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"I’ve been a spectator for you too," I said "Your workouts have gotten reallyenergetic?"

"I often train harder whenhis head to keep his gaze on my ass

Whenever his eyes raked overrush Still, I cleared etic look

"So, Death, is today the day you’re going to kill me?"

For the first time, his ansas different: "There’s all the time in the world for that, is there not? For now, I’ll watch you dance"

Deeood moment to strike, I crossed over to hi before hiazed down at his perfect face "I won’t ever hurt you"

"I could never give you free run of my home without it"

This close, his sandalwood scent swept me up "I’m not like I used to be You have to sense that" I eased hter "I trust no one fully in the gah steel in his tone for h not to find hi, then began to dance, soon losing ht’s dream, the one that had starred the man before me He was ue?

As I bent and swayed, working up a sweat, I replayed each second of that drea theht hiaze focused on the peaks of lyphs stirred, and there was nothing I could do to disguise the about, creature?" His words were husky

Licking your runes? Thank God he couldn’t readto say "I bet you were expecting a taller E about your appearance"

When we locked eyes in the h race and strode toward me I sed Would he try to kiss ht distance away "Co"

"Wow, actual pero Join ive you a boon Lose, and you’ll give et him to tell aued with curiosity, I’d showered, then peered into the closet What to wear? My gaze was i red, my favorite color

I settled on jeans and a poppy-red cash sweater On the scale fro toward the latter At least I could re my arms

He seemed to preferready for a date In a way, this was a date A date with Death? Cringe

If hts drifted toward another boy, I shut them down ruthlessly

In fact, as I made es I knew I’d learnhours alone up in my turret

When I knocked at the Reaper’s study, Cyclops plunked down onto the floor in the hallway

Instead of calling for htened when looking at ood start to the evening

He ushered uessed since he’d invited entle black button-down and slacks His belt and shoes looked like they’d cost arcane crop

Outside, the rain came down in torrents Inside this room, arm, the space lit only by a fire and candles I reht of a touard had eaten one of Death’s kids The Prince

"What is it, Empress? You just went pale"

So observant "I, u The book you loaned lass of vodka in front of one" I ran laring at ly

"How did this co to his seat His expression was ier level

"I’ to be returned"

He steepled his fingers Before I’d seen that as an arrogant gesture, but now it struck e that you do not wish to implicate anyone else"

"You already knohat happened, don’t you?"

"You could have blamed the wolf--or Fauna, for thaton me, okay?" I couldn’t believe I’d made this connection, but at times Lark’s attitude reminded me a little ofMel’s "If it uilt over this"

"Why?"

I frowned "Because I took responsibility for sos to you, that you treasure, and it was destroyed in uard these books, my face heated "And it was"--I squirladly have forfeited the book to see this"

Huh? "My discomfort?"

"The evidence of your empathy And your honesty" He tilted his head atnew

"You’re not mad?"

"Fortunately for you, the Italian edition is ain, relaxing "So, what are we going to play?"

"Tarocchi" From his drawer, he took out a deck of cards, old-fashioned looking ones that were longer than regular playing cards

He handed the deck toto read my future? That wouldn’t be very fair, since it’s already in your hands"