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“You told us you wanted to do it your way,” another sneered

“The task is nearly coasp “I just need a bit more time”

What was he talking about? And ere these men? Ashwood had never told Bella Perhaps Gladstone had put him up to this

“More time?” the first man said “If you can’t produce the boy on your own, I will take him myself and make him into who he’s meant to be”

All the hairs on Bellamy’s neck stood on end What did he mean when he threatened to take some boy?

“I…I…proer and fear “I’ll deliver Bellaht Besides, we still don’t know if he…”

The rest of the sentence was drowned out by the pounding of his pulse in his ears He placed his hand against histo his eyes, and it felt like the very ground he stood on had shifted

This was not the Ashwood he’d gotten to know over all these months His Ashwood This Ashas cold and submissive to this man And he also sounded like a fraud It couldn’t be true Bellamy didn’t want to believe it, but how could he not—he’d heard it with his own ears

“You better,” the i man said “There’s little time left before you officially turn”

The words didn’tso alarmed, he wanted to shout out Except even a whi Unless he wasthey’d shared…it was all soet him to join…whoever this was Now soether, especially Ashwoodhim promise to hear him out once they left Gladstone

And speaking of Gladstone, did he knoas going on right under his nose? Not that he cared about the man, but Bellamy’s world had been suddenly turned upside down, and he was trying to make any bit of sense of it he could

“Let’s head to the forest, Kipling,” one of the men said “It’s almost time”

Bella to get Ashwood to join theain? Was that what this was about?

“We’ll go when I say it’s ti, a chill crawled up Bellamy’s spine