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Owain untwined his fingers and folded theain "That’s what you caood as an ad with her "Yes"

Owain shrugged He knew the Shifter well enough, then, not to expect her to tell him more than he needed to know "I don’t exactly trust her But I understand her, and that makes her somewhat predictable"

Understand Clarisse? But rasp of human emotions

In her ht lines

But ht lines because he preferred to Not because it was the only way he could think

It took her a ret This was a , if they had met under difference circumstances If they had been on the same side

"Just be careful," she said, and as she turned she considered killing him There were dozens of reasons to do it He had as …her , and went to who she could use to pluck that burr out of her hair And she ht need Owain, to repeat to Rokan what he had said So she left him alive, with his wine and his books, and went to find her prince

Rokan was, conveniently enough, also in his room His brother ith him, and they had drao chairs and a s soame There was a decanter of wine on the floor next to theoblets on the table

She addressed herself to Will "I have to talk to your brother"

Rokan nodded, and Will got up and left, scowling at her resentfully as he passed Isabel took his seat and ran her finger along the flat board on the wooden table, with the assorted on it She didn’t kno to play this game; well, ould she? "You have a problem"

"Only one?" Rokan oblet to his lips He was still wearing the elaborate doublet he had put on for the banquet, and he sat in a relaxed slouch; he could have been just a carefree noble off one of his rare moments of enjoyment "Want to see if you can win? He hasn’t conored that--as if it was beneath her, not as if she couldn’t do it "Your probleoblet, staring at it as he turned it around in his hands "She’s staying away froerous to erous to you There’s no point--" Isabel took a deep breath "That’s not what Iwith Duke Owain"

A dash of wine sloshed suddenly over the rioblet Rokan swore and put it down, carefully but not gently, ignoring the circle of red liquid spreading across the table "There are liet aith, Isabel"

She put both hands on the table and stared hard at Rokan’s set face "She’s been speaking to hi"

"Did she tell you that?"

"She doesn’t tellShe should, but she doesn’t But she’s not plotting with anyone behind my back, and if you say she is, you’re a liar"

Isabel opened her mouth, then closed it

"You just need someone to be suspicious of," Rokan said

Isabel slid her hands off the table "I have dozens of people to be suspicious of Your sister has et herself on the top of the list I know you’re used to relying on her coht with you, is it? Because how dare I rely on someone who isn’t you"

"You’re a fool," Isabel spat If not for the ancient coht have slapped him "You relied on Daria, too, didn’t you?"

His entire face hite Isabel stood "They’re huht think they love you, but they have other loves and hates and fears that you know nothing about They’re weak, and you shouldn’t trust them!"

Rokan shoved his chair backward so hard it fell, then stalked to theHe spoke without facing her, his voice taut "And you have no weaknesses? No loves and hates and fears?"

"No," Isabel said flatly

"Really? No hatred of Clarisse to cloud your judgment?"

"No"

"No desire to run away to your woods and leave me alone? No love for a sorcerer’s apprentice, that his death changes you like this?"

The conversation was getting dangerous, but Isabel was too angry to care He would probably bring that up next No anger that makes you want to hurt es me?"

He turned around to face her, his lips white "Do you think I’ to be around you You’ve been different More…intense Single-minded Driven"

"More like the Shifter, youit"

"Well, you should be happy Don’t you wantat her, his face bleak "I am happy," he said miserably "I need you to be the Shifter, even if I don’t like you as er It’s just…" He drew his shoulders in tight "I don’t even feel that you likedeeper, and she pulled herself upright with a sudden sharp sense of danger "It doesn’t matter whether I like you or not I’ll protect you either way"

She was alhtened, and he said flatly, "Fine That’s all I ever wanted anyhow"