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She easily read his thoughts "I will keep you safe This won't happen again" She brushed his forehead tenderly, then frowned at her hand She dropped it, hastily glancing around to see if anyone had caught her "Sleep, deer "Don't read ht "Do not"

"I won't," she said

"Give me your vow!"

"You have it" She murmured, "Now sleep, demon And dream Dream of what you need most"

His eyelids slid shut And he did

Froazed at his wife in their bed,- Flickering light shone over her face as she slumbered peacefully Their beloved son slept in a crib in their chaainst the castle; inside, they ar had ever felt so good

The pup sounded hungry, so Rydstroht him to his ly and murmured Rydstrom's name

My family

His efes flashed open I need that most And she is the key to it all-

At once, pain assailed hi at hi had he been out ?

Sabine swept into the cell just then She was dressed in a different metal top than before, and her eyes were painted a navy blue Howin to check on e, the affectionate and soft Sabine of before gone "How long was I out?" he asked with effort He lay in bed with only one ankle shackled and his arms free, not that he could lift the rapidly Your spine and neck are already healed, as are your battered lungs if you can speak once e wrapped around his torso, she said, "Your skin hasn't closed over the wound yet, but it will soon You're lucky you weren't harods' names did you have to taunt Ooodto finally do so"

"If I hadn't been there, you would've died"

Sabine's power and cunning had been indescribable She was as powerful in her own right as Omort-more so even, because the sorcerer wanted her

But did she return his feelings? Had they slept together? More disgusting things had happened within their numbers Maybe that hy she allied with him

Or was it because she couldn't quite kill him? With­out Oht be plotting toward it right at that moment

What if Rydstrom convinced her that the sould work? Would shefor her ive it to her What did he have to lose?

Sabine crossed her arms over her metal top "I sup­pose you feel no need to thank racious de colossally stupid"

He'd never been more certain that he was about to die, and she'd prevented it But"It's because of you and your trickerythat I am here in the first place!" Pain erupted from his wound

"It's because of me that Omort has spared you all these years Have you never wondered why he hasn't pursued your assassination?"