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She glanced over her shoulder, as if she hoped a ic door had suddenly appeared What she saw instead was a whole lot of nothing

No odeway that led back to the cru caves below

Effectively trapped, she clutched the baby tight against her and watched the Sylver chestnut hair and bronze eyes round the corner and step into view

Ariyal

"Don’t move, Jinn"

The fey kept his crossbow at his side, but he didn’t have to wave his weapon around to er from the coiled muscles of his slender body to the lethal intent etched onto his beautiful face

Laylah tried to s the lu by the Sylver his jeans, his past few hours had been about as much fun as hers, but unlike her, he didn’t look like he was running on empty Just her luck

"What do you want?" she demanded

His lips twisted in a parody of a save a shake of her head

"Is there a freaking de in this cave?"

The odd, aze lowered to the child she had tucked beneath her cloak

"You hold the fate of the world in your ar to stay"

He took a step forward "No, I’ritted "You’d better keep your distance …" She deliberately allowed the threat to dangle He didn’t look particularly inti shocker

"Or?"

"I’m not helpless"

He took several more steps toward her "Neither are you at your full …" He juy that hit hied hole in his T-shirt

"Shit"

"I warned you," she rasped, praying he wouldn’t suspect that she was as astonished as he was "Next time I won’t be so nice"

For once her prayer seemed to work

Orover her baby

"Easy, fe

"There’s no reason we can’t discuss this in a rational manner"

"My name is Laylah, not female," she snapped "And this is Maluhia"

"Laylah," he grit between clenched teeth "This isn’t your battle GiveIt’s very enuinely perplexed by her refusal to toss aside Maluhia as if he were no more than some trash she’d found "That babe has no connection to you Unless Marika lied and claimed …"

"Maluhia became my child the moment I took him from the mists," she fiercely interrupted

"Ad but adent to condemn the world to hell because you want to play mommy to a creature born of sin?"

Her spine stiffened at his accusation

Maluhia was an innocent And there was nothing self-indulgent in her desire to protect him

Schmuck

"I’m not the one ants to return the Dark Lord" "Neither do I"

The stark words brought the conversation to a screeching halt

She blinked, trying to figure out what new gah to believe he had become her aunt’s henchman, not to mention chased her and the baby halfway around the world, for shits and grins?

"I don’t believe you You’re …"

"Evil is no doubt the word you’re searching for," he smoothly completed her sentence

Her chin tilted "That’s exactly the word I want It’s no secret the Sylverly worshipped the Dark Lord and were banished from this world"

"Most were banished, Laylah," he corrected, anger flaring in his beautiful eyes "Get your facts straight Some of us chose to become slaves rather than continue to follow the Dark Lord"

She frowned at the throbbing sincerity in his voice "Only because you didn’t want to be cast out"

"A fey does not put hiana le Fay just to avoid banishinable pain twisted his features "Trust ainst her will, Laylah found herself wondering if he could be speaking the truth

Not that she trusted hienda