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My cousin fell down beside him to weep as nized Too h

Finally, aze fell on Manuel’s motionless for All the muscles in his face had softened and the tension that he usually held in his shoulders was gone I fell to my knees beside him and took his cold hand

“He was a splendid warrior”

I looked up to see Ashley standing above me A red scratch marred her beautiful cheek and blood stains dotted her shirt She cocked her hip where a sword hung

“He really was” I squeezedis the reason I’m still alive and that I was able to close the Hell Gate”

She kneeled beside“Then, we all owe him our lives

We sat like that in silence for a few ht to honor each person’s sacrifice Eventually, people came to collect the bodies They took Manuel’s and I reluctantly let go of his hand

Elizabeth was the last to go Luke didn’t want to part with her He shook his head to protest, but finally released his grip

“She’s at peace, Uncle Luke,” Raquel told hi his shoulder

He nodded, wiping away a silent tear I wasn’t sure how to feel I should’ve been sobbing with hi had really changed Except now, she truly was at peace and not stuck within an irateful

As atched her go, I stood next todeep insidethat Elizabeth had said that disturbed ht not have been the ti

“Luke?”

He looked down at me, his eyes wet

I took a deep breath and let it spill out “Elizabeth said soh the woods She said that demons can only inhabit people who are already partly evil That my mother wasn’t innocent Is that true?”

A er filled his eyes Instantly, I wished I hadn’t said anything He took me by the shoulders and stared into my eyes