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"Why this turnaround?"

"I was cruel before because I thought you were evil For centuries, I believed that This anger inside , and I felt like I’d explode if I didn’t vent it"

"Thronos, you haven’t been venting it--you’ve been giving it to ht have eased your ill will, but you’ve kindled et how many males have bedded you? Every time you and your sister left Rothkalina, I kneas because you were on the hunt for a power I knew you’d bedded yet another sorcerer who’d stolen one of your abilities" He paced, his leg beginning to ache once more, a stark contrast to those ainst him and the residual heat of pleasure The pain was all the worse after its temporary absence "I was left so daed because someone hurt my mate, I’d be racked with jealousy Whenever you let another take you" He stopped to face her "Melanthe, there is no word to describe that pain"

She lifted her chin "I can’t change my past I wouldn’t even if I could"

"Why? I suppose those lovers were so ale one?" And yet his first sexual encounter with Melanthe had resulted in no orgasainst her belly

How excellent, Talos

"I wouldn’t take back s, and I’ve had these experiences Which means I’ll only fall for so worse than when a male looks at a female and thinks, ‘She would be perfect, if only’ "

"You believe I think that?"

"I know you do! Melanthe would be perfect if only she were a convent-raised virgin, innocent in the ways of o without stealing/drinking/ga If only she were a Vrekener"

He couldn’t deny these things "And have you reasoned so about old--and each minute alive If only you could comprehend that I’m more than a number"

He bit out a sound of frustration "I don’t want to think of you like this! But it gutsyou with them! Jealousy claws at et over ain, not as I have"

"That’s not what I asked Can you get over it?"

He didn’t want to lie to her, but he didn’t see how he could ignore what she’d been doing for five centuries "You have to give me time to wrap my head around all this For very, veryon which to focus Now? I’m always conflicted I just need tiet used to life at Skye Hall? To dress differently, to act differently Even to make love differently How much time would I be allotted to becoh his hair "Then tell e s Do it now!"

"I can’t--not when you boil inary number of males Know that you’re about to join their ranks"

"What does that mean?"

"Just like you, they all failed to win me When I finally find the one I’ no other has claiaze with her own "My heart"

So of hers he could possess that no other had before

"You’re no different fro fro like that sorcerer! I’d give my life for yours You know that"

"Because of your instinct Re that it compelled you to pursue me--otherwise you would have takenyou to be with ainst your will"

Guilt flared--he had even fought his instinct when it urged him to bestow a kindness on her He’d had nu, and each ti ourselves, Thronos With our history, these last three days have just been a recap The da to get et it! To see it differently" She pinched the bridge of her nose "Why a, demonic wall I just can’t do this with you!" She sat to put on her boots, refusing to look at hiht, he paced the glade

Yet as his ire cooled, he began to feel like the worst hypocrite Who was he to judge her? He’d planned to coh they weren’t wed

I dare to judge?

Why couldn’t he get over the past? He was going to destroy her before it was all over

She’d been hunted, attacked, and poisoned oodness in her at all! She could have done truly unforgivable deeds Instead, she’d lived her life

Without hies, he’d told hied hi he would always despise her

But deep down, hadn’t he feared the opposite was true? That no force in the universe could change his feelings for her?

He recalled his conversation with Nïx, when she’d told hi back frustration that he would have to wait an entire year to capture his o ive you a piece of advice, Thronos Talos Before Melanthe became this, she was that"

He hadn’t knohat the Valkyrie was talking about Now, as he gazed over at his mate, the answer came to him

Before Melanthe became my enemy, she was my best friend

TWENTY-NINE

When Lanthe stood, dressed oncewith power

WhichThronos She turned a o wherever"Melanthe, we don’t have to figure this out all at once We can’t expect to wade through everything so soon It will take tiet hoo with him It was rumored that the Vrekeners stored all the sorcery they harvested in a vault in Skye Hall; Thronos was planning to take her straight there

As charged up as she felt right now, she could command Aristo to kiss Sorceri ass and order him to release all the abilities his kind had stolen ( one or two or ten for herself and Sabine)