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Adrienne flushed with pleasure The added heat did alarain Do you have other children?" she asked, trying desperately to hold on to the gist of the conversation

The smile returned to Lydia’s face "Oh, aye Adrian and Ilysse They’re in France with my sister, Elizabeth In her last letter she warned ue and she’s just about given up on civilizing Ilysse" Lydia laughed "Ilysse can be a bit high-spirited and uneable at times You would like her"

Adrienne wasn’t certain how to take that, so she didn’t co at all well Her vision was now double, her stoony, and her led to s "Wallah hubbah hah?" she croaked

"Adrienne?" Lydia gazed at her with concern "Adrienne!" She placed a hand against the younger woroaned as she pitched forward and collapsed on the cobbled ay

"Hawk!" Lydia screamed

CHAPTER 9

"POISON" HAWK’S FACE WAS GRIM AND DARK HE CAREFULLY studied the tiny dart the aged healer had laid upon the cloth

"Callabron" The healer co white beard and lowered himself into a chair by Adrienne’s side

Hawk groaned Callabron was not a gentle poison A vicious and slow toxin, it would cause lingering pain for days before it ended in death by suffocation as the toxin slowly paralyzed the body from the outside in

The Hawk knew there was no cure He’d heard of the toxin during his service to King James It was rus When one sought to reht fail Hawk dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his sore and bleary eyes furiously The intensity of the heat fro But the heat would help her, the healer had said It ht break the fever Still … she would die

Take me, just leave her unharmed! Haished with all of his heart

"We can ease her pain There are things I can give her …," the healer said softly

"Who?" the Hawk raged, ignoring the old man "Who would wish to do this? Why kill her? What has she done?"