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Azriel did not confirm that he was there, that he’d heard

Jurian studied er for your own heart If they catch you alive, the king will--" He shook his head "Don’t let theed from the deep shadows in the corner of the tent a heartbeat later He jerked his chin toward the curtains in the back I began intoning one of Ianthe’s many prayers, a pretty speech I’d heard her say a thousand ti tables and furniture I chanted her prayers all the while

Azriel slid back the curtain--

Elain was in her nightgown Gagged, wrists wrapped in steel that glowed violet Her eyes ide as she saw us--Azriel anda hand to my lips as Azriel knelt before her I kept upthe Cauldron to ently re from her mouth "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, devouring the sight of hi it "You caer only inclined his head

"Hurry," I whispered, then resumed my prayer We had until it ran out

Azriel’s Siphons flared, the one atopwhen it ca

Only a few more verses of my prayer left to chant

Her wrists and ankles were bound She couldn’t run out of here with the for a thread of Helion’s power to unravel the king’s spell on the chains But ic was still depleted, in sha"

The screa her bound arht," he ordered her, "and don’t ht I drew off the robe, and pocketed Azriel’s Siphon before pal two knives "Out the back?"

A nod "Get ready to run"

My heart thundered Elain glanced between us, but did not tree

"Run, and don’t stop," he told e--the cliff"

"If Jurian’s not there with the girl in tiet her"

I blew out a breath, steadying rew louder--closer

"Now," Azriel hissed, and we ran

His Siphons blazed, and the canvas of the back of the tent uards nearby noticed

They didn’t react to us Only peered at the hole

Azriel had made us invisible--shadow-bound

We sprinted between tents, feet flying over the grass and dirt "Hurry," he whispered "The shadoon’t last long"

For in the east, behind us … the sun was beginning to rise

A piercing howl split the dying night And I knew they’d realized e’d done That ere here And even if they couldn’t see us … the King of Hybern’s hounds could scent us

"Faster," Azriel snarled

The earth shuddered behind us I didn’t dare look behind

We neared a rack of weapons I sheathedmy hands as we hurtled past and I snatched a bow and quiver of arrows fro the quiver over a shoulder As I nocked an arrow into place

Azriel cut right, swerving around a tent