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The tallest, and I was guessing the leader, quirked an eyebrow "My, , aren’t we?"

Wolfe chose that roan and my heart thudded in thankful relief

"Aw shit," the older et them back to Boss, Jesper, before this ‘un wakes up"

"You two pick hiestured to Wolfe and then his eyes devoured me "I’ll take care of her"

Oh dear haven, what the hell had Wolfe and I gotten ourselves into now?! I wanted to collapse and shriek and ith exhaustion and fury Didn’t these people know ?! That if I didn’t save her then ere all doomed! I was doomed! I couldn’t possibly live in a world without Haydyn! How dare they do this?!!

I snapped

As he reached for s as hard as I could He let out a bellow of pain and dropped to his knees in shock Before any of the others could make a move I slammed my booted foot into the hand that held thefrom his hand as he clutched his injury to his chest

"Get her!" He snarled as I dove for the weapon I cas crept towards ht of violence in their eyes

"I’ll cut you up you little bitch if you don’t play nice," the young one hissed at er

"She’s not to be injured!" Jesper shouted, getting to his feet now

"I won’t hared "No, she’ll like what I do to her, won’t you pretty pretty?"

Revulsion hitreflex as I realised exactly what he intended forwith There was no way anyone was getting near et to Alvernia and no other son-of-a-bitch was slowing th I had in the world I pulled my ar thug’s head Ithi thud His eyes fluttered and he fell back with a dull sound, comically sprawled across the concrete in unconsciousness I breathed a sigh of relief

The older of the thugs stared at his downed colleague in surprise and Jesper cursed "For goodness sakes, lass" He shook his head in disbelief and then glared at me "Now you’ve downed Little Sin We’ll have to coht We ain’t gonna hurt you, a to take you and I’ht? Now if you don’t make a fuss I won’t slit the boy’s throat"

He said it so cal about the weather rather than killing Wolfe

"What do you want?" I whispered, wishing Wolfe would wake up

"That’s up to Boss to tell you, lass"

I had no choice but to ith Dandy as Jesper carried Wolfe over his shoulder, an irunted and groaned about Wolfe’s weight the whole tih the dull, dank streets of the rookery,by They flinched underover my companions in fear, and they turned fro they hadn’t seen a thing I knew then that I was in the hands of one of the rookery gangs Someone back at the tavernWe spoke too well, held ourselves like a lady and a gentle kidnapped for possible ransoe crulass panes of its s broken and cracked, the wide double doors covered in splashed paint Jesper banged on the door three tie knifes in his hand stood back and nodded at Jesper

"Got ‘ehed and swatted Wolfe’s bottom "Looks like it don’t it"

The boy eyed azed around the wide open space with the large ovens and broken glass, with the grains of sand littering the floor (ae, old food and even rats – I shuddered) I realised ere in a disused glass works At the back of the roolass that was cracked and shattered in some places A doorway led into darker places beyond There were pieces of old furniture here and there, a dismal attempt to make the place look cosy I froze asof ed around the rooue of rats I shuddered again

"Take ‘eh the back to Boss’ room ‘e said" The boy jerked his head towards the back of the roorunted and shifted Wolfe up on his shoulder I kept close to hireetings to gangonwo at me She sat sprawled over an old chair and I stuard as she licked her lips at rinned up at thethat wicked sh throatily Jesper clamped his hand down on et any ideas"

Nalia’s lips twisted into a pout "But I wants her She’s pretty, like silk You kno I likes silk, Jesper"

I shivered and hurried away as Jesper grunted and pushed rey hallways, until Jesper ca it open My eyes widened even further e entered what could pass for a normal room in this hovel A brass framed bed sat in the corner covered with colourful quilts and cushions A fireplace that was obviously used had a tin bathtub in front of it, a cosy armchair off to the side, little knick-knacks here and there on the mantelpiece Other pieces of well- haphazardly draped here and there And it was clean Surprisingly so

"Boss’ roorunted and then dropped Wolfe on the stone floor as if he were nothing more than a sack of potatoes I cried out and rushed for Wolfe just as his eyes began to open "Shit!" Jesper sighed and reached across the bed for so In the next mo around far too slowly for ainst the heavy brass bed

"You next" Jesper strode towards ed and clucked his tongue at ed atto wrench my arms behind uely aware of Wolfe now shouting and struggling froe hand cahty blow I felt like I’d run into a brick wall My legs gave way and I was barely aware of Jesper tyinght eye and I hesitantly liftedpain

"Stay here, and behave!" Jesper cried "Boss will be in soon"

I struggled into a sitting position as thein the lock

Feeling his eyes on me, I looked down at Wolfe whose eyes blazed back at aze on ht shatter

I huffed and shiet a look at the cut on his head "Aht? Wolfe, they knocked you unconscious" I hissed at his wound "We need to get that cleaned up Are you feeling well?"

He winced now, stretching his legs out before hi at the ropes It was futile He slumped wearily "I feel a little dizzy"

"You were out a while"