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He gave her a quick nod, then released her arms to lead her back by the fire As if he was her host, he waved her to sit on the pallet When she did, he eased his towering fra to face her

"Okay, MacRieve, I can vow to the Lore that I did not consciously set out to make you believe I'm your mate I have never enchanted anyone My friends could work over their teachers froan to have a hopeful light in his eyes, so she hastily added, "But then I was never a seeress until the to look, she explained, "In any coven, there are members froether, because the collective whole is so strong Well, I'm supposed to have powers from all five castes - the powers of a warrior, conjurer, seeress, enchantress, and healer - but I haven't been able to tap into or harness any of the So there's the seeress part When I attacked you and killed the incubi, there was the warrior Just now, I conjured that reflection"

"And you healed yourself as well If you enchanted me, you've done five out of five"

When she nodded, the obvious hope in hiht of the Hie asseht"

"If you did nothing, then why could I no' take my eyes froht, and still I was struggling with everything I was to keep an eye on him and no' to stare at you" And he's up

When he crossed his ar nod, she blurted out, "The night we kissed, I did will you to want me as fiercely as I wanted you - I consciously did it, and even then I worried that I was enthralling you!"

Instead of looking discouraged, he appeared pleased with her "So you wanted me fiercely?"

She felt her cheeks heating "That was then, and this is now, MacRieve And think about it, if I was ever going to successfully spellbind anyone, it'd be you - you're like a lightning rod for my powers"

"So I'm unique to you, too Maybe I'nored that and heedlessly continued "It ht that you saithoutadvantage of the situation - "

"What do you la Let him make sense of it She exhaled and muttered, "It was predicted that a warrior fronize ain! "Then it's rin He always appeared so bitter, so gri curl of his lips, his entire countenance changed, his a warm

"It must be nize me as your mate, true, but that doesn't mean you should or even that it's real I could very well have enthralled you So, and then, all of a sudden, it's theirs That could have happened"

"And yet you believe that you could have left behind that enthrallment when you took the h out of your head with fatigue and injuries You canna lookone without the other"

When she pursed her lips, he raised his eyebrows

She looked away and said, "Maybe not in the past - "

"Did you feel another of your hexes?"