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“It will be fine,” Lyssa had murmured, her last words as she smoothed a hand over Danny’s brow, dropped a kiss on her forehead and left her “You’re so young, darling It will be all right, I promise” Danny sensed the presence of Thomas for a while, knehat an honor it was that the queen had left her own servant to watch over her Or perhaps it had been a protection for her, from herself

When she rose at dusk, she’d had a pleasant enough breakfast with Alistair and Lyssa, then bade theood-bye, her usual coh it wavered when she was provided a cranberry concoction flavored with Dev’s blood

Alistair reported that before her man had departed to attend to his duties, he’d left that with the kitchen staff, to ensure she was properly nourished by her own servant She sat back, listening to the pleasant conversation, tasting his blood on her lips, savoring the last taste of it, aching

When Danny took her leave, Lyssa gave her a long look, squeezed her hand before Danny turned away and let Alistair offer her a hand into the car

She didn’t linger long at her house, finishing up with her servants and packing The flight to Adelaide she chartered for that night was uneventful During it, she reviewed the paperwork and found all was as Dev had proht in Brisbane would reach Adelaide and be transported by truck train to the station in the co stops, she spent staring into space, trying to think about what lay ahead of her and not about where Dev was

Once in Adelaide, she verified what had already arrived She also inforain the folloeek and set the itinerary for a trip to Darwin

She’d been telling the truth to Dev, at least the part about taking care of Ruskin without the other vampires in attendance Because when they arrived, she intended to be there to greet theion Master, with Ruskin’s head on a pike on the front gate Based on the savage turine a better tie Ruskin to a duel

When she returned to her station, she’d originally intended to divide her ti and then arranging her new ite Thieves’ Station her home If Dev had been here, she was sure he would have needled her with dry observations about females and their need to see a chair in every possible location before deciding on the spot they’d first chosen Or quip about how she was abusing the stock the she could twirl the sofa on her index finger like a circus player

No, her heart just wasn’t in it right now She refused to let herself think that, in such a short time, she’d decided Dev was an irreplaceable part of what she considered hoet this matter with Ruskin out of the way first

So she let Elisa and the house staff handle the planning for the new iteed, and turned her focus to that one thing

But as she spent hours in the courtyard, practicing with her two sabers, she found it hard to concentrate She i around Dev’s eyes when he smiled The way he’d doff his hat and wipe his brow before he stepped into the house in early evening, after working all day with the stockap at his throat fro his shoulders and chest, the h at the hips and backside, the eye-engaging groin area Those beautiful sea green eyes studying her, thinking She remembered the way they looked when he quoted poetry, when he shouldered a rifle to deal with the dingoes, when his lips curved in that smile

Da what level of exhaustion it would take to drive him out of her head

Her fencing match with Ruskin had not been idle play She’d wanted to know his capabilities His arrogance, his anachronistic grasp of hilish lord, would all work to her benefit, as would her defeat in their earlier round He didn’t believe she could beat hier, feh of a struggle to convince everyone—including Dev, with his alarain the upper hand, perhaps slaughter Ruskin on her own property as a follow-up coup to Ian He’d thwarted it, soundly defeated her

If he would accept her challenge to another duel on fair ground, she could take hiround, if he thought he had superior advantage and so had no need to cheat However, she’d be leaving sealed instructions with Elisa and Willis so if she didn’t return, they would kno to handle the station But dae her furniture and enjoy it, daht A wo could heal, as long as you were still drawing breath, and the sun was rising and setting She’d deal with her feelings of anger and loneliness after handling Lord Charles