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It took awhile before Kiyo, Jaso to the Thorn Land, of course, where Shaya and the others asked me all sorts of questions about what had happened and what I wanted to do Kiyo and even Jasmine provided most of the answers for me because honestly, I wasn’t sure what I wanted now The only thing I had the real sense to do was demand Jasmine’s key and unlock her chains She stared at her freed hands wonderingly, stroking her wrists I nearly left the chains and key in the castle but soon reconsidered and took them with me to the human world

She’d never seen arded it with approval as we entered All was quiet, and the empty driveway made me confident I wouldn’t find Tiain Evidence of their "love," however, was still obvious

"Da a red lace bra off of the couch and tossing it down the hall toward Ti Probably every other piece of furniture too"

"You have Pop-Tarts!" Jas roo every drawer and cupboard she could find "And Apple Jacks! Peanut butter, ranch dressing, saltines "

I was surprised that last one excited her so entry food, even the

"Oh!" she exclaimed "Can I have one of your Milky Ways?"

"Sure Have whatever you want"

Her eyes ide as she tore into the package, and both Kiyo and I watched her with s Although they didn’t sound good to ht now, Milky Ways were nor hers, Jasmine appeared to share that faar rush with a can of Coke and then erly for the remote control, I decided it was best not to mention the amorous activities that had likely occurred where she sat

She flipped through the channels in continued a - prime time entertainment - and the emotions on her face were transparent as she stumbled across old and nes alike

"You wantthat fits you?" I asked She ht have slipped back easily to huentry-style gown

"Sure," she said, not looking up from the screen

Kiyo followed me into my bedroom "You think she’s safe out there?" he asked "Alone?"

"Yeah, I do actually" Jasmine and I weren’t the sa shorts that would likely fit "I don’t knohybut I feel like I can trust her"

"Be careful," he warned, sitting on the bed’s edge "For all we know, she was happy to be captured and have Cassius throw hi" I found the smallest T-shirt I could; her frame was more slender than hed and faced hiot to trustthe truth Is she going to turn into a nor’s heir? Unlikely But for now, she’s in shock and not dangerous"

"If you think so Just be careful, Eug You’ve been tricked by people you’ve trusted before"

"Surprise, surprise A sla the clothes tothe Rowan Land" I’d been bracing e control, he’d held back I appreciated that but still dreaded the inevitable

"Actually," he said, "no"

"No?" I’d started to take a step toward the doorway and froze

He laughed, though there wasn’t htwell, after last timeYou weren’t very happy about the Thorn Land "

That small smile faded "No And it’s not like I’m happy about this But the truth is, you did find a - relatively - bloodless way to end all of this When ere out there, you asked s I didn’t have an answer You did It’s not greatbut it didn’t kill Katrice or those other people It didn’t get you captured" He shrugged "Not ideal, no, but better than the alternatives"

I leaned back against the wall, still shocked at his reaction "If it makes you feel better, it’s not like I wanted this either I wanted to sneak in and out and get Jasmine"

He nodded, but there was a sharp look in his eyes "And yet, you brought the crown" I hadn’t mentioned that to him e first set out to the Rowan Land

"Her note said she didn’t believe I had it! I was hoping waving it aroundto help us" He stayed quiet "Don’t look at me like that! You can’t believe I planned to use it"

"I do believe you" He approached me and rested his hands on my shoulders "And I’ll help you in any way you need"

So insidecomfort in his warmth and the security he offered "Thank you I’ to need you"

Kiyo pressed a kiss to my forehead "I’m here"

I felt a shter, I didn’t really find the situation funny "I suppose if there is a silver lining here,the Rowan Land than she did Soood"

To my surprise, his hold on me stiffened, and he stepped back The sht "Maybe"

We went back out to Jasot hen I handed her the clothes, and she examined thenored the blasphemy - and Kiyo’s obvious a you’ll need is in the bathrooot her attention "A showeroh, man I’ve missed showers"

"Will you two be okay?" asked Kiyo, all signs of his earlier discos"

I nodded "We’re fine Will you be back soon?"

"As soon as I can" He kissed ain, this time on my lips I must have worn another pained expression because he cupped my chin, his brown eyes full of love and co will be okay"

I nodded once more and watched wistfully as he left I wanted his arain, to hold me and let me escape this mess A small part of me wouldn’t have minded Dorian’s arms either I sat beside Jasmine, whose attention was back on so off to Maiwenn, you know" Her gaze didn’t move "Off to report on what happened"

My ire started to rise at her accusation, exceptI had a feeling she was right Even if there was no more romance between theoing to rock the Otherworld, and she’d want the story straight from him I wondered how she’d take it; she’d always fearedlike my father

"Probably," I admitted I rubbed my eyes "God, I’m so exhausted I feel like I could fall over"

This time Jasmine turned to me There wasn’t exactly syly close "No shit You just stole a kingdoly when you phrase it that way"

She shrugged and looked back at the TV "You’ll probably do a better job" Her words echoed my earlier comment to Kiyo "You know," she added conversationally, "everyone acts like our dad was such a bastard, like he just wanted more power I mean, he did, but you knohat Aeson toldabout how he could do a better job too, that the otherthe people a favor"

I froze, unable to respond That hy Kiyo had reacted the way he did earlier He’d heard that about Storood intentions," I realized I’d expressed exactly the same sentiment as my father

Jasmine didn’t notice the effect of her words and instead jumped subjects in that easy, short-attention-span way of hers "Hey, do you think you could get Wil to come over? I want to see him"

"Sure," I murmured automatically My mind was still lost in her earlier words "Sure"

Wil was surprised to hear fro,He said he’d be over in five minutes

Jasmine had asked that he coirlfriend Still, she’d been curious "Seriously? What’s she like?"

I thought back towith Wil’s ladylove Once I’d banished thein their house, she hadn’t shut up about conspiracy theories and assorted coverups "Exactly like him," I’d replied to Jasmine

The reunion between brother and sister was strange They stood there aardly, both staring at each other and assessing all the ways they’d changed Then, with no coed each other Jasitimate emotion, and for once, Wil didn’t seeuy he usually was

"Are you okay?" he asked her, voice tre "I’ve missed you so much"

Jasmine sed, and I was pretty sure there were tears in her eyes "II missed you too" And it was the truth She’d told me once she didn’t care about this world - or about the half brother who’d raised her But she did This whole time, despite her Otherworldly plans for dorew increasingly bizarre when it became obvious the teren’t quite sure what to do with each other Wil didn’t chastise her for her absence, and at last, she si out and watch TV I think that was partly because it provided a concrete activity and partly because she’d beco up for lost TV time

I keptas they sat on the couch Jas brother’s shoulder, and I became acutely aware of the emptiness in my own faetting the referral to Enrique The closest I had to any fadoms I ruled Just as the Thorn Land had always called tosuch an ache within ht I wouldn’t be able to stay away

But first things first Thinking of Enrique re to my bedroom, I dialed his number and hoped he was up this early

"Miss Markha Caller ID left no surprises anyht"