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"Twisting my words? I'll have you know that I am criminally cute - "

"Then why hide behind a cloak?"

"I' "And I like to wear it" She hated it

Even before her birth, she'd been predicted to be the Awaited One, the most powerful born to the House of Witches in centuries - but four years ago, it was also foretold that a nize her as his own and clai her with a ferocity that nothe House of her powers

Since the prediction, she'd been forced to cover herself every single time she set foot outside her ho life of her late teens had taken a hit

She sported the cloak - a red one because she was a Scarlet Letter-type rebel at heart - and as a backup, she also hid behind a uised her looks, the tone of her voice, and her scent

If a male like MacRieve did see her, he would perceive a brunette with blue eyes - when in fact she was a redhead with gray eyes - and he would have difficulty recalling anything that was the sath of her hair The glaht about it anymore

Even with all these precautions, it followed that unattached males in the Lore were to be avoided Yet Mari had heard at the Hie asseossip fest if she'd ever seen one - that MacRieve had already found his o

Mari had felt sympathy for him A Lykae's entire existence centered around his et only one - just one - chance in an eternity to find happiness

When she saasn't budging, she e" She unlooped her lantern strap and crawled in The space was tighter than she'd iined, but she didn't have time to rethink her decision because he clined, she exhaled and held her lantern up to light her way

The stone was cool and ht her knee on the end, and the tie around her neck yanked her head down When it happened again, she shi the ress forward There Better

Five seconds later: "MacRieve, you're on my cloak Let up - "

Before she could react, he reached between her knees and then up against her chest to slice the tie at her neck with one claw Her eyes ide and she dropped her light to snatch fistfuls of cloth, but he jerked the cloak out of her grasp