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She caught sight of hiaze widened, as if with disbelief She dropped the bag she was carrying, taking a quick step forward, body tensed, those red lips parted

He could almost swear she’d been about to leap into his arht A trick of thehis palms, he quickly said, "My name is Thronos Talos, and I mean you no harm, sorceress"

"I know" Her eyes started to shileam "I don’t mean you any harm either," said the tiny female--who looked like she couldn’t hurt a fly

But with Sorceri, appearances were deceiving

Her friendly deled not to limp in front of such a beauty

"I’ on her ot the curious i herself in place

She also showed no surprise at her surroundings, as if she’d been to this glade before Thronos had half believed he was the only one who knew of it

All around her, surreal drops floated and bubbles bobbed, but she never took her eyes from him When she tilted her head, her black hair swept over her shoulder, sending tendrils of her scent toward hiht with tension

Sky Home

This exquisite creature washis rave; vu wracked him "Will you not close that threshold and speak withback to the portal She leaned over to poke her head back in Gods, the body on that female! He didn’t knohether he wanted to kiss her--or crush her in a hug

All he kneas that the shard was sloithdrawing fro to someone on the other side Was there another ould yank her back through? Who could ever let such a feo?

His face fell How could a woht this veryfeet behind me!" Pause "Because old, I don’t need an illusion," she said in an exasperated tone "I look fine I’ll portal soon!"

Relief rushed through him as soon as the threshold closed

"My sister" Lanthe rolled her eyes "For someone so cool, she’s turned into a mother hen Weird So where e?" She seemed nervous

"Why are you in a place like this, sorceress?" A dark thought arose "Perhaps you’ve coht their total annihilation

"I vow to you that I have no loyalties to Morgana She’s taken much from me"

"Then we have that in codom, Thronos"

"Howto choose her words carefully, she said, "I believe that I’m versed in both sides of the conflict"

"Then you know Vrekener actions could have prevented the attack I could have I should have paidand his actions"

"You blanant on his behalf

"Of course"

"How about this: Let’s not blame anyone Let’s just fix the situation as best as we can"

He liked this sorceress! Playing along, he said, "How shall we fix it, then?"

"I’ on it even as we speak But first, tell me--why are you here? What do you hope to find in Pandeh his hair "I’ve been unwell In the explosion that destroyedSome of my memories were lost" Why did he find it so easy to talk to her? Just because she was his fated one? Yet she also felt fa to this place, but it’s like looking at a puzzle with half of the pieces " Sharing these things with her felt like shucking weights from his shoulders

"Maybe I can help with that?" she said softly, her voice like a balm

Surely this sorceress had to be taken by someone And even if she wasn’t, the idea of a fe him was implausible

He was scarred, his body andin the worlds to offer her

But I want her He’d still try Because he also had nothing to lose

Yet when she sidled closer and he drew more deeply of her scent, he detected the faintest hint ofanother

Recognition slahty he felt that his knees would buckle Voice gone hoarse, he said, "Sorceress, you’re expecting" She was taken "Where’s your e hiht to the death for a female like thisI will kill him

Her eyes misted as she murmured, "I fear the man I knew is lost to me forever"

The depths of sadness she conveyed roused a seething jealousy inside hily about him--only him!

But if the other male was lost

Then I can have her for my own

Lanthe had just probed hisof herself in Thronos’s thoughts, not past today His blocks were down--he ht not even remember that he had the irl named Melanthe

A wife A queen A best friend

How could she hts troubled her as well Though he was filled with fury toward theto choke it back so he could speak to her with his full attention, because his "mind was not well"

Already, he’d scented that she was his mate He neared, tentatively, so as not to scare her away He had no idea he’d never be rid of her

When drops fros over his head, creating a shelter "I’ve always room for you too"

Don’t cry, don’t cry As shein his exhausted ray eyes He didn’t look like he’d eaten or slept since they’d been separated, and his wings had reverted to their gnarled and twisted state She’d noticed hi to conceal his limp in front of her