Page 67 (1/2)

"Is she here?" Violet asked

"Sara? No" Rafe’s eyes narrowed "What about you? Do your parents know you’re here?"

Violet shook her head If her parents had their way, she didn’t knohen she’d have the chance to see hiain "I justI just wanted to make sure you wereokay"

He shoved away fro the door sla," he said, cringing, his voice filled with concern

Violet kne she looked The bruise on her cheek had turned a strange coone down, but not enough for anyone else to notice "I’ it off "If you like bar-fight chic"

His face darkened "I wasn’t really talking about what’s on the outside"

"You ri his lips "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds sort of"

"Sweet?"

"I was gonna say lauess that works too"

"Yeah? Well, you look" She was going to say better, but she practically stu but better If she looked beat-up, he looked downright thrashed Even behind the bandages, Violet could see scrapes and mottled skin "Terrible You look terrible" Sheas he unlocked the closed door "But better than the last tih, but winced and grabbed his ribs "Da if I were you; your bedsidethe black onyx hanging from around her neck "Krystal?" he asked

"For protection," Violet clarified

"Ued at the silver chain around his neck He held up an irregular-looking stone that had been tucked beneath his shirt It was cloudy--opaque--and Violet wondered at the mystical qualities Krystal believed it possessed "I ht" She nodded, realizing she’d misunderstood his question

He let her inside and she followed him into the vestibule as he pressed the button in front of an ancient-looking elevator