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"You will not do this to h I heard the taut fear that lay under it "You will not throay your life because you were unlucky enough to be nearby when those fools started their blundering ‘investigation’ Or because of that selfish bastard who lives with you" He clenched his fists "And you will never, ever again offer to die for hed I didn’t want to hurt him, but there was no reason for him to stay in the mortal realm and put up with petty mortal politics Not even for me I had to oing to die one day; nothing can prevent that What does it matter whether that happens now or in fifty years? I--"

"Iton me In two strides, he crossed the rooain This caused a ripple in the surface of his mortal shape For an instant, he flickered blue and then settled back, sweat sheening his face His hands tre himself sick to make a point "Don’t you dare say it doesn’t matter!"

I knehat I should have said then, what I should have done I had encountered this with hi need that drove hiht; he needed a goddess for a lover, not soet killed at the drop of a hat Du he’d ever done, even if letting him do it had been the hardest choice I’d everterrible, designed to break his heart That would’ve been the right thing to do, and I should’ve been strong enough to do it

But I’ve never been as strong as I would like

Madding kissed ods, was it sweet I felt him this ties and the ahts before I heard the chihhi for a long, pent moment; he knehat he should do, too Then he picked me up and carried me back to the pile of cushions

We had made love before,ood Best of all when Mad was needy the way he was now He lost control at such tiot that I was mortal and that he needed to hold back (By this I don’t h that was part of it I mean that sos ot himself, I saw soh it was I liked knowing I could give his, but he had still lived millennia to h for hiroaned and strained against me, and scintillated like diamond when the moment struck, I knew that was a silly fear Of course I was enough, because he loved me That was the whole point

Aftere lay, spent and lazy, in the cool huht hours I could hear othersabout in the house, on that floor and the one above: ’s people, perhaps a valued custooods direct froodlings regarded them as a nuisance, so the whole house had probably heard us Neither of us cared

"Did I hurt you?" His usual question

"Of course not" My usual answer, though he always sighed in relief when I gave it I lay on my belly, cohed That he stayed silent this tiu to need to leave Shadow," he said at last

I said nothing, because there was nothing to say He wasn’t going to leave theShadow etdepended on how badly Previt Ri had less power to protectwas permitted to leave Shadow by decree of the Lady, who feared the havoc they ht cause ide But the Order of Itempas had a White Hall in every sizable town, and thousands of priests and acolytes all over the world I would be hard-pressed to hide fro was betting Rimarn wouldn’t care, however I was easy prey, but not really the prey he wanted