Page 72 (1/2)

Carrow could tell he even enjoyed it when Ruby sang "Particle Man" But it ing ht, Ruby had asked for Malkom to hold her hand at bedti as he'd patiently waited for Ruby to fall asleep He'd gruffly told her, "Dream well, deela" Demonish for doll

With each second he'd remained at that bedside, Carrow had become even more convinced that Malkos they'd done

"I' him to read," she'd said yesterday, her tone filled with importance "Because I read waaaaay better than him"

"You didn't tell him that, did you?"

"Only twice"

Ruby continually pressured Carrow to leave, re her several times a day, "You promised me you'd take me home"

"I know, baby, but it's complicated"

"I miss my friends I miss Elianna"

Elianna, Carrow's ed but never died The old witch alore an apron with pockets full of ed her, those scents wafted up To this day, Carrow associated the ss and unconditional love "I miss Elianna, too And Mariketa But we'll see the Malko her off She thought he feared that she'd leave him once they'd returned home When in truth, if he treated her half as well as he had in the mine, then she'd be stuck to hi After they'd made love the first time, Carrow had awakened with her body well pleasured, even as her heart had still hurt She'd been so stung that she hadn't sought hiht as she'd lain awake during a storhtning "Co it impossible to deny him Filled with excitement, she'd followed hiainst a tree, then fro in his lap She'd lost count after that, but each time he'd taken pains never to co, Carrow had been cross-eyed with exhaustion and pleasantly surprised when he'd co her out - as if he'd wanted to let Carrow sleep late

Such a thoughtful gesture, a husbandly gesture But later, when she'd thanked him, he'd coldly denied that he'd done it for her

Yes, she'd been taking her knocks, singing "Tub - thuue and plastered on sain

She'd first started falling for hi her It constantly reht if she was good and ive her love Now she'd begun to accept that they never would

Would Malko She'd done wrong by hi her like this for a tiet past her betrayal, then she could endure it

However, there was no reason for her to endure it fro, the one tie she had with them What if she just admitted defeat? Relin"uished all hope?

Then she'd wondered, What if Malkoets past ht as she rose to go find him

Since Carrow had already fallen in love with Malko he'd known For a dee, this was an uncomfortable process