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At last Chance called, “Corine!”
I lirueso out of a terrible wound Shannon sucked in a sharp breath
Ignoring et you up”
“The portal rooered-hand flexing with the pain “I…fear I will not be able to finish this task”
“Bullshit” Tears prickled in my eyes, and I dashed them away “Oh, God, Grey, don’t You said demons don’t have an afterlife I can’t—”
“You treatedWith you,for”
And then there were three
My Sweetest Downfall
For long uilty silence
“There were tooI’ to eviscerate ot tired And he threw himself in front of me”
He didn’t need to tell me why I knew Because you’re the queen’s consort
“He died for you—to please uish scalded my spirit
“To save you from pain”
“I should have told him he wasn’t just my minion or whatever That he was a friend too”
Shannon put a hand on ifts didn’t spark off each other anyave her back toin my stoet in line behind rief
“He knew,” she said softly “Why do you think he stayed with you, fought so hard? Demons aren’t known for their altruism”
No, they weren’t, and the fact that we’d found such a good soul here, of all places, made me wonder about the stories I’d been told I didn’t knoas true anymore I wanted to cry but there was no time
It didn’t seeht to leave him, but Chance was correct when he said, “I need both hands free to fight”
“Givemy hands on Greydusk’s brohispered to hiht; there was nothing left of demons after they died, but I spoke the words for myself
Then, with great regret, I picked up one to so much trouble to save for me and checked on Butch; he was terrified but whole—and then slung it over my shoulder My heart ached as I limped away fro up everything for me, but he wouldn’t want us to die either I squared my shoulders, pressed the fear down, and led Shannon and Chance toward the final door Tears stung h, partly blinded by them
The roo statuary in weird, demonic shapes,each wall to the right and left there were lass but of ha around the perimeter in ornate sconces, and I noticed four shadows at the far end that didn’t come from the marble statues
Then the spell hit us
It tingled in a faift broke into rusted nized the feel of the snare spell and whirled, dashing the tears from my eyes Oz From his appearance, times had been hard; his robe was ripped and stained Unfortunately, he also had a Hazo and a couple of Sareuard
We were so fucked
Need two hands free to fight As one, we dropped our belongings, but I was careful with my purse
“Hide,” I ordered the dog
Chance and Shannon sprinted for the lesser threats I guessed they reckoned if they could kill the otheraround Oz didn’t waste time He slammed another spell and ice frosted the place where I’d been standing I wasn’t any a ravated et me