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He nodded curtly "I have no objections"

And thus we set off again I hung back with Victoria as the rest surged forward I was itching to once again swing through the trees with her, get away froers or ene with the Kaelin leaders, rather than hanging back here to irkat Sintel Lake--an expansive reservoir in thearound, looking for somewhere to settle for a few hours of sleep

Finally, I could clihest tree by the lake’s bank This was the perfect kind of tree to spend the night in As towering as it was, its trunk was hty thick, as were its branches So thick that two people could lie co Victoria’s breathing becaher--I truly hoped that she wasn’t still scared I’d let her fall I stopped as we’d alain a sense of peace

Stepping onto a particularly broad branch, I took off my satchel and belt and also removed Victoria’s satchel from her back I placed the todown at the sheer drop on either side of us I positionedoutVictoria down between them I hoped she felt secure noith my limbs on either side of her

"Do you really think I can sleep like this?" Victoria asked, her voice unsteady

"Would you rather sleep down below? Amidst all those wolves?" I certainly didn’t feel comfortable with that

"No," she said "I prefer it up here… Just doubt I will get any sleep…"

"You could try A good start would be closing your eyes"

She suess" She looked exhausted I fully expected her to slip off to sleep, if I could just lessen her tension a little Her ht, her posture stiff, even with uard Then I wondered whether it was not just the height that had her so on edge, but because… well, my body was practically wrapped around her We were very close to one another in this position Soht even call it inti her so close to gest a change of position when she began to loosen a little Slowly, her ainst ainstto droop And then after perhaps a quarter of an hour, sleep stole her froe an inch lest I wake her froile slu down at her face Her peaceful, sleeping face I gazed down the gentle slope of her nose, her soft, full lips parted slightly as she breathed

Even though fro, star-strewn sky, strangely, that night it was Victoria aze was drawn to

Victoria

It was a h I was so very tired I had al up here