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His knees almost buckle and Rhett catches him.

Ezra looks at both of his friends. “I…”

“You don’t remember?” Rhett asks.

Ezra stares at the dirt. “I remember her falling.”

The Bride’s voice softens. “You followed.”

His breathing becomes uneven.

“You planted the bargain.”

I look at Malakai. “What bargain?”

He doesn’t know. For once, Malakai Wright doesn’t fucking know.

The Bride looks at all three men. “Sower offered.” Her eyes move to Rhett. “Reaper followed.” Then Malakai. “Tiller opened the Earth.”

Malakai’s face changes. “No.”

“Yes.”

“We were trying to save her.”

“You did.” She smirks.

I stare at the thing. “What?”

She looks at me. “You did.”

“She’s dead.”

The Bride smiles. “Is she?”

My stomach turns.

She touches her own chest. Roots move beneath the skin. “Her flesh fed the field.” Then her hand lowers and presses against the Earth. “But her blood survived.” Her eyes lock on mine.

McBride. Oh. Fuck.

“One survived,” I whisper.

Rhett looks at me.

I remember chapter-fuck-my-life from two hours ago when these lunatics were talking about my family like extinct wildlife.

“One McBride survived.”

“Yes,” the Bride says.

“How?”

“Your Sower.”

I look at Ezra.

He stares at her. “What did I do?”