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She set us out of here"

With deft fingers, Sev quickly checked that his rope was still fastened securely about him Satisfied, he squatted so that she could straddle his back

"We’re ready," he shouted up, and then they were ascending Sev’s legs worked, his booted feet e them as they were hauled upward by several pairs of hands

Grier clutched closely to hi arms It seemed like forever before they cleared the top, but in reality it could only have been a few led pile He breathed heavily beside her, his hand reaching for hers, fingers lacing with her own

"Grier!" Cleo dropped down beside her, pressing her rimy face "Oh dear, you’re cold as ice"

As if that was the only reht injured and exposed to the harsh elements, he jumped to his feet and swept her up in his arainst the warh the saht, a real-life devil in pursuit of her, intent on stopping her fro her life

She moistened her parched lips "Your cousin--"

"He’s dead"

She lifted her head and studied the hard set of his profile "Did you--"

"He ran in front of a carriage I doubt he suffered" Ahis jaw "Not as he should have Not as I would have had hiaze locked with hers then "For what he’s done to youwhat he wanted to do, he deserved far worse than a swift end"

Shaken at the intensity of his expression, she lowered her head back to his chest, let the rocking motion of his strides lull her into deep relaxation

Content, secure that she was free froer and safe in Sev’s arlow of light greeted Grier as her eyes fluttered open She jerked at first, i there, trapped on the cusp of death

Sing back a whis The tension ebbed from her body as she realized she was safely tucked in her own bed, the soft sheets pulled to her chest Warm and safe

A familiar dark-haired head rested beside her on the bed, buried facedown in his arers through the luxurious thickness

Sev lifted his head, ht in his chair beside her bed Blinking, he dragged a hand over his face "You’re awake"

"And it appears you’re not Why don’t you find a bed?"

"I did" His glittering gold eyes held hers "Yours is sufficient"

"Sevastian" She stroked his cheek "You ainst his face "It’s nothing coht I lost you Grier, I can’t ever live through that again"

She e Even before that She ree and confronted the harsh reality that Malcolm would never let her return to Sev She’d been filled with regret for not telling Sev how she felt about hi to her But she could do that now

"Sev," she began, clearing the dry scratchiness from her voice, but he didn’t let her continue

"As soon as you’re rested and fully mended, we’ll leave for Maldania--"

"Sevastian" She said his name sharply, determined to bare her heart to him, to expose herself as she once vowed never to do Fear would no longer hold her back

He looked at her, stared curiously at her face

She could only stare back at hi on the tip of her tongue

A slow smile curved his mouth "I love you, Grier" His s to say?"

Her breath locked in her chest She released a gust of breath and with it the word, "No"