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Perhaps one last time, perhaps only for a little while, but she’d do it If only for Terrasen

Roooped fro as he reached her side at the rail He surveyed the night-black sea beyond thelance "I’ards "Want to spar?"

He frowned "Training can start to stare, matched his dominance with her own

"It can wait a few hours, Aelin"

"Every day counts" Against Erawan, even a day of training would count

Rowan’s jaw tightened "True," he said at last "But it can still wait There are … there are things we need to discuss"

The silent words rose in his aniht eyes About you and me

Her mouth went dry But Aelin nodded

In silence, they strode into their spacious quarters, its only decoration the wall of s that overlooked the churning sea behind theht have purchased as Adarlan’s assassin

At least the bed built into the wall looked clean enough, the sheets crisp and stainless But Aelin headed for the oak desk anchored to the floor, and leaned against it while Rowan shut the door

In the diht, they stared at each other

She’d endured Maeve and Cairn; she’d endured Endovier and countless other horrors and losses She could have this conversation with hi herself

Aelin knean could hear her thundering heart as the space between them went taut She sed once "Elide and Lorcan told you … told you everything that was said on that beach"

A curt nod, wariness flooding his eyes

"Everything that Maeve said"

Another nod

She braced herself "That I’ like relief replaced that wariness "Yes"

"I’ to voice it "And you are mine"

Rowan crossed the room, but halted a few feet from the desk on which she leaned "What of it, Aelin?" His question was low, rough

"Don’t you …" She scrubbed at her face "You knohat she did to you, to …" She couldn’t say her name Lyria "Because of it"

"I do know"

"And?"

"And what do you wish me to say?"

She pushed off the desk "I wish you to tell me how you feel about it If …"