Page 19 (1/2)

CHAPTER ONE

“Sandra, don’t” Griffin held her arentle clasp, his voice low and insistent “It’s too dangerous You’ve lasted this long Why risk everything now?”

Sandra glanced up at hihtened in her chest Sometimes the way he looked at her, like he did now, otten about her after all

Griffin was always looking out for her

But right now she had a job to do and h

She kept her voice to a whisper “I have to do this I have to help the Ruby Fae escape It’s my destiny The reason I’m here I’m convinced of it”

“There’s no such thing as ‘destiny’ Only survival And I need you to survive You’ve become important to me Dammit, Sandra, don’t do this”

She searched his eyes, stunned by his words Was it possible he cared about her as much as she’d come to rely on him? He’d made the last year in the fortress a place of hope for her Maybe she’d done the same for him

He stood six-five in his traditional Guardsh boots He had long hair like all the warriors who served Mastyr Ian of Cah since his capture, he’d lost the traditional woven clasp to hold it back Instead, he used a piece of leather to keep his thick black hair in place

Her heart responded as it always did to the warrior, like it had never kno to beat before Or at least not for a long time, not since she’d coo

And he orried about her

Still holding her arlanced up and down the corridor

She felt his nerves

Hers were the same

On fire

She stood with hi She was atteht iron key she held in her hand to the duplicates hanging like laundry on a row of pegs down the corridor If she could slip Mistress Regan a key, the woman could finally escape her tower cell and flee the fortress At least, that was Sandra’s current hope and plan

Margetta had abducted Regan, also known as the Ruby Fae, froo The entire fortress and adjacent aran locked up in the fortress toas a treetta Rumors had flow that soon the Ancient Fae would put her massive army in motion and complete her takeover of the Nine Realms