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Chapter 1

I was alone in bed when I woke and I didn't expect that Gavin's ring was back onband He'd slipped the rings on —the sch presu ht back on the rogue hit list, so I just slapped a hand over rowled

"Nice growl You're colared up at Tony

"What the hell are you doing inIf Gavin kneas here, Tony uess

"Wlodek's downstairs having a big poith Gavin, René and the others so I sneaked in You should have told rin was huge as he stared down at me, and a lock of black hair threatened to fall into his clear, gray eyes Tony looked younger—in his twenties younger—and acheek Anthony Hancock, newly turned va his life away from the sun

"Tony, stop being a shithead," I gruain

"Hey, is that any way to talk to your new cousin?" he was still grinning; I opened a space between fingers just to check

"Who told you that?" I asked tiredly

"Well, René is Gavin's cousin—you said so yourself And if I understand what René said, then Gavin one souess" Tony reflected on that for a moment "Just how does that work, baby? They can marry you off like that? Doesn't sound fair to me"

"Welco the hand slide off my face "If you'll remove yourself from my bed," I made a motion with my hands (Tony had plopped down besideto stay there for a while), "I'll get up and get dressed" Tony ignored the hint and stayed where he was

"Who is that Kifirin guy? Did I hear right? He's a High Lord or so? From where?" Tony was full of questions and in a talkative mood I wanted to slap a hand over his mouth, just to shut him up

"René is going to lock you up and throay the key," I snapped Unless he had the patience of a saint, that is

"Co over here," the dihter shone in his eyes "Oops, already did that"

"Tony, do not, and I repeat, do not start with the dead jokes"

That h "So where were you for three weeks?" he demanded Just like that, ere back to business I sat up on the bed and glared at Tony Hoas he up so early? I still felt sluggish and wished coffee had so it if it did

"I was off-planet," I replied "On Refizan"

"You were not," he frowned at me "And there's no such place as Refizan"

"I was and there is," I denied his denial "That's what the locals called the planet anyway; Karzac was from there"

"Karzac? Lissa, are you delusional? Did that fight last night injure you somehow?" He reached out to touch my forehead I batted his hand away