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Sera had considered Karsten a friend for years, but there wasn’t any part of her that mourned his death today even for a second If not for Jehan’s quick thinking and speed with his blade, she had no doubt that Karsten would have killed her

He had almost killed Jehan too

The terror she’d felt at that possibility had nearly gutted her as she’d stood helplessly in Karsten’s grasp Even now, the reality of how close she’d co Jehan left her physically and emotionally shaken

But he was alive

Because of his warrior skills, they both were alive

"Are you all right, Sera?" His deep, caring voice wrapped around her as they stood inside the villa together "Is there anything I can do for you?"

She shook her head but couldn’t keep fro into the shelter of his ar her His strong heartbeat pounding steadily against her ear as she rested her head on his muscled chest She just neededhim

"You should call your brother," she es on her phone in the past couple of hours, asking them to contact him as soon as possible "We should let hi that we’re going to break the pact"

Jehan’s chest ruard "I should call the Order too, and tell thehts ButI’ht now is you"

He pulled back and looked at her, a dark stor in the pale blue of his eyes When he lifted her chin and took her ine that what she saw in his gaze--what she felt in his e deeper than concern or siht be love

"You’re tre, Seraphina" He reached out to caress her face and shoulder "And you’re cold too Coht--that there was soic at hen it came to the pact between their families Sera could alh the villa, his fingers laced with hers, it was far too easy to i the handfast was soether A future that ht just last an eternity

She hadn’tfor him at the end of the handfast She couldn’t pretend that her own life wasn’t waiting for her too

But for the next few nights, she wasn’t going to let reality intrude

Jehan brought her into the cavernous bathing roo-fed bath the size of a swie, then crouched down in front of her to remove her shoes The soft leather flats were caked with sand and spattered with Karsten’s dried blood Jehan hissed a low curse as he set theaze, there was doubt in his eyes "Can you forgiveive"

"No" Hiset a hold of you in the first place"

Oh, God Is that what he thought? Is that eighed on his conscience now?