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“I heard Eli and Mav talking about it once… that’s what happened to Dante’s younger brother He was taken when he was just a little boy and… and sold…”

I hadn’t actually met Aleks, but I’d occasionally met his brother, Dante, orked with Mav and Menus, had found Aleks a couple of years earlier and hadhiling to find some sense of normalcy in his life To think Jace’s sister had been taken to be used like that…

I felt like I was going to be sick “No,” I whispered I’d wanted to be strong for Jace, but I was failing ether just fine, but I felt like I was going to come apart

“Are you sure?” I asked Jace looked blurry through my watery eyes

“I’s here and there about her, but every tioes cold I was there a feeeks ago, but the lead I was given didn’t pan out”

I wanted to say soth or hope, but I couldn’tat all, becausedown my face Jace’s sister had to be so dale day of her life…

“Hey,” Jace said as he leaned into et plucked froainst Jace’s chest

“I’m sorry,” I blurted

“For what?”

“For not saying the right thing… for notit better soine how scared you —”

“Not strong,” Jace murainst the top ofit”

I wouldn’t have believed hih his body And the way he was holding ht words, but h for now

But he rong about one thing… he was strong I would have given anything for even an ounce of whatever it was that kept hi forward, despite the inevitable hopelessness he must have felt every time he’d had another lead on his sister dry up