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Skye had the sense to start running--away froe Eb one that way, too As much as Balthazar would’ve liked to use the rave--hoped for a ive hiht he’d see whether Redgrave’s own tribe e He turned to the side, ready to dash after her, when he carave’s loyalists and enforcers

She stood a few feet from him, silent as a cat Instead of the heavy coat even vampires would want in this bleak chill, she wore only a short-sleeved white dress that stopped far short of her knees Her legs were bare; she wore high heels that y Balthazar knew better than to assu loose, halfway down her back, and a few tendrils blew across her face She’d washed it recently--rare, for her Her eyes remained locked with his, as if she were as startled to see hi louder than a whisper: "Charity"

"Hello, dear brother" Charity suileless and sweet--for only one instant Then her face twisted into a gri everybody’s life but mine"

Guilt and shock froze hi Charity swung so into his head; he hadn’t even seen that she had so in her hand, but whatever it was, it washim further with each blow, and the more his head hurt, the harder it was to defend hiain she struck hiround that sloped sharply Balthazar fell, rolling over and over, at first only grateful that for athe hell out of hi sharply beneath hi va water--it was being sub water

Balthazar grabbed desperately for so, but it was too late He fell froh the air for one terrible ed into the ice-cold rapids

He sank like a stone

Chapter Sixteen

SKYE RAN AS HARD AS SHE COULD HER SIDE cras, but she kept pushing Eb stood not far away, quivering with fright, but if she could cale of whatever insane vaet out of here

But where was Balthazar? She’d seen hirave appeared, but not since They couldn’t have hurt him, could they? Or would they have staked hihed her fear for herself, and Skye turned to look for hi beaten, brutally, by soirl but must have been another va the loose rocks and brush there, then tu about va bad Skye couldn’t reht with her heartbeat pounding and her whole body already aching All she kneas that Balthazar wasn’t able to save her Instead, she’d have to save him

Skye ran the rest of the way to Eb, who stood still but remained jittery Even amid her panic, she knew she had to make sure he was steady to ride; the only way to make her situation worse would be to wind up thrown or trahed half a ton "C’ly along his side "Good boy You want to get out of here, don’t you? Let’s get out of here Okay, Eb? That’s ht Skye hooked her foot into the stirrup and got herself into the saddle Eb stamped his feet a couple of tied hialloped downstreaht She and Dakota had played down there as children before their parents caught them at it and forbade it--after which they played down there only slightly less They’d discovered that al tossed into the river upstreaoods) eventually washed into the tide pool If Balthazar couldn’t swim, or was too dazed to do so, he’d probably wind up there Certainly it would be her best chance to retrieve him

But then she heard the sound of soh the trees behind her, and knew Redgrave hadn’t stopped all of her pursuers

Skye spurred Eb harder, wishing she didn’t have to do it, and maybe she didn’t; her horse wanted out of there as badly as she did As she steered Eb down the slope leading to the tide pool, Skye looked around desperately; alht A tree nearby had lost a few branches during the last hard ice, and one hung amid the lower li Skye tugged it free and clutched it close to her side, end out

But then Lorenzo sprang out, running toward her at that blurry va to do it, Skye drove Eb forward, toward Lorenzo rather than away, leaning forith her hten the vampire; maybe she’d meant to knock him aside Skye wasn’t certain She didn’t h the chest--but it did