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I stopped He waited beside me, his arm still around my shoulders as he stared into the distance "I understand," I said When he wouldn’t look at ently turned his face toward mine "I do" Apprehension dimmed his eyes, but he nodded He knew I’d felt the sa had transformed me into a hellhound to driveBut the Night Hag didn’t want merely to hurt Kane She wanted to break him

"If she forces me, Vicky"--he didn’t say to do what, but we both knehat he meant--"I’ll experience every second of it I’ll remember it the next day Forever II couldn’t live with that"

You don’t have to I could release hi her the white falcon Yet how could I turn over my father’s spirit, so recently liberated from the real up the falcon meant my horrible visions of war and death would co’s offer, but that would be dangling false hope I didn’t fully knoas at stake Unable to see a solution, I was paralyzed

So I didn’t say anything I put

"Thank you," I whispered, "for trying to protect roaned and pulled ainst h If only we could stay like this, so solid, so close, until everything that threatened usto happen Kane sighed, and that quiet sound expressed worlds of frustration and anxiety We stepped apart, but he held

"Where were you headed?" he asked "I’ll walk you there There are too ht"

At one tiht now, I understood the depth of his need to keep me safe

"Just out for a walk I know, I know" I put ers to his lips to stifle his objection "I had a bad session with the book and needed to clear ot protection" I pulled open un

"I noticed I’d prefer you didn’t put yourself in a situation where you need to use it"

"Me, too But this isto hide indoors like a scared little kid I’ll be fine" Before he could argue withthe code level to yellow in the ?"

He nodded "I need to put in a full day at the office to this rally"

"Tina toldunity to Deadtown, it’s you"

"I don’t know about that But I have to try If we can channel all the energy fro constructive--" He stumbled, and I realized how tired heto be at work in, what, four hours?"

He checked his watch "Three I need to get an early start"

"Then I’ll walk you ho asleep on your feet, you know"

He didn’t argue We walked the couple of blocks to his town house in silence, his hand warm in mine With each step, the cloud I hated so ain

At the door, he kissedan elderly aunt he didn’t really like I putmy lips across his skin until our h, half moan, and pulled er--hunger to regain the closeness we’d somehow lost, to bloay the cloud and really touch each other again

And yet, when he drew back and looked at me, hopelessness dulled his eyes Or ave ather h I knew that couldn’t happen, not now, my body ached with disappointment Kane smiled sadly and said, "You say I want to save the world, and maybe I do But I swear, Vicky, I’d send the whole world to hell if it would keep you safe"

Then he went inside As he was closing the door he paused, gazing out at h the cloud of our mutual despair