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Axe nodded like he had soa, the Lessening Society, or the ins and outs of the war He really didn’t He’d just happened to be at the right place at the right ti up

He felt like people werebut

He alone knew exactly what a lie that was

"So, ah, I’ lanced at Rhage’s fae’s sood for ain, I’ll say, trust me"

Axe nodded at the two fe himself back froirl came around and stood in front of hi, rists that seeers and shoulders that were barely wider than the span of his palent and her hair was thick and shiny In her leggings and her cozy red Christmas sweater with its snowflake pattern …

… she wasthan a pack of lessers

What if he broke her? And not that anyone was asking hi way, and she shattered like glass?

Well … for one thing, half dead or not, Rhage would get out of that bed and turn hilanced to the parents in a panic "Ahhh …"

"Can I give you a hug? For saving my father?" the little one said

Axe iht possibly have shaken his head back and forth real tight Kind of like you would if so turtle? Or … How about you volunteer for malaria? Or the all-popular, How about you juator-infested cesspool?

With pork chops tied around your neck and a rib roast shoved down your--

Axe frowned Mary and Rhage both seemed like somebody had died all of a sudden What the hell?

Jeez, he didn’t want to offend thelanced back at the tiny female "Ah … um, yeah Sure--"

The kid was on hi his breath away Reaching up, he patted her bird-like shoulder blades

And then froze as she whispered in his ear, "He saved my life I wish I could do what you did for him someday"

She broke away from him just as quickly as she’d come at him, and it eird In the center of his chest, he felt this bizarre kernel of … he didn’t knohat it was But it ar-cold self-hatred he usually carried around behind his sternuot even ave the fairl had to coain and open the door for hiet out of the room without help