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"Interesting eyes," she e eyes?" She turned and looked up at her husband

"They are, but soe can hide the copper This one did when she trapped Paenther" The raw disgust in his voice flayed her

Finally, after soothers with souls Others capable of honor and self-sacrifice Of love and kindness But none of that kindness would be turned toward her Because she was a Mage The enemy And the Feral Warriors ell-known to be h the front door and into the warm interior of an extraordinary house There were luxuriously appointed apartments within the caverns where she’d lived all these years, the apartments of Birik and his sorcerers, but she rarely visited thely She’d preferred her own rustic cell, or the woods, where she’d been left alone

But her gaze focused on the grandeur before her onder The foyer glowed brilliantly with light, nearly blinding her as her gaze took in the beauty of the high, three-story rooh above thee crystal chandelier the likes of which she’d never seen The walls were covered in richly decorated papers, gilt-fraantly upon thes was on the floor beneath her feet, a portrayal of a forest filled with naked er existed, if they ever had

Skye jerked at the sound of footsteps and looked up to find three people rushing into the foyer - twoover the blond fe with such relief, Skye wondered if this were Paenther’s mate "We were so worried" But as she started forward, the largest of the olden hair, held her back

"Lyon" the blond coht a witch"

Kara’s blue eyes swung to her, flaring ariness and no sainst the big man as his arm went around her protectively

This ely, foolishly, Skye was glad

The wolad you’re okay"

"Thank you, Radiant"

Holding the woainst him, Lyon reached for Paenther and clasped ar "I’reeted Paenther in the sa, but the relief in his pale eyes was clear When he released Paenther, he looked at her, his eyes going cold as a snowy day as he plucked at his goatee

"She’s tugging ather with a look sharp enough to cut before lifting his gaze to Paenther "The Shaets here"

"Agreed"

"Evangeline and Genovia are on their way as well I want everyone in that car cleared ihe "You and Delaney can clear one another"

Tighe grinned as he pulled the dark-haired wo his hard face rakish as he visibly inhaled the scent of her hair "If I have to"

The woaze swung to thekeep an eye on Paenther until we knohether he’s still enthralled" His gaze came back to Paenther "Get rid of her cantric, if you haven’t already"

Skye blanched All Mage were implanted with the braided copper circle upon ic focuser and accelerator Usually it was implanted deep in the flesh of the buttocks, where it wouldn’t be seen except by another Mage But hers wasn’t in her buttocks

"You can’t," she said quietly

"The hell we can’t" Lyon turned on her with eyes filled with such venoht into Paenther His arainst his chest

A deep, lion’s growl erupted from Lyon’s throat "You’re ours noitch, and we’ll do whatever we dae won’t upset the balance of the natural world" Lyon lifted that hard gaze to Paenther "Lock her up I’ll call you and Jag when the woet here As soon as you’re cleared, we’ll meet in the war rooain, and pulled her down the hall to a doorway, then down a long, long flight of stairs

"Paenther" She sed hard "I’m not your enemy If I were, I wouldn’t have helped you escape"

His hand tightened around her upper arm "I don’t want to hear it" His voice was like ice

"I hate Birik as much as you do More! I hate hi her lose her balance, but his too-tight grip kept her fro of dread, she did as he co the bottoe lit by electric sconces hung on the walls They walked past a dark rooe, well-lit room with ultramodern workout equiped up the exercise machinery to turn this into some kind of torture chah the large roolass was a door

Paenther pushed her through into a long, narrow passage that appeared to have been cut out of the rock The stone was cold beneath her feet Finally, the passage opened to a wide, rustic prison block, each cell separated from the next by thick stone walls

Her stomach cramped at the realization that this was to be her fate For how long? Would she ever again see the light of day?

So many times, Birik had imprisoned her But she’d always known all she had to do to be set free was cooperate The power to free herself had always, ulti was in her hands Her breath caught on a hard lue, he’d said She was used to pain But taking the abuse from this man, who she knew possessed kindness, threatened to break her Her body began to tremble

Paenther pulled her to a halt in front of one of the cells and opened it "Leave us," he said to the twodrawled

Paenther glared at hiy to have adiscussion And I won’t have an audience"

If his words hadn’t told her he rip on her arm did Her mouth went dry, and it was suddenly all she could do not to try to fight her way loose froet away And the punishment would only be worse if she tried That was the way it had always been with Birik

The air didn’t sees

The pale-eyedon the back "Come" To Paenther he said, "Don’t kill her Yet"

As the two hugeher throat It was socruelty from a man who’d once been kind Lucian’s betrayal had broken her as Birik’s attacks never had

Paenther released her arm and pushed her into the cell

Skye whirled to face him, desperate to try toI did was because I wanted to Except free you"