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It was almost as if she felt the same kind of loyalty to Thronos that she did to Sabine But Sabine had never hurt her the way Thronos continued to do

Even so, Lanthe would drag him out of the zone All seven feet of him

"Thronos, you are such a pain in my ass," she snapped at his unconscious forain! I want this noted"

Careful not to cross thehim toward her The instant she’d pulled his head out of the zone, his eyes shot open, locking on her "Melanthe?"

She dropped his feet; he scraaze around, as if danger was on the horizon He scented the air

Under his breath, he grated, "Not real?" The crazed look on his face had her backing away from him

Then he turned to her "Not real" He eased closer

"Uht rain, he reached for her, cupping her face with hands that shook His thuether, lips thinned

She’d seen this yearning expression before--after that three-day absence when she’d called hio, when he’d finally returned to their meadow, his eyes had told her, I’ve been pretty much lost without you

"I want your future, Melanthe," he rasped now "I don’t care about the past We’ll work out the fucking details"

Where was this coed--

His lips descended on hers As in her dreaainst her mouth He sounded like he’d die if she didn’t return his kiss

A clai-back kiss

Despite her issues with hiroaned again, as if she’d conceded far ue dipped, her eyes slid shut in bliss

His lips slowly slanted, his tongue sensuously tangling with hers For so into a devastating kisser Her hands twined around his neck, her toes curling as they began sharing breaths

When he drew back, he left her dazed, blinking up at him "Thronos, I think that’s the best conversation we’ve ever had"

He didn’t release Melanthe, just kept his quaking hands on her cheeks

She was bri of her heart, the coursing of her lifeblood

Each wondrous breath she took

Though she’d initially looked stunned--and pleased--her broere drawing together "What’s going on with you?" She dropped her hands, ducking fro clearly? You’ve suddenly realized how stupid it is to obsess about my past?"

"I almost lost you" He bit out the words, unable to process what had just happened--what he’d seen and felt

"What are you talking about?"

"Youyou draggedhis hands on her "Delivered me from it"

"From what?"

"Hell I was in ed your mind about my past?"

He nodded "You talked about traps e first arrived, about repeated labors I believe I was in a loop of some kind In each repetition, no matter what I did, I couldn’t save you Youdied You were crushed by stone"

She arched her brows "Typical The harlot got stoned to death"

His voice hoarse, he said, "Don’t talk like that Please" He took her hand in his, never wanting to let it go

She gazed up at hi the emotions in him--the ones he didn’t bother to hide How asinine he’d been! He wanted to e and fas, he need only look to their future It was there--for the taking!

She was

Unless he’d already ruined things beyond repair

"What do the markers say?" she asked

"Pain confesses all And Tione through wasn’t real

But the lesson had been

"What does it ht when it allowed itself to repeat" With his free hand, he tucked a lock of raven hair behind her ear "And pain clarified hts about us"

"That soundsintense"

You have no idea "We need to e of this zone If we’d both crossed into it, we could’ve been there for eternity And I’d rather spend forever with the pest that is" He brushed the backs of his fingers along her delicate jawline, vowing to all the Lore, to all the gods, that he would protect this wo row accustole sounded froazed over her shoulder "They wouldn’t be signaling a charge during the day"

"Unless they’re co for those keys Let’s put soo back And we don’t knohich way this zone’s edge extends"

He craned his head up to the sky, biting out a curse "We can’t go up"

Outlined by bursts of lightning, a pack of Volar deent? Their position pinned Thronos and Lanthe against the hell zone

Their backs were against an invisible wall

THIRTY-FOUR

If I take you into the air, they’ll rip you froan to vibrate beneath their feet

"More are co!" Lanthe cried Just beyond the brush, de toward theht thehouls, but de

With reluctance, Thronos released her hand, bringing his wings in tight to strike "Stay behind o near theed back