Page 39 (1/2)

“That’s not hoorks,” I said “The ritual will remove me from reality, sure – ”

Herald scoffed “Yeah, cause that’s a better deal, isn’t it?”

I tugged atfor the briefest second before I focused on Herald again, speaking carefully “I’ to die”

He shrugged “Then I guess we can all just wait for you until we’re eighty and dying There are other ways to do this There must be”

“This is the quickest,” I yelled, hating that I was raising ered away from me Then I added, with

: “This is the best option we have”

“If you are quite finished,” Carver hissed “I propose that you do not let personal feelings get in the way The fate of the universe is at stake”

I thought it surprising that he was so easily siding withthat his words could have been meant for any of the three of us

Herald folded his ar from Carver, toto be a friend, not just to me, but to the man I loved My heart sank

“Do it,” Herald said

I looked down at o Why weren’t they?

Mason stared me dead in the eye, then cursed under his breath “You knohat? Fine It’s your funeral”

I had never properly seen him use his power before The weapons and armor he could summon from heaven’s stocks appeared almost instantly in his hands, as quickly as he could think of theether in an almost prayerful way, his eyes fir around under their lids, as if they were searching the darkness for so As he worked his talent, the tattoos inscribed up and down his body gloith a soft yellow light

I thought I caught the faintest gli from his back, from the crown of his head It could just have been the eils on his skin, but for a s, and a halo I blinked, and they were gone I blinked again – and there it was

Mason hadn’t been praying, not exactly The thing that he claimed from the Vestments needed both his hands to hold steady, probably because of its length, and the fact that it was on fire