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Herclearer to him When he dreamed, he felt how lonely she'd been, how she'd tried not to nurse hope over Murdoch Once a rogue, always a rogue

He'd done so little to set herto make sure she understood her loneliness was over I never told her I' one ht with Jadian and had learned her thoughts as she'd kissed the Iceren

She'd been thinking about Murdoch Danii had chosen him over a male who could touch her, a nobleman of her own kind who could kiss her She hadn't been thinking about bailing on Murdoch at all At least not before he'd hurt her, attacked her

This situation was intolerable To be kept from Daniela now? Murdoch wanted her sohis brother -

"Nikolai!" The word boo

Nikolai and Sebastian shot awake

Dear God "Was that?"

"Conrad," Nikolai said "He's here"

Maybe I' her own kind in a paradise of ice, and she was bored

Days ago, she'd been croith much fanfare The Icere had prepared banquets, carved sculptures in her honor, and played music Plus, they'd declared a snow day at the castle - literally, it had fallen fros

And since the festivities?

Jadian was a constant bodyguard, always nearby, always solemn Most of the fey she'd ured this was an aftereffect of having an evil dictator ruling the - but had learned this was just their nature

Here, there were no practical jokes, no sisters bent on thieving her clothing No gorgeous va as slowly as the glaciers surrounding them She wondered if it was possible to expire froins now

To make matters worse, she missed Murdoch like an ache Every day, she dwelled on what she could have done differently Perhaps I shouldn't have kissed another ht

But that indiscretion hadn't mattered She and Murdoch had already been finished Danii had thought they would be together forever, but he hadn't agreed, hadn't believed that they orth the fight -

With a sudden flush of guilt, she recognized that iven theainst thened Loa's book

Across the throne room, Jadian turned to her with his brows raised Since she'd arrived, she hadn't seen hi from him She'd concluded that he was devoted to his people, had probably only kissed her to sway her to coard

His na back over his fight with Murdoch, she recalled that Jadian's pulse had never gotten elevated He'd been indignant, ready to die for his queen But he hadn't been ready to lose his te unemotional, he had a reputation for cold-blooded ruthlessness Her ladies-in-waiting had told her how he'd bla relentlessly for years, only waiting for Daniela to be located before striking

They'd also spoken of sordid rumors that Jadian had once kept a seductive fire deeon

He crossed to Danii then "You are unhappy here" It wasn't a question, but he did sound disbelieving

"I it's been a big change"

"You'll grow accustoical to the point that most Valkyrie would deem him a buzz kill But he was beloved by the orderly people here

"Jadian, I was recalling our kiss"

He stiffened, as if he thought she'd want to resume so aboutthat I was a va, "h-worthy a ers through dark hair She yearned to gaze up at gray eyes that turned black with lust "Was it just a play to get ed "You needed to be here"