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I let Wolfe and the Vojvoda do all the talking I sh so as not to seem unpleasant and bored, but I was sure the Vojvoda was puzzled as to why Haydyn would send an advisor on her behalf who had barely opened her mouth once to speak But I felt buried by the troubles of Phaedra Buried and useless I needed Haydyn to wake up I had needed her to wake up before she fell ill I only hoped that she would, once I provided the cure and told her all I’d learned To begin with,Andrei would be a terrible mistake

So lost in le it so he was the one to walk me to an to co so close to hilanced at him quickly and looked away We hadn’t talked or been this near to one another in so you and I will leave for the mountains" Wolfe stopped abruptly and I drew to a halt, turning to him We looked one another in the eye for the first ti a tour of Alvernia and its people, but in reality we’re going to get that plant"

I knew if I didn’t try to dissuade hiive a little arguh I already had my plan at the ready "Do you really think that’s wise… considering?"

"Considering?"

"Considering you hatefor him to dispute it I knew he cared I just needed him to admit it Haven, I wished my heart would make up its an when he shrugged "It’s my duty"

I bit back a hurt retort "Fine I want it noted that I dispute the idea For future reference"

"Noted"

I nodded and turned to go intoI said to hiht never return I stilled as his hand wrapped around lanced up nervously as he sidled closer, his eyes challenging ht it would be a hard kiss meant to dominate, but instead he surprised ue,

When he pulled back Wolfe’s cheeks were flushed and he gazed at old in his blue eyes "I want it noted that I don’t hate you For future reference"

Not able to stop it, I felt a sh Iunwanted kisses on et one Unwanted indeed" He raised a knowing eyebrow atsad and happy all at the sarin was slow and wicked as he stood back froy"

"Strategy?"

He cocked his eyebrow "At first I thought imposed isolation would make you missnear me you can’t resist And there are only so ive in tothe flush of excited heat that shivered through ripped the handle of the bedroouffawed "We’ll see, Captain We’ll see"

I sla at the sound of his cocky chuckle as he walked away

For a moment all I could do was stare at led with the taste of Wolfe I closedthat thrum in my body that never used to be there before he first kissedhiether - before Wolfe truly did come to dislikehiered in the air around etting h servants clothing appeared, I explained to her what I needed from her and showed her the coins She stared at them in wonder There was more money there than she probably earned in two years of hard work

"Well?" I asked, my heart stuck in my throat

For an answer she scooped the coins up and pocketed the from cheek to cheek "I’ll help ye, my Lady," she replied in the soft burr of the Alvernians

Breathing a sigh of relief, I went over again what I needed, and then waited for her return She wasn’t long in reappearing, a few bundles in her hand In one was a pack with food supplies and a canteen of water In the other was boy’s clothing, stolen froirl helped ure in a way that would make me blush if Wolfe ever saw e shirt, waistcoat and warhts in the ed to her, they orn and soft, but still foreign to me, and I hopedthick locks in a bun and hid the hair under the woollen cap she had brought ht, if I kept my head low, I could pass for a boy If I removed the overcoat no one would ever believe it I just had to er Matai had giventhe servant profusely, we hurried through the darkened house and out to the front gates where she had a horse all ready and waiting for oing to be furious But I was counting on hih to follow ic wouldn’t get me lost But he didn’t know the way The Guard would keep hihed I had to put all my trust in Lieutenant Chaeron He wouldn’t let Wolfe leave without hi new tojaw of sharp teeth and painful unbreakable hold of gnarled fingers and clahen Syracen killed h the fields with my brother For months, maybe a few years, that fear never really went away And then it had shown up in little spurts these last feeeks, perhaps not as toothy as the first ti a hold on

Noas back

I was blind, galloping out of the city walls and down into the valley beyond Arrana It took a while for ht, and with ht, I wasn’t suresick on it But I held strong,into the reins, as I widened my eyes, desperate for them to acclimate to the darkness By the tiallop behind me, I could see more than just shapes and shadows ahead of me I drew the horse to a stop, sorry that I didn’t know his name so I could soothe him I could feel his tense muscles beneath me as he attuned to my own tension

The land before us dropped into a steep valley that stretched forup over it in the distance