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Leave this place of pain Return to the outpost

He made a vow to himself then: he would not ever cooing anywhere

Lanthe sucked in a steadying breath “I’roup that had assembled in her room

Rydstrom had his brawny arms crossed over his chest Cadeon would have as well if he hadn’t been holding a baby Holly, also holding a baby, looked worried for Lanthe Sabine did too, having forgone her illusion of indifference

Rydstroerous, Lanthe” They still wanted to accoh those little badasses would probably think Pandereat fun

“We’ve been over this,” Lanthe said “If Thronos sees huge demons, a Valkyrie, and two Sorceri, it’ll put hi One et to Pandemonia, Lanthe was as prepared as she could be Sabine had insisted she borrow her ability to talk to anion wanted to chat, Lanthe was ready

Another loaner? Lanthe wore her sister’s ru niece or nephew” Lanthe was also wearing more sensible boots (no stilettos this tiht as well squeeze into the to simply run into him there,” Sabine said “What if youbackpack “That’s why I’ there”

Jaws dropped

Cadeon recovered first “You? Ca in hell!”

“Cade” Holly slapped his chest

He otta admit that’s funny”

Lanthe piped her lip and blew a braid out of her eyes Apparently everyone here had forgotten that she’d already camped in hell Granted, she hadn’t been alone

Sabine said, “I was opposed to you going by yourself for just an hour or so! Now you want to go indefinitely? And if you tell ht screa in motion here that I can In a few days, I’ll check in for news”

“And to provide proof of life,” Rydstroht look

“If I haven’t found Thronos in three weeks, I’ll return to summon him And, Sabine, it’s really not that bad there”

When Sabine parted her lips to argue, Lanthe said, “This baby bird’s gotta fly, sis”

“Great,” Sabine drawled “She’s already speaking in avian metaphors”

Holly chuckled, then azed at her sister, hating that she worried But there was nothing she could do about it “It’s tied, resolved, and ready to do this—on ot a point, cwena” Demonish for little queen, his nickname for her “There comes a time when you just have to trust I had to do that with Cadeon”

“Only took him fifteen hundred years,” Cadeon reed on her pointed ear at the saht was a marvelous feat

“At least leave the portal open,” Sabine said, “until we can be sure you even got to the right real tone, Lanthe muttered, “Fine Just so you won’t worry so et e talked about, Lanthe,” Rydstrom told her Now that he knehat Thronos was really like, he was cordially offering refuge in Rothkalina to every Vrekener Sabine was grudgingly co-offering it

“Thank you for that” But Lanthe had another idea It was so crazy, she hadn’twith Thronos and restoring his h her She raised her hands and began to open a rift

For ht to the glade (in theory) Squeezing her eyes shut, she inwardly begged that she’d find floating bubbles—and not a giant stomach

FIFTY-SEVEN

Thronos’s pain continued to escalate

He’d decided to leave, but at the lastsolade

Thronos knew pain He could handle it

The day was beginning its long, slow fade to twilight Considering this reale of ti But leaving this place would be cowardly And he was no—

Movelade, the air blurred A gap opened, a portal

Cautiously stepping fro fe raven hair Pludoan toease? As if so him toward her, his feet started to close the distance between them

But she was dressed as a sorceress, with a old necklace—and leather trews that lovingly enerous curves He scrubbed his pal to focus; difficult when treated to such a sight

A sorceress ana, he supposed he should be suspicious of this one as well

If he announced himself, would she run back into that portal, lost to hiht, panic seized his chest Why did he feel like she would run?

She caught sight of hiaze widened, as if with disbelief She dropped the bag she was carrying, taking a quick step forward, body tensed, those red lips parted

He could almost swear she’d been about to leap into his arht A trick of thehis palms, he quickly said, “My name is Thronos Talos, and I mean you no harm, sorceress”

“I know” Her eyes started to shileam “I don’t mean you any harm either,” said the tiny female—who looked like she couldn’t hurt a fly

But with Sorceri, appearances were deceiving

Her friendly deled not to limp in front of such a beauty

“I’ on her ot the curious i herself in place

She also showed no surprise at her surroundings, as if she’d been to this glade before Thronos had half believed he was the only one who knew of it