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He knehat ic slipped a fraction An opening

Maeve’s own lashed for it, seeking a way in She’d barely crossed the threshold when he gritted his teeth and threw her fro with her

"If you wantone hell of a way to show it"

Maeve laughed softly "Can you bla?"

Dorian didn’t answer, and stared at her for a longEvery bit of courtly intrigue and training kept his face unreadable "You think I’d betray my friends that easily?"

"Is it betrayal?" Maeve mused "To find an alternative to you and Aelin Galathynius paying the ulti: to keep her froods are powerful beings"

"Then where are they now?" She gestured to the room, the keep Silence answered "They are afraid Of ave him a serpent’s ser Powerful enough to send them home--or to da

"Why not defy them? Why bow to their wishes? What have they ever done for you?"

Sorscha’s pained face flashed before his eyes

"There is no other way," he said at last "To end this"

"The keys could end it"

To wield theate

"They could do anything," Maeve went on "Destroy Erawan, banish those gods back to their holed her head "Open another door to real"

To the woman ould undoubtedly be there

The dark, predatory power stalking his mind faded away, pulled back to its mistress

Aelin had done it once Opened a door to see Nehemia It was possible The encounters with Gavin and Kaltain only confirmed it

"What if you didn’t only ally with me," he asked at last, "but with Adarlan itself?"

Maeve didn’t answer As if she were surprised by the offer

"A bigger alliance than ether to find the key," Dorian doifts to Adarlan, to o, you were livid that I enslaved your friend"

"Oh, I still am Yet I am not so proud to refuse to consider the possibility You want a kingdoet e need froer territory, with a people ill not rise up against you A new start, I suppose"

When she still did not speak, Dorian leaned against the door The portrait of courtly nonchalance "You think I’ to trick you Perhaps I am"

"And Manon Blackbeak? What of your proto do with theain "Marriages have been built on far more volatile foundations than this one"

"Aelin of the Wildfire ht very well mark you as an enemy, should wean ally--not right now And she will discover that she is not the only one capable of saving this world Perhaps she’ll even co sacrificed as you clai, and brash"

Dorian sketched a bow again "I a to offer up ood faith"