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Growling at ain, Vrik forced me forward and out of the tent Wolfe was nowhere to be seen My heart stopped and panic seized my chest "Where’s Wolfe?" I asked and received no answer Vrik tried to pullround "Where’s Wolfe?"

"He’s fine," Vrik snarled and used both hands to pick me up and put me down in front of him He pressed his hands into led all the way

"Damn it, tell et yer ass in this house before I do good on my earlier promise to shut ye up in a way that I’ll definitely enjoy, but ye won’t"

A flood of rage took over that I should be so vulnerable to this man, and I elbowed him deliberately as he pusheda better ti so hard it irl whilst I was being ht Vrik in the thigh He yelled and yankedme - into the house and down the cellar stairs

"Where’s Wolfe?!" I screanored as I was thrown into the cellar

I landed with a painful grunt,in my pain as they impacted with the stone floor

I heard a curse and then Wolfe’s face hovered over ht?"

He was here? In the cellar? I groaned and relaxed, thuround "Ouch" I was such an idiot They’d brought him back to the cellar to wait onkidnapped’ situation

"Rogan?" I felt his fingers on my face and ed somewhere in old striations in his blue eyes, his dark lashes enviably long Suddenly I felt a strange queasy feeling in the pit of my sto it, I pulled back with a flinch and watched the concern ance "I take it you’re fine" He sighed and led to a sitting position, willing my heart to slow I pushed my skirts back down into some semblance of modesty Not that itWolfe’s unwavering gaze I stopped fussing and glared at hied "I’ve just never heard you say‘where’s Wolfe?’ over and over again"

I flushed, not wanting hi us and we have a better chance of escape if we’re kept together And you’ve heardwryly "No It’s always Captain or Stovia or Captain Stovia Then there’s Vikomt – you usually spit that one atto have anything that could qualify as an actual conversation with hi "Well, Vikoestured around the cellar "Now that we know they have a Glava and a Dravilec in their hands"

So akin to disappointether and then he cleared his throat, "I’e they have here I’ look before he continued quietly, "Collecting them"

My throat worked at the aze I knew my eyes hardened, however I saw it in the way Wolfe’s eyes blazed back at uessed it could only be anger at his own memories of his own destroyed fa when this truce between us was going to end and Wolfe was going to take his vengeance

"The only thing we can I heard the other two guards talking about the festivities this evening Apparently, you and I are attending When we’re there I’ll create a distraction You have to keep your wits about you, Lady Rogan Watch me all the time When I make my move, youI’d heard wrong "That’s your big plan? A distraction?"

He s to get us killed"

"Well, since you got us kidnapped in the first place, I think it’s only fair"

Chapter Thirteen

I kept my expression blank as I was looked over by this man, this older version of Vrik, who stood by the ca across his dark skin, pin pricks of light reflecting in the blackness of his gaze I tried not to shiver

Around us the hubbub of noise was now a hushed tide, rising and falling with little bursts of laughter and conversation, as the gypsies enjoyed ale and food around the fire Wolfe stood beside uarded by Vrik and three other ht It was as if for now they wanted us to feel less like prisoners and uests At the sound of a whi, squashed in thewomen Her head was held back by her thick locks, tears streaer she’d been using to cut her apple up to the girls eyes My face tightened in anger at their bullying and the aze He see "She’s one of the Caels Her brother was particularly annoying in handing over some land, so we took her as punish to ice until I felt frozen solid in er "And what of her brother, her faain "Dead"

Waves of nausea crashed overwith the man who had destroyed my life They even had those same black eyes "You son-of-a-bitch," I spat and was iht hold I felt Wolfe stiffen beside me but I couldn’t look at hi if er, I waited sullenly for a reaction Topast ht, Vrik She’s feisty She’ll do well here"

Deterain composure, and then lifted them when I was able to project boredom "What do youaway an annoying pest "First, introductions My naer I arowled ier seared him with a look and then smirked at him "I only want ranso humourlessly, "The fa… ed "Funny, you’re just what I expected You’re just a fking leech, sucking land that’s not yours and growing fat on it Like a bully," he nodded at the girl as being tornation, "In the schoolyard, taking what doesn’t belong to hi the audacity to call himself Kral"

My heart thudded at Wolfe’s ie of hi of warmth for him seized me by surprise He looked at lad for the shadows of the night that would hide rowled "That’s what a pampered prince who’s lived in luxury and peace his entire life would think We’ve travelled for too long in Alvernia, across Daeronia We like Javinia, it’s warm It’s home Gypsies no more, ant land But ye wouldn’t understand that Ye haven’t had to suffer the harsh lands of the mountains and deal with uncivilised folks like us Uncivilised breeds uncivilised"

"No" Wolfe shook his head "You chose to act this way, be this way Dyzvati ic stifles emotions and actions that can lead to unrest and chaos Not having that ic doesn’t turn people into automatic animals It just makes sure those that would act that way can’t Don’t blaer spat at the ed between them before he could hit him