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It takes a moment for that to sink in Then I remember Tom I remember how he screamed when Aren touched him I remember the smell of his burnt flesh and the blisters on his ar way Are you crazy?"

"I’ll do it as quickly as possible"

"No" I pin ?"

Kyol doesn’t so much as twitch

"Listen," Aren says "You can’t screa the door, but other fae are on patrol Here" He unfastens his belt and lifts it toward my mouth "Bite down on this"

I shake my head

"You can do this," he says "You have to"

Damn it, daest it if there was any other way And Kyol would never let hiuess it’s better than choppingto be okay I give hilare as I take the belt between my teeth

He reaches up to wrap his hands aroundin this cell for so long, I alh The intensity increases, gradually at first Then all at once it hurts

My nerves short-circuit Thesizzle, sdown on the leather between h in my throat to becoainst the stone wall as ain

I’ thehis hands around hsinew and bone I can’t possibly have any flesh left

"Shh," Aren soothes, sending his ic into me "It’s over You’re okay now"

The fire slowly subsides My wrists grow cold, then nuain as Aren’s touch stirs s h ain, heals whatever injury I caused banging against the wall I tremble in his arms until he tilts back and wipes tears froed breath and try to pull ive He did what he had to do to free ertips over my wrist "See? No scars"

I look down to my pink but smooth skin, and my lips curve into a weak s to e a short laugh My eyes ain andOh

I catch my breath A curl of sun-blond hair falls across his brow, crossing a faint white scar I’ve never noticed before His silver eyes, with that glint I always found infuriating, shi more than his typical tease I’ as they remember the taste and feel of his

He smiles, then raises o Can you stand?"

"I think so," I say

He fastens his belt around his waist and then helps me to my feet As soon as I’m up, the extent of my exhaustion hits The last time I ate was breakfast at Shane’s It’s been at least twenty-four hours since then I’his arms around my waist until ht and sore fro and my skin feels like it’s been worked over with sandpaper My wrists are the most sensitive They don’t exactly hurt, but I’m aware of where they were burnt

"You okay?" Aren asks, his breath warm on my neck I nod, and we turn toward the door, toward Kyol

Kyol He didn’t give the necklace to his king

I can’t move, and not just because Aren’s arht to his side Kyol has been everything toHe’s the one I’ve always turned to, the one I’ve relied on, and I’ hihten His gaze slips froh the wards?" Aren nods "The guards at the eastern entrance aren’t mine, but they’re inexperienced I presume you can handle them"