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There was no better way She’d have to accept that

Victoria was Illa Gardella, and she was bloody daer, the shock, she’d understand

She ive hie and pain hadn’t subsided in the least since she left Prague, nearly a week ago

Victoria rode like a fiend, stopping only for a few short hours of rest each night, driving Bri weariness Wayren had returned to Roht remain safe in the Consilium They could call for her if she was needed, but Victoria wanted to take no chances with Wayren’s safety now that the Trial was over

And Sebastian and Michalas had gone with Max

She’d alternated between fury and relief that he’d taken them with him He wouldn’t face Lilith alone-but how dared he circuht with two Venators Michalas she could perhaps understand, for he’d worked with Max for years… but Sebastian as well?

The hope that she and Bri her on, but no n of the the way She wasn’t even certain where Lilith’s lair in Muntii Fagaras was, a fact she was sure Max had used to his advantage

She didn’t want to think about what else he’d done to get the advantage Making love to her, lulling her into complacency…

Pro to promise that, Victoria

No indeed She had no illusions; Max had known exactly what he intended to do even then Likely before they’d even arrived in Prague In fact, she suspected he’d known from the s from Lilith Stupid, foolish Victoria not to have predicted his pattern of thought herself

So, knowing that she’d never allow it, he’d taken the decision from her

Damn him

And then he’d left Brim to meet her when she came out of the chamber that still had daht away At least Max had had the courtesy to leave a note for her

I’s She won’t give them up easily

And, as he reminded her further, in the heavy, ance, he could have resorted to the sa salvi to render her deeply asleep so that he could make his escape That simple comment was meant to remind her that she too had made a siiveness was another iveness, acceptance… those were too far away for her to consider right now All Victoria wanted was to find Max, to lay eyes-and hands, furious hands-on him and show him that there was another way

There had to be

But Max had planned well, which was no surprise, and by the time Victoria and Brim reached the foothills of the Romanian mountain that held Lilith’s lair, they’d encountered no one who’d seen the three Venators And they could go no farther, for neither Victoria nor Brim kne to find the hidden place

"Sebastian didn’t seeical pool is," Victoria said, shielding her eyes against the sun rising over the ht until four o’clock, then risen and gone as far as they could "He didn’t tell me its name or any other information, other than that the orb was hidden inside"

"Max said that they would find us when they had the rings," Brim told her "You look like you’ve not slept in a week, Victoria Perhaps since we can go no farther, you should rest for a bit"