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“Will she be all right? Will I get to her in ti around the suite

But the presence was suddenly gone and he could breathe again Tiny looked up at him and whined uneasily in his throat

“Yeah, you’re right, boy—we need to get going,” Bard growled “Coeron after all”

They left the suite running, with Bard praying all the way that he wouldn’t be too late…

32

Slowly, cautiously, Makenna rass bushes grew A cloyingly sweet odor rose from the pale pink flowers, which were about the size of her palm

On the other side of the line of bushes, a deep blue jungle loo trees and o blue and leant itself to h in the sky If she looked hard enough, there see shapes

Makenna didn’t like the look of it one bit, but it didn’tinto it, she told herself She was going to stay right here in the field and just keep ain It should be perfectly safe, now that she’d found a way to mask her scent

Crouched low in the grass, Makenna picked several of the flowers and rubbed them over all of her exposed skin There—that should take care of her scent, she thought They would never find her now She could relax and wait until they stopped trying

But what if Bard comes to find you? What will you do then? whispered a worried little voice in her head

Reluctantly, Makenna decided she would have to run in that case She had to stay one step ahead of the big warrior If he caught her, he’d just put her back on the shuttle to that First World place where there were o for that—she wanted to live

She picked oneit over her face—the one spot she’d alravelly voice like so with stones in their throat spoke beside her

“You think that stinking flower is going to hide you frorowled “Don’t matter what you smell like—Biter can find still find you”

A huge shape stepped out frole and Makenna was horrified to see it was a Trollox—but not just a Trollox, the Trollox—the one who had bought and paid for her and wanted her to carry his heir

Biter—it’s Biter! He’s come for me!

She looked over her shoulder,to call for help froe of the field and had his back turned, sniffing the air Makenna opened her , dirty hand that smelled like unwashed Trollox clamped over the bottom half of her face Biter was fast