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She had h And Lyra found a piece of her that thrilled, just a little, with the knowledge that in this new life of hers, she could count on someone to stand beside her

Whatever there was to face beyond the s it alone

She finally knehat she wanted And since she did everything the hard way, she’d had to go through hell to figure out that the right thing had been staring her in the face--or brooding in her basement--for weeks He was the only one who’d ever accepted her just the way she ho’d supported her drea her ability to achieve them And in return, she’d pushed at him and run froo He’d been endlessly patient She’d been a fool But Lyra was going to have all the tiive Jaden the only gift she had, the only one she could give

To get ain With him

Jaden awakened to an e familiar and wonderful about it, and he let hiuidly, allowing himself the tinized the sound

Lyra

He was on his feet in an instant, sla into the hallway It was empty, but the sound of voices was clearer Lyra was downstairs, engaged in what sounded like anih hiun to think the Lyra he’d knoas gone, replaced by a shell that would never do more than drift from place to place

He should have known she’d be stronger than that But what she’d been through wasn’t so even the strongest people would have a hard tied to keep his fa the life, but he’d known they cared up until the end

Lyra would get to live with the knowledge of her rejection But he swore he would be there to help her deal with it, whether she wanted hi to him, even if it was never e irony was that she wore the mark, but he was the one who felt the bondthe into the parlor, which Lily had recently redone to her taste and often spent tireeted him as he hit the doorway stopped him in his tracks

Lily and Lyra both turned to look at him, but all he could see was his wos loosely crossed She wore the jeans she’d arrived in, long since cleaned, and a light-colored button-down shirt he didn’t recognize Her feet were bare; her hair fell in loose coils over her shoulders Though she still looked a bit too thin, a bit too pale, like she had just recovered fro illness, the blush of health had returned to her cheeks The look in her eyes, luht that Lily often preferred here, was pure pleasure Her smile, however, was unsure

"You slept in," she said

He shoved his hair back froather her in his arms, and cover her in kisses Souess I did Noish I hadn’t," he said, and finally ed to walk in He looked to Lily, who looked like a cat who’d caught the canary

"Lyra and I were just discussing soht like to stay on, if I can find her so as you’ll have me"

Jaden wasn’t sure whether she meant the Lilim, or him personally But froht--he hoped--it was both Lily stood, an e in her hand, and Jaden saw she was still in a rumpled pair of oversized pajamas

"I think you two probably want to talk," she said "I’rinned at Lyra "I’lad that vampirism didn’t kill lad you’re back And trust lad to have you here We all will"

"Thank you For everything," Lyra said, and Jaden could hear the e hi look on her way by He didn’t miss the fact that she shut the door behind her

Lyra stood the moment the door was closed, and Jaden took a cautious step toward her One Two But she showed no sign of bolting

"I have a couple of things I want to say," she said "So hear ht But after that, you’re going to let h she looked like shethat part He wasn’t sure why, but he hoped she would be pleasantly surprised

"First, I have to thank you," she said "You’ve been taking care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself Nobody’s ever done that for me Not that I can remember, anyway I was always supposed to be self-sufficient, and strong, and--"

"You’re all of that," Jaden said "What happened to you--"

"Nope, not finished," she said, holding up her hand "I didn’t kno to lean on solad you didn’t, because alone, I don’t knohat I would have done I don’t knoould be right now Or if I would be right now You gaveat me to do it That meansa step closer Her words were a bal wounds he hadn’t even realized were there

"Second, the fact that I’m bonded to you"