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"I could say the sah" She raised a fist at him "So maybe I do ask a lot of questions So what Anyone in irl and that’s my job You’re a boy You’re supposed to pound your chest with your fists and grunt, then do everything in your power to please me"

"Hardly The man you just described isyou away by the hair"

With his every word, aaze

The show of her tehted him But only a little, he assured hiuess what she would do or say next "How are you feeling?" he asked, studying her once more She still had bruises under her eyes, her lips were chapped froain?"

"I’ fro list of medications she had been prescribed Such withdraould be substantial He could give her the re drop of water fro such an option before, while she’d been bedbound, he could justify He hadn’t knohether she would live or die and that’s exactly what the water was for Life and death It was not for relieving a few aches and pains

"I’ll be fine," she added, probably to fill the sudden silence "Now Will you please takeme any more questions"

"I --" in fact, he was pretty sure the naes "--but you are safer with uy who threatened to kill ht’s sleep, her head finally clear, she had recalled what he’d said to her--I could kill you now--and wanted to escape him "I did not threaten you" Truth He had merely stated a fact He could kill her at any moment

"But you said--"

"I knohat I said But I tell you now, again, that you are safer with me than with anyone else" Even if he hurt her, even if he did decide to slay her, she was still safer with hi hiht, I’ll stay For now"

He felt an odd urge to say thank-you but ood to me"

She crossed her arms over her middle "Is that sarcasm? I think I detect sarcasm"

"Are you sure I even knohat that word ue "Another question from your end" Her head tilted to the side and she studied him for the first ti touch over his entire body "Your wings…"

"Yes?" He stretched out one, then the other, exalistening crystals were sold than white Yesterday the opposite was true"

She was right The aain That could onlyinto one of the Elite, whether his Deity had spoken to him about it or not

But…but…that could only mean his Deity was pleased with him and that Zacharel had been chosen to replace Ivar There was no other explanation that made sense

But why?

Because Zacharel had saved a human, despite the risk to hie of his ar the respect of his men? If so, that would mean his Deity had never wanted him to fail, that the promotion was to be his prize

"Well?" Annabelle pros are very pretty"

Pretty? The word should not have offended hinificent, thank you

He owed her no explanation about this, and had to stop offering details so freely When they parted, and they would, she could be captured, could give the information to his ene would ensure she was never captured Surely

"A p-pro teeth Mist swirled in front of her face "Not to change the subject, but, uh, is it cold in here to you?"

Reminded of when he’d first found her, of how frozen she’d been, Zacharel decided he was no longer accepting or grateful for the chill he carried with him Annabelle suffered, and that he did not like He would have to ask his Deity for leniency in this matter And perhaps he would receive it, now that he knew there was a way back into his leader’s good graces

"A coat," he said now, and Annabelle’s eyes gleaht of that"

"I’m sure you would have" He held out his hand and a white faux-fur coat appeared

"Thanks," she said "You know, you are one huge contradiction You’reone moment, then protective the next"

"You mean for me to take offense, like before at the institution?"