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"What about Arhys?"

"I will attempt to help her as I can, but if you--we--e the present, and she will not need me All will be as it should, and there will be plenty of Weapons to protect her

"So, do you have a suitor?"

"Uiven this soht "My father tried to marry me off"

Cade dismissed that with a wave of his hand "But is there anyone special? A man in your life, one whose arms you will return to?"

She bit her bottouarantee I’ll find a way hoet killed in the process"

"That’s not what I asked"

There was a man back in her Sacor City Did he wait for her, or had he forgotten her already? He’d haveparallel Day of Aeryon had coest Day that here

"Karigan," Cade said softly He reached across the table, placed his fingers under her chin, and gently steered her gaze back toward him "I need to know"

King Zachary er, but he was not hers to claian was no more than his servant She would not return to be held in his arms She pulled up the barriers inside because it was a loss to accept it, to know it She allowed nothing to shoardly There was just the scalding pain of emptiness inside

"No, there is no one," she told Cade

He searched her eyes with an intense gaze, then nodded and stood a little too abruptly "Good I will go now"

"Go?" she asked, perplexed by his sudden change in course "Where are you going?"

"The wagon You wanted your things, didn’t you?"

She nodded and sagged in her chair, exhausted She’d been feeling better, but now the day was catching up with her That’s what she told herself at least She pushed her plate aside and pillowed her head on her ar between them, but when he’d declared his intent to be a celibate Weapon, she’d set aside--or tried to, at least--any expectation that their attraction would progress She ell practiced in this setting-aside thing, first with Alton, then with King Zachary