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She said, "Iin?"

"Surrendering to the death"

Balthazar scowled, his heavy brow furrowing "Surrendering to death sounds like a bad idea In any situation, but especially this one"

"I kno it sounds But so to do" Skye braced herself against one of the desks as she shakily got to her feet "I’ll know better what to do next time It won’t destroy ed "It’s not your choice to like or dislike"

"Skye--do we have to be like--"

"We’re okay," she said, and tried to s were too raw for that, really, but she didn’t want to turn into a teary uys in the saht?"

He took her home

The drive to her place went even slower than the journey there The snow had finally outstripped the plows’ ability to keep up with it, and the scant few cars still on the road were creeping along Balthazar’s car was no four-wheel drive, but he kept it steady anyway He was as good with automobiles as he ith horses

"I should call Mom and Dad," she said, just to break the silence in the car "They won’t be able to s for a hotel room in Albany when that happens"

Balthazar said, "I’"

Skye stared over at hi about"

"It’s just a relief to have you talking to h on you Or as rude And I shouldn’t have bitten you"

He didn’t regret walking away froet close at all

She said only, "You’re here to protect ht" He sounded as if he didn’t entirely believe her Fair enough, she figured; she didn’t entirely believe herself "Hopefully we can still hang around--"