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"What are you doing?" I asked, voice unsteady

He finally looked up into il "Do you feel them?"

My eyes narrowed in a frown "No They’re scars That’s all they are to il that twined around my nipple, eyes on ether in his expression "Rhyzkahl did this," he said, as though really taking it in for the first time

Goosebumps rose on my skin "Yes Carved them with an essence blade, then tortured me to fire each one," I said, a Eyes still on his, I lowered my head and called up the memory of the torture He wanted to knoas ory details

He dropped his hand and stepped back, shaking his head

"Yes," I said quietly "He did this"

Indecision clouded his expression, though I couldn’t iain, then looked to aze "Go find Mzatal"

"Huh? Why?"

His eyes unfocused briefly as if he was listening to so, then snapped back to mine "Run, Kara Find Mzatal Now!"

I took a step back from him, then turned and snatched up my bikini top and robe I o steps frorove activate I sucked a breath in and whirled to look at Vahl

"Rhyzkahl," I breathed Vahl’s expression didn’t change He sure as shit didn’t look surprised

I quickly yanked on my robe and fled to find Mzatal

Chapter 36

Mzatal was descending the stairs as I rushed into the atrium, his shirt and face spattered with blood frorove," he said with dark intensity as he approached "I have cast him back and bound the blades so that he cannot use his, but this alsomy robe more securely around me, I stopped at the base of the stairs and looked up at hi chamber He lays support," he said as he passed "Shield yourself Draw all that you are able frorove"

I started up the steps, then paused No That wasn’t right I knew it in my essence I couldn’t simply cower and hide and shieldwith you"

He stopped and turned to ht line "It is Rhyzkahl," he said "And I do not wish to risk you while there is a safer alternative"

"Yeah And I don’t want to hide in a corner and hope for a good outcorove as well as in here Maybe better So I don’t think it’s safer"

"Kara," he said with urgent intensity, as he backed down the corridor "I will be in open conflict and unable to adequately protect you" He shook his head "Rhyzkahl’s initial attack and my counter drained most of my reserves, and he is near untouched"

"All the o with you," I said as I strode toward hioing to stop hi chamber And it feels like I need to be out there, where he is Where you are Trust ht nod "So be it," he said, turning to move with me "Stay close" We continued down the corridor to the rove at a brisk pace

"Vahl knew," I said with a quick glance to him "He ith ht before I felt the grove activate"

Mzatal’s jaw sohtened more than it already was "Vahl has cast aside much" He bit the words out