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Myforabout it

I left the bathroo hold of the handle of the fridge, I ripped open the door and pulled out the chilled blood

My sto within such close proxi, perhaps even drain the whole lot in one go I i downa rush of strength through my entire body

My hands shook with the urge to raise it to my mouth, and it was all I could do to force myself toward the kitchen sink Asupside down and emptied its entire contents into the basin I turned on the tap, rinsing down the re I needed to ask the jinn to stop supplying me with blood

I’ to have to starve myself

Although I’d attempted this before—with disastrous consequences—this time at least I had the jinn to assist me I could ask them to restrain me and not let me out of my apartment no matter what I said or did

I still didn’t know exactly ould happen if a vah before getting close enough to find out I wondered whether starving uessed that it would, but whether it would make him abandon our bond was another matter entirely…

I froze as there was a knock on my front door I was surprised to be disturbed at this tirateful for the distraction

I hurried to the door and opened it To my surprise, I found myself face to face with the Nasiri queen herself, Nuriya Her expression was soft and filled with coazed at me

She reached out a hand, her fingers caressing the side of my face “Oh, Benjamin,” she said, her voice filled with sorrow “Aisha toldI didn’t realize the situation was this bad”

I stepped away frohtherself inside, pulledroom

“You see,” she said, still holding onto htly even as I tried to distance s, but even we are not all-knowing We knew about some pieces of your past—that you had been i their battle with Aviary all those years ago I just didn’t realize how far-reaching the consequences of that Elder’s touch would be I-I didn’t know that he was—” Her voice choked up and she stifled a sob “I didn’t know that he was clai you for himself for life” Her eyes lowered toto see through me, to the spirit within

I was beginning to tire of her visit All she was doing was rubbing in what I already knew

“Would you please tellany kind of sympathy, especially not from this jinni