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I smiled as I scooted over, despite the fact that there was plenty of room on the bench besidewhile Avonlea, like Sabara, had beco toher in the kitchens I doubted she needed the tutelage, especially since I’d tasted her cooking, but she seemed to enjoy his company I think, in a peculiar way, a part of her missed Floss He had been the father she’d never had

"Everyone’ll get over it, you know? Even Angelina," she said at last

I just shrugged, unconvinced I’d thought that once too, especially about ht, once the dust had settled and we’d found Eden injured but alive, that Angelina would forgiveat me like I was some sort of monster

But she hadn’t

Yet I didn’t fault her, not really Because I realized, it wasn’t er knew er trust whether it was evenat "I don’t know Maybe they shouldn’t You weren’t there, Avonlea Maybe I’erous to be around"

She snorted and shoved me with her shoulder "You’re crazy" And I knew that she, at least, didn’t mean it in the literal sense "You," she said, more seriously now, "are the kindest person I’ve ever known" I glanced up at her, afraid to trust the sincerity in her voice "You saved me"

"Charlie, wait" Max’s voice stopped me just before I slipped inside ht as he and Claudeour defenses at houard turned ahen Max reached me

"Xander and Niko are back" And before I could ask, he shook his head, reading hts "No word on Sebastian They lost his trail near Astonia’s border"

"Da in theto Astonia He and Elena were friends once, or at least he thought they were He wants to ask what her intentions are He wants to hear it from her directly"

"Why would she tell hiht not But then again, she doesn’t have any reason to lie If she wants you dead, she ht as well just ades, presu it just makes her a liar"

"And if she doesn’t deny it? If she admits she was behind the plot to have me killed?"

Max came closer to me then, and his nearness made my heart lurch His hand moved up and down my shoulder, almost absently "Then we have no choice We have to protect you"

I closedit to ste ain "I know"

I turned, then, to go into led e ht on his wordswords I’d waited so long to hear His fingertips found h to get used to" He grinned as he watched the skin beneath his touch ignite And then he was reaching fordesperately, and the world faded away around us

When I finally dreay, just enough so I could breathe again, I glanced up at hiht you needed tirip, when he reached for me the second time, was confident And final "I lied"