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He’s wearing some kind of leather body arer non his back, and I can’t ers His face is a stone, but he crosses to the door and opens it

“It appears we’ve been su back, he looks at

“What’s going on?” I ask, fear tingling in the back ofhappened to Mercy?”

“Co to exit the s tower He’sfast, and I don’t have tiht, until we’re at the bottom

Reaching forward, he turns the circle ofat the entrance of his labyrinthine castle He doesn’t stop there He goes to the door and pushes it open, walking out into the glooht I’d never know

Walking ten paces away frorips my shoulder “Close your eyes”

I do as instructed, and as if I blink, I open the in front of Mercy’s house — or Hayden’s — in our world The sun is low in the sky, just beginning to set Hayden’s clothes are transformed into a black tailored suit, but I’ht to theback over reen lawn No rift or door or anything

Turning to the house, I jog up the stairs after hiet Mercy back, and he’s the only one who can helparound when I see the one thing that almost knocks me down

Mercy

“Koa!” I can’t help a shriek Thein his direction With a leap, I’ ood, woods and water and delicious man-panther

“Mercy?” His voice breaks, and his large hands are on loonder, and I pull hi

His kiss isagainst each other I press ulfI dreamed about every horrible ain in the most luxurious heaven

“Sorry to break up the reunion” I recognize that voice and turn my chin with a smile Koa’s lips move to my temple, and he inhales deeply at the line of my hair

“You shs My eyes close, and I only want to hold him

“We have to get this over with” Slayde is still talking, and I step back to smile at him Pain flares in my elbow, and I let out a little yelp