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“I don’t understand, Tair—”

“Ara died here My wife—and my son I held Zaki as he died, I held hiain I can’t It would kill me and where would my people be?”

“Tair”

“I thought I could protect you, Tally, but when you were taken froe I couldn’t do anything for you—”

“But you did, you found me, you rescued me”

He shook his head His dark eyes were shadoith pain and suffering “I was sure there’d be blood I could see it all happening, what they could do to you I was sure I would be too late” His jaw tensed and he sed even as he reached out to lightly trace the curve of her cheekbone and then her upper lip that bowed “You are too beautiful, Tally I would rather live far from you and know you live, than have you here and know you suffer”

“But I suffer when I’m away from you, Tair”

His eyes narrowed A small muscle pulled in his cheek “Death is worse”

“But away from you is death, too”

He turned his head, looked away, thick black lashes fringing his eyes, concealing the sheen of tears “It isn’t right to risk so much It is selfish of me—”

“It’s selfish of you to send me ahen I love you and want to be with you It’s selfish of you to tell me I must be a coward and afraid It’s not my nature to be fearful It’s e”

“Tally” His voice broke

“Tair, don’t fear for me And don’t make decisions for me I know the risks I knohat’s at stake but I’d rather have a month with you than a lifetime without”

He reached up to shove hair back froruffly

She leaned forward and reached out to catch the single tear on his lashes and wipe it away “But romantic”

“And foolish”

“And exciting”

“You’ll be the death of me,” he muttered, even as he turned to her and lifted her face between his hands He studied her face for an endlessfor truth, searching for the answer that seemed to elude him

“I like exciting, Tair,” she whispered