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"Whatever he says, don’t let hirowled Lyra looked over at him, surprised, as soasps and worried voices, and the sick feeling intensified So had happened, she knew it And if it had to do with the Ptolemy…

"Why would I do that?" she asked

"Because you care," Jaden replied "That’s fine, but remember how quickly they cast you aside Whatever has happened, you’re not going to go rushing off to save the day with Silowered at him, but as they came around the curve of the staircase and she saas waiting for her at the bottootten Dull horror replaced it as she took in the sight of the ed in Every last bit of glow from what she had shared with Jaden vanished

"Oh no," she breathed "Dad"

She flen the last few steps, then stopped short as she watched a group of unfamiliar vampires, all dark and somehow feline, take Dorien’s unconscious form and lower it to the floor Lily was there, dressed now, and cast a single worried look at Lyra while issuing orders like a seasoned general

"We need to change the bandages and see about cleaning out those wounds Put hiroup of vauessed, froathered to prepare to lift hi toward them from the back of the house, to call Vlad Dracul for his doctor Lyra had heard the na once or twice, but she wasn’t sure why more va his people," Lily explained when she saw Lyra’s puzzled look "I’ll get a local doctor if I have to, but considering how fast we all heal, it can get sticky with the explanations And the Dracul can get here quickly if they need to"

"They need to, then," Lyra said as she rushed to her father

What she saw shocked her

Dorien Black was less aroaded in some places, but it seemed there had just been too es looked fresh, others were crusted with blood fro His face hite, covered with long, curved scabs There was a faintly bluish tint to his lips, and the soft breaths Lyra could hear were distressingly shallow

She had never seen him look so vulnerable

"Dad," she whi helplessly over wounded flesh But he wasn’t there… she could feel it Dorien was either deep inside himself, or nowhere at all

"Let us take care of hiet him cleaned up and looked over while ait, and then I’m sure you’ll want to sit with him Whatever was done to him it’s more than e can see He shouldn’t be unconscious" She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and athered Lilim to lift Dorien to take him up the stairs It took a lot of effort for Lyra to step back, but soed She heard Lily’s muttered curse

"What a mess Jesus"

Lyra felt Jaden’s hands on her shoulders, shelter from another storm if she needed it She nearly turned into hiard nizable from just a week before

"Si herself quickly enveloped in the warhtly, nearly taking her breath aith the force of his hug Then she understood exactly how bad it was Si down

She pulled back when he released her He was un red scar that curved froht ear down his cheek His eyes were haunted, and he was just as pale as she was Dark circles beneath his eyes made him look like he’d been punched

"What happened?" she asked

"That’s what I’d like to know," Jaden said, his voice like ice

Lyra turned to see Jaden watching the two of theuised jealousy She stepped away but could see the dae was already done

If relations between he and Si to improve, it wouldn’t be anyti he needed to believe she wouldn’t leave hiht on the heels of that, she realized that she now had as long as it took