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He smiled humourlessly "We were like two peas in a pod We loved one another very much But my aunt found out aboutsootten wind of Dru’s affair with one of the stable boys and threatened to expose her" He snorted "So cliché, I know, but a word from my aunt and Dru would have been ruined And Ariana loves Dru, so she took up the situation my aunt offered her and disappeared My aunt wouldn’t tell o, leavingMy aunt was a conniving bitch but a clever one"

"So you wanttowards er back up "I won’t hurt you, Lady Rogan"

"No, you won’t," I bit out I was split in two by him Part of me ached for him, and the other distrusted him as I did most men What if he’d hurt Ariana somehow and she had wanted to disappear, wanted to stay disappeared A plan formed in my mind "You better leave, Grof Krill, before I screa to force the Princezna’s Azyl to work for you"

"No" Krill shook his head "I would never force you I just want your help"

"I can’t help you, hness Now please leave"

I watched the light diard "Of course, ise for my untoward behaviour I overstepped"

He left quietly, the door closing behind hihed wearily I would never sleep now Instead I hurried to the dressing table and ruh the drawers until I found stationery I dipped an my letter…

Dear Ariana,

You do not know an of Vasterya, Princezna Haydyn’s Handh to enjoy the hospitality of Grof Krill Rada of Raphizya whom I am told you are acquainted with I write to you on behalf of a desperate man who tells me he loves you I have not inforh the Grof did command me to seek you, so if he lies and yours was not a relationship of mutual love then fear not, he will not find you Did you know the Grof had no inkling of his aunt’s blackmail until after your disappearance? Did you know his aunt is dead thus freeing your dear friend from any consequences of her blackmail? Grof Krill desperately seeks you, Ariana He has been looking for three years I doubt he will ever give up He loves you

If you love hihed and folded the letter into an envelope, addressing it to Ariana I snorted at irl would probably think the letter a hoax I shrugged and pulled on a dressing gown Still, it was the only thing I could think to do for hi all my trust in his sincerity I hurried fro shadows across the walls as I h the mansion and out into the cold stable yard I shivered and rushed to the stables, couard whose hand i in shock, in recognition

"My Lady," the officer whispered, rushing towardout here? Are you well?"

I nodded, ether "Here" I thrust the envelope at hier immediately and have this delivered in Javinia" I handed over the coins to pay the ly "Of course, my Lady But please, I insist you return inside"

I s so" And without another word, I hurried back toward themy letter reached Ariana

Chapter Nine

I didn’t think I had ever been so tired The idly up in bed until sunlight started to spill through the cracks in the curtains of the guest suite By the time the maids arrived to helpdress adorned, my hair back in its conservative plait I knew they were shocked by my ‘unladylike’ behaviour – a lady who took care of herself, haven forbid - and I ist the servants of Grof Krill’s home when I left But by that point I was so nuive a damn

The Grof was not at breakfast and the butler infor his men in the stables I scoffed down soht wakeGrof Krill would not be seeing ht, cold – encounter withfor me I felt annoyed that no one had co the one to keep everyone waiting, like I was that worumpier and I huffed in annoyance as Lieutenant Chaeron helped an" Wolfe urged his horse towards me from the front of our cavalcade He nodded a dismissal at the Lieutenant who left my side to iving us so suddenly I wasbonnets, but they annoyed s, and bonnets cut off too much ofI wasn’t in for so ive it my best effort

His blue eyes were pale as the sun shone off the for injury "Are you alright, Lady Rogan? After last evening, I mean?" He twisted hisbehaviour

I nodded sardonically, suppressing a yawn "Yes, Captain, I aht and apologised"

Wolfe stiffened at the news, his eyes narrowing "Oh he did, did he? And what exactly did he tell you?"

I shrugged "He was trying to ingratiate hiic to find so around in the saddle to glare bloody murder at Krill’s mansion For a moment he looked ready to dis whilst he was turned away The man really took his duties too seriously

"Never er still etching his features "I assure you I knew fro, Captain I’m not the sort of worew uncoest what I had said And then he snorted and gathered his reins "And yet so many of them do"

Too tired to question that cryptic coed Lieutenant Chaeron with a tre side by side, the Guard at our backs

I barely re Peza, my mental state had practically shut down andwas a blur as I fought to keep my eyes open, my body tense so it didn’t fall asleep But as the city disappeared behind us and the land grew quieter, passing rew happy for the peace, and thus began to give in to its need for respite I began to feel a little nauseated with the exhaustion and fought to keepoff at Peza Every ti, beautiful, serene face danced across the blackness ofpain shot out of ripped the reins harder, deter

My body was in total disagreement Perhaps three, maybe four hours into our journey all I are of was the heat of the sun burning throughof horses hooves,aroundoutside in the grass by the cliffs in Sabithia It was a hot suan to drift into sluan," I heard a voice call in the distance My eyes popped open at the happy sound and I stood up leisurely I gazed behind me to see Haydyn approach, and was shocked to see her all alone She was barefoot like rass at our feet