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A pearl-and-ruby necklace scattered froers

The temperature in the tomb spiked, but there was no flash of flaed, only to be leashed again

Yet Aelin continued shoving gold and jewels into her pockets

She’d witnessed it, too That slaughter

But it was Gavriel, approaching on silent feet even with the jewels and gold on the floor, who clasped Fenrys’s other shoulder "We will make sure that debt is paid before the end"

The Lion had never uttered such words--not toward their foraze Sorrow and fury

Fenrys took a steadying breath and stepped away, the loss on his faceRowan couldn’t place But noasn’t the tiold as they could fit, Fenrys going so far as to reray jacket to for to the floor with gold, the threads straining, he silently headed back down the passageway Gavriel, still wincing at their sha, stalked after him a moment later

Aelin continued picking her way ast the treasure, however She’d beenpieces hat Rowan had assuh finery to tell ould fetch the highest price at o," he said His own pockets were near to bursting, his every step weighed down

She rose froh

Rowan re clenched in her palh for hiolden rings lay there

"I don’t know the Fae custoantly cut ruby within the band itself, while the sular eernail "But when huers trehtly Too many unspoken words lay between them

Yet noas not the ti

Not when they had to be on their way as swiftly as possible, and this offer she’d made him, this proof that she still wanted what lay between them, the vows they’d sworn …

"I assume the sparkly emerald is for h The soft, whispered sound was as precious as the rings she’d found for them in this hoard

She took his hand, and he tried not to shudder in relief, tried not to fall to his knees as she slid the ruby ring onto his finger It fit hi in this barrow

Silently, Rowan grasped her own hand and eased on the e "To whatever end," he whispered

Silver lined her eyes "To whatever end"

A re oaths they’d sworn on that ship

To walk this path together, back from the darkness of the iron coffin To face aited in Terrasen, ancient proods be damned

He ran his thuain" She sed, but nodded "And," he added, "I’d like to add another To me--and to you"

Her brows flicked up, but he squeezed her hand You’ll have to wait and see, Princess

Another hint of a smile She didn’t balk from the silent words this time Typical

He opened histo ask for days now May I kiss you? But she pulled her hand froer, her htened as she turned over her palle callus marked her hands

Aelin frowned at her too-thin body "And pack on soraced her words, but she curled her hands into fists at her sides and smirked at her clothes--the Mistward clothes "It’ll be just like old ti So he would, too Until she didn’t need to any rin "Just like old ti her out of the barrow and back toward the ebony river, "but with far less sleep"

He could have sworn the passageway heated But Aelin kept going

Later That conversation, this unfinished business between them, would come later