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"Damien!" She started toward him, only to be held back by one of the woman’s corabbed Ava’s arm, and when she looked up, it was into cold black eyes and a face scarred from the cheek to the throat, as if the woman’s neck had been ripped open by a wild aniave a small shake of her head Ava tried to loosen the wo with the mountain itself

"Cal a hand on Ava’s shoulder She was shorter and her soft brown hair curled around her cheeks, but her grip was still firm "Let them… talk"

Da to his feet as the tall blond wo up a thick branch of a tree that had fallen a moment before the blonde’s staff struck

They parried for aher back with quick blows before the woman’s superior weapon cracked the branch and swept Damien’s feet from under him He rolled away a moment before the staff would have come down on his skull He jumped to his feet, shoulders braced as he locked eyes with his opponent

She was almost as tall as he was, a formidable woman as clearly familiar with the weapon she held She circled Da his Another movement of her lips, and her staff split in half She tossed one half to hiether, their weapons evenly s to try to trip each other Yet even as they battled, Ava could sense the connection

This was Sari

She swung the staff at her mate’s head, only to be stopped by Da it toward hi between Da him to stumble back and release her staff They went back and forth, both falling in theAva, standing between the two strange women, felt as if she’d stepped into a battle older than tier, yet he held back when Sari aimed a punch at his face His lip was split and his eye bruised, but he leashed his power, refusing to hit back The hipped around the in thepower had not dissipated

With a hoarse cry, Sari struck his knee and Da the staff, he held out his ar up at his mate with such obvious adoration that Ava felt her breath catch Sari halted, her staff at his neck, as Da lips Mud coated his hair and cheeks, the raintracks as he knelt before her

Ava heard the woe, just as Sari dropped her staff and went to her knees She grasped Da kiss

They clutched each other, and Ava could hear Daroan even fro her coat and pulling her closer, as if his life depended on her touch Sari was just as voracious; she pulled at Da his lips to hers in a ravenous kiss Then, just as abruptly, she shoved hi for her staff Ava could see the tears rolling down Sari’s cheeks as her lips iven to Dah the wind and melded itself to the piece in her hand

Sheto Ava’s once before she barked out an order to the to rain

The woht turned to Ava Rosy lips parted in a slanced over her shoulder at Da as stunned as Ava felt He finally looked at her and gave her a sled to his feet and walked back up the hill

"My na Ava a san to lead her up the path "Mala and I will escort you and Damien to Sarihöfn You are welcohter, but her voice was serious "Yes, really"

Damien was only a few steps behind, and Ava saw the woman named Mala nod respectfully as he fell in step beside her

Ava glanced at hied and wiped the blood from his lip It had already healed "It went as well as I’d expected"

"Why did you fight with her?" Ava asked fro room that connected her and Dae with two rooms, a small kitchen, and a bathroom they’d have to share, all situated away from the ht" He stepped out of the bathrooive my mate what she needs"

He was dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt, despite the cold Ava had noticed in the car that Damien see around in long sleeves to cover his extensive tales The tattoos reached fro down onto the backs of his hands She knew he had theh she’d never seen them The scribe was very powerful, yet Sari had beaten hi back, it hadn’t been by much