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I eyed hi s this hold, waiting to see if you’d return after their ambush If they’re still in the area, it’s best you not take to the roads, escorted or not That, and they’d also likely expect you to report here and iive up and leave"

"I hate intrigue," I ain

"But you do it so well"

Then, without warning, he reached out and laid a hand on my stomach I jumped back "Hey! Ask peries," he said, unfazed He stepped toward ave a reluctant nod, and his hand returned "Why bother? I haven’t felt them move yet You certainly can’t"

"Even so, I like the connection We’re going to be very close, these two and I Well, if you’ll stop being stubborn and letitidohhe simply wanted to be a part of our lives After all the mistrust between us, I was certain there was so it over," I said evasively

He chuckled to hi it over’ for the next twenty years"

Dorian said no more, but his hand didn’tDorian excelled at disguising as on the inside Part of that cawell, Dorian As we stood there, I soon became aware of the warmth of his hand onand stirred up too many recollections of our past I’d been deeply in love with him when he betrayed o of Even now, the memories of our closeness and the intense physicality burned within me When he started to slide his hand toward the side of my hip, I abruptly pulled away

"They aren’t over there," I said, hoping I sounded more irritable than flustered I took a few steps toward the door "I’ll stay another day or so and then head back"

He clasped his hands in front of him and nodded "As you wish I’"

"Right," I said I held his gaze for a few ht see in his eyes Having to guess at his e so them

Chapter 3

I didn’t take offense that Rurik and Shaya wanted to be married in the Rowan Land, rather than the Thorn Land Sure, the Thorn Land here they’d fallen in love while working for entry shared my love for the endless heat and vast deserts of doh, and even I had to adeous It was the kind of place that came to mind when you pictured pastoral picnics and idyllic afternoons Flowers bloothe horizon If I had any issue with the Rowan Land, it was that I si was held in the vast grounds stretching out beyond the ned by the Rowan Land’s last ruler, Katrice, and looked like soic tied to plants and nature was a coentry power, and several people rounds I’d told them they could do whatever they wanted, and they’d takencherry trees--which hadn’t been there a few days ago--lined the courtyard like sentries, showering everything with delicate pink petals Cli roses had been coaxed into a natural arch where the couple would take their vows and bloomed in exotic colors I’d never seen in the wild There were no chairs for the guests, and I’d been told it was tradition to stand for gentry weddings, particularly since the ceremony was usually brief Off to the sides, kept discreetly away during the cere ornate wooden tables with platters of food for the feasting that would follow Blue entrythat marred this beautiful scene, it was the abundance of soldiers patrolling the area They weren’t easy to spot--at first Guests were pouring into the area, dressed in the variety of colors and fabrics the gentry so loved It , but after a minute or so of study, I could pick out the uniforms of both my own soldiers and the ones that Dorian had lent for the occasion Although they were spread throughout all the grounds, the soldiers were ed around wherever I was No surprise, seeing as I was the reason for the extra security I also knew that all the guests--doms--had been extensively screened before they were allowed anywhere near the wedding site I felt a little guilty that my situation put this joyous occasion into lockdown mode, but Rurik and Shaya had taken it in stride

"This dress makes me look fat," I told Jasmine as we stood near the back of the crowd and watched the last-lanced over at auzy dress

"You’re pregnant," she stated "Everything makes you look fat"

I scowled "I think the correct response was, ‘No it doesn’t’"

Jas no remorse for her blunt honesty "It’s not that bad And it’s just in your stohed, knowing some of what she said was true I was so active that I’d really put on no weight that wasn’t essential for the pregnancy And yeah, I kneasn’t that big yet, but standing here--especially next to Jasain ree of my body