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She centered her attention on her body, paying attention to where she hurt and how it differed from the residual pain of the endless torture she’d endured Her breaths were strained Shallow and painful

"Ribs," she asp out "Think I have broken ribs And ers"

"Yes, I can see," Rio said as he carefully picked up her hand

He turned his head and nodded at one of theburly man closest to Rio hovered over her He was awith s like tree trunks

"She’s lost feeling in her fingers," Rio said as if discussing so as mundane as the weather "We’ll have to set the break"

Her pulse exploded and she tried to sit up, but Rio put a hand on her shoulder "Be still, Grace"

The command in his voice froze her in her tracks

"Can you heal yourself?"

The idle curiosity in his voice baffled her He was so calm Unruffled He spoke of her abilities like they were the lanced nervously between the two h she couldn’t iine what it could be

The people who’d kept her captive kneell her abilities They wouldn’t have to ask questions Was this yet another faction anted to use her?

Panic was rising swiftly when Rio simply put his hand on her cheekon her and softly caressed "Take deep breaths, okay? We’re going to help you This is Terrence He’s o acts as our medic when Donovan Kelly isn’t around to patch us up, but Terrence is going to set the break for you"

Her brorinkled in confusion She had no idea who any of these people were, but Rio continued a steady strea her befuddle to hurt like a son of a bitch I won’t lie to you But I need you to be strong If you screa we need I’ to knot one of my shirts, and I want you to bite down on it as hard as you like But don’t let out a sound Can you do that?"

If he only kne much she’d silently endured, he’d never ask that question But she si that whatever they did wouldn’t touch what she’d already gone through

He took out a T-shirt fro rope "You didn’t answer my question Can you heal yourself as you do others?"

"Yes," she whispered "I mean it’s different, but I do heal faster But there’s been soback more tears "I don’t know…"

Rio spoke in low, soothing tones "It’s okay, Grace I’et out of this"

So in his voice settled her Maybe it was the calm promise or the absolute conviction So out her breath in a whispery rush

"That’s irl," Rio murmured

He carefully placed the shirt between her teeth, feathered his hand over her jaw and then eased her "

She closed her eyes and nodded, not wanting to see as coly gentle manner She could instantly tell the difference, knew that it was Terrence who held her hand

And then he sith took her completely by surprise Her eyes flew open and her teeth bit savagely into the shirt Her body boith the instant flash of pain As she lay panting, her nostrils flaring with the ragged breaths she tried to suck in, a sense of relief settled over her

Her arm ached from the o stepped in and quickly bound her ars one of the other htly around the sticks so it was impossible for her to move her arm

Rio pulled the knotted shirt from herherself to speak

"Okay, this is what’s going to happen We have to move and I can’t spare the manpower necessary to keep you i to carry you out while my men surround us and provide cover With a broken ar on, there’s no easy way to do this It’s going to suck"

She tried to smile at the blunt way he put it, but her lips treh

"I’ll need at least one hand free so I can hold a gun and protect us both Terrence will secure you to le just like I’ to carry you, so it’ll work I don’t wanthe x2019;t you to worry If you don’t trust in anything else, you trust in the fact that we’re going to get you out of theseconviction in his voice gave her the first hope she’d experienced in ive up," Rio continued "I know you hurt I can only i up, Grace You’re a fighter Your sister’s a fighter"

Tears shirow hazy "I can’t talk to her I’m not sure I can talk to anyone…like before I mean"

Rio leaned over, his face close to hers "You’ll get it back I heard you last night It’s there You just have to heal both in body and spirit"

"Who are you?" she whispered around the knot in her throat

He sainst dark skin "I’et you the hell out of here, and then I’ut every last one of them"

She shivered at the e vow

"We need to roll, Rio," Terrence said, startling her She’d forgotten his presence Had forgotten all of thein close proxi over her She suddenly felt very snificant and extreround, surrounded by the warriors with death in their eyes

This time Terrence knelt by her side, his voice quiet and she suspected purposely gentle so as not to scare the bejesus out of her It was a little late for that…

"All right, Miss Grace This is what’s going to happen Theof sorts that will secure you to Rio’s back I’ to lift you very carefully I’ll try not to hurt you"

She nodded her understanding