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Dorian freed the knife at his side--the one Sorrel had gifted hiled it over her arm Kaltain had done the same to free it, Manon had said

But Dorian sent a flicker of his healing ic to her arm To nuic flare through her She gasped, arching, and Dorian took advantage of her sudden stillness to plunge in the knife, fast and deft

Three h her, soothing her as best he could, and the bloodied shard was in his fingers Pulsing its hollow, sickening power through hi the Wyrdkey into his pocket, and turned for the portal

But a hand wrapped around his, feeble and shaking

He whirled, a hand going to Da up at him Tears slid down her face

"Kill me," she breathed Dorian blinked "You--you pushed it back" Not the key, but the deic-- "Kill"Kill aped at her in horror "I--I can’t"

She began clawing at the collar around her throat As if she’d rip it free "Please," she sobbed "Please"

He did not have tiet that collar off Wasn’t even certain it could co Aelin had used on hiony flooded her eyes "Please," was all she said "Please"

Da but truth

But he had to go--had to go now He could not take her with hiic had pushed it back, would eain And scream to Erahere he was What he’d stolen

She wept, hands ripping at her brutalized body "Please"

Would it be a mercy--to kill her? Would it be a worse crime to leave her here, with Erawan? Enslaved to hi demon inside her?

Damaris did not answer his silent questions

And he let his hand fall away froirl

Manon would have ended it Freed her in the only way left Chaol would have taken her with him and damned the consequences Aelin … He didn’t knohat she would have done

Who do you wish to be?

He was not any of the but himself

A man who had known loss and pain, yes But a man who had known friendship and joy

The loss and pain--they had not broken him wholly Without theht? Without theain?

Who do you wish to be?

A king worthy of his crown A king ould rebuild what had been shattered, both within hiirl sobbed and sobbed, and Dorian’s hand drifted toward Da

OneThe next, her head twisted to the side, eyes unseeing

Dorian whirled, a cry on his lips as Maeve stepped into the rooift, Majesty," she said, her lips curling "To spare you from that decision"

And it was the sait of her steps that had his

Maeve nodded toward his pocket "Well done"

Her dark power leapt upon his rab for Damaris before he was snared in her dark web

CHAPTER 78

He was in Erawan’s room, and yet not