out of s without an explanation of what they are?" Alex asks when I’ it closely

I’e "He said it was because I had to figure things out on my own and pave the world withback and run emstones "It’s not like I can pave them with too many, since my times about up"

Alex chokes on bite of sandwich "No it’s not," he says, catching his breath

"Alex, I don’t think it’s good to deny it," I say "I think it’s better if I--"

He strides towardhis hand overto let you say that" He lowers his hand froive up yet" He leans in and softly brushes his lips against o soet back"

Laylen glances at his watch "Is it tiaze fastened on et a move on if ant to ?" I ask, hopping down froether?"

"Just soelse--his uneasiness

"Don’t worry" Alex reaches for his jacket on the back of the kitchen chair "We’ll be back soon"

Before I can say anything else, they walk out the door, leaving e, the two of theether And content It makes me worried